Things changed when the started strictly adhering to the RPI which meant the WCC stopped having a chance as they became a below average conference in the region. Sandon pretends that getting home field and seeds don't matter but anyone that understand simple probability and statistics realizes that it does. Another issue is coaching. Once upon a time you had Bobby Clark, Schmid, Sampson as coaches. With Jamie Clark moving to Washington and Sampson moved back, things are improving but not very good.
Cal with 2 huge away wins in the PNW against Washington and Oregon State. Klinsmann started and won both games.. Not a big fan of his, but he's a huge upgrade for them.
shows how far off soccer america's rankings are. I hope Cal makes it into the tournament, but they need to be clutch in their last games to bump up from their RPI of 43.
Considering Soccer America's offices are only 3 blocks away from campus, I think that is the most generous they've been with Cal's rankings in recent seasons. Through the years, that hasn't always been the case. Also, because I doubt anyone really has true reporters covering each team other than maybe some student interns and information they receive from the internet.
Since I've followed them , SA hasn't been all that "generous" towards the Bears program even though their offices are (or were historically) located only 3 blocks away from campus.
It's possible to be the 24th best team in the country at the end of the season and have the fourth best record in your conference because of some less than stellar play early in the season. This team looked good at the end of the year. I think they could have made some noise in the early stages of the tournament had they gotten in. They outplayed Stanford in their last game even though they lost.
That is an interesting point... However, 1. the PAC12 season, like all leagues, is played in the last half of the season. 2. Washington beat Stanford at the end. 3. UCLA beat Cal 6-0 and then lost 4-3, and 4. UCLA and Cal beat Washington. Using the last few games is not the best indication.
Birnbaum, Bingham Added to USMNT Camp Roster Birnbaum Scores Winner Against Iceland ... - Cal Bears Pair of Former Bears Selected to Jurgen Klinsmann's January Camp Roster Klinsmann Named to U.S. U-20 Roster California Freshman GK Gets the Call-Up for the First Camp of 2016 to be Held in Miami
It was nice to see CAL coach Kevin Grimes announced and honored last night at the Clash/Quakes vs DC United 20 year reunion game last night at Avaya Stadium. I'm surprised and wondering why they would have even considered Grimes as he only played in preseason was injured and then released exactly two weeks after the initial 1996 MLS inagural season started. Anyway, at least he got to see his two former CAL players, Steve Birnbaum and David Bingham play....
Bears Announce Five in 2016 Signing Class Head Coach Kevin Grimes Adds A Handful Of Prospects to 2016 Class
Nice piece in the Daily Cal on the Women's team http://www.dailycal.org/2016/09/12/total-football/. Looks like they are doing quite well.
Let’s Go with Ugo "Daje! Daje!" Ugo Rebecchini is the lone international student on Cal men's soccer team. He is a long way from his beginnings but never forgets his culture and where he came from. On days off, Rebecchini cooks family-style meals for his teammates, something he inherited from his Italian culture. Young Ugo on the field; Rebecchini began club soccer in Italy at age 10. The Rebecchinis in Sabaudia, a beach near Rome.