“oh the humanity…”

It was a no-joy-in-Mudville moment. Babo’s crestfallen expression said it all. Our 5 Latino beer buzz had worn off and in 14 seconds, we saw our hopes to be Number One vanish. Now Cal is down to Number 10/12.

Cal football means a lot to my crew. It is a time for camaraderie and family. A time to reminisce on the good old days of Wolf House parties and kegs and the new old days of showing up at Chuppie(Chicano and Yuppie=chuppie)tailgates with paper bags in hand and drunkenly debating whether or not to approach Ben Braun. We stick with the Osos Dorados because we are proud and loyal.

I was pumped up about yesterday. I had broken my fast from alcohol at the SF Greek Food Fest a few weeks ago but Homecoming was going to be a return to my legendary shenanigans. Dutifully, I filled my water bottle with Peruvian beer and then Lisabet and I took on the 24 oz. Coronas. By the time, we took a break at Hillel House, I was singing the chorus from “Pedro Navaja”, “la vida te da sorpresas, sorpresas te da la vida, ay Dios!” as strangers lauded me for my customized shirt.

The game got to be more of a nail-biter as the game went on but the Bears held on. And then they lost it. We lost it.

But rankings and losses aside, Cal football games will continue to be the stuff of stories. This fall has already had some classic moments: devilish South Central offering me a sip of snakebite at Raleigh’s, the Army parachuting into the stadium(now that was a shoot me now moment), me passing our section because the Army recruiting table distracted me, some random white guys telling me “You look good standing next to the Axe,” Slim telling us hilarious anecdotes about the Gamma’s drunken escapades at Mario’s La Fiesta(and Lisa’s comment “how come Mikey is in every story?”), and me running back and forth between the games at Alma Mater and the Cal vs. Oregon game on TV in my friend’s classroom.

We will prevail.