Bears Join Huskies for Crew Classic Rematch

Betting in college sports is mostly illegal. But in rowing, betting is glorified.

Shirt betting is one of rowing's oldest and most lauded traditions. After the completion of a race, the losing oarsmen present their uniform to their counterpart on the winning boat. For one rower it can be the greatest feeling, for the other it is the worst.

The shirts are a symbol of respect, speed and most of all, victory.

"A shirt is more than a trophy. It's like I took a piece of the person that I was racing against," varsity coxswain Michael Porter said. "To give up a shirt is like losing a part of yourself. You get your shirt, and you want to hold onto for all your years. And to have to give it away because you came up short is awful."

This Saturday, the No. 6 Cal men's crew will be looking to conclude its streak of giving by re-establishing a period of taking, beginning with top-ranked Washington in Redwood Shores, Calif.

Earlier this season at the grand final of the San Diego Crew Classic, the Bears had to take the shirts off of their backs and give them to the Huskies' varsity eight.

"(To give away a shirt is) one of the most bitter feelings. It's almost indescribable. It's one of those feelings that I never want to experience again, ever in my life. But it's just motivation to work harder," sophomore Nareg Guregian said.

Washington will be seeing a very different side of Cal this time around.

Prior to the Bears' last meeting in the Grand Final, Rowing News selected Cal as their top crew in the nation. But the Bears have hit a few unforeseen bumps along the way, finishing fourth in San Diego and falling to Wisconsin last weekend. Cal is the underdog this weekend and the rowers have quite a chip on their shoulders.

"We have dropped the ball. We now have to approach this (race) with a different mentality. We are not the fastest crew right now," Porter said. "So now it's go in and fight, or check out. And we are not giving up."

In last year's race, the Huskies' varsity was able to defeat the Bears to capture the Schoch Cup.

The Bears not only want to win this race, they plan on learning from the experience as well.

"Each day, each stroke, each race is to get yourself in a position that when you get to the national championship, you are at your very, very best," coach Steve Gladstone said. "At the end of every practice there is a sense of progression."

Practice, for the Bears, is a battle in itself. Every day the oarsmen compete amongst themselves for the seats on the varsity shell. Win or lose, varsity seat or not, the rowers try to gain something every moment that they are in the water.

And on Saturday, they'll try to gain a shirt.

"A Washington shirt is always a top prize for us. It would mean everything," sophomore Benedict Tufnell said. "Getting a shirt is like the icing on the cake."

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