Cal football head coach Sonny Dykes came into the Daily Cal office for an exclusive interview.

New sheriff in town: Sonny Dykes’ vision for Cal football

Five months into the job, Sonny Dykes envisions his program to go beyond winning football games. He wants to redefine what Cal football means to the Berkeley community.

Sonny Dykes has two young daughters at home, but when he arrives at work every day, he transforms into a surrogate parent of nearly 100 men. Before and after practice, he mingles with his players, cracking light-hearted jokes and dispensing life advice to his players. From the upper stands of Read More…

(Cal Bears/Courtesy)

The Bear Necessities: Revisioning the Cal brand

Inspiring speeches, matte helmets, the color gray highlight the marquee event

The wait is over. Cal Athletics’ new brand — two years in the making — was unveiled in a landmark event at Memorial Stadium Wednesday afternoon. While the shiny new uniforms received all the hype — and rightfully so — the revamped Cal brand is about far more than just Read More…

(Cal Bears/Courtesy)

Cal athletics unveils new brand in massive press conference

Respect the past, represent the future. That was the theme of the Cal athletic department’s unveiling of the new Cal brand Wednesday afternoon. At the Memorial Stadium Field Club, Athletics Director Sandy Barbour was joined by coaches and members of the media — as well as a few choice athlete-models Read More…

Shoved into controversy

CAMPUS ISSUES: Cal basketball coach Mike Montgomery should not have shoved Allen Crabbe, but the issue has been blown out of proportion.

In the heat of the moment, Mike Montgomery let his emotions get the best of him. Down by double-digit points to an opponent it should have been besting, the Cal men’s basketball team needed to turn Sunday’s game against USC around. Fast. So Montgomery approached junior guard Allen Crabbe and, Read More…

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Crabbe reacts to confrontation with Montgomery

Allen Crabbe said that it was a spur of the moment. But Cal athletics director Sandy Barbour and Cal men’s basketball coach Mike Montgomery felt it needed to be addressed. Around the 16:31 mark in the second half during a timeout break in the Sunday night game against USC, Montgomery Read More…

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Dykes’ arrival marks new chapter in Cal football history

Amid the downpour of dead week, excitement is in the Berkeley air. Call it the oncoming Bear raid. Or perhaps Air Bears. With Sonny Dykes and the “air raid” offense coming to Cal, nicknames for the 2013 Bears’ offense have already been floated throughout the campus community and blogosphere. “What’s Read More…