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January 5 -- January 11, 2026
Issue No. 623
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San Francisco
49ers 3
Seattle Seahawks 13
| | | San Francisco 49ers Brock Purdy | | |
"Losing doesn't make me want to quit, it makes me want to FIGHT that much HARDER"-- Paul Bear Bryant
And so it shall be with the 49ers as they move through the playoffs. Not with a first-round bye, but with anger and confidence. It was inevitable that countless injuries to core personnel would ultimately take their toll. Perhaps it was the one to Trent Williams which sealed the deal, and of course no Niner would blame the loss on injuries --too much pride. But San Francisco couldn't stop the run, and with Pearsall and other injured receivers and CMC blanketed all game, the Niners just got beat. 13-3 -- not exactly a whuppin', but a distasteful loss when the path to the Super Bowl looked ready-made for the Ultimate Prize.
I think Bear Bryant was right, and the San Francisco 49ers will embrace those motivational words and do what is needed to climb the mountain to Victory. That's why we're the "49er Faithful!"
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers Game Highlights | 2025 NFL Season Week 18: (14:29)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9_i5axNo9w 12-5, 49ers Niners, 13-3, Seahawks
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CFP: Four Teams Left -- Seeds 1, 5, 6 and 10, Where Did Everyone Go?
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Teams that had a bye are now 1-7 in CFP quarterfinal rounds over the past two seasons. After weeks of Notre Dame's hissy-fits, fights for preferred seeds, PR campaigns, point spreads, over-unders, FORGET all that nonsense. These four teams are ready to put on their armor and do battle. The Championship Game is January 19th.
FIESTA BOWL: January 8th: #6 Ole Miss vs. #10 Miami
Where will the Championship game be played? MIAMI! Which of the remaining teams has the lowest seed? #10 Miami; Who beat Texas A&M and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks? MIAMI. Ole Miss may have the best QB out of the whole playoff bunch -- maybe even better than Mendoza: Trinidad Chambliss, both mobile and accurate. However, the bureaucratic madness with coaches still looms over the team; Miami's defense is impressive, and Beck has proven himself to be a winner.
Underdog picks the biggest Underdog team: #10 MIAMI! Hard Rock Cafe awaits. Bon appetit!
PEACH BOWL: January 9th: "It's pretty simple, I win. Google me": Sayeth Indiana Coach Cignetti at his introductory press conference. I'll go with a higher authority: the Bible. Pride is the last thing which comes before a fall, Proverbs 16:18. A proud or boastful person is more likely to make mistakes, underestimate risks, and ultimately face failure or downfall. That's Indiana's Coach and his team as they lose to Oregon, which, incidentally, shut out Texas Tech last week, 23-0. True, in October, Indiana beat Oregon 30-20, but experience is a good teacher and the Ducks, with their West Coast smarts and strong defense, will have learned from that defeat and will stop Mendoza and the Hoosiers.
Underdog picks #5 OREGON over #1 Indiana. "Ducks Win! Google it!"
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Note to Readers:
Most photos in each issue are linked to Facebook albums produced
by our talented photographers. To enjoy additional photos, simply click on a photograph or on the link provided at the end of each report. New albums, contributor essays and Sports Today issues are continually posted to: www.ultimatesportsguide.net
In this issue we have updated our Facebook Albums link. Check here to see if your favorite team was covered and enjoy the exceptional photo coverage from our exceptional photographers:
https://conta.cc/49DptcC
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Contents
Games
Cal Bears (MBkB) 70, Louisville Cardinals 90
Cal Bears (MBkB) 72, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 71
Golden State Warriors 123, Utah Jazz 114
Las Vegas Raiders 14, Kansas City Chiefs 12
Stanford Cardinal (MBkB) 40, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 47
Features & Commentary
Bruce Lee, from the Autograph Collection of Rich Yee
Football History Presented in Verse, by Dave Newhouse
Golden Tickets in 2026, by Andy Dolich
Hardly Trivial by T. Buff
Newsletter, Image, Likeness, by Darren Heitner, Esq.
Organizations
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A's
Bay Area Falcons
Bay FC
Cal Bears
Cal State University East Bay
Golden State Valkyries
Golden State Warriors
Oakland Ballers
Oakland Roots SC
Oakland Soul SC
Oakland Spiders
Saint Mary's College Gaels
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco Giants
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San Francisco Nighthawks
San Francisco Unicorns
San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose State Spartans
Santa Clara Broncos
SF City
Sonoma Raceway
St. Francis Yacht Club
Stanford Cardinal
UC Davis Aggies
University of Pacific Tigers
USF Dons
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna
Seca
| | 2026 Sports Event Calendar | | | |
Golden Tickets in 2026
by Andy Dolich
| | |
The 2026 sports menu in Northern California and beyond is a
cornucopia of world class events of many types. Make sure your
private jet is fully fueled as you venture beyond the Bay Area to attend events all over the globe. I decided to select 26 events so that you can begin planning.
1. Super Bowl 60 on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium. Will the 49ers
become the third team ever to play in a Super Bowl on their home
field?
2. FIFA. First time ever that the World Cup will be played in three
countries; Mexico, USA and Canada with six games at Levi's Stadium beginning June 11. Will the U.S. men's team play at Levi's?
3. Winter Olympics, Milano & Cortina, Italy, February 6-22.
4. Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, May 2.
5. Australian Open Tennis, Melbourne, Australia, January 12.
6. NCAA Men’s Quarterfinals, West Regional, SAP Center, San Jose, March 26 & 28.
7. Masters Golf, Augusta, GA tees off on April 12. Will Rory McIlroy win back-to-back Green Jackets?
8. USA Table Tennis Championship, July 3-9, San Jose
Convention Center.
9. Home games for Northern California Pro sports team -- San Francisco 49ers, Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Barracuda, Golden State Valkyries, San Jose Earthquakes, Oakland Ballers, Bay FC, Oakland Roots, A’s in Sacramento, Sacramento Kings, Sacramento River Cats, Sacramento Republic, Santa Cruz Warriors, Stockton Ports.
10. Home games for Northern California Amateur sports teams -- College NCAA Division One schools: Cal, Stanford, San Jose State, Saint Mary's, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sacramento State, University of Pacific.
11. San Francisco Marathon, July 25-26.
12. Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, June 6.
13. World Dog Surfing Championships, Pacifica, August 1.
14. Winter X Games, Aspen, January 23-26.
15. World Baseball Classic, Japan, Puerto Rico, USA, March 5-12.
16. Winter Paralympics, Milan & Cortina, Italy, March 6.
17. USA Pickleball Championships, San Diego, October 31.
18. World Sumo March Championship, Osaka, Japan, March 8-22.
19. US Sumo Open Long Beach, May 9.
20. US Bowling National Championship, Minneapolis, July TBD.
21. US National Marbles Championship, Wildwood, New Jersey, April 3.
22. Pro Sports Drafts -- NFL, Pittsburgh, April 23-25; NBA -- TBD;
MLB -- July 12/13; NHL -- June 25,26.
23. Bassmaster Classic -- Knoxville, TN, March 13-15.
24. Bay to Breakers -- San Francisco, May 17.
25. USA Skateboarding National Championship - TBA.
26. Women’s Pro Baseball League, Springfield Il, Aug. 1.
It will be up to true sports fanatics to fill in other calendar dates in 2026.
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* * *
Andy Dolich operates Dolich & Associates, a sports consultancy, in Los Altos. A local resident, Dolich has more than 50 years of experience as an executive in professional sports, working with the Oakland A's, San Francisco 49ers, Golden State Warriors, and hockey and soccer teams. Dolich is also the co-author of Goodbye, Oakland, is available in bookstores and from Triumph Books. For earlier articles by Andy Dolich published in Sports Today! click HERE.
| | Amos Alonzo Stagg was among college football’s first important figures, playing at Yale and coaching at the then College of Pacific | | | |
Football History
Presented
in Verse
by Dave Newhouse
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A new year is here, yet another football season has grown old, with something Super ahead to Bowl us over, hopefully. But there remains a historic poetic quality about the sport, so follow the spiraling prolate spheroid.
Stagg, Grange, Nagurski, Gastineau,
Rice, Rodgers, Mahomes, Skattebo.
Lombardi, Walsh, Joe “The Jet” Perry,
Lambeau, Unitas, Raymond Berry.
Stabler, Elway, Plunkett, Tittle,
Ditka, Newsome, Winslow, Kittle.
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Fritz Pollard, Hutson, The Four Horsemen,
Madden, Marino, The Fearsome Foursome.
Munoz, Hannah, Otto, Bartkowski,
Nomellini, Bruiser Kinard, Gronkowski.
Pop Warner, Shula, Landry, Buck Shaw,
Shanahans, Stram, Flores, Sammy Baugh.
| Tackle Art Shell and coach John Madden are NFL Hall of Famers | | |
McCaffrey, Purdy, Brady, Shell,
Harbaughs, Hacksaw, Kapp, Cosell.
Bradshaw, Staubach, Brodie, Ward,
Big Daddy Lipscomb, Dwaine Board.
Bednarik, Blanda, Hornung, Starr,
Nitschke, Neon Deion, Lilly, Mel Farr.
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Hugh McElhenny of the 49ers is one of the NFL’s
greatest broken field runners
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Montana, Young, Clark, Craig, Lott,
Griese, Csonka, Smurfs, Jake Scott.
Biletnikoff, Branch, Casper, Chester,
and Mr. Hayes known as Lester.
McElhenny, Kaepernick, Jackson named Bo,
Graham, Groza and Joe the Toe (Vetrano).
| |
Butkus, Monsters of the Midway, Halas,
Steel Curtain, Shotgun, Doomsday of Dallas.
Jim Thorpe, Johnny Blood, Julian Edelman,
Luckman, Conerly, Gore, Garo Yepremian.
Bert Bell, Rozelle, Al Davis, Ray Guy,
Now let's punt this ode goodbye.
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Ray Guy's high punts even touched the elevated scoreboard
at the Superdome in New Orleans
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* * * * *
Dave Newhouse's journalism career spans more than half a century, including 45 years at the Oakland Tribune before his retirement in November 2011. Newhouse is the author of 19 books. His most recent book, Goodbye, Oakland, is available in bookstores and from Triumph Books. Dave grew up in Menlo Park, graduated from San Jose State, and has radio and television experience, in addition to his work as an award-winning sportswriter and columnist. For earlier articles by Dave published in Sports Today, click HERE.
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Golden State Warriors 123
Utah Jazz 114
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Saturday, January 3, 2026
| Warriors Quentin Post goes up against Jazz Lauri Markkanen. Photo and caption by Rich Yee. | Jazz Keyonte George trips and leaps over Steph Curry in the first quarter. Photo and caption by Rich Yee. | |
Warriors Draymond Green would get ejected from the game late in the second quarter for arguing with the refs.
Photo and caption by Rich Yee.
| Warriors Gary Payton II makes an easy slam dunk in the fourth quarter. Photo and caption by Rich Yee. | Warriors Trayce Jackson-Davis blocks Jazz Taylor Hendricks during a free throw. To view a photo album, visit our Facebook Page or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Photo and caption by Rich Yee. | |
Las Vegas Raiders 14
Kansas City Chiefs 12
Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV
Sunday, January 4, 2026
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With eight seconds left in the game, Daniel Carlson nailed a
60-yard field goal to give the Raiders a 14-12 win and their third
of the season. Photo and caption by Ed Jay.
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The game was a duel of kickers, as the Raiders' Daniel Carlson and Kansas City's Harrison Butker each made four field goals. The deciding factor was a safety by the Raiders.
Photo and caption by Ed Jay.
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Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll met on the field after the game.
Photo and caption by Ed Jay.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce leaves the field in what may be his final NFL game. It is rumored Kelce is scheduled to marry pop and cultural icon Taylor Swift on June 13 in
Rhode Island. Photo and caption by Ed Jay.
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Raider Nation welcomes Chiefs Kingdom to their tailgate.
Photo and caption by Ed Jay.
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Cal Bears 72
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 71
Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA
Friday, January 2, 2026
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Having a little luck of the Irish rubbed off on Cal during their hard-fought game with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Golden Bear Dai Dai Ames (#7) stuck a 3-point shot with 5.5 seconds left in regulation and would be awarded a bonus free throw for contact during the shot. It was the final point Cal needed for a 72-71 win in front of the New Year's crowd in Haas Pavilion. With the win,
Cal recorded its first ACC conference win of the season on
Friday, January 2, 2026. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
| The Cal bench erupted after Dai Dai Ames hit a 3-point shot to close the Irish lead to three points with less than a minute in the game remaining. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers. | |
Becoming a scoring bookend for the Golden Bears, Dai Dai Ames (#7) put up a three-point shot in the opening minutes and would drain the winning bonus free-throw with 5.5 seconds to play.
Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
| As time ticked by midway through the second half, Cal tightened up its defensive play. Chris Bell (#22) and Justin Pippen (#10) react to losing the ball out of bounds. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers. | Running the court like a rhino, Cal backup center Milos Ilic (#8) collected a loose ball and drove to the basket for the dunk in the first half. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers. | |
Cal defensive specialist Nolan Dorsey (#21) collected a long rebound and drove up court before Notre Dame had a chance to contest the ball in the closing minutes of the game.
To view a photo album, visit our
Facebook Page at www.ultimatesportsguide.net.
Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
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Stanford Cardinal 40
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 47
Maples Pavilion, Stanford, CA
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
| |
Plagued by poor shooting (23.2% from the field, 13.3% from three), the Stanford Cardinal dropped their ACC season opener to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 47-40, at Maples Pavilion on Tuesday, December 30th. Photo and caption
by Darren Yamashita.
| Forward Chisolm Okpara led the Cardinal with 13 points. Photo and caption by Darren Yamashita. | Freshman Oskar Giltay came off the bench to record 11 rebounds and three steals. Photo and caption by Darren Yamashita. | |
A monitor at the scorer's table displays the various television camera angles before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Maples Pavilion. To view a photo album, visit our Facebook Page
or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Photo and caption
by Darren Yamashita.
| | |
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with Concept, Creation, Redesign, Maintenance, Copy, etc.
Recent Site: www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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| | |
Cal Bears 70
Louisville Cardinals 90
Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
| | As 2025 ended, the Golden Bears played host to the 13th-ranked Louisville Cardinals in front of a raucous Haas Pavilion crowd. The Cardinal would start with a 10-0 run and the Bears, struggling with cold shooting and turnovers, never getting closer than nine points late in the second half. Louisville hit timely shots late to dash Cal's hopes of a comeback. Above -- Skreetch! Locking up his brakes fast, Cal's Dai Dai Ames (#7) gets the defender to continue running past early in the first half, providing a wide open shot. Ames would finish with 11 points. The University of California Golden Bears played host to the Louisville University Cardinals for an ACC conference game at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on December 30. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers. | |
Rejecting the layout attempt, Chris Bell (#22) would finish as
the Golden Bears' high scorer with 20 points.
Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
| |
Holding his follow-through while waiting for the shot to clear the rim, Justin Pippen (#10) would go 3-for-7 from behind the
3-point line. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
| Slamming the ball through the rim, Cal's Lee Dort (#34) collected 12 points in 29 minutes. Photo and caption by Ron Sellers. | |
Never too early to be a Cal Bears fan!
To view a photo album, visit our Facebook Page at www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Photo and caption
by Ron Sellers.
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Can Walker rediscover his form and return to closer role in '26?
Maria Guardado
@mi_guardado
:232:08
This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado’s Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe
to get it regularly in your inbox.
SAN FRANCISCO --Ryan Walker was a revelation for the Giants in 2024. But his ‘25 campaign proved to be far more turbulent than expected.
The 30-year-old right-hander entered the season as San Francisco’s closer, a role he ascended to amid Camilo Doval’s struggles the previous year. But the two ended up flip-flopping in 2025, with Doval reclaiming ninth-inning duties in May following a rough start from Walker.
Walker got another shot at closing after Doval was shipped to the Yankees at the Trade Deadline and Randy Rodríguez underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in September. Even so, consistency on the mound remained elusive. He finished the year with a career-high 4.11 ERA over 68 outings and seven blown saves, a significant dip from 2024, when he logged a stellar 1.91 ERA over 76 appearances (one start).
Walker’s 3.81 xERA and 3.30 FIP suggest there might have been some bad luck involved, but he also had a harder time putting hitters away, with his strikeout rate falling from 32.1% in 2024 to 22.6% in ‘25.
continued...
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Building for the future: Soderstrom inks deal at A's imminent
Las Vegas home
This story was excerpted from Martín Gallegos' Athletics Beat
newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe
to get it regularly in your inbox.
Martín Gallegos
@MartinJGallegos
Tyler Soderstrom is the latest member of the Athletics to sign a contract that will extend into the scheduled 2028 opening of their new ballpark in Las Vegas. He got a firsthand look of what that future will look like.
Before signing a seven-year contract extension worth $86 million, according to a source – the largest guarantee in franchise history – that runs through the 2032 season with a club option for ‘33, Soderstrom toured the site on the Las Vegas strip at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue, where construction on the stadium’s foundation is quickly progressing.
Signings & Trades
• Latest free-agent and trade rumors
• Top 30 free agents | Every free agent, by position
• Tracking every team's offseason moves
• Offseason dates, rules & terms explained
Joined by his wife, Bailey, and parents, Tami and Steve, Soderstrom got a chance to take his position in left field on the exact spot he expects to be standing come Opening Day in just a couple of years.
continued...
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Dear Ballers Fam,
Happy New Year. As we turn the page to 2026, we’ve been reflecting on a simple question: How did this actually happen?
A few years ago, this was just an idea built on a belief that Oakland deserved a team that belonged to the people. In 2025, that belief turned into a championship season that exceeded anything we could’ve imagined.
And it happened because Oakland showed up.
2025 was a year for the history books.
On the field:
• We became Pioneer League Champions, winning four straight elimination games when everything was on the line.
• We broke the Pioneer League modern-era wins record.
• We had the best record in the league in both the 1st and the 2nd half of the season.
• We sold out games, created the toughest home-field advantage in the league, and turned Raimondi Park into must-see baseball.
• We watched so many Ballers players become legends as they earned their next opportunities — proof that Oakland is once again a place where careers are built.
And behind those moments were players who embraced what this team stands for — guys who didn’t just play for a logo, but played for a city. From ballpark-wide chants of “Oh… Tyler Lozano”, to Michael O’Hara’s series-altering catch in the playoffs crashing into the left field wall, to Connor Sullivan tossing the final out in the championship after already setting the PBL saves record. You know their names. You know the moments. They’ll forever be part of Oakland baseball history.
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One Ball Can Change a Life: Earthquakes to Donate 15,000 Soccer Balls to NorCal Community
in 2026
Groundbreaking initiative to improve local access to soccer highlighted by donation of 15,000 balls to Northern California community in 2026; Official kickoff to take place Feb. 21 at PayPal Park for Quakes’ home opener presented by Habbas Law
SAN JOSE, Calif. — As the soccer world turns its focus on Northern California in 2026, the San Jose Earthquakes are excited to announce the One Ball Can Change a Life initiative—a groundbreaking campaign dedicated to improving local access to the game.
For over 50 years, the Earthquakes have witnessed firsthand the power of soccer to change lives through a variety of ways, like building individual character and creativity, fostering collective values like teamwork, offering safe spaces to play and dream, and even opening doors to new worlds. To turn this vision into action, the club will donate 15,000 soccer balls to the community this year in support of transformational Quakes Foundation programming, which includes school visits, the club’s growing Saturday Night Lights futsal program, youth tournaments, clinics, camps and other events throughout Northern California.
“Our work in local communities shows us every day the lasting impact a soccer ball can have on a young life in helping to both create positive outcomes and helping steer kids away from negative ones,” said Earthquakes VP of Community Relations Robert Davis. “That is why every soccer ball matters; one ball can literally make an incredible difference.”
The ambitious initiative officially kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 21, at PayPal Park, where the Quakes will distribute 5,000 soccer balls at the home opener against Sporting Kansas City, presented by Habbas Law.
In the meantime, fans can join the mission today and help change a life of their own by donating a soccer ball to an aspiring player in our local community. Click this Quakes Foundation link to learn more and be an active part in this movement. Let’s show the world that in San Jose, soccer is for everyone.
continued...
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Dear Christopher,
Thank you for your support in 2025. It was an incredible year!
- We hosted more than 26,000 fans at our home opener at the Coliseum on March 23, 2025 and more than 130,000 throughout the season.
- We watched new signing Peter Wilson win the Golden Boot and earn First Team All-League honors.
- We raised 3 murals in Oakland celebrating The Town, Oakland Roots and Soul and our community.
- We provided over 11,000+ free tickets to OUSD Students, Roots and Soul Purpose Partners and other community fundraisers.
To our 1,500+ season ticket holders and members, thank you! You are the lifeblood of this club.
Our season ticket members make our games possible, make our work in the community possible, and a few years from now when we’re playing in a brand new, purpose built soccer stadium in Oakland it will be our season ticket members who made that possible.
It is vital to the sustainability of Roots and Soul and the continuation of our work in the community to grow our season ticket members. If you’re not already, you can become a season ticket member now!
We are a purpose driven sports club, our purpose is to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sport as a force for social good and this year was the magic. You, our fans, you are the magic.
Thank you all for making our inaugural season at the Coliseum magical. We cannot wait to see you in 2026!
In soccer,
Lindsay
| | | | |
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We're so excited to kick off our third season in 2026 with the support of amazing fans like you. We'll see you in the stands soon!
Looking forward to 2026
| | |
WELCOME TO BAY FC, HEATHER
Bay FC signed defender Heather Gilchrist to her first pro contract. A Florida State University standout, she brings championship experience, College Cup runs, and back-to-back All-American honors.
Meet Heather
| | | |
"Join us for Great Food, Great Beer and a Great Time."
We are located one block from the Moscone Convention Center, only a short walk from many of downtown San Francisco's familiar hotels, attractions, and diverse businesses. Open Monday through Thursday 4pm. Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12pm. Come by and raise a glass with us. Sláinte!
www.thechieftain.com
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|
Bruce Lee -- from the
Autograph Collection of Rich Yee
| |
I wanted to start 2026 off with my favorite autograph from my collection. This is the legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee.
I recently acquired this autograph for a small fortune thru a reputable auction house. I have wanted this autograph ever since I started collecting 55 years ago. This autograph includes his signature in English and Chinese, inscription that reads “the best to you” AND his character name Kato from the Green Hornet TV series in 1966-1967. Bruce Lee is considered a pop culture icon. He was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Rich Yee, Sports Today photographer
| Hardly Trivial by T. Buff | |
NFL Quiz
With so much going on in the heads of football fans,
I decided to make this week's question easy.
Who was the first President of the NFL?
Hint: It wasn't the NFL yet. The league was called
the American Professional Football Association.
answer below...
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Newsletter, Image, Likeness Vol. 165: The NCAA's Selective Enforcement Problem Just
Got Worse
| | |
by Darren Heitner, Esq.
Founder of Heitnerlegal -- Sports, Entertainment, Trademarks, Copyrights, Business, Litigation, Arbitration
The Weekly Longer NIL Thought
| | |
The NCAA has a talent problem, and it's entirely self-inflicted.
Last week, I discussed where the lines are and how far agents can test them. This week, Charlie Baker drew a line in the sand, then immediately stepped over it himself.
Baker's declaration that the NCAA will not grant eligibility to anyone who has signed an NBA contract sounds definitive until you read the very next sentence, where he explains the NCAA is "exercising discretion" to ensure American basketball players aren't disadvantaged compared to international players with professional experience. In other words, European pros are welcome, but NBA players are not.
This isn't a principled stance. It's selective enforcement dressed up as policy, and it probably won't survive first contact with a courtroom.
The NCAA's argument appears to hinge on geography and contract structure rather than amateurism. A player who competed professionally in Spain, France, or Australia, earning a salary, subject to a professional contract, playing against other professionals, can enroll and compete immediately. But an American player on an NBA two-way contract cannot, even if he never appeared in a game or earned less than his international counterpart.
continued...
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WeatherTech Raceway
Laguna Seca
| | Hardly Trivial Answer by T. Buff | |
Jim Thorpe was an American athlete born in 1887
who is considered one of the greatest
all-around athletes in history.
He won two Olympic gold medals in the decathlon
and pentathlon in 1912 and played professional
football, baseball, and basketball, becoming
the first Native American to win an Olympic
gold medal for the United States.
This link takes you to the NFL Hall of Fame entry...
| | |
Bears Clinch Second Place At
Best Of The West
Newman-Achee, Melkonian Claim All-Around Podium Finishes
SEATTLE – The California women's gymnastics team took home a second-place finish at the Best of the West quad meet hosted by Washington Saturday afternoon in Seattle. The No. 20 Golden Bears (196.000) finished behind No. 4 UCLA (196.975) and outscored No. 34 Washington (195.625) and No. 17 Oregon State (195.550) in the season opener. Junior Annalise Newman-Achee was awarded second-place in the all-around while sophomore Sage Melkonian received third.
The Bears got off to a strong start, capturing their highest team event score of the day with a 49.275 on uneven bars during the first rotation. Freshman Tonya Paulsson performed a stunning debut routine that earned a 9.925 and tied with UCLA's Jordan Chiles and Oregon State's Taylor DeVries for the top uneven bars score of the meet. The Bears scored a 9.800 or higher on all six routines.
Cal held onto the lead after the end of the second rotation after compiling a 49.025 team score on the balance beam. Newman-Achee was awarded a 9.900 for her routine while Abbey Scanlon and Melkonian each scored a 9.800.
continued...
Photo: Juan Montermoso/klcfotos
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Men’s Basketball Shines in Win
Over No. 16 Louisville
Stanford opened 2026 with a marquee win on its home court
STANFORD, Calif. – Opening the calendar year with a statement on the national level, Stanford men’s basketball earned an 80-76 victory over No. 16/13 Louisville at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal improves to 12-3 this season and 1-1 in the ACC.
Ebuka Okorie led the Cardinal with 28 points, finishing 9-for-18 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers and an 8-for-10 mark at the free throw line. The outing was the eighth of the season for Okorie with at least 20 points and seventh with at least 25. With the eight free throws, Okorie moved into a tie for seventh in Stanford’s freshman history with Howard Wright (1985-86), passing Adam Keefe and Chasson Randle during the game.
continued...
Photo: John Todd/ISI Photos
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Garland Makes History in Spartans’ Loss at Utah State
LOGAN, Utah - Colby Garland recorded 17 points, four rebounds and five assists and broke the SJSU record for most free throws made in a row to lead the San José State men’s basketball team (5-9, 0-3 MW) in a 96-78 loss to #RV Utah State (12-1, 3-0 MW) from the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Saturday afternoon.
After going 7-for-7 from the line in the game, Garland broke Carroll William’s record of 31 made free throws in a row which he set 71 years ago in 1955. Garland is currently at 35 made free throws in a row and counting.
The Spartans led by as many as seven points in the opening half and carried a 51–48 advantage into the locker room after shooting 57.1 percent from the field and knocking down nine three-pointers in the first 20 minutes.
Utah State finished the game on an 18-4 run spanning the final six minutes of the second half. The Aggies finished the game at 63.0 percent shooting overall and scored 52 points in the paint.
Jermaine Washington led the Spartans in scoring with 18 points. Adrian Myers and Melvin Bell Jr. each contributed 13 points, and the Spartans finished the game shooting 50.0 percent from three-point range.
continued...
| | Saint Mary's College Gaels | |
MBB | Three and "D" Leads the Gaels to a 21 Point Win
Over Portland
MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's College showcased their dominance with a commanding 78-57 win over Portland on Friday night at UCU Pavilion. The Gaels lit up the court with 10 three-pointers offensively, while running the Pilots off the line to the tune of a 2-19 perimeter shooting clip in the 21 point victory.
Paulius Murauskas was the star of the night, leading with 24 points, including three buckets from beyond the arc, and adding seven rebounds and five assists to just one turnover. Harry Wessels was a defensive powerhouse with 10 points and three blocks. Joshua Dent orchestrated the offense brilliantly, dishing out seven assists, scoring seven points, and grabbing four rebounds. Rory Hawke chipped in 11 points off the bench on 4-of-5 shooting (1-2 from three), showing his versatility both inside and beyond the arc.
continued...
Photo: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
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Defense, Clutch Free Throws Push Dons Past Redhawks
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Concluding its Southern California road trip, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (9-5, 2-1) travels to take on LMU (8-6, 2-1) at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4, in a West Coast Conference contest at Gersten Pavilion.
GAME 15 DETAILS:
Opponent: LMU (8-6, 2-1)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, Calif. / Gersten Pavilion
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
DONS AT A GLANCE:
- San Francisco enters Sunday's contest on a two-game winning streak following a narrow 59-55 victory at San Diego last Friday.
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Candy Edokpaigbe led the Dons with a team-high 17 points while adding six rebounds and three blocks. Aina Cargol was also active on the offensive end of the floor, totaling 12 points and six assists.
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Noelia Mouriño nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. She totaled all of her points in the second half and shot 66.7 percent (four-for-six) from the field in 27 minutes. Nataša Taušová scored the first five points of the contest and finished the game with nine points and a career-best six rebounds.
- Following her 17-point performance, Edokpaigbe ranks third in the WCC in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game. She also ranks third in field goal percentage at .491, only trailing Gonzaga's Lauren Whittaker (.564) and LMU's Maya Hernandez (.492).
- Cargol leads all freshmen in assists per game at 4.1 as she ranks fifth overall in the conference. She has totaled four or more assists in a game seven times, including back-to-back games with six.
continued...
Photo: Christina Leung
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Broncos Host San Diego on Sunday
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball will look to stay hot as they get set to host San Diego (6-9, 1-2) for a Sunday evening showdown inside the Leavey Center. The Broncos (12-4, 3-0) are off to a perfect 3-0 start against conference opponents and are looking for their eighth-consecutive win at home. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Anthony Passarelli (pxp) and Henry Caruso (analyst) on the call.
THE OPPONENT
San Diego is off to a 1-2 start in league play with a 66-54 home win over Pacific, a six-point loss against Gonzaga and most recently a 74-64 defeat up the road at San Francisco. Led by fourth-year head coach Steve Lavin, the Toreros are 6-9 overall and average 71.2 points per contest while allowing 76.7 points defensively. Junior Ty-Laur Johnson leads the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game and averaged 21.5 points per game in the team’s first two conference games before missing their last outing with a concussion.
SERIES HISTORY VS. SAN DIEGO
Santa Clara leads the all-time series against the Toreros 59-40. The Bronocs have won the last four meetings and eight of the last 10. SCU is 30-18 against San Diego at home and won the last meeting 93-70 on Feb. 8, 2025.
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| | University of Pacific Tigers | |
Pacific Blasts Oregon State for Largest WCC Win Since
Rejoining League
STOCKTON, Calif. – Clicking on all cylinders, the Pacific men's basketball program pounded Oregon State 84-53 Friday to improve to 6-0 at home this season at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
It was the largest West Coast Conference margin of victory for the Tigers (10-6, 1-2 WCC) since rejoining the league in 2013-14. It surpassed Pacific's 83-58 win at LMU last season. The last time the Tigers won a WCC game by over 30 points was March 6, 1971 when they beat Saint Mary's 116-71.
Pacific led Oregon State (8-8, 1-2 WCC) for over 38 minutes in the game, shot .540 from the floor and a whopping 12-of-23 (.522) from three-point range. The Tigers got out to a 15-point halftime advantage and never saw their lead dip below 20 points in the final 15 minutes.
continued...
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Epps’ Career Day Leads Aggies To Road Win Over Bakersfield
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Nya Epps makes it back-to-back career games for UC Davis women's basketball, dropping 28 points in a road win over Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, Jan. 3.
Score: UC Davis 69, Cal State Bakersfield 59
Location: Bakersfield, Calif. (Icardo Center)
Records: UC Davis 10-4 (3-0), Cal State Bakersfield 5-9 (0-4)
OPENING TIP
- The Aggies start conference play 3-0 for the second straight season.
- In addition to a new career-high, Epps' 28-point day marks the third time the senior has gone for 20+ points in a game this season.
- Epps was effective at the foul line, going 10-for-14 on the day.
- Comparatively, the Roadrunners only went to the line six times as a team.
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Megan Norris also went for double-digits with 15 points.
- Her 13 boards also gave her a double-double, her eighth of the season and second straight contest with a double-double.
- UC Davis controlled the inside game all day long, scoring 30 paint points compared to Cal State Bakersfield's 20.
- The Aggie offense was effective with a 46.8% shooting clip on the day, going 8-for-11 (72.7%) in the third period alone.
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| | Cal State University East Bay Pioneers | |
Second Half Surge Carries Pioneers to 78-64 Win to Remain Undefeated
HAYWARD, Calif. — No. 12 Cal State East Bay stayed perfect on the season Friday night, pulling away late for a 78-64 win over Cal State San Bernardino at Pioneer Gymnasium. The Pioneers remain unbeaten at 11-0 overall and 5-0 in CCAA play after a decisive second-half surge that turned a tense contest into a comfortable victory to start 2026.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle. East Bay trailed by as many as six points midway through the period after a dunk from Gavin Davis put the Coyotes ahead 23-17 at the 9:58 mark. Jaayden Bush answered with a basket to ignite a 10-3 run that swung momentum back to the home team. A steal by Bush in the final minute set up a fastbreak layup from Tyree Campbell for a 39-36 lead, but San Bernardino scored just before the buzzer to trim the margin to 39-38 at halftime.
Photo: Jared Darling/Alluvium Strategies
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Watch any program on CCE's YouTube channel, or, for attorneys, earn MCLE credits online, economically, with "The Best in Topics and Talent."
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2026 Schedule
San Francisco 49ers
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WILD CARD · Sun 01/11 · 1:30 PM PST
vs. Philadelphia Eagles
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, January 5, through
Sunday, January 11, 2026
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Monday, January 5
Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Clippers, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, January 6
Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks, 8 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, January 7
Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m.
San Jose Sharks @ Los Angeles Kings, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 8
Friday, January 9
Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings, 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 10
San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars, 1 p.m.
Sunday, January 11
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles, 1:30 p.m.
Golden State Warriors vs. Atlanta Hawks, 5:30 p.m.
Sacramento Kings vs. Houston Rockets, 6 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights. 5 p.m.
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Publisher: Christopher Weills
Associate Publisher: Ann Cooke
Marketing Director: Robert Moselle
Sales: Ayiko Konopaski
Contributors: Lydia Chain, Steve Chain, Harvey Cohen, Andy Dolich, Pete Elman, Rob Flammia, Bruce Macgowan, Robert Moselle, Dave Newhouse, Howard Pearlstein, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, T. Buff, Shelia Young
Software Engineer / Sports Today Editor: Medhavee Upadhyaya
Staff Photographers: Jeff Bayer, Alex Ho, Ed Jay, Ron Sellers, Darren Yamashita, Rich Yee, Kenny Karst (retired)
Advisor: Arif Khatib
Artist: Carl Macki
Website: www.UltimateSportsGuide.net
Contact us at: theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com
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FIELD OF PLAY
For the past 60 years, Michael Zagaris has taken his camera behind the scenes of the NFL, capturing the moments that define America’s game.
To order: https://www.zagarisbook.com/
| | LOL, Loss of Logo: What’s Your Next Move? was written for sports professionals by Andy Dolich and Jack Hirschman and offers valuable takeaways for everyone chasing the fancy logo and corner office. | | The Emerald Mile: The epic and award-winning story of the fastest ride in history through the heart of the Grand Canyon, by Kevin Fedarko. A thrilling true tale during the legendary flood of 1983. | | More than a cookbook, this culinary delight was written to preserve a great chef's traditional family recipes and stories of her childhood for her far-flung grandchildren. Author Leonie Samuel-Hool recounts stories of a vanished society and legends of the gods and goddesses that protect and sometimes make mischief in Indonesian homes, fields and foods. The recipes are explicitly presented. | | The absolute greatest Yankees were the 1949-1953 pinstripers, winners of an unprecedented five consecutive World Series. "The Yankee Way," Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa writes in the book's foreword, is "full of Yankee winning keys, star-studded competition, and insights about one of baseball's historically fascinating periods." By Charlie Silvera with Dave Newhouse (Author). | | To Order: $10 hardcover, $7 paperback, plus $4.95 shipping. Send check/M.O. to Christopher Weills, P.O. Box 4515, Berkeley, CA 94704 | | | |
The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst and Robert Moselle. Mr. Karst, now retired, continues to contribute helpful ideas and his archives.
Mr. Moselle, Esq., is now lending his extensive editorial experience and marketing savvy to the publication.
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