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Cal Berkeley’s Calgorithm — social media and self-awareness in ‘the people’s program’

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Cal Berkeley’s Calgorithm — social media and self-awareness in ‘the people’s program’

BERKELEY, Calif. — Speckled throughout the mass of overjoyed fans scrunched together at the epicenter of the Cal Berkeley campus Saturday morning were the ambassadors who played specific parts in making this once inconceivable scene materialize.

They raised their phones high, capturing a 360-degree view of the madness of ESPN’s “College GameDay,” and hit record. They embraced the emotion of the moment as the sun began to peek over the Berkeley hills.

Without them, Nick Saban isn’t tearing off his crimson tie at the behest of the fans who couldn’t bear seeing even a tinge of something close to Stanford Cardinal red in front of the sea of exultant California blue and gold. Without them, program legend Marshawn Lynch isn’t flown in to be the celebrity guest picker, taking his rightful place in a golf cart and later placing Kirk Herbstreit in a very friendly headlock.

And without them, the seats inside California Memorial Stadium aren’t packed more than 12 hours later to digest an agonizing last-minute 39-38 loss to No. 8 Miami.

Behold, the ballooning cultural clout of the Calgorithm, a guerilla-like social media movement that leans into sarcasm, stereotypes and self-awareness through photoshopped and AI-generated memes that embrace the absurdity of perception.

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Calgorithm was easy to spot on Saturday in Berkeley. (Christopher Kamrani / The Athletic)

On Saturday, as GameDay’s Pat McAfee constantly roused the crowd, it was clear the Calgorithm had achieved its objective: to prove that Cal, associated with one of the most liberal communities in America, does, in fact, have a beloved fan base happily obsessed with Golden Bears football.

Punch in the hashtag online, and you’ll be awash in memes of grizzly bears wearing masks and stepping off an airplane called “Stop Climate Change Airlines” in Florida prior to Cal’s game earlier this season at Florida State. Or grizzly bears welcoming Miami Hurricanes on the tarmac with a “Critical Race Theory” book in hand.

“There’s a certain joy and a certain absurdity,” said Nam Le, who graduated from Cal in 2012. “It’s a fun story from a fan base that is traditionally ignored.”

At this point there are too many memes to count — and new attempts at their own brand of self-deprecation nearly every minute.

From within, they’ve cultivated a very obscure sports moment that has resonated not only within the online reaches of the Cal fan base, but among college football followers of other teams nationwide. A routine response from a random follower after diving deep into the Calgorithm is that “Cal is now my second favorite team,” members of the Calgorithm say.

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When it pertains to actual membership, some are known publicly, some aren’t. Some are transparent about their real lives on social media, some aren’t.

Known commodities include a teacher, data analyst, political coordinator and someone who hawks hot dogs at minor-league baseball games. The others exist in the realm of anonymity and are referred to as “the burners.” They are known by random social media handles for their participation in the online discourse that has brought a disarming nature to platforms often inundated with volatility.

They’ve made themselves seen online but also within the walls of the Cal football facility. Some members of Cal’s football support staff have a group text thread carved out specifically for new memes to share.

“The burners are hilarious, man,” said Marshall Cherrington, Cal’s director of player personnel. “We all love them inside this building.”

Linebacker Cade Uluave specifically thanked “the burners” during a news conference appearance last week for helping bring more attention to the program and game against the Hurricanes. Special teams coordinator Vic So’oto shared on X that defensive lineman Xavier Carlton and linebacker Ryan McCullough were “keeping the pocket hot like Cal burners” followed by some flame emojis.

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The reach the Calgorithm has achieved over the course of the season is apropos for the school and its locale. At a university in a city long known for its involvement in social movements dating back to the 1960s, this movement just played out on social media.

And the people, the fans, took matters into their own hands. GameDay producer Matthew Garrett said prior to making the call to Cal last week to gauge interest in hosting, he was flooded with questions by fans of what they could do to get the show to Berkeley for the first time. Prior to Saturday, Cal was one of six Power 4 schools to have never hosted.

When it got its chance, of course it was in typical cognizant Calgorithm fun. Signs held high compared Cal’s list of Nobel laureates produced at Berkeley compared with Miami. (The score is currently 61-4.) One read: “I thought this was a protest!”

The Calgorithm really seemed to take off after Cal upset Auburn 21-14 on Sept. 7 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The meme by Don Grizzel, Ph.D (@golDonBear on X) featured cutouts of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, whose parents met in Berkeley in the early 1960s, Oski, Cal’s bear mascot, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a rainbow, and an obtusely stretched out photo of President Joe Biden and the caption read: “You Just Lost to the Woke Agenda.” The post has received 5 million impressions.

The scope of the Calgorithm is immeasurable, members say, due to always churning conference realignment in college football. As the previously constituted Pac-12 imploded, Cal, alongside its rival Stanford, was forced to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, a league on the opposite coast but a home in a power conference. With that, came an opportunity for Cal fans to introduce themselves to a portion of the country that may have only known of Berkeley through various long-perpetuated stereotypes.

“They already believe these stereotypes about us,” said burner Callie, also known as @WokeMobFootball. “Why don’t we just turn it up to 12 and just absolutely make fun of it for how absurd they sound when it’s thrown back at them?”

Mike Davie says Cal fans have come armed for any sort of perception lobbed their way by fans online. But they say they always try to do it with a smile knowing that college football is what they all love and that it doesn’t need to be another well poisoned online.

“Yeah, we tell them the ‘DEI’ defense is here killing it,” Davie said. “And when people say, ‘Don’t make fun of Cal fans. They police pronouns.’ And we were like, ‘Here comes the pronoun punt team!’ And it makes them laugh.”

The Calgorithm is also perpetually one step ahead. They’ve also helped raise funds for Cal’s NIL collective, Cal Legends. People donating are leaving comments thanking the Calgorithm for activating attention.

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“That’s the kind of person Cal produces into the real world, people who want to help do things in smart, simple and efficient ways,” Cherrington said. “And we want to always have our doors open to them. This is the people’s program.”

Four hours before kickoff against Miami, a small parking lot on the southeast side of campus hosted a Calgorithm tailgate. Exhausted already from a day that began before sun-up, they shared highlights and beers. They were still amped that Lynch drove the golf cart. Together, they watched Vanderbilt upset No. 1 Alabama.

They introduced themselves to one another as their online handles. Some burners geeked out over meeting others. One burner thanked Callie for remixing Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!” hit song for Cal running back Jaydn Ott. “Ott to Go” was played at GameDay, which Callie could not get over, and probably never will.

Fellow Cal fans crowded around an exhausted Avinash Kunnath, a Cal grad and one of the godfathers of popular fan blog site, Write for California. Kunnath wore a Calgorithm meme T-shirt, jean jacket and a fuzzy bear hat. Saturday doesn’t happen without him, and basically everyone else in that tailgate lot, they said.

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The group passed around shots of Malört, a tradition at the burner tailgate that dates back to the 2021 season. It was an ode to a past too often filled with disappointment, one which made a vengeful reappearance Saturday night. But it was also a salute to a future so swiftly reshaped by the community of devotees who took matters into their own hands and made the joke at their own expense before anyone else could.

“I like to tell people that we almost died as a program,” Le said. “We can’t really afford to be realistic about it anymore. This program deserves to and can only survive with a love and an ambition and a spirit that’s larger.”

(Top image: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; Bob Kupbens / Icon Sportswire)

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Manchester United confirm Ruben Amorim as new head coach

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Manchester United confirm Ruben Amorim as new head coach

Manchester United have confirmed Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim as their new head coach.

The Portuguese will start officially on Monday, November 11 with Ruud van Nistelrooy, put in interim charge following Ten Hag’s departure on Monday, set to remain at the helm for upcoming games with Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester City.

Amorim has signed a contract to 2027 with the option of a further year with his first game set to be away at Ipswich Town on November 24.

The composition of Amorim’s backroom staff is yet be confirmed.

The Athletic reported on Thursday that the two clubs had agreed a deal for the 39-year-old to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked after two and a half years at the club.

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The Portuguese financial regulator later confirmed that United have agreed to pay €11million (£9.25m; $11.95m) to release Amorim from his contract earlier than his 30-day notice after face-to-face negotiations in Lisbon led by chief executive Omar Berrada.

Amorim has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most highly-rated young coaches with a track record as an astute tactician and of working well with young players.

He was appointed Sporting head coach in 2020 and won the Primeira Liga title — the club’s first league title in 19 years — in his first full season in charge in 2020-21.

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Why Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim is one of Europe’s emergent tactical thinkers

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Sporting won the league again last season and Amorim has also won the Taca da Liga, the Portuguese League Cup, on two occasions with Sporting and a third time with his previous club, Braga.

This season, Sporting are top of the table with a perfect record of nine wins from nine games, with 30 goals scored and just two against. They also sit eighth in the Champions League’s new-look league phase after two wins and a draw.

Amorim was a contender to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool in the summer before Arne Slot ultimately got the job. He also held talks over replacing David Moyes at West Ham, before later apologising and calling the meeting “a mistake”.

Amorim has won two Portuguese league titles at Sporting (Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

Amorim has won two Portuguese league titles at Sporting (Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

Amorim was keen to ensure a satisfactory departure from Sporting and was conscious of the bond he had established with supporters over his four years in charge.

Speaking ahead of Sporting’s game with Estrela Amadora on Friday night, Amorim refused to divulge too many details of his imminent exit.

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“It’s a negotiation between two clubs. It’s never easy. Even with the clauses, it’s never easy. They have to talk,” he told reporters.

“We will have clarification after the game. It will be very clear so it’s one more day after the game tomorrow we will have the decision made.”

Ten Hag’s departure came after Sunday’s loss to West Ham United, which left the Old Trafford club 14th in the Premier League.

He was appointed in April 2022 and went on to lead United to the Carabao Cup in his first season in charge as well as the FA Cup in May.

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The former Ajax head coach was retained by the United hierarchy in the summer following an end-of-season review but only after they had sounded out a number of potential replacements.

Despite having his contract extended in June and the club spending approximately £205m, including add-ons, on new players, Ten Hag departed after winning just four of United’s 14 games this season.

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Key meeting, Welbeck request and Amorim plan – inside Manchester United’s manager change


Why has Amorim been so in demand?

Analysis by senior data analyst Mark Carey

Ruben Amorim is a manager that has been linked with his fair share of jobs in recent months, and you can understand why the 39-year-old is in demand.

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Amorim guided Sporting to a first league title for 19 years in 2021-22, followed it up with another victory last season, and has nine wins from nine with Sporting sitting pretty at the top of the Primeira Liga this season.

Even accounting for the quality imbalance of the Primeira Liga, a side who boasted, statistically, one of the best attacks (Chance creation, 95 out 99) and the best defences (Chance prevention, 97 out of 99) shows that their manager must be having a positive effect.

Stylistically, Amorim’s 3-4-3 — or more specifically, a 3-4-2-1 — is built on high possession, flexible attacking approaches and a strong defensive foundation.

Last season’s arrival of striker Viktor Gyokeres led to a more transitional, direct style of attack (Patient attack, 49 out of 99). It also highlights Amorim’s ability to maximise his style by adapting to the skill sets of his players.

Amorim has shown his desire to bring young talent into the first team — including Goncalo Inacio, Matheus Nunes, Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Diomande — and has improved the team’s quality with the resources at his disposal.

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Bruno Fernandes moved to Manchester United a little over a month before Amorim’s appointment, but Mendes (to Paris Saint-Germain), Nunes (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Manuel Ugarte (also to PSG) and Joao Palhinha (Fulham) are among the talented players whom Amorim has improved before being sold for high fees.

Title-winning credentials? Tick. Fielding young players? Tick. Improving individual player performance? Tick. There are reasons why Amorim has been so highly sought-after among Europe’s elite.

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How Manchester United could line up under Amorim: The biggest winners and losers

(Top photo: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

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76ers' Joel Embiid issues explicit, fiery response to critics of his 'load management' after scathing column

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76ers' Joel Embiid issues explicit, fiery response to critics of his 'load management' after scathing column

The Philadelphia 76ers are being careful with their biggest star, which has rubbed some people the wrong way.

Embiid has yet to play in this young season, his first after signing a three-year, $193 million contract extension, and there has been controversy surrounding his health and availability.

Embiid and the Sixers have been open about his “load management,” both saying it would be unlikely Embiid would play both ends of games on back-to-back nights to preserve his health.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center April 2, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

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A Philadelphia Inquirer column this week about the controversy was headlined, “Sixers plan to sit Joel Embiid early and often. They should give fans refunds for games without him.” The writer, Marcus Hayes, called Embiid “Mr. 46 Percent” since he’s played in 46% of regular season games since being drafted in 2014. Hayes also described the arrangement as “fraud.”

But when he’s been on the floor, Embiid’s been one of the most dominant forces in the league. He could have won back-to-back MVPs had he stayed healthy last season.

Embiid was asked Friday about how he felt about his usage, and he took it as an opportunity to respond to his critics.

“It was never decided. Like I said, everybody has been on the same page. If your body doesn’t react well and your body tells you one thing, I’ve done it,” Embiid said. 

“From what I can tell you, I’ve broken my face twice. I came back early with the risk of losing my vision. I had broken fingers. I still came back. So, I’m not gonna sit here and be like, when I see people saying ‘he doesn’t want to play.’ I’ve been through way too much. I’ve done way too much for this city and putting myself at risk for people to be saying that. So, I do think it’s bulls—.

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Joel Embiid reacts on court

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center April 28, 2024, in Philadelphia.  (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

“Like, that dude, he’s not here. Marcus whatever his name is. I’ve done way too much for this f—ing city to be treated like this. So, I’ve done way too f—ing much. But, like I said, I wish I was as lucky as other ones, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not trying and I’m not doing whatever it takes to be out there, which I’m gonna be here pretty soon.”

The NBA recently fined the Sixers $100,000 due to public statements made about Embiid’s health at the start of the season. The league conducted an investigation into the 76ers after Embiid missed the team’s opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which was reportedly a formality due to its player participation policy for nationally televised games. 

Joel Embiid free throw

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a free throw during a game against the San Antonio Spurs Jan. 22, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia  (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

While the NBA found the 76ers did not violate that policy, it did discipline the team for public comments that did not properly reflect Embiid’s knee issues. The league did conclude that Embiid is dealing with a “left knee condition.”

Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral outlast St. Paul for Angelus League crown

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Jaden Jefferson and Cathedral outlast St. Paul for Angelus League crown

Jaden Jefferson let the glee of victory overtake his face as the clock expired. He grinned ear to ear. Winning wasn’t easy Friday night.

The Cathedral quarterback remembered the feeling of struggling as a young team a year ago. And while trailing St. Paul at halftime, that sinking sensation began to creep in.

“I’m talking to [my teammates] on the sideline, all day,” Jefferson said about trying to build momentum despite managing just a field goal in the first half and giving up a touchdown. “I’m just motivating, pushing them. You just got to go.”

He needed to turn the Phantoms’ tide, shift first-half disappointment into second-half success and channel the signal-callers who came before him. Eight years ago, future No. 1 NFL draft pick Bryce Young — a small, dual-threat quarterback himself — helped Catheral take down St. Paul en route to a league crown.

Now, it was Jefferson’s turn. Alongside his uncle, first-year Cathedral coach Vincent Jefferson and his father, offensive coordinator Jabari Jefferson, Jaden continued his sophomore stardom Friday night. His two touchdown passes and 201 all-purpose yards led Cathedral to a scrappy, 16-14 Angelus League title-clinching victory over St. Paul — the Phantoms’ first league title since 2018.

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“I’m just extremely excited,” said Jaden, who has 32 total touchdowns. “We worked all year for this. We worked to win the league. Now, playoffs, CIF championships, here we come.”

St. Paul coach Mike Moschetti entered Friday with a goal: He needed to stop Jaden from controlling the game’s flow.

Moschetti made it work, at first. The Swordsmen (6-4, 4-1) slowed the game and had two nine-minute drives to enter the second half ahead, limiting the Phantoms to three drives in the half. However, Cathedral’s second-half adjustments allowed them to take control. Jefferson threw for touchdowns of 10 and 55 yards in the half, lifting Cathedral (9-1, 5-0).

“They were controlling the clock a lot in the first half,” Jefferson said. “We had to go in halftime, make some adjustments up front [and] try to slow them down a little bit to get our dynamic offensive ball back.”

St. Paul made mistakes — the Swordsmen had four personal fouls, including three in Cathedral territory. Despite this, the Swordsmen were in contention to win until the very end.

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Junior quarterback Gabriel Castaneda, who scored two rushing touchdowns against Cathedral, drove to the 15-yard line to set up a potential winning field goal — a drive that included a 25-yard completion, his longest of the night.

As kicker Jesse Riperto lined up for a 32-yard attempt, the Cathedral sideline stood quiet.

Riperto’s kick sailed wide left. The game was over.

“That’s not that kid’s fault,” Moschetti said. “In the second half, they put it to us offensively. They shut us down.”

Jefferson darted to his teammates on the field as the ball missed the uprights. The slog of the first half was history and all that mattered was now.

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He was an Angelus League champion.

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