From this thread over at Bear Insider.  Apparently, a poster there signed up for the Save The Oaks email list to keep up to date.  Looks like our long regional nightmare might be over….for a while.  This actually kinda sucks, because before the Spring Series of Drills (you didn’t hear?) on Saturday, I was hoping to head on over and take a series of photos with Runnie Dub with different facial expressions to create a photojournalistic narrative.  A photojournalistic narrative about the oppression of Oak Trees everywhere.

And now this:

"Memorial Oak Grove protester Zachary Running Wolf was detained and jailed by University of California police Friday April 6th. Running Wolf reports that, "the charges are bogus, for alleged outstanding traffic tickets."

Currently, Running Wolf is sitting in the Berkeley jail, awaiting bail on the traffic ticket arrest. Supporters have the necessary bail money of $500 for his release, but in order for Mr. Running Wolf to actually be released, supporters also need a co-signer who is currently employed in a regular job. (That person would not put up any money, only co-sign the release, Running Wolf conveys that he will absolutely show up on time for his hearing.) If you have any interest in being a co-signer, please call Jake from CopWatch at 510-909-2412."

Does not showering count as a regular job?  

Because otherwise, Runnie Dub ain’t going anywhere for a while.  What hilarity!  What irony!  What hilarony! 

Just thought I’d post that up there.  I think any modicum of political capital these Tree Huggers might have had is pretty kaput.

Also, going forward on this blog, we have a schedule of ideas looking like this:  Closer look at Wonderlic questions; analysis why college baseball isn’t as popular as football and basketball; first hand (and Chron) recap of Toe v. Toe from the other day; Rugby photos; snapshot of the career of Arizona Diamondbacker Conor Jackson; more interview with Waterboy (that’s Mr. Boy to you!).  So, there’s a lot on tap.  Don’t change that URL! 

GO BEARS! 

In a development that shouldn’t surprise any followers of Cal Basketball, DeVon Hardin has announced that he is declaring for the NBA draft.  Cal fans who remember Jamal Sampson (and they must be Cal fans, because he never did anything in the NBA) remember Sampson’s idiotic decision to leave for the NBA after only 1 year of college and shake their heads, seeing Hardin follow down the same path.  Yes, both were Cal big men with incredible leaping and shot-blocking abilities, NBA-ready bodies with physical gifts that are impossible to teach.  Also, both were offensively limited against college competition, meaning that more seasoning would be needed if they hoped to be anything but a defensive scrub at the end of an NBA bench.

However, before we get ourselves worked up into a lather, let’s note that Hardin is still going to classes, hasn’t signed with an agent, and can still return to school.  Far from being a dumb decision, declaring for the draft is actually a smart move by Hardin (assuming he’s healthy enough for the draft camps); in fact, he would be dumb not to.  The NCAA allows a player to declare for the draft, drop out and return to school only once.  Hardin, as a junior, has only one year of eligibility left anyway, so there’s no reason not to.  He’s going to the NBA at some point; scouts agree on this point.  But even if Hardin has already made up his mind to return to school, the opportunity to compete in the draft camps and be evaluated by NBA talent scouts is one he’d be foolish to pass up.  It’s a tryout process; if he does well and is guaranteed a first round pick by some team, all the better; if not, it’s a great learning experience for when he goes through the same thing next year.

Of course, that’s not to say Hardin should stay in the draft; he shouldn’t.  He’s not ready to play in the NBA; his body may be there, but his game sure isn’t.  And even if it was, he’s coming off an injury, and no matter how good he says he feels, he’s not going to be in top form for NBA scouts.  If he stays, his NBA career could very well resemble Jamal Sampson’s, and if you’re going to bounce around the back of NBA benches for a few years, you should at least have a Cal degree as an insurance plan.

For DeVon Hardin, declaring for the draft is a smart move; staying in would be spectacularly stupid.  Let’s hope he knows the difference.