Bragg’s Heart Is With Giants

BERKELEY -- Frigid nights at Candlestick Park are warm memories for UCLA receiver Craig Bragg.

The redshirt sophomore from San Jose has been a San Francisco Giant fan since his father began taking him to games at the team’s old stadium a decade ago. Bragg vividly recalls the 1993 season when the Giants won 103 games yet missed out on the playoffs after losing to the Dodgers on the last day of the season.

“I hated the Dodgers and I hated the Atlanta Braves,” Bragg said. “That was Dusty Baker’s first season as manager and Barry Bonds’ first season with the Giants. I was hooked after that.”

Bragg can’t catch the first game of the World Series because he’ll be catching passes this afternoon at Cal. Neither can his father, who is one in a contingent of about 25 friends and family members who will be sitting together at Memorial Stadium.

“It’s important to win in front of my friends from up north,” Bragg said. “Otherwise, they’ll ask me why I went south.”

Bragg is coming off a career game against Oregon in which he had nine catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns. He has 29 catches this season, equaling his total of last season.

Thirteen of his catches in 2001 came in the last two games, so over the last eight games he is averaging nearly six catches a game.

He is also the Bruins’ top scoring threat with seven touchdowns, six of at least 33 yards. But as soon as the game is over he will want to know how the major leagues’ top home run threat -- Bonds -- and his team is doing.

“I’ll have people tell me about it right after we’re finished playing,” he said. “I’m pulling for the Giants all the way.”

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Only about 40,000 tickets have been sold, fewer than the anticipated 45,000. Although this will be Cal’s largest crowd so far this season, Bear officials are disappointed because it is homecoming as well as the team’s only home date in October.

Cal is last in the Pacific 10 Conference in attendance, averaging 28,248.

Coach Jeff Tedford is adjusting to the apathy after serving four years as offensive coordinator at Oregon.

“It’s different, no question,” he said. “In Eugene, it’s all over the front page every day.”