Cal Football: Election Day is `Way Bigger Than Football' - Senior Michael Saffell
Zeandae Johnson acknowledges he wasn’t hanging on every word in the leadup to the 2016 presidential election.
“Back then it was a thing to vote — a lot of us it was the first time voting. Some people just took advantage of the fact that they were young. `OK, I don’t really need to participate in this,’ “ he recalled.
Times have changed.
Election day is Tuesday, and Johnson and his Cal teammates have a much higher interest level this time.
“It’s most definitely elevated,” the senior defensive end said of the engagement level.
*** Johnson on the raised level of political engagement by athletes:
Cal — and many college teams across the country — will take Tuesday from practice because it’s election day.
“I think this just signifies something that’s way bigger than football,” senior center Michael Saffell said. “This is the first election that I’ve been extremely tuned into.”
Coach Justin Wilcox sees the same thing.
“I think guys are certainly more aware and active now than they’ve ever been.”
Asked to explain why, Wilcox suggested that perhaps it relates to information being more readily available. “Really information being at your fingertips,” he said, before noting that the same access on mobile devices existed four, eight, even 12 years ago.
Far more likely is simply the reality that we’re living in an era where social and political issues are more charged than they have been in years. President Donald Trump is a polarizing figure and his behaviors related to race and the coronavirus pandemic have only fueled division within country.
It’s nearly impossible right now not to have a political opinion.
Within the Cal football team, the first priority early this fall was to make sure everyone who wanted to be registered to vote was able to achieve it.
“We created kind of a living document than no matter where you are from — Texas or California or Washington or you-name-it, Hawaii — that they get registered pretty easily. So anybody that wanted to get registered, we tried to make that as simple a process as possible,” Wilcox said. “Then it’s encouraging them to be informed as best they can.”
Johnson said that process was successful. He said most of his teammates registered and received their ballots.
"We made sure to emphasize that we have the opportunity here to make a difference and use our vote and our voice,” Johnson said.
The conversations have been vigorous, Saffell said. He rooms with quarterback Chase Garbers, and the two often start their day with a cup of coffee and the news.
The exchange of opinions continues when players arrive at Memorial Stadium.
*** Center Michael Saffell on the conversations players are having:
“It’s an unbelievable time. Especially being in this Cal locker room where you have so many diverse opinions,” Saffell said. “I mean, I come from Orange County, which is about as Republican as it can get. Come up here and it’s obviously a little different mindset, a little different political culture, and you get to see both sides of the spectrum, which is such a blessing, I’m so grateful for.
“And you go into the locker room and you’ve got all these student-athletes who are extremely intelligent. And not just tuned into football — they’re tuned into their classes. And they knowledge they take from there they’re bringing into the conversations in the locker room.
“We’ve got guys of different ethnicities, different races, different political backgrounds. And that melting pod makes for an unbelievable conversation. There’s a lot of guys who care about this election and care about the political scene, so that makes it so fun.”
Wilcox seems pleased with the level of involvement his players are showing. It’s not his role, he stressed, to steer their thinking, only to encourage educating themselves so they can make a decision in line with what matters to them.
“Guys have definitely taken that to heart,” he said, “and I would imagine we’ll have a pretty good amount of guys who choose to take part in the process next Tuesday.”
Now 23, Johnson’s mindset is far different than it was just four years ago.
“Now we can see that every single vote matters. Your vote counts. Your vote matters. You need to vote,” he said. “The energy around the young people has changed.”
Asked about his emotions for Tuesday, Johnson said, “I’m ready. I am ready. I feel like I’ve done my part, the best I could and I’m ready.”
.
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page
