A perfect Berkeley paradox: Big-money college football and an antiestablishment protest

The article discusses the 1969 "Plug the Hole" protest at the University of California, Berkeley, which occurred during a football game against the University of Washington. The protest was led by students and faculty members who opposed the university's involvement in big-money college football, which they saw as contradicting Berkeley's image as an antiestablishment institution. The protesters aimed to physically block the field by "plugging the hole" through which players entered, but were ultimately prevented from doing so by police. The article highlights the paradox of Berkeley's position as a prestigious academic institution with a successful and lucrative football program, which many saw as a symbol of the establishment that the university was known for opposing. The protest was a reflection of the broader social and political tensions of the era, and the article explores how the events of that day encapsulated the complex and often contradictory nature of Berkeley's identity and values.