The Calgorithm’s pin on the 2024 season is a 297-page book which comprehensively details last year’s exploits and achievements. #Calgorithm Volume One: A People’s Anthology of the 2024 Season is the brainchild of Write for California contributor Nam Le, who also served as its co-editor, along with Avinash Kunnath. It consists of nearly 70 essays from more than 50 contributors, including burners, media members, and even opposing fans. That quote from Kunnath about embracing the weird is actually taken from the book.
Is it ironic that the delivery vehicle for the definitive story about the most online movement imaginable is the oldest of old-school media? Probably.
“There are so many stories in here that take place not just from the boots-on-the-ground perspective, but from people saying, hey, the Calgorithm really changed the way that I interact with football and reminded me not to take this thing for granted,” said Le. “What we gave to this team last season is very rare. I knew we would want to remember that someday.”
There’s a foreword passage from former Draft-Kings podcaster Jessica Smetana, who popularized the term Calgorithm. There’s an essay from Gary Tyrell, the Stanford trombone player who got leveled during The Play in 1982’s Big Game.
There is an account from the Cal alum who was arrested after storming the field in Auburn—and was subsequently released after the Calgorithm heard about it, tracked down his location, and crowdfunded his bail.
There is a story from the fan who, in an effort to trick out his fan cave in unique fashion, attempted to order samples of radioactive berkelium and californium from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
“I truly do not believe that other college football fan bases would attempt something like this or even have a reason to write something like this,” said Le.
Only a couple hundred copies of the book have been printed so far, each earmarked for a deserving insider. A wider distribution model is still being determined. The team behind the book has set up a form to help gauge interest in the project as they seek a publisher. Interested parties can also use it to sign up for updates: tinyurl.com/CalgorithmBook.
