This is just sad. Cal is a world-class and elite academic institution yet in terms of to the two sports that matter most (football and basketball) they are just okay (football) and down right embarrassing (basketball). Are there no wealthy alumni who have an interest in football and basketball?
Well, the Travers family endowed the head coaching position, which is a strong vote for Wilcox and what he is doing. I think there are plenty of alumni interested in keeping him around after a number of signature victories. Admittedly though we have not been in a top tier bowl game or become nationally relevant, but that may happen in the future with the foundation he is building. In men's basketball however we seem to be wandering in the wilderness.
If he does leave then we are kind of in no-man's land. Maybe the key to this is the obvious struggles of Fox and the need to replace him. Being Knowlton's guy maybe Jim is leery of firing him and is opting out now and looking for greener pastures. Fortunately we have that endowed chair for the head football coach which means Wilcox is likely to stick around for a year or two while the search for a new candidate goes on. What seems essential is that the new AD, whomever that might be, needs to understand the unique situation at Cal - power Five conference, but with basically Ivy League standards for admittance (not necessarily though for athletes), unsympathetic faculty for the most part, and the stadium debt situation. I do think Carol Christ has been as supportive of Cal Athletics as possible, which is fortunate for us. But it would be nice to hire a figure that will not have a wandering eye after basically two years on the job. 😥😥😥
I think that last sentence is impossible. If you can do great things at Cal, you can likely do better things elsewhere and so the inevitability is getting poached to make more doing an easier job.
I know. Mostly just having a laugh. But is it unreasonable to ask for an AD that can keep us in the black and make a coaching hire that shows some imagination? At least a new AD means we’d be able to move on from Fox in less time.
I'm not sure until he posts a Wikipedia link (please don't post a wikipedia link)
RPI is a weird one - one of my summer nerd camps roommates ended up going there. Big time engineering school, but very Division III sports, except hockey where they're elite.
I would not be surprised if the Northwestern pay is better. Also, the Cal Athletics financial situation can only be solved by football turning a large profit. And even if that happens (Cal makes a New Year's Day bowl), they will likely invest that money back into football and still need to consider cutting (or reclassify) some sports.
Knowlton and Christ have done a great job of buying time for Cal Football to hopefully save everything...but it's far from a stable long-term (just looking at the next 10 years) situation.
This is just sad. Cal is a world-class and elite academic institution yet in terms of to the two sports that matter most (football and basketball) they are just okay (football) and down right embarrassing (basketball). Are there no wealthy alumni who have an interest in football and basketball?
Well, the Travers family endowed the head coaching position, which is a strong vote for Wilcox and what he is doing. I think there are plenty of alumni interested in keeping him around after a number of signature victories. Admittedly though we have not been in a top tier bowl game or become nationally relevant, but that may happen in the future with the foundation he is building. In men's basketball however we seem to be wandering in the wilderness.
If he does leave then we are kind of in no-man's land. Maybe the key to this is the obvious struggles of Fox and the need to replace him. Being Knowlton's guy maybe Jim is leery of firing him and is opting out now and looking for greener pastures. Fortunately we have that endowed chair for the head football coach which means Wilcox is likely to stick around for a year or two while the search for a new candidate goes on. What seems essential is that the new AD, whomever that might be, needs to understand the unique situation at Cal - power Five conference, but with basically Ivy League standards for admittance (not necessarily though for athletes), unsympathetic faculty for the most part, and the stadium debt situation. I do think Carol Christ has been as supportive of Cal Athletics as possible, which is fortunate for us. But it would be nice to hire a figure that will not have a wandering eye after basically two years on the job. 😥😥😥
I think that last sentence is impossible. If you can do great things at Cal, you can likely do better things elsewhere and so the inevitability is getting poached to make more doing an easier job.
Good point.
Take my wife. Please.
He's fixed a lot of the financial issues at the AD. The director has a lot wider job scope than just hiring basketball and football coaches.
I know. Mostly just having a laugh. But is it unreasonable to ask for an AD that can keep us in the black and make a coaching hire that shows some imagination? At least a new AD means we’d be able to move on from Fox in less time.
The other thing that we have to remember as Cal fans . .. it can always get worse.
We can't have nice things.
Neither Army nor AFA are private instituions.
Well he did say "His three prior AD or assistant AD jobs were all at schools" lol
I'm not sure until he posts a Wikipedia link (please don't post a wikipedia link)
RPI is a weird one - one of my summer nerd camps roommates ended up going there. Big time engineering school, but very Division III sports, except hockey where they're elite.
The Troy/Rensselaer/Schenectady (NY) area is soon to be a real hot bed of elite, 5 * recruits...Newellbany is all over this.
Too difficult to succeed at Berkeley?
I would not be surprised if the Northwestern pay is better. Also, the Cal Athletics financial situation can only be solved by football turning a large profit. And even if that happens (Cal makes a New Year's Day bowl), they will likely invest that money back into football and still need to consider cutting (or reclassify) some sports.
Knowlton and Christ have done a great job of buying time for Cal Football to hopefully save everything...but it's far from a stable long-term (just looking at the next 10 years) situation.