More fans attended Stanford, St. Mary's, UC Irvine, and San Jose State games than Cal games in 2023, dropping them to tenth in the state of California.
I’m surprised they even attracted that number of fans.
Does this number include all the non-fans like the players, Coaches, concession workers, the band, people who just wandered into the building looking for a quiet place to study?
Yep. These numbers all also include sold tickets that go unused. Season Tickets sold before anyone knows just how bad a bad team is going to be pump up numbers, as do people that buy seats to support the program and/or keep their premium seat locations for the day things improve (that last component may not be relevant here anymore).
Agreed. The only way a program in this position could possibly look any worse than simply being 3-26 is if the incompetent athletic director then allowed the Head Coach to keep his job through the season, as Cal has done. There is no accountability.
It’s doubtful Knowlton ever recovers from this…Fox likely won’t.
Knowlton and Fox will be just fine. America was created for men like them. I doubt Fox ever gets another HC job but someone will hire him as an assistant coach. Knowlton will probably get a golden parachute until someone hires him for a job he isn’t qualified to do.
What say ye Jimmy Boy? Hello, hello, anybody home? Of course not!!! Let's make it a two-fer, and dump both Fox and Knowlton (right now, Fox is much the more sympathetic figure) ---Basketball, more than any other major sport, is coach is influenced / dominated. Get a good, strong coach and you'll have a contending program (plus, the squad numbers are small and with only five players on the court it doesn't take long to assemble a formable group). --- this will be Knowlton's biggest test by far. If he blows this one, he'll be exposed for the zero capability AD that he is. --- since he's a dumb, tentative, lazy-ass without connections, I'm sure he'll hire a search firm which underscores how weak and disconnected he is. Don't expect the second coming of Pete Newell.
How many of those in attendance were visitor fans? Of the home team fans, how many were family and friends of players and coaches of the Cal team?
I wonder what the Cal fans and students actually attended Cal games and why decided to even go? They didn’t have anything else better to do? Did they lose a bet and have to go? These are some sick people that went willingly and should probably be monitored by local law enforcement and the FBI.
Well... I went to the UW game with the son. And yes, I should be monitored. Wanted to hit at least one game this season, one that we had an outside change to win or at least be competitive in. The good news: 50 yard line donor seats for $11! I actually love going, it's tough with our kid's schedules, so had to make a point of it. And wanted to see Joel Brown one last time as he is my all-time favorite Cal player in the ball handler who can't shoot category. The atmosphere was tepid, the best talent was the middle school dance team at halftime (UW is not a good team either). The crowd did get into it when we were close late, but you know how the story ends.
Joel Brown’s definitely on my Mt. Rushmore of Cal ball handler’s that can’t shoot, along with AJ Diggs, Circus King and Prentice Magruder. Loved Prentice (incidentally the only righty amongst them).
From the “we’ll never know file”, I honestly think JB’s honorable mention All Conference in Shaka Smart’s system, even with no jump shot. He’d be amongst the league leaders in assists and steals, and get 6-8 PPG in transition alone. Would’ve loved to see him in that style.
I was a big Larry Hughes and Billekens fan too. Thought LH would have a better pro career than he did. He had a good, but I thought he was going to be a superstar.
Sure does. San Diego should have gotten the Phoenix Suns. You wouldn’t have to even change the team name or logo. Ditto that for the Phoenix Coyotes and NHL.
I miss Harmon/Hass. Spent years taking all three of my children to games and always found it to be such a great experience. Such a shameful state of affairs... please save this program. It can be done. I remember as a student being coaxed by the ticket takers to come into the building as we debated going to a game. Old Harmon wouldn't even be half full and we had our pick of seats. I fell in love with the game and the building as we watched a young player from Sacramento, Kevin Johnson, run the floor.
I've been hardcore following Cal basketball long enough that I cut my teeth on those lousy (but not this lousy) Dick Kuchen teams. The atmosphere and riff raff at Harmon basically nullified how poor a product we had on the court. Always entertaining to be there--whether you were getting pounded by UCLA or getting by Athletes In Action.
We're just ahead of the curve! Our attendance is #lightyears ready for when we officially become a midmajor with the likes of San Jose State, Utah State, and Wyoming... IF the MWC extends an invite to Cal.
This reminds me of the 2001 football season. I vividly remember walking out of the half empty stadium after a shellacking from Illinois or Oregon, can't remember which team, and said to myself I am done going to Cal football games. And I didn't go the rest of the season and paid little attention to the team from thereon. I recall turning on the radio for five seconds to learn that Cal was beating Rutgers in the final game that year. Tedford changed everything a scant nine months later.
Not a stretch to say this could very well be the biggest hire in Program history and it’s Jim f-ing Knowlton making the call…yikes. Hope he’s up for it.
I’m surprised they even attracted that number of fans.
Does this number include all the non-fans like the players, Coaches, concession workers, the band, people who just wandered into the building looking for a quiet place to study?
Yep. These numbers all also include sold tickets that go unused. Season Tickets sold before anyone knows just how bad a bad team is going to be pump up numbers, as do people that buy seats to support the program and/or keep their premium seat locations for the day things improve (that last component may not be relevant here anymore).
The fact that Fox has yet to be fired is incredibly insulting
White privilege and bad contracts are a helluva drug for Knowlton.
Agreed. The only way a program in this position could possibly look any worse than simply being 3-26 is if the incompetent athletic director then allowed the Head Coach to keep his job through the season, as Cal has done. There is no accountability.
It’s doubtful Knowlton ever recovers from this…Fox likely won’t.
Knowlton and Fox will be just fine. America was created for men like them. I doubt Fox ever gets another HC job but someone will hire him as an assistant coach. Knowlton will probably get a golden parachute until someone hires him for a job he isn’t qualified to do.
It’s a cal problem.
Calling it white privilege is dumb.
Wyking Jones was a terrible coach, won .250 of his games, and now is an assistant coach at WSU
It’s a cal problem.
White privilege is Fox not being fired after last season, not being fired during this season and allowed to finish this season.
Wow, Fox and Knowlton should both be out. It can’t get any worse can it?
Those fans deserve either refunds or therapy.
What say ye Jimmy Boy? Hello, hello, anybody home? Of course not!!! Let's make it a two-fer, and dump both Fox and Knowlton (right now, Fox is much the more sympathetic figure) ---Basketball, more than any other major sport, is coach is influenced / dominated. Get a good, strong coach and you'll have a contending program (plus, the squad numbers are small and with only five players on the court it doesn't take long to assemble a formable group). --- this will be Knowlton's biggest test by far. If he blows this one, he'll be exposed for the zero capability AD that he is. --- since he's a dumb, tentative, lazy-ass without connections, I'm sure he'll hire a search firm which underscores how weak and disconnected he is. Don't expect the second coming of Pete Newell.
What a shocker. The worst team with the worst coach has the worst attendance. If Fox gets another year then just burn Harmon to the ground.
How many of those in attendance were visitor fans? Of the home team fans, how many were family and friends of players and coaches of the Cal team?
I wonder what the Cal fans and students actually attended Cal games and why decided to even go? They didn’t have anything else better to do? Did they lose a bet and have to go? These are some sick people that went willingly and should probably be monitored by local law enforcement and the FBI.
Well... I went to the UW game with the son. And yes, I should be monitored. Wanted to hit at least one game this season, one that we had an outside change to win or at least be competitive in. The good news: 50 yard line donor seats for $11! I actually love going, it's tough with our kid's schedules, so had to make a point of it. And wanted to see Joel Brown one last time as he is my all-time favorite Cal player in the ball handler who can't shoot category. The atmosphere was tepid, the best talent was the middle school dance team at halftime (UW is not a good team either). The crowd did get into it when we were close late, but you know how the story ends.
"all-time favorite Cal player in the ball handler who can't shoot category"
Prentice McGruder waves hi.
Joel Brown’s definitely on my Mt. Rushmore of Cal ball handler’s that can’t shoot, along with AJ Diggs, Circus King and Prentice Magruder. Loved Prentice (incidentally the only righty amongst them).
From the “we’ll never know file”, I honestly think JB’s honorable mention All Conference in Shaka Smart’s system, even with no jump shot. He’d be amongst the league leaders in assists and steals, and get 6-8 PPG in transition alone. Would’ve loved to see him in that style.
Sadly I didn't get to watch Brown. I haven't watched Cal basketball games in the past 3-4 years.
No comment, beyond commentable.
Real talk: San Diego deserves an NBA team again.
Would gladly send back the Clippers. Should be quick without any banners to take down.
Michael Cage comeback.
I always thought St. Louis would a pretty logical expansion candidate. Lots of good prep hoops in southern Illinois.
I grew up watching Larry Hughes at SLU, nice fanbase there too.
I was a big Larry Hughes and Billekens fan too. Thought LH would have a better pro career than he did. He had a good, but I thought he was going to be a superstar.
where they gonna play? sports arena redevelopment is years away…
Sure does. San Diego should have gotten the Phoenix Suns. You wouldn’t have to even change the team name or logo. Ditto that for the Phoenix Coyotes and NHL.
What do they expect? I'm surprised more than 2,000 people show up to our games.
I miss Harmon/Hass. Spent years taking all three of my children to games and always found it to be such a great experience. Such a shameful state of affairs... please save this program. It can be done. I remember as a student being coaxed by the ticket takers to come into the building as we debated going to a game. Old Harmon wouldn't even be half full and we had our pick of seats. I fell in love with the game and the building as we watched a young player from Sacramento, Kevin Johnson, run the floor.
I've been hardcore following Cal basketball long enough that I cut my teeth on those lousy (but not this lousy) Dick Kuchen teams. The atmosphere and riff raff at Harmon basically nullified how poor a product we had on the court. Always entertaining to be there--whether you were getting pounded by UCLA or getting by Athletes In Action.
edit: Serra High School in San Mateo. (=>)
Gee I wonder what the reason could be?!??
the time of this post is 10:27 a.m. on Wednesday March 1, 2023
has he been fired yet?
We're just ahead of the curve! Our attendance is #lightyears ready for when we officially become a midmajor with the likes of San Jose State, Utah State, and Wyoming... IF the MWC extends an invite to Cal.
This reminds me of the 2001 football season. I vividly remember walking out of the half empty stadium after a shellacking from Illinois or Oregon, can't remember which team, and said to myself I am done going to Cal football games. And I didn't go the rest of the season and paid little attention to the team from thereon. I recall turning on the radio for five seconds to learn that Cal was beating Rutgers in the final game that year. Tedford changed everything a scant nine months later.
Not a stretch to say this could very well be the biggest hire in Program history and it’s Jim f-ing Knowlton making the call…yikes. Hope he’s up for it.
At what point should we start withholding our money from ALL Cal athletics until this is fixed? Or is that just unproductive?
I already have. Mine goes to the Collective now. (CA Legends)