I'll be live on the LockerRoom App at 6PM PT to talk about the Matt Bradley departure. Hop in and ask to talk! I wanna hear everyones opinions and discuss! See you all then!
Not at all surprising at all. I wish Matt the best. Honestly, I've been following Cal basketball my whole life. I went to Cal. My dad went to Cal. In all honestly, if I had a son who was prospect (and surprise, I don't!), I don't think I could in good conscience steer him to this program. We're on Pluto and there does not seem to be any plan or sense of urgency or concern within the administration to pull us back towards earth. Fox is not a bad coach and certainly not a bad person, but it is just a bad fit. I don't want to disparage him, but you couldn't watch that insufferable introduction he gave to the team and not feel your stomach get tight. You could see where the ship was headed.
Makes sense. Cal has zero chance of making any noise next season, with or without Bradley. He could have bailed along with the others when Fox was hired, but stayed to honor his commitment and help/hope to build a program. Fox's coaching has been fine, but the supporting cast is just not arriving, so I think he's justified in making this change, especially if the one-time transfer exception still applies. I assume he has identified playoff-ready schools that have a slot for a burly scoring guard. Plus, if NIL passes in August, and he goes to a place where college athletes are placed on pedestals, or a larger market (LA if PAC-12) he could stand to make some beer money. And, it'll be his last chance to bask in the March Madness spotlight.
Well, it's finally out in the open, and should come as no surprise to anyone. Word is it's another P12 school, tho, which will sorta hurt. But you really can't blame Matt...let him get some NCAA Tournament run, as Cal is going to struggle immensely next year with or without him.
This actually may not be the worst thing, as it opens up playing time for Kuany, Bowser, Celestine, and the incoming FR Roberson and Alujaki...developing some of their own recruits is the only thing that is going to get this ship righted, though it's unlikely Fox and Co. are the men to do it.
I see a few on this board putting Bradley leaving and/or Cal's general season woes on Fox, and I think that's too easy and simplistic. No one seems to acknowledge that Cal is the most desirable undesirable [sic] gig in D-1 hoops. It has a primo location and academic reputation, but how many aspiring NBA stars put those at the top of their lists? We're not a 'basketball school', have fluctuating administrative support, lack facilities, and have higher entrance requirements than almost every school offering D-1 scholarships. Lots of headwinds. We landed Fox, a fully competent coach, because he had been fired, had taken a year off, was under the radar, probably didn't realize what Bay Area housing costs were, and had no better offers. So, Cal could get him at a bargain rate, offering the 2nd lowest salary in the PAC-12. No way Cal would hire a Mick Cronin at $5M per. And Cal won't touch a coach with a checkered past, and Fox was as clean as they come. Only alternative would have been to roll the dice on a young up-and-comer who's willing to take on the challenge. Who's to say DeCuire would have even taken the job? And there's no guarantee he'd enjoy the same success at Cal has he's had at Montana, and he probably realizes that (see Mark Few). Cal had the opportunity to go for a known quantity vs a swing for the fences. They chose to go conservative, right the ship, stabilize the program. Now, how to attract recruits? Because I don't see our coach/savior anywhere on the horizon.
The only thing I can think of that is remotely positive is that the team did OK without Bradley in the line-up. Better hope the recruiting improves and we can start getting the McDonalds All-Americans. Probably under some new up and coming genius coach, whomever that might be,
Is he going to graduate such that he can play next year, or is he sitting out?
Either way, hard to see this as anything other than a vote of no confidence in Mark Fox. But if he's willing to sit out a full year to play one at another school, that is a pretty significant indictment.
Lockerroom: https://t.co/OxfQSUO7Vs?amp=1
I'll be live on the LockerRoom App at 6PM PT to talk about the Matt Bradley departure. Hop in and ask to talk! I wanna hear everyones opinions and discuss! See you all then!
Not at all surprising at all. I wish Matt the best. Honestly, I've been following Cal basketball my whole life. I went to Cal. My dad went to Cal. In all honestly, if I had a son who was prospect (and surprise, I don't!), I don't think I could in good conscience steer him to this program. We're on Pluto and there does not seem to be any plan or sense of urgency or concern within the administration to pull us back towards earth. Fox is not a bad coach and certainly not a bad person, but it is just a bad fit. I don't want to disparage him, but you couldn't watch that insufferable introduction he gave to the team and not feel your stomach get tight. You could see where the ship was headed.
Lmao rip the program better hope Monty Bowser is like the 2nd coming or something or else we are in purgatory for a while
Makes sense. Cal has zero chance of making any noise next season, with or without Bradley. He could have bailed along with the others when Fox was hired, but stayed to honor his commitment and help/hope to build a program. Fox's coaching has been fine, but the supporting cast is just not arriving, so I think he's justified in making this change, especially if the one-time transfer exception still applies. I assume he has identified playoff-ready schools that have a slot for a burly scoring guard. Plus, if NIL passes in August, and he goes to a place where college athletes are placed on pedestals, or a larger market (LA if PAC-12) he could stand to make some beer money. And, it'll be his last chance to bask in the March Madness spotlight.
Well, it's finally out in the open, and should come as no surprise to anyone. Word is it's another P12 school, tho, which will sorta hurt. But you really can't blame Matt...let him get some NCAA Tournament run, as Cal is going to struggle immensely next year with or without him.
This actually may not be the worst thing, as it opens up playing time for Kuany, Bowser, Celestine, and the incoming FR Roberson and Alujaki...developing some of their own recruits is the only thing that is going to get this ship righted, though it's unlikely Fox and Co. are the men to do it.
I see a few on this board putting Bradley leaving and/or Cal's general season woes on Fox, and I think that's too easy and simplistic. No one seems to acknowledge that Cal is the most desirable undesirable [sic] gig in D-1 hoops. It has a primo location and academic reputation, but how many aspiring NBA stars put those at the top of their lists? We're not a 'basketball school', have fluctuating administrative support, lack facilities, and have higher entrance requirements than almost every school offering D-1 scholarships. Lots of headwinds. We landed Fox, a fully competent coach, because he had been fired, had taken a year off, was under the radar, probably didn't realize what Bay Area housing costs were, and had no better offers. So, Cal could get him at a bargain rate, offering the 2nd lowest salary in the PAC-12. No way Cal would hire a Mick Cronin at $5M per. And Cal won't touch a coach with a checkered past, and Fox was as clean as they come. Only alternative would have been to roll the dice on a young up-and-comer who's willing to take on the challenge. Who's to say DeCuire would have even taken the job? And there's no guarantee he'd enjoy the same success at Cal has he's had at Montana, and he probably realizes that (see Mark Few). Cal had the opportunity to go for a known quantity vs a swing for the fences. They chose to go conservative, right the ship, stabilize the program. Now, how to attract recruits? Because I don't see our coach/savior anywhere on the horizon.
The only thing I can think of that is remotely positive is that the team did OK without Bradley in the line-up. Better hope the recruiting improves and we can start getting the McDonalds All-Americans. Probably under some new up and coming genius coach, whomever that might be,
We suck anyway that I honestly don't care at all, but would be nice if we can get all the best players in transfer portal.
Best of luck to Bradley! I hope we finally hire DeCuire when Fox's contract runs out and I hope Fox has more success next year.
Are there any good comps for a coach pulling a program out from where Fox finds himself?
Is he going to graduate such that he can play next year, or is he sitting out?
Either way, hard to see this as anything other than a vote of no confidence in Mark Fox. But if he's willing to sit out a full year to play one at another school, that is a pretty significant indictment.
"Oof!" is probably the only/appropriate response