Is it purely W-L this year? Lets pretend we see them implement a scheme that takes advantage of this team's length, they're mildly entertaining, and there are few blowout losses in a topheavy league..all in a 14-17 season. How do you feel then? To me, this is the most realistic mildly positive outcome. It would probably earn Fox another year. And the cylce would continue.
I think there's this fascinating gap between fans (who are largely check out and very little could change their mind that Fox needs to go) and administration (where on-court results appear largely irrelevant in their decision making process_
Still, though I’m no fan of Fox’s, if this team can somehow work it’s way up the rankings and show signs of being an efficient offense that finishes in the middle of the P12 in scoring, I’m definitely willing to see what ‘23 holds.
Who knows - maybe Newell can be some diamond-in-the-rough scorer on the wing or Kuany makes a leap…
After Knowlton’s email response to me last spring, I’m resigned to the fact that Fox is getting at least another year, and a 14-17 season in ‘22 probably buys him another couple of years of the same, actually.
Fox's belief that he needs to rebuild through high school recruits is already enough to show that he isn't any kind of solution. Cal right now should be an excellent destination for portal and grad transfers who want more playing time: come finish your degree at one of the best universities in the world and get ample playing time since our team lacks clear starters.
Transfers are an excellent source of immediate impact, players who can come in, fill gaps, and push our team (theoretically) into decency. Once you've attained some success it will become easier to attract quality recruits. Fox's refusal to embrace a crucial source of talent is yet another mark against him.
There's a really good story to be written by somebody with the ability to write some (off or on the record) honesty from the athletic department regarding how willing campus is to allow or not transfer students. I hear lots of conflicting info and I'd like to have a clearer picture.
You don't rebuild through the portal, you only augment. Look at what Tinkle is doing in true rebuild mode. He has 9 underclassmen on his roster. I think Cal has done fine via the portal. Not great, not terrible.
I mean seeing what Zona did through the portal. I think it’s possible. But that would mean being ruthless and revamping the entire roster via recommended departures. I just don’t think we’ll ever do that or take that route.
"recommended departures", a la forcing Chauca and others to transfer. Tinkle did this and then accumulated his incoming class, necessary after a 3-28 season. I don't view Cal as ever being that ruthless as a standard, and I am not a huge fan of it.
Hey, it sucks. I don’t think anyone is a fan of it…sometimes it is necessary, though. It certainly was with Chauca…he was given more than a lot of guys get: a chance. Hell, he got 2 full seasons of P12 play. In this instance though, Fox should be the one we ask to depart, as his offense, or lack thereof, is the issue… the personnel doesn’t seem to matter.
As for Tinkle, it goes to show the value of an All-Conference glue guy like Ethan Thompson. With him, the team gets on a heater and is a half away from the Final 4. Like with Wilcox, Wayne’s extension clearly was a mistake. Unlike with Wilcox, Tink’s came after great team success.
As opposed to football, it is certainly a little more possible in hoops to really change the dynamic of a team quickly through the portal, IF you get the right players. They need to be impact guys, the kind of players that a team like Cal doesn't get.
Askew is intriguing...the pedigree is there. Maybe something clicks back in CA...
Wish I had any faith in Fox's offensive chops to blend these kids together...we'll see.
Such transfers will only maintain the Bears' mediocrity. Any true impact players looking for a new home won't want to come to a mediocre team. Football faces the same challenges that Nick Kranz articulates so well.
There are currently 3 transfers on the roster, including a former 5-star recruit, so I don't know what your complaint is. Foreman, Shepard, and Betley are all transfers who Fox recruited and have contributed well. Mix the current transfers in with the 4 frosh -- some of whom have intriguing possibilities -- and the remaining members of last year's roster, I see at least a potential for a ray of sunshine.
My exact words were "at least a potential for a ray of sunshine." We'll get a good idea as to whether that potential is an actual ray of sunshine or just another mirage after next week's games...
I know. I meant do you think there's the potential for that outcome. I'm not being a smart ass. My feeling is that if there should be at least an even chance of that happening to continue along this road. I don't see it, but I've given up on watching this team obsessively.
Actually, I was being somewhat of a smart ass in my reply to you. I mostly don't get obsessed with Cal football or basketball any more, but I still enjoy going to the games. I'll be at next weeks games, but without reading anything about last night's exhibition, the fact that Cal only won by single digits seems to indicate the ray of sunshine I thought I might see was indeed a mirage.
Fox's stupid substitution patterns really contribute to his dreadful offense. How does he expect these kids to get in any type of game rhythm when they're constantly being shuffled in and out every 2 minutes?
We said this all last year - if you're gonna go THIS deep, then why not go up tempo? Use your athleticism and length, play intense, pressure defense that lead to easy buckets.
Appears to be much more of the same...28-23 Cal over DII Chico St at half.
Askew with 9, Alajiki with 7. Team shoots 36% FG, 18% 3PFG, 40% FT, with Lars being the main culprit at 2-6. A key for Cal is Lars needs to shoot >70%...otherwise it's just too many empty trips.
Jim Knowlton is a complete failure at AD. He turned Cal sports fans from disappointed to apathetic (and this is aside from him being completely useless during realignment).
In fairness, football and basketball have struggled since Cal implemented the higher GPA requirement. Revenue sports unfortunately tend to have stars with low academic performance. How does any AD succeed with the recruiting constraints Cal has imposed?
Let's never forget his handling of the mckeever scandal and we move from apathetic to embarrassing. He shouldn't be employed. If Cal as an institution cared about its athletics dept. (revenue sports being the driver), they would devote the necessary & proper resources to ensuring long-term success. They don't care. So we're struck with the unholy triumvirate of Knowlton, Wilcox & Fox, your basic* 'white guy mediocrity that keeps failing upward' scenario.
[*not really all that surprising, given Cal's history, but still disappointing]
I got her email to the campus community yesterday which talks about the big game and Knowlton and the academic success of our student athletes. I don't think wins and losses are particularly important at present. And, a hearty Go Bears! at the end of the email.
I believe it was a previous column that described Fox's offense as having one main scorer and relying on that one player. Who will it be this year?
I'd like to see some sort of designed offense other than having the guards pass the ball back and forth for 25 seconds and then whoever has the ball tries to make a difficult shot.
I wouldn't say that he intends to have one main scorer as much as the slow down style results in a situation where a lot of possessions end with a bad shot that the primary ball handler has to force up because SOMEBODY has to shoot before the shot clock does off. So like Jimmy says, that dude is probably Askew.
Is it purely W-L this year? Lets pretend we see them implement a scheme that takes advantage of this team's length, they're mildly entertaining, and there are few blowout losses in a topheavy league..all in a 14-17 season. How do you feel then? To me, this is the most realistic mildly positive outcome. It would probably earn Fox another year. And the cylce would continue.
I think there's this fascinating gap between fans (who are largely check out and very little could change their mind that Fox needs to go) and administration (where on-court results appear largely irrelevant in their decision making process_
Totally.
Still, though I’m no fan of Fox’s, if this team can somehow work it’s way up the rankings and show signs of being an efficient offense that finishes in the middle of the P12 in scoring, I’m definitely willing to see what ‘23 holds.
Who knows - maybe Newell can be some diamond-in-the-rough scorer on the wing or Kuany makes a leap…
After Knowlton’s email response to me last spring, I’m resigned to the fact that Fox is getting at least another year, and a 14-17 season in ‘22 probably buys him another couple of years of the same, actually.
Too much Sisyphus, not enough Prometheus. Always feels like we're being weighed down without a spark of flame.
We could use some Prometheus from behind the arc……
Mozilla ______
Sueing and Bradley going on to be integral parts of NCAA Tourney teams says enough about them being just good players on bad teams.
Fox's belief that he needs to rebuild through high school recruits is already enough to show that he isn't any kind of solution. Cal right now should be an excellent destination for portal and grad transfers who want more playing time: come finish your degree at one of the best universities in the world and get ample playing time since our team lacks clear starters.
Transfers are an excellent source of immediate impact, players who can come in, fill gaps, and push our team (theoretically) into decency. Once you've attained some success it will become easier to attract quality recruits. Fox's refusal to embrace a crucial source of talent is yet another mark against him.
There's a really good story to be written by somebody with the ability to write some (off or on the record) honesty from the athletic department regarding how willing campus is to allow or not transfer students. I hear lots of conflicting info and I'd like to have a clearer picture.
You don't rebuild through the portal, you only augment. Look at what Tinkle is doing in true rebuild mode. He has 9 underclassmen on his roster. I think Cal has done fine via the portal. Not great, not terrible.
I mean seeing what Zona did through the portal. I think it’s possible. But that would mean being ruthless and revamping the entire roster via recommended departures. I just don’t think we’ll ever do that or take that route.
"recommended departures", a la forcing Chauca and others to transfer. Tinkle did this and then accumulated his incoming class, necessary after a 3-28 season. I don't view Cal as ever being that ruthless as a standard, and I am not a huge fan of it.
Hey, it sucks. I don’t think anyone is a fan of it…sometimes it is necessary, though. It certainly was with Chauca…he was given more than a lot of guys get: a chance. Hell, he got 2 full seasons of P12 play. In this instance though, Fox should be the one we ask to depart, as his offense, or lack thereof, is the issue… the personnel doesn’t seem to matter.
As for Tinkle, it goes to show the value of an All-Conference glue guy like Ethan Thompson. With him, the team gets on a heater and is a half away from the Final 4. Like with Wilcox, Wayne’s extension clearly was a mistake. Unlike with Wilcox, Tink’s came after great team success.
As opposed to football, it is certainly a little more possible in hoops to really change the dynamic of a team quickly through the portal, IF you get the right players. They need to be impact guys, the kind of players that a team like Cal doesn't get.
Askew is intriguing...the pedigree is there. Maybe something clicks back in CA...
Wish I had any faith in Fox's offensive chops to blend these kids together...we'll see.
Such transfers will only maintain the Bears' mediocrity. Any true impact players looking for a new home won't want to come to a mediocre team. Football faces the same challenges that Nick Kranz articulates so well.
There are currently 3 transfers on the roster, including a former 5-star recruit, so I don't know what your complaint is. Foreman, Shepard, and Betley are all transfers who Fox recruited and have contributed well. Mix the current transfers in with the 4 frosh -- some of whom have intriguing possibilities -- and the remaining members of last year's roster, I see at least a potential for a ray of sunshine.
Enough of a ray of sunshine to finish in the top half of the conference in 2-3 years?
My exact words were "at least a potential for a ray of sunshine." We'll get a good idea as to whether that potential is an actual ray of sunshine or just another mirage after next week's games...
I know. I meant do you think there's the potential for that outcome. I'm not being a smart ass. My feeling is that if there should be at least an even chance of that happening to continue along this road. I don't see it, but I've given up on watching this team obsessively.
Actually, I was being somewhat of a smart ass in my reply to you. I mostly don't get obsessed with Cal football or basketball any more, but I still enjoy going to the games. I'll be at next weeks games, but without reading anything about last night's exhibition, the fact that Cal only won by single digits seems to indicate the ray of sunshine I thought I might see was indeed a mirage.
You're brave to go!
Honestly, we pretty much already know after tonight’s exhibition v. Chico State.
Utah, picked to finish 10th in the preseason P12 media poll, won their exhibition game over Westminster (MO) by 35.
Fox is the problem.
Bears win 62-55 over Chico State
Ugh. Meanwhile, Utah won their exhibition by 35.
This team got valuable practice time and even played a couple exhibition games this summer. This was a disappointing effort.
The team coming out of an intn'l trip is generally a good bet to make some sort of jump. Not so in this case. :(
I remain steadfast in my belief that this team is not without ballplayers.
Much like with football, the issue is player and scheme.
Shaka Smart would have done wonders with last year's team.
Yuck
Fox's stupid substitution patterns really contribute to his dreadful offense. How does he expect these kids to get in any type of game rhythm when they're constantly being shuffled in and out every 2 minutes?
We said this all last year - if you're gonna go THIS deep, then why not go up tempo? Use your athleticism and length, play intense, pressure defense that lead to easy buckets.
Cal is tied with DII Chico St, 33-33, at the 2H under 16 media timeout.
Hope nobody bought the BS that Fox was selling in recent interviews regarding his program.
Yes, that's kinda embarrassing.
Appears to be much more of the same...28-23 Cal over DII Chico St at half.
Askew with 9, Alajiki with 7. Team shoots 36% FG, 18% 3PFG, 40% FT, with Lars being the main culprit at 2-6. A key for Cal is Lars needs to shoot >70%...otherwise it's just too many empty trips.
The under-16 timeout comes at 15:41. 7-2 Cal.
Who will be the first off the bench....Joel Brown in for Clayton.
Followed by Roberson for KK...Bowser for Askew.
No Okafor, no Newell...
Sam...Alajiki
Seats are going fast on the hype train, folks. Get them now.
Starting lineup v. Chico St:
Askew, Clayton, Alajiki, Kuany, Thiemann.
I like that line.
Jim Knowlton is a complete failure at AD. He turned Cal sports fans from disappointed to apathetic (and this is aside from him being completely useless during realignment).
In fairness, football and basketball have struggled since Cal implemented the higher GPA requirement. Revenue sports unfortunately tend to have stars with low academic performance. How does any AD succeed with the recruiting constraints Cal has imposed?
Let's never forget his handling of the mckeever scandal and we move from apathetic to embarrassing. He shouldn't be employed. If Cal as an institution cared about its athletics dept. (revenue sports being the driver), they would devote the necessary & proper resources to ensuring long-term success. They don't care. So we're struck with the unholy triumvirate of Knowlton, Wilcox & Fox, your basic* 'white guy mediocrity that keeps failing upward' scenario.
[*not really all that surprising, given Cal's history, but still disappointing]
Unfortunately, the more I hear from Carol Christ, the more I tend to think the revenue sports are gonna be like Phil’s weather prediction….
https://youtu.be/TReCZ2auRkE
I got her email to the campus community yesterday which talks about the big game and Knowlton and the academic success of our student athletes. I don't think wins and losses are particularly important at present. And, a hearty Go Bears! at the end of the email.
I believe it was a previous column that described Fox's offense as having one main scorer and relying on that one player. Who will it be this year?
I'd like to see some sort of designed offense other than having the guards pass the ball back and forth for 25 seconds and then whoever has the ball tries to make a difficult shot.
I wouldn't say that he intends to have one main scorer as much as the slow down style results in a situation where a lot of possessions end with a bad shot that the primary ball handler has to force up because SOMEBODY has to shoot before the shot clock does off. So like Jimmy says, that dude is probably Askew.
Clayton is another candidate
Askew