She also has 3 5-star recruits that were freshman last year. And had a season where all her point guards went out injured that one recruit for 2021 had to early enroll to provide cover. They’re going to be A LOT better this year and fun to watch.
No rhythm or reason for it and I don't personally know him but I don't like Fox. And I can't stand watching him act like a petulant child on the sideline. Why is it that only MBB coaches act like such idiots, is it in the coaching manual or some shit? I want the players to be successful but wouldn't mind if Fox were gone and back to not coaching somewhere in the South or where ever they found him doing nothing before his hire.
Well, the new frosh coming in offer length, strength, and athleticism - at least more than we have seen recently. Not sure what it means but it seems positive.
Lots of attention rightfully being paid to Wilcox and Fox, but I hope there becomes more scrutiny on Knowlton for presiding over this travesty. Not only are we at the very bottom in both of the revenue sports, we seem to be getting worse still. There are limitations to finding success at Cal in both, but there are also advantages as well that should have use consistently sitting towards the middle of the conference in both sports at least.
I feel confident in saying any of us could be the AD at this point. I could hire a search firm to assist with the hiring of a bball and football head coach. I couldn’t fail any worse, seeing how mens bball is picked to finish last and football is trending towards a bottom 3 finish.
Agencies have their place in helping to manage the interview process, scheduling and coordinating offers with agents, as these are high profile searches that require a high level of communications coordination with candidates, agents and the public. BUT, the reliance on hiring firms to identify candidates is puzzling and that seems like how the agency was used on the Fox hire at least. Every AD should always be keeping and updating short list in case these positions open up. Having an agency partly make the decision, does not absolve you from the result of those hires if they miss, so it makes sense for any AD to own these searches.
Feels like Knowlton was mostly hired to keep the balance sheet level and keep the department free of drama, both of which I think he's succeeded at (less certain about the balance sheet) despite the lack of attention to the major sports. But what will be the long-term damage of all this apathy for Cal sports? We have several classes of students who have no positive relationship with major Cal sports, we are really not on the sports and entertainment map for the broader community and alumni support has to be waning. What's the long-term damage to giving and attendance with generations of students and families having no longer attending or engaging with the major sports programs? Can we bankrupt these programs and still expect to maintain support not only for Cal Athletics, but for other areas of the University? I was exposed to Cal at a young age and even though we were mostly mediocre the experiences of attending games and having some high moments played no small part in my attending Cal, working at Cal, buying tickets and merchandise and giving to Cal.
And I don't mean to discount the success and contribution of the non-revenue sports and all of those who those sports touch. Clearly, there are many who support Cal Athletics deeply who could give two s**ts about football and basketball (lucky them). But I just wonder if you can sustain the whole eco system with such a sustained lack of energy and interest in both of the revenue sports. It's one thing to be bad, but the message I think many alumni feel is that we're bad and no one really cares to step up and save us, including the University.
Expectations for the basketball team should be at the lowest levels possible, so the fact that the media picked them last, by a wide margin, should be no surprise. Williams’ inexcusable hiring of Wyking Jones, coupled with Cuonzo leaving the cupboard empty, set this program back at least a decade, and we’re only in year 5.
My only hope is that Alajiki & Anwanyu show early maturity and make a positive impact as FR before they transfer away next year.
Should have hired Travis DeCuire who Monty championed when he retired, then we could have had a stable program with some success and without the dramatic freefall associated with the Jones' hire.
WBB was also picked to finish last this year. But I like Smith she's competed in a Muay Thai fight ~ so she has that going for her, which is nice.
She also has 3 5-star recruits that were freshman last year. And had a season where all her point guards went out injured that one recruit for 2021 had to early enroll to provide cover. They’re going to be A LOT better this year and fun to watch.
No rhythm or reason for it and I don't personally know him but I don't like Fox. And I can't stand watching him act like a petulant child on the sideline. Why is it that only MBB coaches act like such idiots, is it in the coaching manual or some shit? I want the players to be successful but wouldn't mind if Fox were gone and back to not coaching somewhere in the South or where ever they found him doing nothing before his hire.
Well, the new frosh coming in offer length, strength, and athleticism - at least more than we have seen recently. Not sure what it means but it seems positive.
We weren't picked to finish last by all 34 voters so that's, uh, something.
Cal does seem massively over-seeded though.
Thanks to those who picked us to finish 10th or 11th.
They should have their voting privileges removed....it reminds me of the F-ing yahoo that left Jeter off of his ballot entirely...
Lots of attention rightfully being paid to Wilcox and Fox, but I hope there becomes more scrutiny on Knowlton for presiding over this travesty. Not only are we at the very bottom in both of the revenue sports, we seem to be getting worse still. There are limitations to finding success at Cal in both, but there are also advantages as well that should have use consistently sitting towards the middle of the conference in both sports at least.
I feel confident in saying any of us could be the AD at this point. I could hire a search firm to assist with the hiring of a bball and football head coach. I couldn’t fail any worse, seeing how mens bball is picked to finish last and football is trending towards a bottom 3 finish.
Agencies have their place in helping to manage the interview process, scheduling and coordinating offers with agents, as these are high profile searches that require a high level of communications coordination with candidates, agents and the public. BUT, the reliance on hiring firms to identify candidates is puzzling and that seems like how the agency was used on the Fox hire at least. Every AD should always be keeping and updating short list in case these positions open up. Having an agency partly make the decision, does not absolve you from the result of those hires if they miss, so it makes sense for any AD to own these searches.
Knowlton is actively looking for other jobs, so that tells you all you need to know.
Feels like Knowlton was mostly hired to keep the balance sheet level and keep the department free of drama, both of which I think he's succeeded at (less certain about the balance sheet) despite the lack of attention to the major sports. But what will be the long-term damage of all this apathy for Cal sports? We have several classes of students who have no positive relationship with major Cal sports, we are really not on the sports and entertainment map for the broader community and alumni support has to be waning. What's the long-term damage to giving and attendance with generations of students and families having no longer attending or engaging with the major sports programs? Can we bankrupt these programs and still expect to maintain support not only for Cal Athletics, but for other areas of the University? I was exposed to Cal at a young age and even though we were mostly mediocre the experiences of attending games and having some high moments played no small part in my attending Cal, working at Cal, buying tickets and merchandise and giving to Cal.
And I don't mean to discount the success and contribution of the non-revenue sports and all of those who those sports touch. Clearly, there are many who support Cal Athletics deeply who could give two s**ts about football and basketball (lucky them). But I just wonder if you can sustain the whole eco system with such a sustained lack of energy and interest in both of the revenue sports. It's one thing to be bad, but the message I think many alumni feel is that we're bad and no one really cares to step up and save us, including the University.
Better to set my expectations at the lowest levels so that I don't cry when we underperform (a la football).
Expectations for the basketball team should be at the lowest levels possible, so the fact that the media picked them last, by a wide margin, should be no surprise. Williams’ inexcusable hiring of Wyking Jones, coupled with Cuonzo leaving the cupboard empty, set this program back at least a decade, and we’re only in year 5.
My only hope is that Alajiki & Anwanyu show early maturity and make a positive impact as FR before they transfer away next year.
Should have hired Travis DeCuire who Monty championed when he retired, then we could have had a stable program with some success and without the dramatic freefall associated with the Jones' hire.
At least if anyone decommits from MBB it won't affect the outcome.
Well at least we are consistent this year.
Seems that all of our "revenue" teams are now on the same page....
that's called synergy :)
That's higher than I would have picked them.
Cal should be relegated.
We'd be playing Laney next year.
And probably struggle to score 60
It's probably to the point where a good HS team could beat Cal.