Imagine being able to tell recruits "I watched Kobe became Kobe (RIP) and will bring that into my coaching." That also builds a major bridge to SoCal.
The "treat them like my children" thing is more a pitch to parents whose kids are leaving home so it doesn't bother me (it would on the pro level, though). Plus he has a recently expanded family so it's on his mind. I do like how he discussed relaxing academic criteria through a social justice lens that mirrors a broader admissions debate. It's subtle, but shows he may have the skill to make progress with our administration.
I know player development is his focus but am hoping he also pulls in some good players from the portal. At least he has the full off-season. But I am seriously amped about next season.
No doubt. But a few key transfers can accelerate the process much faster than football. My personal stretch goal would be .500 overall but that's something more feasible in Year 2.
But, again, with transfers any outcome is possible.
I don't think we'll get into another APR crisis. I think the overall idea is to be very case-by-case on scholarships just like the UCs are being case-by-case on regular admissions now. If anything, Madsen is saying that he's more willing to shoulder academic responsibility by "coaching up" kids academically as well as athletically.
Classy comments by a classy gent. In the professional world, I always winced at the “we’re a family” analogy. It seemed paternalistic and overly familiar. We weren’t a family. We were coworkers, bosses, etc.
In a sports setting, it still gives me pause. Can’t we just be players and coaches and friends?
It’s a widely accepted term at work and play, so I get it and accept it. But, heck, it’s my comment and I’m sticking to it.
Yeah, great speech. I did cringe at “The players at Cal I'm going to try to treat like my own children,” but I obviously knew what he meant. He missed a golden opportunity to say “treat them like my SONS” because they are the SONS OF CALIFORNIA!
Mark, thank you so much for sharing your sharing your experience as a player experiencing Cal. You absolutely "get it" I LOVED the picture of your family decked or in Blue & Gold! Welcome to Cal, Mark. 110% with you! Go Bears!
Checked all the boxes that he should as an incoming Cal coach speech - a remarkably easy thing to do that very few of our recent coaches have. No idea how ultimately successful he's going to be, but if we judge by first impressions he's going to do really really well.
Your alternate universe 1999-2000 California Men's Basketball Starting 5:
G: Shantay Legans
G: Donte Smith
F: Sean Lampley
F: Joe Shipp
C: Mark Madsen
First off the bench:
C: Solomon Hughes
G: Dennis Gates
In the real world, with Nick Vander Laan at center, we went 16-14 in the regular season, 7-11 in conference, and made the Final Four of the NIT to finish 18-15.
Don't mean to diss Vander Laan, but I think the alternate universe team might have done better. Hard to say because 'Furd played a different style than we did, so you can't really directly take Madsen's stats that season and drop them into the Cal roster.
I did Bob. One of my best friends in high school was the son of a Cal department head and they lived in Berkeley. We were always visiting each other's homes and when in Berkeley, the Cal campus was our haunt. We went to all Cal athletic events, especially football, baseball and basketball games. I was a point guard in high school and marveled at Pete Newell's offensive schemes. My favorite was one where Cal would come down court, set up, make 4 or 5 crisp passes, and suddenly from out of the visual mess of all the motion a three-man screen would emerge about 10 feet from the basket and a Cal player would catch a pass just behind the wall and pop a short jump shot. The opposing defenses had no idea what was happening. It was sheer poetry in motion, the choreography was impressive, and I can't recall a Cal player ever missing one of those staged jumpers. The Straw Hat Band would play a peppy accompanying tune and the student section would go nuts. Harmon was in perpetual motion back then. The noise was deafening, you could hear the din even up on Telegraph. It was magic; I hope Madsen can conjure up the same scene.
Imagine being able to tell recruits "I watched Kobe became Kobe (RIP) and will bring that into my coaching." That also builds a major bridge to SoCal.
The "treat them like my children" thing is more a pitch to parents whose kids are leaving home so it doesn't bother me (it would on the pro level, though). Plus he has a recently expanded family so it's on his mind. I do like how he discussed relaxing academic criteria through a social justice lens that mirrors a broader admissions debate. It's subtle, but shows he may have the skill to make progress with our administration.
I know player development is his focus but am hoping he also pulls in some good players from the portal. At least he has the full off-season. But I am seriously amped about next season.
It is going to take more than one season for Madison to fix this mess. Give him some time.
No doubt. But a few key transfers can accelerate the process much faster than football. My personal stretch goal would be .500 overall but that's something more feasible in Year 2.
But, again, with transfers any outcome is possible.
NIL has changed the game. I think we’re going to be surprised at how quickly he does it. Hoops is also so much easier to fix than football.
Just watch…
Yeah, the case-by-case admissions line really stood out to me.
Excellent points all.
I don't think we'll get into another APR crisis. I think the overall idea is to be very case-by-case on scholarships just like the UCs are being case-by-case on regular admissions now. If anything, Madsen is saying that he's more willing to shoulder academic responsibility by "coaching up" kids academically as well as athletically.
Classy comments by a classy gent. In the professional world, I always winced at the “we’re a family” analogy. It seemed paternalistic and overly familiar. We weren’t a family. We were coworkers, bosses, etc.
In a sports setting, it still gives me pause. Can’t we just be players and coaches and friends?
It’s a widely accepted term at work and play, so I get it and accept it. But, heck, it’s my comment and I’m sticking to it.
Yeah, great speech. I did cringe at “The players at Cal I'm going to try to treat like my own children,” but I obviously knew what he meant. He missed a golden opportunity to say “treat them like my SONS” because they are the SONS OF CALIFORNIA!
Family maybe, but a highly competitive place as well starting in freshman year...
Thanks folks. Excited by the Madsen hire.
Mark, thank you so much for sharing your sharing your experience as a player experiencing Cal. You absolutely "get it" I LOVED the picture of your family decked or in Blue & Gold! Welcome to Cal, Mark. 110% with you! Go Bears!
Well said Coach Madsen
Checked all the boxes that he should as an incoming Cal coach speech - a remarkably easy thing to do that very few of our recent coaches have. No idea how ultimately successful he's going to be, but if we judge by first impressions he's going to do really really well.
Your alternate universe 1999-2000 California Men's Basketball Starting 5:
G: Shantay Legans
G: Donte Smith
F: Sean Lampley
F: Joe Shipp
C: Mark Madsen
First off the bench:
C: Solomon Hughes
G: Dennis Gates
In the real world, with Nick Vander Laan at center, we went 16-14 in the regular season, 7-11 in conference, and made the Final Four of the NIT to finish 18-15.
Don't mean to diss Vander Laan, but I think the alternate universe team might have done better. Hard to say because 'Furd played a different style than we did, so you can't really directly take Madsen's stats that season and drop them into the Cal roster.
Tandy Gillis
Earl Schultz
Mike McClintlock
Darrell Imhoff
Bobby Windell
Joe Kapp
Al Buch
Denny fitzpatrick
Bob Dalton
Jim lamprey
Stan Morrison
et al
I did Bob. One of my best friends in high school was the son of a Cal department head and they lived in Berkeley. We were always visiting each other's homes and when in Berkeley, the Cal campus was our haunt. We went to all Cal athletic events, especially football, baseball and basketball games. I was a point guard in high school and marveled at Pete Newell's offensive schemes. My favorite was one where Cal would come down court, set up, make 4 or 5 crisp passes, and suddenly from out of the visual mess of all the motion a three-man screen would emerge about 10 feet from the basket and a Cal player would catch a pass just behind the wall and pop a short jump shot. The opposing defenses had no idea what was happening. It was sheer poetry in motion, the choreography was impressive, and I can't recall a Cal player ever missing one of those staged jumpers. The Straw Hat Band would play a peppy accompanying tune and the student section would go nuts. Harmon was in perpetual motion back then. The noise was deafening, you could hear the din even up on Telegraph. It was magic; I hope Madsen can conjure up the same scene.