It did feel like the team was done with that game after about 15 minutes. With no one scoring, this game was ripe for another Joel Brown drive-fest ala vs CU, but he never took the chance. No idea why. Unlike in the prior stretch where Cal was either winning or competitive and were running their offense early, here they were passing the ball around the perimeter until the shot clock expired, and had regressed to being the team that lost to everybody.
I read PB's article about the UO game with interest, but the thing that struck me more than how the offense was sputtering is that the UO players can finish. They put the ball in the basket in a dazzling variety of ways, i.e. they have scoring talent. Look at any top team, it's the same. Cal's players have size, athleticism, some speed, but filling up the basket is not their forte.
Now I don't know if any or all of UO's (for instance) players would be academically eligible to play at Cal, but as Deion suggested that the bottom of the Buff's football roster take a hike, any substantive change in Cal's fortunes would require the bottom 2/3 of Cal's hoops roster bow out & get replaced with players with scoring talent. 'A-' high school students with scoring talent, and a desire for challenging college academics may be too few & far between for this to happen, but that's the tip of the iceberg of what it would take to change things.
We are capable of it. See Joel's work in Seattle to help get us to overtime. And Newell shows flashes of being a finisher. But Fox's style is deliberate and not free-flowing - and he's using the injury challenges to support this strategy.
Yes, and yes, but I truly feel like if Fox had a stable of horses, he'd be as up-tempo as the next guy. Rightly or wrongly, and with our dearth of scorers (during his entire tenure) he's been coaching like keeping the score down is his best chance to win.
When we start playing against the top half of the conference, maybe he should take off the yoke, go playground-style. At his point, I don't see how it could hurt.
The roster is undertalented for finishing in the upper part of the Pac-12, but it's not this bad. We have a ton of long, tall, athletic wings. Not much in the way of shooting. Caveat that I'm not a college coach, but if I had a roster full of athletes who couldn't shoot - I would look for a way to get them running and going downhill towards the basket - if we up the possessions, it's pretty easy to get blown out . . . but how would that be any different than our current style?
Thanks for the article Nick! This was the first game of the season where it seemed the spark was waning for the players - they try so hard and I always appreciate their effort, as you noted. I feel for these young men, but this game we saw tons of silly mistakes (stepping out of bounds, three second violations, and the ever present clock violation risks due to passing the ball with 3 seconds left rather than just taking a shot). It was a painful game to watch and makes you wonder if injury and illness are not a signal of hopelessness on the part of our players.
Thanks Nick. It's just a waiting game now. No excuse for why Cal can't be a consistent March Madness team. Top place to live, study, play and get exposure.
You should read that Athletic article - it lays put exactly why Cal can't be a consistent March Madness team, and won't be unless major changes are made, institutionally. Changing athletic directors or coaches won't do a thing.
Chef's kiss: "Philosophers and business schools alike will spend years pondering why Cal administrators thought going on record with national reporters about how much Cal athletics sucks as an institution was a good idea, but they did it anyway."
The P12 network is not an objective entity in their broadcasts*. They are sunshine pumpers and Pac12 mouthpieces. Their business is not to criticize; they are there to showcase the conference. I would not expect them to be overly critical, expecially former head coaches talking about one of their own.
* - All conference networks are this way, not Just P12.
If we want to be cheapskates, then we can just hire young coaches on their way up. Yeah, they may leave when given a better offer but at least we'll be seen as somewhere coaches can succeed.
I'm also fine with good coaches in the twilight of their career.
What we don't need are experienced coaches with a mediocre track record. What good is that going to do?
It did feel like the team was done with that game after about 15 minutes. With no one scoring, this game was ripe for another Joel Brown drive-fest ala vs CU, but he never took the chance. No idea why. Unlike in the prior stretch where Cal was either winning or competitive and were running their offense early, here they were passing the ball around the perimeter until the shot clock expired, and had regressed to being the team that lost to everybody.
I read PB's article about the UO game with interest, but the thing that struck me more than how the offense was sputtering is that the UO players can finish. They put the ball in the basket in a dazzling variety of ways, i.e. they have scoring talent. Look at any top team, it's the same. Cal's players have size, athleticism, some speed, but filling up the basket is not their forte.
Now I don't know if any or all of UO's (for instance) players would be academically eligible to play at Cal, but as Deion suggested that the bottom of the Buff's football roster take a hike, any substantive change in Cal's fortunes would require the bottom 2/3 of Cal's hoops roster bow out & get replaced with players with scoring talent. 'A-' high school students with scoring talent, and a desire for challenging college academics may be too few & far between for this to happen, but that's the tip of the iceberg of what it would take to change things.
We are capable of it. See Joel's work in Seattle to help get us to overtime. And Newell shows flashes of being a finisher. But Fox's style is deliberate and not free-flowing - and he's using the injury challenges to support this strategy.
Yes, and yes, but I truly feel like if Fox had a stable of horses, he'd be as up-tempo as the next guy. Rightly or wrongly, and with our dearth of scorers (during his entire tenure) he's been coaching like keeping the score down is his best chance to win.
When we start playing against the top half of the conference, maybe he should take off the yoke, go playground-style. At his point, I don't see how it could hurt.
Fox would NEVER play uptempo. He does not know how.
The roster is undertalented for finishing in the upper part of the Pac-12, but it's not this bad. We have a ton of long, tall, athletic wings. Not much in the way of shooting. Caveat that I'm not a college coach, but if I had a roster full of athletes who couldn't shoot - I would look for a way to get them running and going downhill towards the basket - if we up the possessions, it's pretty easy to get blown out . . . but how would that be any different than our current style?
Mozilla or bust
What are we doing?? sigh Mozilla
Thanks for the article Nick! This was the first game of the season where it seemed the spark was waning for the players - they try so hard and I always appreciate their effort, as you noted. I feel for these young men, but this game we saw tons of silly mistakes (stepping out of bounds, three second violations, and the ever present clock violation risks due to passing the ball with 3 seconds left rather than just taking a shot). It was a painful game to watch and makes you wonder if injury and illness are not a signal of hopelessness on the part of our players.
Thanks Nick. It's just a waiting game now. No excuse for why Cal can't be a consistent March Madness team. Top place to live, study, play and get exposure.
You should read that Athletic article - it lays put exactly why Cal can't be a consistent March Madness team, and won't be unless major changes are made, institutionally. Changing athletic directors or coaches won't do a thing.
" I suspect that Jim Knowlton has already made up his mind, and that Mark Fox will be relieved of his duties at the end of the season."
This assumes both that Jim Knowlton knows we have a basketball team, and perhaps less likely, that he cares at all.
Chef's kiss: "Philosophers and business schools alike will spend years pondering why Cal administrators thought going on record with national reporters about how much Cal athletics sucks as an institution was a good idea, but they did it anyway."
Knowlton: "It's me. Hi. I'm the the problem, it's me."
Interesting piece. Thanks. Even Monty was singing the injuries tune on yesterday's telecast.
The P12 network is not an objective entity in their broadcasts*. They are sunshine pumpers and Pac12 mouthpieces. Their business is not to criticize; they are there to showcase the conference. I would not expect them to be overly critical, expecially former head coaches talking about one of their own.
* - All conference networks are this way, not Just P12.
It’s such a poor excuse.
Great article, Nick!! Thank you.
UW-Green Bay just fired Head basketball coach Will Ryan.
You asked for instances where HC’s were canned mid-year. That’s the latest.
It’s not happening with Fox, though. But it absolutely SHOULD have…and it does happen.
I actually don’t know…I know nothing about Ryan or the team. I just saw it on Twitter.
I only pointed it out because you repeatedly asked for instances where an HC had been fired mid season, and lo and behold, and there you go.
And you’re having a discussion with yourself, which is quite a sight.
Hopefully Fox is actually gone at the end of the year, though who knows…Knowlton is doing his level best to basically destroy the entire program.
3-17 v. 2-19…
Cal is light years ahead…. ;-)
It won't matter until Christ either 1) changes her attitude or 2) retires.
I want shantay legans
I’d prefer not, but if it means Fox is gone, so be it.
If we want to be cheapskates, then we can just hire young coaches on their way up. Yeah, they may leave when given a better offer but at least we'll be seen as somewhere coaches can succeed.
I'm also fine with good coaches in the twilight of their career.
What we don't need are experienced coaches with a mediocre track record. What good is that going to do?