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“They’re clueless. The ADs they hire have backgrounds in rowing, field hockey, ice hockey and wrestling. It’s not what you need if you want to promote revenue-generating sports.”

This is an odd statement made by an anonymous staffer because it encompasses some decent Cal AD, by revenue-sports standard. Rowing is Steve Gladstone (who hired Tedford). Field Hockey is Sandy Barbour (who had success at Cal and even more so at Penn State in the revenue sports). Knowlton is Ice Hockey. Mike Williams is Wrestling. Other than Gladstone who coached men's rowing at Cal, the listed sports are just what these people played in college. Many people are good revenue-sports AD without having played football or men's basketball at a D1 level.

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“If they fire him,” said one program insider on Sunday, “the next guy will probably just lose, too.”

Yeah, but only because Knowlton will choose the next coach. Basketball rebuilds can happen fast, and it wasn't that long ago that we were respectable. There's no reason why we can't be a conference average team like we've been for most of the program's history.

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Feb 8, 2023·edited Feb 8, 2023

Fox is incompetent as is Knownuttin. It is as simple as that.

For any of us, I'm assuming all if not most, that have been in the business world (real world) we already know that!! Hell we've known that since the day they were hired? I personally wrote Knownuttin an email stating he was incompetent. He responded how, "that hurts and he hopes to prove me wrong." That email was sent over a year ago!

I, like you, live in the real world and KNOW that both Fox and Knownuttin are big time, real time losers!!

This is simple.

I fire peeps and I'll fire you and your kin, matters not to me. If you suck, you gone!!

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Glad that Cal still flies the team to games. Why not walk to save money and get in shape?

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Feb 8, 2023·edited Feb 8, 2023

great work, Avi.

I've been saying for awhile that the Chancellor has approved going cheap -- just break even. But what I don't understand is if we are going cheap, why have expensive coaches? We could get an up-and-comer with big incentives for <$1m. Why give Fox & Wilcox long-term expensive contracts?

OTOH, if a young up-and-comer has success, they'll leave, and then JK would have to go replace them. And show again he is out of his element.

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Canzano's article was the most insightful I've read. Most others are retreads of the same old, same old. I came away from that piece with a newfound respect for Ben Braun. And yet more sadness about Cal hoops program. RIP.

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We never really appreciated Braun till reaching these depths

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"He’s found a program on the respirator and leeched off what money he can before he sails off into retirement."

This almost needs a retraction. Source? Regardless of his failures as Cal's HC, in the hundreds of articles I have read over the years, not one has ever suggested Fox is anything but a decent, stand-up guy.

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Well said and sad to know this truth. Seems we are merely naming the colors in the rainbow now. Different ways in which things are horrible. Yet what remains most important is the pure white light of sunshine pointing to what must happen.

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The Cal donors left who care about the grades and academics more than on-court results (yes, they exist)

Hi, it’s me. I’m the problem. It’s me.

You both forgot about the shoes.

I do not agree that my small little piece of loyalty to student athletes is leading to a safety buffer for anyone.

Do I think academics and preparation for a future outside of basketball is important for students? Yes I do.

Do I believe that there are no methods to support students to be academically excellent or to draw students with the academic acumen to be successful at Cal? I do not.

I supported a study and learning center for Haas, not the hot mess of our coaching staff nor their performance then or now. And I’ll continue to be supportive of student athletes who come to practice, play their hearts out, and keep their eyes on the reality of after college lives that include careers outside of basketball.

Donors who care more about academics couldn’t help buy out one day of the necessary contract/recruitment costs. And I don’t hear anyone agreeing with the various attempts to deflect accountability at the events I attend. Except for the shoes. That made sense. 💀

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I don't care what sport Knowlton or Fox played or when they played it. They both have to go.

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What we would give just to be at competitive level w Braun. Has it really been 10 years when we had a top 5 seed in MM bracket w Martin?

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This is how I always imagined the LA Clippers of the 1980s.

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Good God, it's somehow worse than I thought. And I am no pollyanna.

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My fear is that a similar article will be written about the Cal football team at the conclusion of the 2023 season. Cal, as noted here, is dealing with the same incompetent AD who thought it prudent to give Wilcox an extension and a raise after a Wilcox took a 2021 team loaded with veterans and managed to produce his fifth straight losing record in a conference that quite possibly had its worst collection of teams ever. Wilcox has some new coaches that look promising on paper, but you can't change the spots on the dog who is leading the show.

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Thank you. Awesome work, Avi! Great stuff!

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