An effective university administrator must master the art of fucking everything up while still looking great on paper. Must also be good at using circumstances as an excuse for failure. If all else goes awry, blame faculty.
Like others here I'm most concerned about the impact on the BB hiring. Though I think he should be let go promptly for cause given his role in overlooking that abuse, I know the wheels move slowly to minimize legal risk. I'm glad to hear major donors are putting pressure, since they pay the bills. Come on Chancellor, I respect you, and this is going to require some strong leadership.
The timing is brutal. At a school like Cal, like you said, because of the legal risk there's no way you can terminate Knowlton in any reasonable amount of time...but you also can absolutely NOT wait on the hire because of the portal, etc.
As Clooney kept saying in O Brother Where Art Thou...."we're in a tight spot."
McGuires situation was different his was driven by a crazy parent who was pissed her kid didn’t get to play. I roam in somewhat the same social circle and she was nuts! I also know that the athletic dept received almost 400 letters in support of McGuire. Very different
Well... investigations take forever, and since he wasn't the one doing the alleged abusing in the women's swimming case, it will be tougher to determine his culpability (i.e. even more investigation time). Meanwhile Men's hoops doesn't have the luxury of time to find a new coach, and I don't see the university suspending him pending the results of the investigation and if they did, who would make the pick? Some temp AD? It'll be Knowlton, just like it was Mike Williams.
Pasternack really makes a lot of sense now, TBH...his Cal experience and donor ties far outweigh Knowlton's...Pasternack is arguably more of a Cal guy than the F-ing AD! ;-)
Agree we're stuck with him for awhile, maybe till the end of his contract. Not sure I agree it will be his decision on the hire though. I do remember when Barbour was on her way out and Montgomery retired, the rumor was that Wilton, the vice-chancellor at the time, overruled her choice (rumored to be DeCuire) and instead jumped over her to recruit Cuonzo. Maybe true/maybe not. Knowlton will still be the face of the hire, but I don't think that after what happened with the Fox hire, they are just gonna let him spend their millions without at the very least their full consent. I don't think he'll get the benefit of the doubt this time.
Based on nothing, my guess is that he probably won't be making the call and that there might be some disagreement who should be making that call without a consensus on who to go with.
Surely, you can't be serious. -- that's a gimme, but are you looking these up in general or ya just that good? Ok, 'I used to be a heroin addict, now I'm a methadone addict'.
Based on what's listed here, it seems like Knowlton is clearly moving down the Jim-Jordan-Career-Path of ignoring abuse claims as a way to get elected to Congress...
Again, perhaps we ought to let the process run it's course before we convict him and fire him. Otherwise everyone can be fired merely based on allegations, whether they are unfounded or not. I'm going to leave Jim Jordan out of it because why bring in partisan politics?
In Jordan's case, the Ohio State abuse scandal actually seems worse than the chaos at Penn State under Paterno imho...circling back to Knowlton, if he knew something was amiss with the swimmers--and ignored it, that smacks of an administrator who forgot that their priority is to ultimately protect the student. To me, that's the sorta thing that oughta transcend politics.
I agree with the idea of due process but in this case there may be enough evidence already exposed from the McKeever investigation to take him down...? If so then great... if not then I agree he deserves due process. I'm really hoping for a quiet negotiated buyout where he resigns so as not to be a distraction...
Regardless of a person's guilt or culpability, due process is the foundation on which a just society rests. It's also the foundation on which just institutions rests. We all want the University of California to be a just institution, right?
I think this may push us to go with Pasternak. He’s the favorite of the donor base, he’s a known commodity at Cal and will probably be comfortable enough to not be worried about the lame duck AD given those ties to donors.
First order of business is conditioning…we’re running the steps at CMS every morning at 6 am.
Kids are going to be in the best shape of their lives…they’re gonna have to be because we are gonna play FAST. 3/4 court press for 40 minutes, and we’re gonna emulate Grinnell college on O…hoist shots indiscriminately, early in the shot clock. Push the ball up the floor before a D can get set, even on a made bucket by the opponent. PUSH THE PACE.
If your team consistently converts <40% of it’s shots, the only chance we have of scoring enough points to win is to shoot MORE shots…Askew, Shepherd, Clayton - all these guys would go for 20 thanks to shooting the ball 19 times a night…same is true for the team.
channel Tark-the-Shark: 'if you dribble more than 3x, you'll sit next to me on the bench.' 'After the ball is past mid-court, any good look is worth taking.'
Not sure they'll find enough to fire these two with cause given that an investigation happened and McKeever was fired. If there's one thing that UC tolerates it's slow bureaucratic movement. But we shall see.
Knowlton has probably earned a dismissal based on job performance but I assume we'll be paying out his contract if we do can him.
Should be fired for murdering Cal athletics, but since that's not enough just how slow he was handling something like this is cause enough. An institution like Cal shouldn't be putting up with the migraines this man causes.
hey, how about a W4C pool: which gets finished first, the investigation into JK or the rebranding study?
What's the over/under for 2025?
An effective university administrator must master the art of fucking everything up while still looking great on paper. Must also be good at using circumstances as an excuse for failure. If all else goes awry, blame faculty.
Let's see if Knowlton measures up!
Since we are burying Knowlton and though it might be premature, how about naming a successor? Is Mark Orr is on anyone’s radar?
Steve Gladstone must be tired of New Haven.
Barbour's available.
Barbour is also implicated in the same McKeever mess, because the complaints dated back that long ago.
Great point.
Jeff Tedford
Clean up on aisle 12. Make that clean up on all aisles.
Paging Jack Clark. Jack Clark? We have an emergency in the Athletic Department. Jack Clark, please come to reception.
Knowlton is an officer and a gentleman and knows the right thing to do is to resign!!
Oh wait, he is neither of those.
Let's clean house.
Has Knowlton been fired yet?
Is Akina here yet?
Like others here I'm most concerned about the impact on the BB hiring. Though I think he should be let go promptly for cause given his role in overlooking that abuse, I know the wheels move slowly to minimize legal risk. I'm glad to hear major donors are putting pressure, since they pay the bills. Come on Chancellor, I respect you, and this is going to require some strong leadership.
The timing is brutal. At a school like Cal, like you said, because of the legal risk there's no way you can terminate Knowlton in any reasonable amount of time...but you also can absolutely NOT wait on the hire because of the portal, etc.
As Clooney kept saying in O Brother Where Art Thou...."we're in a tight spot."
This place is a…..geographical oddity; it’s two weeks from everywhere!
Say, any of you boys smithies?
Get McGuire outta here too while we're on the subject https://www.ktvu.com/news/surviving-the-game-ktvu-investigates-allegations-of-abuse-in-cals-soccer-program
McGuires situation was different his was driven by a crazy parent who was pissed her kid didn’t get to play. I roam in somewhat the same social circle and she was nuts! I also know that the athletic dept received almost 400 letters in support of McGuire. Very different
All the articles seem to be from 2020 and then nada. Did he stop acting like a jerk or is this just being ignored?
Absolutely. This is yet ANOTHER case where Knowlton is in full knowledge of McGuire's shenanigans.
How do you let this clown even make the MBB hire?
Well... investigations take forever, and since he wasn't the one doing the alleged abusing in the women's swimming case, it will be tougher to determine his culpability (i.e. even more investigation time). Meanwhile Men's hoops doesn't have the luxury of time to find a new coach, and I don't see the university suspending him pending the results of the investigation and if they did, who would make the pick? Some temp AD? It'll be Knowlton, just like it was Mike Williams.
I know he is "making" the hire dude...but there's zero chance the donors are not driving the bus. Zero.
Only Cal could f-ck this up as royally as they have. It's a mystery.
Also, the curious about this story dropping now. Gotta at least wonder if some donor(s) didn't drop this now to rein in some power?
Absolutely.
Pasternack really makes a lot of sense now, TBH...his Cal experience and donor ties far outweigh Knowlton's...Pasternack is arguably more of a Cal guy than the F-ing AD! ;-)
Agree we're stuck with him for awhile, maybe till the end of his contract. Not sure I agree it will be his decision on the hire though. I do remember when Barbour was on her way out and Montgomery retired, the rumor was that Wilton, the vice-chancellor at the time, overruled her choice (rumored to be DeCuire) and instead jumped over her to recruit Cuonzo. Maybe true/maybe not. Knowlton will still be the face of the hire, but I don't think that after what happened with the Fox hire, they are just gonna let him spend their millions without at the very least their full consent. I don't think he'll get the benefit of the doubt this time.
Based on nothing, my guess is that he probably won't be making the call and that there might be some disagreement who should be making that call without a consensus on who to go with.
Surely, you can't be serious. -- that's a gimme, but are you looking these up in general or ya just that good? Ok, 'I used to be a heroin addict, now I'm a methadone addict'.
I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.....
Okay, okay, I'll stop.....
Please God.
Fire him and hire Mark Orr. Now.
Orr is a great guy.
I say we take off and nuke Knowlton from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
So you think we fire Knowlton without due process, based on allegations alone? If that were the standard everyone would be fired.
Based on what's listed here, it seems like Knowlton is clearly moving down the Jim-Jordan-Career-Path of ignoring abuse claims as a way to get elected to Congress...
https://twitter.com/dena_danny_ob/status/1639070184672735232?s=20
Again, perhaps we ought to let the process run it's course before we convict him and fire him. Otherwise everyone can be fired merely based on allegations, whether they are unfounded or not. I'm going to leave Jim Jordan out of it because why bring in partisan politics?
In Jordan's case, the Ohio State abuse scandal actually seems worse than the chaos at Penn State under Paterno imho...circling back to Knowlton, if he knew something was amiss with the swimmers--and ignored it, that smacks of an administrator who forgot that their priority is to ultimately protect the student. To me, that's the sorta thing that oughta transcend politics.
I agree with the idea of due process but in this case there may be enough evidence already exposed from the McKeever investigation to take him down...? If so then great... if not then I agree he deserves due process. I'm really hoping for a quiet negotiated buyout where he resigns so as not to be a distraction...
Regardless of a person's guilt or culpability, due process is the foundation on which a just society rests. It's also the foundation on which just institutions rests. We all want the University of California to be a just institution, right?
They mostly come out at night…mostly.
I don't know if you've been keeping up on current events, man, but we just got our ASS kicked!
Ripley: Hudson! This little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training. Right?
Hudson: Why don't you put her in charge?
This is the greatest thread of all time
Stay frosty…..
game over, man, game over!
You're not qualified to make that decision; you're just a grunt......no offense.....
: ) [love that movie...]
None taken.
Do you think this will hold up the MBB coach hiring?
I think this may push us to go with Pasternak. He’s the favorite of the donor base, he’s a known commodity at Cal and will probably be comfortable enough to not be worried about the lame duck AD given those ties to donors.
It can hold it up in the sense that it may impact candidates' desire for the job. You want to be pretty sure of who your boss is going to be.
Jimmy Chitwood will be the men's BB boss!!
First order of business is conditioning…we’re running the steps at CMS every morning at 6 am.
Kids are going to be in the best shape of their lives…they’re gonna have to be because we are gonna play FAST. 3/4 court press for 40 minutes, and we’re gonna emulate Grinnell college on O…hoist shots indiscriminately, early in the shot clock. Push the ball up the floor before a D can get set, even on a made bucket by the opponent. PUSH THE PACE.
If your team consistently converts <40% of it’s shots, the only chance we have of scoring enough points to win is to shoot MORE shots…Askew, Shepherd, Clayton - all these guys would go for 20 thanks to shooting the ball 19 times a night…same is true for the team.
Fox was such a f-ing idiot.
channel Tark-the-Shark: 'if you dribble more than 3x, you'll sit next to me on the bench.' 'After the ball is past mid-court, any good look is worth taking.'
Coach stays, I play….
Not sure they'll find enough to fire these two with cause given that an investigation happened and McKeever was fired. If there's one thing that UC tolerates it's slow bureaucratic movement. But we shall see.
Knowlton has probably earned a dismissal based on job performance but I assume we'll be paying out his contract if we do can him.
Should be fired for murdering Cal athletics, but since that's not enough just how slow he was handling something like this is cause enough. An institution like Cal shouldn't be putting up with the migraines this man causes.
The job is already tough enough without incompetent leadership. For an Army engineer, Knowlton sure leaves a lot of mines.