calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Knowlton was not close to being a general.

First he went to West Point as a hockey player.

"After graduating from West Point, Knowlton served in the United States Army, first in the 9th Engineer Battalion stationed in Aschaffenburg, West Germany as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander.[8] After completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Knowlton returned to Germany to command the 42nd Engineer Company, Berlin Brigade.[8] After completing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering, Knowlton joined the West Point civil and mechanical engineering department faculty in 1992.[9] In 1994, Knowlton attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he returned to active Army duty as assistant division engineer and operations officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.[8] Knowlton was later assigned to The Pentagon, first as military aide to the Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder and later as assistant director at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters.[8][10] Beginning in 1999, Knowlton led a 750-strong battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado.[8][9] He followed that assignment with a stint as joint exercise branch chief for Air Force Space Command and deploying to Iraq."

---

Thank goodness! That makes me feel better (at least for our country). Thank you for posting.

Still, i don't see how the biography you posted indicates he is qualified for this postion. (I know he served as AD at Air force Academy, but the programs, students, communities, alumni, etc. are so different that skills needed at one institution would not translate to the other.

southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Is this bait and switch? You just nailed me because I said Rivera is more of a football guy and not a NIL guy by saying Rivera had a critical role in NIL. I asked what role? Now you say Rivera knows football. I completely agree. But the head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed. I think your point is that should not matter because otherwise we get average coaches that way. Can you at least tell me if that is your argument?

---

I think Rivera has experience with football and with personnel. Frankly, with respect to your argument "head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed," I would say: Great, that's exactly what we need. If Wilcox had been second guessed, he might have been incentivized to do a better job instead of embracing mediocrity. This is exactly what we need because Knowlton certainly has not done so, just as Chancellor Christ did not hold Knowlton accountable.

In a perfect world, we could replace both Knowlton and Wilcox, but due to unprecedented and unjustified contract extensions (Chancellor Christ's enduring legacy), that likely will cost more than we can afford, so a creative solution is in order.

---

Why contemplate Rivera as "GM of football" with Wilcox as HC instead of just making Rivera HC with Wilcox gone. Better for everyone with no appreciable cost difference.

There are lots of Cal alums with high level accomplishments in professional sports management who could be the AD.

calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Is this bait and switch? You just nailed me because I said Rivera is more of a football guy and not a NIL guy by saying Rivera had a critical role in NIL. I asked what role? Now you say Rivera knows football. I completely agree. But the head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed. I think your point is that should not matter because otherwise we get average coaches that way. Can you at least tell me if that is your argument?

---

I think Rivera has experience with football and with personnel. Frankly, with respect to your argument "head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed," I would say: Great, that's exactly what we need. If Wilcox had been second guessed, he might have been incentivized to do a better job instead of embracing mediocrity. This is exactly what we need because Knowlton certainly has not done so, just as Chancellor Christ did not hold Knowlton accountable.

In a perfect world, we could replace both Knowlton and Wilcox, but due to unprecedented and unjustified contract extensions (Chancellor Christ's enduring legacy), that likely will cost more than we can afford, so a creative solution is in order.

---

Why contemplate Rivera as "GM of football" with Wilcox as HC instead of just making Rivera HC with Wilcox gone. Better for everyone with no appreciable cost difference.

There are lots of Cal alums with high level accomplishments in professional sports management who could be the AD.

---

I love that idea but firing and replacing Wilcox would require a buy out, wihch I understand we can't afford.

Hiring someone to supervise him (or at least take over running the offense) keeps Wilcox in position, at least in title if not in authority.

southseasbear said:

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calumnus said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Knowlton was not close to being a general.

First he went to West Point as a hockey player.

"After graduating from West Point, Knowlton served in the United States Army, first in the 9th Engineer Battalion stationed in Aschaffenburg, West Germany as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander.[8] After completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Knowlton returned to Germany to command the 42nd Engineer Company, Berlin Brigade.[8] After completing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering, Knowlton joined the West Point civil and mechanical engineering department faculty in 1992.[9] In 1994, Knowlton attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he returned to active Army duty as assistant division engineer and operations officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.[8] Knowlton was later assigned to The Pentagon, first as military aide to the Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder and later as assistant director at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters.[8][10] Beginning in 1999, Knowlton led a 750-strong battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado.[8][9] He followed that assignment with a stint as joint exercise branch chief for Air Force Space Command and deploying to Iraq."

---

Thank goodness! That makes me feel better (at least for our country). Thank you for posting.

Still, i don't see how the biography you posted indicates he is qualified for this postion. (I know he served as AD at Air force Academy, but the programs, students, communities, alumni, etc. are so different that skills needed at one institution would not translate to the other.

---

And he was only at Air Force for three years.

I have been saying repeatedly since he was hired he was not qualified and was a horrible fit, even for Cal of 50 years ago much less the person needed to lead us during this critical time in the history of college athletics. I have been saying since he was hired that we would be lucky to even have an athletics program when he is done. That almost happened a year ago, but Stanford and Norte Dame threw us a life preserver. This season was set up for the turnaround we needed. Cal Legends and the Calgorithm did amazing work. Unfortunately Wilcox squandered it. Repeatedly. Almost by design. And Knowlton stood by applauding.

okaydo said:

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I'm baffled by this.

And I'm baffled by everybody praising this.

My kneejerk reaction is that this undermines Troy Taylor.

Yeah, technically it doesn't. But it feels that way.

---

Agree
I don't know how this will turn out; maybe good or maybe bad.
but if I were Troy I would be nervous

southseasbear said:

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calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Is this bait and switch? You just nailed me because I said Rivera is more of a football guy and not a NIL guy by saying Rivera had a critical role in NIL. I asked what role? Now you say Rivera knows football. I completely agree. But the head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed. I think your point is that should not matter because otherwise we get average coaches that way. Can you at least tell me if that is your argument?

---

I think Rivera has experience with football and with personnel. Frankly, with respect to your argument "head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed," I would say: Great, that's exactly what we need. If Wilcox had been second guessed, he might have been incentivized to do a better job instead of embracing mediocrity. This is exactly what we need because Knowlton certainly has not done so, just as Chancellor Christ did not hold Knowlton accountable.

In a perfect world, we could replace both Knowlton and Wilcox, but due to unprecedented and unjustified contract extensions (Chancellor Christ's enduring legacy), that likely will cost more than we can afford, so a creative solution is in order.

---

Why contemplate Rivera as "GM of football" with Wilcox as HC instead of just making Rivera HC with Wilcox gone. Better for everyone with no appreciable cost difference.

There are lots of Cal alums with high level accomplishments in professional sports management who could be the AD.

---

I love that idea but firing and replacing Wilcox would require a buy out, wihch I understand we can't afford.

Hiring someone to supervise him (or at least take over running the offense) keeps Wilcox in position, at least in title if not in authority.

---

The buyout is just his salary for the next three years. It is not an additional obligation. If we can afford to pay Wilcox's salary and pay Rivera as a "supervisor" we can pay Wilcox to "not coach" and pay Rivera to coach.

Wilcox would probably prefer to receive his payout over time while living in his Idaho McMansion (?) rather than as a $15 million lump sum or even $5 million a year coaching in Berkeley. It is negotiable.

The additional cost is Rivera. Whatever he is willing to receive as Wilcox's "supervisor" I am sure he would rather receive as Cal's head coach. It would be far less frustrating.

calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

---

calumnus said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Knowlton was not close to being a general.

First he went to West Point as a hockey player.

"After graduating from West Point, Knowlton served in the United States Army, first in the 9th Engineer Battalion stationed in Aschaffenburg, West Germany as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander.[8] After completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Knowlton returned to Germany to command the 42nd Engineer Company, Berlin Brigade.[8] After completing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering, Knowlton joined the West Point civil and mechanical engineering department faculty in 1992.[9] In 1994, Knowlton attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he returned to active Army duty as assistant division engineer and operations officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.[8] Knowlton was later assigned to The Pentagon, first as military aide to the Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder and later as assistant director at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters.[8][10] Beginning in 1999, Knowlton led a 750-strong battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado.[8][9] He followed that assignment with a stint as joint exercise branch chief for Air Force Space Command and deploying to Iraq."

---

Thank goodness! That makes me feel better (at least for our country). Thank you for posting.

Still, i don't see how the biography you posted indicates he is qualified for this postion. (I know he served as AD at Air force Academy, but the programs, students, communities, alumni, etc. are so different that skills needed at one institution would not translate to the other.

---

And he was only at Air Force for three years.

I have been saying repeatedly since he was hired he was not qualified and was a horrible fit, even for Cal of 50 years ago much less the person needed to lead us during this critical time in the history of college athletics. I have been saying since he was hired that we would be lucky to even have an athletics program when he is done. That almost happened a year ago, but Stanford and Norte Dame threw us a life preserver. This season was set up for the turnaround we needed. Cal Legends and the Calgorithm did amazing work. Unfortunately Wilcox squandered it. Repeatedly. Almost by design. And Knowlton stood by applauding.

---

I remember you saying that. It seemed overly harsh to me at the time, but with the passage of time I see I was wrong. He needs to go, asap! Why isn't Lyon's responding to the mismanagement of the women's swim team scandal?

calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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calumnus said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Is this bait and switch? You just nailed me because I said Rivera is more of a football guy and not a NIL guy by saying Rivera had a critical role in NIL. I asked what role? Now you say Rivera knows football. I completely agree. But the head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed. I think your point is that should not matter because otherwise we get average coaches that way. Can you at least tell me if that is your argument?

---

I think Rivera has experience with football and with personnel. Frankly, with respect to your argument "head coaches view that as a threat and feel like they would be second guessed," I would say: Great, that's exactly what we need. If Wilcox had been second guessed, he might have been incentivized to do a better job instead of embracing mediocrity. This is exactly what we need because Knowlton certainly has not done so, just as Chancellor Christ did not hold Knowlton accountable.

In a perfect world, we could replace both Knowlton and Wilcox, but due to unprecedented and unjustified contract extensions (Chancellor Christ's enduring legacy), that likely will cost more than we can afford, so a creative solution is in order.

---

Why contemplate Rivera as "GM of football" with Wilcox as HC instead of just making Rivera HC with Wilcox gone. Better for everyone with no appreciable cost difference.

There are lots of Cal alums with high level accomplishments in professional sports management who could be the AD.

---

I love that idea but firing and replacing Wilcox would require a buy out, wihch I understand we can't afford.

Hiring someone to supervise him (or at least take over running the offense) keeps Wilcox in position, at least in title if not in authority.

---

The buyout is just his salary for the next three years. It is not an additional obligation. If we can afford to pay Wilcox's salary and pay Rivera as a "supervisor" we can pay Wilcox to "not coach" and pay Rivera to coach.

Wilcox would probably prefer to receive his payout over time while living in his Idaho McMansion (?) rather than as a $15 million lump sum or even $5 million a year coaching in Berkeley. It is negotiable.

The additional cost is Rivera. Whatever he is willing to receive as Wilcox's "supervisor" I am sure he would rather receive as Cal's head coach. It would be far less frustrating.

---

Sounds good to me!

calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

southseasbear said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

---

Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

---

I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Knowlton was not close to being a general.

First he went to West Point as a hockey player.

"After graduating from West Point, Knowlton served in the United States Army, first in the 9th Engineer Battalion stationed in Aschaffenburg, West Germany as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander.[8] After completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Knowlton returned to Germany to command the 42nd Engineer Company, Berlin Brigade.[8] After completing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering, Knowlton joined the West Point civil and mechanical engineering department faculty in 1992.[9] In 1994, Knowlton attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he returned to active Army duty as assistant division engineer and operations officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.[8] Knowlton was later assigned to The Pentagon, first as military aide to the Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder and later as assistant director at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters.[8][10] Beginning in 1999, Knowlton led a 750-strong battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado.[8][9] He followed that assignment with a stint as joint exercise branch chief for Air Force Space Command and deploying to Iraq."

---

Based on this, it looks like he made it to field grade officer and Lt. Col. It's not clear how long he served in the military. I wonder if he left service because he knew he pretty much reached the apex of his military career path and knew he was unlikely to be promoted higher. If so, that makes me feel better about the top leadership in the military.

Although Barca's commentary is a little snarky, I agree that Luck won't attract current high school athletes, but that's not why they're hiring him. He's hired to signify that Stanford is serious about turning around their football fortunes.

• While today's players may not know Luck, Stanford donors in their 30s, 40s, and 50s certainly do. Those who were put off by Shaw's decline and/or the hiring of a Cal guy whose most recent success was at a lowly public institution like, ugh, "Sacratomato" State will likely now open their wallets.
• The hire doesn't necessarily undercut Taylor. Luck has been hanging around the campus for a couple of years. I'd be surprised if he wasn't consulted on Taylor's hiring and gave it a thumbs-up.
• Troy Taylor is at a distinct disadvantage when campaigning for liberalized transfer and admission policies at Stanford. He's still relatively new, hasn't had a lot of success (yet), and most importantly, isn't one of THEM. Luck is on of THEM and can work various internal channels to pressure for those changes - channels that Taylor may not even know exist.

Cal should emulate Stanford's move if can find the right candidate. This season really showed that Cal can't afford to fart around anymore. As we've said, Cal is stuck: they don't have the money to fire Knowlton and Wilcox, but they can't afford to wait 3-4 years to start a turnaround. Cal alumni (in their 30s, 40s, and 50s) who filled the stadium during Tedford's best years haven't disappeared, they're just not willing to back a horse that repeatedly loses. A GM of football who reported to Knowlton on the org chart but actually answers to Lyon could kick-start this change. This GM should make the case for football success, create the roadmap for it, pressure Wilcox to make needed staffing changes, take steps to improve HS recruiting, etc.

HearstMining said:

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Although Barca's commentary is a little snarky, I agree that Luck won't attract current high school athletes, but that's not why they're hiring him. He's hired to signify that Stanford is serious about turning around their football fortunes.

• While today's players may not know Luck, Stanford donors in their 30s, 40s, and 50s certainly do. Those who were put off by Shaw's decline and/or the hiring of a Cal guy whose most recent success was at a lowly public institution like, ugh, "Sacratomato" State will likely now open their wallets.
• The hire doesn't necessarily undercut Taylor. Luck has been hanging around the campus for a couple of years. I'd be surprised if he wasn't consulted on Taylor's hiring and gave it a thumbs-up.
• Troy Taylor is at a distinct disadvantage when campaigning for liberalized transfer and admission policies at Stanford. He's still relatively new, hasn't had a lot of success (yet), and most importantly, isn't one of THEM. Luck is on of THEM and can work various internal channels to pressure for those changes - channels that Taylor may not even know exist.

Cal should emulate Stanford's move if can find the right candidate. This season really showed that Cal can't afford to fart around anymore. As we've said, Cal is stuck: they don't have the money to fire Knowlton and Wilcox, but they can't afford to wait 3-4 years to start a turnaround. Cal alumni (in their 30s, 40s, and 50s) who filled the stadium during Tedford's best years haven't disappeared, they're just not willing to back a horse that repeatedly loses. A GM of football who reported to Knowlton on the org chart but actually answers to Lyon could kick-start this change. This GM should make the case for football success, create the roadmap for it, pressure Wilcox to make needed staffing changes, take steps to improve HS recruiting, etc.

---

Make Knowlton report to him instead of the other way around. Make the position the GM of all revenue sports.

ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

wifeisafurd said:

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The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

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Yeah, this. Hiring a potential head-coach-in-waiting to hover over the current head coach would create a bad dynamic. That's why Luck is the right fit for his position at Stanford but Shaw would not be.

BearSD said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

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Yeah, this. Hiring a potential head-coach-in-waiting to hover over the current head coach would create a bad dynamic. That's why Luck is the right fit for his position at Stanford but Shaw would not be.

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Maybe check out my post above regarding Rivera.

Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

Like I said before, I think I have an understanding of who did the work pertaining to football recruits and NIL, and this post doesn't reflect any of that. Want to hire a good coach, get Ron. Want to hire a GM, hire Sebasterbear.

wifeisafurd said:

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Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

Like I said before, I think I have an understanding of who did the work pertaining to football recruits and NIL, and this post doesn't reflect any of that. Want to hire a good coach, get Ron. Want to hire a GM, hire Sebasterbear.

---

I am a huge fan of SB, and also believe he would be an excellent choice for that position, although Sebasta himself has stated in this forum (yesterday, I believe) that he does not believe he possesses all of the necessary qualifications for that type of position (of course, I beg to differ). But absent Sebasta being interested, or willing, Ron (or someone LIKE Ron) certainly has the credentials and breadth of knowledge and experience - in both football program building and in the fundraising/understanding NIL, and the Collective/having the required "extensive rolodex/knowing the donors, and 'prospective' donors/understanding contracts, extensions, buyouts, understanding Cal admissions and the administration, and how it all ties together - to make competent and informed decisions in a "GM of Football" role. I don't see how you could, objectively, opine otherwise.

calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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calumnus said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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southseasbear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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The problem I have with a guy like Rivera is that he is much more of a football guy and not a college NIL fundraising type guy; and thus is a challenge to Wilcox and hiring future coaches.

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Do you realize that that Rivera plays a key role in Cal Legends?

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I'm think I have a good idea who puts the time in on making Legends work. Put nicely, Rivera is not the primary guy(s) chasing down donors, talking to players, negotiating deals, etc. Why don't you tell us exactly what he does and how much time he spends on the collective? Do you realize that he has had some day jobs such as a coaching a NFL team and presently in the broadcast world while Legends was being formed and operating?

---

My point is he knows football. He has assembled coaching staffs. I have more confidence in him than I do in Wilcox who in 8 years has gone to 4 minor bowl games. (Honestly, bowl games that probably should not exist). I have more confidence in Rivera than Knowlton. (The fact that he was a general makes me doubt the competence of our military leaders). We could look to any of the people on the Cal Legends Board: https://calegends.com/our-team/. The point is, we need to do something becuase the what we have is not working, unless you are satisfied with .500 ball and gonig to a bowl game on average once every two years, and winning one out of every three or four times. If that's good enough for your, then by all means continue to donate and defend the status quo.

---

Knowlton was not close to being a general.

First he went to West Point as a hockey player.

"After graduating from West Point, Knowlton served in the United States Army, first in the 9th Engineer Battalion stationed in Aschaffenburg, West Germany as platoon leader, executive officer, and company commander.[8] After completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Knowlton returned to Germany to command the 42nd Engineer Company, Berlin Brigade.[8] After completing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering, Knowlton joined the West Point civil and mechanical engineering department faculty in 1992.[9] In 1994, Knowlton attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he returned to active Army duty as assistant division engineer and operations officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division.[8] Knowlton was later assigned to The Pentagon, first as military aide to the Under Secretary of the Army Joe R. Reeder and later as assistant director at the Army Corps of Engineers headquarters.[8][10] Beginning in 1999, Knowlton led a 750-strong battalion at Fort Carson in Colorado.[8][9] He followed that assignment with a stint as joint exercise branch chief for Air Force Space Command and deploying to Iraq."

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Thank goodness! That makes me feel better (at least for our country). Thank you for posting.

Still, i don't see how the biography you posted indicates he is qualified for this postion. (I know he served as AD at Air force Academy, but the programs, students, communities, alumni, etc. are so different that skills needed at one institution would not translate to the other.

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And he was only at Air Force for three years.

I have been saying repeatedly since he was hired he was not qualified and was a horrible fit, even for Cal of 50 years ago much less the person needed to lead us during this critical time in the history of college athletics. I have been saying since he was hired that we would be lucky to even have an athletics program when he is done. That almost happened a year ago, but Stanford and Norte Dame threw us a life preserver. This season was set up for the turnaround we needed. Cal Legends and the Calgorithm did amazing work. Unfortunately Wilcox squandered it. Repeatedly. Almost by design. And Knowlton stood by applauding.

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I was on taht same train. With that resume, I can't see how he ever received an interview.

01Bear said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Then how about Shareef? He's definitely had experience building teams as a GM. Granted, his experience is in basketball, not football. But if it's sports management, he does have the experience; he's also a very smart guy who can learn the football side.

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Shareef is waiting on the NBA commissioner job.

Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

GivemTheAxe said:

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okaydo said:

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I'm baffled by this.

And I'm baffled by everybody praising this.

My kneejerk reaction is that this undermines Troy Taylor.

Yeah, technically it doesn't. But it feels that way.

---

Agree
I don't know how this will turn out; maybe good or maybe bad.
but if I were Troy I would be nervous

---

I'd be nervous more because of the back to back 3-9 seasons with no end in sight.

concernedparent said:

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GivemTheAxe said:

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okaydo said:

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I'm baffled by this.

And I'm baffled by everybody praising this.

My kneejerk reaction is that this undermines Troy Taylor.

Yeah, technically it doesn't. But it feels that way.

---

Agree
I don't know how this will turn out; maybe good or maybe bad.
but if I were Troy I would be nervous

---

I'd be nervous more because of the back to back 3-9 seasons with no end in sight.

---

Luck has been hanging around the Stanford campus since he started an MA in Education in 2022, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was consulted before the Troy Taylor hire. Just wild speculation here, of course. As an aside, I had an acquaintance who get a PhD in Education from Stanford. Three years later, she was selling real estate.

EDIT: People forget Taylor turned around a miserable Sacramento St football program, which was still ok last year, but regressed significantly this season. And the guy can spot talent, he successfully recruited Skattebo who has rushed for 1400 yards this season for ASU.

ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

---

I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

Econ141 said:

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Stanford must be commended for making structural changes to their admin. It shows a commitment to football and you know they will figure it out.

I am sure Cal will introduce a similar position in due time but the key here is that we are not leading or innovating. We are slow at everything.

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Sometimes it pays not to be the first at something. Let someone else make mistakes and learn from them. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone but it became the best.

sketchy9 said:

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Econ141 said:

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Stanford must be commended for making structural changes to their admin. It shows a commitment to football and you know they will figure it out.

I am sure Cal will introduce a similar position in due time but the key here is that we are not leading or innovating. We are slow at everything.

---

Sometimes it pays not to be the first at something. Let someone else make mistakes and learn from them. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone but it became the best.

---

You think we are like iPhone? We are much more similar to the Amazon Fire Phone, way too late to the game after everyone has taken market share

Sebastabear for Cal GM! Let's speak it into existence

DoubtfulBear said:

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sketchy9 said:

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Econ141 said:

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Stanford must be commended for making structural changes to their admin. It shows a commitment to football and you know they will figure it out.

I am sure Cal will introduce a similar position in due time but the key here is that we are not leading or innovating. We are slow at everything.

---

Sometimes it pays not to be the first at something. Let someone else make mistakes and learn from them. The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone but it became the best.

---

You think we are like iPhone? We are much more similar to the Amazon Fire Phone, way too late to the game after everyone has taken market share

---

If we're not careful we will be the Microsoft Kin (dating myself here). To me, the biggest risk with a football GM concept is that it might scare away the ego-driven, micromanaging head coaches who, up until now, have been the mold for success in college football. But it seems like the future will be more cooperation amongst various parties (coach, GM, AD, possibly the cuancell5).

ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

---

I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

---

Yeah, that's "you." I got it with your first post of nonsensical rebuttals about Rivera. The thing is, Ron checks most [if not all] of the requisite boxes - as does Sebasta, in my humble opinion - but so might others. My post did stipulate "Rivera - or someone LIKE him (paraphrasing - I didn't go back and check my exact verbiage). I am not stuck on Rivera, specifically, to the exclusion of all others, as you seem to be with your rigid ideas and ruminations on the subject, to the out-of-hand rejection of any ideas that do not align with your own. But such is life. It beez that way sometimes.

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

---

I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

---

Yeah, that's "you." I got it with your first post of nonsensical rebuttals about Rivera. The thing is, Ron checks most [if not all] of the requisite boxes - as does Sebasta, in my humble opinion - but so might others. My post did stipulate "Rivera - or someone LIKE him (paraphrasing - I didn't go back and check my exact verbiage). I am not stuck on Rivera, specifically, to the exclusion of all others, as you seem to be with your rigid ideas and ruminations on the subject, to the out-of-hand rejection of any ideas that do not align with your own. But such is life. It beez that way sometimes.

---

Um yes, it's called having an opinion. And the way it works is, we all share our opinions and have a discussion. For instance, I think the main thing you need with a GM is actual front office experience. For football related things (like hiring assistants, etc), I believe your HC should be doing that. For fundraising and NIL related things, that "should" be an AD thing or a sebasta thing (if he's willing - god bless his soul).

But I believe the primary focus of the GM should be roster building and running a professional front office (scouting dept, analytics/cap dept, S&C, marketing, etc).

A college football program needs to scrutinise each and every prep athlete and portal athlete like the NFL scrutinises every potential draft pick or free agent.

Our "front office" should have an analytical formula telling them this is how much you want to spend on a QB compared to how much you want to spend on a RB compared to how much you want to spend on a 1year transfer compared to a 2 year transfer, etc. We should know if it's worth spending more on a HS prep oline compared to a portal WR. Just like an NFL team, we should know the exact market value of all these players. We need to be able to take advantage of the market inefficiencies early on.

Our GM should have experience with negotiating contracts, data science, marketing, scouting, salary cap structure, business acumen, etc

It's possible the Rivera can do all those things. I happen to believe there are plenty of people out there that none of us have ever heard of that can do those things better.

Just because you're an NFL coach doesn't make you a good GM. History has proven that over and over and over again.

If you disagree, that's great. We can have a discussion.

Alkiadt said:

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01Bear said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

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Then how about Shareef? He's definitely had experience building teams as a GM. Granted, his experience is in basketball, not football. But if it's sports management, he does have the experience; he's also a very smart guy who can learn the football side.

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Shareef is waiting on the NBA commissioner job.

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That's fair. He'd make an excellent commissioner.

As it is, the NBA is finding itself in trouble. It's increasingly losing viewership. Whether that's because people are tired of the politics, the changes to the game (especially the death of the midrange game and the gradual demise of dunks), or the lack of charismatic young superstars, the viewership numbers are down. The commissioner will have his hands full trying to regain viewers.

01Bear said:

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Alkiadt said:

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01Bear said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Then how about Shareef? He's definitely had experience building teams as a GM. Granted, his experience is in basketball, not football. But if it's sports management, he does have the experience; he's also a very smart guy who can learn the football side.

---

Shareef is waiting on the NBA commissioner job.

---

That's fair. He'd make an excellent commissioner.

As it is, the NBA is finding itself in trouble. It's increasingly losing viewership. Whether that's because people are tired of the politics, the changes to the game (especially the death of the midrange game and the gradual demise of dunks), or the lack of charismatic young superstars, the viewership numbers are down. The commissioner will have his hands full trying to regain viewers.

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The thing is that people still engage with NBA content a lot on social media. This indicates that the younger fan base just isn't actively watching the games on TV anymore; they are engaging with the highlights and the conversation.

ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

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I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

---

Yeah, that's "you." I got it with your first post of nonsensical rebuttals about Rivera. The thing is, Ron checks most [if not all] of the requisite boxes - as does Sebasta, in my humble opinion - but so might others. My post did stipulate "Rivera - or someone LIKE him (paraphrasing - I didn't go back and check my exact verbiage). I am not stuck on Rivera, specifically, to the exclusion of all others, as you seem to be with your rigid ideas and ruminations on the subject, to the out-of-hand rejection of any ideas that do not align with your own. But such is life. It beez that way sometimes.

---

Um yes, it's called having an opinion. And the way it works is, we all share our opinions and have a discussion. For instance, I think the main thing you need with a GM is actual front office experience. For football related things (like hiring assistants, etc), I believe your HC should be doing that. For fundraising and NIL related things, that "should" be an AD thing or a sebasta thing (if he's willing - god bless his soul).

But I believe the primary focus of the GM should be roster building and running a professional front office (scouting dept, analytics/cap dept, S&C, marketing, etc).

A college football program needs to scrutinise each and every prep athlete and portal athlete like the NFL scrutinises every potential draft pick or free agent.

Our "front office" should have an analytical formula telling them this is how much you want to spend on a QB compared to how much you want to spend on a RB compared to how much you want to spend on a 1year transfer compared to a 2 year transfer, etc. We should know if it's worth spending more on a HS prep oline compared to a portal WR. Just like an NFL team, we should know the exact market value of all these players. We need to be able to take advantage of the market inefficiencies early on.

Our GM should have experience with negotiating contracts, data science, marketing, scouting, salary cap structure, business acumen, etc

It's possible the Rivera can do all those things. I happen to believe there are plenty of people out there that none of us have ever heard of that can do those things better.

Just because you're an NFL coach doesn't make you a good GM. History has proven that over and over and over again.

If you disagree, that's great. We can have a discussion.

---

The GM can hire an 'assistant GM', or his own version of Paraag Marathe to assist in certain areas. A "FO", after all, would undoubtedly have more than just 'the GM' in the building.

Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

---

I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

---

Yeah, that's "you." I got it with your first post of nonsensical rebuttals about Rivera. The thing is, Ron checks most [if not all] of the requisite boxes - as does Sebasta, in my humble opinion - but so might others. My post did stipulate "Rivera - or someone LIKE him (paraphrasing - I didn't go back and check my exact verbiage). I am not stuck on Rivera, specifically, to the exclusion of all others, as you seem to be with your rigid ideas and ruminations on the subject, to the out-of-hand rejection of any ideas that do not align with your own. But such is life. It beez that way sometimes.

---

Um yes, it's called having an opinion. And the way it works is, we all share our opinions and have a discussion. For instance, I think the main thing you need with a GM is actual front office experience. For football related things (like hiring assistants, etc), I believe your HC should be doing that. For fundraising and NIL related things, that "should" be an AD thing or a sebasta thing (if he's willing - god bless his soul).

But I believe the primary focus of the GM should be roster building and running a professional front office (scouting dept, analytics/cap dept, S&C, marketing, etc).

A college football program needs to scrutinise each and every prep athlete and portal athlete like the NFL scrutinises every potential draft pick or free agent.

Our "front office" should have an analytical formula telling them this is how much you want to spend on a QB compared to how much you want to spend on a RB compared to how much you want to spend on a 1year transfer compared to a 2 year transfer, etc. We should know if it's worth spending more on a HS prep oline compared to a portal WR. Just like an NFL team, we should know the exact market value of all these players. We need to be able to take advantage of the market inefficiencies early on.

Our GM should have experience with negotiating contracts, data science, marketing, scouting, salary cap structure, business acumen, etc

It's possible the Rivera can do all those things. I happen to believe there are plenty of people out there that none of us have ever heard of that can do those things better.

Just because you're an NFL coach doesn't make you a good GM. History has proven that over and over and over again.

If you disagree, that's great. We can have a discussion.

---

The GM can hire an 'assistant GM', or his own version of Paraag Marathe to assist in certain areas. A "FO", after all, would undoubtedly have more than just 'the GM' in the building.

---

I'd be totally fine with that. But you would need to hire a GM who was innovative enough to understand the need for an analytics guru (which is something far from a given since only a handful of college programs right now are really starting to embrace analytics when making NIL decisions).

While he was at Washington, the commanders were one of the least analytically driven nfl team. In fact, when the new owner came in, he made it a point to revamp, bolster and emphasize the analytics department.

While Rivera was reportedly fine with the newfound emphasis on analytics, I certainly would not consider him as someone at the forefront of modern innovative football. In fact, Rivera has been consistently criticised over the course of his career for the lack of analytics in his decision making.

This would be my main concern with hiring an old school former coach.

That's not to say Rivera (or someone similar) could adapt. But I wouldn't bet on it.

It's funny how everyone basically proves my point. Nobody knows whether someone will be good or bad. Even Rivera...remember when he had Eric Bieniemy running hia offense?

Boomers need to stop pretending that they know how to spot a sure thing. lolol

Pittstop said:

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ducky23 said:

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Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

ducky23 said:

---

All this talk about tedford or Rivera or pawlaski completely misses the point. We aren't hiring for a HC position. We would be hiring for a GM position. We need someone who understands Cal (it's challenges and bureaucracies) but also has actual experience running a front office and roster building.

---

Rivera's wife is a key senior board member of the CalLegends Collective, so Rivera certainly has knowledge and an understanding of all of the details and applications of NIL. And he certainly understands roster building and all of the important details of leading (running) a fb program - pro, or otherwise (including support staff needed, S&C, coaching staff structure, designing practices, fundraising, donors, and prospective donors, contracts, buyouts). And, doubtless that he understands Cal and its admissions, and its administration. And without question, Rivera has an extensive rolodex full of potential HCs, coordinators, and assistants, from S&C, to athletic trainers, to nutritionsts, etc. Ron does check most of the boxes that would be required for such a position as Furd has selected Luck for. This would be a position that would entail broad responsibilities (as described above - plus more). It would not be someone "figurehead" or "face-of-the-program" type of position for an Aaron Rodgers or Marshawn-type of hire. A Rivera would probably work, though, for all of the reasons stated above.

---

I guess this comes down to how you see the GM position functioning. Do you want a buster posey figurehead type, who probably does know his way around a front office, etc but he will definitely need help with contract negotiations, salary cap, etc. Or do you want a Farhan Zaidi type?

I actually want the Farhan Zaidi (except hopefully better?). I think Zaidi's problem is that he came to the Giants way after moneyball actually took hold on MLb. And now there's no more market inefficiencies to take advantage of. Now baseball is actually course correcting back to more traditional ways of roster building.

However college football is very very very different. No one has run a football program thru an entire advanced analytical lens. There is so much market inefficiency right now that can be taken advantage of by the right person.

So yes, my wish is probably pure fantasy. But just watch. Some school is going to go the pure moneyball route and they're going to revolutionise how CFB is run. I'd just assume that was us.

---

I think Rivera's lengthy involvement with Cal fb, CalLegends [including his wife's being one of the co-leaders of Legends], his institutional knowledge of Cal and its administrational inner workings, his extensive interactions with Cal donors [including helping lead, along with SB] Legends fundraising drives, and his extensive contacts and connections, along with being Carolina's winningest fb coach and leading them to multiple Division titles, a Conference Championship and a Super Bowl, makes Posey a poor comparison with Rivera. Posey has never constructed a roster, or put together/hired a successful staff of assistant coaches, and then managed the entire operation, as Ron did in Carolina (Ron's hands were tied in DC, by the worst owner in the history of the NFL). Rivera is not Posey.

---

I'm not sure you're getting my point. I don't want a former player. I don't want a former coach. I want someone who can't throw a football more than 10 yards. I want a nerd!! I want someone with a BS from MIT and a phd in economics from Berkeley.

Half the things people want a college GM to do, I don't want them to do. I want them to be able to run a professional front office. Period.

---

Yeah, that's "you." I got it with your first post of nonsensical rebuttals about Rivera. The thing is, Ron checks most [if not all] of the requisite boxes - as does Sebasta, in my humble opinion - but so might others. My post did stipulate "Rivera - or someone LIKE him (paraphrasing - I didn't go back and check my exact verbiage). I am not stuck on Rivera, specifically, to the exclusion of all others, as you seem to be with your rigid ideas and ruminations on the subject, to the out-of-hand rejection of any ideas that do not align with your own. But such is life. It beez that way sometimes.

---

Um yes, it's called having an opinion. And the way it works is, we all share our opinions and have a discussion. For instance, I think the main thing you need with a GM is actual front office experience. For football related things (like hiring assistants, etc), I believe your HC should be doing that. For fundraising and NIL related things, that "should" be an AD thing or a sebasta thing (if he's willing - god bless his soul).

But I believe the primary focus of the GM should be roster building and running a professional front office (scouting dept, analytics/cap dept, S&C, marketing, etc).

A college football program needs to scrutinise each and every prep athlete and portal athlete like the NFL scrutinises every potential draft pick or free agent.

Our "front office" should have an analytical formula telling them this is how much you want to spend on a QB compared to how much you want to spend on a RB compared to how much you want to spend on a 1year transfer compared to a 2 year transfer, etc. We should know if it's worth spending more on a HS prep oline compared to a portal WR. Just like an NFL team, we should know the exact market value of all these players. We need to be able to take advantage of the market inefficiencies early on.

Our GM should have experience with negotiating contracts, data science, marketing, scouting, salary cap structure, business acumen, etc

It's possible the Rivera can do all those things. I happen to believe there are plenty of people out there that none of us have ever heard of that can do those things better.

Just because you're an NFL coach doesn't make you a good GM. History has proven that over and over and over again.

If you disagree, that's great. We can have a discussion.

---

The GM can hire an 'assistant GM', or his own version of Paraag Marathe to assist in certain areas. A "FO", after all, would undoubtedly have more than just 'the GM' in the building.

---

Paraag Marathe is a Cal alum. There are a lot of smart Cal alums in professional sports management who would make a good GM. Yes, data analytics is a huge part of what we need.

However talk of Rivera as GM is crazy. If he would do that job just fire Wilcox and make Rivera Head Coach at whatever pay we could afford to pay him as a GM. It is the same financially. His huge value would be as Head Coach, not GM.