This has to be a safe place for venting, sharing feelings, thoughts and ideas. Right now, we're teetering on losing against that requirement. Incessant posting is not okay. Attacking others is not okay. And we're getting too close to using this board in ways that are so far from the intent of BearInsider. Specifically, creating straw man arguments and if then statements designed to inflame or defame people.
Enough! We're going to start seriously moderating this forum, something we've never had to do since I've owned it. I know that this community can behave better and expect it to do so.
On the topics de jour:
Does Cal take football seriously? What recent signs might tell us whether they do or not? The Regents hired Rich Lyons as the Chancellor and part of his vetting process was based on his knowledge and ideas about Athletics. Rich Lyons hired Ron Rivera. Jim Knowlton was let go. Ron Rivera was given full control of all things related to Football.
Donations are way, way up, new large donors have come forward. The amount of money being spent on Football relative to Cal's peers is significantly improved.
Judge for yourself whether the above means anything. I know very clearly the conclusions that I draw.
Meanwhile, the football team is 5-3 against a very weak schedule. The team has a lot of hallmarks of not being well coached - penalties, tackling, dropped passes, slow or inadequate defensive adjustments as well some markers that there's some good things happening - recruited a generational talent at QB, a top tier pass defense despite the loss of the starting Safety and the teams best edge player, improved Special teams, etc.
Cal has a coach in his ninth season. The record is what it is. Ron Rivera is super aware of that record and also painfully aware of how screwed up the administration was around football. When he talks about the latter, it's not an excuse, it's a reality. It's only an excuse if he believes that Wilcox record is what it is entirely because of that lack of support. Ron and Chancellor Lyons are very bright, rational and well informed people that have big ambitions for this program and have set a high bar for it which they've been explicit about.
Ron is on the record saying he wants to evaluate Wilcox, now that he has administrative support, based on his full season of work. Some clearly do not agree with that. The one thing you get with a midseason firing is temporary relief from the anxiety, anger and frustration you may be feeling. While I can understand that motivation, that doesn't mean it's the right answer.
BUT. HERE"S THE REALITY - The ONLY THING that really matters is how capable is the coaching staff and how talented is the roster of the Cal Football Team in 2026. That's it. The rest is just noise. Sure, you can have some PR and marketing wins or losses between now and knowing whether the above is true, but it's ephemeral and in the end insignificant.
Take a deep breath and understand that a.) Wow, I really care and feel deeply about this otherwise I wouldn't be posting and reading messages that convey this much emotion; b.) I have to decide for myself how I feel about watching and attending games the rest of this season and hopefully I can respect others choices on this matter without judgment. c.) As a stakeholder - donor, season ticket holder, avid fan - I won't know whether I believe in this program until it's clear who the coach will be and how talented the roster will be for 2026 and even then I won't really know until the 2026 season has played out and perhaps even beyond that. d.). I can be aware that other people, significant donors and school leadership are going to be the real influencers of how things play out. Am I communicating to those people in a way that is likely to persuade them of something or am I ranting because I need a place to vent and can I distinguish between those two things?
Enough! We're going to start seriously moderating this forum, something we've never had to do since I've owned it. I know that this community can behave better and expect it to do so.
On the topics de jour:
Does Cal take football seriously? What recent signs might tell us whether they do or not? The Regents hired Rich Lyons as the Chancellor and part of his vetting process was based on his knowledge and ideas about Athletics. Rich Lyons hired Ron Rivera. Jim Knowlton was let go. Ron Rivera was given full control of all things related to Football.
Donations are way, way up, new large donors have come forward. The amount of money being spent on Football relative to Cal's peers is significantly improved.
Judge for yourself whether the above means anything. I know very clearly the conclusions that I draw.
Meanwhile, the football team is 5-3 against a very weak schedule. The team has a lot of hallmarks of not being well coached - penalties, tackling, dropped passes, slow or inadequate defensive adjustments as well some markers that there's some good things happening - recruited a generational talent at QB, a top tier pass defense despite the loss of the starting Safety and the teams best edge player, improved Special teams, etc.
Cal has a coach in his ninth season. The record is what it is. Ron Rivera is super aware of that record and also painfully aware of how screwed up the administration was around football. When he talks about the latter, it's not an excuse, it's a reality. It's only an excuse if he believes that Wilcox record is what it is entirely because of that lack of support. Ron and Chancellor Lyons are very bright, rational and well informed people that have big ambitions for this program and have set a high bar for it which they've been explicit about.
Ron is on the record saying he wants to evaluate Wilcox, now that he has administrative support, based on his full season of work. Some clearly do not agree with that. The one thing you get with a midseason firing is temporary relief from the anxiety, anger and frustration you may be feeling. While I can understand that motivation, that doesn't mean it's the right answer.
BUT. HERE"S THE REALITY - The ONLY THING that really matters is how capable is the coaching staff and how talented is the roster of the Cal Football Team in 2026. That's it. The rest is just noise. Sure, you can have some PR and marketing wins or losses between now and knowing whether the above is true, but it's ephemeral and in the end insignificant.
Take a deep breath and understand that a.) Wow, I really care and feel deeply about this otherwise I wouldn't be posting and reading messages that convey this much emotion; b.) I have to decide for myself how I feel about watching and attending games the rest of this season and hopefully I can respect others choices on this matter without judgment. c.) As a stakeholder - donor, season ticket holder, avid fan - I won't know whether I believe in this program until it's clear who the coach will be and how talented the roster will be for 2026 and even then I won't really know until the 2026 season has played out and perhaps even beyond that. d.). I can be aware that other people, significant donors and school leadership are going to be the real influencers of how things play out. Am I communicating to those people in a way that is likely to persuade them of something or am I ranting because I need a place to vent and can I distinguish between those two things?
