Football Growls
Sponsored by

Ron Rivera

11,452 Views | 111 Replies | Last: 3 days ago by Alkiadt
MrGPAC
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Big C • 11:34a, 10/26/26
Big C said:
GrizzledBear said:
So maddening that any time a coach or GM or AD or anybody connected with the program has to be a "Cal guy" to be considered. So stupid.

[Dr Phil] "so, how's that win/loss record working for you? Looking forward to being considered for the Leftovers Bowl this year?"

How about the best candidate? How about merit?

Who gives two ****s where they came from. You'd turn down Bob Chesney cause your hoity toity holier than thou senses just can't take it cause he's not a Cal guy? Idiotic. Continue to enjoy that chronic losing record.

A guy isn't a program savior just cause he has a Cal diploma. Anyone who graduated as an athlete and then comes back to coach or GM or whatever has zero clue how to deal with the administrations dysfunctions just like any other civilian. Everybody learns on the job. No, it is not a "special place" somehow that requires that you graduate from here in order to understand it. Step down off your throne and get with the rest of the world.

I look forward to the day that may never come where people smarten up and the fact pattern for hiring someone with the football program no longer requires you to be a "Cal guy"

/rant

Here are my choices for our next coach:

+ Ron Rivera assumes the position. A Cal all-time great!
+ Troy Taylor. Another Cal all-time great. Mistreated at Stanfurd because he went to Cal.
* Davis Webb: Only at Cal one year, but at least he was at Cal!
+ Aaron Rodgers. Retires from the NFL and leads his alma mater to greatness!
+ Marshawn Lynch. Cal guy! Recruits will flock to come here.
+ Alex Mack. Has proven he has brains as well as brawn

One of these guys could do it! Which one would you pick? They're all Golden Bears!


EDIT: I'm kinda kidding (if that wasn't obvious... or even if it was)


How could you possibly miss Desean Jackson on this illustrious list? Come on!
Reply Quote
1
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:49a, 10/26/26
At this point would RR be a better coach than Tosh? If the answer is yes, Why doesn't he do the right thing to fix this mess and take over the head coaching job?
Reply Quote
Strykur
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 11:56a, 10/26/26
pleasant valley bear said:
At this point would RR be a better coach than Tosh? If the answer is yes, Why doesn't he do the right thing to fix this mess and take over the head coaching job?

Ron already got $60 million for coaching Carolina and Washington, he doesn't need the money or the stress of a coaching job
Reply Quote
1 edit
chazzed
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Strykur • 12:39p, 10/26/26
Strykur said:
pleasant valley bear said:
At this point would RR be a better coach than Tosh? If the answer is yes, Why doesn't he do the right thing to fix this mess and take over the head coaching job?

Ron already got $60 million for coaching Carolina and Washington, he doesn't need the money or the stress of a coaching job

Does saving his alma mater's program after making a bad hire at a crucial time move the needle with him?
Reply Quote
3
1 edit
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:51p, 10/26/26
But he sure owes us big time for this Lupoi disaster. The only thing that Cal fans will remember about RR is the Lupoi hire. Quite a legacy don't you think? He is getting paid good money to screw the University.and that will be his final gift for Cal. Where is the accountability? I know that I would feel guilty as hell. I was a criminal defense attorney for 48 years and if I had screwed up one of my last cases,. I would be doing everything possible to fix it. I have a fiduciary obligation to my client who paid me and trusted me. How does the same standard not apply to Rivera for his beloved alma mater?
Reply Quote
8
Rushinbear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 1:14p, 10/26/26
pleasant valley bear said:
But he sure owes us big time for this Lupoi disaster. The only thing that Cal fans will remember about RR is the Lupoi hire. Quite a legacy don't you think? He is getting paid good money to screw the University.and that will be his final gift for Cal. Where is the accountability? I know that I would feel guilty as hell. I was a criminal defense attorney for 48 years and if I had screwed up one of my last cases,. I would be doing everything possible to fix it. I have a fiduciary obligation to my client who paid me and trusted me. How does the same standard not apply to Rivera for his beloved alma mater?

If we're going to have a do-over, RR has to go first.. If he screwed up the TL hire, I don't want him screwing up the next one.
Reply Quote
7
TandemBear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Rushinbear • 1:25p, 10/26/26
Rushinbear said:
pleasant valley bear said:
But he sure owes us big time for this Lupoi disaster. The only thing that Cal fans will remember about RR is the Lupoi hire. Quite a legacy don't you think? He is getting paid good money to screw the University.and that will be his final gift for Cal. Where is the accountability? I know that I would feel guilty as hell. I was a criminal defense attorney for 48 years and if I had screwed up one of my last cases,. I would be doing everything possible to fix it. I have a fiduciary obligation to my client who paid me and trusted me. How does the same standard not apply to Rivera for his beloved alma mater?

If we're going to have a do-over, RR has to go first.. If he screwed up the TL hire, I don't want him screwing up the next one.

I don't think he'll hire TL again.
Reply Quote
1
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:31p, 10/26/26
He could just coach for a couple of years to right the ship somewhat. He certainly can coach better than Lupoi. It would show recruits and alumni that Cal was moving on from this disaster as quickly as possible and it woulld not mean that he was actually going to hire the next coach. It would be an immediate upgrade in our coaching.
Reply Quote
6
prospeCt
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:42p, 10/26/26
~ Brilliant!! , dig




Reply Quote
Bobodeluxe
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:55p, 10/26/26
The SS Loopy is taking on water, but hasn't sunk yet!

Reply Quote
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:21p, 10/26/26
What is your solution prospeCt?
Reply Quote
Alkiadt
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 3:28p, 10/26/26
pleasant valley bear said:
What is your solution prospeCt?

Drinking….evidently.
Reply Quote
1
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:52p, 10/26/26
Great answer Alkiadt. But really. what can be done? just watch it all burn down?
Reply Quote
1
prospeCt
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:25p, 10/26/26
~ pleasant no like Guinness? arguably ( one of ) the least damaging, digestively-inflamatory, forms of alcohol, low alcohol content in draught, roasted barley malts, not wheat, corn,or rice based - I liked your comment, 'dig' is also affirmative


https://twistedfood.co.uk/articles/guinness-good-health-benefits-drink


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness_Foreign_Extra_Stout
Reply Quote
1
philly1121
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to wifeisafurd • 4:55p, 10/26/26
wifeisafurd said:
okaydo said:
DoubtfulBear said:
calumnus said:
Big C said:
DonnieMcCleskey said:
Rushinbear said:
82gradDLSdad said:
CalBarn said:
GoCal80 said:
I hope that the big donors, Rivera and the Chancellor will take ownership of their mistake in hiring Tosh and change course asap. It is very hard to understand how such an accomplished group could have been so badly fooled into thinking Tosh has what it takes to be a good head coach. However, a whole bunch of successful people believed in Elizabeth Holmes and thought she was going to revolutionize biomedicine with her blood testing platform, so even successful people can be fooled by a velvet-lipped con artist.

For all the hype and rah-rah cheerleading from Tosh
this preseason, this season has been a huge disappointment.
He shows little ability to run a successful college program.
Boring offense, lackluster defense. Not the X's and O's guy we need here at Cal.


I certainly didn't expect x's and o's from Tosh. But I did expect him to recruit a couple of speedy players and coach an improved level of fitness, power and enthusiasm into the team. I haven't seen any of that. You can't just recruit a winner. You have to bring something else. Geez, he certainly ain't recruit good assistants. I honestly don't see at this point what he brings. And Rivera.... We are in trouble.

What did RR bring? Experience in coaching and managing middlin' pro teams. where's the excellence? did it show up anywhere off the field?

I'm hoping that RR put up big resistance to the Somer hire, at least. If lost that fight, it should have been with the caveat that Tosh give him his resignation letter, unsigned, and RR would give his to Lyons to offset.



On this point, could someone over 55 years old maybe explain to the rest of us the fascination with Rivera?

I understand that he loves Cal and did a great job fundraising over the past year. He seems to be very well respected within the old-school football circles

For myself and maybe others who are slightly younger, my memories of Rivera are of a mediocre to poor NFL coach. The game looked like it had passed him by when he was let go in Carolina and eventually Washington, but to hear some Old Blues talk about Rivera you would think he was Andy Reid or Sean McVay.

In 13 seasons as an NFL coach he only had 3 winning seasons, all with Cam Newton as his QB. If we want to find a coach who Cam Newton carried to their only coaching success I'm sure Gene Chizik is available for a lot less money.

I just don't understand how anyone can feel even the slightest bit optimistic that Ron Rivera is somehow the person to get us out of this mess.

I just turned 55 "recently"!

The thinking on RR's NFL coaching is that he coached for two moribund franchises that were hard to win at. And didn't he get to the Super Bowl once and wasn't he NFL CoY twice (or something like that)?

And the talk about him when he was an NFL Head Coach was mostly positive. Far more likely to see his name on a list of Top Ten NFL coaches than Bottom Ten.

That is my recollection and my assessment of why he has been highly regarded. Is that accurate? I'm not nearly "inside" enough to know how he is doing as our GM, except to say that everything seemed to be moving forward until we started actually playing games this season. Seems like about 80% of this has been caused by the OC selection. Should Ron have stepped in and put the kibosh on it? Well, I guess so, in retrospect, but the HC usually gets to pick his Assistants.



Coaching in the NFL is the highest level of the football coaching profession.

People saying Rivera's record as an NFL coach somehow means he wouldn't be a good head coach at Cal is like saying an "average" NBA starter wouldnt be great and would only be an average basketball player at Cal.

That's absolutely not true. Coaching is a boys club and nepotism is rampant. Hue Jackson, Adam Gase, Nathaniel Hackett are all examples of HC coaches that had no business being where they were at. Gase's career was carried by Peyton, much like Rivera by Cam



In the NFL, the offensive and defensive quality control coaches are entry level jobs in coaching. They are coveted. There are only a few of them.

My opinion of Ron Rivera changed when he became Washington head coach, he hired as his offensive quality control coach his defensive coordinator's son and as his defensive quality control coach his nephew Bug.

As Avinash points out, Rivera hired an inexperienced nepo baby to call plays at Washington. (Rivera worked for Norv Turner, Scott's dad.)

















This is an absolute BS comparison and wrong (other than the part about begin Norv's kid). For starters, Turner had called plays at the high school, college and NFL level and had been an OC at the NFL level before Ron hired him at Washington.

Summerville didn't play football, had 2 seasons as a GA, 2 season as an assistant coach, 1 year as an analyst, and 2 seasons as assistant to an assistant coach. He also was a recruiting coordinator while as an assistant coach, which probably caught Tosh's eye.

Turner actually played college football as a QB, then a GA, then an OC for 2 years at well known high school, then an offensive assistant for a couple season under Ron, then an NFL assistant coach for a couple years, then an NFL offensive QC for 2 years, then an NFL assistant coach for 4 years, then an offensive assistant to Harbaugh at Michigan where he called plays, he then returned to work for Rivera at Carolina, where he was the QB coach and when Rivera was fired, he became the OC, and he also called plays. Rivera then brought him Washington to be the OC there. He then got fired with Ron and later was the passing game coordinator at the Raiders and Jets though he got fired by the Jets with other coaches before this season.

Wha the f-ing world makes the lightweight resume of Summerville and Turner's resume even look remotely similar? One thing is for sure, no one is going to give Summerville a coordinator type position on the P4 college level, no less the NFL.

Avanish should do some due diligence before he repeats BS that some moron on the internet spouts.

Turner's record is equally as bad as Ron's. I'm not sure why you're touting someone with a poor record. Also seems to me that Turner was following Rivera around to keep his career alive. And Turner never spent more than 2 years at any of the pro teams he was employed with. Not a good track record. I think the comparison sticks just by how bad each one is.

As far as Rivera - I wrote it before and i will write it again - Rivera had three good seasons in a 13 year head coaching career. Two were good. One was great. Not sure why anyone would think he would be a good GM or head coach for us. We have our own "alumni/nepo" problem.
Reply Quote
4
1 edit
Big C
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 4:55p, 10/26/26
pleasant valley bear said:
He could just coach for a couple of years to right the ship somewhat. He certainly can coach better than Lupoi. It would show recruits and alumni that Cal was moving on from this disaster as quickly as possible and it woulld not mean that he was actually going to hire the next coach. It would be an immediate upgrade in our coaching.

Didn't you say that he was screwing the university? You mentioned fiduciary duty, which is acting in your clients' best interest, implying that he was not doing that.

Yet, you would maybe want him to coach, where he could do infinitely more damage? (you implying all this, not me)
Reply Quote
2
1 edit
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:05p, 10/27/26
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:17p, 10/28/26
I don't believe that RR in 2 years would do more damage than Lupoi and would be a much better coach. So have RR coach until we find a solid head coach. If he has great love for Cal, he certainly owes us. Don't you agree?
Reply Quote
3
Rushinbear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 1:22p, 10/28/26
pleasant valley bear said:
I don't believe that RR in 2 years would do more damage than Lupoi and would be a much better coach. So have RR coach until we find a solid head coach. If he has great love for Cal, he certainly owes us. Don't you agree?

I say again, he'd be choosing the next head coach. The only question is, can this coaching team ever pull the iron out of the fire?
Reply Quote
JaneBear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:20p, 10/28/26
Ron Rivera is the one that allowed all of this bull**** to happen
Reply Quote
7
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:05p, 10/28/26
Why would RR have to be the guy to hire the next coach especially since he did a lousy job hiring this one? We all know he can coach way better than Lupoi.
Reply Quote
1
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:13p, 10/28/26
You guys never offer any solutions that might help in the short term. Fire RR when he seems to be a person with the "coaching " skills to help us right away. What is your solution?
Reply Quote
1
BigDaddy
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:25p, 10/28/26
I believe that if Tosh doesn't get it going in the next two seasons you could see Ron Rivera install himself as head coach. Barry Alvarez did that a few times at Wisconsin on an interim basis.
“My tastes are simple; I am easily satisfied with the best.” - Winston Churchill
Reply Quote
1 edit
chazzed
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to BigDaddy • 3:48p, 10/28/26
BigDaddy said:
I believe that if Tosh doesn't get it going in the next two season you could see Ron Rivera install himself as head coach. Barry Alvarez did that a few times at Wisconsin on an interim basis.

If this team is not on a clear upward trajectory by season's end, Rivera should take the coaching reins immediately after the last game.
Reply Quote
4
Big C
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to pleasant valley bear • 3:49p, 10/28/26
pleasant valley bear said:
I don't believe that RR in 2 years would do more damage than Lupoi and would be a much better coach. So have RR coach until we find a solid head coach. If he has great love for Cal, he certainly owes us. Don't you agree?

Up until eleven months or so ago, I had for years thought that Ron Rivera would be a great HC for us. His resume seemed to be more suited to coach than GM. No college experience but I figured he had the wisdom to rely on others to help him get that part figured out.

Maybe he didn't want to take on the job, I dunno. He is getting older. Some people at that age want less of a commitment. I know I did!

I have no insider knowledge as to whether he wanted the job, was considered, or how he has managed his current role in terms of the hiring a HC and/or the HC hiring his staff. The one clear mistake under the new regime has been the OC hire. I doubt RR would have made that decision, were he the one making it. Just to satisfy my curiosity, I wonder how all that came down. I know it's usually a given that a new HC gets to pick his own coordinators and assistants... and if they go with guys they had always liked working with, they damned well better produce results. It's sort of their first big test as the Top Guy.
Reply Quote
1
3 edits
pleasant valley bear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
4:40p, 10/28/26
Why do you have to wait until the end of the season to replace Lupoi? RR is a better coach now and would still be a better coach by the end of the season. We have in house someone who would be an immediate short term solution. Talk RR into it right now. It helps solve all of our immediate problems. Doersn't it?
Reply Quote
2
DoubtfulBear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:46p, 10/28/26
Why are people so high on Ron, who was just an average NFL coach, when the most successful NFL coach of all time is struggling at UNC?
Reply Quote
7
DiabloWags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to prospeCt • 6:18p, 10/28/26
prospeCt said:
~ pleasant no like Guinness? arguably ( one of ) the least damaging, digestively-inflamatory, forms of alcohol, low alcohol content in draught, roasted barley malts, not wheat, corn,or rice based - I liked your comment.


Im drinking Pliny the Elder while watching the World Series. You only live once.

Reply Quote
Strykur
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to DoubtfulBear • 2:59a, 10/29/26
DoubtfulBear said:
Why are people so high on Ron, who was just an average NFL coach, when the most successful NFL coach of all time is struggling at UNC?

Are you on high on Tosh, or just high
Reply Quote
Strykur
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to DiabloWags • 3:01a, 10/29/26
DiabloWags said:
prospeCt said:
~ pleasant no like Guinness? arguably ( one of ) the least damaging, digestively-inflamatory, forms of alcohol, low alcohol content in draught, roasted barley malts, not wheat, corn,or rice based - I liked your comment.

Im drinking Pliny the Elder while watching the World Series. You only live once.

I used to drink that every weekend but waking up wasted every Saturday was not great, this coaching regime has me rethinking that however
Reply Quote
1
2 edits
calumnus
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to DoubtfulBear • 5:13a, 10/29/26
DoubtfulBear said:
Why are people so high on Ron, who was just an average NFL coach, when the most successful NFL coach of all time is struggling at UNC?

As an interim, an average NFL coach would be great.
However, he was an above average NFL coach, which is why he lasted 13 years and got a team to the Superbowl. Remember, the average NFL coach/team does not make the playoffs.

Nick Saban was an average NFL coach for the Miami Dolphins before he got fired and took the Alabama job, where he has won a few National Championships.
Reply Quote
2
2 edits
DoubtfulBear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to calumnus • 9:16a, 10/29/26
calumnus said:
DoubtfulBear said:
Why are people so high on Ron, who was just an average NFL coach, when the most successful NFL coach of all time is struggling at UNC?

As an interim, an average NFL coach would be great.
However, he was an above average NFL coach, which is why he lasted 13 years and got a team to the Superbowl. Remember, the average NFL coach/team does not make the playoffs.

Nick Saban was an average NFL coach for the Miami Dolphins before he got fired and took the Alabama job, where he has won a few National Championships.

My point is that what works in college doesn't work in the NFL and vice versa. Which you are agreeing with regarding Saban. Urban Meyer was an amazing college coach and one of the worst NFL coaches of all time. Bill Belichick is the greatest NFL coach of all time and just an average college coach.

Rooting for Rivera to be HC of Cal is like expecting the backup QB to be the missing piece to winning games. Everyone loves to cope that the unknown factor is the silver bullet to solve all problems.
Reply Quote
5
DiabloWags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Strykur • 11:28a, 10/29/26
Strykur said:
DiabloWags said:
prospeCt said:
~ pleasant no like Guinness? arguably ( one of ) the least damaging, digestively-inflamatory, forms of alcohol, low alcohol content in draught, roasted barley malts, not wheat, corn,or rice based - I liked your comment.

Im drinking Pliny the Elder while watching the World Series. You only live once.

I used to drink that every weekend but waking up wasted every Saturday was not great, this coaching regime has me rethinking that however


It's the only way to "drink" during this disaster of a season my friend.
Reply Quote
prospeCt
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:45a, 10/29/26
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/112/412/



Reply Quote
Jeff82
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:10p, 10/29/26
Old Rasputin is good, but I still miss Red Tail Ale.
Reply Quote
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.