Dear Commissioner Scott,
I was disappointed to read in today's news that the Pac-12 office declined the University of California's request to have additional home visits scheduled as a remedy for Tosh Lupoi's unethical recruiting of student-athletes to the University of Washington while he was employed by Cal. By tacitly condoning Lupoi's behavior on behalf of Washington - which was unethical at best and tortious interference/fraud at worst - this conference will continue a slide toward the disgraceful example set by the SEC for years.
It was bad enough that Colorado and Utah were able to demand - successfully - a place in the Pac-12 South, despite the fact that: (a) Cal and Stanford are geographically south of those two schools; and (b) it placed at risk a century of traditional rivalries among the four California schools. While you did the right thing in the end by preserving those rivalries, the idea that two schools asking to join our conference could dictate the terms of their admission was disturbing. It is equally disturbing to see that traditional November rivalry games can be forced to October by majority vote - creating the same opportunity for factionalism and conspiracy that led the Pac-10/12 Basketball Tournament to permanently be played in Los Angeles.
Likewise, I am greatly dismayed that Steve Sarkesian has fired the first shot toward wasting all of the incremental revenues from the Pac-12's new television contract on coaching salaries. I had hoped this revenue could be used to support student-athletes, particularly those in non-revenue sports that have been at risk of cancellation over the past few years. Unfortunately, by adopting the cash-is-king mentality of college football, Mr. Sarkesian has virtually guaranteed a salary war that will only end up hurting student-athletes across the conference. In addition, the timing of Mr. Sarkesian's conspiracy with Tosh Lupoi to destroy the University of California's recruiting class - including an admission from one recruit that Lupoi had told him to keep his options open as he was likely to jump to UW, despite ostensibly being there as a representative of Cal, exhibits a complete lack of character. Obviously character is not a strong suit for Pete Carroll or his coaching tree, nor is it one for Mr. Lupoi (who admittedly coached players to fake injuries, disgracing Cal on national television). Yet by standing idly by and allowing Sarkesian and Lupoi to get away with their scheme, the Pac-12 Conference has gone on record that it doesn't matter how you win. The Conference is willing to fine coaches for criticizing officials (even when the officiating is - as it has been in this conference for years - atrocious), but not for back-handed and disgraceful conduct.
You are, no doubt, an improvement over Tom Hansen (who didn't seem to do anything, even when our conference was under attack. But I would urge you to spend as much time focused on maintaining traditions as you do on raising money. And to demand the highest levels of integrity, honor, and sportsmanship from coaches and players, demonstrating that we are not the SEC, we do believe in the purity of collegiate athletics, and that we can do it the right way and still win with class.
Best regards,
Jeff Ogar
Cal '99
I was disappointed to read in today's news that the Pac-12 office declined the University of California's request to have additional home visits scheduled as a remedy for Tosh Lupoi's unethical recruiting of student-athletes to the University of Washington while he was employed by Cal. By tacitly condoning Lupoi's behavior on behalf of Washington - which was unethical at best and tortious interference/fraud at worst - this conference will continue a slide toward the disgraceful example set by the SEC for years.
It was bad enough that Colorado and Utah were able to demand - successfully - a place in the Pac-12 South, despite the fact that: (a) Cal and Stanford are geographically south of those two schools; and (b) it placed at risk a century of traditional rivalries among the four California schools. While you did the right thing in the end by preserving those rivalries, the idea that two schools asking to join our conference could dictate the terms of their admission was disturbing. It is equally disturbing to see that traditional November rivalry games can be forced to October by majority vote - creating the same opportunity for factionalism and conspiracy that led the Pac-10/12 Basketball Tournament to permanently be played in Los Angeles.
Likewise, I am greatly dismayed that Steve Sarkesian has fired the first shot toward wasting all of the incremental revenues from the Pac-12's new television contract on coaching salaries. I had hoped this revenue could be used to support student-athletes, particularly those in non-revenue sports that have been at risk of cancellation over the past few years. Unfortunately, by adopting the cash-is-king mentality of college football, Mr. Sarkesian has virtually guaranteed a salary war that will only end up hurting student-athletes across the conference. In addition, the timing of Mr. Sarkesian's conspiracy with Tosh Lupoi to destroy the University of California's recruiting class - including an admission from one recruit that Lupoi had told him to keep his options open as he was likely to jump to UW, despite ostensibly being there as a representative of Cal, exhibits a complete lack of character. Obviously character is not a strong suit for Pete Carroll or his coaching tree, nor is it one for Mr. Lupoi (who admittedly coached players to fake injuries, disgracing Cal on national television). Yet by standing idly by and allowing Sarkesian and Lupoi to get away with their scheme, the Pac-12 Conference has gone on record that it doesn't matter how you win. The Conference is willing to fine coaches for criticizing officials (even when the officiating is - as it has been in this conference for years - atrocious), but not for back-handed and disgraceful conduct.
You are, no doubt, an improvement over Tom Hansen (who didn't seem to do anything, even when our conference was under attack. But I would urge you to spend as much time focused on maintaining traditions as you do on raising money. And to demand the highest levels of integrity, honor, and sportsmanship from coaches and players, demonstrating that we are not the SEC, we do believe in the purity of collegiate athletics, and that we can do it the right way and still win with class.
Best regards,
Jeff Ogar
Cal '99