Our recruiting started so well in SoCal this year by getting commitments from 3 outstanding SoCal stars. With Wadood, Farmer and Watson we had made a huge improvement in recruiting battles with our biggest rivals.I feared this might happen with all of the bad luck and bad decisions which have dropped us from the Top 3 in the PAC-12 to the bottom of the barrel. We needed the two who have defected than Watson because they could have made a difference next season. If Tre doesn't bail to UCLA or UW, he will be the star of Sonny's class, but running back is not one of our top needs in the Fall. It is another ugly day for Bear FB fans.:headbang

Based on the number of dudes who have done this type of flipping (Cali kid who decommits from a pac10 school and ends up at ND or a Big10 school) they end up being a bust/transferring bc of the culture shock. Oh well...best have kids who wanna truly be at Cal.

Phantomfan;842270070 said:

---

You must be kidding...

If you think these kids are basing their life choices on what we say on a FREE forum online with almost no traffic, you have lost your mind.

If the people who's major decision re Cal football is "EE or TT?" can figure out the program won 1 game, and a good season will be 3 wins, dont you think a kid who's major decision re Cal football is life changing has figured it out on his own?

The program is the problem, not the fans.

---

You don't know how much of an effect the negativity has on recriuits and neither do I. But I do know it doesn't help; and if it doesn't help and could possibly hurt, what's the point?

freshfunk;842270081 said:

---

I see your point but it begs the question whether anything said here (negative or positive) has any constructive value. Sure you get your share of useless negative posts but you also get your share of useless positive posts. (This is in contrast to useful negative and useful positive posts.)

Let me put it another way: if we had the same season, same results, same players leave but every post was a useless sunshine pumping post, do you really think our recruiting results would be different?

BI's real purpose is simply entertainment of BIers. I think that's the real point behind what you're saying... you're not entertained due to all the negativity (which is understandable).

---

If potential Bear players are reading BI, it's not because they want to be entertained. It is hard to determine whether there is any constructive value to negative or positive posts and how much of an effect, if any it has on a recruits decision.

I think if I was a recruit, I would discount the positive sunshine pumping because that kind of talk would be expected on BI or any similar type board. I do think I would perk up about the negative stuff, especially if the ineptitude of Dykes and Co gets constantly repeated in pretty much every thread.

It's easy to want to express your negativity about the program and justify your position by saying recruits don't read the board and even if they did, it won't influence their decision. That's underestimating the power of the internet and social media. If potential recruits read this board, it will have some kind of influence on how they see Cal. Now it may be a very small influence but it might be enough to sway a recruit to another school. My feeling is why take a chance? We're only possibly hurting our own school.

How many safeties was Cal looking to take this cycle?

A recruit who checks out the Portland State game has enough info to make his decision. That game was a snapshot of the players and coaches before half the D was injured.

Tedhead94;842269960 said:

---

This is the dumbest post k have read in a long time. ALL the negativity surrounding the program?? First off - we are the greatest university in the world. Second, we went 1-11 last year. PSU is just a couple years removed from child moletation charges from their coordinators. I'm pretty sure it was discussed on their boards. Tbis has to do with staffs - not fan bases. Get over it.

---

Tedhead94, you come off as just arrogant. Your negativity is childish and really serves no constructive purpose.

There is so much wannabe "insider" information that

1) is pure speculation stated as fact that permeates this board. Ex: A friend told me his seatmates son is in class with a player and ...

2) is an outright lie. Ex: dykes has never coached a team with a good defense.

I believe certain people have seen enough of Dykes and will do doing anything they can on a message board to build support for his termination.

Not getting Farmer helps those people. They argue that their comments mean nothing and ignore the moderators evidence that it does.

The reality is that they love Cal and hate Dykes and will do whatever it takes to get him out as quickly as possible.

CALiforniALUM;842270122 said:

---

Tedhead94, you come off as just arrogant. Your negativity is childish and really serves no constructive purpose.

---

I guess I'm childish and arrogant too because I thought Tedhead's post was 100% correct.

BearNIt;842270040 said:

---

Penn St. is a long way from Cali and far different in terms of culture for a kid from the San Fernando Valley. It will be very interesting to hear what Farmer says after a year or two at Penn St.. I hope he likes snow.

---

It's not a bad college town. I knew a real fine girl who's father taught there,she was great in cold weather.

jyamada;842270107 said:

---

If potential Bear players are reading BI, it's not because they want to be entertained. It is hard to determine whether there is any constructive value to negative or positive posts and how much of an effect, if any it has on a recruits decision.

I think if I was a recruit, I would discount the positive sunshine pumping because that kind of talk would be expected on BI or any similar type board. I do think I would perk up about the negative stuff, especially if the ineptitude of Dykes and Co gets constantly repeated in pretty much every thread.

It's easy to want to express your negativity about the program and justify your position by saying recruits don't read the board and even if they did, it won't influence their decision. That's underestimating the power of the internet and social media. If potential recruits read this board, it will have some kind of influence on how they see Cal. Now it may be a very small influence but it might be enough to sway a recruit to another school. My feeling is why take a chance? We're only possibly hurting our own school.

---

I wouldn't put it that way. Speaking negatively isn't justified by whether the recruits read it or not. Speaking honestly and being transparent is justified because it does more for the long term success of our program than sweeping things under the rug which let's bad situations fester. The success of the program justifies speaking openly and honestly and is more important than the remotest chance that a recruit take an anon message board so seriously.

If we really think this has a major impact, then a board rule should be that no negativity be allowed whatsoever. I also find the "small influence" uncompelling. Everyday we all have a small chance that we will be hit by lightning or die in a car accident. Allowing such remote possibilities to guide everyday actions is not a way to live.

freshfunk;842270169 said:

---

I wouldn't put it that way. Speaking negatively isn't justified by whether the recruits read it or not. Speaking honestly and being transparent is justified because it does more for the long term success of our program than sweeping things under the rug which let's bad situations fester. The success of the program justifies speaking openly and honestly and is more important than the remotest chance that a recruit take an anon message board so seriously.

If we really think this has a major impact, then a board rule should be that no negativity be allowed whatsoever. I also find the "small influence" uncompelling. Everyday we all have a small chance that we will be hit by lightning or die in a car accident. Allowing such remote possibilities to guide everyday actions is not a way to live.

---

Yeah, there's no danger of the program's issues being swept under the rug here. You make sure this doesn't happen just by yourself, essentially.

So all the negative crap posted here constantly has no chance to influence 17 year old kids and their parents but will spur change at one of the most bureaucratic institutions in the country? Talk about self-justifying bullsh!t. Wow.

And that will not be the last head to head battle we lose to James Franklin.

freshfunk;842270169 said:

---

I wouldn't put it that way. Speaking negatively isn't justified by whether the recruits read it or not. Speaking honestly and being transparent is justified because it does more for the long term success of our program than sweeping things under the rug which let's bad situations fester. The success of the program justifies speaking openly and honestly and is more important than the remotest chance that a recruit take an anon message board so seriously.

If we really think this has a major impact, then a board rule should be that no negativity be allowed whatsoever. I also find the "small influence" uncompelling. Everyday we all have a small chance that we will be hit by lightning or die in a car accident. Allowing such remote possibilities to guide everyday actions is not a way to live.

---

I didn't say speaking negatively has a major impact on a recruit's decision. It may not have any impact at all. But if you speak negatively about the coach , the system and everything about the program on a constant and repetitive basis, prospects who come to this board will be influenced. How much is hard to say but there is a seed of doubt that's planted. Sunshine pumping may not have any positive effect on a recruit but it certainly won't have a negative effect. The amount of negativeness on the boards regarding Dykes and Co may not impact recruits much, but there certainly is a possibility that it could sway a recruit's perspective of Cal.

No joke. When I read the headline to this thread, my reaction was, "I can't believe we're losing recruits to Portland State."

OldBlue1999;842270183 said:

---

So all the negative crap posted here constantly has no chance to influence 17 year old kids and their parents but will spur change at one of the most bureaucratic institutions in the country? Talk about self-justifying bullsh!t. Wow.

---

That one left the stadium.

tequila4kapp;842270132 said:

---

I guess I'm childish and arrogant too because I thought Tedhead's post was 100% correct.

---

Whoa partner, who said anybody disagreed with the content of his post. I just think after the billionth time saying the same thing you would at least satisfy the need to express your opinion. Check his posting history and you will see. After the billionth time, you have to start to question what a poster's intentions are or what wrong with them to not say anything constructive. Let's face it, we just hired this coaching staff so let's stick with it until change is able to happen. I certainly don't have the jing to afford to get rid of them, so let's not hope for their failure just to be right or to hasten the process. I think it will be pretty obvious to many on this web site if after the next year or two whether keeping this staff around is worth it.

GB54;842269995 said:

---

Penn State has weathered that storm. Pretty interesting how the sanctions didn't really have as great an effect as people thought. My own theory is that having a real coach instead of a senile old man made up for the sanctions

---

There's that ... maybe ...

But playing in a totally renovated Memorial Stadium could also have been overshadowed by the allure of soaping up in the Memorialized Sandusky Shower Room
... dreaming of what might have been instead of what could be :axe

bye bye Koa ...
and just what did you tell Luke for him to put the "to$h truth" label on you.

cmfan64;842270087 said:

---

...If Tre doesn't bail to UCLA or UW, he will be the star of Sonny's class, but [U]running back is not one of our top needs in the Fall[/U]. It is another ugly day for Bear FB fans.:headbang

---

Did you WATCH this team run the ball this year? Sure, part was stiffs like Tags not blocking and a lot of injuries, but when you put Rodgers in to get one yard, Bye Bye Bigelow and LasCall drop the fork at the team dinner, and the best was a walk-on, HELL YES we need a running back! Why do you think they were so hard after Mixon? Was it the #1 need? When you were as bad as they were, just about every position is priority need 1, 1A, 1B, etc.

It's a slap in the face that Farmer followed Franklin to Penn State. PSU has a good academic reputation, but as I was just out shoveling show for the third or fourth time this week in single-digit temperatures, I'm not sure what Koa was thinking... maybe he'll rethink when he gets home.

MaximusArelliusDaBearius;842270079 said:

---

I know this may sound really cruel, but who in their right mind purposely seeks Penn State associated with any part of their name. Many people who are still there looked the other way but even worse were involved but for some reason the digging just stopped.

That thing went so much further than Sandusky (As Jim Rome warned would come out but didn't). I was shocked when James took the job and more shocked that Farmer de-committed there, of all places. I know people who don't even wear their Penn State stuff in public any more. Well, I guess true life is stranger than fiction; and that picture, what is either one of them smiling about. That places still echoes with screams.

Most people were happy when he (James) went to Penn State thinking no parent would allow their kid to go there without some previous tie or location.

I keep hearing how his parents are so smart and they probably are but would you let your kid go there?

---

Well ...
if the NFL is his dream, he certainly won't be burdened with a heavy academic load at Pedophile State U ... he can focus on reps rather than reading lists.

WantARoseBowlB4IDie;842270251 said:

---

Did you WATCH this team run the ball this year? Sure, part was stiffs like Tags not blocking and a lot of injuries, but when you put Rodgers in to get one yard, Bye Bye Bigelow and LasCall drop the fork at the team dinner, and the best was a walk-on, HELL YES we need a running back! Why do you think they were so hard after Mixon? Was it the #1 need? When you were as bad as they were, just about every position is priority need 1, 1A, 1B, etc.

It's a slap in the face that Farmer followed Franklin to Penn State. PSU has a good academic reputation, but as I was just out shoveling show for the third or fourth time this week in single-digit temperatures, I'm not sure what Koa was thinking... maybe he'll rethink when he gets home.

---

Pedo State U has a "good academic reputation" ??????????????
No doubt Pedo State U will ensure that he has a warm letter jacket.

And ... we have very nice RB recruits already.
Another would be nice but not absolutely necessary.

SonOfCalVa;842270255 said:

---

Pedo State U has a "good academic reputation" ??????????????
No doubt Pedo State U will ensure that he has a warm letter jacket.

And ... we have very nice RB recruits already.
Another would be nice but not absolutely necessary.

---

The Sandusky mess has NOTHING to do with academics, you moron. That would be like saying Cal sucks because Mario Savio and his crew caused all kids of ruckus, or because there were loser hippies living in trees. I'm sure you were all up in arms when people were ripping us for that, so don't be a freaking hypocrite.

Since you require education you dipsh!t, here are the 2013 public university rankings per US News & World Report:

#1 University of California - Berkeley, CA
#2 University of California - Los Angeles, CA
#2 University of Virginia - Charlottesville, VA
#4 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
#5 University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC
#6 College of William and Mary - Williamsburg, VA
#7 Georgia Tech - Atlanta, GA
[COLOR="Red"]#8 Pennsylvania State University - University Park, PA[/COLOR]
#9 University of California - Davis, CA
#9 University of California, San Diego - La Jolla, CA
#11 University of California - Santa Barbara, CA
#11 University of Illinois - Champaign, IL
#11 University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI
#14 University of California - Irvine, CA
#14 University of Florida - Gainesville, FL

Don't let the facts get in the way of a lame story. #Stayclassy

You're obviously football challenged too if you think one RB recruit is enough. I pity you.

touchdownbears43;842270093 said:

---

Based on the number of dudes who have done this type of flipping (Cali kid who decommits from a pac10 school and ends up at ND or a Big10 school) they end up being a bust/transferring bc of the culture shock. Oh well...best have kids who wanna truly be at Cal.

---

Maybe he talked to Fortt about Pedo State U football
... but he might have spent a few moments discussing what injuries do to a highly rated HS recruit's future employment in professional football.

OTOH, a Pedo State U degree in whatever is maybe a good thing to have if you want to live and work in balmy western Pennsylvania.

WantARoseBowlB4IDie;842270261 said:

---

...
You're obviously football challenged too if you think one RB recruit is enough. I pity you.

---

There are two (2) if Downs chooses RB and I hope he does as his film is Lynch-like.
Self-pity for you would be appropriate.
Back here on the east coast, a Pedo State U degree is very meh, except in western Pennsylvania, perhaps.

Penn St. has a very meh reputation and the region it is in isn't very desirable to live in. It loses to about fifty other schools in every non football aspect, except maybe partying.

SonOfCalVa;842270263 said:

---

Maybe he talked to Fortt about Pedo State U football
... but he might have spent a few moments discussing what injuries do to a highly rated HS recruit's future employment in professional football.

OTOH, a Pedo State U degree in whatever is maybe a good thing to have if you want to live and work in balmy western Pennsylvania.

---

The old adage "it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to talk and remove all doubt” seems to fit you to a "T". Penn State is neither in Western nor Eastern PA. It is darn close to smack dab in the middle... and PSU grads work all over the world, even California. They don't just stay where they go to school... what's wrong with you?

I'm still damned proud of being a Cal alum, but don't disparage Penn State alums because of one sick bastard. You embarrass yourself.

Is that the same USN&WR we bash every year on how rankings are done?

WantARoseBowlB4IDie;842270274 said:

---

The old adage "it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to talk and remove all doubt" seems to fit you to a "T". Penn State is neither in Western nor Eastern PA. It is darn close to smack dab in the middle... and PSU grads work all over the world, even California. They don't just stay where they go to school... what's wrong with you?

I'm still damned proud of being a Cal alum, but don't disparage Penn State alums because of one sick bastard. You embarrass yourself.

---

So, all 9,000 people they graduate every year don't live in the middle of pennsylvania? BREAKING NEWS!!!

Penn St. is an okay school who's AD covered up and allowed the molestation of young boys to be covered up for years.

Must we always disparage our own university and football program and never judge others?

Well...they do publish an Alumni distribution map...I was curious and it seems they, like Cal are concentrated in their own state, however, pretty good representation outside the state as well.
http://alumni.psu.edu/about_us/Alumni%20Maps%202013.pdf

SonOfCalVa;842270268 said:

---

There are two (2) if Downs chooses RB and I hope he does as his film is Lynch-like.
Self-pity for you would be appropriate.
Back here on the east coast, a Pedo State U degree is very meh, except in western Pennsylvania, perhaps.

---

... who's knee was shredded. We saw how that worked out with Bye Bye Bigelow.

I'm also on the East Coast, you cretin. And Virginia is in the south, home of the mouth breathers and cousins who marry. How would YOU know that a Penn State degree is meh? Do you hire alums? You're a sad little punk; your classless reference to paint everyone associated with the University with the Sandusky broad brush shows just how miniscule a person you are. Go back to your still and drink your sorrows away, you dumbass.

This isn't THAT much about school. It is about the coach. Look at the picture from instagram and than find me something that shows Sonny that comfortable with a recruit.

but hey, he could never beat an upper SEC tier team and Cal couldn't have afforded him so Sonny is OK

WantARoseBowlB4IDie;842270285 said:

---

... who's knee was shredded. We saw how that worked out with Bye Bye Bigelow.

I'm also on the East Coast, you cretin. And Virginia is in the south, home of the mouth breathers and cousins who marry. How would YOU know that a Penn State degree is meh? Do you hire alums? You're a sad little punk; your classless reference to paint everyone associated with the University with the Sandusky broad brush shows just how miniscule a person you are. Go back to your still and drink your sorrows away, you dumbass.

---

:woohoo

:rollinglaugh:

socaltownie;842270290 said:

---

This isn't THAT much about school. It is about the coach. Look at the picture from instagram and than find me something that shows Sonny that comfortable with a recruit.

but hey, he could never beat an upper SEC tier team and Cal couldn't have afforded him so Sonny is OK

---

We know from The Drive that Sonny isn't that comfortable making a homemade pizza either. What a wasted PR opportunity The Drive was.

Regarding Koa's instagram picture... he and Franklin look like twins. There's a thing in sales called "mirroring". With Franklin's look and throwing up the one finger, it's pretty clear that Koa's choosing the school for the coach. Which is fine. But perhaps we should try recruiting more guys from the south/Texas?

CALiforniALUM;842270247 said:

---

Whoa partner, who said anybody disagreed with the content of his post. I just think after the billionth time saying the same thing you would at least satisfy the need to express your opinion. Check his posting history and you will see. After the billionth time, you have to start to question what a poster's intentions are or what wrong with them to not say anything constructive. Let's face it, we just hired this coaching staff so let's stick with it until change is able to happen. I certainly don't have the jing to afford to get rid of them, so let's not hope for their failure just to be right or to hasten the process. I think it will be pretty obvious to many on this web site if after the next year or two whether keeping this staff around is worth it.

---

Thanks for reading Californialum.

Unfortunately the only "agenda" I have is to use a public message board to discuss my perspectives on CAL football with other fans of CAL football. Why? Because I care. Whether it be positive or negative is none of my concern. Nothing more scandalous than that.