Honestly not sure how I feel about this... There were quite a few positives during her tenure among the negatives... I just hope we don't take a step back with the next AD...

bearball;842328375 said:

---

Russell White!

---

No, Jack Clark.

run2win;842328380 said:

---

No, Jack Clark.

---

He was a former student athlete.

bearball;842328375 said:

---

russell white!

---

to$h!

Well this explains why it appeared that Martin was basically hired by someone above/besides Sandy. If the AD isn't going to have the final say in coaching hires her/his days are numbered. And Sonny, well he's probably gone. I just can't see us improving enough this season to impress a new AD. Change is interesting if not always good. And since we haven't won a bunch in the major sports I like interesting.

beeasyed;842328337 said:

---

I hope so. and I hope we can find someone much better to replace her.

huge opportunity for Cal here..

---

+1000. Barbour's departure would be the best thing to happen to Cal athletics in decades.

Golden One;842328384 said:

---

+1000. Barbour's departure would be the best thing to happen to Cal athletics in decades.

---

Only if we upgrade.

My money is on Mark Stephens. Former footballer and former assistant AD under Gladstone.

run2win;842328380 said:

---

No, Jack Clark.

---

that is what I was thinking.

I think we need to find an AD that knows how to find, retain and pay football coaches without it costing Cal a fortune. I don't think SB has a very good track record there.

However, I wish we could have done that via an assistant AD rather than a replacement. SB was pretty good for Cal athletics otherwise.

OaktownBear;842328388 said:

---

that is what I was thinking.

---

New challenge and he goes out on top. Hell, he was just inducted into the HOF. Timing is right.

GB54;842328377 said:

---

Sandy will be managing Buh as part of her new assignment in sports management

---

That would be a classic case of the blind leading the blind.

I'm curious to see how this news effects Sonny Dykes future. Anything short of a dramatic turnaround this year, is he gone?

WoodlandBear;842328387 said:

---

My money is on Mark Stephens. Former footballer and former assistant AD under Gladstone.

---

Would be a great hire

82gradDLSdad;842328383 said:

---

Well this explains why it appeared that Martin was basically hired by someone above/besides Sandy. If the AD isn't going to have the final say in coaching hires her/his days are numbered. And Sonny, well he's probably gone. I just can't see us improving enough this season to impress a new AD. Change is interesting if not always good. And since we haven't won a bunch in the major sports I like interesting.

---

I would still be a Dykes fan if he wasn't married to Franklin. IMHO Franklin should have been fired after last year just like Buh. I don't think he was demonstrably better when you consider that his unit was considerably better. It was our talented WR core that gave Cal it's offense. And Franklin's other business interests are a real turn-off to say the least, even if it somehow helps recruiting.

If losing Sonny means we have a new offensive scheme then I'm all for it. I love the passing game but I don't like the kind of gimmick scheme we have. We would have a 5 star running back right now with a different offensive scheme. Instead he is in Oklahoma. That could be true with Brady White as well.

heartofthebear;842328396 said:

---

I would still be a Dykes fan if he wasn't married to Franklin. IMHO Franklin should have been fired after last year just like Buh. I don't think he was demonstrably better when you consider that his unit was considerably better. It was our talented WR core that gave Cal it's offense. And Franklin's other business interests are a real turn-off to say the least, even if it somehow helps recruiting.

If losing Sonny means we have a new offensive scheme then I'm all for it. I love the passing game but I don't like the kind of gimmick scheme we have.

---

Dykes will live or die with Franklin.

beelzebear;842328373 said:

---

Yeah mixed emotions. I like SB and what she got done, especially when you consider how difficult it is to get anything done at Cal...but it's business, BIG business now.



Yeah I'm not saying the move wasn't needed or wise. Maybe Dirks has a real vision and some people in mind. Still, until we know who the next AD is, can't say it will be an upgrade or improvement. Maybe we will get someone better. If rumors are right, Dirks wanted Martin. I'm just saying before everyone jumps for joy...consider the unknown at this time.

---

Guys, honestly, I'm not sure what you are worried about. I appreciate the hard work Sandy put in, but the bottom line is the athletic department is a disaster right now. Certainly it may not be all her fault, but she is on top and drastic change was needed.

The stadium funding was a cluster.

In her tenure a 10 win football coach became a three win coach

Our football team went from high grad rates to lowest in America

We narrowly missed academic sanctions.

Our fans have become bored with our basketball program and it appears that Sandy was about to make the most boring hire possible rather than take a shot at something exciting.

Our fans are beyond apathetic with our football program and her hire, well let's just say hasn't panned out yet.

I'm not saying that all of that is her fault, but it is what the current state is. It really can't get much worse. Sometimes you need to change the quarterback just to get the team going.

Also have to say, this is the first time a Chancellor has been this serious about getting something done with the athletic department. That is good news. We'll see if he has the skill to change things positively, but you have to have the will before that matters.

I'd also say that Sonny better not think he has a free pass to year 3 to start winning.

Quite the off season so far.

The new AD hire is going to be interesting, especially when you look at the past ADs. In backwards order:

Gladstone: hired Tedford...flaked on everything else, like actually running the department
Kasser: he did get Haas built but the $$$ was pledged, hired and kept Holmoe
Bockrath: fired Campie...screwed everything else
Maggard: Old Blue and ran the program old school...didn't want to deal with Title IX

In this context SB doesn't look so bad really. She got CMS/SAHPC built, hired Monty, hired Gottlieb, retained Tedford (on instruction to keep CMS going), Olympic sports doing well. The downside: the dropping 4 sport debacle and SD and Co contracts. At least progress was made.

liverflukes;842328409 said:

---

Quite the off season so far.

---

We may have additional reason to celebrate next week.

heartofthebear;842328396 said:

---

I would still be a Dykes fan if he wasn't married to Franklin. IMHO Franklin should have been fired after last year just like Buh. I don't think he was demonstrably better when you consider that his unit was considerably better. It was our talented WR core that gave Cal it's offense. And Franklin's other business interests are a real turn-off to say the least, even if it somehow helps recruiting.

If losing Sonny means we have a new offensive scheme then I'm all for it. I love the passing game but I don't like the kind of gimmick scheme we have. We would have a 5 star running back right now with a different offensive scheme. Instead he is in Oklahoma. That could be true with Brady White as well.

---

Honestly, hotB, I think you are misguided on this opinion. I think you just personally like Dykes. Which is fine, but it ain't personal. It's business. This is the offense that Dykes runs. He'd be running it with or without Franklin. And, honestly, Franklin's track record as an offensive coordinator is superior to Sonny's.

I don't like it either, but this is like saying I would like Tedford if he'd just run the triple option.

soefeil;842328335 said:

---

Is this for real?? Sorry I'm on my iPhone and don't know how to link. Also sorry if this is a site I'm not supposed to link to. Let me know and I'll edit it.

BREAKING RUMOR: Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour To Purportedly Step Down From Department http://t.co/orL6WCFfsA

---

This is in line with the rumor that Cuanzo was not Sandy's first choice. It's clear Dirks has some strong opinions about how the AD should be run and is going to be assertive. It'll be interesting. I liked Sandy but also like the idea of a chancellor showing a strong interest in athletics. Hoping for good things. Go Bears!

Heat is on for Dykes. Gonna have to impress! Dirks/Wilton not playing around.

SB had a mixed track record (but actually vs some of our previous AD not bad at all) but in the end just didn't run the revenue sports all that well and that is in the end a deal breaker. New blood coming

Interesting.

Just heard Sandy talk 3 days ago. She drove all the way up to the Lair of the Bear.

Not a hint of any of this.

This really could go either way. Would anyone be surprised if Dirks guts the athletic department and decides we need to get to $0 subsidy at the expense of a number of non-revenue sports? I don't know why everyone assumes we Dirks is going to make a big-time commitment to athletic excellence. I'm hoping this is good news, but we really don't know anything yet.

Unit2Sucks;842328420 said:

---

This really could go either way. Would anyone be surprised if Dirks guts the athletic department and decides we need to get to $0 subsidy at the expense of a number of non-revenue sports? I don't know why everyone assumes we Dirks is going to make a big-time commitment to athletic excellence. I'm hoping this is good news, but we really don't know anything yet.

---

One short easy answer. CMS. The debt isn't going to disappear on its own.

Unit2Sucks;842328420 said:

---

This really could go either way. Would anyone be surprised if Dirks guts the athletic department and decides we need to get to $0 subsidy at the expense of a number of non-revenue sports? I don't know why everyone assumes we Dirks is going to make a big-time commitment to athletic excellence. I'm hoping this is good news, but we really don't know anything yet.

---

then why be so involved in the hiring process of Cuonzo Martin? Cuonzo is clearly a more expensive option than Travis Decuire. We probably could have paid Travis half of whatever Cuonzo makes. Cuonzo also seems to have a decent budget because he hired Hufnagel away after Hufnagel had one year on the job and was already associate head coach at Vandy. That had to have been a raise from what Hufnagel was making as well.

NYCGOBEARS;842328385 said:

---

Only if we upgrade.

---

Would be very hard not to.

Golden One;842328426 said:

---

Would be very hard not to.

---

This is Cal.

beelzebear;842328410 said:

---

The new AD hire is going to be interesting, especially when you look at the past ADs. In backwards order:

Gladstone: hired Tedford...flaked on everything else, like actually running the department

---

Wow. Didn't even know that. Very interesting...

BeachyBear;842328413 said:

---

This is in line with the rumor that Cuanzo was not Sandy's first choice. It's clear Dirks has some strong opinions about how the AD should be run and is going to be assertive. It'll be interesting. I liked Sandy but also like the idea of a chancellor showing a strong interest in athletics. Hoping for good things. Go Bears!

---

Still, it was weird that he'd be the one picking the new basketball coach. If that was the case, why not fire her three months ago? (I guess I'm now leaning to that -- him picking Cuonzo -- actually happening.)

okaydo;842328428 said:

---

Wow. Didn't even know that. Very interesting...




Still, it was weird that he'd be the one picking the new basketball coach. If that was the case, why not fire her three months ago? (I guess I'm now leaning to that -- him picking Cuonzo -- actually happening.)

---

my guess would be that you want to have the appearance of stability in management when making the hire. id say the chances of someone like cuonzo turning us down goes up if the hire is being made by an interim AD.

gobears725;842328429 said:

---

my guess would be that you want to have the appearance of stability in management when making the hire. id say the chances of someone like cuonzo turning us down goes up if the hire is being made by an interim AD.

---

This has been in the works for awhile I believe. No way with the stakes involved here that this decision was just made.

Unit2Sucks;842328420 said:

---

Would anyone be surprised if Dirks decides we need to get to $0 subsidy at the expense of a number of non-revenue sports?

---

No, I would be surprised, and, frankly, I wouldn't be upset by it.

Unit2Sucks;842328420 said:

---

This really could go either way. Would anyone be surprised if Dirks guts the athletic department and decides we need to get to $0 subsidy at the expense of a number of non-revenue sports? I don't know why everyone assumes we Dirks is going to make a big-time commitment to athletic excellence. I'm hoping this is good news, but we really don't know anything yet.

---

I'd be surprised. I'm going to link a transcript of an interview Dirks did when he was first hired that gave me a lot of hope.

https://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/11/27/transcript-of-video-conversation-with-nicholas-dirks/

And the relevant part is:
"We believe at Columbia, and I'm sure that I will join many colleagues who will believe with me at the University of California, Berkeley, that if you're going to do something you do it well. And if you do something at an excellent university that has the kind of distinction that Berkeley has in areas ranging from science to law, that you also aspire to excellence in your athletic programs.

That is not to say, that you do things that would in any way compromise the academic integrity of the programs, or for that matter, put athletics above academics. But I look forward to joining my new colleagues and alumni, and students with as much enthusiasm as I can muster in supporting the teams at Berkeley, and in helping to support the general program in athletics as well."

Also, he seems a little too involved to want to gut our athletics. I didn't pay much attention to the Martin hiring but I'm excited about it. I now see that he wasn't Barbour's choice, unlike Dykes.

I was resigned to the idea that Dykes would have a minimum of 3 years to show improvement regardless of how year 2 turned out but I always assumed Barbour would be around this year. I think Dykes will be auditioning for his job this year for the new AD.

I'm pretty excited about it though. While Barbour has done some good things, I think we need a change and some new leadership.

beelzebear;842328410 said:

---

The new AD hire is going to be interesting, especially when you look at the past ADs. In backwards order:

Gladstone: hired Tedford...flaked on everything else, like actually running the department
Kasser: he did get Haas built but the $$$ was pledged, hired and kept Holmoe
Bockrath: fired Campie...screwed everything else
Maggard: Old Blue and ran the program old school...didn't want to deal with Title IX

In this context SB doesn't look so bad really. She got CMS/SAHPC built, hired Monty, hired Gottlieb, retained Tedford (on instruction to keep CMS going), Olympic sports doing well. The downside: the dropping 4 sport debacle and SD and Co contracts. At least progress was made.

---

Some of us think there was a lot more downside than that. I like Sandy as a person and I like the effort she put in. I was a huge fan for a lot of years. But I woke up one day and found that I had a football program that I no longer enjoyed, and I don't mean wins and losses. I always enjoyed Cal football even when we lost. Honestly, when I look back, I enjoyed the Holmoe era more than the late Tedford era.

She came in and ran the football program like a business. I thought that was good. Unfortunately she ran it like a cheap, minor league, nickle and diming business and it showed. I accepted that Cal could not continue with its quaint Cal ways, but I didn't expect to trade it for an Arena Football league franchise.

Hopefully we will have a professionally run department that will also understand the value of tradition. Actually, a professionally run department WOULD understand the value of tradition.