http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Michael-Williams-to-serve-as-Cal-interim-AD-5584594.php

Ex Cal wrestler, Cal 1982, UCLA MBA, vice chair of UC Berkeley Foundation.

And, yes, this is interim...

ColoradoBear1;842328660 said:

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http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Michael-Williams-to-serve-as-Cal-interim-AD-5584594.php

Ex Cal wrestler, Cal 1982, UCLA MBA, vice chair of UC Berkeley Foundation.

And, yes, this is interim...

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Let me be the first to say...

[SIZE="6"]FIRE MICHAEL WILLIAMS[/SIZE]:rant

(kidding)

So which one of our Bearinsider mystery posters - is Michael Williams...??

beggared;842328665 said:

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let me be the first to say...

[size="6"]fire michael williams[/size]:rant

(kidding)

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lol

Anybody know anything about Cal wrestling? It appears it was terminated in the 80s?

Well it's a widely accepted fact the greatest Cal class was 1982 so he's got that going for him.

UC Berkeley Foundation ... a staggering list of trustees and ex-officio trustees.
https://foundation.berkeley.edu/board

BeggarEd;842328665 said:

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Let me be the first to say...

[SIZE="6"]FIRE MICHAEL WILLIAMS[/SIZE]:rant

(kidding)

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Mr. Williams. You have been on the job 3 minutes. Sonny Dykes is still on the payroll. That is 2 minutes and 59 seconds longer than is acceptable. I'm willing to be flexible and give you 5 more minutes. Get your coffee. Look up Dykes extension on the internal phone system. Then get to it.

(and yes i'm kidding. Sort of. No really. I'm kidding. That's 1 minute gone Williams! - 4 minutes left! Ha! Ha! got you! just kidding. Or AM I?"

Maybe he can put rich donors in a half nelson until they pony up some major $$.

Info about him from the other thread:

I tried to find out more about Michael Williams.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/h-michael-williams/1a/310/301

Along with having a strong background in finance and business, he was also a part of the Chancellor's Task Force on Athletics and Academics since January.

http://www.dailycal.org/2014/01/21/academics-athletics-task-force-discusses-challenges-student-athletes-inaugural-meeting/

Quote:

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The formation of the Task Force on Academics and Athletics made up of faculty members, current and former student-athletes, coaches and nonathlete students was announced by Athletic Director Sandy Barbour in November after the NCAA report that revealed nationally low graduation rates for UC Berkeley's football and men's basketball programs.

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I know he's just interim but this points in the direction that academics might've been a big factor.

Also, one way to read the improvement in APR was that it was the result of the task force:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/bay-area-news/ci_25702184/cals-academic-performance-football-improves

Quote:

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Credit for the improved 2012-13 football mark is shared by former coach Jeff Tedford, who was fired after the 2012 season, and coach Sonny Dykes, who took over before the 2013 spring semester.

The Chancellor's Task Force for Athletics and Academics has worked since last fall to review the situation and provide suggestions. The task force will submit its report to Chancellor Nicholas Dirks late next month.

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A finance guy makes sense, because at the end of the day.the athletic department is cruising for a bruising if the football revenue isn't improved (vis a vis the stadium refinance).

okaydo;842328672 said:

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Bring a shotty and Bow Tie to all your important meetings

freshfunk;842328749 said:

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I know he's just interim but this points in the direction that academics might've been a big factor.

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Impossible! Last week everyone said academics played no factor in Tedford's dismissal, so why would they have an impact on Sandy? This is just about wins and losses right?

Unit2Sucks;842328768 said:

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Impossible! Last week everyone said academics played no factor in Tedford's dismissal, so why would they have an impact on Sandy? This is just about wins and losses right?

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This is about $.

NYCGOBEARS;842328770 said:

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This is about $.

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I think it's about everything. Wins and losses on the field, in our books and in the classroom. We need to do better everywhere.

NYCGOBEARS;842328770 said:

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This is about $.

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yup.

82gradDLSdad;842328681 said:

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Well it's a widely accepted fact the greatest Cal class was 1982 so he's got that going for him.

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Yes, indeed, and the greatest of the class of 1982 were economics majors, so he's really got it going for him.

82gradDLSdad;842328681 said:

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Well it's a widely accepted fact the greatest Cal class was 1982 so he's got that going for him.

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He lived on the 3rd floor of Ida Sproul in Unit III my freshman year in 1979.
He was on our softball team called the "Fudgepackers".
We took great pride in ripping thru the Greeks.
:p

OaktownBear;842328684 said:

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Mr. Williams. You have been on the job 3 minutes. Sonny Dykes is still on the payroll. That is 2 minutes and 59 seconds longer than is acceptable. I'm willing to be flexible and give you 5 more minutes. Get your coffee. Look up Dykes extension on the internal phone system. Then get to it.

(and yes i'm kidding. Sort of. No really. I'm kidding. That's 1 minute gone Williams! - 4 minutes left! Ha! Ha! got you! just kidding. Or AM I?"

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What is even worse Cal hasn't won a single Div. 1 game under Williams' tenure as AD. In either FB or BB.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/h-michael-williams/1a/310/301

Haven't seen him since 2000 when he was a T-bill trader for the Capital Markets group at Barclay's when I had an interview at Barclays Global with Cal alum, Minder Cheng who later became the Chief Investment Officer at Barclay's Global (Blackrock).

Being a Cal alum, Cheng gave me a gracious "courtesy" interview .... but was embarrassed to admit how poorly Barclay's paid, saying that the majority of the people in the Capital Markets group lived outside of the City, so I withdrew my interest in becoming an index futures trader there.

Mike's a good guy.
Pretty level headed. Bleeds Blue & Gold.
Is as academically inclined as athletically inclined.
He obviously commands a vast financial background.


:gobears:

Helluva resume.
His ties with Cal academia as well as athletics is superb, especially with regards to money.

Mike is a very talented guy who retired from the business world early and has devoted himself to Cal. Those who note that his main expertise is financial are correct, and this is the area in the AD that most needs addressing. He is not going to be the permanent AD, but should be able to address some issues while he's in the position.

Oh, FWIW, Mike is African American, which will undoubtedly **** off MugsVanSant and all of his aliases...

Promote Michael Williams. Take off the interim tag. Calling it first.

SonOfCalVa;842328683 said:

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UC Berkeley Foundation ... a staggering list of trustees and ex-officio trustees.
https://foundation.berkeley.edu/board

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Naturally! It's Cal, so it has to be bloated with bureauracy.

SoCalBear323;842328812 said:

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Promote Michael Williams. Take off the interim tag. Calling it first.

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I don't see him as a guy with the knowledge and sports connections to be permanent AD.

That said, does it really make sense to put both the athletic and financial duties in a single person? Maybe it makes sense to have an Athletic Director and an "Athletic Finance Officer," both reporting to Wilton. Michael Williams would probably be great as an AFO, alongside a pure athletic director.

CalAlumnus13;842328823 said:

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I don't see him as a guy with the knowledge and sports connections to be permanent AD.

That said, does it really make sense to put both the athletic and financial duties in a single person? Maybe it makes sense to have an Athletic Director and an "Athletic Finance Officer," both reporting to Wilton. Michael Williams would probably be great as an AFO, alongside a pure athletic director.

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Bingo!

Wags;842328854 said:

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Bingo!

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I never trust a guy who parts his name on the side! :p

UrsaMajor;842328799 said:

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Mike is a very talented guy who retired from the business world early and has devoted himself to Cal. Those who note that his main expertise is financial are correct, and this is the area in the AD that most needs addressing. He is not going to be the permanent AD, but should be able to address some issues while he's in the position.

Oh, FWIW, Mike is African American, which will undoubtedly **** off MugsVanSant and all of his aliases...

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But does he wear pant suits?

Cal8285;842328778 said:

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Yes, indeed, and the greatest of the class of 1982 were economics majors, so he's really got it going for him.

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that Cal Econ majors from that time period are the greatest of all...

SoCalBear323;842328812 said:

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Promote Michael Williams. Take off the interim tag. Calling it first.

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First, he is not a candidate by his own admission, so there is that.

Second, his background is exclusively in finance. Think of the AD as someone who runs a $90 million years company that needs to know the business (sports, media, donors, etc.), needs to be able to manage the staff including coaches, needs to know enough about fund accounting and finance (Williams gets an A in this), needs to be able to make decisions (Williams clearly does this already) and need to understand trends in the college sports world (which means being tied into the right people). I'm not sure how Williams fits on these other criteria

I know what you say next - USC took a professional guy and turned him into an AD. Pat Hayden may have been a lawyer/business guy, but at some point he left that behind as was deeply involved in day to day AD decisions at SC for years, even while Garrett technically was the AD. It would not be fair to put Williams in the position of having to learn all this and have him take what would be huge pay cut. Hayden was in a different position professionally when he took over.

wifeisafurd;842328993 said:

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that Cal Econ majors from that time period are the greatest of all...

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Damn, I was really close to majoring in Econ. One little thing held me back...grades. How was I to know that I was trying to apply for an Econ major during its heyday.

he knows more about cal football then sandy.

calgo430;842329120 said:

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he knows more about cal football then sandy.

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That doesn't say much.

Instant Respect. I myself am a retired college wrestler. Very honorable and have integrity. I hope even tho he states dosnt want this position for long term ( which I really feel was a bad move on his part, shouldn't voice those thoughts) i want to stay positive in that he will make good decisions or the school and the team.