PTBear;842553821 said:

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I mostly agree with this. College isn't just about taking classes; this is a great opportunity for the students to travel and go abroad. Team building is just a bonus.
Travelling across the world on a plane and complaining about jet lag? seriously? I was lucky and got to take trips during winter break in college and flew back the day before. Yeah..i was tired at the start of class...but I got to travel abroad!

If the kids WANT to do this, I say we ok it. They can have set study times while abroad to keep up with their class work.

Arguing that hawaii will have home field advantage? Have you seen how shitty of a team they are recently? And neither team will have significant home field. Australians are more likely to just complain about how we don't know how to tackle properly than they are to cheer for any of us.

and honestly, i just want to be selfish and go see our Bears play in Australia myself.

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Uh, the home field advantage thing was a joke. Hawaii is about as far away from Australia as Berkeley is from London. :headbang

jaccpot10;842553777 said:

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Well, it also sounds like a pretty damn fun and life-changing experience for many or most of our football players. Also, it's a nice diversion for Cal fans who decide to make the trip out to Australia, too.

I don't think the summer trip to Australia hurt our men's basketball team.

All that stuff about jet lag? These are 18 - 21 year olds. They bounce back from that in a jiffy. People on this board need to remember what it was like to be young and healthy and invincible, lol.

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A trip to Australia is not life-changing.

correct, it may be a "life experience" as in once-in-a-lifetime but not a "life-changing" experience.

grandmastapoop;842553845 said:

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A trip to Australia is not life-changing.

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Still think this is somewhat hypocritical and would have had no problem with a school on a quarter system doing it.

But.... Fall Instruction starts Wednesday August 24th, 2016. Game would be on August 27th? I would assume there would be some sightseeing/team activities beforehand (maybe a weeks worth), so the team would really be on Australia time and need a few days to get back on Pacific time after coming home.

So if it's a money grab, I honestly have issues with Cal and the athletic department claiming they really do look after the kids' academic interests, unless there are other mitigating factors.

And here is one possible mitigating factor that would make it possibly OK:

A Saturday noon kickoff in Sydney would be a 7pm Pacific kickoff on FRIDAY for the USA TV market. That is a weekday game. P12 require 1 weekday game every so often. If this counts as our weekday game, and we don't have to have the players miss class for a weekday game later on in 2016, it's not quite as bad. Still not perfect, but missing class near the beginning of the semester is IMO far less impactful as later on when school is in full swing.

ColoradoBear1;842553849 said:

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Still think this is somewhat hypocritical and would have had no problem with a school on a quarter system doing it.

But.... Fall Instruction starts Wednesday August 24th, 2016. Game would be on August 27th? I would assume there would be some sightseeing/team activities beforehand (maybe a weeks worth), so the team would really be on Australia time and need a few days to get back on Pacific time after coming home.

So if it's a money grab, I honestly have issues with Cal and the athletic department claiming they really do look after the kids' academic interests, unless there are other mitigating factors.

And here is one possible mitigating factor that would make it possibly OK:

A Saturday noon kickoff in Sydney would be a 7pm Pacific kickoff on FRIDAY for the USA TV market. That is a weekday game. P12 require 1 weekday game every so often. If this counts as our weekday game, and we don't have to have the players miss class for a weekday game later on in 2016, it's not quite as bad. Still not perfect, but missing class near the beginning of the semester is IMO far less impactful as later on when school is in full swing.

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If it is a money grab AND the players and coaches don't want to do it, then I'd have a problem. But, I just don't see the academic issue being the huge hurdle it is being made out to be. They fly home on the 28th and with the time change they'll get back on the 28th. Let's say they can't go to school on the 29th. They've missed 4 days, much of which is just introducing the class. They can get their homework ahead of time and work on it on the plane. They do not need to miss multiple days to get over jet lag. Every vacation I take, no matter where in the world, I go to work the day after I get back. No, you aren't at your peak, but you certainly can go to class.

If my kid had the opportunity to do a trip like this and the cost was missing 4 days of school at the beginning of the semester, I'd recommend they go.

OaktownBear;842553859 said:

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If my kid had the opportunity to do a trip like this and the cost was missing 4 days of school at the beginning of the semester, I'd recommend they go.

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The problem I would have is that it's not just 4 days... it's 4 extra days. They will miss class for other road games too. But again, if this counts as a weekday game under P12 rules, it seems to reduce the total impact.

People say the same thing about a 13th game or an extra week/round in the playoffs. it's just one week... etc. I think the season is probably too involved as it is now and is that way for money. So basically any expansion of time taken away from classes is not in the interest of the student athlete. At least football doesn't spill over into the spring semester, so the players can time classes to have hard ones in teh spring, and the easy ones in the fall (with a lighter class load too).

grandmastapoop;842553845 said:

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A trip to Australia is not life-changing.

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For kids who have never stepped foot outside of America, it sure can be.

by the same token, shouldn't you want to seek input from the stakeholders during the proposal stage before the deal is final? that is what I was asking. You seemed to suggest we don't need to consider players input because it is not final.

Eeyore;842553803 said:

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Nope, if you disagree, you voice them now to the AD before the deal is done.

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Good arguments on both sides: I have made the trip many times and the jet-lag thing isn't an issue. Aussies are crazy for American gridiron PLUS they are just amazing hosts. Ask our 2000 Sydney Olympic athletes about Australia! As an ex-player myself, ALL our road games were special - Unfortunately, when we played Hawaii, several players didn't fly back with us! Many of our football players have never left their hometowns. Years ago, I recall taking a Cal football recruit from Long Beach on a drive across the Bay Bridge, and he didn't know what to think and white knuckled the entire time...and Fisherman's Wharf might as well been outer space. This is a fantastic chance for our team to see and do things, meet people, and overcome typical travel challenges, as a TEAM. I think the plusses win this. And true, Aussies don't even touch Fosters Lager - it is truly "bloody ****" to them..

jaccpot10;842553884 said:

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For kids who have never stepped foot outside of America, it sure can be.

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Australia? No. It's a first world country, and they'd be in a big city. They might as well be going to Chicago.

BearBackerinLA;842553896 said:

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by the same token, shouldn't you want to seek input from the stakeholders during the proposal stage before the deal is final? that is what I was asking. You seemed to suggest we don't need to consider players input because it is not final.

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So by your logic, should we ask the players for their input to schedule more Thursday and Friday night games? I'm sure all the players would like to have more national TV exposure than not. I'm sure they can handle the time away from classes if they are playing more Thursday/Friday games.

I don't have any problems with money grab if it is indeed a money grab. It seems to me we are doing the Pac12's bidding here not ours, so the reward should be substantial.

Don't have a cow

Besides the flight, and time change, it's not like they are playing in the remote deserts in syria

ok sorry for my last post at you. let's just hear the pro's and con's of the trip and decide for ourselves.

Eeyore;842553913 said:

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So by your logic, should we ask the players for their input to schedule more Thursday and Friday night games? I'm sure all the players would like to have more national TV exposure than not. I'm sure they can handle the time away from classes if they are playing more Thursday/Friday games.

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grandmastapoop;842553908 said:

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Australia? No. It's a first world country, and they'd be in a big city. They might as well be going to Chicago.

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Chicago sucks like Mark Linn-Baker and Freemason Bronson Pinchot, and definitely worse than Sydney Simpson.

Looking forward to the game in Australia. I would go.

If we're scrapping the SDkS game for the Hawaii game in Australia, then there is a very limited impact on academics. They'd miss 3 days instead of 2 for a normal road trip, and those would be in wk1 where classes aren't as crucial (enrollment issues are settled online these days, no punchcards headaches ). Also if we could be allowed to start practicing earlier that's a bous, esp given that it would be before classes start and well after the end of summer school (Aug 12, 2016). It would also leave an extra week to practice for the trip to SDSU, with presumably more time for studies on bye week in early september.

Friday night in late august would be prime time viewership, first games of the season to a football-starved audience, and good weather in Australia (Sydney in August is comparable to March in San Diego or LA), in fact better football weather than in CA.

If Goff leaves, this could be a somewhat chllenging B+ to B- game depending on how good Hawaii will be.

By and large it's not that bad an idea, we should take it, I'm sure the team would be 100% behind it.

Another dumb idea from the Cal AD. Last year a "home" game at Levi's Stadium; next year a "home" game in Australia? Dumb, very dumb, and a slap in the face of all loyal Cal season ticket holders.

Golden One;842553942 said:

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Another dumb idea from the Cal AD. Last year a "home" game at Levi's Stadium; next year a "home" game in Australia? Dumb, very dumb, and a slap in the face of all loyal Cal season ticket holders.

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Speak for yourself.

NeverOddOrEven;842553947 said:

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Speak for yourself.

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That's exactly who I'm speaking for. Did you think I was attempting to speak for you?

Eeyore;842553437 said:

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Is Sandy still the AD?

This is going to be disastrous for the players and the team. If you have done any travel half way around the world, you know how long it takes for the body to readjust and recover. On top of that, these kids are in the middle of classes and they have to get back to practice.

Just shows u how desperate Cal is for money. I don't think Sonny wants this, and if he wins 8-9 games this year, I don't think he'll stick around.

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Yeah, this is the kind of dumb idea Sandy Barbour would dream up. I'm very disappointed that Mike Williams is entertaining this. It's a slap in the face to all loyal season ticket holders, the vast majority of whom won't go to Australia for a game and all of whom will lose a home game in Memorial. The fact that it clearly screws up the academic schedule of the players is another big negative.

SFBear2012;842553693 said:

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This idea is absolutely moronic. If anyone has any connections in the athletic dept they should voice their concerns to them.

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Completely agree. Only the Cal Athletic Department would entertain such a stupid idea.

Golden One;842553954 said:

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Completely agree. Only the Cal Athletic Department would entertain such a stupid idea.

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Why did Baylor back out of Australia? Don't they care about what their players want (life changing experience)? Why don't other schools like USC, UCLA or Stanford do this? Because they don't have money problem.

grandmastapoop;842553908 said:

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Australia? No. It's a first world country, and they'd be in a big city. They might as well be going to Chicago.

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But they drive on the wrong side of the road for chrissakes, in weird cars called "Holden," and the water goes down the drain in the opposite direction! It's like being on another planet. They seem to speak English, but if they don't want you to understand them, it will sound like gibberish. They have socialized medicine. And weird jumping animals with pouches. And camels, they got camels! Seems pretty exotic to me.

Golden One;842553950 said:

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That's exactly who I'm speaking for. Did you think I was attempting to speak for you?

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As a season ticket holder, if this gets that FCS game off the books, well... I'm not exactly upset.

Home opener would be versus Texas.

ColoradoBear1;842553982 said:

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As a season ticket holder, if this gets that FCS game off the books, well... I'm not exactly upset.

Home opener would be versus Texas.

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As an ESP seat holder, it looks like I would lose one home game next season. I don't like it.

Golden One;842554023 said:

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As an ESP seat holder, it looks like I would lose one home game next season. I don't like it.

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Good for you, speaking for yourself

Golden One;842554023 said:

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As an ESP seat holder, it looks like I would lose one home game next season. I don't like it.

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As a season ticket holder, I'm looking forward to going to Australia next year for the first time! Been all over North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, but I've never been to Australia or Africa. This will check off Australia. I like it!! 👍🏼😎🏆🏈

Golden One;842553942 said:

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Another dumb idea from the Cal AD. Last year a "home" game at Levi's Stadium; next year a "home" game in Australia? Dumb, very dumb, and a slap in the face of all loyal Cal season ticket holders.

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Call me "asleep at the switch". But is the Australia game to count as a home game. I thought it would be a home game for Hawaii.

I think the powerhouse FB programs don't want this type of trip because they value W-L record above all else and do not want to risk getting a loss on the trip and potentially the following game. I like to think our school values more than just the W-L record and can use the trip to offer our student athletes a life learning experience as well as a unique team building/bonding opportunity. The players who play at the powerhouse schools may not care about this learning experience since their focus is more about making it to the pros and not so much as a student athlete. But I would like to think our players would value such opportunity. Look no further than Jaylen and the BB team for testimonials on the trip. Didn't he say he would go back to Australia on his own in the future?

You guys are talking about money and exposure gained by going to Ausie... And will it be worth it.
But ask the question on the flip side:
How full is Memorial going to be if we host south Dakota state (if that's who we are giving up)?
That's a yawner....

This is a key point (how full Memorial would be for SD St.). Disappointed with turnout Saturday vs WSU. Cal students were terrible in showing up at all for a 4-0 team and a key game to getting towards a bowl game with a QB getting a ton of national media attention. What would the stadium look like on a holiday weekend when folks can instead travel someplace and we are hosting South Dakota St.? With a new QB taking over, why not seriously TRY to make work a fun trip to Australia work? How full would even the ESP seats be on Memorial Day weekend for SD St? Those folks can pretty much afford to go anywhere they want anytime they want. Unless we gave away the tickets for the single-game corners, I bet we would struggle to have attendance for that game of 35K and only 25K would actually be in the stadium.

As long as we don't punt...

Missed this debate round one. Last was in Australia for several months through the 2003 rugby world cup. Love the idea. In.

We lose south dakota state... who cares?