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Cal Makes Change In Men's Basketball Leadership - Fox Gone

March 9, 2023
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BERKELEY - Mark Fox, who has served as California's men's basketball head coach for the past four seasons, will not return next year, Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton announced Thursday.

Fox compiled a record of 38-87 with the Golden Bears, including a pair of wins over rival Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament and engineering a six-win improvement from the previous year in his first season as head coach.

Fox also guided the program through the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating some of the most disruptive restrictions in the country.

"I want to thank Mark for his unwavering commitment to our men's basketball program," Knowlton said. "He led the team through some challenging times, and always did so with the class and professionalism we have come to expect from him. Mark understood and embraced our University's mission and ideals, and was always an exemplary representative of our department. I wish him the best of luck in the future.

"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly. After deliberately and holistically evaluating all aspects of our program, I felt a change was needed at this time. We will always be guided by the best interests of our student-athletes, as well as the values of our University."

The Bears excelled academically during Fox's tenure, twice earning the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award while also producing four NABC Honors Court selections.

Fox also helped fund an internship through the McLendon Minority Leadership initiative, which provides opportunities for approximately 30 young minorities per year within college athletic departments across the country.

The University will begin a national search immediately to find its new head coach.

 

Discussion from...

Cal Makes Change In Men's Basketball Leadership - Fox Gone

15,564 Views | 50 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by CaliforniaEternal
parentswerebears
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12:24p, 3/9/23
Wow. You can spin anything to sound positive. The WORST coach in Cal history and they still found a way to make his tenure a positive.
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BeachedBear
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In reply to parentswerebears • 12:28p, 3/9/23
parentswerebears said:
Wow. You can spin anything to sound positive. The WORST coach in Cal history and they still found a way to make his tenure a positive.
That sure looked a LOT like the ChatGPT post from yesterday!!!
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Bobodeluxe
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12:29p, 3/9/23
Welcome back, Wyking!
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bluehenbear
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12:33p, 3/9/23
Could the headline be any more anodyne? Cal fired its (objectively terrible) basketball coach. Say so!
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wraptor347
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12:33p, 3/9/23
"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly"

Was it really that difficult JK?
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PtownBear1
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In reply to wraptor347 • 12:36p, 3/9/23
wraptor347 said:
"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly"

Was it really that difficult JK?
Tying his shoes is probably difficult for that guy. Many thanks to those that forced him to finally do his job, albeit 1-2 years late.
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calumnus
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In reply to BeachedBear • 12:36p, 3/9/23
BeachedBear said:
parentswerebears said:
Wow. You can spin anything to sound positive. The WORST coach in Cal history and they still found a way to make his tenure a positive.
That sure looked a LOT like the ChatGPT post from yesterday!!!


Right? Now we know how to save $millions in the AD.
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calumnus
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12:38p, 3/9/23
So who had March 9 in the pool?
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eastcoastcal
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In reply to calumnus • 12:42p, 3/9/23
calumnus said:
So who had March 9 in the pool?
me!!! only 11 minutes off! I think as a reward I should get to be AD for the day

https://bearinsider.com/forums/3/topics/113675/replies/2140597
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Polodad
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12:42p, 3/9/23
In another thread I posted 'not before March 5 and not after March 9. I got the window right.
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SFCALBear72
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12:51p, 3/9/23
Of course, March 9.

Big Give! Big Heave-Ho!!
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stu
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12:54p, 3/9/23
I waffled between March 9, 10, and 13. No credit.
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JimSox
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1:02p, 3/9/23
He "deliberately" evaluated the program? Meaning he didn't evaluate it by accident? Maybe ChatGPT could have done better.
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bearister
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1:11p, 3/9/23
"Fox also helped fund an internship through the McLendon Minority Leadership initiative, which provides opportunities for approximately 30 young minorities per year within college athletic departments across the country."

Well, at least I credit him for that. Ben Braun made a substantial donation to Cal when he was the coach. I'm sure most coaches don't.

College basketball: Cal men's hoops fires Mark Fox


https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/03/09/cal-fires-mark-fox-after-four-years-as-mens-hoops-head-coach
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
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Big C
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1:14p, 3/9/23

Let's move forward. Go Bears!
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bearister
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In reply to Big C • 1:20p, 3/9/23
Big C said:

Let's move forward. Go Bears!


As a guy that loves stats, a burning question for me is, how long will the 16 consecutive losses school record last?

I figured Wyking's record would last at least as long as Bob Beamon's long jump record (23 years), and maybe go unbroken, but the Foxorama tied it after just 4 years.



*You really do have to respect the -16 in a row. Not everyone can do that. I'm thinking if they let me coach a season, I might not even be able to attain it.
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
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JimSox
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1:26p, 3/9/23
Steve Kroner's article on the Chronicle website names Shantay Legans as well as Pasternack and Miles as possible candidates.
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Cal8285
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In reply to PtownBear1 • 1:28p, 3/9/23
PtownBear1 said:
wraptor347 said:
"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly"

Was it really that difficult JK?
Tying his shoes is probably difficult for that guy. Many thanks to those that forced him to finally do his job, albeit 1-2 years late.
He hasn't done his job yet.

Sure, Knowlton fired Wyking four years ago, which he needed to do, but he still didn't do his job, because all he did was hire Fox, a guy who had nine years to prove what he could do at the power conference level, and ended up proving that AT BEST he could be mediocre in a power conference. Fox also proved in the hiring process that he was Knowlton's kind of guy. But never proved that he was a guy to recruit or coach players in the year 2019.

I'm still waiting for Knowlton to do his job.
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Bobodeluxe
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In reply to Cal8285 • 1:33p, 3/9/23
Cal8285 said:
PtownBear1 said:
wraptor347 said:
"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly"

Was it really that difficult JK?
Tying his shoes is probably difficult for that guy. Many thanks to those that forced him to finally do his job, albeit 1-2 years late.
He hasn't done his job yet.

Sure, Knowlton fired Wyking four years ago, which he needed to do, but he still didn't do his job, because all he did was hire Fox, a guy who had nine years to prove what he could do at the power conference level, and ended up proving that AT BEST he could be mediocre in a power conference. Fox also proved in the hiring process that he was Knowlton's kind of guy. But never proved that he was a guy to recruit or coach players in the year 2019.

I'm still waiting for Knowlton to do his job.
He kept Wilcox out of Oregon's hands(wings?).
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bearister
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1:36p, 3/9/23
Cal fires men's basketball head coach Mark Fox after 3-29 season


https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-fires-men-s-basketball-head-coach-mark-fox-17828596.php


"After deliberately and holistically evaluating all aspects of our program…"

I'd fire JK for using the word "holistically" in that quote on general principle.

Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
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stu
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In reply to bearister • 1:43p, 3/9/23
bearister said:
"After deliberately and holistically evaluating all aspects of our program…"

I'd fire JK for using the word "holistically" in that quote on general principle.
I'd expected something like "modality". Did he also fire ChatGPT?
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BigDaddy
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1:58p, 3/9/23
3-29 and it was a "difficult decision"?!

“My tastes are simple; I am easily satisfied with the best.” - Winston Churchill
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Bobodeluxe
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In reply to BigDaddy • 2:22p, 3/9/23
BigDaddy said:
3-29 and it was a "difficult decision"?!

There were several close losses.
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Deutsch
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2:30p, 3/9/23
Absent demonstrable wrongdoing (excludes incompetence) there is no reason for an employer to bad mouth any employee when letting him/ her go. The statement could well have been drafted by counsel to the university, aimed at getting the basic info out there while maintaining dignity for all concerned whether or not any of us frustrated fans agree that the employee's record warranted such "Kidd gloves" treatment. Folks, let's redirect our energies to the coaching search.
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Econ141
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In reply to PtownBear1 • 2:34p, 3/9/23
PtownBear1 said:
wraptor347 said:
"This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly"

Was it really that difficult JK?
Tying his shoes is probably difficult for that guy. Many thanks to those that forced him to finally do his job, albeit 1-2 years late.


Right?!? He should have said "after a lot of thought and deliberation, I have decided to do what most of you would have done two years ago..."
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Bearly Clad
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2:37p, 3/9/23
Thank God and good riddance. Now maybe the program can finally come out of hibernation. I thought for sure Wyking would be the nadir of Cal Basketball this century but Fox found a way to bust through the stone floor and find a new rock bottom. Hopefully the powers that be will make the proper investment and find a coach who actually has the ability to recruit and coach the game
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59bear
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In reply to parentswerebears • 3:56p, 3/9/23
parentswerebears said:
Wow. You can spin anything to sound positive. The WORST coach in Cal history and they still found a way to make his tenure a positive.
I'm not sure he was worse than Wyking. Two failures in succession certainly have put the program in dire straits.
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Grrrrah76
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4:15p, 3/9/23
Five years too late......and Fox only coached four seasons.
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Cabin14
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4:43p, 3/9/23
Jim Knowlton is a piece of work, Cal fans.

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stu
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In reply to Bearly Clad • 5:09p, 3/9/23
Bearly Clad said:
Thank God and good riddance. Now maybe the program can finally come out of hibernation. I thought for sure Wyking would be the nadir of Cal Basketball this century but Fox found a way to bust through the stone floor and find a new rock bottom. Hopefully the powers that be will make the proper investment and find a coach who actually has the ability to recruit and coach the game
Not even rock. The center of the Earth is metal.
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Gunga la Gunga
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6:40p, 3/9/23
Let's be clear. Cal hoops is still on the decline. There is no upward movement until a set of positive moves are executed as the wyking firing demonstrates.
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calumnus
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In reply to Gunga la Gunga • 7:19p, 3/9/23
Gunga la Gunga said:
Let's be clear. Cal hoops is still on the decline. There is no upward movement until a set of positive moves are executed as the wyking firing demonstrates.


Yes, the Wyking firing seemed like a move in the right direction. We had a decent young starting core in
C Vanover
PF Kelly
SF Sueing
SG Bradley
PG Paris

All we needed to do was hire a coach that could retain that group and build upon it while teaching and inspiring. Dennis Gates would have been a home run. Travis a triple. Pasternak a double.

But Knowlton hired Fox and destroyed even the good that we had.

Thankfully the portal will make a relatively quick turn around possible with a good coach backed by NIL.
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Bobodeluxe
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7:27p, 3/9/23
"…backed by NIL"

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Cal67
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10:43p, 3/9/23
" … holistically …. "???
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Cal8285
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In reply to 59bear • 11:03p, 3/9/23
59bear said:
parentswerebears said:
Wow. You can spin anything to sound positive. The WORST coach in Cal history and they still found a way to make his tenure a positive.
I'm not sure he was worse than Wyking. Two failures in succession certainly have put the program in dire straits.
The big reason Fox was worse than Jones is that Fox lasted 4 years vs 2 for Jones.

But the biggest disaster is those two failures in succession lasting a total of 6 years. The Bears can't afford another failure.
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