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Mark Madsen Signs Contract Extension

March 12, 2024
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BERKELEY – California men’s basketball head coach Mark Madsen has signed a two-year contract extension, Cal Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton announced Tuesday. Madsen, who was named the 19th head coach in program history last March, is in the first year of a five-year contract, and the two-year extension will take it to 2030.

“Coach Madsen has made an incredible difference in the short time he has been at Cal,” Knowlton said. “He has not only developed our young men and made great progress in the last year, but has engaged our faculty, our donors, our fans and truly brought energy back to the ‘Haas Of Pain.’ I’m excited to extend Mark and work together with him as we make the move to the ACC, and I know our entire Cal family is excited to see what’s next.”

Madsen, an East Bay native, has reinvigorated the Cal men’s basketball program in his first season at the helm, as he led the Golden Bears to their best finish in the Pac-12 standings since 2016-17 with a tie for sixth place. Cal’s nine conference wins – each against a different opponent, including marquee victories against UCLA, Washington State, Oregon and Colorado – are the fourth-most by a first-year head coach in program history.

Cal won 10 home games, including six of its final eight, inside Haas Pavilion in Madsen’s first year. The final eight-game span was highlighted by Cal’s first sold-out crowd since Jan. 29, 2017, when 11,801 were on hand for Cal’s 83-77 overtime win against USC on Feb. 7. The sellout was sandwiched by attendances of 8,710 against Stanford on Jan. 26 and 9,280 against UCLA on Feb. 10.

“I’m fired up every day to be the head coach at Cal, and consider myself very fortunate to work alongside an outstanding group of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators who share the same relentless passion for success,” Madsen said. “I’m grateful to Jim Knowlton and our administration for their ongoing confidence in what we’re building in Berkeley. Our goal is to win championships and pursue greatness, and our entire basketball program will continue to execute on that vision with the Cal community behind us. There are great things ahead in Bear Territory, and we’re just getting started.”

The turnaround was jumpstarted last offseason when Madsen and company signed the nation’s eighth-ranked (On3) transfer class, highlighted by Jaylon Tyson, who was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team on Tuesday morning, and the Pac-12’s leading rebounder this season, Fardaws Aimaq. Cal has averaged 73.9 points per game this season, with the rebooted roster fueling a 9.6-point increase from its 64.3 PPG over the previous six seasons (2017-23).

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Mark Madsen Signs Contract Extension

8,057 Views | 39 Replies | Last: 9 mo ago by calumnus
GerryLopezBear
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3:35p, 3/12/24
Fantastic!!!
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DiabloWags
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5:28p, 3/12/24

Great News!
"Cults don't end well. They really don't."
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BearoutEast67
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7:53p, 3/12/24
Very reassuring!
Donate to Cal's NIL at https://calegends.com/donation/
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calumnus
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1:09a, 3/14/24
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
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6956bear
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In reply to calumnus • 5:26a, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
I agree that it looks premature given it is just the first season and a losing one to boot. But I think the timing is crucial. Madsen needs NIL funds to rebuild the program. That is just the facts. I do not know but I would imagine big donors want to know that the coach is staying and what the plan is if they are to donate. Heading into the portal window with rumors regarding your coach do not inspire giving. So this is a bet on the future both short term and longer.

Now they know he is here. And Madsen's plan can be articulated with some certainty to the donors with the ability to give to a level that matters. NIL is the big moving force in recruiting. You need money to get the ears of the better players. The coach is the conduit to the players and the donors.

The coach has always been a big deal in hoops. They still are but you need that warchest available. I think the timing of the extension is a crucial piece to the puzzle. Will it prove to be right? Remains to be seen, but the next several weeks should be interesting to observe in regards to rebuilding the program.

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stu
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In reply to calumnus • 8:39a, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over
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philly1121
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In reply to stu • 9:44a, 3/14/24
whoa whoa whoa He has 4 years left on his contract and we're granting him another two? Poached? I thought contracts meant something on this board?
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dha
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11:41a, 3/14/24
I understand the need to extend the coach, given the market for coaches in college FB and BB continues to rocket to ever high prices. With Cal entering the ACC next year the bar for performance will be raised. Hopefully the Coach can continue build on this year's success. Much, it seems to me, will depend on the decision Jaylon Tyson makes on returning to Cal or trying his luck at the professional level. I hope Cal has the resources to help convince him to stay -- he is not projected as a first round NBA pick. And to surround him with a stronger core (and better shooters) than they had this year.
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calumnus
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In reply to stu • 1:51p, 3/14/24
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
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6956bear
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In reply to calumnus • 2:09p, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I think the single biggest factor to consider is can Madsen generate enough enthusiasm among donors to provide a robust collective. NIL at the moment is the biggest single factor in recruiting. Roster building is a thing and nobody wins without players. If Madsen can get the hoops donors to contribute enough to give Madsen a fighting chance or better to land some top players his extension should not become an issue.

Cal has to become a player in the high end basketball recruiting world. The teams that win have the best players. I think Madsen has enough good contacts and is willing to do the work needed to be a good recruiter. But he will need the NIL $$ to close some players.

We should have a much better idea regarding Madsen and this extension after the portal shopping season ends.
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concernedparent
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In reply to calumnus • 2:25p, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
It's such a typiCAL move to extend a losing coach. Yes with Madsen you have dig a little bit and look at the context of what he inherited. He's done a fantastic job, but the W-L record is the W-L record. No other lateral or better job besides his alma mater would consider him. Even then, I'm not sure I believe the gossip. If Stanford was going to shell out serious bucks to be competitive in college basketball you would think they'd aim a little higher and look for someone with a better resume.
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stu
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In reply to calumnus • 3:11p, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season.
I find it hard to see how the words "Madsen" and "complacent" fit in the same sentence.

OTOH Knowlton should be on a week-to-week contract.
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BearSD
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In reply to concernedparent • 3:38p, 3/14/24
concernedparent said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
It's such a typiCAL move to extend a losing coach. Yes with Madsen you have dig a little bit and look at the context of what he inherited. He's done a fantastic job, but the W-L record is the W-L record. No other lateral or better job besides his alma mater would consider him. Even then, I'm not sure I believe the gossip. If Stanford was going to shell out serious bucks to be competitive in college basketball you would think they'd aim a little higher and look for someone with a better resume.
"You are what your record says you are." -- Bill Parcells
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sluggo
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In reply to calumnus • 5:44p, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.
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calumnus
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In reply to 6956bear • 6:09p, 3/14/24
6956bear said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I think the single biggest factor to consider is can Madsen generate enough enthusiasm among donors to provide a robust collective. NIL at the moment is the biggest single factor in recruiting. Roster building is a thing and nobody wins without players. If Madsen can get the hoops donors to contribute enough to give Madsen a fighting chance or better to land some top players his extension should not become an issue.

Cal has to become a player in the high end basketball recruiting world. The teams that win have the best players. I think Madsen has enough good contacts and is willing to do the work needed to be a good recruiter. But he will need the NIL $$ to close some players.

We should have a much better idea regarding Madsen and this extension after the portal shopping season ends.


Agreed. I have more hope Madsen will subsequently justify this contract extension than I did or do with Wilcox. It was still fiscally irresponsible to hand it out before it was necessary. Moreover, football is more crucial to the success of the athletics department so I'm far more OK with this, Hope it works out.
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bearsandgiants
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In reply to sluggo • 6:41p, 3/14/24
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
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sluggo
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In reply to bearsandgiants • 7:00p, 3/14/24
bearsandgiants said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
The competition level is only going up. You think Madsen will beat UNC and Duke by out-recruiting them? No chance. Cal's only conference championship in my lifetime was under a coach who could do more with less. Madsen is not that guy. But he could hire an assistant who could help him.

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calumnus
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In reply to sluggo • 7:50p, 3/14/24
sluggo said:
bearsandgiants said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
The competition level is only going up. You think Madsen will beat UNC and Duke by out-recruiting them? No chance. Cal's only conference championship in my lifetime was under a coach who could do more with less. Madsen is not that guy. But he could hire an assistant who could help him.



And Monty did that with mostly Braun's guys as seniors in a year the conference was down with no ranked teams, the runner up was ASU and traditional powers Arizona and UCLA had their worst seasons in the last 20 years.

It is going to be a challenge to finish in the top half of the ACC. Madsen is going to need to bring in a top class and do a better job coaching them.
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sluggo
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In reply to calumnus • 8:17p, 3/14/24
calumnus said:
sluggo said:
bearsandgiants said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
The competition level is only going up. You think Madsen will beat UNC and Duke by out-recruiting them? No chance. Cal's only conference championship in my lifetime was under a coach who could do more with less. Madsen is not that guy. But he could hire an assistant who could help him.



And Monty did that with mostly Braun's guys as seniors in a year the conference was down with no ranked teams, the runner up was ASU and traditional powers Arizona and UCLA had their worst seasons in the last 20 years.

It is going to be a challenge to finish in the top half of the ACC. Madsen is going to need to bring in a top class and do a better job coaching them.
He consistently turned good but not great players into a top third of the conference team. It is that level Cal needs.
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philbert
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8:22p, 3/14/24
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In reply to philbert • 8:25p, 3/14/24
https://www.si.com/college/stanford/basketball/breaking-stanford-fires-jerod-haase-after-eight-seasons-with-zero-ncaa-tournament-appearances

Did he have time to get to the tarmac?
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BearSD
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In reply to philbert • 8:31p, 3/14/24
philbert said:


Dammit. I was hoping that Wednesday night's fiasco would at least have the silver lining of getting a contract extension for Haase.
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TheDuke!!!
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8:57p, 3/14/24
Madsen did a B+ job this year. It was a big turnaround and I have few complaints. But just three cold water reality checks:

1) it could only go up from where Fox left us.
2) in the end we didn't have a winning record.
3) we were eliminated by furd a few minutes after we blew an 18 point lead and a few hours before their coach was fired for being a bad basketball coach.

I hope I'm wrong, but this feels like the first extension we gave Wilcox.

One thing that would give me more hope is if Madsen could better leverage his elite NBA relationships. Maybe get Shaq to talk us up more.
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calumnus
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In reply to sluggo • 4:10a, 3/15/24
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
sluggo said:
bearsandgiants said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
The competition level is only going up. You think Madsen will beat UNC and Duke by out-recruiting them? No chance. Cal's only conference championship in my lifetime was under a coach who could do more with less. Madsen is not that guy. But he could hire an assistant who could help him.



And Monty did that with mostly Braun's guys as seniors in a year the conference was down with no ranked teams, the runner up was ASU and traditional powers Arizona and UCLA had their worst seasons in the last 20 years.

It is going to be a challenge to finish in the top half of the ACC. Madsen is going to need to bring in a top class and do a better job coaching them.
He consistently turned good but not great players into a top third of the conference team. It is that level Cal needs.


Coaching acumen at that level would be great but we just signed up Madsen for 6 more years. His strength is recruiting. As a Cal coach, he is more like Todd Bozeman or Wyking Jones than Monty.
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HearstMining
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8:12a, 3/15/24
I'm a little mystified that Madsen has only lined up one HS recruit for 2024. Maybe it's the longer recruiting cycle and he just came to Cal too late for the 2024 class, or the increased impact of NIL dollars. It just seems to me that he should be great at HS recruiting; wow the kids with Lakers stories and win over the parents with his wholesome demeanor. Since he's a Stanford grad, I'd like to think he could win the occasional head-to-head recruiting competition with them by promoting Cal's strengths. Maybe we won't see real results here until 2025.
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6956bear
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In reply to HearstMining • 9:52a, 3/15/24
HearstMining said:
I'm a little mystified that Madsen has only lined up one HS recruit for 2024. Maybe it's the longer recruiting cycle and he just came to Cal too late for the 2024 class, or the increased impact of NIL dollars. It just seems to me that he should be great at HS recruiting; wow the kids with Lakers stories and win over the parents with his wholesome demeanor. Since he's a Stanford grad, I'd like to think he could win the occasional head-to-head recruiting competition with them by promoting Cal's strengths. Maybe we won't see real results here until 2025.
The top HS players are generally well known early on in their HS days so being in early is crucial. Additionally NIL $$ is a major factor in top HS players these days. You will be hard pressed to sign a true top player without NIL$$. No sure how Cal is positioned in NIL $$ this cycle. My sense is they are pretty good, but will look to spend most of that in the portal.

If a great player suddenly is available it could change. But that player will need to be a sure thing. But spending a smaller amount on a couple of good HS players would be something I believe they can and would do. But they need to add immediate help via the portal.

I think the Bears may have 6 open slots. I think 4 portal and 2 HS players could be the mix. But the HS players have to be rotational players at a minimum. No more having a 6 or 7 player rotation with developmental players taking up the balance of the roster.
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stu
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In reply to calumnus • 10:14a, 3/15/24
calumnus said:
Coaching acumen at that level would be great but we just signed up Madsen for 6 more years. His strength is recruiting. As a Cal coach, he is more like Todd Bozeman or Wyking Jones than Monty.
Todd Bozeman was a criminal and Wyking Jones was incompetent.
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sluggo
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In reply to calumnus • 10:40a, 3/15/24
calumnus said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
sluggo said:
bearsandgiants said:
sluggo said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
I have seen what a Madsen coached team looks like. He is fine as a rah-rah guy, but he needs a better main assistant so that Cal does not go into every game with a coaching disadvantage.


We had/have precisely ONE elite athlete. If Madsen had U$Cs roster, I have no doubt we'd be playing right now, and at least looking at the NIT as a consolation. I am fine with a month we year to see what happens (if we donate to make it happen), and I'm ok with the extension, too.
The competition level is only going up. You think Madsen will beat UNC and Duke by out-recruiting them? No chance. Cal's only conference championship in my lifetime was under a coach who could do more with less. Madsen is not that guy. But he could hire an assistant who could help him.



And Monty did that with mostly Braun's guys as seniors in a year the conference was down with no ranked teams, the runner up was ASU and traditional powers Arizona and UCLA had their worst seasons in the last 20 years.

It is going to be a challenge to finish in the top half of the ACC. Madsen is going to need to bring in a top class and do a better job coaching them.
He consistently turned good but not great players into a top third of the conference team. It is that level Cal needs.


Coaching acumen at that level would be great but we just signed up Madsen for 6 more years. His strength is recruiting. As a Cal coach, he is more like Todd Bozeman or Wyking Jones than Monty.
Back to point my point that a better top assistant could help him. But I think he has who he wants so it is just a dream.
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BearSD
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In reply to stu • 12:24p, 3/15/24
stu said:
calumnus said:
Coaching acumen at that level would be great but we just signed up Madsen for 6 more years. His strength is recruiting. As a Cal coach, he is more like Todd Bozeman or Wyking Jones than Monty.
Todd Bozeman was a criminal and Wyking Jones was incompetent.
Todd Bozeman personally delivered "NIL" payments. ;-)
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PtownBear1
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In reply to calumnus • 12:53p, 3/15/24
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
Pre-mature. Still in the first year of a five year contract.
Compare the displeasure of:

1) a premature extension

2) having our coach poached and starting over


What was Madsen saying? He got an offer and was thinking of leaving? If he wants to be here 4 years remaining is plenty. If he doesn't want to be here we should not be trying to buy his loyalty. We can't afford that.

As I said in another thread, this reminds me of Knowlton giving Wilcox the big extension (also extending out 6 more years) after a losing season in 2021 following rumors Wilcox had "turned down Oregon twice." 6 more years? We don't know if Madsen can even replicate this years' team next year.

The big difference is Wilcox after 5 years pretty much showed us what he was capable of, whereas Madsen is still more of an unknown so I am not upset by this like I was with Knowlton's previous extensions with Wilcox, Fox and McKeever. I also have hope that Madsen won't be complacent like Wilcox who after he got his big extension just brought all his buddies back including Musgrave for his third season. Finally, while i know there are many good coaches out there, I also have zero confidence Knowlton is capable of finding them. So, doubling down on Madsen is less horrible of a bet. I'm OK with it given how horrible our AD is, but in an ideal world that should not be a factor.
This is exactly how I feel. I wouldn't have extended Madsen now, but it also doesn't infuriate me like the other extensions Knowlton handed out. At least Madsen is a unique individual with leadership qualities that project a decent likelihood of future success.

Fox was garbage, and McKeever was highly successful but obviously also shouldn't have been extended. And Wilcox comes off to me as just some dude who knows a lot about football and could easily be replaced by hundreds of other coaches making a fraction of what he makes with similar (or likely better since they won't be complacent and will actually expect their staff to perform) results.
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BearSD
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In reply to PtownBear1 • 2:27p, 3/15/24
PtownBear1 said:
calumnus said:
stu said:
calumnus said:
And Wilcox comes off to me as just some dude who knows a lot about football and could easily be replaced by hundreds of other coaches making a fraction of what he makes
Nah, head coaches are paid absurd amounts by every "power" conference team. Example: UCLA just hired DeShaun Foster, who has never even been a coordinator anywhere, and his first-year head coaching salary is $3 million, more than 10 times his highest-ever salary as an assistant. Any team that hires a sitting head coach would have to pay much more. Sam Pittman (who?) makes $6.4 million/year at Arkansas; his team was 1-7 in the SEC and 4-8 overall in 2023. Tom Allen (again, who?) was making $4.5 million/year at Indiana before getting canned a few weeks ago.
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PtownBear1
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In reply to BearSD • 3:39p, 3/15/24
BearSD said:
PtownBear1 said:
And Wilcox comes off to me as just some dude who knows a lot about football and could easily be replaced by hundreds of other coaches making a fraction of what he makes
Nah, head coaches are paid absurd amounts by every "power" conference team. Example: UCLA just hired DeShaun Foster, who has never even been a coordinator anywhere, and his first-year head coaching salary is $3 million, more than 10 times his highest-ever salary as an assistant. Any team that hires a sitting head coach would have to pay much more. Sam Pittman (who?) makes $6.4 million/year at Arkansas; his team was 1-7 in the SEC and 4-8 overall in 2023. Tom Allen (again, who?) was making $4.5 million/year at Indiana before getting canned a few weeks ago.
You're missing my point entirely. I'm not saying the Cal HC position should pay less, I'm saying Wilcox is replaceable by hundreds of other coaches currently making a fraction of what he makes. Nothing in interviews, articles, etc. gives me the impression he has any unique leadership qualities. And any number of FBS coordinators, assistants, FCS coaches, HS coaches, etc. IMO can achieve a career 41% FBS win record if given 7+ years.

Madsen however gives off strong leadership vibes and isn't some dime a dozen dude that just knows a lot about basketball. In fact, I don't even think he knows as much about basketball as the average D1 coach at this early stage in his career. Whether Madsen is ultimately successful remains to be seen, but he has unique leadership qualities that stand out.
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4thGenCal
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In reply to 6956bear • 4:40p, 3/15/24
6956bear said:
HearstMining said:
I'm a little mystified that Madsen has only lined up one HS recruit for 2024. Maybe it's the longer recruiting cycle and he just came to Cal too late for the 2024 class, or the increased impact of NIL dollars. It just seems to me that he should be great at HS recruiting; wow the kids with Lakers stories and win over the parents with his wholesome demeanor. Since he's a Stanford grad, I'd like to think he could win the occasional head-to-head recruiting competition with them by promoting Cal's strengths. Maybe we won't see real results here until 2025.
The top HS players are generally well known early on in their HS days so being in early is crucial. Additionally NIL $$ is a major factor in top HS players these days. You will be hard pressed to sign a true top player without NIL$$. No sure how Cal is positioned in NIL $$ this cycle. My sense is they are pretty good, but will look to spend most of that in the portal.

If a great player suddenly is available it could change. But that player will need to be a sure thing. But spending a smaller amount on a couple of good HS players would be something I believe they can and would do. But they need to add immediate help via the portal.

I think the Bears may have 6 open slots. I think 4 portal and 2 HS players could be the mix. But the HS players have to be rotational players at a minimum. No more having a 6 or 7 player rotation with developmental players taking up the balance of the roster.
Very good assessment and given the needed rebuild, very hard to compete next season with a young roster. Roster will be tilted heavily toward portal transfers. NIL remains a big question mark. The donor's that have the capability of writing 6 figure checks have thus far been cool to NIL - yet they want a winning program. To expect a potential starter via the portal to come to School for less than $100k is misguided. And the better (top 300 players are well above that). The ACC has deep pocket donor's who are contributing heavily to their teams. Coach Madsen will be rightfully courting those key donor's to step up, as w/o that support we would be a bottom dweller in the ACC.
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Bobodeluxe
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10:05p, 3/15/24
Y?
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6956bear
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In reply to 4thGenCal • 3:17p, 3/16/24
4thGenCal said:
6956bear said:
HearstMining said:
I'm a little mystified that Madsen has only lined up one HS recruit for 2024. Maybe it's the longer recruiting cycle and he just came to Cal too late for the 2024 class, or the increased impact of NIL dollars. It just seems to me that he should be great at HS recruiting; wow the kids with Lakers stories and win over the parents with his wholesome demeanor. Since he's a Stanford grad, I'd like to think he could win the occasional head-to-head recruiting competition with them by promoting Cal's strengths. Maybe we won't see real results here until 2025.
The top HS players are generally well known early on in their HS days so being in early is crucial. Additionally NIL $$ is a major factor in top HS players these days. You will be hard pressed to sign a true top player without NIL$$. No sure how Cal is positioned in NIL $$ this cycle. My sense is they are pretty good, but will look to spend most of that in the portal.

If a great player suddenly is available it could change. But that player will need to be a sure thing. But spending a smaller amount on a couple of good HS players would be something I believe they can and would do. But they need to add immediate help via the portal.

I think the Bears may have 6 open slots. I think 4 portal and 2 HS players could be the mix. But the HS players have to be rotational players at a minimum. No more having a 6 or 7 player rotation with developmental players taking up the balance of the roster.
Very good assessment and given the needed rebuild, very hard to compete next season with a young roster. Roster will be tilted heavily toward portal transfers. NIL remains a big question mark. The donor's that have the capability of writing 6 figure checks have thus far been cool to NIL - yet they want a winning program. To expect a potential starter via the portal to come to School for less than $100k is misguided. And the better (top 300 players are well above that). The ACC has deep pocket donor's who are contributing heavily to their teams. Coach Madsen will be rightfully courting those key donor's to step up, as w/o that support we would be a bottom dweller in the ACC.
As you are somebody who knows what is up with hoops I find the bolded part above particularly concerning. Especially the part about being cool to NIL yet wanting a winning program. Not likely to happen. Madsen is the right type of coach to court these donors though. Hopefully he has some success.
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