The Rodcast: Two Hours With Mendoza

Depressing

I would like to shout out Rod's point that former players being recognized at games isn't about stroking the former players egos. It's about demonstrating to current players and students that Cal / UC Berkeley and alumni are grateful for their contributions when they were students. The university bureaucracy excels at making you feel little and unappreciated. If Lyons wants donations and engagement, this needs to change -- and something he can do something about by taking Rod's point about the AD not having any or very little alumni on staff seriously....especially at the top.

All that was missing from the end of this podcast was a mic drop. Seriously, incredible stuff, Rod. And I didn't find it depressing, I found it hopeful - there's a path for us that can work.

I seriously want to help make this Mendoza mural come to life - in Crenshaw or wherever. Rod, how can we donate?

Thank you, young man, for this harsh fact that Cal does not do enough to include and celebrate its former stars and achievers. And it would be so simple. The reunion of the Tedford team was organized by a team alum, not the PR department. Waiting for alums to do something that makes the PR team look good is passive profiting. We salted the first few football games with tix giveaways, why not make an effort to include invites and tix to player alums?

stu said:

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Thanks for illuminating this! I have two comments:

My ex was a Cal grad and worked about 40 years in the Cal Athletic Department. She put her all into the job out of a true love for Cal and Cal's teams. When she retired they had to hire two people to replace her and they're probably not doing half of what she did.

I love the Mendoza mural idea! Why not have it painted on the containers surrounding People's Park? I doubt anyone would complain, it's in Berkeley, and photos would be all over the Internet.

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There are plenty of donors who would fund this. They funded the billboards. Sounds like a great idea!

bluehenbear said:

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I would like to shout out Rod's point that former players being recognized at games isn't about stroking the former players egos. It's about demonstrating to current players and students that Cal / UC Berkeley and alumni are grateful for their contributions when they were students. The university bureaucracy excels at making you feel little and unappreciated. If Lyons wants donations and engagement, this needs to change -- and something he can do something about by taking Rod's point about the AD not having any or very little alumni on staff seriously....especially at the top.

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Thank you!
This!
Baby steps towards finally hiring alums as head coaches!
This is the greatest university on the planet *** are we doing looking external!
Can you imagine if Oppenheimer had ostracized Bethe, Serber, and Teller and instead hired from Oregon liberal arts college and Boise Junior University?
We might be living in Imperial Japan Eastern Edition or the 4th Reich.
Respect alums who bled and bleed blue and gold or be gone!