Nice puff piece, Faraudo.

Cal has absolutely no history of getting good big men, and certainly no history of top 50 recruit big men. Really try to name some.

Powe? He was ‘too short’ and off major knee surgeries. Probably Cal’s best blue chip recruit of the modern era except Kidd and Shareef Abdur Raheem)

Shareef? (muslim studies program and / or cash payments

Kenyon Jones? was a good recruit but we know how that ended.

Ryan Anderson? was close but not quite physical enough, although he has a nose for the ball he is not a ‘big man’.

So to expect Monty to show up and demand he get a high level recruit big man in 2-3 years is not valid criticism.

Also, having no idea what Cal is doing to recruit and it’s very hard to critique. Only then can we say how he could do it better.

As Mad Cow suggests, asking the tough questions is a good thing and I am hardly cheer on everything Cal.

To me, this is a way to ask the questions to take into account the respect we should have for Monty:

What is Cal doing to attract local recruits?
What do players who choose/do not choose Cal think of Monty?
What recruits does Cal have a chance to get in 2012?
Why have we offered Kaileb so early if he doesn’t have great stats (this article tried to set that straight)?

I’m surprised anyone here finds pointing to some random dude w/ 3 stars who chose George Washington as ‘valid and intelligent criticism’.

Also, naming every California player who has not chosen Cal is not a reason why Monty ‘can’t recruit’. 1/8 people in the US are from CA and many many local and LA players choose East Coast schools. It will keep happening so we should remain calm to avoid an aneurism.

So, I disagree that saying ‘Monty is bad at recruiting’ is well-though out criticism and sought to discourage unfounded comments that are also not based in fact – such as no other schools were interested in Kaelib. Really, did Steve talk to every other school in the country? No, turns out he was starting to get attention from more programs.

I’d really like someone who still disagrees to go through Milo’s and my post and point out the error in our thinking. If you agree, please stop pooping on Monty. Recruits read this and the program is in great shape. Go Bears.

re: Monty, he got Cal it’s first conference title in 50 years, got the ’09 CA HS player of the year and has Cal on track. YES, a dominant big man would make all the difference…but you know what Monty isn’t going to recruit anyone that doesn’t want to stay 4 years (3 if you count the Collins twins, Jaconson, etc.). That’s just the way it is…AND it greatly limits chance of a dominant big man because those guys tend to jump early (see Love from UCLA…but that’s the deal and you live with it.

re: Tedford…yeah I want to see great football every year and 9 or 10 wins. The reality is, Cal got caught in a tsunami of U$C cheating and bad timing on the tree sitter. If U$C didn’t cheat, Cal would likely won 2 titles. If the SAHPC was on schedule, momentum would be easier to maintain. I think once Memorial and the SAHPC is done…it’s a new era. Give Tedford a couple of years w/o the building fiasco to deal with. (any of you guys live through a big time renovation at home or work…it causes divorces, personal hell and the like).

Any way…as long as Cal and its fan base doesn’t go psycho…I’m cool.

Monty hasn’t brought in monster (in stature and reputation) recruits some of us (me) thought he would. Thus, he’s been criticized.

And yet, he’s been able to get his squad to outperform expectations each of the past 2 seasons. So, the other side gives him a hall pass saying the complainers should shut up until this current crop gets a chance to show their worth on the court.

Let’s just all agree that we each know which side of the aisle we stand on (doubter or believer) and keep the personal attacks to the sideline. Monty’s got 5 big men projects now: Bak, Solomon, Kravish, Behrens, and now Rodriguez. I’m sure he’s hoping, along with us, that at least 2 or 3 of the 5 pan out. We’ll all just have to let it play out.
The cake is now in the oven. Let it rise.

I’m not critical of Monty – the contrast to Braun and the ability to get the most out of players with limited upside, resulting in a league title, is astonishing – but I’m critical of Tedford, and whatever is posted results in the same silly “whining, not a real Cal fan, go back Holmoe” responses.

I don’t get the personal attacks on Cal fans who happen to question the direction of the sports program. This blog tends to generate a large range of opinions and observations of the same facts. For the most part, I find them insightful, even if I strongly disagree with them. Even the Moron – when he/she isn’t making idiotic comments about U$C’s alleged greatness – occasionally makes astute observations about Cal’s football team that are inconvenient but truthful. Call it a blind squirrel if you will.

And no, SteveNTexas doesn’t say the same thing over and over – sure, he is often critical of Monty’s recruiting, but the issue of recruiting shows up in entirely different circumstances, raising distinct questions. If Monty brings in a top level Bay Area recruit, or a highly sought-after big man, I think he’ll acknowledge it.

It doesn’t mean Monty is not bringing in good kids that he can’t develop, but when scholarships are unused, there is no girth on the roster, and the coaches have been disciplined for recruiting violations, questions should at least be asked.

Seriously, when you read a post, you apply the voice to it. It drives me nutty (a pet peeve I am whining about) that virtually anything considered criticism is also labelled whining. Neither Monty nor Cal is perfect. Oh no, sacrilege!