Cal Craziness

Unbelievable. Thought Huffins was a done deal. Has anyone compared this re-post (www.ncaa.org) with the last one where they removed the college degree from the wording? Did they even interview any of the 30 new applicants (number thrown out in Gladstone quote from sf paper).

To recap:

First post: Five finalists, some "withdraw" after they realize Huffins is the hire.

Second Post: Oops, Huffins didn't get a degree. The job now does not require one even though that seems to be the whole point of going to college in the first place. Or is it?

Third Posting: Due 10/10/02

I looked over the 3rd post and there is nothing mentioned about degree requirements...Huh??

Neither did the second posting. They were going to hire Huffins and realized he didn't have a degree. Cal then re-posted the job, removing the degree requirements. How can you be a D-I head coach w/o a degree, stupid. Anyway, Gladstone then says to the SF Chronicle that there were 30 new applicants to review, but gave the impression Huffins was still his man. A week later, the job is re-posted for a third time.

Are they trying to bore us into believing Huffins should be hired even w/o a degree? I don't care who he is, what he's done as an athlete or as an assistant, no D-I/PAC-10 school should hire a head coach w/o a degree, just my opinion. Shoot, for 100 grand a year, he should have his Masters, too...most head coaches do. This is Cal-Berkeley not Cal State Hayward.

Gladstone is really screwing the pooch on this one...

What is REALLY going on this time? Does anyone on the "inside" know? It's just really strange to see a job of this magnitude posted for a THIRD time.

There are a lot of people who come on this board and claim to be on the inside. Nothing they've said, like "Huffins will be named coach this Thursday," has come to fruition. I think Gladstone has made a fool of everyone, including himself, the athletic department, and the university.

Before someone spits up their beer, I'm not claiming to be on the inside.

You rang (beer comment)? Huffins was a lock until it was learned that he didn't have passable freshman English courses from Purdue U. credited toward his degree. They didn't transfer over to Cal. I'm of the mind Robyne Johnson or some other Cal asst. who doesn't like Huffins dug this out and spread it around. If he's hired she is outta there. The timing sure is convenient. Otherwise, how was anyone "on the inside" supposed to know of Huffins academic egress re: his coursework when Huffins was admitted to and competed at Cal as a Purdue transfer for a few years? If his Purdue courses didn't cut it Huffins shouldn't have been admitted in the first place or he should have been forced to take the Cal version before graduating from Berkeley IMHO. So now no one "on the inside" knows jack. But you're right about the Gladstone assessment in this regard. I don't think he engineered this intentionally but everyone from the top down is a little clueless right now. This could really damage Cal's track program if the issue isn't resolved soon.

I'm a professor at Cal. You would not beleive the hoops you have to jump through to hire someone at Cal. When I was in the private sector, I could get someone hired and working in a day. At Cal it takes me 4-6 months from the time I submit the initial paperwork until the time I can get someome hired. And this is just for a 30K/year job!!!

Its not Gladstones fault. Its the damn gutless mindless soulless bureaucratic administrators at Cal.

Lester,

As part of the academia at Cal, let me ask you, what's your opinion of the situation, specifically, would you have a problem with them hiring someone without a degree?

Now, I'm not knockin' Huffins. I think One Keg is right, this issue should have been resolved back when Chris transferred, but it hasn't. This was posted earlier as a suggestion, make it part of the contract that he has to complete the classes within a year. I think that would make everyone happy, and may even put a positive spin on this. Gladstone gets who he wants, Huffins gets the job and the people bitchin' about Huffins can go back to debating about who could make the best model airplane, Webb or Ritz...I'll go with Ritz

The last re-reposted not only does not mention a BA as a requirement but any degree, can a High School drop out get an interview. Way to go Cal!

My question about Huffins is, why hasn't he finished it(degree) somewhere along the way? He has at least 4-5 years of college experience. That means he could have transfered his hours from CAL to whatever school he was coaching at and completed his degree requirements. I know this would not be pleasant, as most schools require you to take your last 30 hours from them in order to be granted a degree, but by him not making it a priority to get it done, it shows something about regard for his educational standing. I mean, it's only two semesters, you could do it at night, or stretch it out over two years, whatever, but to not get it done, well, giving him the job would mean rewarding him for not caring enough about education to finish. Just my thoughts as a fellow coach.

[quote]Just a guy! wrote:

That means he could have transfered his hours from CAL to whatever school he was coaching at and completed his degree requirements. I know this would not be pleasant, as most schools require you to take your last 30 hours from them in order to be granted a degree, but by him not making it a priority to get it done, it shows something about regard for his educational standing. quote]

I'm not saying that Huffins shouldn't have finished, I too agree that it's a bit questionable hiring someone without a B.A. to coach a D-1 program. However, lets resist the temptation to take on a holier-than-thou attitude when we don't know the specifics of his situation.

I know for a fact that he couldn't have just taken those two courses anywhere and just submitted the grades to Cal in exchange for a degree. Which means he would have had to take several classes at whatever school he was at in order to get his degree from them, on top of training for the decathlon (not a single event), coaching(or working other jobs before becoming a coach), and being a husband and father. Not saying it couldn't have been done, but just take that into consideration before bashing him for not RE-taking two english classes (which he apparently passed the first time around, but were not accepted by Cal) and assuming he was just sittin' around twiddling his thumbs instead of wrapping up that degree. If I had the choice of taking a bunch of classes I didn't need to get a degree from Wake Forest or Georgia Tech (not knocking two very good schools), or waiting until the time was right to take the two classes I needed to get my degree from Cal, I would choose the latter. Now, making that choice might very well have cost him the job at Cal, but that remains to be seen.

Just my .02.

I agree with your thoughts on refraining from a "holier-than-thou" attitude, but Huffins made it known to whoever would listen that he had aspirations of becoming a full-time head coach. Therefore, if that was his career goal, he had to know that finishing his degree (from wherever) would be an important step...Am I going out on a limb here??

Tough break for Huffins, but not something entirely out of his control. He kind of made his bed...

I don't think that it is holier-than-thou to say that an applicant should have completed a basic bachelors degree. All the other "details" of a person's life only cloud the picture. The fact is that he is a 32 year old man. He COULD have attained a degree had he just knuckled down. It's one of those things you do when you grow up. I know I did.

Peace Out!

As we all know cal has really screwed this one up, so what now? What will Gladstone ( it's my call and mine only ) do? hire Chris and his H.S. school diploma and say screw the administration? Seriously, can face be saved on this one? Will Robyne sue if not hired? And what's her story former AA triple jumper at Texas, former college head coach, a minority as some have stated on this board is a plus and a local from Berkeley. Why not her? And what of Ed Miller, said to be a great coach ( coached Huffins for one ) but not intrested in the job. Ok ,sure Ed they hire someone besides your boy Chris and they clean house and you work as a subsitute teacher somewhee but hey you don't need a degree for that now do you? And what of Joy ( my Daddy's heading the fund raising job ) Upshaw sure your a keeper. Then there is former women's head coach and current associate head coach Sandoval who is said to be not intrested ( I'm sure Gladstone feels the feeling is mutual ) Where does this leave us? Back to Floreal? Regina Jacobs interviewed according to some on this board? Maybe Sam Bell will want to comeback? Why don't they just bring Back Brian Maxwell just to piss off Erv and then her would have to look at the ugly statue of himself every day! This shoould be a soap opera

Dear Mom,

A degree is just a piece of paper. Someone can be well qualified without it. I think most of the younger profs at Cal would agree. Besides we are not talking about hiring a new chancellor, he's just coaching track.

PS. Whats my mom doing on this board. You should be home taking care of dad.