Huffins is in at Cal

Did he get his degree over night by sending away box box tops of Cheerios? Cal Berkeley continues to be a joke! Has a graduate of Cal I find it just plain stupid that a school that prides itself on being one of if not the best public universities in the world hire a head coach with no degree. I'm not questioning Huffins atheltic or coaching ability but the integrity of the school and the A.D.

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I suspect that Huffins got the job due to his experience and COACHING ability. But if you would rather have some glorified administrator / bureaucrat with an M.A. in Education and no athletic sense then...

Oh, yeah, because there aren't any people who have all three - a degree, administrative ability and coaching ability. Obviously.

This hiring makes a mockery of trying to establish qualifications for employment. Why toil trying to get a degree? Why bother to apply if you didn't attend the school as an undergraduate? If the AD already knows who he's gonna hire, why conduct the search?

Bottom line -- Chris Huffins got the job because 1)He went to Cal; 2)He is a superior athlete, and 3)He has a few years of coaching experience. I don't think John McDonnell would have beat out Huffins for this gig.

The sheepskin proves what? If a candidate has a B.A. in Art History or Literature, does that make them a better coach? Huffins was hired to coach, not be the Dean of Liberal Arts.

By the way, I feel very sorry for Bill Gates. Poor bastard dropped out of college and now he'll never be truly successful.

I hear the associate A.D. resigned over this anyone know the scoop?

The sheepskin proves that he takes education seriously. And in case you forgot, Cal track is an EXTRA CURRICULAR activity at a top public UNIVERSITY.

I don't care what his degree is in, but I think he needs one to set an example that academics are important.

Obviously, Bill Gates didn't get his degree. Neither did Chris Huffins. Why bother going to college at all if you can be successful?

Surely you are not suggesting that everyone who has attained a degree takes education seriously. Notwithstanding the fact that Chris does not presently have his degree, I'm certain that he will soon finish the work on his degree. I also happen to know that the circumstances which lead to Chris not completing his degree requirements at the time he was completing his athletic elgibility were not within his control. Before the Cal job became available Chris had intended to take the required courses he needs to complete his degree. Under the harsh light of hindsight, he too feels it unfortunate that he didn't complete his degree before now. But he will do so. It is also unfortunate that even after he completes the work on his degree there may be those who continue to criticize Chris for not having completed his degree years ago. I'm confident that Chris will be just the shot in the arm the Cal program needs, and I look forward to judging him not on whether he attained his degree in a timely fashion, but instead on whether he develops a successful program. Go Bears!

I would suggest that anyone who works coaches or teaches at a University SHOULD take education seriously. At Cal, I would guess, these people also have degrees to back up their positions as educators.

And timeliness IS an issue with Chris. He dinked around with no degree for almost 10 years. Now he regrets not having one. Tough titty, I say. He had 10 years to finish those few classes he needed.

[quote]What?? wrote:

The sheepskin proves that he takes education seriously. And in case you forgot, Cal track is an EXTRA CURRICULAR activity at a top public UNIVERSITY.

quote]

...and, therefore, not an academic discipline. Huffins is coaching a sport, not teaching class. This is no different than the non-degreed administrative assistant, custodian, or security officer who provides a support service at the university. They perform their roles without negatively impacting the academic reputation of Cal.

On a side note, the football and basketball programs at Cal have degreed coaching staffs and I venture that the track program will continue to have higher graduation rates under Huffins than those sports.

Yes, those who work, coach or teach at a University SHOULD take education seriously. I suppose one COULD argue that they should also have degrees to back up their positions as educators, although all at Cal who work, coach or teach surely do not have degrees to "back up their positions as educators", whatever that means. I also assume that you know what Chris has done for almost 10 years as a basis for you conclusion that he "dinked around with no degree".

From your most recent post, one would almost think he didn't get the job. CHRIS IS OUR NEW COACH! DEAL WITH IT! You may complain about Chris getting the job, without having first backed up his position as an educator. I will defend your right to criticize. But in the final analysis, CHRIS IS OUR NEW COACH! Go Bears!

Jack and What??? are likely Stanford trolls taking the opportunity to rip on Cal. Jack might even be Jeff Atkinson's old Cardinal roomie, a piece of work there if there ever was one.

A little reminder on the history of Huffins' lack of degree. He didn't have all the lower division requirements for graduation because Cal jacked him around on transferring units from Purdue. Who would like to post here that Purdue has inferior academic standards and no self-respecting California University should accept their class unit for transfer credit? Any Mid-Westerners want to take the bait?

Here's the official announcement just posted

"This is a dream come true for me," said Huffins. "My heart has never left Berkeley, and I look forward to building upon what Coach Hunt has achieved here at Cal and help return the track and field program to national prominence. I am also thrilled to come back and have the opportunity to complete my Cal degree, which is important to me and the university, and also sets a good example for my student-athletes."

Back in the day I was intrested in a head coaching position at a Cali J.C. well low and behold a masters degree was part of the requirments. Now CAL Bekeley hires not a coach but a "Director of Track and Field" to lead it's program with nothing more than a high school diploma! Huffins may be a great athlete, great coach, great student, however but he didn't take the time to finish he school work and gets the job at a school that prides it's self as one of the best. Please...... Here's a question is there any other DI coaches that don't have at least a B.A.?

What a joke! I know numerous people who were VERY qualified in all aspects that applied for the position. The fact that they were passed over for a mere high school graduate is a shame. If Huffins were not of minority descent then he surely wouldn\'t have recieved this position.

spose there is something to be said about crossing the finish line

This most likely means Sandoval stays as Cal's diastance coach, he's done such a fine job!