Cal == bad at math

ESPN just published an article (which, admittedly, i'm only reading because i was mildly curious how Cal's "juggernaut" football team was doing), about head coach Jeff Tedford. It notes that his success has generated about $2.5 million in new revenue, but he's liable to get a cheaper buyout option (by $500,000) if the school doesn't start $140 million in improvements on Memorial Stadium.

Does anyone else see the disconnect between the amount of money and effort that's poured in Memorial and the output that Cal gets from it? Div-1A football has no place in the University. Basketball is getting there fast, but at least it has fewer coaches.

Admittedly, Memorial is a nice venue. It probably needs to be retrofitted/improved... but is anyone seriously going to tell me that football has created net profits of $140 million dollars over the entire life of Memorial? And please don't infer that the UC needs a big stadium to run events at, or that Memorial generates revenue with third-party bookings. Even the biggest graduations (oh yes, Poli Sci and Engineering, i'm looking at you) at Cal are at the Greek Theater, and the receptions afterwards happen on Kleeberger Field or the Campanile plaza. As anyone who lived in Foothill can attest, Dave Matthews and other pot-smoking-inducing performances happen at the Greek.

Given Cal's miserable state of giving, i'm pretty sure the Advancement office doesn't get $140 million of goodwill out of alums, either. Hey. This ain't USC, people.

So... what exactly would be the point? I think Cal's past experience with "football genius" shows what loyalty is worth in the big-bucks, big-glory world of semi-professional sports.

So, yeah... Cal? I know you're not listening, but you're honestly not going to see any of my hard-earned money until you dismantle, or seriously reform, semi-pro sports at the UC. I'd rather give it to research.