Bye-bye Braun

THERE ARE nine coaches with longer tenures than Ben Braun at Cal; five of those have national championships. The recent premature attrition of scholarship players (Omar Wilkes, Dominic McGuire, Marquise Kately, David Paris, Shantay Legans, Jamal Sampson ...), lack of development in players with good potential (DeVon Hardin, Amit Tamir, Richard Midgley ...) and lackluster play this year by a talented team confirms that Cal's program has turned the wrong direction. Time for a change.

Andreas Chavez

Seattle

Zero results

HOW MANY SEASONS can Cal fans accept a coach that has zero results? Take some of the more talented players throughout the country and do absolutely nothing to develop them, and you should be fired. He has no personal skills as a coach, no loyalty to his players, and furthermore, he never played competitive basketball a day in his life. Transfers, players failing out of school and a bland personality. Find one player that can vouch for Ben being any sort of mentor for them, and I will retract all of my previous statements.

Former Cal player

From mid-1990s

(Name withheld by request)

Awful drought

YES. TWELVE years and we've never competed for a Pac-10 title ... nor does it look like we're going to any time soon.

Richard Williams

San Leandro

Cal a 'joke'

YES, YES and yes. His offensive scheme is terrible; it doesn't matter that Cal leads the Pac-10 in scoring. He does not run screens or back-door cuts. He does not make halftime adjustments. And as bad as the offense is, the defense is now a joke. Very few of his players get any better between their freshman and later years. He also loses players to transfers. With the team getting worse annually, it will be harder to get talented players to sign with Cal. I don't think any Cal fans realistically expect a national title or even a Final Four, but making the Dance and the Sweet 16 now and then should not be out of the question. Eighth or ninth in the Pac-10 is absolutely unacceptable.

Gary Hallmark

Dublin

Keep Braun

AS A BEAR Backer for three decades, I am troubled by the short memories of those who want a coaching change. Here is the crucial fact: Under Braun, Cal has had its greatest continued basketball success in half a century. Five NCAA bids in 11 eligible years; six 20-win seasons; an NIT title; a spotlessly clean program; players who reflect honor upon the university. Membership in the elite of college basketball is not simple to accomplish. In the Pac-10, only UCLA and Arizona have been consistently ranked. If membership in that elite is essential to continued employment, then all but 20 of the 300-plus coaches in America need to be dismissed.

Susan Hill

Berkeley

Good enough?

IF WINNING is the only criteria, then Ben Braun should be sent packing. However, if simply being a good coach is all that's required, then keep Braun on the payroll.

George Fetzer

Patterson

Low level

ABSOLUTELY. Cal has

become a

mid-major program. If Braun could not turn the corner after the Leon Powe recruiting class, then he never will. Cal has a losing record in three out of the last four seasons. The athletic director said that one-and-done in the NCAA tournament was unacceptable. Well, how does she like one tournament appearance in the past five years? It is time for Cal to hire a coach who can get the Bears to the next level.

Matt Brett

Alameda

Bland

and bad

SADLY, YES.

Vanilla is great -- but it's better with syrup, toppings, whipped cream, etc. Braun's record as far as running a clean program, signing a great recruit (occasionally) and making the tournament (NIT included) are commendable. Still, there is no buzz about him or the program. No expectations from the public. Mediocrity should get anyone removed.

Jason Brumfield

Oakland

Not capitalizing

BRAUN GOT his chance. But he doesn't know how to use his main man, DeVon Hardin, someone who has NBA talent. Overall, he just doesn't know how to utilize the abundance of talent he has at his disposal.

Byron Lee

Oakland

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Ruined chances

YES. HE doesn't develop players well. He doesn't recruit well. His offense is mediocre. His teams are rather bland. He isn't winning -- if he were, I'd forgive all of the above.

Allen Lazaroff

Oakland

Another thud

YES. THE Bears should have been strong this season, yet the team's collapse is even worse than last season. So changes must be in order. Yes, Braun did better than Lou Campanelli and Todd Bozeman, but if Cal does not make the NCAA Tournament again this year, it's time to find a new head coach.