So, this happened… or, more accurately, didn’t happen.
As governor of California, Gavin Newsom likewise is entrusted with oversight of the state’s massive, 10-campus university system.
So common sense might suggest that Newsom would have been among the very few people in the know last month as UCLA, along with private institution USC, announced plans to abandon Pac-12 Conference membership and join the Big Ten Conference in two years.
Speaking candidly with FOX-11 TV Los Angeles, Newsom declared he knew nothing in advance of the schools’ plans.
… Newsom doubled down on his being surprised at the move and indicated he was unaware that any discussion about the Bruins’ planned departure for the Midwestern and East Coast-based Big Ten had been broached at the higher levels.
“Is it a good idea? Did we discuss merits or demerits?,” Newsom asked. “I’m not aware that anyone did. So it was done in isolation, it was done without any regental oversight or support. It was done without any consideration to my knowledge.
“Now, perhaps there was deep conversation with other presidents, rather chancellors and presidents in the system it will impact more broadly. Not just to the UCs but to the other universities, including Stanford University.”
Though Newsom did not divulge what action or actions he believed could potentially be taken in the wake of UCLA’s decision, he emphasized the office of the governor is investigating the matter.
Do I think there’s anything he can do to reverse the decision? Nah. Do I think he’ll find some way in the future to stick it to UCLA? Well, let’s put it this way — it probably wasn’t a smart move to give him the opportunity.
I think he misspelled “genital.”
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Gov. Newsom and California. I’ll just keep my mouth shut…
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Well, like I always say, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, SAY IT!”
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UCLA (and, to a lesser degree, USC) is about to find out not to cross those in Sacramento. When the UCLA administration comes asking for money for some new building or additional funding for whatever, I imagine they will be told, “Use your Big 10 money for that if it’s that important.”
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If the University of California system cares about athletics more than most of the rest of the people in that state, I’d be surprised.
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I can’t imagine those affiliated with Berkeley (as the flagship of the system) are happy with UCLA’s decision.
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Newsom is an asshat.
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That’s one of the kinder words that describe him.
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Stalin with a tan.
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Guys, you’ve wandered off the reservation enough.
Stick to the post topic, please.
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I think they were just following your lead, Bluto!
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My “lead”, as you put it, was about the consequences of not informing the person who runs your system of a significant move.
It wasn’t about politics in California generally.
But I suspect you, as well as all the savvy commentators in this thread, already know that.
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I knew better than to comment on he problems in our country.
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USC is a private school.
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Who said anything about USC?
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The article you cited, in paragraph 2.
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You mean the paragraph that cites USC as a private institution, in an article that discussed Newsom’s criticism of UCLA only? What’s your point?
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It wouldn’t surprise me if he wasn’t told. University administrators think they run kingdoms. Though Occam’s Razor says simple ineptness is the explanation.
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FTMF
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It is freaking wild to me that UCLA went out and did this without consulting their regents or the governor or anybody. Something that’s going to have that big of an impact on the rest of the state and sporting culture out there and they just more or less did it in their own room without sending anyone important a heads up? I wonder if any of the big time boosters were even consulted. I’d have to imagine some of them don’t like the idea of not playing any old rivals anymore except for USC. Did Texas and OU also pull their moves off without consulting anyone important?
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Bluto’s hammer coming in 10, 9, 8…
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Fuck, I tried. I really did…
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