Another D1 Program in Trouble?

[AgSurfer]

Big news on the West Coast. Mike Mendoza is leaving CSU Bakersfield to take the head job at Boise State. This does not make sense to me. Mendoza has been doing a great job at CSUB, and BSU has been going downhill. I'm wondering if Mendoza saw the handwriting on the wall and is jumping ship before it sinks.

 

[dunkej01]

Who they hire next probably says more.

One would think Boise gave him a change of scenery, more pocket change and an increased recruiting budget.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

The Roadrunners have been doing a pretty good job. I hope Bako State isn't in trouble. Especially with Fresno State coming back on line.

 

[burnsie1983]

I would sooner think he views it as an upward move, although Boise hasn't been doing well the last few years, they are not that far removed from being a major contender.

It kind of reminds me of Chris Peterson to Washington in football.

 

[El-Jefe]

I wouldn't yet read into this that CSUB is in trouble.

Mendoza moves from an expensive city in the most insane tax state in the country, to an inexpensive city in a very low tax state. No small consideration for him and especially his staff if they tag along.

He'll still have his CA recruiting network, plus there's a powerhouse HS in the suburbs, think the same school produced Sasquatch and Jon Jay Chavez and a few other recent top 100 recruits. Plus access to Washington, which has decent talent.

IIRC Mendoza was on the list of supposed candidates for Fresno, so Bakersfield should've been prepared for this possibility. We'll find out if they were. Even if they weren't, that doesn't necessarily indicate peril.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

I wouldn't yet read into this that CSUB is in trouble.

Mendoza moves from an expensive city in the most insane tax state in the country, to an inexpensive city in a very low tax state. No small consideration for him and especially his staff if they tag along.

He'll still have his CA recruiting network, plus there's a powerhouse HS in the suburbs, think the same school produced Sasquatch and Jon Jay Chavez and a few other recent top 100 recruits. Plus access to Washington, which has decent talent.

IIRC Mendoza was on the list of supposed candidates for Fresno, so Bakersfield should've been prepared for this possibility. We'll find out if they were. Even if they weren't, that doesn't necessarily indicate peril.

Bakersfield is actually one of the least expensive major cities in Cali. It's in the Oklahoma of California. But you are right, Boise is cheaper. I'm not sure it's an upgrade though. There is a lot more talent to draw from in central Cali than in Idaho.

 

[El-Jefe]

Bakersfield is actually one of the least expensive major cities in Cali. It's in the Oklahoma of California. But you are right, Boise is cheaper. I'm not sure it's an upgrade though. There is a lot more talent to draw from in central Cali than in Idaho.

I spent some time working at Edwards AFB. Yes, Bakersfield is among the least expensive CA cities, but it's not cheap by any means. My house in suburban Philly costs 3x more in Palmdale/Lancaster.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

I spent some time working at Edwards AFB. Yes, Bakersfield is among the least expensive CA cities, but it's not cheap by any means. My house in suburban Philly costs 3x more in Palmdale/Lancaster.

Nice summers at Edwards...
Yes, we call it Taxifornia.

 

[El-Jefe]

Nice summers at Edwards...
Yes, we call it Taxifornia.

Pretty wild, at least for a central PA guy, sweating thru 110-deg heat and then shivering with a jacket on at a baseball game, all in the same day.

Beat the hell out of that summer in Arlington TX, where the evening shivers were heat stroke because it never got below 90 deg.

I miss Edwards quite a bit. Fun place, especially for an aero guy. But I'd need a serious pay raise to overcome the cost and the commute, plus The Boss would likely not approve.

 

[AgSurfer]

Pretty wild, at least for a central PA guy, sweating thru 110-deg heat and then shivering with a jacket on at a baseball game, all in the same day.

Beat the hell out of that summer in Arlington TX, where the evening shivers were heat stroke because it never got below 90 deg.

I miss Edwards quite a bit. Fun place, especially for an aero guy. But I'd need a serious pay raise to overcome the cost and the commute, plus The Boss would likely not approve.

When were you at Edwards? We have two homes - one in Phoenix and one in Lancaster. Can't discuss anything on a public forum about why I'm in Lancaster. You know the drill.

Being in this area makes it convenient to stay on top of CA wrestling. Saw both PSU duals in Nov and the CA state tournament is only an hour and a half drive. Also got to know the Nevills family a little bit. They are really good people. Cael is getting more than just good wrestlers.

Small world!

 

[Cali_Nittany]

When were you at Edwards? We have two homes - one in Phoenix and one in Lancaster. Can't discuss anything on a public forum about why I'm in Lancaster. You know the drill.

Being in this area makes it convenient to stay on top of CA wrestling. Saw both PSU duals in Nov and the CA state tournament is only an hour and a half drive. Also got to know the Nevills family a little bit. They are really good people. Cael is getting more than just good wrestlers.

Small world!

Nice. I was at the Bako State dual. Got mat side tickets with my boys.

 

[El-Jefe]

When were you at Edwards? We have two homes - one in Phoenix and one in Lancaster. Can't discuss anything on a public forum about why I'm in Lancaster. You know the drill.

Being in this area makes it convenient to stay on top of CA wrestling. Saw both PSU duals in Nov and the CA state tournament is only an hour and a half drive. Also got to know the Nevills family a little bit. They are really good people. Cael is getting more than just good wrestlers.

Small world!

I was last there around 10 years ago. I'm a civilian OEM employee and have since moved to a different platform. We were in a hangar on Wolfe Rd. Our bldg had a bar in the ground floor featuring, I am not making this up, a barber chair. Only took 1 happy hour to understand why the base roads had so many DUI warning signs.

Back then the train diner on the base was Thai, and not bad. There was also a cute place a few blocks south of the main road and near Sierra Hwy in (Dept of Redundancy Dept alert) a shabby part of Rosamond, that did Mediterranean meals, family style. We used to take 20 or so there every couple weeks and have a real good time until the owner got drunk and/or tired, then we'd help her clean up. Back then she was talking about moving to San Diego, so it's probably long gone. I vaguely remember a very Old West steakhouse pretty far west of Lancaster, out in no man's land. Also remember going to the Antelope Valley Fair and thinking it might someday approach a smaller, gritty, sandy version of the Bloomsburg Fair if they got money and lost the gangs.

Most importantly, a lot of nice people associated with our program and at the establishments we wandered into.

Funny stupid civilian story from my first visit to Edwards (not nearly my first visit to a military base): You know how far it is between Fwy 14 and the west gate -- and how long it feels. About 5 miles in, I remembered needing 2 forms of ID to enter the base, and my badge was in the trunk with my luggage. With no cars in sight, no way I was getting out of the car in an abandoned desert road full of shallow graves, snakes, and scorpions. Instead I continued until about 100 yards from the gate, pulled over slowly, and parked diagonally on the shoulder so the guards could see everything. I dangled my badge at arm's length from my side as I returned to the car. Sure enough, when I approached the gate, the guards pointed their guns at me, finger on the trigger. They warned me to never do that again, then directed me to the Visitor Center (which is of course INSIDE the gate) and told me to have a nice day in the most stern military way possible.

Not surprised that the Nevills are good people. Cael seems to put a premium on that. Still good to hear.

 

[Pennstate1985]

Bakersfield is actually one of the least expensive major cities in Cali. It's in the Oklahoma of California. But you are right, Boise is cheaper. I'm not sure it's an upgrade though. There is a lot more talent to draw from in central Cali than in Idaho.

I don't disagree with anything you wrote, but I'd rather live in Boise than Bakersfield.

 

[zwick99]

Paul Keysaw(PIAA champ) won a national championship at Cal Bakersfield in the 90s.

 

[AgSurfer]

I was last there around 10 years ago. I'm a civilian OEM employee and have since moved to a different platform. We were in a hangar on Wolfe Rd. Our bldg had a bar in the ground floor featuring, I am not making this up, a barber chair. Only took 1 happy hour to understand why the base roads had so many DUI warning signs.

Back then the train diner on the base was Thai, and not bad. There was also a cute place a few blocks south of the main road and near Sierra Hwy in (Dept of Redundancy Dept alert) a shabby part of Rosamond, that did Mediterranean meals, family style. We used to take 20 or so there every couple weeks and have a real good time until the owner got drunk and/or tired, then we'd help her clean up. Back then she was talking about moving to San Diego, so it's probably long gone. I vaguely remember a very Old West steakhouse pretty far west of Lancaster, out in no man's land. Also remember going to the Antelope Valley Fair and thinking it might someday approach a smaller, gritty, sandy version of the Bloomsburg Fair if they got money and lost the gangs.

Most importantly, a lot of nice people associated with our program and at the establishments we wandered into.

Funny stupid civilian story from my first visit to Edwards (not nearly my first visit to a military base): You know how far it is between Fwy 14 and the west gate -- and how long it feels. About 5 miles in, I remembered needing 2 forms of ID to enter the base, and my badge was in the trunk with my luggage. With no cars in sight, no way I was getting out of the car in an abandoned desert road full of shallow graves, snakes, and scorpions. Instead I continued until about 100 yards from the gate, pulled over slowly, and parked diagonally on the shoulder so the guards could see everything. I dangled my badge at arm's length from my side as I returned to the car. Sure enough, when I approached the gate, the guards pointed their guns at me, finger on the trigger. They warned me to never do that again, then directed me to the Visitor Center (which is of course INSIDE the gate) and told me to have a nice day in the most stern military way possible.

Not surprised that the Nevills are good people. Cael seems to put a premium on that. Still good to hear.

The Western style steakhouse you are talking about is Foxy's - right at the intersection of 60th St W and W Ave G. When you drive there, you go over the 1/4 mile part of Ave G that is the Musical Highway. It's a section of the road where there are grooves that cause your tires to play the William Tell Overture. No BS!

There are a lot of landmark places that are still around. I'm guessing that you visited the remains of the Happy Bottom Riding Club while you were here. One very interesting local resident is none other than R. Lee Ermey! He is co-owner of a local microbrewery called the Bravery Brewery. From what I've been told, he goes there pretty often.

Since I go between here and Phoenix, I've been keeping my ear close to the ground to see what Zeke is doing at ASU. He has a pretty good area to get decent recruits, so I expect him to be making some waves in the next few years. Not sure if Ed Ruth is still hanging around Sunkist now that his bid for the 2016 Olympics is over. He's probably going to want to get some ongoing wrestling workouts into his training plan, but I'm guessing that he needs to focus more on improving his striking and submission skills in order to be competitive. I don't know if there are places in AZ where he can get the kind of training he needs. I'm betting CA is a better choice for that.

 

[El-Jefe]

Making me miss the place even more. No idea when I'd get there for work, but it's not that far out of the way (in western terms) from some other places ...