[Redrum]

...is that based on comments on BI,  a significant amount of this "progress" was made by the departures of players that weren't cutting it academically.  That is good.  "Cleaning up the books" is the business phrase.  That is part of the Ba.re's problem.  But, in a way, that is the easy part.    The hard part is to change the system and the recruiting standards enough so that mass departure of bad academic performers is not a vital necessary fix again in the future.  That means really putting UC's money where it's mouth is.  Will they really be able to hold the academic standards line with desirable recruits who are just so close to meeting the new standard but not meeting it?  Or will some familiar,  fuzzier, more flexible standards emerge when faced with tough choices?  Will they really support the athletes with discipline and aid to help them adapt to a higher standard of academic performance?  Will they make sure it really is the athletes performing as students, not a "support" system that does the work for them ?  It will take a few years to know the answers.

[Redrum]

...is that based on comments on BI,  a significant amount of this "progress" was made by the departures of players that weren't cutting it academically.  That is good.  "Cleaning up the books" is the business phrase.  That is part of the Ba.re's problem.  But, in a way, that is the easy part.    The hard part is to change the system and the recruiting standards enough so that mass departure of bad academic performers is not a vital necessary fix again in the future.  That means really putting UC's money where it's mouth is.  Will they really be able to hold the academic standards line with desirable recruits who are just so close to meeting the new standard but not meeting it?  Or will some familiar,  fuzzier, more flexible standards emerge when faced with tough choices?  Will they really support the athletes with discipline and aid to help them adapt to a higher standard of academic performance?  Will they make sure it really is the athletes performing as students, not a "support" system that does the work for them ?  It will take a few years to know the answers.