[2006alum]

How could they lose generation after generation of students >> alumni so detached from college athletics and ןɐɔ football in general? 

I really think folks are significantly underestimating how much the Berkeley administration drains morale and school spirit. It really doesn't even have much to do with athletics per se - it has to do with waitlists (and thus five-year majors to complete requirements), heartless and uncaring admins, archaic class registration systems, brobdingnagian class sizes, limited direct faculty interaction, and decaying plant. It's hard to want to root and donate to a school that treats you like cattle being herded through four years of educational stockyards. Unfortunately for the AD, I think a substantial amount of this is entirely beyond his/her control, and it won't change simply because there's a more charismatic football coach. Just about every strong Stanford Athletics fan/alum I know also loved their experience at Stanford as a student. It's hard to care about the school's sports when you resent the school itself.

[2006alum]

How could they lose generation after generation of students >> alumni so detached from college athletics and ןɐɔ football in general? 

I really think folks are significantly underestimating how much the Berkeley administration drains morale and school spirit. It really doesn't even have much to do with athletics per se - it has to do with waitlists (and thus five-year majors to complete requirements), heartless and uncaring admins, archaic class registration systems, brobdingnagian class sizes, limited direct faculty interaction, and decaying plant. It's hard to want to root and donate to a school that treats you like cattle being herded through four years of educational stockyards. Unfortunately for the AD, I think a substantial amount of this is entirely beyond his/her control, and it won't change simply because there's a more charismatic football coach. Just about every strong Stanford Athletics fan/alum I know also loved their experience at Stanford as a student. It's hard to care about the school's sports when you resent the school itself.