Steve Cleveland was brought in as Fresno State Basketball coach 6 years ago to save the program--literally. Most insiders credit the hiring of Cleveland—his track record and reputation with the NCAA--as the critical factor that saved Fresno State basketball from the “death penalty.” Cleve needed the job like he needed a hole in his head. But Fresno represented a unique mission and Cleve knew he could make a difference. It was the "right" thing to do for his hometown.
Once the death penalty was averted, Fresno State’s “Upper Management” moved on and left Cleve alone, hand-cuffed with oppressive NCAA sanctions, to rebuild a clean program from scratch. Achieving his mission meant suspending key players at the most inopportune times, passing over easy recruits and struggling to build a talent pool despite limited scholarships. As if all that weren’t difficult enough, budgets were quietly being cut by the athletic department. Cleve never complained. Every day, in real ways, Cleve had to make discouraging choices calculated to build the program for the future at the expense of short term success on the court. With little fanfare, the program’s academic index went from a dismal 611 to an exemplary 928. Mission accomplished…? Apparently so. Now that NCAA restrictions are gone, Upper Management has come galloping back in to take the reins from here.
Bulldog fans have short memories. Some who led the charge to replace Cleve, including a young cadre of local sports journalists and AD Thomas Boeh, were all working in other markets during the Tarkanian/Lopes era when Fresno State basketball players were eating free sushi, shaving points, assaulting people with samurai swords and being indicted for murder. So, with change coming, it’s probably an appropriate time to consider a few lessons from Bulldog Hoop history….
Lesson One: the “Glory Days” of the Red Wave were back in the early 80’s when Boyd Grant won three PCAA championships and …(reverent hush)….led the Bulldogs to the 1983 NIT championship.
Lesson Two: Fresno State Basketball has a unique tendency to slouch into NCAA violations, outright cheating and other bizarre behavior.
Lesson Three: Even when Fresno State Basketball was operating as a virtual organized crime syndicate, there was still no consistent “on-court” success that would satisfy the more rabid segment of Fresno State fans.
With these lessons in mind, there is good reason to be wary. Despite the bungled manner in which Cleve was fired; including a dithering, week-long “death watch” that finally drove our best player to the NBA (So much for winning in the short term…); or the fact that Tarkanian, within hours of Cleve’s dismissal, was publicly endorsing an “ideal” potential candidate; what is most disconcerting is the growing sense that Fresno State leadership, and many fans, seem to view Cleveland’s tenure as less of a permanent restructuring; and more like a required prison term in “CleanHoopsVille” before hustling back to business as usual.
Boeh’s explanation for removing Cleve was to “re-energize the program” and “increase ticket sales.” That was exactly the justification used to push out Gary Colson and make room for Jerry Tarkanian. As a non-major program in a non-major conference--with scarce financial resources and a troubled compliance history--it will take a magician to achieve results that will satisfy Bulldog fans AND maintain the academic and compliance discipline of Cleveland’s program.
As a leadership decision, it seems incredibly naïve and risky to take a clean program--rebuilt at great cost--and hand it over to anyone but the surest, sure thing. Yet the first list of potential coaching candidates is comprised of untried assistants, formerly fired coaches and the head coach at…….Idaho?
Here’s a hunch: with time, history will smile kindly on Cleve’s tenure in Fresno.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Valley Economy is Endangered Species!
Like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, our Valley economy is an especially fragile ecosystem and investment capital has long been our most endangered species. Although we have aspired to economic diversity, the truth is that most of our Valley's capital is still quietly tucked away in farms, orchards, F-150's and processing plants.
The real value of that capital is vaporizing with every drop of water that doesn't reach our land and every day that passes without a predictable picture of what those flows will look like in the future.
This is not just an ag problem. Like a living system, the various segments of our economy are connected organically. As our capital base shrinks, so does financing, jobs, population, innovation and philanthropy.
Start-ups don't get funded, homes don't get built, city budgets are decimated. Unlike Delta water, the negative fall-out from our capital devaluation will trickle down to every segment of our economy.
With 20% unemployment, things are bad already, but there is a growing danger that a unique combination of the housing market implosion, the national recession and the devaluation of our agricultural capital will create a perfect storm that deals a permanent knockout blow to our economy.
When a regional economy hits a tipping point, it can spiral downward into permanent depression and never fully recover. Detroit and New Orleans are poignant examples.
But when it comes to water, our fate is not yet cast. In a recent speech, U. S. District Judge Oliver Wanger made it clear that a solution can only come from Washington. That's bad news because it requires a fight the Valley is especially ill-prepared to wage.
Let's face it, the Valley is an orphan in national politics. It has become embarrassingly clear that local Democrats have absolutely no chops within the national party, the Obama administration, or even fellow caucus members; and lack of any current Republican power makes the leadership of Rep. Devin Nunes valiant, but currently insufficient.
Increasingly, the battle looks less Republican versus Democrat and more "Us" (the Valley) against "Them" (outside regional and environmental interests).
It seems that every day we are served up a fresh plate of condescension from a Bay Area politician or environmental special interest group intent on imposing their priorities upon our way of life without any regard for our basic economic health. Straight up: The Valley is being tread upon!
We have already exhausted our usual political playbook. The time has come to identify some form of bold and united community action that can create pressure in Washington and force movement in Congress.
Here's one idea: Fresno State should boycott the 2010 football season in unity with the "Green V" and to create national awareness of the Valley's plight. Sound dramatic? Then we are on the right track. So, too, will be the human cost if our local economy goes extinct.
The reality is that Fresno State is our only recognizable national franchise and the Green V our most unifying symbol. Even the timing would be perfect as the college season ramps up to crescendo just before the November elections.
Truth is, when the goal is awareness, sports boycotts can be stunningly effective. Read up on the 1936 Long Island hoops squad, the 1980 Olympics or Tommie Smith's 1968 medal stand salute.
Even the NFL is likely to face a boycott (strike) or lockout in 2011 over relatively silly issues like revenue sharing and guaranteed contracts.
Many will argue that a boycott would unfairly burden the university and the football program specifically. But be honest: Given Fresno State's history with athletic priorities, would publicity from a boycott in the name of human rights and regional economic survival be a bad thing for the university? Just asking.
More likely, coach Pat Hill and the entire football program would emerge as heroes and the Valley would stash away decades of political capital to fight off regional oppression in the future.
The real value of that capital is vaporizing with every drop of water that doesn't reach our land and every day that passes without a predictable picture of what those flows will look like in the future.
This is not just an ag problem. Like a living system, the various segments of our economy are connected organically. As our capital base shrinks, so does financing, jobs, population, innovation and philanthropy.
Start-ups don't get funded, homes don't get built, city budgets are decimated. Unlike Delta water, the negative fall-out from our capital devaluation will trickle down to every segment of our economy.
With 20% unemployment, things are bad already, but there is a growing danger that a unique combination of the housing market implosion, the national recession and the devaluation of our agricultural capital will create a perfect storm that deals a permanent knockout blow to our economy.
When a regional economy hits a tipping point, it can spiral downward into permanent depression and never fully recover. Detroit and New Orleans are poignant examples.
But when it comes to water, our fate is not yet cast. In a recent speech, U. S. District Judge Oliver Wanger made it clear that a solution can only come from Washington. That's bad news because it requires a fight the Valley is especially ill-prepared to wage.
Let's face it, the Valley is an orphan in national politics. It has become embarrassingly clear that local Democrats have absolutely no chops within the national party, the Obama administration, or even fellow caucus members; and lack of any current Republican power makes the leadership of Rep. Devin Nunes valiant, but currently insufficient.
Increasingly, the battle looks less Republican versus Democrat and more "Us" (the Valley) against "Them" (outside regional and environmental interests).
It seems that every day we are served up a fresh plate of condescension from a Bay Area politician or environmental special interest group intent on imposing their priorities upon our way of life without any regard for our basic economic health. Straight up: The Valley is being tread upon!
We have already exhausted our usual political playbook. The time has come to identify some form of bold and united community action that can create pressure in Washington and force movement in Congress.
Here's one idea: Fresno State should boycott the 2010 football season in unity with the "Green V" and to create national awareness of the Valley's plight. Sound dramatic? Then we are on the right track. So, too, will be the human cost if our local economy goes extinct.
The reality is that Fresno State is our only recognizable national franchise and the Green V our most unifying symbol. Even the timing would be perfect as the college season ramps up to crescendo just before the November elections.
Truth is, when the goal is awareness, sports boycotts can be stunningly effective. Read up on the 1936 Long Island hoops squad, the 1980 Olympics or Tommie Smith's 1968 medal stand salute.
Even the NFL is likely to face a boycott (strike) or lockout in 2011 over relatively silly issues like revenue sharing and guaranteed contracts.
Many will argue that a boycott would unfairly burden the university and the football program specifically. But be honest: Given Fresno State's history with athletic priorities, would publicity from a boycott in the name of human rights and regional economic survival be a bad thing for the university? Just asking.
More likely, coach Pat Hill and the entire football program would emerge as heroes and the Valley would stash away decades of political capital to fight off regional oppression in the future.
Change The Game. Scuttle Our Name.
Often, the most effective way to affect positive change is through patient effort, incremental improvements and working with existing parts. However, sometimes a problem is so intractable that it requires bold thinking and leaving the comfort zone. In short, it requires a “Game Changer.” Fresno has just such a problem. The name of Fresno—our “Brand”—is simply too far gone. It has too much negative baggage to ever be salvaged. The time has come for Fresno to scrap its name and start fresh with a clean vessel.
There is nothing sacred about the name Fresno. In fact, it is surprisingly random. It’s not a memorial to an early public figure or a proud moment in our history; it is simply the Spanish word for “ash tree”. Not a vineyard, grapes or even tree fruit. It brings nothing descriptive or even remotely connected to our identity. Nor does it allude to the utopian or serene. In short, the name itself has no positive brand value and no historical meaning or roots that should inspire our loyalty.
On the other hand, when it comes to conjuring up negative stereotypes, the Fresno brand is loaded! In no particular order: hick, hwy99, bad air, insecure, ugly, boring, backward, corrupt, uneducated, and generally undesirable. Like every City, Fresno has problems. However, unlike most cities, the negative connotation of our name is disproportionate to the magnitude of our challenges. That will never change. Our name holds us back. Be honest: If Fresno is ultimately successful at conquering unemployment, healing downtown and improving education, will Fresno become any less of a target for one- liners from late night comedians, disrespect from Hollywood, or inclusion in various “worst of” lists by magazines? The fruit hangs too low.
Fresno has become a cliché. It became so before many of us were born and for reasons generally out of our control. The cliché sparked into life through a bizarre confluence of two forces in post World War II California: 1) an awkward phase in the development of our city with 2) the emergence of our two rapidly growing yet insecure hot shot older brothers (Bay Area and SoCal) who needed a skinny kid with pimples to pick on. We’ve grown up a lot since then and so have they. But the cliché remains. Does anyone have an example where a cliché was successfully deconstructed once it gained traction in the popular mind?
Marketing campaigns like World Class, FresYes or Smile When You Say That are certainly well-intentioned but they are counter-productive. As recent events have shown, these efforts only provide fresh fodder to the peanut gallery and force us to keep doubling down on our negative brand. Those making jabs are not trying to engage in a rational public discussion, they are trying to get a cheap laugh. It will continue as long as the Fresno name is available to them as an easy punch line. In a world of increasing political correctness, dumping on a city with bad stereotypes is fair game and an easy target.
As a local entrepreneur and real estate developer, I have been involved in economic development efforts in both Fresno and Clovis. In doing so, it has been fascinating to witness the distinct advantage that Clovis has in these matters purely because it is unburdened by preconceptions associated with its name.
Companies change names all the time when a brand doesn’t work. BackRub.com changed its name to Google. Yahoo was Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web. Phil Knight started off with Blue Ribbon Sports before changing it to Nike. Pepsi Cola was simply Brad’s Drink. Safe to say all of these were smart changes.
When Soviet communism fell in 1991, dozens of cities in Russia and Eastern Europe changed names that tied them to a negative past. Leningrad and Stalingrad were out. St. Petersburg and Volgagrad were in. Over 40 modern countries have changed their name in the last 75 years including Cambodia, Ghana, Belize, Iran, Thailand and Bangladesh.
Examples of American cities changing their names are also plentiful; especially when the name conjures up negative stereotypes. Sing Sing, New York changed its name to Ossining in order to distance itself from the local “Sing Sing” state prison when the negative association simply overwhelmed every other characteristic of the City. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the town of Surratsville, Maryland changed its name to Robeysville in order to distance itself from the infamy of Mary and John Surrat who were alleged conspirators in the assassination plot. Lincoln, Nebraska; Cleveland, Ohio and hundreds of other cities have changed their names—usually because of perception problems.
By changing our name, we would take the easy stereotype card off the table and force the outside world to deal with the actual characteristics and substance of our City. Under any name, we would still be the 5th largest city in California, still be strategically nestled between the world’s greatest national parks and recreation opportunities, still be a uniquely authentic middle class place to live and raise a family in America’s greatest State. We would still have our challenges also but those challenges would stand on their own and be out from under the thumb of our negative brand.
I imagine that some might resist this idea out of some misplaced sense of loyalty and an instinctive need to keep fighting the good fight. But why? Loyalty to our community demands a commitment to make our future better than our past even if that requires unconventional solutions. Loyalty to the Fresno name alone is superficial.
One of the appealing aspects of the name change solution is that it is focused and achievable. To start, all that would need to change is 1) the official name of the City itself; and 2) the name of the Airport. The change would not have to affect any other organizations. Businesses, non-profits and other public entities like CSU Fresno or the County could keep the Fresno handle. The Fresno name would continue to have a rightful place in our culture and history.
Put on your vision goggles for a minute. What if we lived in the Great Valley, California and welcomed visitors to the Yosemite International Airport? Alta, Kearney and Portal Sierra are other random possibilities. Far-fetched? Why? Government would still operate and the earth would still spin. But in one fell stroke we would take our City out of the punch line business and sever our connection with old stereotypes.
There is nothing sacred about the name Fresno. In fact, it is surprisingly random. It’s not a memorial to an early public figure or a proud moment in our history; it is simply the Spanish word for “ash tree”. Not a vineyard, grapes or even tree fruit. It brings nothing descriptive or even remotely connected to our identity. Nor does it allude to the utopian or serene. In short, the name itself has no positive brand value and no historical meaning or roots that should inspire our loyalty.
On the other hand, when it comes to conjuring up negative stereotypes, the Fresno brand is loaded! In no particular order: hick, hwy99, bad air, insecure, ugly, boring, backward, corrupt, uneducated, and generally undesirable. Like every City, Fresno has problems. However, unlike most cities, the negative connotation of our name is disproportionate to the magnitude of our challenges. That will never change. Our name holds us back. Be honest: If Fresno is ultimately successful at conquering unemployment, healing downtown and improving education, will Fresno become any less of a target for one- liners from late night comedians, disrespect from Hollywood, or inclusion in various “worst of” lists by magazines? The fruit hangs too low.
Fresno has become a cliché. It became so before many of us were born and for reasons generally out of our control. The cliché sparked into life through a bizarre confluence of two forces in post World War II California: 1) an awkward phase in the development of our city with 2) the emergence of our two rapidly growing yet insecure hot shot older brothers (Bay Area and SoCal) who needed a skinny kid with pimples to pick on. We’ve grown up a lot since then and so have they. But the cliché remains. Does anyone have an example where a cliché was successfully deconstructed once it gained traction in the popular mind?
Marketing campaigns like World Class, FresYes or Smile When You Say That are certainly well-intentioned but they are counter-productive. As recent events have shown, these efforts only provide fresh fodder to the peanut gallery and force us to keep doubling down on our negative brand. Those making jabs are not trying to engage in a rational public discussion, they are trying to get a cheap laugh. It will continue as long as the Fresno name is available to them as an easy punch line. In a world of increasing political correctness, dumping on a city with bad stereotypes is fair game and an easy target.
As a local entrepreneur and real estate developer, I have been involved in economic development efforts in both Fresno and Clovis. In doing so, it has been fascinating to witness the distinct advantage that Clovis has in these matters purely because it is unburdened by preconceptions associated with its name.
Companies change names all the time when a brand doesn’t work. BackRub.com changed its name to Google. Yahoo was Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web. Phil Knight started off with Blue Ribbon Sports before changing it to Nike. Pepsi Cola was simply Brad’s Drink. Safe to say all of these were smart changes.
When Soviet communism fell in 1991, dozens of cities in Russia and Eastern Europe changed names that tied them to a negative past. Leningrad and Stalingrad were out. St. Petersburg and Volgagrad were in. Over 40 modern countries have changed their name in the last 75 years including Cambodia, Ghana, Belize, Iran, Thailand and Bangladesh.
Examples of American cities changing their names are also plentiful; especially when the name conjures up negative stereotypes. Sing Sing, New York changed its name to Ossining in order to distance itself from the local “Sing Sing” state prison when the negative association simply overwhelmed every other characteristic of the City. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the town of Surratsville, Maryland changed its name to Robeysville in order to distance itself from the infamy of Mary and John Surrat who were alleged conspirators in the assassination plot. Lincoln, Nebraska; Cleveland, Ohio and hundreds of other cities have changed their names—usually because of perception problems.
By changing our name, we would take the easy stereotype card off the table and force the outside world to deal with the actual characteristics and substance of our City. Under any name, we would still be the 5th largest city in California, still be strategically nestled between the world’s greatest national parks and recreation opportunities, still be a uniquely authentic middle class place to live and raise a family in America’s greatest State. We would still have our challenges also but those challenges would stand on their own and be out from under the thumb of our negative brand.
I imagine that some might resist this idea out of some misplaced sense of loyalty and an instinctive need to keep fighting the good fight. But why? Loyalty to our community demands a commitment to make our future better than our past even if that requires unconventional solutions. Loyalty to the Fresno name alone is superficial.
One of the appealing aspects of the name change solution is that it is focused and achievable. To start, all that would need to change is 1) the official name of the City itself; and 2) the name of the Airport. The change would not have to affect any other organizations. Businesses, non-profits and other public entities like CSU Fresno or the County could keep the Fresno handle. The Fresno name would continue to have a rightful place in our culture and history.
Put on your vision goggles for a minute. What if we lived in the Great Valley, California and welcomed visitors to the Yosemite International Airport? Alta, Kearney and Portal Sierra are other random possibilities. Far-fetched? Why? Government would still operate and the earth would still spin. But in one fell stroke we would take our City out of the punch line business and sever our connection with old stereotypes.
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