If you care about winning....

[mentechsters]

Absolutely I stand by my statements. Coach Anderman does an outstanding job in coaching the "coachable" players.....and our offensive numbers prove it since he's been at Tech.On the other hand, our pitching stinks. If our powerful offense didn't average 9 runs per game, the team wouldn't be playing in the tournament. Our team era is 7.24 ( last year our team era was 5.84)and they walked an average of 5 batters a game while only striking out 7.We gave up an average of 8 runs per game (last year we gave up 7 runs per game). If our schedule had put this offense up against some dominating pitchers like we've faced in previous seasons, there's no way our offense could've overcome 8 runs if we faced good pitching.

While I agree Frannie does a great job, you can't just pick and choose and say the others do nothing. Guess who recruited those players. Tree. Guess who the head coach is. Simoneaux. If people are gonna say that losing falls on the shoulders of the coaches, then I guess it's safe to say that winning does as well. You can put up all the numbers you want, but winning is winning. Period. Guess it just shows how a little leadership from some of the older guys really goes a long way. I now realize that your dislike for the coaches will not allow you to see what a great season the TEAM has had.

[BLUE collar]

serious question, chris --

i've heard all the time about coaches not having the right mentality, not being able to motivate players, and being fired because of it --

yet, every athlete i've talked to says motivation is overrated. it comes from within. moats would tell me that all the time about bicknell. bicknell didn't need to motivate, because the players should motivate themselves, etc.

that said, what is the job of a college coach. if motivation isn't one of the key ingredients (which, actually, as a non-athlete, i totally disagree with), then what is it?

I know you posed this question to Chris, but if I may, I would like to give a little input.

Coaches get their pay for motivating players throughout the week and leading up to a game. Not on game day itself... As I said earlier, if a college athlete can't get hyped up for a game, then it is time for them to join the rest of the college students on the hill.

It is hard to be motivated for a practice when you were up at 5:30 for weights and then had three classes and know that you still have study hall after practice. It is hard to do that after the adriniline of the first week. This is what coaches get paid for. If they can't have a practice where the players aren't locked in mentally then it translates into poor practices and eventually poor performance on game day. The other job of a coach at this level is to make sure not to work the team too hard, it is a very fine line that they walk, but on game day they really need to sit back and maybe make a few changes after they make the original lineup. Save for a few key situations in a game, but getting players motivated is not one that they should have to worry about.

While I don't presume to speak for Chris, putting on that uniform and heading out to the field on gameday was more than enough motivation for me... kinda like running on to the field for a football game, very few feelings met the anticipation and excitement that exist in an athlete's mind and body.

[OmahaDawg]

Players should be able to motivate themselves or not play. Period.

[hambone29]

Blue collar summed it up pretty well. Coaches have a lot on their plate. One is motivating players throughout the entire school year (practice, weights, grades, attendance, and all the other non-player related duties such as schedule, travel schedule, field maintenance, fundraisers, etc). Gamedays aren't coaches' responsibility as far as motivation is concerned. As others have previously stated, if you don't get the gameday butterflies after running onto the field, then something is wrong and its not the coaches' faults.

[falcon]

While I agree Frannie does a great job, you can't just pick and choose and say the others do nothing. Guess who recruited those players. Tree. Guess who the head coach is. Simoneaux. If people are gonna say that losing falls on the shoulders of the coaches, then I guess it's safe to say that winning does as well. You can put up all the numbers you want, but winning is winning. Period. Guess it just shows how a little leadership from some of the older guys really goes a long way. I now realize that your dislike for the coaches will not allow you to see what a great season the TEAM has had.

The team has had a good season and I really am proud of the way the team has handled themselves (and I don't dislike the coaches.) They do a terrific job and work very hard.......just truthfully stating that there is very little in the way of coaching the intricasies of the game to allow these players to show obvious improvement in their game. ( I am referring to pitching in particular)Former players do not always make the best coaches (those who can.....do, those who can't.....teach )Baseball is a game you never stop learning new ways of doing things,new techniques,etc.To be an effective coach you must be a student of the game and keep up with the information that is out there and present it to your players.Coach Anderman is a good example of that and you can see that he is experiencing the good results that come with it.

[FishingBack]

I think a lot of the outrage earlier in the year came from the SJSU four game sweep. As it turns out, they were the best team in the WAC which makes it less surprising.

[mentechsters]

The team has had a good season and I really am proud of the way the team has handled themselves (and I don't dislike the coaches.) They do a terrific job and work very hard.......just truthfully stating that there is very little in the way of coaching the intricasies of the game to allow these players to show obvious improvement in their game. ( I am referring to pitching in particular)Former players do not always make the best coaches (those who can.....do, those who can't.....teach )Baseball is a game you never stop learning new ways of doing things,new techniques,etc.To be an effective coach you must be a student of the game and keep up with the information that is out there and present it to your players.Coach Anderman is a good example of that and you can see that he is experiencing the good results that come with it.

First off, the "those who can....do, those who can't.....teach" saying is lame. I never have understood that. Seems to me that your biggest problem is with coach Rountree. We've had this argument on here before about pitchers that have improved, listing several. It is a ridiculous conversation. We knew the pitching staff was going to be young this year, and at times struggle. But to argue your point, I will use your son as an example. Coming out of high school, what schools were recruiting him as a pitcher? Be honest now, I know the truth. After only 3 years at Tech, he turned down being drafted in the 3rd Round b/c he wanted to be a hitter (a questionable decision imo). Seems to me that there was "obvious improvement". Seems to me that Tree had to be doing something right. Your son had a great career at Tech. Don't be so bitter. You should be thankful for everything they did for him, including giving him a place to play. Just remember, baseball is a TEAM sport.

[BLUE collar]

First off, the "those who can....do, those who can't.....teach" saying is lame. I never have understood that. Seems to me that your biggest problem is with coach Rountree. We've had this argument on here before about pitchers that have improved, listing several. It is a ridiculous conversation. We knew the pitching staff was going to be young this year, and at times struggle. But to argue your point, I will use your son as an example. Coming out of high school, what schools were recruiting him as a pitcher? Be honest now, I know the truth. After only 3 years at Tech, he turned down being drafted in the 3rd Round b/c he wanted to be a hitter (a questionable decision imo). Seems to me that there was "obvious improvement". Seems to me that Tree had to be doing something right. Your son had a great career at Tech. Don't be so bitter. You should be thankful for everything they did for him, including giving him a place to play. Just remember, baseball is a TEAM sport.

AMEN BROTHER... my suggestion is for FALCON to get over it already, be a man about whatever quarrels he had with the coaches and stop crying because long story short... his son is playing baseball for money now, that is all you can ask for.

[GatorDawg]

I think a lot of the outrage earlier in the year came from the SJSU four game sweep. As it turns out, they were the best team in the WAC which makes it less surprising.

It is embarrassing for any team to get swept. Even if it is the last place team at the first place. That is what scares me about Hawaii. We better expect to get the best game they have ever played.

Thankfully SJSU has become a starting point leading us to where we want to be. We have not lost a series since that weekend and added 2 more sweeps of our own. Hopefully we start a new streak against Hawaii.

[mentechsters]

It is embarrassing for any team to get swept. Even if it is the last place team at the first place. That is what scares me about Hawaii. We better expect to get the best game they have ever played.

Thankfully SJSU has become a starting point leading us to where we want to be. We have not lost a series since that weekend and added 2 more sweeps of our own. Hopefully we start a new streak against Hawaii.

You can bet that Hawaii is going to be ready to play. It's going to be a challenge to beat them. I think our guys will be ready though.

[FishingBack]

It is embarrassing for any team to get swept. Even if it is the last place team at the first place. That is what scares me about Hawaii. We better expect to get the best game they have ever played.

Thankfully SJSU has become a starting point leading us to where we want to be. We have not lost a series since that weekend and added 2 more sweeps of our own. Hopefully we start a new streak against Hawaii.

Getting swept by anybody is bad, but it wasn't AS bad as we first thought. Based on that series it looked like we'd finish last in the WAC again or something.

[falcon]

AMEN BROTHER... my suggestion is for FALCON to get over it already, be a man about whatever quarrels he had with the coaches and stop crying because long story short... his son is playing baseball for money now, that is all you can ask for.

.....you're right.....it's time to get over it and move on (and focus on the positives). The players and coaches have done surprisingly well this year and I hope they can keep their winning streak going in Hawaii. As far as recruiting goes.....he basically had interest from 5 schools...Baylor,Texas Tech,TCU,N.Mex JC, and LaTech. Baylor, T Tech, and TCU took their good old time and we never got a solid offer. N.M.J.C. made a good offer but he wanted to play in Div 1. The LaTech recruiting experience was a good fit and the offer was more than fair. We all speak highly of the entire coaching staff and anyone that knows them would agree that they are really good people and represent LaTech well. My disagreements were with strategy and player development issues (which was very frustrating at the time but may have absolutely no relevance now) So you're right...... it's time to get over it and stop crying about it. Thanks for calling me out on this. I will focus on the positves

[maverick]

.....you're right.....it's time to get over it and move on (and focus on the positives). The players and coaches have done surprisingly well this year and I hope they can keep their winning streak going in Hawaii. As far as recruiting goes.....he basically had interest from 5 schools...Baylor,Texas Tech,TCU,N.Mex JC, and LaTech. Baylor, T Tech, and TCU took their good old time and we never got a solid offer. N.M.J.C. made a good offer but he wanted to play in Div 1. The LaTech recruiting experience was a good fit and the offer was more than fair. We all speak highly of the entire coaching staff and anyone that knows them would agree that they are really good people and represent LaTech well. My disagreements were with strategy and player development issues (which was very frustrating at the time but may have absolutely no relevance now) So you're right...... it's time to get over it and stop crying about it. Thanks for calling me out on this. I will focus on the positves

I respectfully disagree. I believe the players and coaches performed surprisingly poorly for one brief segment of the season, then turned it on as we'd hoped they could. This is a talented group of guys; some young pitchers, but our seniors really stepped it up with leadership and their play on the field. Go Dawgs!

[BLUE collar]

I respectfully disagree. I believe the players and coaches performed surprisingly poorly for one brief segment of the season, then turned it on as we'd hoped they could. This is a talented group of guys; some young pitchers, but our seniors really stepped it up with leadership and their play on the field. Go Dawgs!

However, the wins outrank the losses therefore as a team for the season, they performed very well and far beyond most people's pre-season expectations.

[OmahaDawg]

Glad to see us all moving on. Good staff, good kids, good AthDept leadership. Maybe we can string 4 wins together and get the NCAA Regional monkey off our backs...I was in 8th grade the last time LaTech went to a Regional in 1987.