Shocks v Illinois State Game 3

[ISASO]

Why not throw the 2nd line pitchers for the rest of the MVC schedule and try to pick up a few qualiy wins against the non-con foes that remain? The regular season MVC games are meaningless unless you lose all of them.

We have to win the Tournament. Winning a few quality games, like Okie State, will improve our seeding more than all the remaining Valley games combined. Regardless, we'll be a four-seed alongside Niagara, Texas Southern and Arkansas Western Shore.

I suppose someone will make a case for us playing for pride. This program has little pride left to salvage and winning MVC games is no prize. We're nothing more than an average Valley team with pretty good facilities and a fanbase that is shedding people in large numbers.

Playing for pride is being competitive with OSU, KU, K-State and getting to the NCAA Tournament by hook or by crook.

We cannot bear to have the three worst teams in Gene's tenure be the last three teams we've watched.

[shocker3]

.....We cannot bear to have the three worst teams in Gene's tenure be the last three teams we've watched.

Actually the 1984 team was worse than any of the last 3 teams. The 1978 team was pretty bad too (from a relative to other WSU teams stand point) but it was Gene's first team so it is easy to give that team a break.

[KC Shox]

.....We cannot bear to have the three worst teams in Gene's tenure be the last three teams we've watched.

Actually the 1984 team was worse than any of the last 3 teams. The 1978 team was pretty bad too (from a relative to other WSU teams stand point) but it was Gene's first team so it is easy to give that team a break.

Okay, so let's say in the past quarter century. Still, three years in a row was unheard of and a first for this program. Does next year's squad look to be any better too?

[Shocker85]

I don't have the energy to worry about good, bad, or ugly at this point in a dismal season.

On the original topic, a few record keeping items regarding Sunday's game:

1) The error to Coy should have been charged to Grimes. The throw was way off line and the baserunner kicked it before it got to Coy - not his fault.

2) The Sunday umpire was the worst high/low ball-strike umpire I think I have ever seen. The hitters from both teams had no idea where the strike zone was. There were strikes called that were barely above hitters' shoetops. Dude should be officiating D-league slowpitch.

3) The offensive outburst by IllSt was not as much to do with bad pitching as the box score looks. Bad fielding and bad decisions on defense were rampant on Sunday that did not show-up as errors.

4) When Krusty had decided to take Smith out of the game, he started toward the mound and signaled to the bullpen. After 3-4 steps, the dugout (I assume Brent) called him back. I have to assume it was because there was one more LH batter due up. C'mon guys, are you paying attention? Smith pitched to, and retired that batter.

For every little sign of life shown by this team, they take one backward.

--'85.

[Shirley Schmidt]

Or bring in someone to take us to the BOTTOM of the Valley be careful what you wish for.

The trendline is down and going deeper as the years pass, I would take my chances on the luck of the draw to what we have now.

There are plenty of quality candidates that would step forward if the position opened up.

As bad as we talk about the last 10 years being (relative to the previous 10 years of this program). We have still managed to either win or tie for the Valley regular season title or won the Valley tournament title 8 of those 10 years.

That is still pretty outstanding even if it is what we consider a bad 10 years for our program.

Gone from a national contender to just another mid-major in just 10 short years.

[GoShockers89]

Many seem to be unable to distinguish gratitude for past accomplishments from what is best for the program moving forward.

Our trendline looks like a Bear Stearns stock chart.

[Hill Sitter]

Gone from a national contender to just another mid-major in just 10 short years.

Back to back super regionals were 2007 and 2008. One game away from Omaha both years. Not trying to 'live on that' but just saying its more recent than 10 years.

[GoShockers89]

2 games away from Omaha in 2007.

How many consecutive years of not being close to at-large worthy does that run buy?

Four? Five? Six? Unlimited?

[Hill Sitter]

Right, two away in 07. Good catch.

[Shirley Schmidt]

Many seem to be unable to distinguish gratitude for past accomplishments from what is best for the program moving forward.

Exactly, I love Gene for what he has done for the program and the University but it is time to move on.

Retire, take the weasel car dealer name off of the stadium and name it after Gene.

[DUShock]

Many seem to be unable to distinguish gratitude for past accomplishments from what is best for the program moving forward.

Exactly, I love Gene for what he has done for the program and the University but it is time to move on.

Retire, take the weasel car dealer name off of the stadium and name it after Gene.

:good:

[shocker3]

Many seem to be unable to distinguish gratitude for past accomplishments from what is best for the program moving forward.

Our trendline looks like a Bear Stearns stock chart.

While I do appreciate what Gene has done in the past, it is my fear of a future without Gene and Brent that scares me.

Wichita St plays in the MVC. It is not a good baseball conference and in spite of a big improvement in baseball facilties by all of the other 7 baseball playing members, most Valley schools just aren't investing enough in baseball.

At the same time the ncaa division 1 world is being divided between the BCS schools and everybody else.

It is a tough situation that is going to be hard for WSU to continue to compete at a high level in baseball and basketball (or any other sport for that matter).

Right now we can balance the fact that we are a MVC school with the mystique of having a couple of the best college baseball coaches. Gene and Brent are helping to keep this program relevant.

I fear that once they are gone things will really drop. We have not ever had to endure a really bad year since 1984 (4th place MVC finish) under Gene and Brent. We have never had to face a losing record or anything near a last place finish. Even the best programs face those kind of seasons once in awhile, let alone a MVC program.

Right now people complain, but look at what we have accomplished over the last 5 years:

2006- One win away from a SUPER REGIONAL.
2007- 2 wins away from OMAHA
2008- 1 win away from OMAHA
2009- Winners of the Valley tournament, go to a regional for the 20th time since 1987.
2010- Tie for first in the MVC, win 40 games for the 33rd time since 1978, but fail to make the post-season.

Many schools would love to have those accomplishments over the last 5 years. But Gene has spoiled us, and we are very disappointed with that record.

My fear is that after Gene is gone, we will talk about how successful those 5 years were too.

[ShockerFever]

We've followed near misses of Omaha with 3 of the worst years our program has ever seen. That has to stay something. That's the monster that has been created.

If we don't pull a miracle in the Valley tournament, that'll be back-to-back years without an NCAA appearance. When's the last time that has happened?

You can argue all you want for 2007 and 2008, but 2009, 2010, and 2011 have all but wiped that out. If you can't see the trend, you're blind in some form or another.

[GoShockers89]

While 1984 was certainly not a good team, I would argue 2009 was much worse. We were .500 heading into the last regular season weekend and got very, very lucky in the MVC tournament that year.

Didn't Bradley make the CWS in 1984? No team in the MVC could sniff a CWS team's fart in 2009 without losing by 15.

Regardless, Fever is right. Three of the very worst seasons in team history from 2009-2011 is a trend that needs to correct itself soon, or else it may become the new normal.

[SB Shock]

Wsu would not have won the mvc tournament in 2009 except for cu coach has kept demanding different formats that would give the sucky teams a better chance to win. Ironic the "pod play" format did just that except the suck team that year was wsu instead of sCum.