Fire Gene Stephenson

[shockall]

Is Gene slipping on his legendary laurel wreath?

[KC Shox]

Nothing, and I mean nothing, pisses me off more than the "things are different now, and it's just too difficult to compete against bigger programs because the BCS is investing in baseball" argument.

Gene is not the same person or coach that he was fiteen years ago. The Gene of the 80s and 90s would rip 2011 Gene fifteen new buttholes for letting the program slip the way it has. Fire and determination has given way to disconnected pessimism which fails to motivate the kids on today's team.

But even if someone were to accept the bull crap argument that we're doomed to sub-BCS inferiority in the modern landscape, why is it acceptable for 36 non-BCS teams to finish above us in this season's RPI. This represents a solid average for how we've placed against that level of competition over the last THREE seasons.

How many of them have budgets as high as ours? Maybe 5?

How many of them match our attendance on a yearly basis, even when we suck eggs like we have lately? Maybe 2?

The return on investment from 2009-11 has been devastatingly awful. There is no debating this.

I don't see Texas' Augie Garrido having any problems and he's much older than Gene. You also fail to take into consideration the inherent 'pull' playing in a BCS program has for young recruits. The Shox do very well for being a 'northern' program, affiliated with a crap conference, does not have football and is a metropolitan university.

However, there is an 'X' factor that WSU must deal with. Playing in a warmer climate, being surrounded by pretty ladies during a homecoming football game, and playing for a university in a power conference with higher academic reputations. I have no doubt that recruits and their parents make decisions on where they want to go based on 'face-value' rather take the time and really investigate what the program and university can do for the kid.

You're right. Gene 15 years ago would dominate our program today. BECAUSE GENE HAD BETTER PLAYERS BACK THEN. If you really believe Gene wants to go out like a chump, a loser and collecting a paycheck then I got nothing else for ya'.

[GoShockers89]

What the hell does Augie have to do with this? Nobody ever said old coaches can't win. The problem is that GENE is not winning. And you can bet the house that if Augie carried an average RPI of 80 for three seasons in a row he would either be out the door or on his way.

WSU dealt with similar obstacles in the 1980s. Oklahoma State had held a stranglehold on the regional talent for decades. Texas got whoever they wanted. Fact is, you can always make excuses for losing in any era because winning is never easy. Back then we didn't accept the excuses. Today you are embracing them.

This program does not have to accept mediocrity.

[mattdalt]

My question would be how do our facilities, etc. stack up against our MVC brethren? Things like conference affiliation, warm weather, etc., are beyond the coach's control. But he is in very similar territory with Creighton, MSU, etc.

The question is not why we haven't made the NCAA in 2 years, or a world series in X years, but why inferior programs within our conference beat us!

[shox1989]

My question would be how do our facilities, etc. stack up against our MVC brethren? Things like conference affiliation, warm weather, etc., are beyond the coach's control. But he is in very similar territory with Creighton, MSU, etc.

The question is not why we haven't made the NCAA in 2 years, or a world series in X years, but why inferior programs within our conference beat us!

First of all it is not like these teams are consistently beating us. We tied for the regular season title last year and were one game away from winnin g it this year. Both years we played in the conference tournament championship game.

I also have no doubt that if TK had remained healthy we would have won the regular season title this year (we only lost it by one game without him).

Second, we play in the fourth best facilities in the Valley. CU (TD Ameritrade), SWOMO (Hammons Field) and Bradley (OBrien Field) play in better facilities. But CU is the only one of those schools that beat us in attendance this year (and almost everyone else in the country).

We do pay our coaches more, but our coaches have been here longer and have certainly accomplished far more than any other coaching staff in the Valley. Shoot, Guttin has been at SWOMO for 30 years and has been to the CWS once and to regionals just a few times. When he got Hammons field built for him, they were suppose to pass us up. It hasn't happened.

We are still very competitive in the Valley but all of us want us to be competitive nationally. Being competitive in the Valley isn't good enough.

[shocksrbest]

There are fair points on both sides of this issue. And being on the side of replacing Gene, I don't think for one second that hiring someone different means instant success.

I realize that making a change is not only dangerous, but we could very well end up in a much worse situation than where we are today.

I also don't want to make a change flippantly because we lost a game (or games). I don't want Gene fired because we lost to KU or to CU in the finals of the MVC.

I want Gene fired because we SHOULD have lost to CU in the finals.

I don't like the way the team plays, the effort & execution and the way they adjust (or don't adjust) in games, and I look at the trends.

And even if we concede that some other programs are simply going to be better (more money, warmer weather, BCS etc) over time, how are we trending "at our level".....up or down?

The answer is down, it's been down for a while and there is NOTHING to make one think it's about to change at all.

To me the big issue is the execution of this team. I hate to say it but MK talked about how Creighton always ranks high in fielding %age, sacrifice bunts, and hit-by-pitch. Thier execution is at a much higher level than ours is. That goes back on the coaches.

[WuDrWu]

Does anyone know if the Sports Daily episode, where Kemnitz went OFF about this, was archived or available for a podcast?

I heard about it, then heard a little bit this morning. I thought it was interesting to hear his take and I'd love to hear the entire piece.

[shoxlax]

Found this excerpt on Shockwaves to be interesting and telling, especially to my point where people seem to bail whenever drafted:

[b]What’s next: Another long off-season for the Shockers. The weekend rotation will almost certainly need a makeover after the draft takes Lowell and Brian Flynn. Smith’s return is no guarantee. The bullpen should be a strong point with lots of experienced returners. It appears Coy will return (he is draft eligible), which should be a good starting point for the offense. He will play in the Cape Cod League this summer. If he follows form from other Shockers, he will return an improved hitter and enjoy a big junior season. The expected loss of juniors O’Brien and Grimes (and Springer’s graduation) means other hitters must improve. Hall, Lambert and Micah Green make up an excellent defensive outfield (proven several times in the tournament), but the Shockers can’t survive with all three hitting around .250 with on-base percentages under .370. Competition for outfield jobs will be interesting to watch in the fall. With the departure of sophomore Ryan Hege, WSU desperately needs a catcher. Freshman Bob Arens is the presumptive starter, assuming O’Brien doesn’t return. Arens is a hard worker who impressed the coaches with his progress. Hege’s departure (he left the team over a lack of playing time before the game against Kansas State) didn’t appear to bother the Shockers. They went 7-2 without him, their best stretch since early in the season.[/b]

Are you serious? Josh Smith? I wouldn't be so sure about Coy coming back either given our recent history of underclassmen leaving.

[SB Shock]

Are you serious? Josh Smith? I wouldn't be so sure about Coy coming back either given our recent history of underclassmen leaving.

I would be surprised if Coy comes back. The MLB draft is more about potential than how big of stats you put up. My guess regardless of where he is drafted they will pay close attention to how well he does in summer ball in the Cape. If he does well it will likely improve his offer regardless of draft position.

[WSUwatcher]

Facts

"What the hell does Augie have to do with this? Nobody ever said old coaches can't win. The problem is that GENE is not winning. And you can bet the house that if Augie carried an average RPI of 80 for three seasons in a row he would either be out the door or on his way."

I'm not sure what Augie Garrido has to do with this either, GoShockers (although I generally agree with KC on this one, heaven help me). But for what it's worth, the Texas media guide shows that Garrido's record his first three years in Austin was a rousing 88-80 (.524), which is worse than Gene's worst single season ever, WSU's 30-27 year in 2009. In fact, of the five (!) baseball coaches Texas has had in the last 100 years -- one of whom was a temporary wartime fill-in from 1943-45; during the other 97 years they've had only four -- Garrido's winning percentage is by far the worst. (I admit I have no idea what their RPI ranks were, and because Texas plays in a strong baseball conference they were probably inflated by schedule alone.) But 88-80 over three seasons is not what Texas's almost uniquely arrogant fans consider their birthright, and yet Garrido was obviously not by any means out the door, as the folks in Austin are now happy to report.

Good coaches -- even great coaches -- can have bad stretches. I'm not happy with where the Shocker baseball program is right now either. But considering that the 2004-2008 teams could as easily have won four regionals as two, and that this year's group was significantly handicapped by key injuries, I'm not going to assume that Gene has suddenly lost his grip on how to coach and win.

I do wish he had fewer non-baseball responsibilities and would spend more time recruiting ballplayers and less time recruiting companions. And I wish Jim Thomas would get a different job (WSU doesn't need both Gene and his Mini-me on the same staff). And if the story we got from a poster who obviously is close to Ryan Hege is even close to accurate about the argument between him and Kemnitz that led to Hege's departure, I wish Brent would get a prescription for some industrial strength Valium ASAP.

Still, I'm willing to be patient for now, and I personally hope WSU never ranks high in sacrifice bunts (although I wish they'd improve their percentage on the ones they do attempt). But having said that, I'm not willing to be patient forever, and I'm especially not willing to see them play -- and bat high in the order -- outfielders who are giveaway outs, or count on middle infielders, however talented, for whom fielding .900 is an aspiration.

[WuDrWu]

Does anyone know if the Sports Daily episode, where Kemnitz went OFF about this, was archived or available for a podcast?

I heard about it, then heard a little bit this morning. I thought it was interesting to hear his take and I'd love to hear the entire piece.

http://kfhradio.ramp.com/m/audio/40225781/sports-daily-w-bruce-bob-5-12-2011.htm

This is a REALLY good listen, especially if you haven't heard it before.

[btp1029]

Re: Facts

"And if the story we got from a poster who obviously is close to Ryan Hege is even close to accurate about the argument between him and Kemnitz that led to Hege's departure, I wish Brent would get a prescription for some industrial strength Valium ASAP."

Where is this story at?

[baseball06]

Re: Facts

"And if the story we got from a poster who obviously is close to Ryan Hege is even close to accurate about the argument between him and Kemnitz that led to Hege's departure, I wish Brent would get a prescription for some industrial strength Valium ASAP."

Where is this story at?

Shocks VS Kitties v. 2.0