Fire Todd Butler

[ShockerFever]

I'm extremely tired of seeing the word "potential" regarding the baseball program. That was made apparent two years ago with the heralded recruiting class and late last year when they went on a 2-2 run in the Valley tourney.

So much potential and yet 15 effing games below .500. Hmm, that doesn't really make sense, does it?

I'm tired of the sunshine pumping when the results aren't there and this program continues to sink further and further into obscurity. The attendance figures have also spoken.

The administration does not care enough about the program to eat their dumbass athletic director's mistakes and would rather face the apathy of once a proud program.

Well done athletic department.

[Cdizzle]

Time will tell. Nothing has been done or not done yet. We should know within the next couple of weeks. Maybe. I also wouldn't mind if they took the approach of finding out if Hoop or Standiford (or both) would take the job immediately before making a move. If those are the guys you want and they wouldn't be available for another year, you might be better off eating next year instead of starting over again and having to give a guy 3-4 years again.

[ShockerFever]

Today is D-Day.

This year was the first year that I can consciencely remember not attending ONE WSU baseball game in the last 25+ years. Not one.

What a way to end a streak.

[Cdizzle]

I'm going to try to give it 2 weeks before deciding they aren't doing anything. At which point I will be very disappointed. There are two glaringly obvious choices that would give so many folks reason to get excited. They cannot afford to NOT do it.

[shockfan89_]

I'm going to try to give it 2 weeks before deciding they aren't doing anything. At which point I will be very disappointed. There are two glaringly obvious choices that would give so many folks reason to get excited. They cannot afford to NOT do it.

2 weeks? Our last coaching change came 2 days after the season had ended. And that was after a 38-28 season and 0-2 in an NCAA Regional, not after 21-37 and an 0-2 exit from the 10th ranked conference tournament.

[SB Shock]

I don't know how they don't make a move after this fiasco this week. This type of effort is just embarrassing to all that made shocker baseball what it was known for.

[KC Shox]

If Butler is not fired immediately after the season is over, that is not a good sign for the fans who want him gone. If the administration has already made up their mind, he'd be released the minute he steps off the bus back in Wichita so they can hire his replacement so he can work on recruiting and retaining the current promising players and salvage this dumpster fire of a program. However, the longer he remains with WSU the thought enters my mind that administration is waiting for the dust to settle and the emotions to simmer down so when they announce he'll be returning, they won't have to deal with an already riled up fan base.

[THam]

All I know is if they do fire Butler, they better make sure the guy they want is 100% on board before they drop the ax. If I were an in-demand candidate for a head coaching job, I wouldn't bother interviewing at a place that followed up firing a legend by saddling a guy with a pitching coach he didn't choose, then firing him mid-rebuild when the pitching staff is the biggest part of the disappointing results. We all know there is much more to the story, but why would someone want to step in to that mess to take-over a team ranked 186th in the RPI?

[shockfan89_]

Mid-rebuild? How many seasons do you give a guy to build his team? It would be one thing if you took over a 21-37 team, but he took over a 38-28 team and ran it into the ground. In college baseball, three years is a good amount of time to show progress. We have gotten worse EVERY YEAR.

I understand your point about being saddled with a pitching coach, but it was a pretty darn good pitching coach. At least we thought so...

I also feel HCTB has to wear a lot of the poor pitching. The previous coaching staff built the team around quality pitching. It is obvious this staff prefers to build the team around offense and hard throwers. HCTB is recruiting his players.

[THam]

Mid-rebuild? How many seasons do you give a guy to build his team? It would be one thing if you took over a 21-37 team, but he took over a 38-28 team and ran it into the ground. In college baseball, three years is a good amount of time to show progress. We have gotten worse EVERY YEAR.

I understand your point about being saddled with a pitching coach, but it was a pretty darn good pitching coach. At least we thought so...

Seven years to rebuild, according to Sexton I guess. I agree with you on all points. But I was more looking at the potential job opening through the eyes of someone outside of the program, trying to decide whether this is the program and administration he wants to risk his career on.

[shockfan89_]

I hear you. I'm just cranky...

[shox1989]

All I know is if they do fire Butler, they better make sure the guy they want is 100% on board before they drop the ax. If I were an in-demand candidate for a head coaching job, I wouldn't bother interviewing at a place that followed up firing a legend by saddling a guy with a pitching coach he didn't choose, then firing him mid-rebuild when the pitching staff is the biggest part of the disappointing results. We all know there is much more to the story, but why would someone want to step in to that mess to take-over a team ranked 186th in the RPI?

Ugh? This is the freaking VALLEY! WSU has the highest paid coach, the best facilities by far (Most and Bu rent to try and compete with WSU), the tradition, the biggest budget, the largest fan base. There is no reason that in season 3 of the Butler ERA that WSU is competing for LAST freaking place of this weak conference. Even during Gene's last few years, WSU was competing for the top spot in the Valley. This is a new low and should NOT be tolerated.

If I was a competitive coach I don't think I would think WSU was a good baseball job if the school accepted this kind of poor performance.

[shox1989]

I hear you. I'm just cranky...

NO you are right on.

[shox1989]

Beat me to it. If there is untapped talent, someone isn't tapping it. We need a coach who can tap that

Two years ago, WSU supposedly had the #2 best recruiting class in the country. What happened to those guys? Did their potential ever get tapped? Now we are suppose to believe in his fourth year, that he is finally going to start tapping the potential of his recruits? Three years is enough. If he can't show some improvement in three years, it is time to try something different. In case the admin hasn't noticed, this team is going BACKWARDS. There is NO forward progess. NONE.

[Shockerman]

Hate to be that guy but... Butler will be back for a 4th season and possibly a 5th if we show any improvement at all.