2017 Predictions

[Cdizzle]

There's a lot of different ways a rebuild can go in the first three years, but by year 4 those paths should all pretty much be converging and arriving at or near its goal. The last 3 years have been so disappointing, that I'm willing to lower my expectations for year 4 from what they were when Butler was hired, but not for year 5.

I see you copied and pasted from the Evansville handbook.

"You were so terrible that I actually think we should keep you longer than I originally did."

[SB Shock]

Were beyond the time for incremental upgrades. It is put up or shut up. This team at minimum has to be NCAA tournament team. Anything less and call to Hooper should be made before MLB decides to give him a shot at managing.

[THam]

Lol. You caught me.

[Cdizzle]

Were beyond the time for incremental upgrades. It is put up or shut up. This team at minimum has to be NCAA tournament team. Anything less and call to Hooper should be made before MLB decides to give him a shot at managing.

And beyond that, apparently 39 win, 15 conference win, 'fluke' MVC tourney runs to an NCAA bid don't count either, or we wouldn't be in this mess.

[1972Shocker]

Kevin Hooper was on Sports Daily this morning. Great interview. Very sharp young man who gets it. Hopefully, the window for hiring him stays open long enouch for us to do what we should have done in the 1st place.

Maybe we should be line the Knicks fans and start hoping that the team will totally tank and force Boatright's hand. I really find that distasteful but I suppose the long-term health of the program is more improtant than one season.

[ShockerFever]

And beyond that, apparently 39 win, 15 conference win, 'fluke' MVC tourney runs to an NCAA bid don't count either, or we wouldn't be in this mess.

That's what happens when you rush somebody out the door with no clear plan or outlook.

Thank you, Eric Sexton.

[ShockerFever]

Kevin Hooper was on Sports Daily this morning. Great interview. Very sharp young man who gets it. Hopefully, the window for hiring him stays open long enouch for us to do what we should have done in the 1st place.

Maybe we should be line the Knicks fans and start hoping that the team will totally tank and force Boatright's hand. I really find that distasteful but I suppose the long-term health of the program is more improtant that one season.

I caught the interview as well. Fantastic interview and yes, he just sounds like a guy I'd wanna play for. I agree that we're getting into Chris Lowery mode here, or very close to it.

By the way, I'm surprised you listened, given your favorite co-host was on the air today.

[1972Shocker]

I caught the interview as well. Fantastic interview and yes, he just sounds like a guy I'd wanna play for. I agree that we're getting into Chris Lowery mode here, or very close to it.

By the way, I'm surprised you listened, given your favorite co-host was on the air today.

Even Savage can't runi an inteview with Hooper and being baseball Bruce carried the conversation. After the Hooper interview I swtiched to music.

[Cdizzle]

Kevin Hooper was on Sports Daily this morning. Great interview. Very sharp young man who gets it. Hopefully, the window for hiring him stays open long enouch for us to do what we should have done in the 1st place.

I still think it could end up being a good thing that there was someone between Gene and one of his guys. Seems much more likely that an ex-Shocker coming in now would have Gene's support as well as all former players as they try to restore the legacy. I'm not sure that would have been the case directly following Gene's departure. But I do wish we were finding that out this year.

[Play Angry]

Obligatory plug for Mark Standiford as my preferred candidate. He's more qualified than Hoop IMO, and not just by a little bit - preferring Hoop involves placing a great deal of faith in learning to recruit and build his network among HS and JUCOs, for the first time, on the fly. His experience so far is largely equivalent to a hoops coach successfully leading the local D-League squad.

That said, I would be enthusiastic and incredibly supportive of either Standiford or Hooper and frankly would love to see both on the next staff (barring a miraculous turnaround by the current one) - one as head honcho, the other as the hitting coach.

[Cdizzle]

Obligatory plug for Mark Standiford as my preferred candidate. He's more qualified than Hoop IMO, and not just by a little bit - preferring Hoop involves placing a great deal of faith in learning to recruit and build his network among HS and JUCOs, for the first time, on the fly. His experience so far is largely equiavalent to a hoops coach successfully leading the local D-League squad.

I would be enthusiastic and incredibly supportive of either Standiford or Hooper and frankly would love to see both on the next staff (barring a miraculous turnaround by the current one) - one as head honcho, the other as the hitting coach.

I would be happy with any combination involving those guys. Would definitely get me back out to the ballpark.

[ShockTalk]

Obligatory plug for Mark Standiford as my preferred candidate. He's more qualified than Hoop IMO, and not just by a little bit - preferring Hoop involves placing a great deal of faith in learning to recruit and build his network among HS and JUCOs, for the first time, on the fly. His experience so far is largely equivalent to a hoops coach successfully leading the local D-League squad.

That said, I would be enthusiastic and incredibly supportive of either Standiford or Hooper and frankly would love to see both on the next staff (barring a miraculous turnaround by the current one) - one as head honcho, the other as the hitting coach.

Not the same as college recruiting, but didn't Hoop go out and "recruit" many of the players he had in the independent league? I always thought this was one of the main reasons those teams were always so competitive.

Hasn't Standiford been recruiting a generally different level of player? Won't he need to go out and develop contacts at the D-I level? I do believe Standiford has the advantage on this, but not as much as some might think.

I'm very much for either Hooper or Standiford. Yes, I'd like to see both here, but just don't see that happening.

[Play Angry]

Not the same as college recruiting, but didn't Hoop go out and "recruit" many of the players he had in the independent league? I always thought this was one of the main reasons those teams were always so competitive.

Hasn't Standiford been recruiting a generally different level of player? Won't he need to go out and develop contacts at the D-I level? I do believe Standiford has the advantage on this, but not as much as some might think.

I'm very much for either Hooper or Standiford. Yes, I'd like to see both here, but just don't see that happening.

Eh, he had input on the roster composition but ultimately moves fell to the GM. Independent league baseball is sort of like building an island of misfit toys between MLB and minor league cuts, undrafted players and the occasional foreigner who are all willing to hang out for 5 months in exchange for a couple grand a month and a pair of sweatsocks.

Stub's tenure at Sluggers and his continued presence at Tabor plugged him in more deeply to the area than any individual in the state for recruiting purposes. You raise a good point that he would be recruiting a different level of player, certainly, so there would definitely be an adjustment from his standpoint as well (albeit much smaller...insert height joke).

Again, I like Hoop and would enthusiastically back him if he is chosen, but I am baffled at his groundswell of support while most completely ignore Standiford. On paper, it is really hard to make an H2H argument in has favor without relying on some sort of overwhelming "he's just got tons of charisma that Mark cannot come close to matching" argument.

[Cdizzle]

Hoop has always been a fan favorite. No different now. Both have been tremendously successful in their coaching ventures. Standiford's probably translates more directly. Hooper is younger, which could be a pro long-term given his apparent inclination to stay in Wichita. I think either one (or both) would be successful at WSU. It has always seemed to me that Hoop was kind of hanging around Wichita being as successful as he could waiting for a chance to have the mantle passed to him.

It's possible one of both of them wouldn't be successful. But I believe either one would restore 2 things. First: fan excitement, along with engagement from the community and the legacy Shox baseball family. Second, whether they could pull it off or not, I think they would really, really, really, really hate losing. Which in college coaching is something that I think is way more valuable than people give it credit for. There wouldn't be any 30-win aw-gee-shucks Year 3s.

Sometimes I feel bad talking about this stuff with Butler still here. But then I remember he was hired with a losing record, and is pretty much fleecing WSU for a giant pile of money while pile-driving a once-proud program. Then I feel less bad about it. Having said that, I'm a sucker for WSU sports, and I'll keep rooting for us to win all the games regardless of how listless the ship may be.

[shockfan89_]

So approximately 2/3 of the comments on our 2017 predictions thread are about who should be the next coach?