For, Against, or Personal?

[Trigger]

Eight Kevin Hoopers and a pitcher would not solve WSU's problems. So you have eight tiny singles hitters out there that can play 2nd base. Great!? They need power in their line up and need to pass on defense to get it. You can make an athlete a ball player but you can't make an athlete a power hitter. Those are recruited.

Gene has not changed since he's been here. He always rags on his players and nothing will change that. Players that come here either have to make the adjustment or leave the program and I'm not saying Gene should be the one changing. You take it or leave it. Personally I think his days of winning big are over. The days of going to the CWS are over and have been for some time.

[Hill Sitter]

Personally I think.... The days of going to the CWS are over and have been for some time.

Message boards can be silly. And I am silly for responding, but we were in SR's the last 2 years and 9 innings away from the CWS last year.

[Trigger]

The Shockers were 9 innings away from the CWS with one of the best teams they have had in the last decade and still didn't make it because they didn't have the hitting to get it done. You are either in the CWS or you are not. The Shockers are no longer a CWS contender. They are no longer an elite baseball program and that is what people expect. It's no different that Nebraska fans expecting football dominance. The only difference is they are trying to find the right formula and WSU is not. Gene said it himself he created a monster but is that really a bad thing?

[shockfan89_]

The Shockers were 9 innings away from the CWS with one of the best teams they have had in the last decade and still didn't make it because they didn't have the hitting to get it done. You are either in the CWS or you are not. The Shockers are no longer a CWS contender. They are no longer an elite baseball program and that is what people expect. It's no different that Nebraska fans expecting football dominance. The only difference is they are trying to find the right formula and WSU is not. Gene said it himself he created a monster but is that really a bad thing?

You do realize we won the first game on the road and FSU had to beat us twice to advance right? Our pitching fell apart (according to BK our 2nd game starter got squeezed big time) otherwise we would have been to a CWS last year.

And how many coaches has Nebraska gone through and still not found the right solution? Maybe sometimes its best to sit tight and wait through the tough times than try to change everything and just assume it will improve?

[William]

Here is the difference between now and past glory years, in the past we won the conference, won the mid-week against the big12, and did well in postseason. Now we ususally dominate the conference, lose the mid-week battle against the big12, and come up short in postseason.

If you want to guage how good a shocker team is, track how they do in mid-week against quality opponents, when we win those we've got a team, when we don't we don't its that simple because those are the same type of teams we will have to beat in postseason.

[shockfan89_]

Here is the difference between now and past glory years, in the past we won the conference, won the mid-week against the big12, and did well in postseason. Now we ususally dominate the conference, lose the mid-week battle against the big12, and come up short in postseason.

If you want to guage how good a shocker team is, track how they do in mid-week against quality opponents, when we win those we've got a team, when we don't we don't its that simple because those are the same type of teams we will have to beat in postseason.

In general I agree but I think a big factor is what pitchers a team has available for the mid-week games. Especially in a rainy year like this one. We have faced several weekend starters due to a rainout and I believe we have done the same thing with Lowell a time or two.

Sometimes a team can have 2 or 3 great starters and lose a few mid-week games but still go far in the post season. I think last year would be an example of this. We didn't win a lot of our mid-week games but our 2 or 3 starters matched up well with anyone in the country.

[SpanglerFan316]

The Shockers were 9 innings away from the CWS with one of the best teams they have had in the last decade and still didn't make it because they didn't have the hitting to get it done. You are either in the CWS or you are not. The Shockers are no longer a CWS contender. They are no longer an elite baseball program and that is what people expect. It's no different that Nebraska fans expecting football dominance. The only difference is they are trying to find the right formula and WSU is not. Gene said it himself he created a monster but is that really a bad thing?

Are you in kindergarden? You are rather silly. (I'm not trying to insult kindergardeners.)

[Ashockalypse]

William is "we" now. That is rich.

[ShockerFever]

If we made the CWS last year, and went 0-2 in it, there would be people in here b*tching about it.

That's the sad thing.

[longlimbs22]

Just some numbers....by my count, Gene's teams have played 380 games against Non-Division I teams through his first 31 years. Coming into this year, he coached in 2,206 games. By my calculations, that's 17% of the total games. I'm not sure who's arguement I've just settled, but that's that. 8.2% of the games per year on average have come vs Non D-I schools.

[Anthony2]

It doesn't settle any argument. In the 1970s and 1980s everybody played a lot of non-Division I schools. That's just the way things were. Any coach whose been around since then is like that.

I find this whole thing amusing. Any basketball coach who took WSU to back-to-back Sweet 16s would be the biggest hero. I find it amazing people have such short memories with baseball.

[WuDrWu]

It doesn't settle any argument. In the 1970s and 1980s everybody played a lot of non-Division I schools. That's just the way things were. Any coach whose been around since then is like that.

I find this whole thing amusing. Any basketball coach who took WSU to back-to-back Sweet 16s would be the biggest hero. I find it amazing people have such short memories with baseball.

Lock it up. That's perfect. :wsu_posters:

[ShockerFever]

It doesn't settle any argument. In the 1970s and 1980s everybody played a lot of non-Division I schools. That's just the way things were. Any coach whose been around since then is like that.

I find this whole thing amusing. Any basketball coach who took WSU to back-to-back Sweet 16s would be the biggest hero. I find it amazing people have such short memories with baseball.

Game, set, and match to Anthony.

:good:

[shockkansas]

Not sayin fire Gene, but...
You cant compare basketball and baseball. I mean how many universities actually care to compete in baseball? Not many. Seriously, are you all arguing that a CWS is the same as a basketball final 4? Thats a joke.

Now, as far as gene, his win/loss record wont get him fired, EVER. Off field issues, just maybe.

[Shocker85]

You cant compare basketball and baseball. I mean how many universities actually care to compete in baseball? Not many. Seriously, are you all arguing that a CWS is the same as a basketball final 4? Thats a joke.

I've mostly stayed out of this debate, but this statement is dumbest thing I've ever read on ShockerNet. Because you "like" basketball more doesn't mean it is better.

A few simple numbers:
- 343 institutions participate in D1 Basketball
- 302 institutions participate in D1 Baseball
- 120 institutions participate in FBS D-1A Football
- 125 institutions participate in D1-AA Football

Those number don't lie. "Not many" outnumbers both of the top two classes of D1 football > 2:1. and is only about 12% or so less than basketball.

Have you ever been to a big-time baseball regional or super regional or the CWS in Omaha? The CWS is a one-of-a-kind event that must be experienced to be appreciated. It's no joke.

Perhaps you should be back to posting on www.kansas.com.

--'85.