This Program Has Officially Fallen

[William]

I think calling for the coach to be fired when we are 15-8 and in first place of the conference is over reacting (especially when we have played so many top teams on the road).

Gene and Brent ARE Shocker baseball. When they are gone (whenever that day comes) that is the day in my opinion that the music dies.

Look at reality. WSU does NOT have football and we play in a northern conference where most of the schools could care less about baseball. The BCS schools have all started spending a lot more money on baseball. It will be very hard for any future coach to continue our baseball tradition.

I don't think fans that are quick to criticize and call for new coaches, fully appreciate the tough job that Gene and Brent have these days.

Gene has built a very big fan base and some very nice facilities that the next coach would inherit. Unfortunately I don't think those 2 things will be enough to sustain Shocker baseball as we know it after the current coaches are gone.

I think that our best chance to get back to Omaha is with the current coaches. Maybe we will get lucky and find another young Gene who could keep things going. Maybe we could get lucky and go to Omaha once as Missouri State did a few years ago (and went 0-2). I truly believe that once our current coaches are gone that our chances of getting back to Omaha and returning to national prominence go way down.

What is that old saying. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.

First, I've never called for Brent's head. I believe he's doing a great job given the circumstances which are not under his control.

As for Gene, I believe he's still capable of good, if not great, things. But I feel he's going to need to make decisions in staff, recruiting efforts, and perhaps tactics to get this program back on an upward swing. If he's unwilling to make any of those changes, then maybe he needs to make that Big Decision before it has to be made for him.

Yes, I have a real problem with JT. I don't believe he's getting the job done and hasn't for some time. A change here would give an opportunity for new, younger blood. Someone who has a real fire in their belly to succeed and, maybe, take over this program someday. Someone who will beat those recruiting bushes a little harder. A person, who may not have the experience of JT, but would bring a new, fresh approach. Someone who the players may be able to better relate to (age-wise, not knocking JT). I don't have the answer to this and I don't know if my favorites are qualified enough, but I do like Hooper or Wyckoff.

That was me, I called for Brents head, sick of him too.

[shox1989]

Gene has built a very big fan base and some very nice facilities that the next coach would inherit. Unfortunately I don't think those 2 things will be enough to sustain Shocker baseball as we know it after the current coaches are gone.

Looks like the abyss for Shocker baseball. I wonder when Gene leaves if we will look up and see asteroids headed for the earth, or the earth opening up around eck stadium, or will it be a nice day with birds chirping and singing?

I am in the category of fearing the asteroids and the beginning of the slow destruction of eck stadium and everything else that Gene has built. We our a cold weathered school in a one-bid conference. Little chance to compete on the National level once Gene and the Shocker mystic that he has built is gone.

[1972Shocker]

Well Gene is still around but it seems like the Shocker Mystique you refer to may have moved on for now.

[SB Shock]

Gene has built a very big fan base and some very nice facilities that the next coach would inherit. Unfortunately I don't think those 2 things will be enough to sustain Shocker baseball as we know it after the current coaches are gone.

Looks like the abyss for Shocker baseball. I wonder when Gene leaves if we will look up and see asteroids headed for the earth, or the earth opening up around eck stadium, or will it be a nice day with birds chirping and singing?

I am in the category of fearing the asteroids and the beginning of the slow destruction of eck stadium and everything else that Gene has built. We our a cold weathered school in a one-bid conference. Little chance to compete on the National level once Gene and the Shocker mystic that he has built is gone.

The program death started as soon as Gene went to OU and threw WSU under the bus at the OU news conference. I suspect every school who is recruiting against WSU has a DVD of this news conference.

Frankly if what we are seeing for the last 2 years is what Shocker baseball is now about - then who cares. It obvious this team has no fire or passion..

I wonder how Shane Dennis think this team competes relative to team he's played on.

[ShockerFever]

Well Gene is still around but it seems like the Shocker Mystique you refer to may have moved on for now.

+ A million.

Time to eject before the plane crashes into the ground.

[DUShock]

Ugh.

[Aargh]

Last year looked like a rebuilding year and it looked like it could take more than a year. This year is worse.

I've pretty much given up on WSU as a power team - even by MVC standards - with the current coaching staff. I also think the current staff has some of the safest jobs in the nation. Can you imagine Eric Sexton firing Gene Stephenson? I doubt that Schaus could or would pull that trigger regardless of results if he were still here.

I've watched a steady decline since the Christiansen incident. That put a blemish on the coaching staff that will not go away. Or maybe Gene just got tired of doing what he did about that time.

Maintain the facilities. Eventually Gene will retire. Then we can hire a coach who can attract some talent and develop that talent. That's not happening now.

[GoShockers89]

My biggest issue with the coaching staff is not recruiting, but rather talent development. In the 80s and 90s, we had many players who began their careers with average numbers their freshman and sophomore seasons (just as we do now). Joey Jackson, Chris Bauer, Jason Adams et al. were hardly physical specimens or freshman all-americans when they entered the program. The difference was that nearly everyone experienced a linear progression in their abilities during their time at WSU.

This changed noticeably after the 2002 season. How many players have we seen like Clint McKeever, Ryan Jones, Matt Brown, Tyler Hill and Blake Hurlbutt (just off the top of my head) who regressed at the plate during their time here? A ton. Guys like Bryan Erstad and Danny Jackson were as talented as most of our better hitters in the 90s, but for some reason things just never clicked. For every Andy Dirks/Conor Gillaspie, there are four or five counterexamples. That is not normal at even sub-par programs.

Is there a good reason why Tyler Grimes can't be the next Chris Wimmer? I believe he entered the program with as much or more ability than Chris did. Why no progress? He is worse on defense than he was at this time last year, and he has been awful at the plate this season. I do not accept the experiment with switch hitting as totally to blame.

You can tell Shane Dennis gets beyond pissed off about this every broadcast. I wish someone knew how to fix it.

[shox1989]

Gene has built a very big fan base and some very nice facilities that the next coach would inherit. Unfortunately I don't think those 2 things will be enough to sustain Shocker baseball as we know it after the current coaches are gone.

Looks like the abyss for Shocker baseball. I wonder when Gene leaves if we will look up and see asteroids headed for the earth, or the earth opening up around eck stadium, or will it be a nice day with birds chirping and singing?

I am in the category of fearing the asteroids and the beginning of the slow destruction of eck stadium and everything else that Gene has built. We our a cold weathered school in a one-bid conference. Little chance to compete on the National level once Gene and the Shocker mystic that he has built is gone.

The program death started as soon as Gene went to OU and threw WSU under the bus at the OU news conference. I suspect every school who is recruiting against WSU has a DVD of this news conference.

Frankly if what we are seeing for the last 2 years is what Shocker baseball is now about - then who cares. It obvious this team has no fire or passion..

I wonder how Shane Dennis think this team competes relative to team he's played on.

It is very hard to say that the little OU blip is leading to the death of the program. If I am remembering correctly we have been to 2 super regionals AFTER the OU coach for a day deal.

[ShockerFever]

Are 2 super regional appearances since its inception 11 years ago acceptable enough for you compared to what this team did in the 80's and 90's?

Remember when we won like 12 straight Valley regular season titles in a row? When's the last time we won 2 in a row or 3?

Sure we had a few good breakthroughs in 2007 and 2008, but those are currently being canceled out with what we had in 2009 and now.

[shox1989]

Are 2 super regional appearances since its inception 11 years ago acceptable enough for you compared to what this team did in the 80's and 90's?

Remember when we won like 12 straight Valley regular season titles in a row? When's the last time we won 2 in a row or 3?

Sure we had a few good breakthroughs in 2007 and 2008, but those are currently being canceled out with what we had in 2009 and now.

I was making the point that the 2 super regionals came AFTER the OU deal. It seems to me if anything, the OU fiasco made Gene work harder and helped re-vitalize the program not hurt it.

[Ta town]

Are 2 super regional appearances since its inception 11 years ago acceptable enough for you compared to what this team did in the 80's and 90's?

Remember when we won like 12 straight Valley regular season titles in a row? When's the last time we won 2 in a row or 3?

Sure we had a few good breakthroughs in 2007 and 2008, but those are currently being canceled out with what we had in 2009 and now.

I was making the point that the 2 super regionals came AFTER the OU deal. It seems to me if anything, the OU fiasco made Gene work harder and helped re-vitalize the program not hurt it.

No solid pitching/defense and two guys named Andy and Connor helped get WSU to back to back sweet 16's.

Don't confuse super regionals with CWS.

[SB Shock]

Are 2 super regional appearances since its inception 11 years ago acceptable enough for you compared to what this team did in the 80's and 90's?

Remember when we won like 12 straight Valley regular season titles in a row? When's the last time we won 2 in a row or 3?

Sure we had a few good breakthroughs in 2007 and 2008, but those are currently being canceled out with what we had in 2009 and now.

I was making the point that the 2 super regionals came AFTER the OU deal. It seems to me if anything, the OU fiasco made Gene work harder and helped re-vitalize the program not hurt it.

The core of WSU superregional teams were built before Gene went to OU. If anything, it looks like it has been the exact opposite.

[ICT Ragman]

Today's players were 8 years old at the time of the incident. I don't buy that the fallout has anything to do with a guy covering the wrong base or leaving a pitch up in the zone. In a way the two events referred to here are related because I think the minute that Joe Castiglione at OU was comfortable enough to stake his rep. and hire our staff was the minute that the effects of the incident became much less relevant over time.

[ShoxJ32]

I agree: WE'RE the only ones keeping the Christensen incident alive! Let's bury it once and for all.

I'll repeat my post that may have gotten lost in the shuffle earlier: Does anyone know whatever happened to Eric Wedge? Is he not a viable candidate for Gene's successor?