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2018 Texas Softball


texasstrong12

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I'm not sure I  agree with the "we struck out with everyone" argument. I would take Lotief over several coaches listed in this thread from a coaching perspective. 

Not saying I would agree with the hire though. Lotief is legit and would win big here, but it would obviously be a polarizing hire based on his history at ULL. 

 

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What? While it may or may not be true, it would 100% LOOK like we did because we resorted to a guy who hasn't had a job coaching softball since last year and got fired from ULL for creating a hostile environment.

Like it or not, when Texas ends up with coaches like Pierce and Lotief, the perception is always worse than the reality. For all we know, he was call #2 after Walton. But everyone is going to ask why we didn't offer Alameda/Murphy/Lawson/Ford or assume we got turned down.  Just like the perception (still) is that we struck out on Tadlock/Schloss/O'Sullivan in the baseball search.

Edited by Js1
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11 minutes ago, Js1 said:

What? While it may or may not be true, it would 100% LOOK like we did because we resorted to a guy who hasn't had a job coaching softball since last year and got fired from ULL for creating a hostile environment.

Like it or not, when Texas ends up with coaches like Pierce and Lotief, the perception is always worse than the reality. For all we know, he was call #2 after Walton. But everyone is going to ask why we didn't offer Alameda/Murphy/Lawson/Ford or assume we got turned down.  Just like the perception (still) is that we struck out on Tadlock/Schloss/O'Sullivan in the baseball search.

I think the perception would be much more "Texas will hire anyone to win" than "Texas struck out on their top choices". Everyone knows Lotief is legit and that most big programs would hire him if they were willing to take the PR/perception hit. 

I think you would see rival fans spinning the hire with "hey they hired an Art Briles type" and "they don't care about ethics at all" if Lotief was actually hired. 

Just my opinion. 

Edited by texasstrong12
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I guess part of me thinks it could be Lotief himself trying to get noticed.

I think he needs to humble himself and go be an assistant to someone for a few years. In this day and age, it's difficult to go from being fired for those allegations of abuse/hostile environment -> new head coaching job in less than 8 months. Look at Rittman - went to Kansas, then USA Softball, and won't coach a game again as HC until 2020.  That is a LOT of time to forget what happened at Stanford.

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The Loteif story is ugly.....However, most of his bitches were about his players not getting everything he thought they deserved from the school. He wanted them to be treated equally to athletes in the other sports. Most of his players absolutely loved him. Texas could do worse than Lotief, but he wouldn’t be my choice.

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Quote

Lotief, who has battled throat cancer for more than 30 years and has had a tracheotomy, denied ever having been involved in a physical confrontation in his life.

"Having a trach and not being able to breathe and a tube in my stomach, pretty much prevents me from physical confrontations," he said. "The allegation is that I poked someone in the shoulder, which seems like a very liberal interpretation of physical assault."

Well shit, that kinda helps explain the pic I posted. 

 

I say we hire him after reading that article. 

Edited by spystud13
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I have a friend who was an athlete at Lafeyette (not softball) and from what I understand from her, Lotief is still extremely held in high regard there from within the athletics department

I wouldn't mind if Texas did hire him. As said, Texas could do a lot worse.

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The more I look at Beth Torina's resume I think that's who I would want. 

LSU had not made the WCWS since 2004 until Torina was named coach. They've made it 4/7 years with Torina. They lost 2-1 in the Tallahassee Supers this year to the eventual national champion. That series was closeand it would have been Torina's 4th straight WCWS appearance. 

Not sure what Torina's ceiling is but her floor seems to be really high. 

 

 

 

Edited by texasstrong12
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14 minutes ago, ckhorn said:

Lets go for high ceilings. I've seen enough of the floors for the last several years. This not who we aspire to be.

yeah, but her ceiling is pretty high too. National championship ceiling? No clue, but there's only so many coaches available that fit such a profile. 

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26 minutes ago, FloridaHorn said:

What the hell is the hold up? Recruits and transfers are looking for schools. CDC needs to get this one pinned down sooner rather than later.

Also I mentioned jobs have to be legally posted for 10 business days due to State of Texas requirements, as all coaches are state employees. Next week is the 10th day since it was posted (following the end of the WCWS).

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2 hours ago, Js1 said:

Agreed. Some good transfers on the market, including 2 from A&M, a pitcher from FIU and a catcher from Mizzou.  Hoping he'll wrap it up after the supers.

Yep. Sooner is better. Friday would be day 10.  Where are you getting transfer info?  Mizzou's first baseman played catcher in regionals...to generate more offense. Are you thinking a Mizzou catcher could/would replace Ellsworth? 

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3 minutes ago, midwesthorn said:

Yep. Sooner is better. Friday would be day 10.  Where are you getting transfer info?  Mizzou's first baseman played catcher in regionals...to generate more offense. Are you thinking a Mizzou catcher could/would replace Ellsworth? 

On the UCS forum, someone said Trenity Edwards was leaving Mizzou.  .245 with 5 HRs and 10 BB in 94 PAs; 1 error in 112 opportunities.  Someone has to back up Ellsworth, she won't last 55+ games behind the plate.  Hathaway is the only other catcher on roster and with her injuries, she should not be backing up Elssworth.

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I had a pretty good source on the coaching hire, when it appeared Walton was the guy. They were spot on with almost everything that I went public with on here. There were definite talks, and definite contract parameters discussed before Walton ultimately agreed to his extension. Now everyone seems to have gone radio silent on this whole ordeal. Either CDC has everyone on lockdown, or there is nothing happening.

There are several really good transfer candidates, as you mentioned earlier. I believe that Shannon Saile wants to stay in Florida, but FIU is making that a difficult proposition for her. Trinity Edwards would be a nice pick up to catch the mid week games and give Ellsworth a break, and Show would be a great pick up in the circle. However, we will most likely miss out on all of them, if we don't have a coach very shortly.

 

 

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Amanda Sanchez from Mizzou is also transferring and visited Oregon.  Interesting if we end up with Mike White. She's an IF and I wasn't exactly impressed by our IF hitting

SR who can get a medical shirt for missing this past season after starting off at .308, 3 HR, 6 RBI

.354, 6 HR, 42 RBI as a soph
.347, 14 HR, 56 RBI as a frosh

Edited by Js1
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4 hours ago, Js1 said:

Also I mentioned jobs have to be legally posted for 10 business days due to State of Texas requirements, as all coaches are state employees. Next week is the 10th day since it was posted (following the end of the WCWS).

What day can we officially make a hire? 

Seems like the timing sets up perfect after advancing to the College World Series. It would be a bad-ass move to announce two big hires the day after making the CWS in baseball. 

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Please tell me that no one has heard the name Ken Eriksen as a possible candidate for this job! Just read his name on another board and suddenly felt a little sick. Ken Eriksen's USF teams have been terrible, especially when you consider that he has the notoriety of being the National team coach, USF has world class softball facilities, and Florida is one of the most talent laden states in the country. He has a high turnover on his teams, they have never hit well, and outside of having Sugar Nevins on his roster, they have never done well in the post season. Top that off with the fact that, having met the man personally many times, he is a world class jackass.

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Ken Eriksen is a puppet for ASA softball. His teams sucks because of his loyalty to that organization. He almost never recruits kids from PGF teams, despite the fact that is where most of the talent is playing these days. I live in Tampa, and I see his douchebaggery on full display every weekend of travel season. Look at his roster, it is full of incompetent kids from travel organizations that have ASA affiliations. Not to mention the fact that he spends his summers globetrotting with the national team, instead of recruiting for his current job.

Edited by FloridaHorn
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If your goal is OKC, a guy who has been ONCE in 30 years is not the right hire.  Again, we could have kept Clark for that shit.

30 years

12 NCAA appearances

2 super regionals

1 WCWS appearance - the flukey year when 5th seed Florida dismissed 3 starters the day before the tournament.  USF won the regional. 12th seed UCLA was also upset by Hofstra and USF got to host and made it to the WCWS by beating a terrible 4-seed (and needed 3 one-run games to do it). They then went 2-and-Q, being outscored 6-1 by OU and LSU.

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My guy says not Ericksen or else we have already been turned down by at least a half dozen coaches and there's still about 15 other coaches I'd hire over him. Hell, I'd re-hire Clark over Ken Ericksen.

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The Big 10 has a reputation that all softball hires are recommended by Hutch at Michigan. What if Texas is hiring Eriksen on recommendation from Patty Gasso? They are both coaches for Team USA. Scary thoughts dude.

 

As you said, there are 15 coaches I would offer before I even thought to mention Eriksen's name.

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IMO, Power 5 winning coaches are going to be a stretch to hire at this point.   Next in line would be mid major college coaches that have had success.  Has anybody thought about/mentioned Kristi Bredbenner, Wichita State? I hope she applied.  Mizzou was afraid to play them this year.  Shockers beat Texas.  

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article210172709.html

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Softball podcasts says the candidates are most likely: Mike White (Oregon), Mike Smith (Ole Miss), Rachel Lawson (Kentucky), Ken Ericksen (USF) and Kenny G (Oklahoma State).

Can't see Kenny leaving to go to another conference school. Mike Smith has been at OM for 4 years and made a Super Regional last year. Y'all know my thoughts on Lawson and White. And we just destroyed Ericksen yesterday.

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ughhh. There is not much sparkle in that list. I would love to have Kenny G, but I agree with you that he is most likely not leaving this soon for an in conference opponent. I guess if that is the list, I would go Mike White #1 and then Lawson #2.

 

I have made my opinion of Eriksen well known, and I don't think Mike Smith is a good fit personality wise at Texas.

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You pretty much offer White and Lawson the same thing.

Fertile recruiting ground compared to what they have + facility upgrades (since both opened new stadiums recently, CDC better be willing to drop the upgrade money big time) + the prestige of recruiting with a Longhorn logo (it holds a lot of weight in the state, period) + competing in the Big 12 compared to the grueling SEC/Pac-12 schedule

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Kenny G wouldn't be a splash hire but I bet he would win big here. Kenny G played a big role in Florida winning back to back titles and has done a really good job at Oklahoma State. 

Give Kenny G some talent and I bet he would do really well at Texas. 

 

Edited by texasstrong12
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3 minutes ago, FloridaHorn said:

Kenny G is a great coach, just not sure he would leave after a few years at OSU for an in conference school

This. When people were mentioning Kenny G or Glenn Moore as candidates, I was not because I don't think they'll leave Big 12 schools to come to Texas.  I think Floreal hire makes it obvious CDC is going for a big name - White or Lawson. 

Which, funny enough, CDC's first 3 phone calls were probably .... Mike Holloway (Florida), Robert Johnson (Oregon) and Floreal (Kentucky). Aka -- Walton, White, Lawson.

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15 minutes ago, FloridaHorn said:

Kenny G is a great coach, just not sure he would leave after a few years at OSU for an in conference school

He might not leave but I don't think this would stop him from taking the Texas job. Bottom line is Texas would give Kenny G a much better chance of winning big. Plus other perks like a better salary. 

These type opportunities aren't always available. 

Edited by texasstrong12
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12 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Yes but he’s 62 and hasn’t been to OKC since 2010. I’d rather go younger. 

true. Has struggled recently in postseason play, but still has made the Supers 7/8 years. 

I'm not going to be upset if we hire a coach that has 8 titles and finished 52-9 and 43-14 the last two years.  

 

Edited by texasstrong12
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