Mornin Mates...
Today's Topic = Mission Possible
The first important part of the above titled mission was accomplished last Monday when, after another dreadful playoff performance in Austin, Tracy Smith was relieved of his head coaching duties at ASU...
The next part of the mission took place later in the week when former Sun Devil baseball legend and former MLB player, Willie Bloomquist, was hired to be our next baseball coach...
It came as no surprise to people like Daily Star sportswriter Greg Hansen, who today pointed out that Tracy's PAC record, over the last six seasons was 61-80, while the Cats Jay Johnson, during the same time period, went 82-67...
Hansen further pointed out that "ASU hasn't been a factor on college baseball's national stage for more than a decade , and although Smith seemed like a reasonably good hire in 2015 (based on what he had recently done at Indiana) he didn't have the bearing of formidable Sun Devil predecessors Jim Brock, Pat Murphy and Bobby Winkles"...
Hansen also adds that "I would guess that every opposing coach in the PAC hoped the Sun Devils would retain Smith for as long as possible"...
He concludes by saying that a school that produced Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday, Bob Horner, Barry Bonds and Dustin Pedroia and hasn't won a national championship for 40 years - is head-shaking - and that new coach - Willie B - will earn every cent of his new contract if he can make ASU baseball relevant again...
Hansen almost makes it sound like Mission Impossible, doesn't he..??
Have the Devils fallen so far down in college baseball life that getting back to relevancy is almost an impossible task..??
Relatedly, does Willie have an almost impossible task in front of him trying to rebuild the program..??
Are we talking about rebuilding, renovating, restoring the once proud program or what exactly..??
Thankfully, from my standpoint, Willie is not going to be replacing a legend the way new AU softball coach - Caitlin Lowe - will be replacing a true legend in Mike Candrea...
Plus, the standards set by Tracy were so very average, at best, that the bar is set pretty darn low so that it shouldn't take a lot to move the needle upwards in pretty short order...
Of course, Scott Frost was hired by Nebraska to revitalize their football program and thought to be a "sure thing" but that isn't how things have turned out, thus far, as we all know...
So, how much risk is involved in the hiring of Willie since he has never coached before, recruited or developed players before, established a team culture before, won a game before (as a coach), hired a staff before, and/or interacted with a bunch of players who all have different skill sets, egos, and different "mind sets" related to the game of baseball, etc...
Apparently, Graham Rossini, who had a lot to do with the hiring of Willie, picked Willie due to his well established relationship with him, not unlike what Ray did in football, when he hired Herm based primarily on his personal relationship with Herm...
Personal relationships are often used in making key hiring decisions but they probably fail as often as they succeed, don't they..??
Anyway, being a member of the "Church of Sparky" and an adherent of the "Gospels According to Sparky" I'm pleased with the Willie hiring...
The Sparky Gospels give meaning and purpose to my life, as does the Sun Devil community and the associated rituals, like attending games and frequenting this site and others, that leads to a passion that is part of my very being...
They also allow me to judge coaches by wins vs losses and assess how pleased or displeased community members are with what they are seeing with each sports program at ASU...
This cultural context is never taken lightly because it's too important for me and others, who have witnessed Sun Devil coaching greatness over decades, to accept mediocrity in any sport...
Whether we all want to admit or not we all have a Sun Devil faith that we turn to for solace in a worrisome world...
So, returning to the topic at hand, is taking on ASU baseball a possible or impossible mission, and is Willie the man to turn it around or not, in your opinion..??
I think that he has his work cut out for him but if anyone can make Sun Devil baseball relevant again, I like Willies chances...
How about you..??
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
Today's Topic = Mission Possible
The first important part of the above titled mission was accomplished last Monday when, after another dreadful playoff performance in Austin, Tracy Smith was relieved of his head coaching duties at ASU...
The next part of the mission took place later in the week when former Sun Devil baseball legend and former MLB player, Willie Bloomquist, was hired to be our next baseball coach...
It came as no surprise to people like Daily Star sportswriter Greg Hansen, who today pointed out that Tracy's PAC record, over the last six seasons was 61-80, while the Cats Jay Johnson, during the same time period, went 82-67...
Hansen further pointed out that "ASU hasn't been a factor on college baseball's national stage for more than a decade , and although Smith seemed like a reasonably good hire in 2015 (based on what he had recently done at Indiana) he didn't have the bearing of formidable Sun Devil predecessors Jim Brock, Pat Murphy and Bobby Winkles"...
Hansen also adds that "I would guess that every opposing coach in the PAC hoped the Sun Devils would retain Smith for as long as possible"...
He concludes by saying that a school that produced Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday, Bob Horner, Barry Bonds and Dustin Pedroia and hasn't won a national championship for 40 years - is head-shaking - and that new coach - Willie B - will earn every cent of his new contract if he can make ASU baseball relevant again...
Hansen almost makes it sound like Mission Impossible, doesn't he..??
Have the Devils fallen so far down in college baseball life that getting back to relevancy is almost an impossible task..??
Relatedly, does Willie have an almost impossible task in front of him trying to rebuild the program..??
Are we talking about rebuilding, renovating, restoring the once proud program or what exactly..??
Thankfully, from my standpoint, Willie is not going to be replacing a legend the way new AU softball coach - Caitlin Lowe - will be replacing a true legend in Mike Candrea...
Plus, the standards set by Tracy were so very average, at best, that the bar is set pretty darn low so that it shouldn't take a lot to move the needle upwards in pretty short order...
Of course, Scott Frost was hired by Nebraska to revitalize their football program and thought to be a "sure thing" but that isn't how things have turned out, thus far, as we all know...
So, how much risk is involved in the hiring of Willie since he has never coached before, recruited or developed players before, established a team culture before, won a game before (as a coach), hired a staff before, and/or interacted with a bunch of players who all have different skill sets, egos, and different "mind sets" related to the game of baseball, etc...
Apparently, Graham Rossini, who had a lot to do with the hiring of Willie, picked Willie due to his well established relationship with him, not unlike what Ray did in football, when he hired Herm based primarily on his personal relationship with Herm...
Personal relationships are often used in making key hiring decisions but they probably fail as often as they succeed, don't they..??
Anyway, being a member of the "Church of Sparky" and an adherent of the "Gospels According to Sparky" I'm pleased with the Willie hiring...
The Sparky Gospels give meaning and purpose to my life, as does the Sun Devil community and the associated rituals, like attending games and frequenting this site and others, that leads to a passion that is part of my very being...
They also allow me to judge coaches by wins vs losses and assess how pleased or displeased community members are with what they are seeing with each sports program at ASU...
This cultural context is never taken lightly because it's too important for me and others, who have witnessed Sun Devil coaching greatness over decades, to accept mediocrity in any sport...
Whether we all want to admit or not we all have a Sun Devil faith that we turn to for solace in a worrisome world...
So, returning to the topic at hand, is taking on ASU baseball a possible or impossible mission, and is Willie the man to turn it around or not, in your opinion..??
I think that he has his work cut out for him but if anyone can make Sun Devil baseball relevant again, I like Willies chances...
How about you..??
G'day Mates and Go Devils!!!
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