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Diamond Cat

6/24/2012 8:22 PM

As an active alumnus for the past 24 years, not much flies over my head.

It's pretty obvious you have a hang up with your former coaches. I have seen your kind many times over the years.

I was an overachiever in my time and could barely keep up with the players with natural born talent. That said, I never blamed Coach France or anyone for my failures to perform. Maybe you should let it go and stop grinding your axe.

Creighton finished last in the MVC and we decided to take a coach who is accountable for that record. Do your homework before you say See is just a "pitching coach" because he is much more respected in the coaching ranks than you even know. The ACC is No. 2 in RPI. If all things were equal (and they are more in See's favor), Andrew was the obvious choice for the job. There you go...I said it in writing so all the Carbone haters can feast on that statement.

I will tell you this.....Schaus will be accountable for the way he handled this situation and will feel it in the pocket where it counts. Beleive that my friend. When he is long gone from OHIO, many baseball alumni will look back on this and chuckle.

He did not even grant an interview to a former Bobcat player and coach who won back-to-back JUCO National Titles (2008 and 2012). Unacceptable by any measure to insult a former player and coach much like he did Andrew.

I will not post on this topic again and I have severed my ties with the program and university. We all make choices and that is the path I am taking. I assure you I will not be the only one.

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Donuts

6/24/2012 10:44 PM

I said he is just the pitching coach because you made it sound like he was going to Duke to be the head coach. I'm sure if he wanted to, he could have stayed on staff or at least be given the opportunity here to retain his position. So going from associate head coach at Ohio to pitching coach at Duke because he worked with the head coach before doesn't really jump out to me as a huge step up.

Funny thing you bring up about my axe to grind with the coaching staff though. I'll be the first admit that I do to a degree, but it has very little to do with anything on-field. I've continually kept quiet on that issue, but by all means, if you really want to know I'll let you in on just some of the stuff that went on in my four years there. It didn't just effect me either, it effected nearly most of the team. Again, we aren't talking about your standard playing time gripes. So quit playing that card.

With that being said, I don't see how on earth the current direction of the team could be looked at in a positive way. Do you ever check out how solid OU players are in the summer? Since the last MAC title in 1997, Ohio has had a ton of talent on the team. Then in the spring, the team is mediocre at best. We get great, highly-touted recruits (by MAC standards). We have a great facility. We have the best weather. We have players light it up in college summer leagues. So please tell me how all of that equals a below average MAC team since the turn of the century? It has to fall on the coaching staff.

***Actually, I take back the I'll talk in detail part. I was repeatedly accused of sending a letter to the AD when I was in school (even though everyone knew who really did), so I'm not opening that can of worms. That, and "I have seen your kind many times over the years."

Last Edited: 6/24/2012 10:53:34 PM by Donuts

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Bobcat Love

6/25/2012 11:09 AM

Diamond Cat wrote:expand_more

I will tell you this.....Schaus will be accountable for the way he handled this situation and will feel it in the pocket where it counts. Beleive that my friend. When he is long gone from OHIO, many baseball alumni will look back on this and chuckle.

1. The Athens Mafia got their guy, Carbone, to stay in power for about 10 years too long - so why in the world would you hire from within at this point? The Carbone system has been ineffective and unable to drive results over the past 9-10 years, there's no point in continuing the status quo.

2. I feel pretty confident the Athletic Department won't feel any adverse financial reaction to a baseball coaching hire. If your boy Carbone had won some games and created some buzz in this decade - maybe. But baseball has been largely silent and ineffective. Could be the opposite actually. They might start winning some games, and people might start showing up to buy tickets.

Let's just watch it play out. Again, the status quo wasn't working. Time to go a different direction.

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Andrew Ruck

6/25/2012 1:44 PM

It is interesting the hires Shcaus has made in his time here:

2008 Women's BB - Semeka Randall
2008 Women's Golf - Kelly Ovington
2008 Men's BB - John Groce (shunning Geno Ford AND John Rhodes)
2009 Softball - Jodi Hermanek
2012 Men's BB - Jim Christian, (shunning Jeff Boals AND Dustin Ford)
2012 Baseball - Rob Smith (shunning Andrew See)

I think this is the complete list of head coach hires he has made in his time (I believe Ryan Theis was shorly before Schaus took over). Does anyone know much about the Womens BB/Golf/Softball hires and if there were any in house or alum candidates that were qualified but passed on?

As you can see, none with any real ties to the university (unless you count Christian's wife). He would never admit this publicly, but you have to wonder if Schaus thinks having alums run the show is a bad idea regardless. I am not sure if I would agree, but I could see someone forming that opinion...putting the past behind, developing a new higher expectation, avoid being complacent with the way it has always been (which very often is simply mediocrity).

Also, I believe each of the hires listed above had no ties to the previous regime at all. I wonder also if he has an unspoken rule against assistants becoming head coaches at the same place. Again, I could see his point there as well and would be surprised if he ever voiced this.

My long winded point is I would have been SHOCKED if Schaus hired See or anyone internally. And my side point is...Schaus has done nothing to lose our trust in him, and as loyal supporters of Ohio Athletics, we should put trust in his hire and not throw hissy fits about his choice.

Last Edited: 6/25/2012 1:46:06 PM by Andrew Ruck

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Ohio69

6/26/2012 8:26 AM

Diamond Cat wrote:expand_more

I will not post on this topic again and I have severed my ties with the program and university. We all make choices and that is the path I am taking. I assure you I will not be the only one.

Wow. Good grief. Really? I don't get it.

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Donuts

6/26/2012 10:27 AM

Diamond Cat wrote:expand_more

What is hilarious is that instead, you wanted to take a coach who is accountable for what? Like one third place finish in the MAC as the crowning moment of his career so far? I guess we'll overlook that Creighton has made the NCAA tournament more times (and won more conference tournaments) in the last two years than Ohio in the last 20. Do your homework. Rob Smith is much more respected in the coaching ranks than you even know.

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bobcat72

6/27/2012 10:05 PM

Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more

As you can see, none with any real ties to the university (unless you count Christian's wife). He would never admit this publicly, but you have to wonder if Schaus thinks having alums run the show is a bad idea regardless.

I doubt Schaus feels that alums are inherently a "bad idea"...but you have to ask yourself, were any of the internal hires above the BEST candidate we could find? If you do, I think you're wearing a strongly tinted pair of green-colored glasses. Case in point...

1. John Rhodes, while a great family man and super-nice guy, was a mediocre coach at a mediocre program. The only reason many of us thought he was a great fit is because we liked him personally (and because he wasn't named Tim O'Shea). He did not have any appreciable impact at Ohio Northern, and I doubt he would have done any better here. It would have been TOS results with a popular alumni running the show (essentially, another Larry Hunter).

2. Dustin Ford's case is similar to Rhodes. A popular alumni and local guy that fans can relate to. But, do you really think he was ready to be a major Division I head coach yet? He's just 6 years removed from being the head coach at Jackson High School. He would have been one of the youngest coaches in the country at just 33. He was not on any other school's radar as a potential head coach...why should he have been on ours? Hiring Ford, to me, would have been a major disappointment after the Sweet 16 run.

3. Andrew See had been an integral part of the most disappointing athletic program on campus - he had NO SHOT at even being considered. Joe Carbone's last MAC Title was 1997. He had not even sniffed one since then. See has been the pitching coach on a team that traditionally struggles with pitching. The baseball program has been stagnant for at least 10 years...an internal hire would not have done anything to get baseball out of it's rut. On top of that, many players were openly advocating to not have See get hired - mainly because they didn't want Carbone Part 2.

In short, will Rob Smith be successful? Who knows...BUT I think he has a much better shoot at turning this program around than Andrew See.

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UpSan Bobcat

6/27/2012 10:31 PM

bobcat72 wrote:expand_more

[QUOTE=Andrew Ruck] 3. Andrew See had been an integral part of the most disappointing athletic program on campus - he had NO SHOT at even being considered. Joe Carbone's last MAC Title was 1997. He had not even sniffed one since then. See has been the pitching coach on a team that traditionally struggles with pitching. The baseball program has been stagnant for at least 10 years...an internal hire would not have done anything to get baseball out of it's rut. On top of that, many players were openly advocating to not have See get hired - mainly because they didn't want Carbone Part 2.

In short, will Rob Smith be successful? Who knows...BUT I think he has a much better shoot at turning this program around than Andrew See.

I agree with the idea of this. Even if Andrew See might one day be a great head coach - and he very well could become one - he probably wouldn't have stood much of a chance of building the program. To most considering Ohio for baseball, they would probably see a program likely to continue in mediocrity just because of See's association for so long with that very same mediocre program. It's probably not fair, but it's probably better for him and for the program he wasn't hired. Hopefully he'll get his shot eventually.

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6-4-3

6/30/2012 2:09 PM

I think you are going to be pleased with the results you will see from the baseball team.

Last Edited: 6/30/2012 2:12:13 PM by 6-4-3

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BraveMomof1Bobcat

7/7/2012 7:31 AM

I totally agree with your info about talented players and a mediocre team. Amazing talent that sits the damn bench. Change is good. Can't wait to see what Coach Smith does with these young men.

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BraveMomof1Bobcat

7/7/2012 7:44 AM

AMEN!!!!! We have AMAZING TALENT currently on the team. And the bond most of them have and close friendships they have with each other is the kind that winning teams are made of. I've watched a lot of baseball in a lot of places. From tBall to now and I also know what it's like to be a part of a winning teams family and these young men have what it takes to be winners. Kent Caliber players. Just need a good coach. Bring on Bobcat Baseball & Coach Smith. I know I personally live with a very happy Bobcat who can't wait to get back to Athens and win. See ya at the Wren. I'm the big mouth with the cowbell. Come say hi.

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catfan28

7/10/2012 10:10 AM

I feel for Coach Smith...next year's team may have some serious weaknesses, especially with pitching. There's not a single returning starting pitcher. On top of that, two of the best offensive weapons (Painter and Newton) are gone.

There may be talent on this team, but it's pretty young. And the pitching is VERY untested.

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6-4-3

11/17/2012 2:51 PM

catfan28 wrote:expand_more

Very good observation.

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BraveMomof1Bobcat

11/17/2012 9:59 PM

Rumor has it t they've found themselves another pitcher that was already on the team. He has been a pitcher his entire career. Even one of the fresman said he was the toughest pitcher he ever faced in his career in Ohio. We shall see.

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Its all Boeh's Fault

11/30/2012 9:54 AM

BraveMomof1Bobcat wrote:expand_more

You mean there was undiscovered talent already on the bench of Ohio's All Time Winningest Coach?

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whocaresgobobcats

11/30/2012 1:37 PM

That player was going to pitch this year if coach see was here too.

just took 3 pitchers quitting for it to happen now/

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BraveMomof1Bobcat

11/30/2012 8:58 PM

No I'm sorry to say but he wouldn't have if See was there. Trust me I know for a fact.

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sorge

12/13/2012 12:58 PM

Mom,
Just wondering how a mom knows so much about the chemistry and makeup of a college baseball team. Thanks,

Last Edited: 12/13/2012 2:21:40 PM by sorge

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whocaresgobobcats

12/14/2012 12:20 AM

BraveMomof1Bobcat wrote:expand_more

No I'm sorry to say but he wouldn't have if See was there. Trust me I know for a fact.

So do I and he would have been pitching from day 1 of the fall.

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Catdude

12/14/2012 11:56 AM

WELL,,, Some kids actually talk to their parents and some parents actually visit their kids on campus regualarly and spend time with them and their friends/roommates that are also members of the team. One can learn a lot from sitting down with a group of teammates and listening to them talk about the team, the coaches, the facility, the schedule, etc. I invite you to talk with current team members,,might learn a lot! Things are mighty different around the Wren these days.

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6-4-3

12/14/2012 1:38 PM

Catdude wrote:expand_more

Yes Sir they are.

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sorge

12/14/2012 2:16 PM

6-4-3 wrote:expand_more

Catdude wrote:expand_more