Woodson expected to be named new baseball coach

[HuntsmanSpider]

Originally posted by URPike:

sounds like we're not doing a good job of recruiting then.[/B] If a kid chooses to graduate from High Point instead of Richmond because they have stadium seating and lights so they can practice outside in February then I wish him the best. The entire package that UR offers and represents is a pretty compelling package, assuming its being presented properly. There is always room for improvement but sometimes reality gets in the way.

Wish that were the case, Pike, but we tend to have our biases. The reality is that the athletic side of the full package can be much better, and should be considering the wealth of resources our university has as it's disposal. IMO that's on the higher ups...

Another issue brought up by TarrantulasDad...installing lights at Pitt seems to be a no-brainer. With lights, our guys can practice and play games at night, thus enabling them to take a wider array of classes during the day. As much as various academic departments at UR have (griped) about baseball players missing too much class for the past...oh 80 years, can we at least re-examine this issue from a pro-academic viewpoint that installing lights will give Ballplayers MORE time and flexibility when it comes to their class schedules?

The excuse "well night games wouldn't accommodate the fans." Has anyone done research on the lost revenue in ticket sales from playing more night games?

Perhaps it's time we reexamine that aspect of the program as well...

 

[AnnapSpider]

Huntsman, you have made me a convert. I thought Pitt wa a pretty nice little field for college baseball based on what I remember Coach Pitt having to coach on.
Lights now days should not be a big expense with the led technology, but I am concerned about this practice facility you mentioned. Where would it be built? Could we design a facility that could be both baseball and football. Then we'd have a facility that could be used by the ladies and men's lacrosse teams, as well as filed hockey. I guess--

 

[72Spider]

Dad, save for UVA and this year VPI, tell me again how well those other schools have done on the field with those cushy stadium seats?

 

[Charles91]

I am not understanding the arguement here. We havent won in baseball at all since the early 2000's. Since that time we have seen a substantial hike in tution, we have moved to a worse baseball conference and we have made no improvements to our facility. The arguement that we won with what we have 15 years ago- we can do it again doesn't add up. The Atkins glory days were in a different conference, a very good baseball conference. The others teams in the state of Virginia have made improvements and we haven't. Whether its worth it or not I am not sure but the stadium seating idea allowed those other schools to charge admission which we cannot do. The best arguement here is UVA- for years the worst ACC baseball school. Their facilities were awful. You can argue that UVA is a great school- good baseball players will go there no matter what. But they couldn't compete with UNC, etc. O'Connor comes in a facilities are upgraded and they have had unbelievable success. Right now if we are recruiting against W&M or JMU we lose. If you are a very good baseball player you want to go somewhere that has a strong commitment to your sport. Pike, if the powers to be believe that baseball does not warrant a facility upgrade I understand but we cannot expect to win like we did in the late 90's.

 

[urfan1]

+1 91

 

[WebSpinner]

to be perfectly fair, it appears, from all of the banter on here, that most baseball players attend college on partials so if a student/athlete is looking at a partial to UR and a partial to w&m or umwcah, they choose for money reasons not facilities at least that is what i would be doing if a VA parent and most of the rosters are made up of VA students at those schools. no question that facilities are nice but money talks, seat cushions do not. know it is more than seat cushions and personally do not sit in the stands when i attended most all home games when i lived there. also would have given my left kidney to be able to play college ball and think most other kids just want to play and we do have other things to sell to a kid and parents besides baseball and facilities, which will be over for the majority of them in 4 years.

 

[Tarantula'sDad]

"Dad, save for UVA and this year VPI, tell me again how well those other schools have done on the field with those cushy stadium seats?"

Well, UNC Charlotte made more $$ in one weekend (with the A10 tournament) than UR made all season, for one. Plus they have been to multiple regionals since UR's last one. Elon was nothing, but now competes annually for the Southern Conference championship and has been to two regionals in the last 4 years; Dayton won the A10 and went to a regional in 2011; Jax has been to several regionals since 2006; Tulane to regionals since 2009, despite having the worst Athletic Department in the country; I could go on but you get the picture.

As Charles said, facilities show a commitment to the sport, which athletes want to see. Frankly, I don't understand the pushback on this issue, seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[HuntsmanSpider]

Annap, agree with you on Pitt field--it's a beautiful collegiate setting for baseball. I'm sure the architects would do a tremendous job, as usual, blending in a stadium + other facilities to the current architecture of Pitt and surrounding campus.

You make a good point regarding where to put an indoor facility. My dream spot has always been to knock down that metal thing that produces smoke behind left-center, and put a nice bricked facility there. That probably produces a lot of logistical issues however.

If it was freestanding, perhaps we could put it behind the outfield in an area currently occupied by parking? This would give us less restrictions on size, thus opening it up to multi sport use. The downside there is if you do that, you probably have to build a parking deck in X lot. Was there still a lot of objection to an eventual parking deck in X, or is that old news?

 

[StonesRiverSpid]

Originally posted by HuntsmanSpider:
Build a parking deck in X lot. Was there still a lot of objection to an eventual parking deck in X, or is that old news?

A parking deck anywhere on campus would destroy the campus. UR is not VCU.

 

[WebSpinner]

agree, unless it is underground not above ground. am really disappointed in new building, new buildings on campus and fewer trees and natural areas. understand when someone donates a huge amount of money and we build something, international, for example but at some point have to quit this unless you are replacing a structure. when i was on the alum board, most, if not all, future projects outlined to us were additions to existing buildings not tearing up natural land to build yet more. we have one of the most beautiful campuses in the country but we need to review what we are doing there. an above ground parking deck would be the coup de grace for me.

 

[Tarantula'sDad]

Woodson and Gill both mentioning facilities in their presser. SHOCKER!!

 

[72Spider]

What was said about facilities?

 

[72Spider]

Saw video of the press conference. Rather vague about improvements. Thought Gill gave the impression that there are improvements coming but just not sure of the timing. Hope that wasn't just for the cameras, though.

 

[Eight Legger]

Good news if that's the case. I'd like to hear details.

Count me in the group that's not opposed to a parking deck if it frees up some space for new facilities and solves a parking issue at the same time. I have no doubt that any deck built by UR would look like every other building on campus and would shield the parking garage characteristics very well. Even a three-story deck in the right spot would alleviate a decent amount of traffic concern without doing anything to harm the appeal of the campus.

 

[urfan1]

I'm with eight, I'm sure we can design and build a parking deck that would actually add to the campus be freeing up additional green space elsewhere.

 

[BeavCowboy]

A parking garage at Cal has a synthetic turf intramural field on the top floor. Excellent use of space that would otherwise be empty 99 percent of the time.

 

[Ulla1]

Listening to Coach Woodson talk was truly inspirational. He exudes such confidence. Even though the facilities may need improvements, he did not present any excuses for not winning. Moreover, his track record demonstrates that he WILL WIN. While one cannot forecast the future, this hire looks like a grand slam.

This post was edited on 7/24 6:46 AM by Ulla1

 

[StonesRiverSpid]

Here is the TD article about Woodson.

RTD Article about Woodson

 

[72Spider]

I'll reiterate an earlier post of mine: Gill was extremely successful in this hire and showed that he has taken charge of the job by his performance at the press conference. Not that he hadn't taken charge previously behind the scenes but we haven't seen much of him in the public eye performing as AD.

 

[73CPA]

I noticed in the article in the T-D that upgrades to baseball facilities were forthcoming. That has been a topic on this board, so it is good to see that the school is committed through a high profile hire who probably had upgrades as part of the deal. Not sure what that might entail, but assume it would be indoor work-out facilities.

 

[64Spider]

I think they have plans to build 3 parking decks. Two on Westhampton side and one near the RS where the tennis courts are currently.

 

[urspiders02]

Saw UR posted the Assistant Baseball Coach job with a salary of $26,000-40,000/year (pay grade 3). Anyone know what other sports pay?

 

[CarolinaSpider]

Spiders02 that sounds about right for most non revenue sports but they can increase their pay substantially through camps. Some head coaches let assistants run the Summer Camps and revenue share.