Softball coach

[Ninegate]

I've not heard a number or a fund raiser goal yet.

I think a lot of this is pie in the sky wishful thinking. The football stadium needs upgrades. Football is the cash cow for Marshall and almost every other school. BB needs a practice facility? Spend a couple of million on GH and be done. We have one NCAA tourney win in school history. Keep things in perspective. Few schools can be wildly successful in both major sports. The baseball stadium....I will believe it when I see it. I hear all these grand ideas, but how can we come up with 10’s of millions of $$$$, when donations totaled around $3.7 mil last year? The money is not there.

 

[bbneutralfan]

Is air conditioning in the works for Gullickson but not Henderson? If that’s in the works that’s about like building the little used soccer complex instead of baseball. JMO

 

[GK4Herd]

I think a lot of this is pie in the sky wishful thinking. The football stadium needs upgrades. Football is the cash cow for Marshall and almost every other school. BB needs a practice facility? Spend a couple of million on GH and be done. We have one NCAA tourney win in school history. Keep things in perspective. Few schools can be wildly successful in both major sports. The baseball stadium....I will believe it when I see it. I hear all these grand ideas, but how can we come up with 10’s of millions of $$$$, when donations totaled around $3.7 mil last year? The money is not there.

I believe this is both short-sighted and defeatist. The money wasn’t there for the indoor practice facility and the soccer stadium either. But through fund raising campaigns these unaffordable ventures were completed.
The indoor practice facility was what...30 million? We got that done. The whole purpose of the campaign is to raise the money that’s not there. Marshall can’t afford it and the state won’t help, so if you want to actually build infrastructure you do what almost every university that can’t complete projects through state funding does...you seek contributions.

I’ve heard that on the basketball end there’s all kinds of support with dollars promised in the millions if earmarked for basketball projects. I believe Herdmeister can back that up. This is money that doesn’t get donated if not for these specific projects. As been mentioned, many past baseball players are being asked to donate. That’s money that wouldn’t exist if not for a baseball related project.

This university has had so much criticism over the years for throwing up their hands and saying we’re poor...so why try. Remember the Kayo Marcum years? Yet as poor as we were we we raised tens of millions for athletic projects in recent history.And we were just as poor then as we are now. We have a chance to start another campaign for further success and you’re suggesting that it sounds like some “pie in the sky...grand ideas?”

As much criticism as the athletic department gets for not working miracles, I’m sure as hell not going to dismiss them when they’re actually trying. I guess there is such a thing as Appalachian Defeatism.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I know they have been to the NCAA 11 times since moving up to D1 in 1977. They have moved to the 2nd round about 4 times.
They have 11 NIT appearances in that same time frame. 2 times in semi finals and another in the quarters and a few times to 2nd round.
As a D2 they have a national championship, a 2nd and a 3rd place finish.
They are way ahead of the league in basketball facilities. They have 1 player to a room with private bathrooms. Team dinner table along with a state of the art practice facility and the best arena in CUSA by far.
Danny talks of them often when he speaks about facilities and where we want to be.
Did I mention year in and year out they have the largest attendance per game?

Call me unimpressed until they win some titles.

 

[Herdmeister]

I think a lot of this is pie in the sky wishful thinking. The football stadium needs upgrades. Football is the cash cow for Marshall and almost every other school. BB needs a practice facility? Spend a couple of million on GH and be done. We have one NCAA tourney win in school history. Keep things in perspective. Few schools can be wildly successful in both major sports. The baseball stadium....I will believe it when I see it. I hear all these grand ideas, but how can we come up with 10’s of millions of $$$$, when donations totaled around $3.7 mil last year? The money is not there.

I know that John has been VERY successful getting the next fund raising campaign off the ground with seed money from the likes of Jeff Montgomery , Dan Straily and more

 

[Herdmeister]

Call me unimpressed until they win some titles.

Its the facilities in Norfolk that Danny is most impressed with. Have you been there? We strive to match that. As we all know, 17 year olds buy with their eyes. Things look a whole lot better at ODU, basketball facility wise than MU. Look at the success we are achieving now. Imagine what we can achieve with some of the amenities that Jeff Jones has to assist his recruiting

 

[CarolinaHerdzilla]

If we can't afford to compete in NCAA D1 then we need to drop down. I can't think of a D1 program that doesn't field a women's basketball team. If it were dropped and women's bowling were added, it might meet Title 9 requirements but there would be a terrific firestorm with the way Marshall treats it's women's athletes. It would show America that Marshall cares little about women's sports.
Kansas never has a winning season in football but there would never be a discussion about dropping the sport

HERDmeister.....you are aware that NORTH TEXAS does not have a college baseball team? I visited their campus in Denton recently and when I asked "where is the baseball stadium....I was told ===NO BASEBALL HERE!" I am shocked since TEXAS produces a lot of good baseball players! I was impressed with the football stadium and they were installing new turf in the HOT sun. It was very hot on the field.

HerdZilla in Charlotte

 

[Herdmeister]

HERDmeister.....you are aware that NORTH TEXAS does not have a college baseball team? I visited their campus in Denton recently and when I asked "where is the baseball stadium....I was told ===NO BASEBALL HERE!" I am shocked since TEXAS produces a lot of good baseball players! I was impressed with the football stadium and they were installing new turf in the HOT sun. It was very hot on the field.

HerdZilla in Charlotte

Correct, UTEP doesn't either

 

[Herdmeister]

HERDmeister.....you are aware that NORTH TEXAS does not have a college baseball team? I visited their campus in Denton recently and when I asked "where is the baseball stadium....I was told ===NO BASEBALL HERE!" I am shocked since TEXAS produces a lot of good baseball players! I was impressed with the football stadium and they were installing new turf in the HOT sun. It was very hot on the field.

HerdZilla in Charlotte

I was at the stadium when we played there a couple years ago. Very nice. Nice campus

 

[pdbailey]

You guys are in love with ODU. They are the best thing since sliced bread. How many basketball titles have they won?

More than us, and their basketball facilities make our facilities look like they are elementary school level and built in the early 1900s.

 

[Herdmeister]

More than us, and their basketball facilities make our facilities look like they are elementary school level and built in the early 1900s.

sad, but true. Much richer history. They have far better facilities and more paying fans than we do.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I don’t think they have won as many CUSA titles as us. Just saying.

 

[Herdmeister]

I don’t think they have won as many CUSA titles as us. Just saying.

We have been in the league for 12 year and have 1 championship in basketball. They have been in 4 years. They have lead us in attendance every year they have been in. They have had a better regular season record every year as well. Danny will tell you it would be MUCH easier to win more with their commitment to basketball and facilities.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

We have been in the league for 12 year and have 1 championship in basketball. They have been in 4 years. They have lead us in attendance every year they have been in. They have had a better regular season record every year as well. Danny will tell you it would be MUCH easier to win more with their commitment to basketball and facilities.

Thats all well and good but winning titles is key. Many P5's have tons of resources but never sniff success on a league or national level. Let me know when almighty ODU is in the ACC, then I'll be impressed. Right now, they are just like us and every other G5 school. jmho.

 

[Herdmeister]

Thats all well and good but winning titles is key. Many P5's have tons of resources but never sniff success on a league or national level. Let me know when almighty ODU is in the ACC, then I'll be impressed. Right now, they are just like us and every other G5 school. jmho.

we're just saying, we would love to have their resources and facilities. It gives them a leg up recruiting wise for sure. Look what we do with what we have. To be able to promise a kid a room to himself, dinner with the team and a first class practice facility and arena we would be a constant in the Big Dance.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

we're just saying, we would love to have their resources and facilities. It gives them a leg up recruiting wise for sure. Look what we do with what we have. To be able to promise a kid a room to himself, dinner with the team and a first class practice facility and arena we would be a constant in the Big Dance.

I certainly agree, it would be nice to have. But I think we do darn good with what we have. Hopefully this new fundraising program you refer to will help immensely; I know I plan to give. But ODU is in a very well to do area economically and has around 1.2 million people metro I think. Huntington metro has about 250K and not close economically.

 

[The Real SamC]

ODU's budget is 63% subsidy. Anybody who looks at the stands during one of their games knows they are just making up the attendance figures.

CUSA has two states (FL and TX) and one very close to it (VA) which are growing such that new college places have to be added at a rate not seen since California in the 1950s and 60s, just to keep up so the next set of HS graduates has the same %age of placements as the previous. And the historic schools the non-alumni follow are built out to the point that the expansion is mostly elsewhere. So they have a lot of money to spend. We have to depend on our selves. That is how it is.

 

[Herdmeister]

ODU's budget is 63% subsidy. Anybody who looks at the stands during one of their games knows they are just making up the attendance figures.

I have been to every football game we have played there and the place has been full at all. I have been to 3 games we have played there in basketball and the announced crowd looks very close to what my eyes saw. I have no idea about the other crowds but the ones I have seen are real

 

[Snortin Buffalo]

Ok, back to the softball coach. Have heard nothing but a few opinions as to why the coach is gone. Is that it? What are the facts? Do we not get to know?

 

[wvkeeper(HN)]

This thread is good stuff.

WE ARE...

 

[ARandomHerdFan]

Obligatory "Yep, it's definitely the offseason" post.

 

[Herdmeister]

Ok, back to the softball coach. Have heard nothing but a few opinions as to why the coach is gone. Is that it? What are the facts? Do we not get to know?

She chose to leave. When you left your last job did your previous employer announce why? Just because a coach is high visibility on a college level, I see no reason to give out personal info unless the leaving coach wants that out. If they do, they will do it themselves.

Her only obligation is to pay Marshall money per her contract. Other than that, she has no obligation to tell Marshall or us anything.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

If and when this fundraising event starts, we'll need more than 367 or so fans to donate. And to be honest, 90% or more was donated by 3-4 individuals. Cline, Hoops, Smith and Justice - if I recall.

 

[bbneutralfan]

She got “ Stowered”! LOL

 

[herdfan429]

If and when this fundraising event starts, we'll need more than 367 or so fans to donate. And to be honest, 90% or more was donated by 3-4 individuals. Cline, Hoops, Smith and Justice - if I recall.

Then the campaign needs to be geared toward donors of all levels not just the big fish

 

[Herdmeister]

Then the campaign needs to be geared toward donors of all levels not just the big fish

It was open for all to give. It seems only only 250 or so stepped up other than the BIG fish!

 

[The Real SamC]

Then the campaign needs to be geared toward donors of all levels not just the big fish

Just like the previous one was. I never felt a "big timers only" vibe from the Vision Campaign, or anything else Mike has ever done. Total change from KO, who not only lied to my face, but made it 100% clear that ordinary people need not bother.

I gave very modestly to the VC, and received plenty of thanks, welcome, recognition, trinckets, whatever. Same with the regular BGC drives. Never felt at all that Mike thought I was just some bozo with insignificant money.

 

[herdfan429]

It was open for all to give. It seems only only 250 or so stepped up other than the BIG fish!

I didnt say it wasnt open to everyone. The vibe I got was that if you could only give $20 then dont bother.

 

[Herdmeister]

I didnt say it wasnt open to everyone. The vibe I got was that if you could only give $20 then dont bother.

Sorry you got that impression. I have never gotten that from this administration. Since Mike has been here and BG has had John, Teddy et al, things have been much friendlier IMO

 

[oldeherd]

I have been to every football game we have played there and the place has been full at all. I have been to 3 games we have played there in basketball and the announced crowd looks very close to what my eyes saw. I have no idea about the other crowds but the ones I have seen are real

Therefore, HM, it could very well be that ODU actually announces the attendance at its basketball and football games based ONLY on the actual numbers of fannies in the seats, UNLIKE another CUSA program we all know. How many times during the last couple of football season has MU announced the crowds as being anywhere from 18,000 to 21 or 22 thousand when CLEARLY the Joan is less than half full? When questioned, the response is usually the number reflects tickets "sold".

On the other hand, in basketball, I sit at the top of the lower bowl on the 3rd Ave. side of the CAM. The Arena's official capacity is officially listed as a shade over 9000. During several home games last year, in Jan. and Feb., I and those around me often tried to "guesstimate" the crowd size. We would see both lower bowls full. I would look at the North side upper bowl which was pretty full except for the corner sections. Looking across to the South side upper bowl, it appeared to be just as full, with most empty seats in the corner sections. So we would figure about 2500, or a couple hundred more, empty seats. This would indicate that there were easily 6000 plus fans in attendance at these games. Then on the post game show, Paul Swann or his side kick would announce the attendance as "5400", "5600", or so. No darn way, Herdmeister!! Why Mike Hamrick wants to "low ball" the basketball actual attendance is anyone's guess. Others can deny it happens. But you can't tell me, and others, that MU's announced basketball attendance isn't, at many games, a lot lower than the actual number of people in the stands!! Only MH really knows why this is done.

 

[pdbailey]

Thats all well and good but winning titles is key. Many P5's have tons of resources but never sniff success on a league or national level. Let me know when almighty ODU is in the ACC, then I'll be impressed. Right now, they are just like us and every other G5 school. jmho.

ODU is actually targeting a move to the AAC based on info from a friend of mine that is a big ODU booster. They know they aren't going to get in the ACC so they want to get out of CUSA with a move to the AAC. The word "podunk" league was used by the administration to describe CUSA.

 

[pdbailey]

I certainly agree, it would be nice to have. But I think we do darn good with what we have. Hopefully this new fundraising program you refer to will help immensely; I know I plan to give. But ODU is in a very well to do area economically and has around 1.2 million people metro I think. Huntington metro has about 250K and not close economically.

Another factor is that a very large percentage of ODU alumni live locally in the metro area, which allows for more alumni involvement and money funneled to the athletic programs. MU doesn't have that luxury because of the poor economic state of our metro area.

 

[whf2]

Just like the previous one was. I never felt a "big timers only" vibe from the Vision Campaign, or anything else Mike has ever done. Total change from KO, who not only lied to my face, but made it 100% clear that ordinary people need not bother.

I gave very modestly to the VC, and received plenty of thanks, welcome, recognition, trinckets, whatever. Same with the regular BGC drives. Never felt at all that Mike thought I was just some bozo with insignificant money.

Agree, us too.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

The Vision Campaign have donors a choice of donate all in a lump sum or spread donation payments over 5 years.
How impactful would it be to our school if each Marshall message board poster gave, let’s say, $120 a year for 5 years? That’s only $10 a month. Everyone here can easily do that. There must be, what, 2000 registered posters on the 3-4 Marshall boards total?
That would be 1.2 Mil.
Obviously some will give more, but the point being, we all need to get involved or quit complaining that our facilities are lacking.

 

[Herdmeister]

The Vision Campaign have donors a choice of donate all in a lump sum or spread donation payments over 5 years.
How impactful would it be to our school if each Marshall message board poster gave, let’s say, $120 a year for 5 years? That’s only $10 a month. Everyone here can easily do that. There must be, what, 2000 registered posters on the 3-4 Marshall boards total?
That would be 1.2 Mil.
Obviously some will give more, but the point being, we all need to get involved or quit complaining that our facilities are lacking.

Great idea. I know some posters on here gave as much as $1,000 per year or more on the last campaign, but I do know that there are many on here that are raising young families and that is possible.
I too agree that there isn't anyone on here that can't come up the 33 cents per day.

 

[mubaseballking]

Ideally, a collaboration between the city and MU for a new 10K seat all chairback arena and tearing down the barn and putting a 2000 seat baseball stadium there would be a perfect scenario. Jmo

I agree that the City and MU partnering on a new arena would be ideal and it would correct the error of building two separate buildings from forty plus years ago. However, I like the idea of building the new arena downtown on the civic center site and putting a MU baseball stadium on the current HC footprint. I think the city would be more open to the idea, and a more willing partner, if the arena is downtown. If that can be worked out it also solves the 'lack of property available to purchase' problem for building a baseball stadium.

 

[mubaseballking]

Any recent news or rumors floating around about who may be the new softball coach?

 

[Herdmeister]

I agree that the City and MU partnering on a new arena would be ideal and it would correct the error of building two separate buildings from forty plus years ago. However, I like the idea of building the new arena downtown on the civic center site and putting a MU baseball stadium on the current HC footprint. I think the city would be more open to the idea, and a more willing partner, if the arena is downtown. If that can be worked out it also solves the 'lack of property available to purchase' problem for building a baseball stadium.

The baseball site has been picked out. Paperwork has yet to be signed,

Adjacent lot east of Logan's and south of softball field

 

[19MU88]

ODU is actually targeting a move to the AAC based on info from a friend of mine that is a big ODU booster. They know they aren't going to get in the ACC so they want to get out of CUSA with a move to the AAC. The word "podunk" league was used by the administration to describe CUSA.

that's funny I use that same term to describe their FB stadium