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Big Ten

Agree 100%

I’ve always said we could compete nationally if we actually wanted to. Anyone who says otherwise thinks baseball is just like football.

With that said, don’t be shocked if Vandy wins the next 2. Great season regardless.
 
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It's funny, Michigan's non-con schedule was a joke, yet they're still here, 1 win away from a national title. Heck if I know what's going on anymore.

I hope the new Big 10 commissioner eliminates the ridiculous recruiting restrictions. Maybe if we whine enough to whichever unpaid intern reads his emails.
 
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Agree 100%

I’ve always said we could compete nationally if we actually wanted to. Anyone who says otherwise thinks baseball is just like football.

With that said, don’t be shocked if Vandy wins the next 2. Great season regardless.
Here's the thing. The Big Ten absolutely can be competitive nationally. But they honestly (as a conference) refuse to do it.

One team making or even winning a championship for the first time in 50+ damn years, especially for a team that barely made the tournament in the first place, is actually no more of an indication that say... Fresno State could make it every single year since they won a few years back.

If anything this is a statistical anomaly and part of what makes baseball so great. Any team can get hot and have a chance.

Signs that NU (or any B1G team) can compete nationally on the reg will be when it's a news story that no B1G teams made it to the CWS instead of the opposite.

The conference has shown time and time again that it's perfectly comfortable with it's mid major status. From hiring (hopefully he does well, but Bolt is more of the same from a statement standpoint), to facilities, to keeping coaches (Indiana), to allowing for another assistant (how on Earth could anyone be against that????), to insane recruiting restrictions that put the league at a massive disadvantage... The list goes on and on.

The conference is at a disadvantage for weather, but honestly that by itself is not preventative. The conference getting in it's own way is.

I'm not making excuses, I'm really not. I'm just sick and tired of a conference that brings in 55mil in TV revenue per team acting like competing in baseball is just too hard.
 
Here's the thing. The Big Ten absolutely can be competitive nationally. But they honestly (as a conference) refuse to do it.

One team making or even winning a championship for the first time in 50+ damn years, especially for a team that barely made the tournament in the first place, is actually no more of an indication that say... Fresno State could make it every single year since they won a few years back.

If anything this is a statistical anomaly and part of what makes baseball so great. Any team can get hot and have a chance.

Signs that NU (or any B1G team) can compete nationally on the reg will be when it's a news story that no B1G teams made it to the CWS instead of the opposite.

The conference has shown time and time again that it's perfectly comfortable with it's mid major status. From hiring (hopefully he does well, but Bolt is more of the same from a statement standpoint), to facilities, to keeping coaches (Indiana), to allowing for another assistant (how on Earth could anyone be against that????), to insane recruiting restrictions that put the league at a massive disadvantage... The list goes on and on.

The conference is at a disadvantage for weather, but honestly that by itself is not preventative. The conference getting in it's own way is.

I'm not making excuses, I'm really not. I'm just sick and tired of a conference that brings in 55mil in TV revenue per team acting like competing in baseball is just too hard.
Educate me on the restrictions the BIG has in place versus other conferences. Thanks
 
Educate me on the restrictions the BIG has in place versus other conferences. Thanks
Oversigning is easily #1. I believe you're permitted to oversign by 2 or 3 guys and even then you can't replace those that get drafted or whatever until the following cycle.

B1G is the only conference I know that drastically limits oversigning like that. It really prevents you from going after some top talent because the roads that they'll jump to the MLB is too costly.

For example...ASU one year oversigned by like 19. Nineteen. That ability to just hoard MLB talent in the hopes that some don't take their draft offer is a huge advantage.

FSU one year had something like 10 first round draft picks and one or two stuck around.

It's a big disadvantage with the way baseball players can jump to the pros
 
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One team making or even winning a championship for the first time in 50+ damn years, especially for a team that barely made the tournament in the first place, is actually no more of an indication that say... Fresno State could make it every single year since they won a few years back.
I agree with this, however earlier this year there were a good number of people who were using the conference's lack of success in getting teams to the CWS and even less success at doing well at it as evidence that we need to have low expectations as to what we can achieve. Watching Michigan, a team which we beat 3 times only about a month ago make it to the CWS and breeze through it has had me saying many times-"that could be us". I understand that what they're doing is unusual and could really happen to just about anybody if they get hot at the right time, but still, I am sick of people who use being in the B1G as an excuse for our relative lack of success in recent years instead of laying the blame at the feet of our coaches. Michigan's success eliminates at least one argument people can use to excuse any lack of success we may have in the future,
 
I agree with this, however earlier this year there were a good number of people who were using the conference's lack of success in getting teams to the CWS and even less success at doing well at it as evidence that we need to have low expectations as to what we can achieve. Watching Michigan, a team which we beat 3 times only about a month ago make it to the CWS and breeze through it has had me saying many times-"that could be us". I understand that what they're doing is unusual and could really happen to just about anybody if they get hot at the right time, but still, I am sick of people who use being in the B1G as an excuse for our relative lack of success in recent years instead of laying the blame at the feet of our coaches. Michigan's success eliminates at least one argument people can use to excuse any lack of success we may have in the future,
It's a fine line for sure.

Being in the B1G is a disadvantage. It just is.

But there is a fine line between admitting your disadvantages and using that to justify mediocre results which I am not interested in. I was luke warm on Erstad's hire (because I was hoping for Holbrook, BoC, or someone who had coached more than 1 season as an assistant) and there were moments I thought he might be able to do it (I swear if the 2013 team had beaten Indiana in the 2nd championship game, they would have made it to Omaha), but overall his results were certainly disappointing overall.

Nebraska certainly has some advantages that could help it dominate the B1G. Facilities are in the top 3-4, resources are there for recruiting, there's a decent amount of talent in state, etc...but you can't highlight the good and ignore the bad. The B1G constantly undermines baseball. Oversigning, lack of TV exposure when you have your own friggin nationwide network, no 3rd assistant, etc. etc. etc. It's a joke. All from the richest conference in America.

It is improving and it's worth mentioning the progress, but there are so many things it could do to really step up it's baseball presence that there's no reason it shouldn't be a top 3-5 conference instead of 7-10
 
It's a fine line for sure.

Being in the B1G is a disadvantage. It just is.

But there is a fine line between admitting your disadvantages and using that to justify mediocre results which I am not interested in. I was luke warm on Erstad's hire (because I was hoping for Holbrook, BoC, or someone who had coached more than 1 season as an assistant) and there were moments I thought he might be able to do it (I swear if the 2013 team had beaten Indiana in the 2nd championship game, they would have made it to Omaha), but overall his results were certainly disappointing overall.

Nebraska certainly has some advantages that could help it dominate the B1G. Facilities are in the top 3-4, resources are there for recruiting, there's a decent amount of talent in state, etc...but you can't highlight the good and ignore the bad. The B1G constantly undermines baseball. Oversigning, lack of TV exposure when you have your own friggin nationwide network, no 3rd assistant, etc. etc. etc. It's a joke. All from the richest conference in America.

It is improving and it's worth mentioning the progress, but there are so many things it could do to really step up it's baseball presence that there's no reason it shouldn't be a top 3-5 conference instead of 7-10
I completely agree about those disadvantages, and I would like to see the conference rectify it. I think most of the people who want to excuse our lack of success since we've been in the B1G however are not even aware of those disadvantages, because usually those people tend to be those who don't follow the program quite as closely. They are the ones who have an image of the conference that was more suited for 10-15 years ago when they still played 4 game conference series and were often a one-bid league into the NCAA tournament. That ignorance was really revealed to me when somebody earlier this season in a discussion about how high our expectations should be seriously asked if the conference was a one-bid league, when in reality the conference has had at least 2 teams in the tournament every year since we've been in the conference and at least 3 teams in the last 5 years straight.
 
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when in reality the conference has had at least 2 teams in the tournament every year since we've been in the conference and at least 3 teams in the last 5 years straight.
Yup. And 5 teams twice.

I agree wholeheartedly that it's "casual baseball fan" that thinks that a regional every other or every 3rd year is pretty good for a northern school and that drives me bananas. It's never the guys that actually follow baseball with any passion.
 
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Looks like a good convo and I’ll have to go through it to get all perspectives. The only thing I’ll say is the disadvantages are real but they are not as big as posters and fans make them out to be. Michigan themselves may be an anomaly to some but what they are proving is good baseball still wins games when it matters. Talent still beats talent. They are the possibility not the anomaly. If even people on this board can’t expect more than why would the admin or the league?

I heard Sean say the other day that making a CWS every 10 years should be the goal. To be honest, that is the problem with the Big Ten. The mentality is weak. It’s a conference that makes excuses and a team like Michigan didn’t care. They just found ways to win. Good for them.

We have good enough players in state and surrounding the state to make a CWS run every year. Add in JUCOs to fill the gaps. Not saying making it every year is realistic. But if your goal isn’t the CWS and you aren’t disappointed every year it doesn’t happen then that’s the problem.

Aim high by focusing on what you can control. Scheduling, recruiting, fundamentals, defense, batting cages, bullpen, etc. and damn the rest. Let the pieces fall where they may. You do that and you are Michigan.
 
Looks like a good convo and I’ll have to go through it to get all perspectives. The only thing I’ll say is the disadvantages are real but they are not as big as posters and fans make them out to be. Michigan themselves may be an anomaly to some but what they are proving is good baseball still wins games when it matters. Talent still beats talent. They are the possibility not the anomaly. If even people on this board can’t expect more than why would the admin or the league?

I heard Sean say the other day that making a CWS every 10 years should be the goal. To be honest, that is the problem with the Big Ten. The mentality is weak. It’s a conference that makes excuses and a team like Michigan didn’t care. They just found ways to win. Good for them.

We have good enough players in state and surrounding the state to make a CWS run every year. Add in JUCOs to fill the gaps. Not saying making it every year is realistic. But if your goal isn’t the CWS and you aren’t disappointed every year it doesn’t happen then that’s the problem.

Aim high by focusing on what you can control. Scheduling, recruiting, fundamentals, defense, batting cages, bullpen, etc. and damn the rest. Let the pieces fall where they may. You do that and you are Michigan.
What about aTm? Wouldn't you take Childress's record there?

They've made 14 regionals and 2 CWS trips. That's two CWS trips in a decade and a half.

I'd take that in a heartbeat. Why? Because they're competitive every year.
 
What about aTm? Wouldn't you take Childress's record there?

They've made 14 regionals and 2 CWS trips. That's two CWS trips in a decade and a half.

I'd take that in a heartbeat. Why? Because they're competitive every year.
Correct, but I promise you the CWS is the goal every year and they are bummed when they don’t make it. Unlike us, where we are happy with “participating” and “giving effort.”

In other words, our media doesn’t help with these crappy expectations. It’s why Bo was here 7 years and Erstad’s regional appearances were touted so much. At the end of the day they were minor accomplishments for an excuse riddled fan base and media.

This means you need to aim to host a regional to increase those odds. We need to start with that goal.
 
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Correct, but I promise you the CWS is the goal every year and they are bummed when they don’t make it. Unlike us, where we are happy with “participating” and “giving effort.”
That might be an understatement considering there is a significant part of the fanbase that wants Rob fired. It's absurd to have that level of expectations. CWS is not an easy accomplishment and even the very best coaches (Mike Martin for instance) make it about 30-40% of the time. So yeah, if we're in the CWS 10-20% of the time, I am more than good with that.

This means you need to aim to host a regional to increase those odds. We need to start with that goal.
I would say being in the discussion to host most years is pretty good for me. Maybe 2 out of every 3?
 
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That might be an understatement considering there is a significant part of the fanbase that wants Rob fired. It's absurd to have that level of expectations. CWS is not an easy accomplishment and even the very best coaches (Mike Martin for instance) make it about 30-40% of the time. So yeah, if we're in the CWS 10-20% of the time, I am more than good with that.


I would say being in the discussion to host most years is pretty good for me. Maybe 2 out of every 3?
I mean it’s splitting hairs. Expecting it and making it don’t always go hand and hand. A&M fans being idiots doesn’t make or break the expectation in my book. If you aim for the best you may only make a regional. If you aim for a regional you end up with a 5 seed in the Big Ten Tourney. Success level equals expectation level so to speak
 
I never called A&M fans idiots, just Grumpy.and non-grumpy.
I'll always be top idiot :Cool:

I never wanted Nebraska not to host a Regional.
I just knew it was a mental hurdle the team couldn't get over.

Going back from the OKC Regional, I finally believed Erstad and this team was ready to completely knock down that hurdle. Start shooting for the moon.
Get in positionto host a Regional. Fight for a Top 8 seed. Break thru Supers and get to Omaha. I finally believed this team was ready to touch greatness.
And then Darin stepped down the very next day. WTF?!?!

This team is still ready to tear down that hurdle.
I won't stop you from dreaming big.
I demand it.. Smokin
 
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I never called A&M fans idiots, just Grumpy.and non-grumpy.
I'll always be top idiot :Cool:

I never wanted Nebraska not to host a Regional.
I just knew it was a mental hurdle the team couldn't get over.

Going back from the OKC Regional, I finally believed Erstad and this team was ready to completely knock down that hurdle. Start shooting for the moon.
Get in positionto host a Regional. Fight for a Top 8 seed. Break thru Supers and get to Omaha. I finally believed this team was ready to touch greatness.
And then Darin stepped down the very next day. WTF?!?!

This team is still ready to tear down that hurdle.
I won't stop you from dreaming big.
I demand it.. Smokin

I would have had zero faith in the former coaching staff going into 2020 with a completely new weekend rotation while also trying to get over being snakebit in OKC.
 
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Here's the thing. The Big Ten absolutely can be competitive nationally. But they honestly (as a conference) refuse to do it.

One team making or even winning a championship for the first time in 50+ damn years, especially for a team that barely made the tournament in the first place, is actually no more of an indication that say... Fresno State could make it every single year since they won a few years back.

If anything this is a statistical anomaly and part of what makes baseball so great. Any team can get hot and have a chance.

Signs that NU (or any B1G team) can compete nationally on the reg will be when it's a news story that no B1G teams made it to the CWS instead of the opposite.

The conference has shown time and time again that it's perfectly comfortable with it's mid major status. From hiring (hopefully he does well, but Bolt is more of the same from a statement standpoint), to facilities, to keeping coaches (Indiana), to allowing for another assistant (how on Earth could anyone be against that????), to insane recruiting restrictions that put the league at a massive disadvantage... The list goes on and on.

The conference is at a disadvantage for weather, but honestly that by itself is not preventative. The conference getting in it's own way is.

I'm not making excuses, I'm really not. I'm just sick and tired of a conference that brings in 55mil in TV revenue per team acting like competing in baseball is just too hard.
I agree with most of your points, but your example of Indiana and keeping coaches I beg to differ. The fact that Arizona State and Mississippi State came calling is pretty impressive. I doesn’t mean IU didn’t try to keep them, they did. Those are some pretty iconic programs to try and fend off.
 
I agree with most of your points, but your example of Indiana and keeping coaches I beg to differ. The fact that Arizona State and Mississippi State came calling is pretty impressive. I doesn’t mean IU didn’t try to keep them, they did. Those are some pretty iconic programs to try and fend off.
Not arguing the magnitude of those programs, but do either of those AD's have the money and resources the B1G do?

That's what I'm talking about. We should flip the tables in baseball and have people say it's the sec and B1G sport and nobody would go bankrupt trying to do it.

Maybe they don't win every time, but honestly the top 10 coaching salaries ought to include at least 3-5 B1G names don't you think?
 
Not arguing the magnitude of those programs, but do either of those AD's have the money and resources the B1G do?

That's what I'm talking about. We should flip the tables in baseball and have people say it's the sec and B1G sport and nobody would go bankrupt trying to do it.

Maybe they don't win every time, but honestly the top 10 coaching salaries ought to include at least 3-5 B1G names don't you think?
I see your point that the Big should have some representation in the top coaching salaries. I think the BIG universities are still trying to figure out how to divide the BIG tv money between academics and athletics. I don't know that divide for Nebraska, but IU does send quite a bit to the academic side.
 
I see your point that the Big should have some representation in the top coaching salaries. I think the BIG universities are still trying to figure out how to divide the BIG tv money between academics and athletics. I don't know that divide for Nebraska, but IU does send quite a bit to the academic side.
Well in that case it would make them pretty rare. I am under the impression that less than a handful of AD's across the country even do that.
 
Well in that case it would make them pretty rare. I am under the impression that less than a handful of AD's across the country even do that.
As a huge IU sports fan I wish we used it all for athletics. Obviously we could do better athletically and that money would help narrow the huge gap between us and the OSUs and Michigan’s. But I have to rationalize that we are doing what is best for the primary purpose of the university and just celebrate our athletic successes when we achieve them.
 
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As a huge IU sports fan I wish we used it all for athletics. Obviously we could do better athletically and that money would help narrow the huge gap between us and the OSUs and Michigan’s. But I have to rationalize that we are doing what is best for the primary purpose of the university and just celebrate our athletic successes when we achieve them.
I think all of our conference money goes to the athletic department, but the athletic department as a whole turns a profit, and the extra money left over goes to the academic side of the university.
 
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