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OK, I've had a chance to simmer down, so here goes....

Rod Dangerfield

Rod Dangerfield

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Jan 12, 2010
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Chad Holbrook took over THE premiere baseball program in the United States in 2013. A program that had played for 3 straight national championships, winning 2. Since taking over, the Cocks have been in a downward spiral. In 2013, eliminated in the Super Regionals. In 2014, eliminated in the regionals....AT HOME! Now in 2015, he's committed the unforgivable sin....his team has lost a series to Clemmons.....& this ain't a Clemmons team from yesteryear that would be contending for Omaha. This is a 4th-8th place ACC team.

Bottom line: UNACCEPTABLE! I am no longer in Holbrook's corner. I want the Cocks to win every game, but it's becoming more & more obvious that this "buddy" hire was not a good one.
 
Originally posted by Rod Dangerfield:
Chad Holbrook took over THE premiere baseball program in the United States in 2013. A program that had played for 3 straight national championships, winning 2. Since taking over, the Cocks have been in a downward spiral. In 2013, eliminated in the Super Regionals. In 2014, eliminated in the regionals....AT HOME! Now in 2015, he's committed the unforgivable sin....his team has lost a series to Clemmons.....& this ain't a Clemmons team from yesteryear that would be contending for Omaha. This is a 4th-8th place ACC team.

Bottom line: UNACCEPTABLE! I am no longer in Holbrook's corner. I want the Cocks to win every game, but it's becoming more & more obvious that this "buddy" hire was not a good one.
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I'm willing to see what he can do after 4-5 years in that spot. Tanner must have seen something in him. It's all going to depend if he can live up to what Tanner thinks he is capable of. Unfortunately, I can't argue against a single thing you said. Maybe he's not meant to be a HC. Maybe he needs more time. He had huge shoes to fill but it does look like he is going backwards. I don't see any fire or leadership from him.
 
Originally posted by Cock_Donor:


Originally posted by Rod Dangerfield:
Chad Holbrook took over THE premiere baseball program in the United States in 2013. A program that had played for 3 straight national championships, winning 2. Since taking over, the Cocks have been in a downward spiral. In 2013, eliminated in the Super Regionals. In 2014, eliminated in the regionals....AT HOME! Now in 2015, he's committed the unforgivable sin....his team has lost a series to Clemmons.....& this ain't a Clemmons team from yesteryear that would be contending for Omaha. This is a 4th-8th place ACC team.

Bottom line: UNACCEPTABLE! I am no longer in Holbrook's corner. I want the Cocks to win every game, but it's becoming more & more obvious that this "buddy" hire was not a good one.
Click to expand...
I'm willing to see what he can do after 4-5 years in that spot. Tanner must have seen something in him. It's all going to depend if he can live up to what Tanner thinks he is capable of. Unfortunately, I can't argue against a single thing you said. Maybe he's not meant to be a HC. Maybe he needs more time. He had huge shoes to fill but it does look like he is going backwards. I don't see any fire or leadership from him.
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In an SEC environment, I would suggest that Tanner give a serious look at the baseball Head Coach position BEFORE the end of THIS season. Time and SEC sports wait for no man. Just ask any dedicated South Carolina football fan!
 
First of all, whether people here want to admit it or not based on what I saw this weekend Clemson is a legit team. If their 3 weekend guys continue to pitch well (two of them are proven) then they will contend for the ACC title. While it is early, I would take their 2-6 in the lineup against just about anyone. Big, physical, and athletic.


Now, the real question is what is wrong with us? First, not sure how/why this staff thought Reagan is a weekend starter. He is not, at least not yet in his career. He will not miss enough bats and doesn't have the stuff to miss in the zone. Second, the defense was abysmal this weekend and I don't know what they do with Caldwell. He is swinging the bat but I am not sure you can live with him in left. Forget the ball he pulled up from the wall, too many balls drop at his feet because he must play so deep due to the fact he can't go back on balls. Also don't think you can play shuffling SS. Need to go with a guy it is too important of a position. Catcher will be a big issue all year and it amazes me with 3 years of Greiner we were not prepared to replace. Poor job by staff on that one. It doesn't appear we will get offense or defense from that spot. Bottom line, we will struggle on weekends against good competition when we basically get nothing from Schrock and Martin. Schrock could use a day off, offensive struggles may be carrying over to his defense, not to mention the 10 yr old baserunning Friday night. Get his head clear and be ready Wed.

Is anyone else more worried about next year versus this year?
 
Originally posted by jackal3:

Is anyone else more worried about next year versus this year?
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My biggest concern now is that our postseason streak is about to end.
 
3 years is enough time to win a national championship, for any sport. All coaches should get 3 year contracts. If no championship, fire them. FIRE SPURRIER! FIRE MARTIN! FIRE HOLBROOK! FIRE STALEY!
Time to stop accepting mediocrity and DEMAND excellence.
rolleye0011.r191677.gif
 
Tanner does not have the fortitude to take a stand. He is just a good ole boy, trying to shake hands and raise money.
 
Originally posted by cockgun:

Tanner does not have the fortitude to take a stand. He is just a good ole boy, trying to shake hands and raise money.
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FIRE TANNER!
 
We were very close to getting swept. No hit after the 3rd inning on Saturday. Clemson had bases loaded twice late in the game and didn't score.

Think about that for a minute.

We need some bats.
 
I would be shocked if we don't make regionals. If that happens Holbrook will be on short leash. Everyone needs to relax on his game/roster management. He is learning on the job and where Ray seemed to push the right button so many times with PH or bunts or not bunting, Chad is a little unlucky. Think about it, two exact scenarios with Schrock this weekend, he plays it both ways, bunt and hit---both were the "wrong" decision based on the result. But at some point the players must perform. It wasn't bad baseball logic in either situation. Schrock failed to get the bunt down and then hit into a DP.
 
Welcome to the comedy hour.....Holbrook is Tanners man, he is going to be fine, let the season play out before people lose their minds after each game.....















.
This post was edited on 3/3 12:24 PM by bosoxcock
 
While it is easy for fans to rip the coach and I haven't agreed with all his in game decisions (still trying to figure out how Jerry and Chad think Reagan is a weekend starter based on his stuff), everyone on here needs to understand that these players must perform at some point. Short list of players who were not good this weekend that are keys to our season.

Martin
Schrock
Crowe
Destino (big hit Saturday but really poor at bats rest of weekend)
Koch/Taylor

Even guys like Caldwell, Mooney, Schrock, and Gore were not good defensively. I cut Gore some slack due to playing 3 positions already this year, that's tough to do and still swing it in my opinion adn he did make some nice plays but also nearly killed us Saturday.

If you want to rip Holbrook, rip the recruiting right now. No physical presence in corner outfield or third. And how we don't have a catcher when Greiner was a 3 year starter. Did they think he would stay for his senior year?

Catcher is an issue in that we are not good defensively there at all which can't happen unless you have some real thump in that spot.
 
You guys are a trip. It's the first time we lost a series to Clemson in a while. I wish we could beat them every year but sometimes it does go the other way especially in baseball.

I remember Tanner's team barely winning 40 games 2 years before we won the championship and that was his 12th year. We also finished 5th place in the east. Sometimes players don't pan out like you thought they would. I am sure Chad will get it done. Remember our best team during Tanner's era didn't win the championship and didn't even make the world series. It was a scrappy team with great pitching that couldn't hit a lick but somehow we won two championships in a roll.

It will be okay.
 
Funny how people have forgot about the regional meltdown in Greenville NC, Atlanta, Raleigh etc...

This is a tough sport to avoid the downward trends with lack of scholarships, MLB draft, arm injuries and arms that don't work out based on projections etc. We have been fortunate to avoid the slips teams like Florida, LSU, Texas etc have had over the past number of years. Roster management is brutal in college baseball and we are seeing some possible misses in recruiting to a possible change needed in recruiting (type of player). We may have gone overboard in recruiting due to the bats in my opinion.
 
Hilarious the so-called fans that want to ditch their coach after a loss. And these are the same Gamecock fans who will trash Clemson or Georgia fans for doing the same thing on their message boards for such knee-jerk reactions. Pretty pathetic. Who knows where this baseball team will end up (it's early March folks), but fans act like it's their God-given right to to play in Omaha every year. I've got news for you - NOBODY gets to Omaha every year. It's actually hard to get there! That's why it is so much fun when you do make it.(Ask other perennial "baseball schools" like LSU or Texas or even Miss. State who don't make it every year.)

It's all about getting to the postseason and then whomever is playing their best ball at the end of the year goes to Omaha. SC had a very good team last year that ran into a HOT team in the regional. That's baseball. If you don't understand that, then you don't understand baseball.

So Clemmons won 2 out of 3. Sucks for us as Gamecock fans, but it happens sometimes. Holbrook wasn't out there making errors or missing pitches that could have been driven for hits.
 
I saw where Leggett said a lot of hard work went into winning the series. Perhaps we should have been practicing more too. That seems to be a common theme these days versus Clemson, they recruit and practice harder. We are getting soft because the coaches know that Tanner will not say or do anything.
 
How was Gore not good defensively? He is the best defender on the field. Did you see the play he made at 3rd yesterday?
 
Originally posted by cockgun:


I saw where Leggett said a lot of hard work went into winning the series. Perhaps we should have been practicing more too. That seems to be a common theme these days versus Clemson, they recruit and practice harder. We are getting soft because the coaches know that Tanner will not say or do anything.
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I seriously doubt this. Do you have anything to back it up?
 
I am entitled to my opinion. Begging the question, do have anything to refute my opinion?
 
For those defending Holbrook, what us that based on? I think he should certainly be scrutinized. We have been a terrible hitting team since he took over. Also, I haven't seen the mental toughness that used to be a trait of Ray Tanner teams.
 
i like holbrook. but it just seems like instead of making great plays to win games, we make errors to lose them. and that has gone on every since holbrook has been here. also, maybe its just me, but he hardly ever sac bunts. tanner use to all the time. with these new bats, you don't have as many big innings. holbrook has never been big on bunting people over. and it seems like we end up hitting into so many double plays.
it just seems like holbrook doesn't really coach the players to play better, and doesn't have any strategy except just to go out and play. oh, and in the last 3 years. you make make a highlight tape of the most bone headed base running in college baseball.
it just seems like we aren't really coached at all in any phase of the game except for pitching. and that is jerry meyers.
i like having coaches that played here as assistants. but only if they are great coaches. i think holbrook needs to get some great coaches who are intense and doesn't except poor base running, and poor fielding. most of our errors are from a lack of concentration i believe. i'm just tired of it.

and for the poster who was being sarcastic about firing coaches, heck, if martin, spurrier, and holbrook left today, i wouldn't shed a tear. coach martin and coach holbrook are not great coaches. and martin is a jerk to boot. coach spurrier is a great coach, but he hasn't been giving us everything he's got. its just the truth.
as far as tanner as athletic director, this may not be his area, but i live in anderson, and for the first time in 10-15 years we didn't have a radio station to listen to the ball game. it just seems like everything in athletics is going backwards.
 
Re: OK, I've had a chance to simmer down, so here goes....[/URL]MookieBlaylock9 posted on 3/3/2015...
For those defending Holbrook, what us that based on? I think he should certainly be scrutinized. We have been a terrible hitting team since he took over. Also, I haven't seen the mental toughness that used to be a trait of Ray Tanner teams.

Here's my rationale to defend Holbrook -
1. He's my team's coach and hasn't broken any rules, hasn't been a jerk or embarrassed school in public, has a reputation as a good recruiter, he's a class act, and Ray Tanner has his back. Until that changes, he has my support - can't win them all. It's not easy to get to Omaha every year- Ask Ray Tanner. Ask LSU. Ask Texas. Ask Florida or any other baseball school that does not go EVERY YEAR.
2. 2 40+ win seasons under Holbrook. 2 NCAA tournament berths including 1 Super Regional. Ran into a hot Maryland team last year in regional... it happens. It's baseball
3. We're 3 weeks into the 2015 season. Lots of baseball to be played before you can judge this team
4. A terrible hitting team? SC was 5th in the SEC in hitting last year. Remember this was the "dead baseball" era due to all the changes to bats etc. that hurt the offense. NOT ONE SEC TEAM HAD A BATTING AVERAGE OVER .300 LAST YEAR! SC was #1 in team ERA last year. (Fine,give Meyers credit, but Holbrook is still the HC).
5. Look at Ray Tanner's year by year. He didn't win the Clemson "series" every year. He did not go to Omaha every year. Just because you win the CWS doesn't mean you will be back next year (Remember Arizona winning it in 2012?)

We've got a good coach and it's still early in the season.
Go Gamecocks!
 
Nothing wrong with criticizing coaching decisions related to lineup, game management etc...but it is NOT Holbrooks fault that Schrock and Martin stunk this weekend. If you believe they shouldn't have been in lineup and others should have been playing then criticize away. Not his fault Mooney throwing error. Everything that goes wrong isn't always the coaches fault. Fans have a hard time with that concept. Plus, baseball is a hard game and sometimes you will struggle. Right now, I am willing to say guys are just struggling offensively and hope the bats warm up with the weather. We have played two regional teams and gone 3-3, it isn't the end of the world.
 
In 2010, in the 3rd game of our series with Clemson, in Columbia, the Tigers busted our butts, 19-6, I think. Later that season, we went 2 and out in the SEC tourney. Well, after that, I believe we all know what took place. I know, that was 2010, just saying.
 
Originally posted by cockgun:


I am entitled to my opinion. Begging the question, do have anything to refute my opinion?
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Certainly entitled to your opinion. Just curious if it was based on ANY fact at all.
 
Chad is lowering expectations year after year in the ONE sport I always had full confidence in when Ray was in charge.
 
To Johnnyplaid: I think there is enough discussion in this thread, as well as other similar threads, indicating that in football, there has been a serious falloff in recruiting and strength and conditioning as well as coaching at certain positions. In baseball, I think there has not been enough recruiting, especially in the outfield, lack of discipline in the infield and we have some serious hitting issues. All of this boils down to coaching. If you expect me to provide written proof of this I don't have that, but this is an open forum based on opinion. Your challenging me as I am wrong puts the burden of proof on you to prove me wrong.

This post was edited on 3/3 6:38 PM by cockgun
 
Originally posted by cockgun:

Tanner does not have the fortitude to take a stand. He is just a good ole boy, trying to shake hands and raise money.
Click to expand...
Harsh but true. The man is a Baseball Coach, not an AD. Fire Tanner!!!!!! Than Hire him to coach baseball.

This post was edited on 3/3 6:49 PM by ReadR00ster
 
Originally posted by cockgun:
To Johnnyplaid: I think there is enough discussion in this thread, as well as other similar threads, indicating that in football, there has been a serious falloff in recruiting and strength and conditioning as well as coaching at certain positions. In baseball, I think there has not been enough recruiting, especially in the outfield, lack of discipline in the infield and we have some serious hitting issues. All of this boils down to coaching. If you expect me to provide written proof of this I don't have that, but this is an open forum based on opinion. Your challenging me as I am wrong puts the burden of proof on you to prove me wrong.


This post was edited on 3/3 6:38 PM by cockgun
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Seriously?
1) You originally claimed "We are getting soft because the coaches know that Tanner will not say or do anything" as fact, not opinion. You can backtrack and say "well, I was just expressing my opinion" but most likely, it's only because you have nothing to back it up.
2) I challenge you to prove ANY of the football teams recruiting, S&C or any other weakness that is perceived is due to "Tanner will not say or do anything". Any of it. If not, you're just spreading unsubstantiated rumor, as fact and should be ashamed.
 
I believe that as under the current AD, our standards have fallen as the coaches know that Tanner will not say anything. In fact. several othet threads on thos forum suggest that Tanner is too close to the coaches as a friend. After the Clemson game, he approached Spurrier and Spurrier was able to manage the manager by pointing out that Clemson had a better defense and we were beat by a superior team. Clemson has a one legged quarterback and once again we failed to defend. Then Spurrier told Tanner that he was re-energized and ready for more. Then we incurred numerous failures to maintain recruits and as such, there is still some concern that we might not be competitive next year. The coaches are complacent. Again there is no evidence of this such as Sports Illustrated documentation or even an article from Southern Living or Teen Magazine. My point shows up in the win-loss record. In both football and baseball, I just do not see we are where we were under the former AD, who I believe demanded a higher level. You can not deny that our two programs have slipped. I am really tired of this argument, as there is, as you suggested, no other proof. I am not ashamed and our recent record is not rumor. We can keep this argument up but I am standing by what I said. You can go challenge someone else because from what I see, there are many who think that we have multiple problems from multiple sources. Check it out.

This post was edited on 3/3 7:25 PM by cockgun
 
I believe that under the current AD, our standards have fallen as the coaches know that Tanner will not say anything. In fact. several other threads on this forum suggest that Tanner is too close to the coaches as a friend. Further after the Clemson game, he approached Spurrier and Spurrier was able to manage the manager by pointing out that Clemson had a better defense and we were beat by a superior team. Clemson had a one legged quarterback and once again we failed to defend. If I recall Clemson was a minor favorite going in and we got killed. Then Spurrier told Tanner that he was re-energized and ready for more. Then we incurred numerous failures to maintain recruits and as such, there is still some concern that we might not be competitive next year. The coaches are complacent. Again there is no evidence of this such as Sports Illustrated documentation or even an article from Southern Living or Teen Magazine. My point shows up in the win-loss record. In both football and baseball, I just do not see we are where we were under the former AD, who I believe demanded a higher level. You can not deny that our two programs have slipped. I am really tired of this argument, as there is, as you suggested, no other proof. I am not ashamed and our recent record is not rumor. We can keep this argument up but I am standing by what I said. You can go challenge someone else because from what I see, there are many who think that we have multiple problems from multiple sources. Check it out.
 
Originally posted by Rod Dangerfield:
Chad Holbrook took over THE premiere baseball program in the United States in 2013. A program that had played for 3 straight national championships, winning 2. Since taking over, the Cocks have been in a downward spiral. In 2013, eliminated in the Super Regionals. In 2014, eliminated in the regionals....AT HOME! Now in 2015, he's committed the unforgivable sin....his team has lost a series to Clemmons.....& this ain't a Clemmons team from yesteryear that would be contending for Omaha. This is a 4th-8th place ACC team.

Bottom line: UNACCEPTABLE! I am no longer in Holbrook's corner. I want the Cocks to win every game, but it's becoming more & more obvious that this "buddy" hire was not a good one.
Click to expand...
Before those 3 straight national champ appearances (won 2), Tanner had missed Omaha for 5 consecutive years and lost in the Regionals for 3 out of those 5. We also never hosted a Super during that time period, and we came extremely close to not winning 40 games.

Sometimes a program goes on a stretch like this. It seems cyclical, even in the premier programs.

Also, there was going to be drop-off when Tanner left, because so did some amazing players. Roth, Price, Walker, Matthews, and Marzilli all left the program that same year. That's a big hit, since they were the key players left from the titles.

And Holbrook was not a buddy-hire. He was hired as an assistant with the plan that he would be our coach. He was at the top of the coaching board when we hired him. Had we done a nationwide search, Holbrook would've still been at the top of the list.
 
He was at SS tonight and will be there for the rest of the season. He may have kicked 1 or 2 balls Saturday, but he is errorless the rest of the season and makes spectacular plays, that most would not make. He also has a very strong arm, maybe the strongest on the team.
 
Originally posted by CONNGAMECOCK:
He was at SS tonight and will be there for the rest of the season. He may have kicked 1 or 2 balls Saturday, but he is errorless the rest of the season and makes spectacular plays, that most would not make. He also has a very strong arm, maybe the strongest on the team.
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Schrock was in LF. Tonight's lineup looked like the one that will stick.
 
Originally posted by ReadR00ster:

Originally posted by cockgun:

Tanner does not have the fortitude to take a stand. He is just a good ole boy, trying to shake hands and raise money.
Click to expand...
Harsh but true. The man is a Baseball Coach, not an AD. Fire Tanner!!!!!! Than Hire him to coach baseball.

This post was edited on 3/3 6:49 PM by ReadR00ster
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And you continue to prove how clueless you are. There's a reason no one here or on CT takes you seriously and only see you as a joke.

This post was edited on 3/4 1:17 AM by GamecockWarrior
 
Originally posted by uscbeckham:
Originally posted by Rod Dangerfield:
Chad Holbrook took over THE premiere baseball program in the United States in 2013. A program that had played for 3 straight national championships, winning 2. Since taking over, the Cocks have been in a downward spiral. In 2013, eliminated in the Super Regionals. In 2014, eliminated in the regionals....AT HOME! Now in 2015, he's committed the unforgivable sin....his team has lost a series to Clemmons.....& this ain't a Clemmons team from yesteryear that would be contending for Omaha. This is a 4th-8th place ACC team.

Bottom line: UNACCEPTABLE! I am no longer in Holbrook's corner. I want the Cocks to win every game, but it's becoming more & more obvious that this "buddy" hire was not a good one.
Click to expand...
Before those 3 straight national champ appearances (won 2), Tanner had missed Omaha for 5 consecutive years and lost in the Regionals for 3 out of those 5. We also never hosted a Super during that time period, and we came extremely close to not winning 40 games.

Sometimes a program goes on a stretch like this. It seems cyclical, even in the premier programs.

Also, there was going to be drop-off when Tanner left, because so did some amazing players. Roth, Price, Walker, Matthews, and Marzilli all left the program that same year. That's a big hit, since they were the key players left from the titles.

And Holbrook was not a buddy-hire. He was hired as an assistant with the plan that he would be our coach. He was at the top of the coaching board when we hired him. Had we done a nationwide search, Holbrook would've still been at the top of the list.
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College Baseball coaches are hard to hire... You don't know if you have a good coach after 3 years... And hiring a coach behind a legend is hard for them to come out of their shadow...

I was ready for June to go after 19 years... Tanner was a great hire behind June... But hiring a coach behind Tanner, I go with Holbrook, Lee or Jim Toman.


Another coach who was hire behind a legend
 
I'm not sure this lineup sticks. I don't see Bright on the bench consistently. I also don't know if Arendas will hit enough to stay in lineup especially against lefties. That means SS remains unsettled which is a problem. Gore is our best SS but may end up playing a lot of third. Not great to juggle Schrock, Mooney, Gore. We would be best served to only have one of those guys bouncing around. Holbrook tough spot as his best SS is also the most versatile to play SS,3B, LF......
 
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