How would you improve baseball in the B1G?

VectorVictor

VectorVictor

Donor
It's been kicked around for a while now that the only sticky wicket with our move to the B1G is the lack of quality baseball played in the conference.

In the interest of keeping our minds occupied while we watch MA muddle through the spring/early summer and wait for July 1 to arrive, what would you do to improve the quality of baseball being played in the B1G?

I've got two ideas, but I don't know how feasible or realistic they are--one is a network-driven "Renaissance" of B1G baseball accomplished by getting rid of antiquated B1G scholarship rules (e.g. freezing a scholarship when a player leaves for the draft). Two is implementing a focus on scheduling quality OOC opponents--all in an effort to ultimately improve the value of product (B1G Baseball) and get people to watch.

The first suggestion would take some wrangling, as there must be some reason why the B1G has held on to such a disruptive scholarship rule.

The second suggestion would not only be feasible, it would leverage the Big 10 Network asset in order to get quality teams with little TV presence (read: no SEC, Big XII teams) on their network. This way you have quality teams, even if they're not B1G teams, playing on your network and you gradually improve B1G baseball (read: if you want to be the best, you have to play the best). Not unlike the B1G/SEC showdown in basketball, a Pac-12/B1G Baseball showdown could be concocted, or even include MVC or other baseball conferences that often churn out a few good teams.

Please feel free to rip these suggestions to shreds as only a message board poster can. :)

 
Personally, I'd start with a closed door, one on one meeting with all our current players. I'd then contact former members, especially those who are currently coaching elsewhere. After those discussions I'd assess the program as a whole beginning from when MA first recruiting class were juniors and conduct an across the board comparison with the rest of the Big 12 members.

I'd also meet with MA and ask him if he is comfortable with where he is in life and if he'd be willing to see a sports psychologist at the universities expense to maybe help/show him how to conduct mental preparation both personally and techniques to use to help the athletes to arrive mentally prepared too. In the off season, I'd ask him to contact some of the successful programs such as Virginia, Arizona St and Fresno St to discuss unity techniques. Two of these schools Virginia and Fresno St are not traditional powers while Arizona St is. Knowing/seeing/experiencing the team chemistry building blocks of these programs may be the boost that MA needs.

With the athletes, I'd mandate/implement a sports psychology class to teach them how to prepare as individuals and as a team. I'd also ask the athletes to create a unity council designed around expectations, grades, determination and effort.

Chemistry IMO is lacking. The talent is there but it seems as though the athletes are struggling under MA much like our football suffered under Callahan. MA has to humble himself and in doing that, the team will rally behind him. He needs to change his philosophy to get the most out of "every" student athlete. Yes, we have high expectations, yes we will drive you, yes you will be disciplined when discipline is needed but... you will also be loved, respected and treated with dignity and fairness. Mentor the athletes with humility and the love of a father.... the reward is returned in the efforts given both on the field of play as well as the game of life.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why would the Big 10 handicap themselves with the scholarships (kids going early for the pros?), and if they liked that law so much, - why wouldn't they enforce it for football? I agree, that would be the biggest change and play indoors:)

 
We have talent the question is why is it not showing. No way in H E L L should we have lost the Baylor series. I think (hope) this past weekend was the beginning of the end.

 
The problem really is the weather. Why would a prized recruit come to a B10 school when the first half of your season is all away games. As an avid baseball fan myself, I wish it could be different, but the warm weather is just not here in March. Plain and simple. Weather wise, there is a reason MLB doesn't start to around April 1st. This is also the reason why ice hockey is the number 3 college sport for much of the B10.

 
matthew_m_g said:
Why does the NCAA start so early, anyway? I never understood that...
Click to expand...
Thats one reason the norther schools pushed very hard to push the start of the season back and also cut back the number of games required to play to qualify for post season play. When one school could start a month ahead of the northern schools the teams were better because they were in better form.

On topic;

I agree they could lift the scholarship restriction and I wouldn't mind the NCAA to revert back a little and allow scholarship splits like the days of old. I think it let you get more guys and actually allowed kids to go to college and play ball rather than take the crappy cash play farm ball. I know its there because they're trying to encourage coaches to find the kids who want the college experience and not a spring board to the MLB. Plus it saves the schools money on a no revenue sport when they don't have to pay the open slot.

I would also set up an early season tourney down south and require all teams to play in it. It might just be an early season B10 conference showcase thing but if they're playing in Florida, Texas, AZ etc like the pros do then that would get them out of the cold and also allow coaches to recruit in those areas.

 
da skers said:
matthew_m_g said:
Why does the NCAA start so early, anyway? I never understood that...
Click to expand...
Thats one reason the norther schools pushed very hard to push the start of the season back and also cut back the number of games required to play to qualify for post season play. When one school could start a month ahead of the northern schools the teams were better because they were in better form.

On topic;

I agree they could lift the scholarship restriction and I wouldn't mind the NCAA to revert back a little and allow scholarship splits like the days of old. I think it let you get more guys and actually allowed kids to go to college and play ball rather than take the crappy cash play farm ball. I know its there because they're trying to encourage coaches to find the kids who want the college experience and not a spring board to the MLB. Plus it saves the schools money on a no revenue sport when they don't have to pay the open slot.

I would also set up an early season tourney down south and require all teams to play in it. It might just be an early season B10 conference showcase thing but if they're playing in Florida, Texas, AZ etc like the pros do then that would get them out of the cold and also allow coaches to recruit in those areas.
Click to expand...
Good ideas, Da. Don't know why Delaney doesn't get some sort of Big 10/SEC or Big 10/ACC challenge tourney going--it gives the ACC teams cannon fodder (mostly), and it allows the Big 10 to play good teams early on the road to toughen their skin a bit. Plus, the Big Ten Network could televise the whole ball of wax, giving them content during March or April to air.

 
Love the early b1g tourney idea. Could also make it a conference challenge like basketball.

Agree that foremost they should change the scholarship restrictions due to the draft impact.

 
flatwaterfan said:
Love the early b1g tourney idea. Could also make it a conference challenge like basketball.

Agree that foremost they should change the scholarship restrictions due to the draft impact.
Click to expand...
I honestly think that change will be coming soon, as soon as Nebraska gets their official 'voice' at the table.

It does the conference or their television network no good to televise inferior baseball. The conference should be all about getting as much live content as possible on the channel at the highest quality possible.

Removing these restrictions that other conferences aren't saddled with would help.

 
Back
Top