WCWS - BAMA BACK IN OKC

[BamaFossil]

Thanks to all the Bama players for fighting through this season and clawing their way to the WCWS! Esp. thanks to the seniors and others who won't be here next season.

Now on to recruiting... and hopefully finding (1) a batting coach; and (2) a philosophical change by Coach Murphy as to how he approaches what it takes to play championship softball.

 

[81usaf92]

Now on to recruiting... and hopefully finding (1) a batting coach; and (2) a philosophical change by Coach Murphy as to how he approaches what it takes to play championship softball.

So another “let Murphy have the opportunity to fix it” for the 10th straight year. At some point we need to take the LSU baseball approach and tell a guy who won a championship a decade ago isn’t grounds for lifetime contract.

Montana and Osorio have something in common… neither pitched a pitch in a WCWS final. Two of the most dominant pitchers in the nation to never progress past the semis is a sign that your coach can’t teach hitting and/or can’t recruit good hitters.

 

[BamaHoops]

So another “let Murphy have the opportunity to fix it” for the 10th straight year. At some point we need to take the LSU baseball approach and tell a guy who won a championship a decade ago isn’t grounds for lifetime contract.

Montana and Osorio have something in common… neither pitched a pitch in a WCWS final. Two of the most dominant pitchers in the nation to never progress past the semis is a sign that your coach can’t teach hitting and/or can’t recruit good hitters.

Same as every D1 sport - it starts and ends with recruiting. I won't name names but we have several on our roster who aren't championship caliber players in the SEC. And the good players we do have aren't coached well - many perform below their level of skill. I ask again - what does Habetz contribute beyond being a cheerleader?

Unless major changes occur we'll be a mid-level program at best moving forward.

Murph is still managing the program as though it's 2005. The entire landscape of college softball has changed and he's locked in to an approach that no longer works.

 

[81usaf92]

Same as every D1 sport - it starts and ends with recruiting. I won't name names but we have several on our roster who aren't championship caliber players in the SEC. And the good players we do have aren't coached well - many perform below their level of skill. I ask again - what does Habetz contribute beyond being a cheerleader?

Unless major changes occur we'll be a mid-level program at best moving forward.

Murph is still managing the program as though it's 2005. The entire landscape of college softball has changed and he's locked in to an approach that no longer works.

Well too many say “well Murph won a championship and has gotten to WCWS” and that is where the discussion of the future begins and ends. When LSU started to see Manerie constantly get to the Supers, and LSU just was a participant in Omaha they applied legitimate heat to his Fanny to retire. We have to seriously ask ourselves… “is 2012 the only season that really matters in our history and future” because if it is not then we need to look at Murphy as if he never won it because 1 title over a decade ago isn’t a sign that all is well.

Habetz needs to go but to get her to go would require Murphy to go so….

The issue now is that Murphy has created a lot of off the field drama that has leaked out and has shut off many potential recruits because of his views on travel ball coaches. So who he hires as a hitting coach will tell where this program is heading.

 

[bvandegraff]

My guess is Byrne will do nothing until things hit rock bottom and ticket sales plummet. In the meantime, let's see how many players transfer out this year and join Sides, Wallace, Kilfoyl, etc in flourishing elsewhere.

 

[Tide Rev]

I have missed something in the past…what did Murph say about travel ball coaches?

 

[Krymsonman]

1) Had we played any other regional then we probably don’t sniff a Super

2) If LSU can move on from Les Miles, Ed, and Manieri then we can move on from Murph. Heck Manieri is very comparable to Murphy in that he constantly got LSU to the cusp of a CWS after winning one but constantly choked. Change is needed ASAP because when Natty Patty (her nickname at OU) comes into the SEC we are in for a rude awakening.

Murph has let this program slide from that group in 2011-2014 to something that is only dominated by pitching. Pitching is secondary to hitting. Murph should have figured that out two years ago when he saw Montana and Oddicci not be able to get out of a 2-0 vs 2-1 Semifinal.

You're right. We got a gift regional - probably a tip of the cap to Montana. I don't know if we get out of a tougher one.

 

[81usaf92]

You're right. We got a gift regional - probably a tip of the cap to Montana. I don't know if we get out a tougher one.

fwiw I saw Montana and Prange at the baseball game tonight.

 

[Krymsonman]

fwiw I saw Montana and Prange at the baseball game tonight.

I hope Montana recovers well from whatever the knee issue is. We are going to greatly miss those two players.

 

[81usaf92]

I hope Montana recovers well from whatever the knee issue is. We are going to greatly miss those two players.

She looked okay last night. She came with Prange, Salter, and Eblin.

 

[bamagradinATL]

I’m hearing Murph isn’t getting a new hitting coach, just paying the person that is currently doing it for free.

 

[major tidefan]

Happy Birthday Montana Fouts!

 

[Krymsonman]

I’m hearing Murph isn’t getting a new hitting coach, just paying the person that is currently doing it for free.

Well, that doesn't sound very promising.

 

[Comin2yourCity]

Q. We talked this year about the possibility of adding assistants, whatever. Would getting a hitting coach be a possibility in the future?

PATRICK MURPHY: I've already been told by my bosses that we will be doing that, which is really cool for us and the sport. So we'll get to add. We did have a volunteer coach, don't get me wrong. Now that person becomes a paid assistant coach, which is now legal on July 1st.


The full transcript... https://www.si.com/college/alabama/...after-alabama-softball-got-eliminated-in-wcws

 

[Bamaatthebeach]

Q. We talked this year about the possibility of adding assistants, whatever. Would getting a hitting coach be a possibility in the future?

PATRICK MURPHY: I've already been told by my bosses that we will be doing that, which is really cool for us and the sport. So we'll get to add. We did have a volunteer coach, don't get me wrong. Now that person becomes a paid assistant coach, which is now legal on July 1st.


The full transcript... https://www.si.com/college/alabama/...after-alabama-softball-got-eliminated-in-wcws

When he says he has been told 'by my bosses', does this mean the AD is noticing what the rest of us are noticing?

 

[BamaHoops]

This hire will be very telling. If Murph goes for one of his former players there will be zero improvement. We need a proven expert with a good track record from a top-notch program.

Murph must:

1) Get over this silly Mudita stuff - focus on player development and performance.
2) Come to grips with the fact that game has changed. Every signee needs to be a high level talent. Murph must recruit much better than in the past so that Bama gets only high level, championship caliber recruits who can contribute at a high level from day one. We sign far too many "projects" that never develop.

It's interesting to note that Tim Walton at Florida is another SEC coach whose program was dominant at one time - but now is lost in the weeds same as Murphy.

 

[teamplayer]

Roll Tide for a trip to the world series! No, it wasn't a successful trip there, but many teams would love to have been there.

 

[BamaHoHo]

This hire will be very telling. If Murph goes for one of his former players there will be zero improvement. We need a proven expert with a good track record from a top-notch program.

Murph must:

1) Get over this silly Mudita stuff - focus on player development and performance.
2) Come to grips with the fact that game has changed. Every signee needs to be a high level talent. Murph must recruit much better than in the past so that Bama gets only high level, championship caliber recruits who can contribute at a high level from day one. We sign far too many "projects" that never develop.

It's interesting to note that Tim Walton at Florida is another SEC coach whose program was dominant at one time - but now is lost in the weeds same as Murphy.

He also needs to rethink his Strength Coach. Name one player that left in better shape than she came in. Our big girls get bigger.

 

[Krymsonman]

I’m hearing Murph isn’t getting a new hitting coach, just paying the person that is currently doing it for free.

Since the results from the person doing it for free haven't been so good lately, wouldn't it be wise to go out and hire someone with a little more proven track record to fix your greatest need - hitting.

 

[Saban4Ever]

Hopefully, we will find out the answers soon on if he will hire a hitting coach, etc next month. I also hope he gets some great players in the transfer portal. I'll take any of the Oklahoma players, even the ones who are not starters. It would be nice to have the freshman pitcher from Stanford. She was awesome. I watched their games against Oklahoma. I think if Stanford had been in the other side of the bracket, it would be them v Oklahoma for the championship. I thought it would end up being Oklahoma v Florida state in the finals. Glad TN got beat. It really was a blessing that Bama even made it to the WCWS, with all the ups and downs this year. RTR