Four Months?

[Coyote_Jack]

Why do some places hire a coach in less than a week and it has taken 4 months for us to get a baseball coach?

Next year will be a wasted season. Billy Martin couldn't salvage it at this point.

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Four Months?

Where does your four month time frame come from??

Ekeland officially stepped down on May 11th. http://www3.sdstate.edu/Athletics/Ne...cfm?ID=46,3675

Before that time there was nothing that could be done to start looking for his replacement.

Once a position becomes open there are steps that must be followed within the university before the position can even be advertised. In this case I believe part of the work was determining in what capacity Ekeland would stay on with the university and how that would affect the job description of the incoming coach. After the athletic department gets the OK to hire the position must be advertised for a minimum of two weeks. After that time frame all of the qualified candidates resumes are reviewed, references are checked and the search committee recommends candidates for interview. Scheduling interviews isn't easy, espicially with summer schedules of SDSU people and the candidates. This could be avoided with an emergency hire, but to do that one must have, a) a viable candidate committed to the position and b) reason for doing the emergency hire rather than a full search. In this case it's best to do a full blown search to find the best candidate.

To say next year will be a wasted season is narrow minded. How can you predict who will be hired, their penchant for recruiting, and their ability to coach. I do recall a number of years ago the MBB coach wasn't hired until late May, and then went on to win a conference championship that year (that would be Nagy).

Let the process be run like it should and applaud the results.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Four Months?

I too think that next season is not a waste. I know the program has still been functioning as recruits have been coming to campus for next fall still. Agreed at one point the interim coaches attitudes were to back off on recruiting until the new coach was in place, but i think that next season was never considered a waste. Ask this years juniors and see if they tell you next season would be a waste. Anyone on campus knows how many steps there are in hiring any personnel, i don't think this is any different.

[Coyote_Jack]

Re: Four Months?

NLI period is over July 31

In terms of being successful for next season it doesn't matter who is hired.

(John Weber of Lakeland College will be announced on Monday)

His "penchant for recruiting and his ability to coach" will not materialize this coming season to the naked eye. It may take five to eight years

1. 12-36 with a D2 schedule
2. I have seen one posted signee for next year
3. D1 schedule with majority of the games on the road
4. 15 days to sign 10 D1 players (he is better off saving the money for next year
5. Do you really believe there are 10 D1 players left let alone find in 15 days

If he can win 15 he gets my vote for coach of the year.
In the mean time I'm sending him Pepto for the next season and wishing for three fifth round transfers from Arizona State next week.

[jackmd]

Re: Four Months?

Coyote_Jack (Joe Jackrabbit),

Worry more about the Coyotes (were your loyalty truly is) lack of a baseball team and less about SDSU, we don't need or care for your pity or criticism.  The last year has been a little tough, cut the baseball program some slack.

[Coyote_Jack]

Re: Four Months?

Mr Jack MD:

Lets get a couple of things clear. I went to SDSU, played at SDSU , donate to SDSU athletics, sent athletes to SDSU during the last 24 years and will continue to do so.

The point being is There could have been a baseball coach in place easily before the 4th of July. If you don't believe that you really don't know how things can work. Now everyone will suffer because of it for some time, how long will be determined. Windows of opportunity are somtimes small and need to be taken advantage of.
People fail to realize its the little things most of the time that impact the athlete's experiences, self worth, successes and failures.

The great thing about athletics is that there is always an opinion, that is part of the reason it is popular (as are message boards)

FYI it says Coyote Jack on my Profile because I am guilty of trying to be cute like most of you and decided any thing with Coyote on it would be a bad idea and changed it to the best of my computer literacy.

[JackJD]

Re: Four Months?

Awright! Time out. Everybody back to their corners.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Four Months?

Joe Jackrabbit has brought up some interesting points. I dont agree necessarily that a coach should or could have been hired in the prior four months.  If the candidate that is to be announced is John Weber, I think we got a good coach.  He has spent a great deal of time at the D3 level but got some good results, and that's what I find encouraging. The D3 level is not a problem, but what really count is what this individual accompolished. Three appearences in D3 playoffs is good results and indication that it could continue to happen at SDSU.

The current Arkansas coach, Joe Van Horn, was once at Central Missouri State and won a D2 national championship and several appearences in the D2 world series before he went to UNL and then on to Arkansas. So I think in Baseball, we have to tap the lower classifications for good candidates.


 The final candidates all seem to have something to offer. Any way we cut the pie, there is going to be a rebuilding program in progress. The sooner the better as far as recruiting etc, but we also have to be patient.  As Catchem pointed out we have to follow various rules and guidlines in hiring.  The fact that Coach Ekland is staying on does make the job description a re-write for Coach Ekland and the new hired coach.

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Four Months?

The point being is There could have been a baseball coach in place easily before the 4th of July. If you don't believe that you really don't know how things can work. Now everyone will suffer because of it for some time, how long will be determined.  Windows of opportunity are somtimes small and need to be taken advantage of.
People fail to realize its the little things most of the time that impact the athlete's experiences, self worth, successes and failures.

I've seen the hiring process at it's best and worst, and for to hire a quality head coach in 54 days under the circumstances would be pushing it, but probably could have been done. Tell me though, how do you "know how things can work". If you were on the selection committee then I guess you could give some insight as to how this particular process played out, but if not then don't assume it was all roses. I may be reading into your statement, but it appears you're trying to place blame somewhere but not outright saying it. Everyone won't suffer. I'm not suffering. I'm glad they are going to have a coach and will be optimistic that he will do a good job. Signing day may be the end of the month, but cut the new coach some slack already. If he would have been hired May 12th I think finding 10 DI players would have been tough. There are always opportunities for transfers in the coming months. Remember, the season is in the spring so players could come in January 1 and be eligible if the situation is right.

I'm glad to know you played at SDSU and still support the athletic department. And I'll be the first to admit I've been critical of my former team, but let the first year play out before flushing it down the toilet.

[89rabbit]

Re: Four Months?

Looks like Joe Jackrabbit was right about the timing announcement.

http://www3.sdstate.edu/Athletics/Ne...cfm?Id=46,3729

New Coach Will Be Named Monday
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE MONDAY, JULY 19, TO INTRODUCE THE NEW JACKRABBIT BASEBALL COACH.

THE PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT 2 P.M. IN THE GINN TROPHY ROOM AT THE STANLEY J. MARSHALL HPER CENTER.

[jackmd]

Re: Four Months?

Mr Jack MD:

Lets get a couple of things clear.  I went to SDSU, played at SDSU , donate to SDSU athletics, sent athletes to SDSU  during  the last 24 years and will continue to do so.  

The point being is There could have been a baseball coach in place easily before the 4th of July. If you don't believe that you really don't know how things can work. Now everyone will suffer because of it for some time, how long will be determined.  Windows of opportunity are somtimes small and need to be taken advantage of.
People fail to realize its the little things most of the time that impact the athlete's experiences, self worth, successes and failures.

The great thing about athletics is that there is always an opinion, that is part of the reason it is popular (as are message boards)  

FYI it says Coyote Jack on my Profile because I am guilty of trying to be cute like most of you and decided any thing with Coyote on it would be a bad idea and changed it to the best of my computer literacy.

Thank you for the clarification.  The tone of some of your posts as well as your username made me a little wary.  However, I must apologize for calling you out (although it did help clarify things ).  Please accept.

[89rabbit]

Re: Four Months?

Assuming that Joe Jackrabbit is right and John Weber is the guy, here is more info about John:

http://www.lakeland.edu/Athletics/baseball_coaches.asp

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Four Months?

(John Weber of Lakeland College will be announced on Monday)

This would be a good time to check your sources. I believe the NY Post had this problem in naming the Democratic VP nominee.

I know from experience that until the official word comes from Fred to not believe what anyone tells you. Too many things happen in the hiring process to trust those with "insider knowledge".

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Four Months?

This would be a good time to check your sources.  I believe the NY Post had this problem in naming the Democratic VP nominee.

I know from experience that until the official word comes from Fred to not believe what anyone tells you.  Too many things happen in the hiring process to trust those with "insider knowledge".

To be totally honest, I thought that Weber and the Coach from West Chester Pa, had the best track records on paper in building winning programs. There are no doubt tons of issues between the candidates, the selection committee and the AD that never are public and should not be if it is of a personnel nature such as salary and other matters.

I recall a few years back when Brad Soderberg was picked over some D1 asssitants and I was then surrprised. When I quizzed Fred about one candidate, I was told that this individual came across during the interview and meetings with the SDSU community in such a poor manner, that they could not began to consider this candidate, whom I thought was perfect for the job. So if we dont do the hiring, we need to trust those who do.

Our sucess with young coaches in the BB programs speaks for itself and I hope it will be true with Coach Christiansen's experience as the head the coach of SDSU. I think he has some recruiting networks that maybe Coach Ekland did not have even after all these years as a very good coach for SDSU. His short stay at KU has also got to be a big plus.


Catchem is right, and the NY Post analogy is perfect in putting out information prematurely. ;D ;D

[Coyote_Jack]

Re: Four Months?

I find it strange that Lakeland College has a baseball position opening posted in the NCAA news the same day the SDSU job is announced

??? ??? ???