Just found the bracket (I looked at it twice, did not see UK, apologize if I missed it)
No NCAA bid for Kentucky
- Thread starter Tskware
- Start date
I watched the selection show. We weren't even in the first 4 out. Neither was Bama but Ole Miss made it as the last team in.
Fact of the matter is that you're not going to get a bid finishing 11th or 12th in the conference. Ole Miss was 9th.
Nope. They'll excuse it. Injuries and claiming the committee screwed us. They'll ignore the fact that we finished 12th in the league and were a nosehair shy of missing the SEC tournament altogether.
Obviously, I'd hoped we'd sneak in but also figured it was a long shot because of how the regular season went. It was still a fun post-season run at the end, though.
After the post-season run, I'd be shocked if Mingione gets dismissed even though I favor a change over the long-term.
After the post-season run, I'd be shocked if Mingione gets dismissed even though I favor a change over the long-term.
Really shouldn't even be part of the discussion when you go 12 and 18 in the conference
They finished 9th and we finished 12th. They beat us head to head in Lexington. They have an RPI of 39 we have an RPI of 52.
UK had some good wins and we played over our heads at times. We also had inexcusable losses. Dont lose a series to USC or Missouri and we're much better off.
9 SEC teams made it, we aren’t a team built for the future, yet Ming will get an extension.
Too many regular season losses. But unfortunately the way the year ended and SEC tournament likely saved Mingione for another year.
Didn’t he get an extension last year? Mitch has a long leash. Also think he has scars from his last search. Easier to ride it out and hope for better. Did finish strong ?
I had an argument with someone on twitter on why Ole Miss got in over Kentucky. And this right here is one of the main reasons why. UK does not have the name that Ole Miss has.
I'd mentioned earlier UK is a "non-traditional" college baseball program therefore it takes more to get them in the tourney. Future teams can start with 40+ wins but you've GOT to win and make it difficult for the committee to keep you out. Losing midweek games and finishing in the bottom third of the conference won't cut it. And I'm greatly surprised the powers that be are willing to accept U6's baseball success without putting up much of a fight.
Watch when OleMiss, MST, LSU play each other. 15K+ pack the stadium
^^^This is why I think MB will make a change.
Even though the Cards limped home, they are hosting a regional and have been the better program since Dan McDonnell has been Head Coach.
Time to move it up a couple notches….
We would to if our baseball team was winning national championships. We can’t even win our conference so there you go.
He’s made the NCAA tournament once since he’s been here. Time for him to go.
Wouldn't an extension simply be a formality to stop other teams from negatively recruiting?
To me the extension (and an extension that could be on the way) is not that big of a deal and I look at it in the same light as the GM “vote of confidence” that is often used on the pro level.
One thing Barnhart will always do is to make sure each coach has all the tools needed to do the job. Making sure a coach can tell a potential recruit “yes I will be here your entire playing career” is one of the cheapest/easiest tools Barnhart can give.
No need for an extension to do that. I believe Mingione contract goes through 2025.
This should be the end for Mingione, but knowing Barnhart, he's here for at least another year. Who knows, maybe we strike gold in the transfer portal and field a great team next year and he stays around. But, what people have said, 6 years here and only one postseason. That's bad.
Edit: And he got to the postseason in his first year with Henderson's players.
Edit: And he got to the postseason in his first year with Henderson's players.
not really defending mingione as i don't have a super strong opinion either way on whether or not it's the right choice to stick with him, but historically we have only made the tournament 7 times total, and our best recent coaches made it twice each. it ain't easy.
i'd think the biggest thing mitch has to weigh is if mingione's teams can play well/fun enough to get people out to the nice, new ballpark. it's not a revenue sport so ticket sales aren't much of a factor but i'd imagine he still wants to see some excitement around the stadium most weekends.
i'd think the biggest thing mitch has to weigh is if mingione's teams can play well/fun enough to get people out to the nice, new ballpark. it's not a revenue sport so ticket sales aren't much of a factor but i'd imagine he still wants to see some excitement around the stadium most weekends.
We have not historically made the tournament not necessarily because it's currently hard but because:
1. Our athletic department spent decades neglecting every sport except basketball.
2. Until more recently, the rules of the sport made it more difficult for a colder weather program to compete.
3. We didn't get the 64 team format for the tournament until 1999. Prior to that it was just 48.
So, the history of it has a lot to do with those things and not entirely upon it being an indicator of degree of difficulty.
That said, I'm in no way saying it's easy. It is still just 64 teams and a bunch are competitive. Still, that's no excuse to accept mediocrity. Prior to Corbin, Vandy had little to no history. Prior to McDonnell, Louisville definitely had none. The right coach changed things for them. UK can do the same and should not accept these type of results, especially while our two biggest rivals are not only getting in, but are hosting regionals and going to the CWS. We should expect to make it regularly. We should demand it and find the coach to make that happen.
And that cold weather thing is going to change even more. Didn't I read '23 college season won't start until March 1?
#1 is very true. Years ago there was essentially one pot of sports money. TV contracts changed all of that. No reason, none, na-da....that financing sports programs is a reason teams fail.
Quick Google search but I couldn't find anything on it. I know northern schools have been very vocal about pushing it back. I think as they get more success it will be more likely.
The right coach AND a ton of administrative support. That's a deadly combo. Looks like you could include the Vols in this category. As you've said before, it can be done here if the right strings are pulled.
Tennessee had some history in the past. They have been to the CWS at least once or twice. They have some of the best college baseball players in history with both Chris Burkes and Todd Helton. Still, that history, to my knowledge is pretty limited and it felt pretty much like ancient history prior to Vitello.
I think UK was giving very little administrative support to the baseball team prior to Vitello, but they quickly saw the error of their ways once success occurred again and once fans began to really get on board. They paid Vitello a crap ton of money and have promised to put a crap ton into their facilities. So, it might make his future success even more likely and even easier to come by.
I think UK is very similar in terms of being very willing and ready to support a great baseball team. The stadium is okay, the facilities for training are excellent. Now they need the coach that can take advantage of them and start to put butts in those seats.
Actually, I think the stadium is really nice, UT fans I spoke to were very complimentary of KPP. The acid test will come if and when we have a total sellout for a big weekend series, or host a regional, then you will get the real atmosphere to judge pro or con.
Cliff Hagan was awful, no access, and was a dump, with idiosyncratic dimension, but we did see some good baseball there episodically.
Cliff Hagan was awful, no access, and was a dump, with idiosyncratic dimension, but we did see some good baseball there episodically.
Hey! Keep the cliff out of your mouth……..
I may be in the minority but I actually liked Cliff Hagan Stadium but you’re right, it was time for something new. But that place would rock during the runs Kentucky had in 2012 and 2017. As nice as KPP is, it’s just missing something.
What we are missing is winning baseball. That will do more for character / intangibles than just about anything. If we were competing I’m pretty sure our fans would drive some form of culture.Hey! Keep the cliff out of your mouth……..
I may be in the minority but I actually liked Cliff Hagan Stadium but you’re right, it was time for something new. But that place would rock during the runs Kentucky had in 2012 and 2017. As nice as KPP is, it’s just missing something.
I have not been especially quiet about my feelings on the new stadium, but I'll repeat my thoughts:
1. I dislike that it already looks dirty and worn down in spots. Most of this is the padding. Look all around KPP and you'll see a dark stain on all the blue padding. You'll also find places that the vinyl covers are worn down and the pad underneath are exposed, specifically a gate in left field. KPP opened in 2018, there is no excuse for a stadium that is just 4 years old to look like that.
2. The sun problem. Not sure if they've alleviated this as I don't remember it being a problem this year, but the fact that left field and the pitcher are effectively blind for evening games was a pretty big oversight.
3. It seems poorly planned. Like they went half-cocked on trying to be a minor league stadium. The hills are too steep for a whole lot of sitting. The stone bleachers are too tall for people to sit on without bringing or renting chairs themselves. There is some random piece of turf around left field and I have no idea why, a kids play area with nothing there? Did they just have leftover turf? The ticketing is strange given that there are GA tickets for seatbacks but they're not assigned seats. They have the same trailer for a gift shop that they had at Cliff Hagan when they could have had an actual gift shop. I will forever be annoyed that they have not begun to play the radio broadcast of the game in the bathrooms and instead play some random music in there.
4. Part of that poor planning was a failure to help create a collegiate baseball atmosphere, which is partly because they wanted more of that minor league feel. No party decks, no cookout/picnic type thing, nothing really unique. No real student designated area where you might turn a blind eye to them having a few and getting rowdy.
So, to me, they've just made a really poor Single-A minor league stadium that has a relatively poor family-friendly atmosphere. It is new, so that is nice, but we paid 49 million to upgrade the place and I think it could have been so much better. Granted it is better than what we got at Cliff Hagan, but the Cliff was special and fun and provided a great collegiate atmosphere, especially when we were a pretty good team. It was way past time for an upgrade, but again, I think we could have done so much better.
Agree about radio in the bathrooms, plus, I guess because of Covid, the water fountains never worked all year.
I thought the pavilion in left center was intended to be the SRO area for students, but have not seen many if any at all over there.
But I agree with the poster above, winning solves a LOT of problems
I thought the pavilion in left center was intended to be the SRO area for students, but have not seen many if any at all over there.
But I agree with the poster above, winning solves a LOT of problems