Baseball's problems are two fold. First Bates needs to determine if we are any good. The Florida swing wasn't encouraging, but there is still a lot of baseball to play. If Gambino doesn't show improvement and competitiveness, then he needs to go. Being a BC grad is always a plus, but you cannot overlook losing forever. Gambino's ties to Gene and the fact he was selected over more experienced candidates, doesn't bode well for him getting the benefit of the doubt from Bates.
The second issue is to finally ask if BC Baseball can be competitive. The potential baseball-only, weather friendly field may never materialize. Part of it is legal issues. The other part is BC playing a constant game of Tetris with our building and available land. Each day that the field does not get built is another season and recruiting cycle lost. Then there is the Lacrosse-Baseball debate. I am a baseball guy, but there is no denying the Lacrosse Alums are more vocal and supposedly more willing to spend on a team. And given the demographics of each sport and our geography, I think it is fair to ask, is BC more likely to succeed in baseball or lacrosse? It shouldn't be an either or issue, but budgets and Title IX mean that is always will be.
I don't envy Bates. Hiring and firing is never fun. But it might be easier than ever figuring out what BC Baseball can be.
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13 comments:
No lacrosse, no no no no no
Why not?
LaCrosse - we can be great. Prep school students to draw from. Natural rivals (Syracuse, UVA, Duke). Field is no issue.
Baseball requires a custom field, and we will never have a great one. Weather does not match up to the game. We do have Red Sox and a lot of baseball fans, but I cannot picture us ever excelling. I have seen MANY high school stadiums bigger than anything we will ever have.
It would be nice to have both, but if it is a choice, Lacrosse is an easy pick for me.
BC's never been particularly good at lacrosse. Baseball's been decent at times. New England (along with NY) is the heartland of baseball -- where it was born and where its fanbase is largest.
Plus just about every lacrosse player i knew growing up and at BC was a dick.
Gambino's record through last season:
Year Total ACC
2011 17-33 7-22
2012 20-33 10-20
2013 12-40 5-25
He should have been let go promptly at the end of the year (if not earlier). Bates failed miserably here. The lacrosse story is legitimate only because we fail to invest in baseball. A cold weather team in a league like the ACC hasn't got a chance when, on top of everything else, you staff it with incompetent coaches and provide it with awful facilities. As should be the case in everything in which we participate - whether its basketball, baseball, soccer or football - do it well or don't do it at all. How many think Notre Dame would have given Gambino another year?
The popularity of hs lacrosse in Mass has increased considerably since BC last fielded a varsity team, so the school has a natural recruiting ground in its backyard (in addition to the fact that prep school kids are attracted to the school). Mass lacrosse is nowhere near Maryland and Long Island levels, but it's improved over the years.
Having grown up outside boston as a BC fan, I never understood the argument that BC should have a team because Boston is a baseball town. Boston is a pro baseball town, not a college baseball town. I rarely heard of anyone ever attending a BC baseball game, while plenty of friends would attend football, basketball or hockey games
Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention GDFs inability to select coaches, major sport or not. Love it or hate it, the baseball program was actually decent a few years ago
And, Maine, even further north, has had some very good teams over the years.
1. I completely agree with the Lax players I've met tend to be dicks.
2. I also point out that baseball players at BC weren't any better.
3. Regardless of 1, if baseball or lax was a one or the other, I'd still go lax, because we don't to spend the time, space, $, and local political capital on a sport and field that we'll use one month a year.
4. If we go with lax, we can build a multi-purpose field for all the sports, including club.
5. I'd happily scrap both to make men's crew varsity (and I'm not a rower).
BC can't improve late winter/early spring weather in New England and won't invest in world-class baseball facilities that might mitigate some of that and, largely as a result of those things can't compete for the top ACC-caliber recruits it would take to field a competitive team. So, why do we need to replace the coach? Every coach is going to be a Gambino as long as his players and facilities are third-tier.
Agree with NB completely. (try to) do it well, or don't do it at all.
The Gambino record is pretty bad for sure.
I like this song - (Donahue and Gambino) Whistle Down the Wind - which in this case means
"File Out".
"About Face" - "Cutachoagie".
Frog on down the road.
Etc.
Where are we going, Mr. Bates?
Blist and catabeagle should get out of their mother's basement more often. I've known BC Men's Club lax players for nearly 10 years. This team has produced many outstanding men -- doctors, lawyers, priests, businessmen -- all committed to BC's motto of Ever To Excel. Generous with their charitable time and young men on good tracks should be celebrated not denigrated.
Here's a thought. You cover over the reservoir and then sod it. That would only cost a few million. I am quite sure that the Red Sox would be willing to chip in a few bucks in the name of the Yawkeys. You could even hold a lottery on the frozen body of Teddy W. Speaking of frozen, BC has about 2 days of warm weather for baseball outside. BC really has a lot to overcome to develop a viable baseball program. They are even having trouble with soccer. The weather is a big problem that also affects football. With Clint Eastwood, you have to overcome and adapt. Otherwise, drop all of the peripheral sports. Bstes is getting paid not just for football and basketball.
Either or? Don't spend money on either and invest in better football facilities and a better basketball coach.
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