PurpleOut said:

---

Well, we're about to get swept by Tarleton, so......

---

So ooooo frustrating.

Yep, lost 17-6

I don't think I've ever seen this many runs given up in a season before, by one team.

440 runs given up so far in 2022.

I'm sure Ivey has already started a coaching search, but I really hope he prioritizes a coach who is a great recruiter. Maybe a really good D2 or D3 coach who has experience getting good players with less than stellar resources. I don't follow college baseball close enough to even begin to know where to look though.

Before you go to firing people you should place the rest of the athletic program in the same boat as the baseball program. Why would a coach say from East Texas Baptist university come to SFA . His facilities there are better than what we have. Drive to Nacogdoches Highschool or Lufkin take a look at what they have and drive to the City Park and you will leave shaking your head. People leave to go find a place to use the bathroom. It is embarrassing to have to endure what these Coaches and players do for the sport they love.

Jackdad22 said:

---

Before you go to firing people you should place the rest of the athletic program in the same boat as the baseball program. Why would a coach say from East Texas Baptist university come to SFA . His facilities there are better than what we have. Drive to Nacogdoches Highschool or Lufkin take a look at what they have and drive to the City Park and you will leave shaking your head. People leave to go find a place to use the bathroom. It is embarrassing to have to endure what these Coaches and players do for the sport they love.

---

Public high schools have direct access to boat loads of taxpayer money via bond issues. Public university athletic programs do not. They are at the mercy of the State legislature and wealthy donors. Want to help? Pony up!

I understand the pony up part after my wife and soon to be 4th child to attend SFA . That part is well understood. I also have been around long enough to see how priorities and loyalties lie. SFA should have stayed in the Southland if they cannot make the financial needs of their athletic department. It appears The entire school is on their way to D3, status. You cannot call them a mid major with funding that is below D3 and NAIA.

Jackdad22 said:

---

I understand the pony up part after my wife and soon to be 4th child to attend SFA . That part is well understood. I also have been around long enough to see how priorities and loyalties lie. SFA should have stayed in the Southland if they cannot make the financial needs of their athletic department. It appears The entire school is on their way to D3, status. You cannot call them a mid major with funding that is below D3 and NAIA.

---

Dude. Your data is well…. Way the blank off. If your going to spout basically complete lies please check out.

Our athletic budget is comparable (upper 3rd) of WAC schools. We would have the highest budget by quite a margin in the SLC (as CURRENTLY constructed). The problem we are all speaking of is private funds going to baseball specifically AND the lack of adequate facilities. Staying in the SLC is a sh tty idea.

We (SFA) need a cornerstone donor for baseball and. baseball facilities. Period. That would solve 1/2 of our baseball issues.

Check your numbers.

Dude I'm not looking at numbers. I'm looking at facilities on the ground. SFA is 1 of the nicest Universities around academically. The Enrollment would pick up tremendously if the athletic facility side were to improve. Sam, Tarleton, Abeline even Incarnate word is moving ahead . We will be left on the side lines and soon . Angelina college will soon have better facilities. Look behind the baseball field and see for your self. I hope I do get under the skin of a few people. Some Eyes need to be opened.

Jackdad22 said:

---

Dude I'm not looking at numbers. I'm looking at facilities on the ground. SFA is 1 of the nicest Universities around academically. The Enrollment would pick up tremendously if the athletic facility side were to improve. Sam, Tarleton, Abeline even Incarnate word is moving ahead . We will be left on the side lines and soon . Angelina college will soon have better facilities. Look behind the baseball field and see for your self. I hope I do get under the skin of a few people. Some Eyes need to be opened.

---

Maybe someone else can chime in. You missed the pint I was making. Our baseball facilities are SH T. The rest is way above the previous. Compare basketball. Compare volleyball. Compare tennis. Yes baseball sucks.

I know I will rub you the wrong way.? But is Baseball/ softball being singled out for failure? If everyone knows what the problem is in baseball, why call out the coach, Is he expected to win the Kentucky Derby on a Donkey.lastly and I will leave everyone to stew a little. If your budget is as good as you say it is and your home needs upgrades and repairs why not make repairs.

Jackdad22 said:

---

I know I will rub you the wrong way.? But is Baseball/ softball being singled out for failure? If everyone knows what the problem is in baseball, why call out the coach, Is he expected to win the Kentucky Derby on a Donkey.lastly and I will leave everyone to stew a little. If your budget is as good as you say it is and your home needs upgrades and repairs why not make repairs.

---

Nobody's more behind Cardenas. Period. Check my Twitter We need better facilities. This goes back 25 years. Loddie Naymola donated who know…. Maybe 20 million. Baseball needs a Loddie Naymola

Jackdad22 said:

---

I know I will rub you the wrong way.? But is Baseball/ softball being singled out for failure? If everyone knows what the problem is in baseball, why call out the coach, Is he expected to win the Kentucky Derby on a Donkey.lastly and I will leave everyone to stew a little. If your budget is as good as you say it is and your home needs upgrades and repairs why not make repairs.

---

Like most schools like SFA (btw check the USA Today database). priorities are challenging. Again , check the USA Today database or go to D1360 and view some of the videos on conference budgets etc. facts are easy to find if you know where to look.

PurpleOut said:

---

Jackdad22 said:

---

I know I will rub you the wrong way.? But is Baseball/ softball being singled out for failure? If everyone knows what the problem is in baseball, why call out the coach, Is he expected to win the Kentucky Derby on a Donkey.lastly and I will leave everyone to stew a little. If your budget is as good as you say it is and your home needs upgrades and repairs why not make repairs.

---

Because that budget has to run an entire department, not just facilities. Not just baseball.

Sometimes you have to have a Plan B, Plan C, etc. If Plan A is a brand new ballpark and everything else that comes with it...then that's not always feasible.

If you don't have a Plan B on how to improve the program...then why even have a program?

Other than a few decent seasons and guys like a Hunter Dozier or a Bryson Miles to carry teams, we've consistently lost. Like everyone here as always said, we all like Cardenas. We would all LOVE for him to be successful here.

But as much as it can be debated, sports are a business. What's the worse that can happen by bringing in a new coach? Continuing to lose? How many coaches, at any level, for any sport...have been at that position for 15 seasons with these type of results? That sucks to say, but it's the truth.

And if that's not what Plan B or Plan C is, what is your plan?

---

The plan is to dump on SFA Athletics, for not having UT donors and facilities. Being the flagship (along with A&M) has tons of advantages that most don't seem to understand. We don't have the alumni base to provide heavy doses of private funds. What ticks me off is when unknowing persons don't look at the true apples to apples comparison. Say SFA vs Tarleton. We will probably finish 2nd in the WAC all sports race . That sounds like a well run athletics program to me.

If your son plays baseball for SFA, you think we have problems everywhere……

Until the university can address the inadequacy of certain athletic programs they should not add any future sports on the mens side or womens side , in addition to the baseball/softball program the weight and training room is in bad shape as well. Hopefully this is on the books for future recruit's. Last time I was there most kids worked out at the rec center and only used the weight room when required.

I'm not dumping on SFA it is a beautiful campus that many want to attend. But I will defend people who are put into a bad situation and expected to produce like they run a Fortune 500 company. I love watching SFA and I truly believe the 1 sport everyone is downing and complaining about would be 1 of the strongest if not the strongest program here if circumstances and facilities were right. Again by the responses I have received I know where the priorities lie.

Jackdad22 said:

---

Until the university can address the inadequacy of certain athletic programs they should not add any future sports on the mens side or womens side , in addition to the baseball/softball program the weight and training room is in bad shape as well. Hopefully this is on the books for future recruit's. Last time I was there most kids worked out at the rec center and only used the weight room when required.

---

SFA hasn't added a mens sport in 20 years. The only womens sports that have been added are,
bowling and beach volleyball. Certainly that is title IX. Our nearest peer institutions; Lamar Sam Houston and Tarleton have almost identical sports lineups. All. All have facilities challenges. Every one of them. I've been to Sam Lamar NWST etc tons of times.

I know you're well intentioned. This is a very well run athletics department. By any measure. Given the resources.

Our commitment to D1 athletics "overall" is solid. Certainly in the top tier of D1aa schools or Mid majors.
However you define that middle
Tier of D1.

#80 in the Learfield Cup. The measure of all 350 something division 1 athletics departments. Ahead of some notable schools. Like Georgia Tech Sam Houston Utah State. And others. Not bad.

That is actually great. The campus is outstanding, This could be a top 10 school in Texas under the right circumstances.

Jackdad22 said:

---

That is actually great. The campus is outstanding, This could be a top 10 school in Texas under the right circumstances.

---

We agree, completely.

Love the passion in this thread. As many have seen in a lot if my comments, I have strong feelings about softball, baseball, and the terrible field house.

Specific to 2022 baseball, it's all about pitching. A 9.22 ERA is near the worst in the country. Teams are batting .321 against our pitching, We spent a lot of private funds on a pitching facility. What has been the ROI on that? If I was one of those major donors, I would be in Ivey's office asking questions. Our BA is a competitive.282. Our fielding is adequate.

What is going to be done about pitching between now and February? Will firing Cardenas fix pitching? Will new facilities fix our pitching? Our pitching coach is also the recruiting coordinator.

Sorry, I don't want to keep beating a dead horse but all I can do is tell you what happened when my son and his friends were being recruited. My son played on a summer team that was loaded with D1 commits. They all wanted to stay together for their college careers. SFA made offers to all. My son was the only 1 who stayed with SFA . 1 went to Arkansas 1 went to Houston 1 went to San marcus 1 to San Jac. 1 to Baylor and 1 to Angelina. What they all said is they have maybe 4 more years to play and they wanted to play somewhere nice before their Careers come to a end. 3 of these kids are pitching at the next level. Yes it is frustrating, but it is true. Pitching is the 1 position that is needed most. The schools with the facilities get to pick first when recruiting time comes . Most of these boys mentioned were from small schools and 1 was home schooled.

That is the million dollar question. Sorry to say but without serious upgrades , I'm afraid this program will continue to suffer no matter who you put in as coach.

Jackdad22 said:

---

Sorry, I don't want to keep beating a dead horse but all I can do is tell you what happened when my son and his friends were being recruited. My son played on a summer team that was loaded with D1 commits. They all wanted to stay together for their college careers. SFA made offers to all. My son was the only 1 who stayed with SFA . 1 went to Arkansas 1 went to Houston 1 went to San marcus 1 to San Jac. 1 to Baylor and 1 to Angelina. What they all said is they have maybe 4 more years to play and they wanted to play somewhere nice before their Careers come to a end. 3 of these kids are pitching at the next level. Yes it is frustrating, but it is true. Pitching is the 1 position that is needed most. The schools with the facilities get to pick first when recruiting time comes . Most of these boys mentioned were from small schools and 1 was home schooled.

---

So, do you believe facilities are THE answer? Sure, facilities and money are important, and our facilities are not good at all. Mississippi State spent about $60 million on their baseball facilities. They won't make the tournament this year. Not apples to apples, but softball is succeeding in spite of bottom of the conference facilities. Football is starting to succeed in spite of a horrible field house which includes locker room, weight room, and training facilities.

Pitching is the top priority. A pitching facility was added to provide a relatively, several thousand dollar, low cost competitive advantage. The result is one of the worst ERA's in the country. Our ERA for the last four years was around 5.5. Not great, but would be middle of the 300 D1 NCAA programs this year rather than almost the worst.

It's a complex issue with no easy answers. The facilities must be improved. Before attempting to raise several million dollars, there must be a plan. None of that will happen quickly. Pitching this year has failed relative to prior years. How much of that falls on the pitching coach? I don't know, but the definition of crazy ….

SFA is recruiting small school kids , Home School kids , they point out the fact that SFA has the nicest campus . They have a high graduation rate. They point out the fact girls outnumber boys 3 to 1 . From a recruiting stand point they go out of their way to get top notch players. They make it very hard to say no. Yet these kids make decisions on the last 4 years of their athletic careers. Recruiting is something these coaches work hard at . I don't know what the answer is . There has to be something these kids can look forward to. Most all are footing most of the cost for their education. NCAA only allows 11.7 scholarships for the entire team and the roster is close to 35 kids. So you can't blame them for wanting to play elsewhere. I really hope this get figured out.

I agree there are no easy answers. Just keep in mind most all of the football and basketball players receive full scholarships paid at 100%. So recruiting players even with sub par facilities is easier than recruiting players that get 25 to 50%. And there are several that get nothing. They for the most part are paying to play. If you are having to pay to play.you make decisions on where you get the most for your money . I don't think anyone expects the Ritz Carlton. But a Holiday inn express would be nice.

Jackdad22 said:

---

I agree there are no easy answers. Just keep in mind most all of the football and basketball players receive full scholarships paid at 100%. So recruiting players even with sub par facilities is easier than recruiting players that get 25 to 50%. And there are several that get nothing. They for the most part are paying to play. If you are having to pay to play.you make decisions on where you get the most for your money . I don't think anyone expects the Ritz Carlton. But a Holiday inn express would be nice.

---

Whoa! Back up the bus. I'm not sure about how basketball scholarships are handed out, but your comment about "most all" football players getting full rides is wrong. FCS schools get 65 scholarships (85 @ FBS schools), many (if not the majority) of which are divided up to give partial scholarships to more players.

I had a discussion with Coach Carthel before the season last year and he said that he had over 100 players at that time for whom he was trying to get as many athletic and academic scholarships as he could. He uses an Excel program to keep up with it all.

I'm sure football doesn't carry all 100 kids on the roster. I'm talking about rostered kids. If you look at it from that stand point it gets even worse because there are over 50 kids competing for the 11 .7 scholarships during the fall then they have a process to cut players and red shirt to get down to 35. Only Basesball and Softball are handicapped like this.

Jackdad22 said:

---

I'm sure football doesn't carry all 100 kids on the roster. I'm talking about rostered kids. If you look at it from that stand point it gets even worse because there are over 50 kids competing for the 11 .7 scholarships during the fall then they have a process to cut players and red shirt to get down to 35. Only Basesball and Softball are handicapped like this.

---

The answer "Show me the Money"
LOL. We've had this same conversation (about baseball) probably 50 times over the last 25 years. Money. Money. Money.