2021 Season

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:52 am

Yesky not following him to LSU with their deep pockets is very telling IMO.

He better find some pitching as he won’t be able to miss two consecutive tournaments at LSU with the money they are paying him.

Sure, who can blame him for taking the job and the dough. Doesn’t mean we don’t feel jilted. Just got the program back up to par and he leaves. Just BS about pinching yourself for being the coach at Arizona. Hope he chokes on a crawfish

phxcat23 · Post by **phxcat23** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:02 am

Chicat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:10 am
phxcat23 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:32 pmTito would be badass but no way he’s getting into college coaching at this stage.
For the record, I wasn’t saying he should take a huge cut in pay and prestige while doubling his workload to come coach Arizona Baseball. But it would be great if he weighed in publicly on what kind of coach he’d like to see takeover and lobbied behind the scenes for specific candidates.

That’s also a pipe dream though because the man has a pretty overwhelming job he’s doing right now and I doubt he’s got the time or energy to worry about us right now.

Totally agree...he seems like even though he’s busy he would still provide input.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:57 am

phxcat23 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:02 am
Chicat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:10 am
phxcat23 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:32 pmTito would be badass but no way he’s getting into college coaching at this stage.
For the record, I wasn’t saying he should take a huge cut in pay and prestige while doubling his workload to come coach Arizona Baseball. But it would be great if he weighed in publicly on what kind of coach he’d like to see takeover and lobbied behind the scenes for specific candidates.

That’s also a pipe dream though because the man has a pretty overwhelming job he’s doing right now and I doubt he’s got the time or energy to worry about us right now.
Totally agree...he seems like even though he’s busy he would still provide input.

If only we had an AD who could recognize that there is a former Wildcat and future MLB Hall of Famer who still lives in Tucson and who loves all Arizona sports and would proactively reach out for help here.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:04 am

I spoke to a former big league player who said being a manager in today’s big league sucks. I asked why snd he said because all the teams want to go with the metrics and if you don’t, the GM gets upset.

What ever the stats say they have to go with that. Not managing like it used to be he said. Not that Francona would want to go to college but it sounds like coaching college ball might be a purer form of managing

UALoco · Post by **UALoco** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:35 am

pc in NM wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:02 am
UALoco wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:30 pm If the coaches aren't loyal, the players aren't loyal, the administration isn't loyal, why should the fans be loyal? College sports has just turned into pro sports. Good thing sports gambling is gonna be legal soon. Only reason to watch and get the juice.
"Loyalty" is really not the question here. Seriously!!

Jay Johnson left Nevada for the Arizona job. Viewed from the standpoint of "loyalty", the handwriting was on the wall. That's probably not the best lens through which to evaluate such choices. The man has a career, and I believe he is making choices about his own advancement, as would any of us in our careers.

Read through many of the football and basketball threads here over the years, and tell me about the "loyalty" of many of the fans here to players that under-perform expectations (whether those expectations were realistic or not!).

It's a true rarity when an acknowledged excellent coach chooses a program based more on potential than past/recent accomplishment, and then takes that program to an entirely unheard of level. Lute Olson was a clear example of this - lucky for us!!!

Major college sports are major businesses, and some are even suggesting that football/basketball be somehow separated from the "academics". These sports have already been "professional" for a long time (for everyone but the athletes themselves). And, big money is both corrupting them, and creating internal contradictions that are undermining the very concept of "college sports"....

ok, I get it. I'm being naive. Note..I never jump on the student athletes so I am not like some other posters. Also, I'm sure Olson and Candrea had offers to go someplace else but didn't take them. Hope Barnes is like that. Beardown

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:47 am

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am

Like Bullard said: Snake

TheCatInTheHat · Post by **TheCatInTheHat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:00 am

azcat49 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:52 am Just BS about pinching yourself for being the coach at Arizona. Hope he chokes on a crawfish

Well, yeah...the obligatory "this is my final destination dream job" speech by every coach we hire gets a little old sometimes, but it's all part of the show. I will say, in terms of the truly elite coaches we've had, Larry Smith left for USC football, Jay Johnson left for LSU baseball, and Lute Olson rejected Kentucky basketball twice. The rest retired here or were fired. So, in the major sports, it seems like we only fairly rarely lose people to top five programs where they double or triple what we can pay them, and they can consistently be in the national championship mix. Pretty hard to fight that siren song. I will say it'll be a coin flip whether JJ gets fired in 5-10 years. But, if so, he'll have banked a lot of money. He's welcome to enjoy the gumbo and constant perspiration for as long as it lasts for him down in the bayou. Just keep an eye out for gators in the back yard and unhappy redneck baseball fans on the front porch.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:30 am

Of course he interviewed before and that is why he made such a big deal about our fans and then how saying goodbye was so tough and that he would keep those words between him and his team. It’s why Yesky bolted. He F’ed us in the ass

mofo · Post by **mofo** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:01 am

We all know our AD sucks ass, but if JJ interviewed before the job that is very telling, as is Yeskie bolting to be another assistant rather than be in the mix for the HC job here. They're looking for a way out.

mofo · Post by **mofo** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:02 am

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am Like Bullard said: Snake

What was said and about who?

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:18 am

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:19 am

Can offer 1 word of advise to people?

Remember that to us, Arizona athletics is a passionate hobby.

For coaches and players... it's their work and livelihood.

They don't owe anything to anyone except their spouses and loved ones.

ekat · Post by **ekat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:19 am

On LSU’s boards many, many people have called that columnist out for his lack of credibility, to put it mildly. Early on, he went all in on Pat Casey, than wrote a ton about how Mike Bianco had the job. This column today screams bitter because the hire wasn’t who he proclaimed it to be. So I’m not going to get all upset at Jay Johnson based on that. I’m also not going to get all upset over him leaving for more than double the money with no Robbins/Heeke clown show to deal with.

Tony Bullard and his tweet of a snake emoji is more concerning. But maybe if our administration can stumble onto a decent hire, the players won’t bolt. And, if any of them feel betrayed, they aren’t likely to follow him to LSU, which was a concern of mine.

Also - Yeskie is getting paid significantly more at A&M than we paid our head coach. I’d jump on that too.

Postmaster · Post by **Postmaster** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:21 am

Andy S appears to be doing good at GCU.
Former MLB player.
But sticking with the no experience theme I’m guessing Shelly Duncan.
Or the ball girl at CWS, Logan or Bailey....something like that.

AzCatFan2 · Post by **AzCatFan2** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:40 am

Checketts should be the first call. We could probably double his salary, in a place where cost of living is significantly less. And Arizona offers Checketts the chance to be a national seed and the ability to host all the way to Omaha. Something that's unlikely at UCSB.

Of course, this is Robbins and Heeke, the brainless trust at Arizona. We'll probably hire some third base coach that's never been a head coach that Robbins knows because he operated on his aunt.

prh · Post by **prh** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:42 am

I don't trust a word from that LSU beat writer. Like ekat said, this guy said Pat Casey was a lock, then Bianco, and then he threw out every name imaginable. Eventually he was going to be right, but his sources were clearly intentionally wrong leaks or just shit from agents and other places.

I can't fault a guy for taking a 50% pay raise, for what is generally considered a better job, and doesn't have a completely incompetent administration destroying the athletic department.

gronk4heisman · Post by **gronk4heisman** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:45 am

ekat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:19 am I’m also not going to get all upset over him leaving for more than double the money with no Robbins/Heeke clown show to deal with.

Also - Yeskie is getting paid significantly more at A&M than we paid our head coach. I’d jump on that too.

Where are you coming up with these? We paid Jay Johnson over $900K a year and he was the second highest paid coach at the CWS. LSU's last coach who had a much better track record was making $1.2M so if Jay Johnson is making 50% more than that then it almost makes living in Baton Rouge worth it. I am no fan of Heeke, but Jay Johnson was well paid in comparison to others in a sport that performs at a negative profit margin.

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:52 am

That really sucks, but let's face it with the SEC practically running college sports these days plus the unlimited funds they always seem to have was it really that difficult a choice for JJ?

While our knee jerk reaction is to blame our lame Pres & AD, which btw I still feel are a big problem, it's also a thanks a fucking lot PAc-12 and our former douchebag commissioner.

prh · Post by **prh** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:04 pm

JJ is allegedly making 1.5 at LSU.

Interesting situation with NC State and Vandy. They are missing a ton of guys for Covid protocol. They are playing today with 13 guys, 9 position players and 4 pitchers. They had the option of forfeiting today, and would then play again tomorrow in a true semifinal game.

Players chose to play. It's interesting, would it be better strategically to not burn through your guys today and come back full on tomorrow? They may get more guys tomorrow.

Side note, why are all these athletes not fucking vaccinated? John Rahm, CP3, seemingly half of NC State. There are obvious costs by that decision.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:10 pm

So Vandy is going to get to the finals because NCST can’t field a team LOL. Is there anymore luck the SEC can receive?

No doubt it was a poor choice by NCST to not get vaxxed up but come on. Just crazy timing and a huge plus for Vandy

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:22 pm

mofo wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:02 am
UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:50 am Like Bullard said: Snake
What was said and about who?

ekat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:19 am

Tony Bullard and his tweet of a snake emoji

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:34 pm

Funny how that writer felt Schlossnagle would have been a better hire and Yesky went that direction rather than following JJ.

Also is interesting he didn’t stay to see if he could get the gig but I guess he could still interview. Something funny about the whole deal which shouldn’t surprise us with the two boneheads running our department

ekat · Post by **ekat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 3:16 pm

gronk4heisman wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:45 am
ekat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:19 am I’m also not going to get all upset over him leaving for more than double the money with no Robbins/Heeke clown show to deal with.

Also - Yeskie is getting paid significantly more at A&M than we paid our head coach. I’d jump on that too.
Where are you coming up with these? We paid Jay Johnson over $900K a year and he was the second highest paid coach at the CWS. LSU's last coach who had a much better track record was making $1.2M so if Jay Johnson is making 50% more than that then it almost makes living in Baton Rouge worth it. I am no fan of Heeke, but Jay Johnson was well paid in comparison to others in a sport that performs at a negative profit margin.

Jay Johnson’s base salary for this year was $530,000. It was supposed to go up by $10K a year for the next two years. Everybody adds a $300,000 retention bonus from those oil shares to it, but those were shares distributed to him after Sumlin and Miller were canned and it’s not real clear when it would cash out. He may not have been here long enough to actually get them. Also, his salary on paper doesn’t reflect the 20% he gave back due to COVID. So he wasn’t making $900k. LSU is reportedly going to pay him $1.5 million.

Nate Yeskie’s salary was $210,000. He’s getting a bump in title to Associate Head Coach, along with a bump in pay.

ekat · Post by **ekat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 3:20 pm

prh wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:04 pm JJ is allegedly making 1.5 at LSU.

Interesting situation with NC State and Vandy. They are missing a ton of guys for Covid protocol. They are playing today with 13 guys, 9 position players and 4 pitchers. They had the option of forfeiting today, and would then play again tomorrow in a true semifinal game.

Players chose to play. It's interesting, would it be better strategically to not burn through your guys today and come back full on tomorrow? They may get more guys tomorrow.

Side note, why are all these athletes not fucking vaccinated? John Rahm, CP3, seemingly half of NC State. There are obvious costs by that decision.

CP3 and Jon Rahm were vaccinated. For Chris Paul, that’s why he was in the shorter NBA quarantine protocol than if he had been unvaccinated and positive.

prh · Post by **prh** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 4:14 pm

ekat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 3:20 pm
prh wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:04 pm JJ is allegedly making 1.5 at LSU.

Interesting situation with NC State and Vandy. They are missing a ton of guys for Covid protocol. They are playing today with 13 guys, 9 position players and 4 pitchers. They had the option of forfeiting today, and would then play again tomorrow in a true semifinal game.

Players chose to play. It's interesting, would it be better strategically to not burn through your guys today and come back full on tomorrow? They may get more guys tomorrow.

Side note, why are all these athletes not fucking vaccinated? John Rahm, CP3, seemingly half of NC State. There are obvious costs by that decision.
CP3 and Jon Rahm were vaccinated. For Chris Paul, that’s why he was in the shorter NBA quarantine protocol than if he had been unvaccinated and positive.

Thanks, didn't know about CP3. But Rahm only got vaccinated after learning of close contact and getting into the PGA's protocol. He had already had Covid a few months ago though.

ekat · Post by **ekat** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:05 pm

prh wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 4:14 pm
ekat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 3:20 pm
prh wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:04 pm JJ is allegedly making 1.5 at LSU.

Interesting situation with NC State and Vandy. They are missing a ton of guys for Covid protocol. They are playing today with 13 guys, 9 position players and 4 pitchers. They had the option of forfeiting today, and would then play again tomorrow in a true semifinal game.

Players chose to play. It's interesting, would it be better strategically to not burn through your guys today and come back full on tomorrow? They may get more guys tomorrow.

Side note, why are all these athletes not fucking vaccinated? John Rahm, CP3, seemingly half of NC State. There are obvious costs by that decision.
CP3 and Jon Rahm were vaccinated. For Chris Paul, that’s why he was in the shorter NBA quarantine protocol than if he had been unvaccinated and positive.
Thanks, didn't know about CP3. But Rahm only got vaccinated after learning of close contact and getting into the PGA's protocol. He had already had Covid a few months ago though.

Thanks. I thought Rahm had previously done the J&J one. Good to know.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:40 pm

I've only been to one game at Hi Corbett, and that was a playoff game when the students were already gone.

Question: Do they still have students sitting behind the visitor's dugout? Back at Sancet, it was general admission and the students used to sit behind the visitor's dugout and just unmercilessly ride the other team's players and coaches. It was so bad in 1980 I think it was we got put on "fan probation" because a player from the other team got so mad he started climbing the fence to get at the fans. Good times.

Postmaster · Post by **Postmaster** » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:40 pm

I would say no. I haven’t been to a game in a couple seasons but we usually sit on 3 rd base side and I’ve never seen anything like that.

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Sat Jun 26, 2021 3:09 am

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:40 pm Question: Do they still have students sitting behind the visitor's dugout? Back at Sancet, it was general admission and the students used to sit behind the visitor's dugout and just unmercilessly ride the other team's players and coaches. It was so bad in 1980 I think it was we got put on "fan probation" because a player from the other team got so mad he started climbing the fence to get at the fans. Good times.

I was part of that rowdy crew. Was actually kicked out of a game and had my fees card (remember those?) taken away for the semester.

I did give a skinny Barry Bonds and a long haired John Elway a lot of shit. Lol.

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:32 am

NC State had to forfeit their game today due to covid. Vandy advances to the championship series

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:35 am

Irish27 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:32 am NC State had to forfeit their game today due to covid. Vandy advances to the championship series

Why would you travel all the way across country and not get everyone vaccinated? Morons

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:25 am

How lucky is Vandy? And if Miss State beats Texas that means an all SEC final.

I think I want to puke...

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:53 am

Fuck Vandy.

Postmaster · Post by **Postmaster** » Sun Jun 27, 2021 11:54 pm

Has Walter Matthau been hired yet?

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:16 am

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 7:54 am

Would love to know what Heeke is doing with this hire. Probably hiding under his desk and wondering when Robbins will hire his nephew

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:33 am

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:47 am

F them and now F him

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:20 pm

That totally sucks.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:35 pm

No need to torture ourselves. Time to move on

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:54 pm

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:04 pm

What an absolutely fantastic week for Arizona Baseball

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:18 pm

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:33 pm

Irish27 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 1:18 pm

I am assuming we snuck this in while our President and AD were involved with fucking up our baseball program.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:20 pm

Irish27 · Post by **Irish27** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:10 pm

84Cat wrote: ↑Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:20 pm

That eliminates Chip Hale.

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:13 pm

That has to be the most ironic pre-condition I have ever seen considering what has occurred with recent program hirings.

AzCatFan2 · Post by **AzCatFan2** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:36 pm

I'd love to hire Checketts, if he's ready to move from Santa Barbara. Easy pitch to bring him to Tucson. We can double his salary and move him to a place with a lower cost of living, and allow him to coach at a P5 school that just proved it can have a season where we can host all the way to Omaha. I liked Checkets when we hired JJ, but thought he was a little green six years ago. Today, is there a better candidate that checks all the boxes you want for a Head Baseball Coach at Arizona?

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:50 pm

As a resident of northern Santa Barbara county, have to say it would be pretty hard to give up living in such a pretty city with a great climate.

But doubling his salary in a town with half the cost of living is really tempting. The Lute house and similar are fantastic, what he probably pays for a 3BR 2BA home there.

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