- May 30th, 2006, 9:47 am
#16774
Copy from another thread - I just didn't want to re-type:)
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This was a great season – one of the best in the history of LU Baseball. It’s sad that throughout the year we had to listen to so much criticism because personal issues with the coaching staff and not enjoy the fruits of a great year.
Everyone bashed the SOS all year, but lets look at the real reason our SOS was not so high - THE PEOPLE WE PLAYED DIDN'T HAVE THEIR BEST YEARS. I can't believe we can keep putting this on Coach Royer. GW won over 40 games last year - they did not last year. We have never beat Marist - not with Hunton or the so loved Pastors. Rutgers, JMU, VT, VCU, GMU, Richmond, Virginia (Coach cancelled this - NOT ROYER), W & M are all good teams. You know what Coach needs to get some respect? - the De Lorean from the Back to the Future. Maybe Marty McFly will let him use it next year so he can make sure the teams he scheduled will go undefeated and be ranked in the top 20. Maybe Royer should schedule games against all top 25 teams next year - oh yeah, getting teams to fly into Greensboro, drive in and have to play a day game, because there are no LIGHTS, and have a chance to lose to Liberty will be attractive to the Miami's, Georgia Tech's, and Florida's...
This isn't about the SOS - it's about having respect for a team and a coach who laid it all on the line this season. Had one of the best seasons in LU history - won 39 DIVISION I games, was the first team to sweep GW at home in over 10 years, beat Winthrop (Best Team in America by everyone on this board) twice in the tournament, won 16 of their first 19 games, 26 of their first 34, won 9 straight games TWICE, Got to the Championship game in the Big South ----- And you want to know the best thing - DID ALL OF THIS WITH ARGUABLY THE YOUNGEST PITCHING STAFF IN LU HISTORY (7 of 14 pitchers were freshman) AND 2 STATERS HURT FOR MOST THE YEAR (Solbach and Page).
Instead of giving the Team and Coach Royer some credit and a pat on the back - so many people want to offer criticism. Let's enjoy the success and maybe look to deflect some off this to the Big South. After all - it was them who broke their own rules on Saturday. To make LU play 3 games in one day was ridiculous. And yes 3 games. We had to finish up 2 innings on the game that ended at 11 p.m. the night before at 11:00a.m. the next day. And don't make the argument it was only 2 innings - they had to show up 2 and 1/2 hours before to go through normal warm-up for that game. Then play the early game against Winthop at 2:15 and then play the championship game pretty much right after. Come on this is the BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT - this is what these guys play for all year. Did Sunday just go away? Couldn't the Championship game been moved to Sunday? As far as I understand - some players could barely walk after the day ended at 11 p.m. It felt like a Church League Softball Tournament. What a bad way to close out a successful Big South Season:(
Sorry, I had to vent - this stuff burns me up. I don't care if you think I'm just a Liberty Fan. It's not, I'm a sports fan and can see that this team was good. We were doing these players and coaches a disservice by criticizing their efforts this year.
I say to the 2006 LU Baseball Team and Head Coach Matt Royer -
GREAT SEASON and I can't wait until next year - to see you grow from this successful season!!!!!!!
GO FLAMES!!!!!!!!!
- By Humble_Opinion