A Sea Of Red

First post here ... I've been told that the Tomans are on campus today. As a longtime follower of college baseball and Ray Tanner (ex-NC State head coach, current South Carolina head coach) ... I've got to tell you, Jim Toman would make an EXCELLENT head coach for Liberty. He's the #1 assistant (Associate Head Coach) coach in the nation and has been to 3 CWS. Of course, as a LU alum, I like the thought of a Guetterman, or Bream, or Tomlin ... but as a diehard college baseball follower - I know that Toman is an awesome choice. Toman would not only excel, but he would quickly take our talent level up several notches.

His forte is not only knowing how to teach the game (from a catcher's perspective) - but he's all about recruiting. Year after year he brings in Top 10 ranked talent, and occasionally has the #1 ranked recruiting class. You've got to remember, this was at USC ... not Texas, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Southern Cal, or any other California, Texas, or Florida "baseball" school. He KNOWS what he's looking for in talent and he knows how to recruit it to his school. I'm not saying he would bring in a Top 10 class to LU ... but he would totally take us to new levels talent-wise. He has connections, players know him, players love him, and he can coach.

Negatives? There are three obvious ones...
1. The lure of staying in the SEC
2. South Carolina is building a state-of-the-art baseball stadium - and that could keep him in Columbia.
3. Coaching along-side Ray Tanner is great (and they have been together for decades at NCSU and USC).

However, IF he really wants to be a head coach ... this is a great place for him. His family will love the school and area ... Thomas Roads Baptist Church will embrace them ... he will love working again with Jeff Barber (a real plus for us) ... and the baseball program is supposed to be upgrading on all levels.

Here's a little irony... USC loves Yankee great Bobby Richardson. Before Tanner came to Columbia and before June Raines ... Bobby Richardson was the head coach who really put them on the national map. They still rever the name Bobby Richardson. Well ... that's the SAME Bobby Richardson who came here and helped put LU on the national map! (I know what all Coach Worthington did -- but having Bobby Richardson was like having royalty).

Anyway ... here's to having the Tomans on campus. I'm praying that it all goes well. If he doesn't sign, we'll survive and mush on. But if he does -- watch out! ... the Flames will be ... er, en fuego!!

Thanks for the info. What you say about him is echoed on the USC message boards as well. I hope we can afford him.

Welcome to the board, Double E. We appreciate your insight into Toman's background. Recruiting in college baseball is all about calculated risks. You can have top class in the nation on Signing Day only to lose all of yoru best players to the draft. It takes a real skill to sign players you know have the talent but that are flying under the radar so to speak with the MLB scouts. Clearly Toman has done that over the years.

Has anybody heard how the Toman's visit went?
I have not heard anything.

You've heard as much as the rest of us.

I heard he enjoyed several meals.

a little vague on any other details

glad to help

I heard he went to the mall and couldn't find any stores that sell bow ties, so he was not happy about that.

Toman received an offer and accepted this afternoon. Look for a full story in tomorrow's fishwrap.

Wooooo. Heck freaking yes.

WOW!!!


LANG coming thru!

great job, and great news!

man, can I just say how impressed I am with Jeff Barber right now?

what a hire HE turned out to be.

Jerry is very proud right now.

What a great time to be a Flame

Knew he would do it. This is Barber's new MO. If he wants someone, he brings them in and hires them. Great Job.

HOT DANG...

...fantastic news. I guess Lang will be forgiven for breaking news on here, given the circumstances.

Chris...any news about facility upgrades, etc, coming with the hire?

I don't think anyone realizes how happy me and Fumble are right now.

This is great news indeed. I look forward to meeting this guy when I get back on campus in a few weeks.

And I saw somebody talking about where to get bowties earlier, the only places I can think of would be one of the department stores at River Ridge or the formalwear shop. Anyway, Jeff Barber is definitely making splashes with these last couple hires.

I think the bow ties thing was a joke.

great news! add a little facility improvement and they'll probably get a decent amount of students to come out to the games

Toman received an offer and accepted this afternoon.

Lang scooping Super and the rest of the LU insiders--I love it! Great work, Chris (but here's to hoping that Fumble and I don't have to pony up too much of our faculty salaries to afford him & his bow ties).

from what was said at the Flames Club and in other conversations with certain people in the know- those facility improvements are a given

the next several years are going to be incredible for LU athletics.

here's hoping we make CCU and WU miserable until we move onward and upward

SuperJon wrote:I think the bow ties thing was a joke.

I figured...I just thought it was worth mentioning anyway. Congrats and welcome to our new baseball coach!

A Travis Tritt song comes to mind at this moment:

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?

These are indeed great times to be a Flame...co sign that, Medic!

PAmedic wrote:from what was said at the Flames Club and in other conversations with certain people in the know- those facility improvements are a given

Yes...but WHEN. I would be shocked if lights and a stadium are not on the fast-track.

CiderJim wrote:(but here's to hoping that Fumble and I don't have to pony up too much of our faculty salaries to afford him & his bow ties).

I hear they are pulling it from the TRANSPORTATION Dept....

the lights were said to be a go for this fall, so they could run camps on campus instead of sending coaches all over the country.

I may be spreading rumor with that one, but since it came directly from the previous HC, I took it as true.

Anybody know what time the online version of Monday's Lynchburg paper will be posted on their website? This might be worth waiting up for, instead of seeing it the morning paper the next day.

good idea with the transportation department! then that road won't be repaired and will slide off and be closed.. then they can put bleachers all the way up the mountain