The Lady Tigers officially locked up sole possession of third place in the ASC East standings Thursday night with a sweep of LeTourneau. That puts ETBU into its ninth straight conference tournament next weekend over in Irving at Southwest Park.
Question of the day for ETBU is this -- at 23-13 heading into Saturday's season finale twinbill against Ozarks at Taylor Field, have the Lady Tigers put themselves in position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens next week?
Fact 1: Lady Tigers have wins over teams that were ranked No. 1 (UT Tyler) and No. 2 (Louisiana College) at the time. ETBU also has a win over Washington-St. Louis, which was ranked in the Top 25 at the time.
Fact 2: ETBU has been ranked or receiving votes in the NFCA Top 25 several times this season, most recently this week. The Lady Tigers have been ranked as high as No. 19.
Fact 3: ETBU plays in arguably the toughest conference in the nation, top to bottom. There are four teams with legitimate arguments (UT Tyler, Louisiana College, ETBU and Mary Hardin-Baylor) for NCAA postseason spots and another (Concordia Texas) with at least 25 wins on the bubble. And last season, three ASC teams: tourney champion Hardin-Simmons, East champion Mississippi College, and tourney runnerup Louisiana College, were given bids to the NCAA postseason.
Fact 4: The regional will be held just down the road at UT Tyler, a mere stone's throw for ETBU. As always, the NCAA is nothing if not cost-conscious when determing at-large bids or seeding, as fans of the Lady Tigers who have short memories can remember (2004).
Now here are some of the negatives:
Fact 1: The Lady Tigers have lost at least 13 games heading into the tournament, a high number for an at-large bid.
Fact 2: Since opening the season 9-1, the Lady Tigers have gone just 14-12. That's not exactly what you'd call a steamroll.
Fact 3: ETBU didn't win its division within the conference, finishing third.
Fact 4: You have to figure UT Tyler and LC are in, no matter what happens next week. If the ASC is to duplicate its three-team NCAA invite from last year, it most likely will come down to ETBU or UMHB unless something really crazy happens at the conference tournament. And remember, UMHB has a win over ETBU in the teams' only meeting so far this season, back at the First Pitch Tournament.
Since I'm giving my opinion on the blog, here's what I would think: it would be great for ETBU to finish the regular season with 25 wins, first. A loss to Ozarks -- although the Lady Eagles nearly swept UT Tyler Thursday night up in Clarksville -- would hurt the Lady Tigers' argument even further. Winning streaks are great for confidence and they also are very noticeable on the stat sheet.
I also think ETBU can improve its chances with a win or two at next week's conference tournament. The Lady Tigers have proven they can play with and even beat the nation's best the last couple of weeks. Catch lightning in a bottle for three days next week, and we won't even be talking about at-large bids. But I think ETBU must win at least one game to further enhance its argument.
The biggest plus for ETBU are those two wins against UT Tyler and LC. No one else in the country has victories over No. 1 and No. 2, at any time. The Lady Tigers have at least put themselves in position to be in the discussion, and that's a good thing.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
1B, E9, +++: The Legend
Got a good-natured email from a parent this week of one of our student-athletes discussing scorekeeping of the baseball/softball variety. Our email correspondence was constructive and cordial, and believe me after eight years of doing this I appreciate those kinds of conversations.
The general subject of scorekeeping, however, takes me back a few years. Sometimes the most unpopular person in the ballpark isn't the umpire or the opposing coach for that matter.
It's the guy upstairs having to make the call on whether a play should be scored a hit, an error, a passed ball, a wild pitch, a sacrifice, etc. I request armored glass in the press box sometimes.
In the major leagues scorekeepers can ultimately determine whether or not a guy hits .300 or .290. Think about it -- a call here or there on a play, and it could cost a player millions. I don't think there are many professional scorekeepers pulling down six-figures, so I don't think there's much sympathy involved in the everyday business of calling it a 4-3, a 1b-4 or an E-4.
But at the college level -- and more specifically, here at ETBU -- it's not that easy. The student-athletes have a lot on their plate already without having to worry about whether or not the scorekeeper is having a bad day and wants to be hard-nosed. Through the years here as S.ID. I've had my moments of indecision, and have incurred the wrath of home folks and visitors alike.
Softball scoring actually gives me a bit of break in that no one really knows what I score on a certain play until seeing it in the box score online. At Woods Field, for baseball, things get a little dicier because the scoreboard keeps track of hits and errors, so everyone in the ballpark knows what's been called. I've developed the technique there of waiting a few seconds, throwing it up on the board then ducking my head so no one can look into my eyes and see the indecision. And there are plenty of looks my way in most of those situations.
Ironically, however, my most infamous moment of scorekeeping peril at ETBU did occur down at Taylor Field. It was 2004, and our softball team was ranked No. 1 late in the year and cruising toward a fifth straight ASC title. As a bit of commentary on that particular team, this conference will be hard-pressed to come up with a better team. I haven't seen one in the ASC before, or since, that 2004 ETBU bunch that won 41 games.
Anyway, the Lady Tigers that season were chasing the national D-III home run mark of 48. Allison Ratcliff, now coaching at Waskom and who is still the ASC's career home run leader, was on her way to 15 bombs that season and we had a handful of others who finished with career highs in homers. With all that thunder in the lineup, ETBU was still blessed with the type of hitters everyone needs to be successful -- a great leadoff hitter in Tonya Minor, and a very solid and pesky bottom of the order.
That group included senior second baseman Jenny Doyal. Jenny has to be regarded as perhaps the best second baseman in Lady Tiger history overall, especially defensively. She also had 150 hits in her four years and had 37 stolen bases to currently rank fifth on the Lady Tiger all-time list. A good, solid, dependable infielder who could be a pest to opposing pitchers.
But Jenny had never hit a home run in her career. Nothing wrong with that, due to her role and the type of hitter she was. But everyone knew the home run record was fast approaching late in the year, and Jenny stepped to the plate in a blowout doubleheader one night at Taylor Field.
Now, most scoring mistakes, I have to admit, come from the fact of me simply not seeing the play. When you are doing public address, scorekeeping, working the scoreboard, and also finding the appropriate music to play in the next half-inning -- your eyes will sometimes play tricks on you. But I was fully alert and watching this particular play unfold -- I would take the oath on that.
Jenny ripped a patented line drive to right field that landed a few feet in front of the right fielder. And then -- with my own two eyes -- I saw the ball scoot under the glove and between the legs of the defender and roll to the fence.
No doubt Jenny was going to score. I don't even remember if there was a need to slide at the plate. And without any hesitation, I typed in the following as the offical scoring on the play:
1b 9 E9 +++
In layman's terms, here's how you read that scoring: Single to right, error on the right fielder, runner advances three bases. A single and a three-base error. The ball went right at the girl and skipped under her glove to the rightfield wall for crying out loud...!
I have to admit that most calls and scoring are purely opinion. The NCAA scorekeeper's manual only states that a play should be scored a hit or an error based on whether or not the play was routine. That's about as vague as you can get. What is routine for one player isn't so routine for another, so what do you call "routine?" I take it to mean if the defender has to make a more-than-average effort to make a play, you should always give the hitter the benefit of the doubt as well as the fielder. Don't punish a defender simply because his or her range isn't as great as the next guy or gal.
But a ball hit directly to an outfielder, takes a couple of hops and scoots underneath the glove, that's a no-brainer in my opinion. It was that night -- and it still is today.
I took all kinds of grief over that one play, and I still am reminded of it to this day. Guess what? The '04 team ended up one home run short of tying the national record. I was accused of sabotaging the record because of that one call.
The ribbing and the accusations have become more of a joke and all done in fairly good-natured fashion as the years have gone by, but I am still reminded of that one play whenever I see anyone from that special 2004 group. Coach Janae Schlabs-Shirley, in her first year as head coach of the Lady Tigers this season, was the starting left-fielder on that '04 team and will swear to me that the outfielder that night never got anywhere near the ball, that it "sliced" away from her and into the corner. In that case, due to a bad bounce away from the fielder, I could easily have scored that an inside-the-park...
No. Not in a million years, no matter how much I enjoyed and liked that team and wanted them to get that record.
I admit I will always try to defer to the home team on scoring decisions that are too close to call, but that was about as cut-and-dried a call as I've ever had to make in eight years. And that was one of my favorite groups of student-athletes to be around as any in my time here at ETBU. That was a special group of young ladies and they gave our fans and students a lot to be proud of and a lot of excitement that year, not to mention putting ETBU on the national stage as the top-ranked team in the nation.
But sorry, ladies. I call 'em like I see 'em. The bad thing now is that I don't see as well as I used to, so... I guess I'll just request more bulletproof glass every year.
The general subject of scorekeeping, however, takes me back a few years. Sometimes the most unpopular person in the ballpark isn't the umpire or the opposing coach for that matter.
It's the guy upstairs having to make the call on whether a play should be scored a hit, an error, a passed ball, a wild pitch, a sacrifice, etc. I request armored glass in the press box sometimes.
In the major leagues scorekeepers can ultimately determine whether or not a guy hits .300 or .290. Think about it -- a call here or there on a play, and it could cost a player millions. I don't think there are many professional scorekeepers pulling down six-figures, so I don't think there's much sympathy involved in the everyday business of calling it a 4-3, a 1b-4 or an E-4.
But at the college level -- and more specifically, here at ETBU -- it's not that easy. The student-athletes have a lot on their plate already without having to worry about whether or not the scorekeeper is having a bad day and wants to be hard-nosed. Through the years here as S.ID. I've had my moments of indecision, and have incurred the wrath of home folks and visitors alike.
Softball scoring actually gives me a bit of break in that no one really knows what I score on a certain play until seeing it in the box score online. At Woods Field, for baseball, things get a little dicier because the scoreboard keeps track of hits and errors, so everyone in the ballpark knows what's been called. I've developed the technique there of waiting a few seconds, throwing it up on the board then ducking my head so no one can look into my eyes and see the indecision. And there are plenty of looks my way in most of those situations.
Ironically, however, my most infamous moment of scorekeeping peril at ETBU did occur down at Taylor Field. It was 2004, and our softball team was ranked No. 1 late in the year and cruising toward a fifth straight ASC title. As a bit of commentary on that particular team, this conference will be hard-pressed to come up with a better team. I haven't seen one in the ASC before, or since, that 2004 ETBU bunch that won 41 games.
Anyway, the Lady Tigers that season were chasing the national D-III home run mark of 48. Allison Ratcliff, now coaching at Waskom and who is still the ASC's career home run leader, was on her way to 15 bombs that season and we had a handful of others who finished with career highs in homers. With all that thunder in the lineup, ETBU was still blessed with the type of hitters everyone needs to be successful -- a great leadoff hitter in Tonya Minor, and a very solid and pesky bottom of the order.
That group included senior second baseman Jenny Doyal. Jenny has to be regarded as perhaps the best second baseman in Lady Tiger history overall, especially defensively. She also had 150 hits in her four years and had 37 stolen bases to currently rank fifth on the Lady Tiger all-time list. A good, solid, dependable infielder who could be a pest to opposing pitchers.
But Jenny had never hit a home run in her career. Nothing wrong with that, due to her role and the type of hitter she was. But everyone knew the home run record was fast approaching late in the year, and Jenny stepped to the plate in a blowout doubleheader one night at Taylor Field.
Now, most scoring mistakes, I have to admit, come from the fact of me simply not seeing the play. When you are doing public address, scorekeeping, working the scoreboard, and also finding the appropriate music to play in the next half-inning -- your eyes will sometimes play tricks on you. But I was fully alert and watching this particular play unfold -- I would take the oath on that.
Jenny ripped a patented line drive to right field that landed a few feet in front of the right fielder. And then -- with my own two eyes -- I saw the ball scoot under the glove and between the legs of the defender and roll to the fence.
No doubt Jenny was going to score. I don't even remember if there was a need to slide at the plate. And without any hesitation, I typed in the following as the offical scoring on the play:
1b 9 E9 +++
In layman's terms, here's how you read that scoring: Single to right, error on the right fielder, runner advances three bases. A single and a three-base error. The ball went right at the girl and skipped under her glove to the rightfield wall for crying out loud...!
I have to admit that most calls and scoring are purely opinion. The NCAA scorekeeper's manual only states that a play should be scored a hit or an error based on whether or not the play was routine. That's about as vague as you can get. What is routine for one player isn't so routine for another, so what do you call "routine?" I take it to mean if the defender has to make a more-than-average effort to make a play, you should always give the hitter the benefit of the doubt as well as the fielder. Don't punish a defender simply because his or her range isn't as great as the next guy or gal.
But a ball hit directly to an outfielder, takes a couple of hops and scoots underneath the glove, that's a no-brainer in my opinion. It was that night -- and it still is today.
I took all kinds of grief over that one play, and I still am reminded of it to this day. Guess what? The '04 team ended up one home run short of tying the national record. I was accused of sabotaging the record because of that one call.
The ribbing and the accusations have become more of a joke and all done in fairly good-natured fashion as the years have gone by, but I am still reminded of that one play whenever I see anyone from that special 2004 group. Coach Janae Schlabs-Shirley, in her first year as head coach of the Lady Tigers this season, was the starting left-fielder on that '04 team and will swear to me that the outfielder that night never got anywhere near the ball, that it "sliced" away from her and into the corner. In that case, due to a bad bounce away from the fielder, I could easily have scored that an inside-the-park...
No. Not in a million years, no matter how much I enjoyed and liked that team and wanted them to get that record.
I admit I will always try to defer to the home team on scoring decisions that are too close to call, but that was about as cut-and-dried a call as I've ever had to make in eight years. And that was one of my favorite groups of student-athletes to be around as any in my time here at ETBU. That was a special group of young ladies and they gave our fans and students a lot to be proud of and a lot of excitement that year, not to mention putting ETBU on the national stage as the top-ranked team in the nation.
But sorry, ladies. I call 'em like I see 'em. The bad thing now is that I don't see as well as I used to, so... I guess I'll just request more bulletproof glass every year.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tiger Baseball
Don't look now, but ETBU's baseball team has won five in a row and has absolutely cruised through its non-conference schedule with 10 wins in its final 10 games against non-ASC opponents.
Now if your glass is half empty, you'll say that non-conference games don't mean much. Against American Southwest Conference teams, the Tigers have gone 3-18 this season counting the two series against ASC West opponents UMHB and McMurry prior to opening ASC East action.
But our glass is half full around here -- actually closer to three-quarters full, and the 13-3 mark against teams outside the ASC is a good thing because it shows progress for Tiger baseball.
Three things make this one particular fan of ETBU baseball look forward to the immediate future. Number one, we've got a coach in Sam Blackmon who has won everywhere he's been. At the University of Dallas earlier this decade, in five years there, Coach Blackmon won over 70 percent of his games as coach. He's won at all levels of baseball -- high school, college and professional. There is no reason why that won't continue here because guys who win generally know how to get it done, and Sam is a guy who has won.
Sam's first team last year was not really his. Recruiting at the college level is pretty much impossible when you have to start in the summer, and Coach Blackmon didn't come on board at ETBU until late in June of 2006. That's about as late as it gets in the game when it comes to recruiting. His first freshman class was pretty much overmatched from day one, and it showed with just 11 wins that first year.
What do I mean by overmatched? Think about this -- it is tough to succeed when you are throwing kids out there who less than a year before were playing for district championships in high school, and you are competing against programs with grown men who are 22, 23 years old in some cases and who are drawing looks from major league scouts. The Tigers have had to deal with that the last two years, and they have taken their lumps.
Reason number two: the Tigers have a young core in place now. Coming off last season, the coaches knew what they wanted in recruiting but they also wanted to keep the big picture in place. If you are in it for the long haul, you have got to have good, solid upperclassmen as leaders every year. You also have to bring in quality freshmen who eventually will become leaders. If you can do that every year -- well, that's called a program.
ETBU brought in some experienced help to mix with a handful of seniors coming back from '07. Guys like Cody Jones, Matt Hale, Kyle Pope -- guys who had played some college baseball elsewhere and had that experience. Those transfers, along with seniors Will Melton and Jared Gage, have given the Tigers a solid lineup most of the season.
But the young guys -- guys like Matt Schimpf, Ryan Yezak, Drew Banks, Milton Williams, Jake Atchley, Jered Price... the list goes on. This is Coach Blackmon's first full recruiting class, meaning first class as a result of a year's worth of recruiting. Did they have their rough spots this year? You bet, several of them. But there's not a one of those guys playing solid innings for ETBU right now that hasn't gotten better as the season progressed. With youth, you look for talent first and then look for improvement. With five straight wins and 10 straight against non-league opponents over the last couple of months, you can see the improvement.
Reason number three: improved facilities. It has been a priority for Coach Blackmon from day one at making ETBU's baseball facility one of the best in the conference. Not that Woods Field was shabby or second-rate when he arrived in 2006, but there is always room for improvement when you think about the future. The late Mr. Lloyd Woods made it possible for lights to be installed this season, and we have enjoyed nighttime baseball all year that has increased attendance. It also allows the players more class time while still playing every game.
There have been discussions also of a possible baseball-only field house, a redesigned outfield wall, a renovated press box and grandstand area, and further landscaping around Woods Field that would enhance the look and atmosphere even further. Those things are just discussions right now, but it is nice to think about. One thing is for sure -- the better your facility, the better your chances to recruit quality student-athletes. See the previous blog entry ("Houses Built For Tigers") for more info on that particular subject.
Last night's win at LSU Alexandria moved the Tigers to 16-21 on the season. That's five more victories than all of 2007, and we've got another three games to go. On the field, that's progress. You want your team to be better than it was the previous year, and I don't think there's any doubt about that with this club.
And all signs are pointing to continued improvement in 2008. The pieces are in place, and the steps are being taken. Patience is also part of being good, and patience is usually rewarded.
Great job, guys.
Now if your glass is half empty, you'll say that non-conference games don't mean much. Against American Southwest Conference teams, the Tigers have gone 3-18 this season counting the two series against ASC West opponents UMHB and McMurry prior to opening ASC East action.
But our glass is half full around here -- actually closer to three-quarters full, and the 13-3 mark against teams outside the ASC is a good thing because it shows progress for Tiger baseball.
Three things make this one particular fan of ETBU baseball look forward to the immediate future. Number one, we've got a coach in Sam Blackmon who has won everywhere he's been. At the University of Dallas earlier this decade, in five years there, Coach Blackmon won over 70 percent of his games as coach. He's won at all levels of baseball -- high school, college and professional. There is no reason why that won't continue here because guys who win generally know how to get it done, and Sam is a guy who has won.
Sam's first team last year was not really his. Recruiting at the college level is pretty much impossible when you have to start in the summer, and Coach Blackmon didn't come on board at ETBU until late in June of 2006. That's about as late as it gets in the game when it comes to recruiting. His first freshman class was pretty much overmatched from day one, and it showed with just 11 wins that first year.
What do I mean by overmatched? Think about this -- it is tough to succeed when you are throwing kids out there who less than a year before were playing for district championships in high school, and you are competing against programs with grown men who are 22, 23 years old in some cases and who are drawing looks from major league scouts. The Tigers have had to deal with that the last two years, and they have taken their lumps.
Reason number two: the Tigers have a young core in place now. Coming off last season, the coaches knew what they wanted in recruiting but they also wanted to keep the big picture in place. If you are in it for the long haul, you have got to have good, solid upperclassmen as leaders every year. You also have to bring in quality freshmen who eventually will become leaders. If you can do that every year -- well, that's called a program.
ETBU brought in some experienced help to mix with a handful of seniors coming back from '07. Guys like Cody Jones, Matt Hale, Kyle Pope -- guys who had played some college baseball elsewhere and had that experience. Those transfers, along with seniors Will Melton and Jared Gage, have given the Tigers a solid lineup most of the season.
But the young guys -- guys like Matt Schimpf, Ryan Yezak, Drew Banks, Milton Williams, Jake Atchley, Jered Price... the list goes on. This is Coach Blackmon's first full recruiting class, meaning first class as a result of a year's worth of recruiting. Did they have their rough spots this year? You bet, several of them. But there's not a one of those guys playing solid innings for ETBU right now that hasn't gotten better as the season progressed. With youth, you look for talent first and then look for improvement. With five straight wins and 10 straight against non-league opponents over the last couple of months, you can see the improvement.
Reason number three: improved facilities. It has been a priority for Coach Blackmon from day one at making ETBU's baseball facility one of the best in the conference. Not that Woods Field was shabby or second-rate when he arrived in 2006, but there is always room for improvement when you think about the future. The late Mr. Lloyd Woods made it possible for lights to be installed this season, and we have enjoyed nighttime baseball all year that has increased attendance. It also allows the players more class time while still playing every game.
There have been discussions also of a possible baseball-only field house, a redesigned outfield wall, a renovated press box and grandstand area, and further landscaping around Woods Field that would enhance the look and atmosphere even further. Those things are just discussions right now, but it is nice to think about. One thing is for sure -- the better your facility, the better your chances to recruit quality student-athletes. See the previous blog entry ("Houses Built For Tigers") for more info on that particular subject.
Last night's win at LSU Alexandria moved the Tigers to 16-21 on the season. That's five more victories than all of 2007, and we've got another three games to go. On the field, that's progress. You want your team to be better than it was the previous year, and I don't think there's any doubt about that with this club.
And all signs are pointing to continued improvement in 2008. The pieces are in place, and the steps are being taken. Patience is also part of being good, and patience is usually rewarded.
Great job, guys.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Houses Built For Tigers
With the 2007-08 school year nearing a close -- we're less than a month from commencement here at ETBU -- I also will be passing a personal career milestone.
I will be completing my eighth year as Sports Information Director here, with the ninth beginning on June 1. Eight years seems like a very long time for me. I'm one of those kinds of people who needs change to stay fresh. That's the good thing about working in athletics, specifically as an S.I.D. There's always something changing -- I just move from one season to the next, and hope always springs fresh in the springtime for better results the following year.
Since walking on campus as an employee in the summer of 2000, I have seen a lot of changes within our athletic department. My first day at work back then was still three months before ETBU's football team made its official return after being away for a half-century. Ornelas Stadium was still just a big hole in the ground, and Carlile-Howell Hall was still being gutted out and remodeled into what is now Carlile-Howell Fieldhouse.
Eight years later, Ornelas Stadium is probably the best game-day facility in the ASC. One of the best in the nation, in fact. I'll say that with total confidence because I've seen a lot of facilities over the years and there's not one that matches "The Jungle." Even the D-II places we've visited don't hold a candle to what ETBU has provided for its football program.
Facility improvement has been a constant goal for ETBU, not just athletics but all over campus, under Dr. Bob Riley as president. In athletics alone, the only current facility still in use when Dr. Riley arrived is the Tiger baseball field -- Woods Field. Over the last few years that ballpark has seen countless upgrades in appearance as well, with brick dugouts, new backstop fencing and brick, a brand-new scoreboard, a batting cage with astroturf, and this year the lights that have provided night baseball for the first time in our history.
ETBU has constructed a football stadium, gymnasium, softball field and soccer field in the last 12 years. Ornelas Gymnasium opened in 1995 and is still, again in my own biased yet well-traveled opinion, probably one of the top three indoor athletics arenas in the ASC. Even half-full sometimes, the "House of Blues" might rank as the loudest game-day venues in the league with its acoustics. There have been some memorable games played in that gym the last eight years, and I can tell you when it gets rocking your ears will ring afterwards. We expect and hope for even more loud, memorable moments in there in the near future.
Taylor Field, for softball, is also one of the top game-day facilities in the conference. It too has received an upgrade in the last three years, with its brick dugouts as well as a remodeled press box/locker room. I've been asked why we need so much space up there in the press box, and I always say so that the air conditioning can cool more space! Thank God for air conditioning!
Word is that Taylor Field is in line to receive some new lights as well as a new outfield fence sometime in the near future. That will only add to its overall quality and appearance.
And finally, Tiger soccer has had its own home since 2002 in Cornish Field, which just received its official name this past fall. The soccer field sits just beyond the line of pine trees north of Ornelas Stadium, and it provides a great place for ETBU's soccer teams in the fall for both practice and games. The first couple of years here, covering soccer, were spent at what is now Anderson Sports Complex. This in itself wasn't a bad soccer facility -- the Tigers had two national champions compete there in the late 1990s of course -- but again ETBU's commitment to first-class facilities made it essential that a new, soccer-only facility be constructed. Cornish Field's spectator area was improved last season, with new permanent bleachers and landscaping added, and there are plans to renovate the bench areas and game worker/film area as well.
We are proud of our student-athletes at ETBU, and we are also very proud of the places they use for competition. I don't know if eight years qualifies one to be an expert or not, and again I'm a bit slanted in my opinion of course. But I'd put our athletic facilities up against anyone's as a group and not feel inferior in any way, shape or form. And they are only getting better.
I will be completing my eighth year as Sports Information Director here, with the ninth beginning on June 1. Eight years seems like a very long time for me. I'm one of those kinds of people who needs change to stay fresh. That's the good thing about working in athletics, specifically as an S.I.D. There's always something changing -- I just move from one season to the next, and hope always springs fresh in the springtime for better results the following year.
Since walking on campus as an employee in the summer of 2000, I have seen a lot of changes within our athletic department. My first day at work back then was still three months before ETBU's football team made its official return after being away for a half-century. Ornelas Stadium was still just a big hole in the ground, and Carlile-Howell Hall was still being gutted out and remodeled into what is now Carlile-Howell Fieldhouse.
Eight years later, Ornelas Stadium is probably the best game-day facility in the ASC. One of the best in the nation, in fact. I'll say that with total confidence because I've seen a lot of facilities over the years and there's not one that matches "The Jungle." Even the D-II places we've visited don't hold a candle to what ETBU has provided for its football program.
Facility improvement has been a constant goal for ETBU, not just athletics but all over campus, under Dr. Bob Riley as president. In athletics alone, the only current facility still in use when Dr. Riley arrived is the Tiger baseball field -- Woods Field. Over the last few years that ballpark has seen countless upgrades in appearance as well, with brick dugouts, new backstop fencing and brick, a brand-new scoreboard, a batting cage with astroturf, and this year the lights that have provided night baseball for the first time in our history.
ETBU has constructed a football stadium, gymnasium, softball field and soccer field in the last 12 years. Ornelas Gymnasium opened in 1995 and is still, again in my own biased yet well-traveled opinion, probably one of the top three indoor athletics arenas in the ASC. Even half-full sometimes, the "House of Blues" might rank as the loudest game-day venues in the league with its acoustics. There have been some memorable games played in that gym the last eight years, and I can tell you when it gets rocking your ears will ring afterwards. We expect and hope for even more loud, memorable moments in there in the near future.
Taylor Field, for softball, is also one of the top game-day facilities in the conference. It too has received an upgrade in the last three years, with its brick dugouts as well as a remodeled press box/locker room. I've been asked why we need so much space up there in the press box, and I always say so that the air conditioning can cool more space! Thank God for air conditioning!
Word is that Taylor Field is in line to receive some new lights as well as a new outfield fence sometime in the near future. That will only add to its overall quality and appearance.
And finally, Tiger soccer has had its own home since 2002 in Cornish Field, which just received its official name this past fall. The soccer field sits just beyond the line of pine trees north of Ornelas Stadium, and it provides a great place for ETBU's soccer teams in the fall for both practice and games. The first couple of years here, covering soccer, were spent at what is now Anderson Sports Complex. This in itself wasn't a bad soccer facility -- the Tigers had two national champions compete there in the late 1990s of course -- but again ETBU's commitment to first-class facilities made it essential that a new, soccer-only facility be constructed. Cornish Field's spectator area was improved last season, with new permanent bleachers and landscaping added, and there are plans to renovate the bench areas and game worker/film area as well.
We are proud of our student-athletes at ETBU, and we are also very proud of the places they use for competition. I don't know if eight years qualifies one to be an expert or not, and again I'm a bit slanted in my opinion of course. But I'd put our athletic facilities up against anyone's as a group and not feel inferior in any way, shape or form. And they are only getting better.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Welcome Back!
It's been a long couple of months for the ETBU softball team, coaches and players alike.
Not that the Lady Tigers have done much wrong on the field, necessarily -- ETBU is 14-8 and currently in third place in the ASC East playoff race. That puts them squarely in the mix for another trip to the conference tournament at the end of the month, which would give ETBU a 10th straight playoff appearance in the ASC.
But we'll have to forgive the players if they don't remember what it's like to play an actual game at Taylor Field. It's got to be as unfamiliar place as they've seen all year, other than the fact they have been able to practice there. The Lady Tigers haven't played a home game since way back on Feb. 19, when they swept Austin College to move to 2-0 on the season.
Since then, they've played 20 straight games on the road, going 12-8 in that stretch. A major league baseball team would consider that a great road trip. The fact that with the exception of a sweep at No. 2-ranked rival, Lousiana College, ETBU managed to split every road doubleheader so far against ASC East opponents, now has the Lady Tigers firmly in the driver's seat for the playoffs again.
A lot has happened since we last saw the ladies at Taylor Field. The last time they played at home, gasoline was still hovering around $3 a gallon (I paid $3.19 for a few gallons yesterday afternoon); Jason Kidd had just been traded to Dallas, that same day; and John McCain was still taking primaries seriously.
All that changes Saturday when ETBU hosts UT Dallas in the first of what will be a pivotal stretch to close the season. The Lady Tigers get to play 12 of their final 16 at home now, with every one of their closest competitors for the final playoff spot having to come to Taylor Field this month.
There are some tough home contests ahead, of course -- the top two ranked teams in the nation, LC and UT Tyler, will play two games apiece in Marshall over the next few weeks. UTD, Ozarks and Mississippi College all have playoff aspirations, and LeTourneau is a much better team this year than in years past.
Coach Schlabs and her players are happy to be at home again. We've had to move the start times back for the games to 2 p.m. due to the fact it's been raining buckets here in Marshall all day today (Friday), but the weather is supposed to be perfect tomorrow.
It'll be nice to have softball again.
Not that the Lady Tigers have done much wrong on the field, necessarily -- ETBU is 14-8 and currently in third place in the ASC East playoff race. That puts them squarely in the mix for another trip to the conference tournament at the end of the month, which would give ETBU a 10th straight playoff appearance in the ASC.
But we'll have to forgive the players if they don't remember what it's like to play an actual game at Taylor Field. It's got to be as unfamiliar place as they've seen all year, other than the fact they have been able to practice there. The Lady Tigers haven't played a home game since way back on Feb. 19, when they swept Austin College to move to 2-0 on the season.
Since then, they've played 20 straight games on the road, going 12-8 in that stretch. A major league baseball team would consider that a great road trip. The fact that with the exception of a sweep at No. 2-ranked rival, Lousiana College, ETBU managed to split every road doubleheader so far against ASC East opponents, now has the Lady Tigers firmly in the driver's seat for the playoffs again.
A lot has happened since we last saw the ladies at Taylor Field. The last time they played at home, gasoline was still hovering around $3 a gallon (I paid $3.19 for a few gallons yesterday afternoon); Jason Kidd had just been traded to Dallas, that same day; and John McCain was still taking primaries seriously.
All that changes Saturday when ETBU hosts UT Dallas in the first of what will be a pivotal stretch to close the season. The Lady Tigers get to play 12 of their final 16 at home now, with every one of their closest competitors for the final playoff spot having to come to Taylor Field this month.
There are some tough home contests ahead, of course -- the top two ranked teams in the nation, LC and UT Tyler, will play two games apiece in Marshall over the next few weeks. UTD, Ozarks and Mississippi College all have playoff aspirations, and LeTourneau is a much better team this year than in years past.
Coach Schlabs and her players are happy to be at home again. We've had to move the start times back for the games to 2 p.m. due to the fact it's been raining buckets here in Marshall all day today (Friday), but the weather is supposed to be perfect tomorrow.
It'll be nice to have softball again.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Back By Popular Demand...
The TigerBlog is back after an extended absence.
Call it a five-month stay on the disabled list. Call it a vacation. Call it an extended break. Call it whatever you'd like, but I haven't posted an ETBU sports blog since Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2007, titled "Media Guides."
A funny thing happened on the way down the blogosphere path -- basketball season started. Next thing I know spring is just around the corner and I found myself at the terrifying moment I face every year but it always seems to sneak up on me nevertheless: the intersection of seasons, meaning basketball always runs into baseball and softball.
I call it "The Perfect Storm."
But as the calendar has returned to April I finally feel my legs underneath me again for the first time in months. The air is fresher, the skies are clearer, the flowers are blooming... the keyboard is calling me again. Such is the life of a sports information director.
I have no idea how many people read or were expecting to read blogs on the old site, "ETBU TigerBlog." All I know is that I have a couple of people constantly in my ear, asking me when I'm going to post again. When I get the time, was my response 100 percent of the time, which is a bit of a laugh in and of itself.
So I'm back in the blogging business, with the aim of highlighting the ins and outs of Tiger athletics. Too much has happened since last time, and I felt the urge to start fresh. If you wish to review old posts to the old blog, here is the web address: http://etbutigerblog.blogspot.com/. There's some stuff on there I enjoyed, some I didn't. But it's a part of history nonetheless.
Enjoy the blog, and once again, Go Tigers.
Call it a five-month stay on the disabled list. Call it a vacation. Call it an extended break. Call it whatever you'd like, but I haven't posted an ETBU sports blog since Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2007, titled "Media Guides."
A funny thing happened on the way down the blogosphere path -- basketball season started. Next thing I know spring is just around the corner and I found myself at the terrifying moment I face every year but it always seems to sneak up on me nevertheless: the intersection of seasons, meaning basketball always runs into baseball and softball.
I call it "The Perfect Storm."
But as the calendar has returned to April I finally feel my legs underneath me again for the first time in months. The air is fresher, the skies are clearer, the flowers are blooming... the keyboard is calling me again. Such is the life of a sports information director.
I have no idea how many people read or were expecting to read blogs on the old site, "ETBU TigerBlog." All I know is that I have a couple of people constantly in my ear, asking me when I'm going to post again. When I get the time, was my response 100 percent of the time, which is a bit of a laugh in and of itself.
So I'm back in the blogging business, with the aim of highlighting the ins and outs of Tiger athletics. Too much has happened since last time, and I felt the urge to start fresh. If you wish to review old posts to the old blog, here is the web address: http://etbutigerblog.blogspot.com/. There's some stuff on there I enjoyed, some I didn't. But it's a part of history nonetheless.
Enjoy the blog, and once again, Go Tigers.
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