NCAA Softball Regional Finals

[USFCollin]

First off congrats to our ladies on a great season.  We only lose one starting senior at first base (Carmela Liwag), and although she was a very big cog in the wheel, we should be a better team overall next season.  

I was in Gainesville yesterday, and although we had our chances, BCC certainly deserved deserves the super regional.  We just couldn't capitalize on their mistakes, coming away scoreless in a bases loaded one out situation by nailing a runner at the plate on a passed ball/wild pitch, then failing to get the hit needed to drive in two.  Things like that happened all day, and although it looked like it was going to be a shootout with a 3-2 score in the first, we just couldn't get it going.  BCC played some real bad defense, especially at second base and third base.  But they did settle down and catch and throw late to put it away.  

If our starting pitcher Cash has a better outing and we get an early lead in game one... with our ace Bree Spence pitching game two I think we pull it out.  But all the congratulations go to BCC, they were singing and dancing in the dugout all day long, and played with lots of passion.  They've got an ace pitcher as well, and sometimes in softball that's enough to upset someone, so hopefully they can do that at Texas.  Anytime a historically black school can make some noise, especially with the budget restrictions and cultural barriers they have in a sport like softball, you almost have to pull for them.  Good luck to the Wildcats.

[Brad]

Anytime a historically black school can make some noise, especially with the budget restrictions and cultural barriers they have in a sport like softball, you almost have to pull for them.

At risk of going off topic, what are the "cultural barriers" in softball?  

They beat us - plain and simple.  

And I hope you drop the politically correct sympathy by the time FAMU rolls into RJS!!!  

[USFCollin]

Simple, at an HBCU (historically black college or university), you have a smaller pool of talent to recruit.  I don't have the stats, but from watching softball here for many years, both our team and the teams that come in, most of the players are white.  That means HBCU's have to compete with everyone on the field, but have to focus on a much more narrow selection of potential recruits.  

And the athletic budget restrictions at HBCU's are quite severe... BCC very much included.  Again I don't know for sure, but I would bet that a big chunk of the women who beat us yesterday are not on a full-ride scholarship, as many HBCU's just don't have the budget.  I remember reading when Savannah State's men's head basketball coach got fired, he only had 2 scholarships to offer players (the limit in men's basketball is 13).  It's very tough for these schools sometimes, so it's great to see one have some on-field success.  

We'll save the "why HBCU's are important" rant for the Mad Cow Board some other time Brad.... you Republican corporate schill:)

[Brad]

Certainly Collin, but we'll need to bring a long with us an agreed upon definition of "cultural barrier."

::deal::

[CyberBull]

BCC deserved it,it shows you that facilities is NOT the desiding factor. I guarantee you that BCC softball and coaches salaries are probably even worse tham ours, UCF's and definetely UF.

Good luck to BCC vs Texas

However having good facilities is the deciding FACTOR in establishing longterm success.

That is afterall what we want right?

Look at all the traditional programs.....it's where we want to be someday. They might not win every year but they have solid facilities that will guarantee that win and losses are not going being influenced by things they can control like facilities but rather the talent of the players and coaches.

Winning is a three part equation:

1.players

2.coaching

3.facilities

We may not always have the best players and coaches but we can certainly control what kind of facilities make available.