Eriksen Not Interested In USF Baseball Job

[Apis Bull]

Eriksen Not Interested In USF Baseball Job

Published: Jun 2, 2006

TAMPA - On the day USF announced plans to build a new $4 million softball stadium, Coach Ken Eriksen withdrew his name from consideration for USF's baseball coaching vacancy.

Eriksen, who played baseball at USF, has been the school's softball coach since 1996. When baseball coach Eddie Cardieri resigned Wednesday, Eriksen said the position would "pique anyone's interest." However, Thursday Eriksen said he no longer was interested.

"I like where I'm at right now," Eriksen said. "I like where our [softball] program is going."

Eriksen has built USF's most successful program, leading the Bulls to seven NCAA Tournaments in his 10 seasons. Last weekend, the Bulls lost to No. 1 UCLA in their first NCAA Super Regional appearance.

Eriksen Not Interested In USF Baseball Job

He's doing such a great job in softball, I would have hated to see him go to baseball.

[Jewbull]

Why would he leave, Ecks and Spence can throw harder than any of the pitchers on the baseball squad.

[Ricky the Bull]

This might be a case where he had quoted as saying that it is an attractive job and a statement was needed to clarify that this didn't mean he was interested, personally and wanted to put the player's and recruits' minds at ease.

[The Sheriff]

With the pitching coming in... there is no guarentee that Ecks or Spence will be the #1 next season... that is a great feeling to know. My money is still on Cristi though to take total control... although Ms. Syracuse might have something to say about it.

[SRQ]

Do they ever redshirt softball players?

[Guest AstroBull]

The girl from Cocoa is sick.  Eriksen is loaded

[Jewbull]

Oklahoma City Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're all goin out there. The heck with basketball once football is over, it will be the coutdown to Softball season, so nice to have a winning program.

[Apis Bull]

From Greg's Blog:

Eriksen never considered move to baseball

Speculation about coaching vacancies is a tricky thing in newspapers, and there's a fine line between someone indicating an interest in a job and someone declining an opportunity to eliminate the possibility of their interest in a job.

In recent weeks, as baseball coach Eddie Cardieri's future became more uncertain, I asked a few people at USF whether they thought softball coach Ken Eriksen would be interested in the job. On paper, it makes sense: he played baseball at USF and has established himself as a successful leader of college athletes, a solid recruiter who still shows a keen baseball mind on the softball field. USF's head baseball job hadn't been open in 21 years, so it seemed plausible.

When Cardieri resigned Wednesday, I tried unsuccessfully to reach Eriksen, but ultimately declined to include him in a paragraph of potential candidates, in part because that next day, he and his team were going to publicly accept a $3-million donation from Frank and Carol Morsani to help fund the building of a new softball stadium and football practice facility. Eriksen had done nothing to indicate an interest, so I was uncomfortable floating his name and creating an awkwardness on a huge day for his softball program.

On Thursday, I asked him about the baseball job, and he said he didn't want to make any comment so soon after Cardieri's departure. I think he intended it as a gesture of respect for a colleague and friend; but that leaves the door open. You could argue that it does Cardieri no disrespect to say you're not interested in becoming his successor and happy with the job you have.

I talked with Eriksen again Friday morning, and he made a clear statement: He has never considered a move to baseball, and didn't realize that he would publicly be considered a candidate. Given the reasons I listed above, he understood why he could be seen in as a possible suitor, but he reiterated that he has a good thing going with his softball team and wouldn't want to lose that just to get back to baseball.

Remember, Eriksen has spent a huge chunk of his professional career in softball, with a decade as a player and a decade now in coaching at USF. He has much invested in this team, in a strong core of returning players, in commitments from incoming recruits, in relationships and friendships he's built in the sport, in a new stadium he's waited a long time to see. He's coached at the Olympic level, working one on one with the sport's elite. For him to consider the baseball job would be to trivialize the job he has. He finished a single win shy of USF's first Big East champonship this season; it would take a remarkably smooth transition -- and over a period of years -- just to get to that point in baseball.

And leaving for baseball wouldn't necessarily be a financial windfall -- counting a $5,000 bonus for making the NCAA Tournament, Eriksen made $67,000 this season, which is more than Cardieri was paid. So if I were to say that he has withdrawn his name from consideration for the baseball job, I'd make it clear he never intended it to be there in the first place.

http://www.sptimes.com/blogs/usf/