⚾ 🥎 🥎Super Regional: Alabama @ Tennessee - Bama takes series...onto the the WCWS, again.

Tidexc1 said:
Tennessee should honestly win the national championship this year with the pitching staff they have. Plus they have several other amazing pieces of course as well. But the game isn't played on paper and hopefully Bama can go in and shock the softball world!
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Didn't want this to get lost. We have an abundance of knowledgeable posters here. On softball, I personally consider @Tidexc1 to be the leading authority on this board... no slight to anyone else, that's just my view. He posted that leading into this series. That was a damn softball good team Bama eliminated.
 
Brandon Van de Graaff said:
He took a less talented team handed to Knoxville and them the Vols their first series loss of the season. And did so, with a lot of the lucky and fluke type plays going the Vol's way for most of the 3 games. There is no scenario in all that where he doesn't deserve credit for his coaching and managing, IMO. And I'm not saying this is you, but there are fans out there (in the fanbase) that just don't like him at this point and won't give him credit for anything going forward. Secretly, some of them would have likely been happier in a fantasy world where Bama lost by 10 and Murphy got fired tomorrow morning... just so they could feel some gratification of some sort.
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We still struggled mightily. Scoring runs was difficult and our fielding was hot and cold. I see it as Beaver came in and saved the team. For goodness sakes, she pitched an entire scoreless game herself on Saturday with multiple errors almost costing the team. A timely hit and a Vols team not measuring up to what they had done all year just happened to merge at the same time (whatever it takes). I still say the girls won it, because I'm not seeing where coaching or small ball won us the game, it actually didn't work in the second game.

For the record, I'm betting you are 100% correct about some fans. You're right, I'm not one of them because I'm not invested in the softball program other than being an Alabama fan and a casual fan. I don't care if he stays or goes, but I just know what I've heard and observed, and in the end it does not matter to me. I'm happy for the program, no doubt about that and I'll cheer them on just like I have the last thirteen years.
 
I am happy for the win and excited to watch the Bama - UCLA game. I will also admit I’ve probably been more critical of Murph than I should have. I just have a problem with his lack of detail. ie: recruiting is really frustrating. There is no excuse for him not to be able to recruit top talent to Tuscaloosa consistently. After 25 years he should have talent every year to match Oklahoma, Texas, even Tennessee and etc. Also this program has been in decline, especially offensively, the last 6-7 years and he doesn’t seem interested in making moves to correct the problem. IMO with his history and tradition of building a successful softball program it should never have a struggling season. Yes, even with top talent, teams are sometimes going to struggle through some games. I don’t think he has just over the past few years turned into a bad coach. However, I do believe he has let some aspects of the game pass him by. Again, IMO, he could solve many of this programs issues by hiring more competent and experienced assistants.
 
Kind of unbelievable!!!!! The worst team (statistically and sec record wise) he’s had…
Yet here they are, I’ve got to admit I did not see this coming…..
Still needs a hitting coach for sure, but dayum!!!!

Oh yeah, briski and beaver are bad ass!!!!
 
Give the team and Coaching some credit for getting hot at the right time. However you can't say things are fine with Bama Softball when you finish below .500 in conference play. This would have happened earlier if it were not for Montana Fouts being on the mound.

With that said, hope they can kick it into another gear and find a way to win a lot of games in the WCWS and see how far they can go.
 
mando said:
Give the team and Coaching some credit for getting hot at the right time. However you can't say things are fine with Bama Softball when you finish below .500 in conference play. This would have happened earlier if it were not for Montana Fouts being on the mound.

With that said, hope they can kick it into another gear and find a way to win a lot of games in the WCWS and see how far they can go.
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The hitting is not good. Can't understand it. Some of swings. Thats just not reacting to pitches but guessing ..... we were always taught thats a big no-no...
But the pitching has been good. And a freshman if they can keep her. The D cost them game 1. But had been pretty good since. But its ball. Ebbs n flow

Vs ucla should be good.
 
TerryP said:
You want to discuss strength of schedule for a minute.

Losses against whom?
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Were they below .500? regardless of schedule? Elite should be elite. Is that the desire or expectations for Bama Softball? Is everything ok with Bama Softball? Hey they could very well win it all but that would not change the struggles.
 
Warning: Much of what I'm about to say is stuff I'm repeating for the 10x time. Disregard the entire post if you wish.

You'd probably have a very difficult time finding anyone who, "says everything is ok" with Bama Softball. The issue (my issue anyway), is that so many think everything is wrong with it. People talking in these firm absolutes that hold little, if any water. And then the answer for some seems to be firing Murphy, as if that magically fixes the few issues that persist without compounding things and creating numerous new, and likely much more serious, issues. Not to mention, the whole idea is/was a non-starter to begin with.

If we want a serious conversation though, let's try one last time... The hitting woes need to be fixed, period. Maybe Murphy will make a change there, maybe he will give Arbour more than 1 season to figure it out. We shall see. Personally, I'd make a change ASAP... even if it was going and getting a top HS coach who has a good track record with working with hitters. There have been some recruiting misses along the way in recent years though that have, IMO, made the job of Arbour (and Murphy himself) a bit more difficult (but I also think the development is not close to what it should be recently). And while I understand the incoming class is solid overall, Murphy has got to get a higher batting average himself on the transfers he brings in (in terms of the bats, he's done pretty well with the pitchers, but will need to keep that up too as Bama will need another top arm for next season to go along with Briski). He's got 3 really good assistants on staff in Braud, Iamurri, and Jayden Spencer who can manage the clubhouse and put out fires if need be. My advice (which is worth nothing) is get some damn good players and don't worry about the fit with the current team (within reason). Some good news on the horizon... I understand the 2025 class is shaping up to be a top 5 overall class as things stand now.

I do wonder though... with all the talk of the lackluster roster (by Bama standards anyway), and the well documented hitting and fielding woes we've seen this year... how does Murphy get zero credit (from some) for getting the team back to Omaha? We saw it last year too... Without Fouts, Bama never makes it to OKC... now she's gone, Bama is sunk... I'm looking around and yet again, Bama is going back to OKC. LSU, A&M, UGA, the Vols, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mizzou? Where are they at? There is no world, no equation, no realistic possibility that exists, where Murphy is falling up the steps into the WCWS every year. It's just too damn hard to get there, especially on a consistent basis. The mere fact that he's now done it 2 years in a row, with the roster that he's had (and with a 1 legged Fouts last year), completely obliterates any argument that he's not a good coach. And for the 100th time, yes, he needs to adjust and fix some things or it might get away from him very soon, but as for now, he just eye raked his haters. Again.
 
Brandon Van de Graaff said:
Warning: Much of what I'm about to say is stuff I'm repeating for the 10x time. Disregard the entire post if you wish.

You'd probably have a very difficult time finding anyone who, "says everything is ok" with Bama Softball. The issue (my issue anyway), is that so many think everything is wrong with it. People talking in these firm absolutes that hold little, if any water. And then the answer for some seems to be firing Murphy, as if that magically fixes the few issues that persist without compounding things and creating numerous new, and likely much more serious, issues. Not to mention, the whole idea is/was a non-starter to begin with.

If we want a serious conversation though, let's try one last time... The hitting woes need to be fixed, period. Maybe Murphy will make a change there, maybe he will give Arbour more than 1 season to figure it out. We shall see. Personally, I'd make a change ASAP... even if it was going and getting a top HS coach who has a good track record with working with hitters. There have been some recruiting misses along the way in recent years though that have, IMO, made the job of Arbour (and Murphy himself) a bit more difficult (but I also think the development is not close to what it should be recently). And while I understand the incoming class is solid overall, Murphy has got to get a higher batting average himself on the transfers he brings in (in terms of the bats, he's done pretty well with the pitchers, but will need to keep that up too as Bama will need another top arm for next season to go along with Briski). He's got 3 really good assistants on staff in Braud, Iamurri, and Jayden Spencer who can manage the clubhouse and put out fires if need be. My advice (which is worth nothing) is get some damn good players and don't worry about the fit with the current team (within reason). Some good news on the horizon... I understand the 2025 class is shaping up to be a top 5 overall class as things stand now.

I do wonder though... with all the talk of the lackluster roster (by Bama standards anyway), and the well documented hitting and fielding woes we've seen this year... how does Murphy get zero credit (from some) for getting the team back to Omaha? We saw it last year too... Without Fouts, Bama never makes it to OKC... now she's gone, Bama is sunk... I'm looking around and yet again, Bama is going back to OKC. LSU, A&M, UGA, the Vols, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mizzou? Where are they at? There is no world, no equation, no realistic possibility that exists, where Murphy is falling up the steps into the WCWS every year. It's just too damn hard to get there, especially on a consistent basis. The mere fact that he's now done it 2 years in a row, with the roster that he's had (and with a 1 legged Fouts last year), completely obliterates any argument that he's not a good coach. And for the 100th time, yes, he needs to adjust and fix some things or it might get away from him very soon, but as for now, he just eye raked his haters. Again.
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The question is the current coach willing to change? You're suggesting changes, but his history doesn't show many changes or conforming to the new world of college athletics. If he can do that, you won't hear a peep from me.

As far as your falling upward comments, you even said so yourself that Tennessee was a legit National Champion contender. You quoted @Tidexc1 Where he said the same thing and I think we can all agree they fell well short of their potential. It wasn't for elite defense or offense on our end, and I can't point to a coaching moment that gave us the upper hand. I'm not saying he was worthless and we accomplish what we did if he stays at home, but using that against a much larger sample of results doesn't hold up. You bring up Montana and I think you answered it because we had two pitchers play out of their minds when it mattered. Once again, he is the coach and he gets to benefit from the successes and catches the crap for the losses. Ha ha, that goes all the way down to 8U ball I've seen personally.
 
BamaFan334 said:
The question is the current coach willing to change? You're suggesting changes, but his history doesn't show many changes or conforming to the new world of college athletics. If he can do that, you won't hear a peep from me.
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I'd argue that he hasn't really had to make many significant changes, until recently. But can he? Has he? Ask Van Stuedeman about that. I'll also add, I saw many fans bellyache and yell to the heavens about all the slappers he employed and small ball he played years ago... he's moved a good bit away from that... to the point that a couple of his players have difficulty even putting a bunt in play now.

BamaFan334 said:
As far as your falling upward comments, you even said so yourself that Tennessee was a legit National Champion contender. You quoted @Tidexc1 Where he said the same thing and I think we can all agree they fell well short of their potential. It wasn't for elite defense or offense on our end, and I can't point to a coaching moment that gave us the upper hand. I'm not saying he was worthless and we accomplish what we did if he stays at home, but using that against a much larger sample of results doesn't hold up. You bring up Montana and I think you answered it because we had two pitchers play out of their minds when it mattered. Once again, he is the coach and he gets to benefit from the successes and catches the crap for the losses. Ha ha, that goes all the way down to 8U ball I've seen personally.
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He pushed the right buttons on the pitching changes. It was Murphy who moved Valentine up in the order for game 3, which led to the GSHR and 4 run lead in the 1st. Those are just 2 examples. You have more than enough understanding in this area (of baseball and softball) to realize that entire weekend didn't happen in a vacuum. It trickles all the way down to the scouting reports that he oversees. How many innings did Beaver throw against that Tennessee lineup this season? They saw a lot of pitches from her in the last 4 weeks. And she gave up just 1 earned run through all of it. She's good, yeah. But that was helped by coaching too. On the "sample of results", the results I'm using is the team getting to the WCWS. To me, that is the bottom line. Maybe others feel differently and would swap results with Arkansas every year. I won't speak for them (mock them maybe, but not speak for them).
 

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