Softball Games of Interest Week of 4/29/24 through 5/5/24

[Cajun Monkee]

They do compete in the diamond sports and drive attendance in football with the human juke box.

Note I didn’t necessarily say every school in every sport.

Hope that provides clarity.

Football and the diamond sports are worlds apart.

You do have to admit and accept that playing Southern in the diamond sports is counterproductive, yes? Playing and beating them at home would probably have a negative effect on our RPI (see Houston Christian).

Unless you're willing to only play them over there (and even then, I don't know if a road win against Southern is a good win).

[VObserver]

Football and the diamond sports are worlds apart.

You do have to admit and accept that playing Southern in the diamond sports is counterproductive, yes? Playing and beating them at home would probably have a negative effect on our RPI (see Houston Christian).

Unless you're willing to only play them over there (and even then, I don't know if a road win against Southern is a good win).

It is not a good win and it is a horrible loss. This has been true every year for quite some time in both diamond sports.

[CajunVic]

It is not a good win and it is a horrible loss. This has been true every year for quite some time in both diamond sports.

Southern won the SWAC just a few years ago when a Lafayette native was pitching for them.

They beat LSU at the Box this year.

I don't know where you folks have been but surely it has not been paying attention to Louisiana college baseball.

[CajunVic]

In fact, Southern won the SWAC in 2019 and 2021 and probably would have won it in 2020 if not for Covid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ball_champions

[Esqueleto]

In fact, Southern won the SWAC in 2019 and 2021 and probably would have won it in 2020 if not for Covid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ball_champions

And what was their RPI? Winning the SWAC ain't saying much these days. Ricky Weeks and Roger Cador ain't walking through that door.

[Cajun90]

And what was their RPI? Winning the SWAC ain't saying much these days. Ricky Weeks and Roger Cador ain't walking through that door.

You are not concerned with their RPI. What you are concerned with is win/lose record. Southern's has not been good in the post Covid era.

Keep in mind that every team, no matter the league, is strapped with travel constraints. These are student athletes and as such you have to take into account time away from the classroom, money, and logistics. Many midweek games are there because they are a day trip. When you are looking at scheduling some of these weaker teams that are within driving distance the thing to concentrate on is whether or not they have historically had a good win/lose record.

[RaginDave]

You are not concerned with their RPI. What you are concerned with is win/lose record. Southern's has not been good in the post Covid era.

Keep in mind that every team, no matter the league, is strapped with travel constraints. These are student athletes and as such you have to take into account time away from the classroom, money, and logistics. Many midweek games are there because they are a day trip. When you are looking at scheduling some of these weaker teams that are within driving distance the thing to concentrate on is whether or not they have historically had a good win/lose record.

Southern is 15-23 this year, 16-23 if you count there non D1 win over Dillard. The SWAC is always a crap shoot when you schedule them, the west side of the SWAC does not have 1 team with a winning record, and that is traditionally the teams we would think about scheduling. The East is much better with FAMU, Bethune Cookman, Alabama State and JSU are all over .500.

[Cajun Monkee]

Southern won the SWAC just a few years ago when a Lafayette native was pitching for them.

They beat LSU at the Box this year.

I don't know where you folks have been but surely it has not been paying attention to Louisiana college baseball.

Small snapshots.

Yes, Southern won the 2021 SWAC conference tournament, but with a 13-11 conference record and a 20-30 overall record.

They were 263rd out of 294 places in the RPI. This year, they are 279th out 304 teams.

The SWAC was 28th out of 32 conferences in the RPI and traditionally is in the bottom 3 or 4 conferences (out of 32).

Yes, Southern beat LSU at the Box, but it does absolutely nothing for them (other than lift their RPI from the 290s to the 270s).

Whereas the loss for LSU is crippling.

The FACTS and the REALITIES are that playing Southern is not good, win or lose.

[CajunVic]

Small snapshots.

Yes, Southern won the 2021 SWAC conference tournament, but with a 13-11 conference record and a 20-30 overall record.

They were 263rd out of 294 places in the RPI. This year, they are 279th out 304 teams.

The SWAC was 28th out of 32 conferences in the RPI and traditionally is in the bottom 3 or 4 conferences (out of 32).

Yes, Southern beat LSU at the Box, but it does absolutely nothing for them (other than lift their RPI from the 290s to the 270s).

Whereas the loss for LSU is crippling.

The FACTS and the REALITIES are that playing Southern is not good, win or lose.

You are not concerned with their RPI. What you are concerned with is win/lose record. Southern's has not been good in the post Covid era.

Keep in mind that every team, no matter the league, is strapped with travel constraints. These are student athletes and as such you have to take into account time away from the classroom, money, and logistics. Many midweek games are there because they are a day trip. When you are looking at scheduling some of these weaker teams that are within driving distance the thing to concentrate on is whether or not they have historically had a good win/lose record.

Many factors go into scheduling.

It’s easy for anyone to pick apart any team with an agenda and looking at limited facts and factors.

Some asked why Southern and I gave some reasons why. I don’t expect anyone to like or accept them but they are what they are.

[Cajun Monkee]

Many factors go into scheduling.

It’s easy for anyone to pick apart any team with an agenda and looking at limited facts and factors.

Some asked why Southern and I gave some reasons why. I don’t expect anyone to like or accept them but they are what they are.

Actually, you have literally provided three reasons why:
1. They beat LSU at the Box this year;
2. They won the SWAC conference tournament in 2019;
3. They won the SWAC conference tournament in 2021.

Their RPI is consistently in the bottom 10% of NCAA teams.
The SWAC conference RPI is consistently in the bottom 10% of NCAA teams.

They're not even the tallest guy at the midget convention.

Actually, everybody else is looking at the big picture and has access to all of the information. We're not cherry picking a few events and saying "see? I'm right."

That's you.

And just curious...What "agenda" might I have?

[CajunVic]

Actually, you have literally provided three reasons why:
1. They beat LSU at the Box this year;
2. They won the SWAC conference tournament in 2019;
3. They won the SWAC conference tournament in 2021.

Their RPI is consistently in the bottom 10% of NCAA teams.
The SWAC conference RPI is consistently in the bottom 10% of NCAA teams.

They're not even the tallest guy at the midget convention.

Actually, everybody else is looking at the big picture and has access to all of the information. We're not cherry picking a few events and saying "see? I'm right."

That's you.

And just curious...What "agenda" might I have?

You don’t want to play Southern. That is an agenda. It’s may neither be a bad or a good one, but it is an agenda.

I say there may be reasons other than RPI to play Southern. While you mentioned the three above, the reasons set out by Cajun90 might be even more compelling. But you skipped those.

There are really few teams realistically available to fill our mid week schedules ALL things considered. Southern is one of them.

[lcitsh]

Gerry hasn't scheduled SWAC teams in a while. Take your baseball talk to it's appropriate thread.