The game is passing Sully by. That's 2 years in a row his teams have blown it on opening weekend. Im not calling for him to be fired or to leave but winning a national title only buys you so much good will with the poor product we have put on the field the last two seasons. I am definitely off his bandwagon.
I would have even been ok if he pulled him with a tied game..got the 3 outs...then with the HR..we would have won Oklahoma coach should send Sully a gift..cause we had them on the ropes till Slatter gave up 4 darn runs..hope his confidence isn't shattered as he gave up our lead..and the game..yeah..Sully's to blame for leaving him in tho
Sully's behavior in the top of the 8th was very strange. Your team is in a do or die situation and he stood there and watched 4 runs score.
Simply inexcusable to leave Slaton in that long. After the double and certainly after the home run you take him out. In this case Sully let the team down. I CANNOT fathom why no change. No one can.
I don't want the next Mike Martin... with only one big win. I think the best coaches always seem to either get lucky... or make all the right moves. Not the case with Sully the last few years.
Agreed, I meant maybe he had one foot out the door. His emotion in prior games was very strong and seemed to make pretty good decisions though. This just almost appeared that he was fine with losing this game.
Thank you for the effort and the great midseason turnaround guys. I hope EVERYONE learns from whatever can be learned from this year and here's to a great 2023. Props to Oklahoma, who also deserved to host a regional and went on the road and won. Both Florida and Oklahoma should have been hosts.
I can't add anything either, so I will just say thanks to Gatorgal and to all of you for making this board the best place to be. I love, love, love these game threads and follow almost every game. I guess there is next year! But man, that was an absolutely dreadful decision to not pull the pitcher in the eighth. I just will never understand it, and no matter what Sully says about it I don't think I'd buy it. No one would have second guessed a decision to pull him--even if the next man up got absolutely clobbered. I could live with that outcome. This one, not so much. It was just terrible, and I also feel bad for the players.
Cardozo interviewing Sully pointedly not asking about coaching decisions in the 8th that they talked about (IF playing back) (leaving Slater in)on the air when it was going on. Says Gators will get back to Omaha.
Sully on the radio... We battled until the bitter end. We had a chance to score some other runs earlier today but just one run short. We still hosted a regional and made a run in Hoover. The outcome is disappointing to everyone but they fought. We threw 3 freshmen out there and we have a really good chance being good going forward. You saw players getting better, others stepping up, its a shame the season has to come to an end. Looking back we certainly have gotten better. Jud is a true Gator coming back to school, one of the great ones, other seniors put in lots of work, and represented our program in a first class manner. Promise you we will get back to Omaha but my focus is on these players and the emotions they feel. This was a really tight group, listened and paid attention, what a great group.
Exactly... that was the one big win. All kidding aside, and leaving my disappointment behind, I think Sully made a huge mistake in leaving Slater in that long... for 4 freaking runs.
There are a lot of pitching experts out there and on this site. Have to think Sully knows more about what he has in the pen more than all the experts here. Don’t like the outcome at all, but have to defer. Things looking very good for next year. Go Gators.
Why do people always assume that a coach is leaving etc when things like this happen? Maybe he screwed up and got out coached this time..and I am sure he has not forgotten how to coach ..
Let him get out in 7th. When he started giving up baserunners in the eighth he had to pull him. Fic, Sproat, Ursitti???
I follow Gator baseball but in no way like you guys. I do appreciate most of the posts on this forum; you guys know baseball and this team. This was an excruciating loss, feel bad for the players. I was thinking why don’t you play your best pitcher? I dunno if that’s Sproat or whoever. I just can’t understand 1) why he brought this kid in at that time nor 2) why he didn’t pull him after the double. What could be the reasoning?
Seems no reporters ask the tough questions, it's basically a waste of time. He gets to coach speak and they get to pander.