Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

8 Days to First Pitch!
Jocelyn Erickson C 2024-

 

Roll Call: Who is going to the “2024 Gators Softball First Pitch on the Diamond” event at KSP on Saturday night? I’m going. Phil is my name. I am coming down from Augusta, Georgia.

 

Can't make it but I hope everyone posts a full report.

 

I'll be there for dinner. My name is Roger.
I'll be the one with the bald head.

 

I’ll be there for dinner. My name is Sandy.
I’ll be the one with the big white noggin’.

 

Tom Canterbury and Gray Robertson. Out of the Box Podcast. They are obviously Bama guys but they talk about the whole conference on their podcast and do a pretty good job... though they aren't high on UF most the time... shocker lol they still honor the rivalry with us.

 

Doubt that. Think it's more along the lines that there are going to be other televised matches on Saturday featured. No very often a full 3 game series is televised. It's usually 2 ans 1 streamed. Which is how this will be. Saturday will likely feature a game from each SEC matchup that weekend.

 

7 Days to First Pitch!
Kelsey Stewart 2B/SS 2013-16

 

7 Days to First Pitch!
Keagan Rothrock RHP/1B 2024-

 

If Rothrock and Erickson can be half ad good as Ocasio and Stewart were for us I'll be happy lol. I think they easily can be. Jsut have a really good feeling about the next couple years.

 

This was one of the most interesting posts ever. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes look.

I wonder whether not upgrading the television production facilities is a Covid thing at all but rather just a bottom-line business decision.

UF gains national prestige and big donors from the doing well in major sports -- football, baseball, basketball. That's primarily what SportsCenter and Joe Blow care about. There are only two of those sports on the same weekend, so I'm sure Stricklin figures why upgrade the television facility? He probably figures if there is an extra $10 million laying around, spend it on something like the Heavener training facility that will attract players from the portal rather than sports which don't really draw a national audience or make a dime for the university.

I don't agree with that thinking because I think UF needs to project qualify across the board, but his thinking is understandable.

 

I don't find it understandable. In the current state of wild-west NIL and mediocre UF football and basketball, I hope he doesn't seriously think that spending for more bling in the Heavener facility is going to be the make-or-break factor for attracting players from the portal. (I'm tempted to make some snarky comment about the effects of consecutive contract buyouts, but I've probably run my mouth too much already.)

 

I absolutely agree and think NIL stinks, at least how things are currently set up. Between similarly situated programs, facilities used to be a key selling point. Now its money, no doubt. But if College X is similarly situated as UF, offering the same money as UF, but UF's facilities are much nicer, where are ya gonna go? Youngins are impressed by bling.

 

CTW at the open practice said we are at $350,000, which is the middle of the pack.
So that is the reason we need to support NIL for softball. No matter what you or I like about NIL, we must donate money to FV and earmark it for Softball.
This is the new reality whether we like it or not. Step up if you really are a fan.
That is the reason Gator Diamond Club went to $35 dues, so we could donate to FV.
Please get over your bias, and donate to the new reality.

 

My favorite moment: when she decided to come to Gainesville

 

One of my favorite moments: the lighting strike home run vs Washington in game 3 of the supers

 

My favorite moment: keagan signing her NLI to play for the gators

 

6 Days to First Pitch!
Katie Medina SS/2B 2012-15

 

Interesting post I saw on another board from an OU open practice. Sooner fans hate the pitch clock because it's making their batters uncomfrotbale. I find it hilarious because they have been the worst year in and year out about having batters take forever in the box.