Walton at Emerald Coast Gator Club

The equal disbursement to each player was CTW's idea, I believe he needs to evaluate that decision or look for more "investors"

As to 200k not being enough - well Maxwell got 50k and Vauter got 75k. So for 125k we could have got both.

Hopefully we can get more people to get the softball NIL fund paidinfull next year and maybe we get a few Elite transfers.

 

Yeah, except getting those two means not much left for the other two primo transfers or the rest of the roster....which is kind of my point.
I admire coach wanting to provide for the whole team. But the more realistic route may be the idea Napier has spoken of.....having everyone on the roster getting something (I know 40k was mentioned) and then having a fund for big time stars. Of course I imagine this is already happening to some extent

 

1990 and myself both have written our checks for NIL softball only. Neither he or I are complaining about what CTW is doing to attract talent. Yes I am an old fart but I have been attending softball since 1998 when I was not an old fart. I coached select softball for my oldest daughter's team fo 6 years so I believe I am invested . By the way I live in TX and I have only missed 3 home series in the last 9 years and attended many away series and went to every Regional, Super Regional and WCWS game UF has been to (including at Stanford). So yes, I get upset when people talk about how bad CTW did or how 200K is a drop in the bucket. My option is put up, even $100, or keep quite about things you know zero about what is really happening.

 

My initial post that 90 responded to wasn’t really directed at you, or him for that matter. It was directed at the guy I quoted and the other handful of posters who have been a part of the non stop bitch fest on this forum. The guys who relentlessly make posts like “this is unacceptable at a program like UF” and “CTW has to be more competitive in the portal” while not realizing they’re the ones not holding up their end of the bargain. Sure seems like this softball team is all some of these guys have in their life, yet they constantly blame someone else for the team’s shortcomings when they now possibly play the biggest role in fielding competitive teams and luring top talent here.

If you’re looking at me to fund this team for you, you’re going to continue to be let down. The ROI isn’t there for me. I follow the team, but it doesn’t make or break me and I won’t lose any sleep over getting outbid by fanbases who are putting their money where their mouth is. The folks constantly bitching about it have the same opportunity, but aren’t getting it done.

If you think 200k is going to get it done, you’re sorely mistaken. It’s time to either get content with not being able to buy the top talent, or get out there and raise the funds to field competitive teams. Be prepared for these numbers to skyrocket in the near future when HS kids start really looking for the same opportunities.

Another thing, this isn’t CTW’s money. His vision of an equal split isn’t going to get it done. You guys know this. The top players are going to want top dollar. The sooner you guys realize who is in control of this money and how it gets spent, the better off you’re going to be. It obvious you guys think the coaches have way more control over this stuff than they do. You don’t need his permission to go get the two pitchers you know he wants and this team needs. Raise the money and get the deals done. What’s he gonna do, pull the offers? Unlikely if he wants to be successful. The NIL stuff is in your hands, not his. Doesn’t sound like he’s helping you guys out much raising the funds, why are you letting him dictate how the funds are spent?

 

One of the rules i've lived by for many years is:

If you do not cast a vote in an election, you do not have the right to bitch about the government.

I feel this applies in this situation as well:

If you don't donate to a particular NIL, then you don't have the right to bitch about it.

To quote Forrest Gump:

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

I’m not bitching about the NIL money available, just pointing out that the numbers you’re posting aren’t going to compete with the top teams. That much should be obvious to you.

My initial post was a shot at the people who bitch about being outbid and how everything is all the coaches fault. If that’s not you, then I wasn’t talking about you. Either get out there and be the top bidder or stop bitching about being outbid. And stop bitching when the teams who outbid you take home the trophies.

 

I have donated to what I assume was the general softball fund. The additional NIL fund was mentioned a couple weeks ago as being in the process of created but I haven't heard anything since. I don't see any option to designate that on the Florida Victorious site....just what I assume is the general fund and that's where I put my money. I will also contribute to the NIL fund if there is a clear way to do that. Any advice?

 

Aren't you leaving out the information that Maxwell was also promised a full ride in Vet School, or has that been retracted? That's far more money than just $50,000. I have a hard time believing she would go to Norman from OSU for "just" $50,000.

 

Wowser on the Vet school

 

There's a lot to digest in that and, without looking for a fight, a fair amount I don't agree with. Anyway, one area I agree....and this is something I've ranted about before.....the silence in Walton's program is continuous and deafening. There is almost no attempt at fan and supporter interaction. I've been mulling this for awhile now....Walton needs to get out front on this stuff and do it publicly. Not how we lost a couple players. Rather, the dire need for softball fans and supporters to step up to the plate and open their wallets. Napier did so. I think we assume the majority of fans understand NIL and the need for funding to compete. I highly doubt that is the case. There are many things I like about Walton and a few, the almost total silence being #1, that I dislike. He needs to change his approach on this issue and wrap his arms around the fan base and ask for assistance in moving this program where it should be.

 

Tbh, I don’t think there’s enough money floating around inside that stadium to be competitive with the top dogs. You’re going to have to look outside of the everyday softball fans and supporters. Find some corporate money. Football and baseball have heavy hitters like Condron and Hathcock. Who are those guys for the softball program? Do they even exist? You can expect the coach to go get that money for you, or you can go get it yourself. Some of you definitely seem to have the free time.

Bring in the money, demand more access. You can buy the access you want at the same time you’re buying the players you want. A handful of 4-5 figure donors help, but aren’t going to get it done by themselves. That’s just what it is. That’s not telling you how to govern without casting a vote.

I’m perfectly content being outbid and no longer competing for titles. I’ll still go to a few games, and watch whatever else is available on tv or the espn app. I won’t blame the coach for being unable to bring in the high dollar recruits. If you aren’t content, there’s a whole lot you can do. Sounds like 90 is trying his best. Good for him. I hope he has more success in the future.

 

I don't blame the coach for not bringing in high dollar people from the transfer portal but I sure as heck blame the coach for only having two pitchers on staff. Totally unacceptable.

 

How many pitchers will be on staff when the season starts? Looks like the number is more than two already.

 

Who is big money other than Oklahoma? Vawter to USC is an aberration if, in fact, Staley funded almost all of it from her basketball money. Oklahoma has the big bucks guy by the name of Love who threw $10 million at them to help build the new stadium, which shockingly, will have his name on it. You can bet he's funding the vast majority of the NLI money they have by the buckets full. Who else? (And Staley has a very long leash, of course, but I have to wonder how people that donated to basketball and who don't give a rat's ass about softball feel about that.)

 

I have serious doubts that the women’s basketball coach just goes, “oh, go give that softball girl whatever she wants. Take it away from what was donated specifically for my players”. That’s what the folks here want to believe though.

Aberration or not, they got it done. We don’t even need to discuss competing with OU until you can hold your own with South Carolina. If you think that OU is the only one dumping money into their program and they’re your only competitor, I think you’re going to continue to be disappointed. There will be another USC with a different name next cycle that puts some money together and goes after a top player. If you sit around thinking we have more to offer and surely they can’t compete with the mighty UF, I think you’re going to continue to be disappointed. If you think a 200k budget is going to get it done, I think you’re going to continue to be disappointed. If you think this equal opportunity approach is going to consistently land top players, I think you’re going to continue to be disappointed. This should all be pretty evident to you by now.

 

Well, we could go on about this stuff all night and beyond. You have a lot of very strong and negative opinions that involve a relatively new and ever changing environment. You are entitled, of course, to those opinions. Everything is evolving. We have a lot of work to do. But you seem resigned to the belief it is impossible for UF to compete. And, more so, who cares if we can't compete? I don't share that viewpoint on either end. The information we are relying upon regarding Maxwell and Vawter comes from people that appear to me to have well-founded inside information. I wouldn't rely on it otherwise. There is nothing to indicate that USC has sufficient softball money over UF without something else happening in this situation. I guarantee Texas, that supposed fountain of all of the riches in everything, really wanted Maxwell and they didn't get her. Gasso has clearly decided she can achieve success by buying four or five established players every year. Walton appears to be of the mind he can recruit high school elite players and he is proving that is the case. And I am waiting for the time when elite level high school players start ignoring Gasso and Oklahoma. How long are they supposed to ride the bench and not get a fair shot when year after year she just buys more established players? Witness Jocey Erickson. And, assuming the USC situation is as we are reasonably led to believe, you didn't answer my question....who has the big softball bucks that UF doesn't have other than Oklahoma? (And there are some fairly big softball donors. Walton needs to direct them to the more important needs. Someone (I forget who) donated a lot of money for the new scoreboard. Tell them to donate to NIL and we can live with slate and chalk for a scoreboard.)

 

CTW is not asking you to fund the team. He is asking you to help in any way you can.
ROI is bullsh**t. This is a game you supposedly enjoy, and would like to it be successful.

 

Roger, i was wondering why you posted this reply but I realized it must be in response to a post by someone I blocked

 

LOL