Lady Longhorns Beat those damn Ducks!!!!

I agree with Texanne. Regretfully I feel it is now time for a coaching change. A good coach must not only be able to coach but also to recruit. We have underachieved in this sport. They may decide that getting past the first round is enough to try one more year though. I wish they would hire CAT but she probably wouldn't take it yet because she was always loyal to Coach Clark.

 

She may also not be ready. I assume that as a coach you have to have experience in a range of things much like in football. A super talented, classy and professional player needs time to develop and learn to be able to take the reigns of a program as big as this one. I hope one day for it to be in the cards for Cat to lead this team to glory, when she is ready. And if that time is now, so be it and bring it on.

This may or may not be her dream so we shall see. May she and the team have success either way.

 

Cat IS ready.

Should we blame LHN? Texas has not won anything in major sports since LHN was created.

 

I have discussed this with Cat on Twitter.

Right now, she is new to the coaching game and told me basically her ultimate goal is not to return to coach at her alma mater. Of course, this could change as time goes by.

If UT backed up the Brinks truck to her place, I'm sure she'd be on the 40 Acres in no time.

 

Can you imagine if Cat had gotten this kind of run support? Two series championships hanging on the wall.

 

Bohl's thoughts an another UT team falling short

 

Clark exemplifies Dodds and Plonsky's acceptance of mediocre. It's almost as if they've welcomed it in the "minor" sports during the past several years.

A key point in the Bohl's article is that Clark has been around for 17 years. Considering she had one of the best pitchers of all time for four seaons, she doesn't have much to show for her tenure, and five years without getting to the CWS is unacceptable.

Time to clean house. Texas needs to nab one of the top five coaches in the country from another school and offer plenty of $ for the very best supporting staff.

 

I agree Branyon! There's no reason we shouldn't have at least one or two Championships given some of the talent we've had here on the Forty Acres. IMHO, I think Coach Clark has had more than enough time here and I feel a change might be in the best interests of everyone.

 

I would not hold Connie's recruiting success against her, regardless of the fact that we are Texas, have the best facilities, charter planes for minor programs, huge advantage in resources and even our own network.

The bottom line is Coach Clark has not won a national championship during her 17 years of tenure at Texas. As softball gets more popular and entertaining, the competition just gets tougher. We are not getting closer; we are falling further behind .... A change is unavoidable.

 

Lexy Bennett ending her UT career with ZERO appearances in OKC? Disgraceful, Clark.

 

DesertDog, you are wrong in the interpretation of tweets. I have not said it is not my ultimate goal to be at the University of Texas. I have said I am not sure if I want to be a head coach or not. I also have said I am very happy in my current situation. I am still playing professionally, so that isn't the easiest to do with a program of Texas' caliber.

For others... if you think 3 years of assistant coaching (because in 08 I wasn't really with DePaul due to Olympics, so 2 at DP and 1 at SEU) qualifies me to head coach of a program that has routinely been in the Top 10 in the country, I have to kindly disagree.

I would appreciate it if facts were facts and not turned around. I am too young in my coaching career to be in this conversation.

Plus, Coach Clark is still the head coach of the greatest program I have been a part of. And for that I am glad.

 

And there we have it. I guess a good way for people to get in idea of what it takes to be a head coach at a big program would be to look at their resume. A glance at how long they were an assistant, where and their career as a coach in general could give a timeline or template.

It is not a knock on Cat at all that she is not ready. It shows she gives great respect to what it takes to get there, the road that must be traveled and to those who have done it. It's sad that those of you who never played for the team are so critical about the coach whose players love her and defend her. Hmmm, imagine that. People who know crap spew it, those who know clear up the mess with first hand facts. Sheesh guys.

 

Cat8: thanks for posting here. We forever appreciate that you chose to play for UT and what you did for the university...

 

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This. Thank you Cat8

 

Thank you for your perspective Cat8! We're all so proud of you. Keep up the great work.

 

Ditto, 100p. I'm always amused when people starting calling for former star players to become HCs when they are only a few years out of school. Being a D1 HC these days is much more than just knowing Xs and Os-- you also have to be an effective administrator, communicator, politician, fundraiser, babysitter, and counselor (among other things). That is an extremely difficult assignment for even the most seasoned individual, much less someone who is not far removed from being a student. There are exceptions to the rule of course, but not many. Cat may or may not be the exception. She apparently does not that she think is (yet). It is wise of her to acknowledge such limitations at this point in her post-college career.

Now, if only we could get some of our politicians and world leaders to demonstrate such wisdom...but that's another topic for another day on another board.

 

I apologize for the misinterpretation.

Many are frustrated, including myself, that Texas has not duplicated the WCWS success of the mid 2000's despite having teams routinely ranked in the top 10 in the nation. One regional win in the past 6 years (out of the loser's bracket) is just not getting it done. Sorry to those who might disagree.

 

^^^ So much for your inside info

 

Parity in the softball world is growing rapidly. To outsiders it may look like failure and getting beat by lesser teams, but really it's a toss up almost any given day. Look at UCLA getting beat by Hofstra.

Obviously Texas fans expect excellence, but this super regional loss was not a monumental one. Oregon was just as good on paper and on the field.

Are we going to call for Augie to resign now that baseball didn't make it?

 

Im calling BS on Cat8.

And BTW , two, count 'em two, NCAA championship trophies grace Belmont because of Augie. The man stays as long as he likes.

 

Ya, that Augie comment seems very odd.

Comparing our baseball coach to our softball coach is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a Pinto.

 

Hey Desert you don't suppost that it is not the real CAT do you?

 

You guys clearly don't understand sarcasm, but then again it's all through typing.

Call BS, but it's me. If someone wants to look up my first post ever, go back to 2006. Pretty sure it was thanking everyone for the support during my career.

 

It was kinda surprising this year to see CP, finally release some Head Coach's. The problem is, she is holding them too long at Texas. And we are falling farther and farther behind in all the women's sports programs. We Are Texas! We should have the top coach's in every sport.

 

Looking at the Regional, Mike White and his assistants out coached Clark and our assistants, hands down. What Mike White has done with the Oregon program is nothing short of miraculous when you consider we are talking about the Pac-12.

As should be done whether the program wins the National Championship or loses every game. The program should be evaluated and discussed with coaches and players to determine the next step for the program. This is the Athletics Directors Job and the Head Coaches job.

Our Softball program is only what 14 years old? Coach Clark has definately taken us to a solid, competitive level. The question becomes, and is the hardest to answer, can she elevate her game and guide us to the next level. What resources does she need?

I watched alot of softball this past weekend and the assistant coaches for all the other teams had ballers, ladies who had played the game at a very high level. Hill and McFalls kinda played it at a high level, but they do not impress me.

Very similar to what happened to Mack's staff in 2010, may need to happen to the softball team this year.

If Clark is going to be let go, Mike White better be very high on our list.

 

Impressive win for the Ducks. they kept their composure after some very questionable umpiring, something the Horns did not do.

 

In my opinion, the PAC-12 Softball(not every school has a team), is like the SEC in Football. Since 1982, the PAC conference has won 24 of 30 National Championships by 5 different teams.

Oregon has traditionally been the doormat of the PAC conference and in what 3 short years Mike White has taken them to the Super Regionals and the College World Series. That is awesome, he also did not do that with one Superstar, he did it with a whole team, pitching, hitting, and fielding(a little questionable).

This is not to say I want Clark replaced, but if she is replaced, I think Mike White would be one of few elite coaches that would leave his current situation. I am not saying get rid of Clark, I am just saying if the opening occurs, White should be on the talk to list.