Sorry PNeal7, as I didn't mean to stir the pot...I merely needed to get that off my chest. I doubt I post on here again...until Regionals next year

I've been reading this board all year, but I've stayed away from it...primarily because I find message board "arguments" silly and pointless. However, I'm not going to allow the SU peeps to get on here and beat their chest about 3 years of success. Much like PNeal7 I'm friends with a couple former SU players and I think the world of them and their accomplishments. So with all due respect to those players...this is ridiculous...

When I first transferred CNU, we didn't give a crap about Shenandoah: we disliked Greensboro because, well, who does like Greensboro...playing Methodist was always annoying because you always felt they didn't 'beat' you but they won all the time...Averett college had an outstanding coach but his players had some busch-league antics...and the big rivalry was with NC Wesleyan because we were always seemingly competing against them for the top spot (and they were fun to have a couple cold ones with)...then SU and Ferrum were just long road trips that always seemed cold. I have no clue where the hatred/rivalry with SU came from. Maybe you were so tired of staring up at our a**es from the bottom of the standings you decided to dislike us.

10 years from now, will anybody know who SU is? Will they remember what they've done and what these current classes have worked so hard to accomplish? That depends on what the next generation of SU baseball does. You see, people defend schools like CNU because we've been there, done that (and yet we're still apparently fighting to get over the hump, but that's a different issue in my opinion). SU isn't respected that way yet and 3 years of success won't bring it. People view CNU/Methodist/NC Wesleyan in a different light because those 3 schools have experienced success for a sustained period of time.

"Coming to play" for the better part of a decade will bring that.

Baring some unforeseen event, it's known that in 2020 CNU will still be near the top of whatever conference they're in (provided it's still DIII) and still competing for regional championships (and hopefully more). The same bold statement can't be said for a school like SU.

Hats off to my Captains for a record-breaking season, and best of luck to the remaining schools in Tennessee.

Not going to go into a long description here of my thoughts and feelings on Shenandoah, their success over the past 2 seasons, or Anderson...mainly because I feel the attention needs to be focused on their recent championship. But I will say this...

While I appreciate the brief history lesson on Shenandoah and their baseball program, I grew up 20 miles away from Winchester and never heard a peep about them...not in the papers, on the radio, nothing. Shortly after committing in 2003 to a college in South Carolina I recieved a recruiting phone call from Shenandoah on a weekday evening. One of the first things said on the phone to me was "Just please give us a chance to recruit you"...doesn't like sound something a program with a history of success would say to a recruit. But I have no idea about their past, and quickly frankly I don't care...I just know that when I transferred to CNU is was generally felt that we should walk all over them. Which was ironic considering my first year at CNU, we fielded one of the worst teams in recent CNU memory and SU took 2 out of 3 games from us, and the 1 win we got was a gift...

I can't argue the success Anderson has had recently. However, my opinion towards him as a person was developed in the summer of 2004. I played for the Woodstock River Bandits and we were playing the Winchester Royals for the annual July 4th (or it might have been 3rd) game followed by a fireworks display. Our starting pitcher allowed a homerun that MIGHT have traveled 315 feet...and that's being generous. He yelled "booooom" when he hit it and pimped the crap of that rather weak homerun. His next at bat, he was greeted by a 92 mph fastball in the ribs (as he should have) and that set Anderson off. After our starter was pulled he asked for ice for his arm, which he was then told he would have to get that from the trainer in the Royals dugout. He went over to get it and the next thing we know Anderson is yelling and him and he is being pulled from the dugout. Anderson yelled, and I quote, "Get your f****** bag of ice you f******* p***y and get the f*** outta here!!". He yelled that at our pitcher in front of an estimated 2000+ in attendance. Attempting to belittle/bully a 20 year old kid isn't exactly a trait I view as one of admiration in a coach, but maybe our morals differ. If that is an "Anderson Man" I don't want a damn thing to do with it. I understand everybody has a moment of weakness, but that is something that has stuck with me to this very day.

The question I posed is a very intersting one. Having 2 successful seasons, albeit 2 very successful seasons, doesn't necessarily make a program. In 10 years will people from the conference look back and view this a simply a high-period in Shenandoah baseball, or rather as a stepping stone for something much bigger. Only time will tell that...2 great seasons won't. But to say you guys haven't gotten credit is BS. You've gotten credit for your accomplishments the past 2 seasons as you've been the best in our conference, which is certainly something to be commended for. No use in beating a dead horse, but the OOC issue needs to be addressed...that schedule is simply terrible. I see you referenced Galludet in CNU's OOC schedule...you also failed to mention Salisbury (twice), Rowan (twice), Virginia Wesleyan (twice), Bridgewater (twice), William & Mary, and York. Some of these schools were down this year, but these respective universities and colleges are on CNU's schedule every year (with the obvious exception being William & Mary). If SU were to schedule like that I doubt that post-2005 winning percentage you guys brag about would be as such. I understand that Shenandoah is no longer a push-over, but that wasn't the point...can they continue to be as such is what I'm curious about.

One thing we can agree on is Jenkins (who has to know who I am). I ran into him last fall at the softball fields in Winchester and the first thing he did was show me his ring (a couple years ago during Apple-Blossom at Sweet Caroline's I was poking fun at him, showing off my ring) and playfully rubbed it in my face. Getting a ring is the reason we play college baseball and everybody who gets one should be commended for it. I've worn mine nearly every day since getting it, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Jenkins was/always has been a good man and I certainly hope he gets that opportunity coach somewhere soon!

Best of luck to the Hornets in the regional tourny.


Jeez, didn't mean to type that much...sorry fellas...

Congrats to SU, but I have to give a tip-of-the-hat to my boys in Newport News as well...they battled their rears off this weekend. It is still beyond me (and some of the players) how they didn't hit SU's pitching better than that considering the quality of their arms. But despite never passing the "eye" test, they got it done and should be commended for that. Best of luck to SU in the regionals as I'm not sure what the future holds for the rest of the USAS, but I don't see my Captains getting in without some act of God. This isn't basketball, meaning you don't get rewarded for simply playing tough OOC opponents, and I don't think CNU did enough against those opponents to garner any votes.

They were fairly young this year, and losing a bat like Despins that early in the season DEFINITLEY hurt the offense, but given finding a pitcher or two I expect big things from the Captains next year. Hopefully you guys can finish the season off on a strong note by knocking Salisbury off a time or two...

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but one thing I'm looking forward to watching in the future is the progession of Shenandoah. Every squirrel finds a nut (or two in their case), but can they keep this level of talent in Winchester and sustain this amount of success to become a year-in-year-out threat like NCWC, Methodist, or CNU...or will they eventually fade back to being "Shenandoah"??

Just got word that they were, in fact, the white uni's...my personal favorite of all CNU's uniforms. I think it looks comparable to the nike baseball jersey's, just a little bit better material and better looking. I just wish the pants had a prominent blue stripe down the side...

Do any of you guys remember the hats that Greensboro wore 3-4 years ago?? Every part of the hat was a different color...either white, green, or yellow...looked literally like a clown hat. Makes me throw up in my mouth a little thinking about it...

But hokieone is right, back to on the field play..

GO CAPTAINS!!

Mmmmmmm...steak and shake...wish we a couple of those around here huh Funchester (I'm from the Valley FYI).

Which uni's narch?? Please don't tell me you're talking about the white ones...I LOVE those things...wish we had them when I played. I haven't seen any of the photos yet, but I remember I never liked us wear the blue/grey combo...

Narch: No offense to your boy...I've never even seen Inghram play. But from talking to some of the guys on various teams, I get the feeling that most people think he had a much better year last year and might not of been as deserving of that 1st team selection...but a unanimous all-conference player either way. When you said he hit a "hard" .289 it instantly reminded me of a couple years ago when Matt Wieters of the Orioles hit over/around .400 in spring training. One scout was quoted as saying it was a "soft" .400, which was hilarious to me. Point being, they hit what they hit. But as stated before, sorry...I'm still very bitter about Neal (CNU) not getting all conference simply because they felt obligated to stick someone from Greensboro on there...

USA South Fan: If the coaches decided to take into consideration how players "carry" themselves on the field, that would be a first. When I played there were a couple of players from Greensboro who acted like complete a$$es on the field, but still managed to grab all-conference honors.

But enough about all-conference...glad to hear my Captains pulled out the victory today. I had the same initial reaction as you vabaseball, wondering why Brinkman was still in the game up 9-1. People there tell me his pitch count was only in the 80's, meaning he still probably had some gas in the tank. But on the other hand, if you pull him out then he might recover a tad quicker than normal, meaning he might be more effective if they need him for another start later in the weekend. But hindsight is 20/20...it's time to start rolling boys. Go CNU!!

Just saw they released the all-conference teams for the year...here are a couple of my thoughts quickly, as I honestly never put a whole lot of stock in these selections. Most years they are seemingly a popularity contest, and I suspect it was the same this year.

Congrats to Van Dusseldorp as it seems like the kid had a heck of a year. Despite the fact that I think the majority of Shenandoah's stats should have an "*" next to them because of that joke of a non-conference schedule they play (not to mention to the running-up-the-score we've already discussed), I saw him play in person twice and he can swing it. Tip of the hat to you...

Congrats to Greensboro's Michael Parker for getting the "Well-your-team-sucked-but-we-gotta-stick-you-guys-somewhere-so-here's-a-3rd-team-selection" award. The players on the recieving end of this joke are obviously CNU's Parker Neal (I'm biased I'll admit) and Shenandoah's Jesse Henry. I don't know about Jesse's past, but Neal has gotten all conference every year since his Freshman year, and this happens to be his best year statistically (and not to mention he batted .042 higher than said player). While I don't have the time to look over countless stats (and setting aside all SU schedule jokes), the fact that Jesse was .008 shy of batting .400 SHOULD say something about the caliber of player he is. He only batted .269 in conference but hell, Inghram only batted .289 in conference and got first team.

And finally, congrats to the 6th place team in the conference, the Averett Cougars, for by some act of God getting 8 players on the all conference teams...so many in fact that, despite having a losing conference record, they managed to get the 2nd most players elected to the all conference teams.

That's all of my complaining for now...best of luck to all teams this weekend...

but seriously, GO CAPTAINS:)

Thanks for explaining narch! I thought that people were saying that if, for example, 2 teams are tied with same conference record, that the higher seed would be awarded to the team with higher overall winning percentage. That's what confused me...

After reading my post for the 4th or 5th time, I appears I may have sounded a little negative towards SU...that wasn't the intent at all. I was simply trying to say that for the caliber of pitching CNU faced, we should have done a much better job hitting. I didn't what any of you to think I was trying to poop on SU's parade...

It would make sense that NCWC would be technically considered in 1st place, but with those tiebreakers who the heck knows. I assume when you say "winning percentage" you mean "overall winning percentage", which would obviously then mean Shenandoah would be in 1st place. With the cupcakes they consistently fill their schedule with, it would be a joke for them to get the #1 seed in an "overall winning percentage" tiebreaker over a team that swept them. But they did just sweep my Captains, so I really have no room to talk...

CNU has got a lot of work to do before the conference tournament if they wish to continue play into the postseason. They aren't going to face a more below-average pitching staff in this conference than that. In game 1, Van Sickler had a low-80's fastball (maybe 84-85 tops) with a changeup and a get-me-over curveball, yet CNU made no adjustments. In game 2 CNU got a little bit better offensively, but still couldn't get the big hit against a junkball lefty and righthanded submariner. The Captains need a bit more patience/discipline at the plate against that kind of pitching. I love seeing agressive hitters, but against pitching like that you have to be patient to have success. Our youth definitely showed...

Regardless of CNU's continued struggles at the plate, SU got the big hits when they needed them and certainly deserved the sweep. As much as it pains me to admit it (and that goes for the rest of our alum's as well), SU is the better baseball team right now. They have to bounce back, and hopefully that starts today at Bridgewater, although we NEVER seem to play well there. Maybe it's the constant smell of chicken crap blowing in from the outfield...

Game 1 was Brinkman starting and Ian Lenda is relief, and game 2 was Chitsaz starting followed by Fleiscmann, then I left. It sounded like it was heck of a finish...

HokieOne was at the game with me...probably won't be home for a while! The 2nd game got too stinking cold for me, as I left in the 7th inning, feeling pretty confident CNU could hold down the SU bats. Looks like I left WAY too soon...

The Shenandoah PA guy does realize he's doing a baseball game and not a WWE showdown, doesn't he?? The only thing more annoying than SU's drunk fans (who, by the way, were the least-funny drunk fans I've ever heard...seriously...nothing even remotely clever...they need to take some notes from the guys on the hill at Ferrum) was the PA guy!

Exactly the point Hokieone...regional record wasn't the issue, nor is home vs. away games. The "principle" behind what they did is the issue, but whatever...it's over and done with.

Go get em' Captains...

USA South Fan: I couldn't agree more with the wooden bat statement. One of the best sounds in baseball is walking outside Camden Yards while the teams are taking pre-game batting practice and hearing the crack of the wooden bat echo throughout the stadium. The "ping" of a metal bat just doesn't provide the same excitement...

And yes, technically it isn't over until it's over...especially in the sport of baseball and even more so with metal bats being involved. But you can't convince me that sometime during the bottom of the 6th, while they were busy going ahead 26-13, they couldn't have gotten some hard-working reserves a couple much needed AB's. It looks like in the 8th the reserves put up an 8 spot, so apparently they hit the pitching (if you want to call it that) just as well. To say what they did is anything beyond padding the starters stats is ignorant. I haven't said much all year when it comes to SU's "schedule" (and I use that term very lightly), because I suppose subconsciously I'm giving them a pass due to last year's success. And I'm certainly not going to go on a rant about it now, days before they play my beloved Captains. But give me a break...

Everybody going to the games this weekend, please travel safely. And anybody traveling on I-81 PLEASE watch your speed...law enforcement has been out in full force all week...