Just food for thought ...

Since Coach Childress has been here at Texas A&M I've heard him say numerous times that the team's goal is to be the last team standing in Omaha each season. Then this spring we heard how the team did not adequately handle the "external pressures" of the team being ranked #1 at the start of last season (2009).

If the coaching staff's stated team goal is to be "the last team standing in Omaha" how can being ranked #1 be an external pressure?

Don't misunderstand, I love Coach Childress and Coach Deggs, especially their fiery personalities, but you just can't have it both ways. If you're good enough to win in Omaha you're likely to be ranked in the top 5 or so, so there are are probably going to be "external pressures."

Again, I really love the staff we have in place, but ultimately, even they have to win. I'm little disconcerted with his argument of "external pressures" as in my mind there should be no greater pressure for success than internal pressures - pressure from within the program, pressure to respresent Texas A&M at the highest level.

I'm I thinking wrongly?

you'd much rather have something to prove than to have everyone wanting to knock you off...

Is that an argument that we shouldn't ever be #1 for the season?

Is that argument that we can't be tu?

Personally, I find that argument offensive.

with a number 1 ranking you not only have coaches potentially sacrificing either the prior series, the following series or both in order to make sure to get the RPI boost, but they players themselves will be out for blood...

the rest of your post is simply trolling.

Don't call me trolling buddy - I've been to Aggie baseball games since '93.

How about you?

This

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Is that argument that we can't be tu?

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is trolling as it has absoultely nothing to do with the conversation.

...on and off since around '83

Read this gain ...

"You'd much rather have something to prove than to have everyone wanting to knock you off ..."

So the WEAK point you make is to not be highly ranked early so that other teams are not gunning for you?

WEAK buddy. Weak.

I'd rather be good, or great, and be able to prove it.

baseball is a game

a baseball season is a marathon...

if you're in everyone's sights, you will wear out, no question about it.

We're also not talking about an MLB team playing in a Koufax league. Very often single outs, or even single pitches decide who's still playing.

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Well played.

I see that picture all over TexAgs. What is it from; it's driving me crazy!

No Country for Old Men

Since 93 wow! Really? I guess that makes you the resident expert on the board!! We all now to you expertise!

1975!!!!!! Do I win????



But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

nope Luke- '72 here!

The "external pressure" has nothing to do with other teams getting up to play you. If you're good enough of a program to get a #1 preseason ranking those teams are going to get up to play you anyway. I can't think of a team that the Ags would play who wouldn't bring their best in every game...with or without the Ags having a high ranking.

Sometimes a high ranking (not just #1), whether is it a preseason ranking or during the season, can become a big distraction. The pressure to be perfect can distract from getting better as a team as the season progresses. Baseball is a confidence game before anything else and confidence is a fickle bit*h subject to leaving you with the slightest distraction. Few coaches want outside "pressures" to enter the psyche of their team, they want the team looking inward not outward. They want their team to work on mitigating/eliminating their weaknesses, and improving on their strengths, rather than (at some level) having their attention diverted to what others think of them.

There are a number of reasons why the Ags weren't as good as their preseason ranking. On reason is that they were never that good to begin with (ie. the evaluators were off), another is that key players didn't have the type of seasons their talent could have allowed them to have. One is injuries. Another is the timing of injuries and another is who got injured.

Reaper,

the only "external" pressure you listed was "other teams getting up to play you"

everything else is internal.

...injuries, cold bats, headgames...

I think pressure comes into play based upon who the opponent is as opposed to where a team is ranked in the polls.

For example, I don't think the Ags feel pressure when they play Baylor, because the maroon-n-white have won the season series 3 years-in-a-row. A&M is comfortable playing BU in Waco or College Station. The Ags have had recent success against them.

On the flipside, there are a couple of other programs in the state that have essentially tortured the A&M program for the past 10 years and you can see and feel the pressure when the Ags play them.

RC needs to show that he can elevate us past where MJ had us at the height of his tenure. He seemed to be getting there, but last year was just more of the same heartbreak we're all used to.

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but last year was just more of the same heartbreak we're all used to.

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If we're going to start measuring this guy by MJ, it's only fair to put last year's "heartbreak" into perspective...

MJ finished atleast sixth in conference THREE of his last SIX seasons. MJ made the NCAA tournament TWICE in his last SIX seasons. MJ had a winning Big 12 record TWICE in his last SIX seasons.

My heartbreak was the program falling into disarray under MJ.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 2/14/2010 12:34p).]

TreyMan has jinxed us for 2010 by typing the "O-word."

Remember folks, if this season doesn't go well, it is TreyMan's fault!

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Don't call me trolling buddy - I've been to Aggie baseball games since '93.

How about you?

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Man you missed some great teams!

BTW: Its easy to get called out for trolling when you have a whopping 71 posts in 7 years. Do you know what trolling means?

So... uh... only four days...