https://twitter.com/siusalukis/status/999458771683434497?s=21
I get the nice feature for the seniors.
Again, optics. If 28-30 is what constitutes a “turn around”, that’s fueling perception SIU just doesn’t care about the program becoming a winning, NCAA Tournament making program again.
Illinois State fires their coach
Wow....they actually have higher expectations.....anyone at SIU taking notes?
https://twitter.com/siusalukis/status/999458771683434497?s=21
I get the nice feature for the seniors.
Again, optics. If 28-30 is what constitutes a “turn around”, that’s fueling perception SIU just doesn’t care about the program becoming a winning, NCAA Tournament making program again.
It is a nice feature for the seniors and I thank each of them for their time in a Saluki uniform and for representing the university in a first class manner.
HOWEVER, the elephant in the room is the ongoing middling nature of this program. SIU can and should do better. It's time to raise expectations and reward those individuals that cared enough to invest in the program through facility improvements, etc.. Right now, nothing has changed since the improvements. It was supposed to be used as a selling point......but the net results are the same.
Disappointing that our stadium upgrades haven't been able to get us over the hump. We can't be satisfied with playing for third place every year, because frankly this is as good as it's gonna get for our facilities.
One thing that goes virtually unnoticed that I do appreciate......our baseball teams have kept their noses pretty clean for a very long time. I'm not as connected to the program anymore but honestly I can't remember the last time one of our players was in trouble.
Bluster and barbeque don't win championships.
Tennessee Tech doesn't have facilities that are really any better than ours, they went 48-9 and got an at large bid out of the OVC. SIU has had opportunities to get their name out better in baseball. I'll give an example. During the ESPN+ broadcast of the SIU/Indiana State slobberknocker, the broadcast team mentioned the MVC baseball tournament would be in Normal next season, because they were the only MVC school that submitted a bid to host it. Why couldn't SIU put in a competitive bid for the tournament? If not at Itchy Jones Stadium, at least it could be hosted at Rent One. This is more fuel to the optics I've mentioned that SIU just doesn't have the desire to have a good program.
Might be some minimum criteria to host, honestly I don't know. Hotel rooms, accessibility, etc. are probably a factor. Wichita, Springfield, Dallas and now Normal have made a go of it that I can remember, any others?
Bluster and barbeque don't win championships.
Top tier hotel rooms in the Marion-Carbondale area would be the answer. It is different than hosting one basketball team at the Holiday Inn.
The area needs about 2 to 3 more quality chain hotels(Marriott, Hilton, and IHG being the big ones) before anyone would seriously consider hosting anything here.
The Hampton Inn next to the Holiday Inn got a renovation recently and is really nice now. Plus you'll have the downtown hotel, not sure hotels are a problem especially since the tournament is after graduation
Top tier hotel rooms in the Marion-Carbondale area would be the answer. It is different than hosting one basketball team at the Holiday Inn.
The area needs about 2 to 3 more quality chain hotels(Marriott, Hilton, and IHG being the big ones) before anyone would seriously consider hosting anything here.
Marshall made light of that when Wichita left, see his comment about “we can put our team in a Marriott for all the conference games now”, that was a clear as day shot at Carbondale.
Top tier hotel rooms in the Marion-Carbondale area would be the answer. It is different than hosting one basketball team at the Holiday Inn.
The area needs about 2 to 3 more quality chain hotels(Marriott, Hilton, and IHG being the big ones) before anyone would seriously consider hosting anything here.
Hampton Inns are part of the Hilton brand and Holiday Inn is part of the IHG chain.
But, you're point is still valid & well taken - the town could use one of the higher level brands with-in those chains. Doesn't need to be a JW but one straight-forward Marriott would be nice. Or add in a Garden Inn and an Avid.
A Sofitel & a Novotel would be cool too.
Go Dawgs!
The OVC just announced that the baseball tournament will be in Marion at Rent One Park for the next 2 years.
The OVC just announced that the baseball tournament will be in Marion at Rent One Park for the next 2 years.
😒 😒 😒
Kyle Dixon of the Midwest Dodgers is a Southern Illinois commit that hit 91 MPH with his fastball at today's #17UBCSNationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/sOwP8VxwLn
— PG Tournaments (@PG_Tourney) July 9, 2018
Johnson was a former SIU assistant coach if I remember right.
