No NCAA bid for Kentucky

[Comebakatz3]

Agree about radio in the bathrooms, plus, I guess because of Covid, the water fountains never worked all year.

I thought the pavilion in left center was intended to be the SRO area for students, but have not seen many if any at all over there.

But I agree with the poster above, winning solves a LOT of problems

Apparently right field behind/beside the visitor's bullpen is a place where some of the students are starting to hang out. Not a big mass there, partly because we're not winning, but also because it really doesn't have much of a natural draw other than to give grief to the bullpen and/or right fielder during the game.

Speaking of that, I can forsee a scenario where if that area became a big enough draw for students that the administration shuts it down citing player safety of those in the bullpen. Those students would literally be right on top of the bullpen and if one or more students came into the area already feeling their Beam then I could see a situation where it might be more than words that are exchanged. If that happens, I have to imagine the administration acts to stop that from happening again. So, even the kind of grass roots type of area that might grow with students has its issues.

 

[SeanCain]

We have not historically made the tournament not necessarily because it's currently hard but because:

1. Our athletic department spent decades neglecting every sport except basketball.
2. Until more recently, the rules of the sport made it more difficult for a colder weather program to compete.
3. We didn't get the 64 team format for the tournament until 1999. Prior to that it was just 48.

So, the history of it has a lot to do with those things and not entirely upon it being an indicator of degree of difficulty.

That said, I'm in no way saying it's easy. It is still just 64 teams and a bunch are competitive. Still, that's no excuse to accept mediocrity. Prior to Corbin, Vandy had little to no history. Prior to McDonnell, Louisville definitely had none. The right coach changed things for them. UK can do the same and should not accept these type of results, especially while our two biggest rivals are not only getting in, but are hosting regionals and going to the CWS. We should expect to make it regularly. We should demand it and find the coach to make that happen.

Excellent post. For those who have read my ramblings occasionally know that #1 on Comebak’s list really bothers me. I’m still not totally convinced the other sports get everything they want or need but I guarantee basketball does. The major hurdle UK has had hiring good coaches is because of the perception UK is all basketball. I assume that’s still the case. End of rant.

 

[SeanCain]

The right coach AND a ton of administrative support. That's a deadly combo. Looks like you could include the Vols in this category. As you've said before, it can be done here if the right strings are pulled.

I think with baseball to be successful, we’re going to have to land a coach like Stoops. One who’ll come in and build something first then get the resources from UK. I just don’t think UK will spend much on baseball until a good product comes first and yes I know we have a new stadium.

 

[Ghost of Cliff Hagan]

I have not been especially quiet about my feelings on the new stadium, but I'll repeat my thoughts:

1. I dislike that it already looks dirty and worn down in spots. Most of this is the padding. Look all around KPP and you'll see a dark stain on all the blue padding. You'll also find places that the vinyl covers are worn down and the pad underneath are exposed, specifically a gate in left field. KPP opened in 2018, there is no excuse for a stadium that is just 4 years old to look like that.
2. The sun problem. Not sure if they've alleviated this as I don't remember it being a problem this year, but the fact that left field and the pitcher are effectively blind for evening games was a pretty big oversight.
3. It seems poorly planned. Like they went half-cocked on trying to be a minor league stadium. The hills are too steep for a whole lot of sitting. The stone bleachers are too tall for people to sit on without bringing or renting chairs themselves. There is some random piece of turf around left field and I have no idea why, a kids play area with nothing there? Did they just have leftover turf? The ticketing is strange given that there are GA tickets for seatbacks but they're not assigned seats. They have the same trailer for a gift shop that they had at Cliff Hagan when they could have had an actual gift shop. I will forever be annoyed that they have not begun to play the radio broadcast of the game in the bathrooms and instead play some random music in there.
4. Part of that poor planning was a failure to help create a collegiate baseball atmosphere, which is partly because they wanted more of that minor league feel. No party decks, no cookout/picnic type thing, nothing really unique. No real student designated area where you might turn a blind eye to them having a few and getting rowdy.

So, to me, they've just made a really poor Single-A minor league stadium that has a relatively poor family-friendly atmosphere. It is new, so that is nice, but we paid 49 million to upgrade the place and I think it could have been so much better. Granted it is better than what we got at Cliff Hagan, but the Cliff was special and fun and provided a great collegiate atmosphere, especially when we were a pretty good team. It was way past time for an upgrade, but

Agree about radio in the bathrooms, plus, I guess because of Covid, the water fountains never worked all year.

I thought the pavilion in left center was intended to be the SRO area for students, but have not seen many if any at all over there.

But I agree with the poster above, winning solves a LOT of problems

When we asked the people at the promotions area they said there was a dead spot with WLAP or some type of antenna issues. They could play the stream to the bathrooms but it would be plays behind,. I'll give them credit for trying to encourage students to gather by the videoboard and expanding "The Hook" to try and make it a student section but I wouldn't stand over there without it being like the cliff. Or at least let students bring in tailgate setups like they allow for the birthday parties. They put corn hole boards out but nobody ever used them. That needs to change back to the atmosphere at Cliff Hagan.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I think with baseball to be successful, we’re going to have to land a coach like Stoops. One who’ll come in and build something first then get the resources from UK. I just don’t think UK will spend much on baseball until a good product comes first and yes I know we have a new stadium.

I think UK has given a coach the tools that they need. The new stadium and especially the behind the scenes facilities did that. So, a coach should be able to take those and run with them enough to bring in a lot of talent. Then, upon winning and bringing in more fan support it should be easier to ensure that the admin continues to provide the support needed to keep it going, or make it better and we don't get a similar lag in facilities that we had previously.

 

[Comebakatz3]

@Ghost of Cliff Hagan

That is pretty interesting to hear that they can't get whatever station in there. I think the next solution would then to be to put TVs in the bathroom and air the TV coverage. Even if you don't put on sound, you can at least see what is happening on the field when you're going to take a wee. Might run us a whole extra 2k to do that. I think UKathletics can swing it.

I think that the Hook could be a pretty cool area, but I see issues. Like I said, if it gets too big/rowdy then you may very well have some unwelcome interactions between fans and opposing players. Like you said, they should be able to tailgate and cookout, but that will likely never happen. Would take away possible income from the vendors who have presumably paid to be in the stadium. Which highlights another problem... many students would probably rather spend their more limited budgets on cheap booze and burgers/dogs than to have to pay stadium prices for sodas and food. So, the fact that they cannot bring those things in is a deterrent for at least some of them to go at all.

 

[Tskware]

Honest question, what is stopping fans from tailgating in the parking lot, like they do for football games? Many of the same lots are used for baseball as well.

 

[mrschwump]

Watch when OleMiss, MST, LSU play each other. 15K+ pack the stadium

My son played at a mid-major and they played against all three schools in mid-week series. Miss St had an interesting tradition...after the last game they had a cookout for the opposing team. Assuming that was non-conference only. Anyway, he said it was great!

 

[LukaszObrzut]

Honest question, what is stopping fans from tailgating in the parking lot, like they do for football games? Many of the same lots are used for baseball as well.

With baseball to me it’s intended more for drinking during the game. I do not of anything stopping people other than the time and days of games perhaps hurting some.

 

[167Hike]

Honest question, what is stopping fans from tailgating in the parking lot, like they do for football games? Many of the same lots are used for baseball as well.

Not a thing…..but the problem is the culture that was created at the Cliff. The outfield parking lot enabled people to tailgate and watch the game at the same time is what made that atmosphere special. At KPP you can’t see anything from the parking lots.

 

[SeanCain]

Not a thing…..but the problem is the culture that was created at the Cliff. The outfield parking lot enabled people to tailgate and watch the game at the same time is what made that atmosphere special. At KPP you can’t see anything from the parking lots.

Most of the parking is down the hill from the stadium. Not the best setup for tailgating.

 

[Tskware]

Most of the parking is down the hill from the stadium. Not the best setup for tailgating.

I understand, but my thought is that tailgating is pre game and post game. When the game is going on, I am in the stadium. Never occurred to me to tailgate, and get up and walk over to the outfield fence and watch an inning or so, then go back to the tailgate like the poster above suggested.

 

[sluggercatfan]

The right coach AND a ton of administrative support. That's a deadly combo. Looks like you could include the Vols in this category. As you've said before, it can be done here if the right strings are pulled.

+IU, ND, Michigan and others.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Excellent post. For those who have read my ramblings occasionally know that #1 on Comebak’s list really bothers me. I’m still not totally convinced the other sports get everything they want or need but I guarantee basketball does. The major hurdle UK has had hiring good coaches is because of the perception UK is all basketball. I assume that’s still the case. End of rant.

How close is it that CCC makes as much money as all the other coaches(talking HC) on campus combined, yet he can be held to NO standard at all.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I understand, but my thought is that tailgating is pre game and post game. When the game is going on, I am in the stadium. Never occurred to me to tailgate, and get up and walk over to the outfield fence and watch an inning or so, then go back to the tailgate like the poster above suggested.

I don't think it is meant to mean that you tailgate and then watch a bit and back and forth. Instead, it's creating a tailgate type atmosphere in an area you can see the game. Arkansas has grillers alley in the outfield where a bunch of fans bring their own grills and make food and watch the game. At the Cliff you had people who would grill near the patio and would have their own bevarages. These create party type atmospheres and really encourage students who would be there more for the food, fun and drinks than the baseball but would really still get rowdy for the baseball.

So people could still pregame but that isn't the draw for baseball. The draw is the 3 hour type party during the game.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Was watching bb guys ON SECN this morning and they all thought UK should have gotten .