In reply to: Most fun since 2006 posted by TerryD
Those are always my personal hopes/wishes/goals each year.
I guess That I got used to this as a standard during the Mainieri years.
ND is losing only three major contributors:
Youndahl
Bull
Kerrigan
ND needs the two outfield recruits to come in, win the job and contribute as freshman.
The returning players Ned to get stronger and continue to develope.
we are truly an ACC team regardless of geography. These kids have great facilities at ND and a playing surface that is more immune to bad weather than the prior surface (although I always prefer playing on grass...surface that is). In addition, we are not stuck playing in northeast and mid-western weather all conference season like we would be in BIG or Big East). Unlike a northern team like BC, our national reputation and past NCAA history, gives us a leg up for ACC recruiting purposes. I also think we'd be more appealing to local recruits choosing between a BIG school and ND. Although the BIG had a record number of teams chosen in this year's tourney, a lot of potential elite recruits closer to ND should see that chance to compete in the ACC should/will raise their draft profile more than playing in the BIG.
gameday experience is really dreadful at Eck stadium; I can't imaginge a more sterile sports environment than the one for ND baseball. I'd like to have seen them invest some of the $$ they wasted on installing protective nets around everything and use it for improving the fan experience.
to shoot shirts in the stands? I actually like going to games at the Eck because it is still about baseball, but that is just me. If you are talking about improving the facilities in general then I am all-aboard on that train. Nothing says ND like purple bleachers.
There's just nothing distinguishing about the place that makes a casual fan or student come out-- horrible ballpark food, no raucous student section, nothing that makes opposing team feel uncomfortable
And I know this has long been a criticism with nearly all things ND (i.e. field turf vs. natural grass), but in watching many of the NCAA game across the country I was surprised how many teams had a similar set up to ND. U of I was very similar, with dirt colored turf around the bases.
I don't know that I like it, and by no means does the excuse "well, everybody's doing it" make it better, but I guess ND isn't exactly carving unchartered territoy in ugly field turf.
It probably helps you avoid several washouts/snow-outs every year, and with the way college baseball is scheduled, those games are almost impossible to make up after they're cancelled (weekday games, that is).
So, I certainly don't like it, but I guess at some point it makes sense for college ball. Never in the majors....and never did it make sense for ND football.
Materially detracts from the game experience. Texas's also is pretty ugly from what I recall.
With the football stadium along left field and asymmetrical outfield-- it's very cool setting
ND played Tulane in New Orleans a couple years ago, and everything is FieldTurf, with the exception of the pitcher's mound, which is dirt. It looks absolutely terrible.
and to a lesser extent the home plate circle. It seem to me that it would be not too burdensome to at least maintain a nicely groomed dirt mound. When it's not being used, it is easy to protect from the elements and real dirt allows pitchers to get a real and consistent footing.