Duke & Clemson makes Supers. Time for a new ND SB coach.
by Domerduck (2022-05-22 20:40:17)

Duke and Clemson had no softball teams in 2017 while Deanna Gumpf was making her 16th straight regionals but never getting to the supers. Duke hires Marissa Young in 2018 and she build the program to get to the Supers this year as they just beat Georgia after making only her 2nd tourney. Clemson hires John Rittman who starts building the Clemson program in 2018 and they make their 2nd straight tourney. They beat Auburn & Louisiana to get their 1st Supers. Deanna keeps making the tourney but now after 22 years still hasn't made a Super.

I always wanted to give her a chance since she always had one of the better teams in weaker conferences. Not anymore. They were at best 5th in the ACC and now bettered by ACC teams with no softball history. Time to move on and get someone who can take ND farther.




Had many supers has Michigan made during the time Deanna
by thethinman  (2022-05-23 16:59:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

has been at ND?


13 Super Regionals, 7 World Series, 1 National Championship
by hibernianangst  (2022-05-23 18:16:54)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

These numbers from the Michigan Softball Wiki page, 2002 thru 2022.


be careful what you wish for
by melanzana  (2022-05-23 10:56:40)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Jack fired women's lacrosse and volleyball coaches, and now look at both programs.

No program does less with more than ND women's lacrosse. Top 10 or higher recruiting classes every year with little to show.

Volleyball is on its third coach after Brown was let go.

I'm not saying a change at softball isn't warranted but Swarbrick isn't the person to make the new hire.


While agreeing that Swarbrick should be the first one gone
by FL_Irish  (2022-05-23 15:00:40)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

...for as long as he remains behind the wheel of the clown car, I would rather risk having a program hit rock bottom as a result of a coaching change he made than allow it to continue limping along in a state of utter mediocrity. Persistent underperformance just can't be tolerated. Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut. And if not and yet another ND program goes into freefall, so be it. Maybe that will convince ND's leadership to finally put him out to pasture.


fair points *
by melanzana  (2022-05-23 17:48:01)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


Preaching to the choir ...
by CJC  (2022-05-23 16:03:54)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

But do you think that maybe there's a problem throughout the athletic department when this exact same "conversation," pretty much verbatim, has been occurring surrounding the Notre Dame football and men's basketball programs for much of the past two decades?


You could probably add hockey, w lax, baseball before Link,
by NDoggie78  (2022-05-24 09:03:08)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

W soccer, Tennis, Swimming and Diving, Track & Field (except for a few distance runners), Golf - seems to be improving but missed NCAAs,
etc.
Hockey's Jeff Jackson has done a pretty good job, but hasn't gotten the National Championship he was hoped to bring (2 at Lake St.) and now he may be nearing retirement.
Men's lax got royally screwed this year, but has not won a championship under Corrigan and he isn't a spring chick.
Women's Lax seems a mirror image of softball - decent teams but underperforming
Volleyball has had a mass exodus

My point, schools like Stanford compete for championships in all these sports - why not ND?
I don't want to hear about weather
I don't want to hear about academics
I don't want to hear about $$$$$$

The answer starts at the top - if mediocre is all you strive for, that's what you get. I don't see anything changing until "the top" changes

I guess Fencing should get major acclimation for being the one sport Notre Dame excels (2 years ago I would have added Women's Basketball, but they are having their own issues now)


Good luck until Swarby is gone.
by OITLinebacker  (2022-05-23 13:24:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

He doesn't pay much attention or care unless he can groundhog his face on the TV behind a winning coach, or being asked a soundbite about conferences or football. He doesn't care.


The scales have fallen from your eyes. *
by hibernianangst  (2022-05-22 20:48:57)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


Yes I have been stubborn & you are right. *
by Domerduck  (2022-05-22 20:54:20)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


I would rather have been wrong, but it was too obvious. *
by hibernianangst  (2022-05-22 20:58:43)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post


Agreed, but it would very unlike Swarbrick
by FL_Irish  (2022-05-22 20:46:13)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

He's let long-tenured coaches far more accomplished than Gumpf hang around well past the point when it was time to make a move. No commitment to excellence, particularly in non-marquee sports.