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Standout [303]
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Final Thoughts on Monte
May 31, 2022, 4:57 PM
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would be willing to bet I watch more college baseball than most. By far my favorite sport. With that being said I was a huge proponent to the Monte Lee hire, and I still believe it was the right time to move on from Leggett. Monte Lee was as hot of a coaching prospect as there was in the country at the time. He was on the short list for numerous ADs. I watched him win in different ways here in Charleston at CofC. His teams were gritty and played with unmatched intensity. They hit the ball all over the field and the pitching was great top to bottom. I never understood why that type of play didn't translate to Clemson. I could not understand why he changed his coaching philosophy. It seemed as though he was all about launch angle and exit velocity over the last few years. Feast or famine. Pitching just did not seem to develop at all. I'm not sure if Heath at CofC was that great of an assistant coach and losing him was the difference. Andrew See was supposed to be a home run hire. D1Baseball.com called it a coup to get him from Duke. I'm not sure what the disconnect was but it was definitely there. I thought Monte was a surefire win at Clemson, but Clemson Monte's coaching style did not resemble CofC Monte's coaching style. I'm not sure why he changed what got him there. I wish him nothing but the best going forward. Outside of wins, he was a great representative for our university.
Going forward, I think Link at ND should get a serious look if there's any mutual interest. He's a proven winner in the ACC. He's got ties all over the Southeast. He has gotten hosed by the NCAA selection committee 2 straight years. ND's baseball lineage and fan base doesn't carry the cache that Clemson's does. The only school he would leave for would probably be FSU and I think Martin is entrenched there for a while.
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Hall of Famer [24509]
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Nice 1st post....***
May 31, 2022, 5:05 PM
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CU Guru [1650]
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Re: Final Thoughts on Monte
May 31, 2022, 5:09 PM
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I think Neff gave Lee an ultimatum to replace Andrew See or else. Lee chose the later and the rest is history.
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Orange Blooded [3945]
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Re: Final Thoughts on Monte
Jun 1, 2022, 9:38 AM
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I think DRad actually suggested Monte do that last year. I don't think that was even an option this year. I think Neff was going to fire him regardless. It was the right decision hopefully backed by a high chance we get a great coach.
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CU Guru [1250]
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How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
May 31, 2022, 6:58 PM
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between CofC and Clemson?
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All-Pro [690]
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Re: How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
May 31, 2022, 7:05 PM
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I remember CofC beating Tigers when Coach Leggett was still head coach. Beat coots too. CofC hit the ball all over the park. They were a very good program. Really thought Coach Lee was a great hire. Good luck to Coach Lee.
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Legend [16900]
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Re: How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
May 31, 2022, 7:27 PM
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This isn’t true. Look it up, I already did once. Probably when you last made this assertion.
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Legend [16900]
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Standout [303]
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Re: How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
Jun 1, 2022, 8:51 AM
[ in reply to How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ ] |
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Monte was instrumental in the hitting styles on both of USuC's championship teams. He and Tanner were ahead of the curve when the new BBCore bat restrictions were introduced. Everyone else was still recruiting for gorilla ball. They recruited guys that slapped the ball all over the yard and were tough outs. They would then add a couple of power guys. When the new bat rules were implemented USuC had a team already tailored to fit the new rules. They didn't have to adjust their style of play because they were already there, and everyone else was playing catchup. Monte carried that same philosophy to CofC. His player's were always tough to strikeout and could hit from line to line. The team he had at CofC that lost to Texas Tech in the Super Regionals was loaded with .300 hitters that didn't possess a ton of power. They were as well a fundamentally coached team as I've ever watched. They got on base, and they wreaked havoc on the basepaths. All 9 could bunt. At Clemson it was all about feast or famine at the plate. It was almost as if he reverted back to gorilla ball. I never fully understood the philosophy or lack there of.
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Legend [16900]
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Re: How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
Jun 1, 2022, 9:42 AM
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Tanner was 100% gorilla ball. He won two titles because he found and ace closer and a junk balling starter that his own staff had no faith in, but no one else in college baseball could resist swinging away at.
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Standout [303]
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Re: How Did Mr. Lee's Coaching Styles Differ
Jun 1, 2022, 10:25 AM
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Not during his last couple of years. He was a coach rep on the NCAA rules committee that oversaw the bat regulation changes so he knew what was coming and he adjusted his recruiting accordingly. Christian Walker was the only really feared power hitter on the 2010 and 2011 rosters. Adrian Morales, Whit Merrifield, Scott Wingo, Jackie Bradley, Michael Roth, and Evan Marzilli weren't exactly feared power hitters. They were feared but not for their longball power.
Our roster at that same time period was loaded with feared longball recruits. Will Lamb, Brad Felder, Ritchie Schafer, Spencer Kieboom, Jeff Schaus, and Brad Miller. All great players in their own right but were known for their power not for their on base percentages, or their ability to play small ball when necessary.
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CU Guru [1015]
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Re: Final Thoughts on Monte
May 31, 2022, 7:38 PM
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You make great points and are obviously well informed and invested in baseball. Listened to AD Neff full press conference. Not easy decision but sounds like right decision was made. Hopefully a winning coach will be attracted and successful here. Agree it is easily a Top 15 opportunity.
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Orange Blooded [2335]
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Re: Final Thoughts on Monte
May 31, 2022, 8:13 PM
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Great points. With Montes buyout at $500k and UofSC giving Kingston a 2 year extension could that of helped Neff pull the trigger? I really thought Kingston was going to get fired before Monte. Oh well. Now let’s go find us a coach!!
GO TIGERS
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All-In [37697]
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Re: Final Thoughts on Monte
May 31, 2022, 8:20 PM
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Let's just say that we all hoped it would be a good hire. It didn't turn out to be the best hire, but it certainly could have been worse.
Good luck to Monte on his next job.
Now let's find a good hire with staying force.
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