I’ll start by posting this:
Let me add this:
And this:
This could be what Chipper’s talking about. I’m fairly certain it’s one of the things he’s talking about anyway.
I noticed a few commenters mentioning that the discipline on the Diamond Dawgs seemed to be lacking. Missing out on situational hitting, wanting to simply feed the trees versus getting baserunners, and, of course, the showboating.
I don’t see this quite as bad in College Football, probably because there are penalties against it, though it shows up in the NFL quite a bit with team celebrations after turnovers, touchdowns, etc.
It’s hard not to root against an team who decides to ear-hole a guy after they’ve done their antics, bat flips, taunting, somersaults around the bases, when any baseball player that’s had a coach who taught them to respect the game. When I coached baseball, that’s all our head coach preached across all the levels of teams, was to respect the game and play with discipline, and it usually worked.
There’s a fine line between “go out there and have fun” and “go out there and act an ass”.
Kids these days, right? What’s the problem…or, more specifically, what’s the solution?
You get away with being a douche if you are winning. When you choke the season away, all people will remember is how douchey you were. This team had some good wins and seemed to reinvigorate UGA baseball, but half-buttoned jerseys and over-the-top jewelry and bat-flip staredowns and basepath silliness is all that is left… well, that and an entire pitching staff of batting practice pitchers. They embarrassed themselves and the university.
This…while in the LOSERS bracket. Was disgusting to watch.
Attempting to understand a certain amount of player freedom, upon further review, we are hopeful that UGA baseball HC, looks at the team/staff progress made, yet at the same time identify the weakness or shortcomings of this season (injuries will always hamper wins/losses), do believe the community/UGA AD supports UGA baseball, as he does all UGA student athletes, no logical reason to fail when support is evident…GO DAWGS!!
All of it gives off TN vibes.
Yes, and it’s sad and disgusting.
What’s not showing is his lack of hustle and showboating down the 1st base line because he thinks he hit it out. Who knows, he might have had an inside the parker…….. I think that this attitude is playing some part in all the empty seats Sunday, along with all the high dollar donors just buying the tickets and not showing, while they screwed the loyal fans of 20 years plus who do show up. But what does the university care………..it was a sellout and their pockets were “maxed”……………..
The core of this is NIL; the lack of the College presidents willing to do collective bargaining and the resulting money grab by kids. It’s just disappointing.
Regarding the uniform issue, Henry Hunter was the biggest offender I saw out there.
My wife was watching one of the games with me this weekend, I don’t remember which. Tre Phelps was at bat and his big a$$ TP necklace was hanging out of his half buttoned jersey. She asked how that was even allowed, and I told her that it appears that there aren’t any rules against it. We were both thinking to all of the seasons that our sons played Little League, travel ball, and high school ball and how none of that was ever allowed. But hey, it’s Georgia, so we kept watching. Then Phelps pulled some of his showboating nonsense and she got up and left the room. I love me some Dawgs, but I admit that I was a bit embarrassed to be a fan of them at that time.
By comparison, watching the Tar Heels play (my 2nd team… I got my Masters at UNC) was a study in contrasts. They play exactly the way Chipper talks about.
Once they demonized beaning donkies, it got out of hand. My stepdad said it best – “Figure Bob Gibson is on the mound and act accordingly.” Ended up being good advice for life, tbh.
That being said the text thread of me celebrating Fireball Spence plunking (sadly not on purpose) Harper last week was sublime.
It’s all the way at the lowest levels of the sport now. Baseball didn’t have taunting because the players are so far apart, and pitching inside is now frowned upon.
I don’t get the bat flipping or the prancing around the bases on a home run.
The SportsCenter-ification of baseball is now complete.
You said it. They start it at the tee ball level. I ended up by happenstance at a 9U travel tournament a while back. I got a chuckle out of the little guys with every possible piece of baseball paraphernalia (pads protectors, gloves, glasses, etc.) and their own walk up songs. The Moms, Dads, and Coaches were all in as well.
Don’t forget the $300 bats. The whole thing is out of control, but the system seems to require it now. Back in mah day of the late 80s, players got scouted on playing for their high school teams. Now I’m told that scouts don’t even go to HS games anymore. The only way to get noticed is either in travel ball or these tourneys run by organizations. It’s all one big money maker now.
And I suppose if you’re doing to drop $2-3K per season on travel ball, you might as well buy all the bling and swag for your young’un.
I wasn’t watching but my haterz “friends” sure chimed in with texts about the shirts, showboating and loss. I’m sure Josh has gotten an earful and will be a discussion topic in the coaches meeting.
Teams reflect the personality of their coaches. I don’t know Johnson but, felt he was douchey in the way he conducted himself. Especially the way (not necessarily the argument itself) he argued with umps. This stuff doesn’t happen unless he and his staff allow it to and possibly convey in the way they conduct themselves..
This^^^
I have knocked Tony Vitello and the Vols for similar behavior. I am not sure why Wes Johnson allows this type of behavior, but I am not a fan. Time to clean things up and simply play baseball. The unbuttoned shirts. Pimping home runs. The never ending bat flips. Just silly and selfish baseball. Stop with the dig me moments and act like you have been there before. As a side not, I have to believe that college coaches think this type of behavior with attract top level recruits. Why else would they allow such foolishness?
The unbuttoned jerseys are stupid. One of the things that got me was the dugout dancing. I think “The Stroke” was playing over, and everyone got on the top step to clap in time like a 10 year old girls softball team. I will now go shake my fist at the clouds and look for kids on my lawn.
This. It was one of the things we used to talk about when I coached years ago…”y’all keep doing that like you all play softball on the little field”. Things seemed to have flipped where softball is the more respectable group of athletes to watch and baseball has become the group of giddy little girls that want to play around and clap on time. Our head coach would have an aneurysm if this stuff was happening in his dugout.
I am glad to see I am not alone in thinking our team acted like a bunch of dipshits last weekend.
I have been in touch with several past players and we have all called the baseball office to let our opinions be known. I personally only spoke to Wes’ secretary, but will eventually give him an earful. Back in the late 70’s – mid 80’s, we called that Bush League, and will guarantee there would have been words and probably fights over it!
I am seeing some posts about UGA’s state of dress on social media from the click bait sites. I don’t watch much baseball but might watch more if it was covered better. No I’m not spring from ESPN+ for it or even football, but that is another topic.
It certainly isn’t a good look and don’t forget the acts of a closer earlier in the season.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sKyTGhbQMxQ
Things happen, coaches have the chance to teach the team. However, it look like things are getting out of hand. Also yes NIL makes it harder but what I have watched UGA looks a bit above and beyond. If you want to act like that, try out for the Savannah Bananas
Greg Maddox would have hit the next batter in the middle of his spine for that showboating at 3rd. And it would have worked.
I remember our teams chattering at the batter when we were in the field – um bay um bay batter batter, swing batter – when we played little and pony league, but we were never allowed to get personal. That all stopped when we got to high school. I stated earlier in a post that our discipline was classless. If I’m the AD, this would be dealt with immediately. No, look at me chains, and button your damn shirt. Crap like that comes back to haunt your ass, and it did.
And all that batflipping shit. I get it that emotions run high in these games, but come on guys, act like you’ve been there before. We’re not the SW Georgia College of Pine Tree Economics that is making it’s first appearance in the postseason. We’re friggin’ UGA!
The bat flip *towards* Oklahoma State’s dugout halfway down the baseline was beyond classless and incredibly stupid, particularly when you have a “no lead is safe” pitching staff!
I took my son to two games at Foley this year to include the Oklahoma State v Duke game on Friday. I am a UGA baseball fan and want them to do well but it is a much lower level of competition in comparison to college football v the NFL. That being said my issue with the team is not showboating but agree with many of the comments above but rather why the fuck are they paying this supposed pitching guru 1.5 million when our pitchers under him have been below subpar?
My wife, who will only watch baseball in person, walking by the tv while I was watching the UGA game: “Who’s the porn star wannabe on your team?”
Yeah, after watching more college baseball than usual this year myself, sad to admit it’s my team that needs to grow up and show some class out there.
Chipper is getting dragged on twitter. Evidently many folks approve of players showboating like asssholes.
And while we’re at it, get off my lawn and turn down your “music”.
I’m 54. About to be 55. I hate to say it, but I think this is the game today and we are being “Get off my lawn” on this as is Chipper. NCAA tried to reign it in from last year by making the rule the celebration props have to used inside the dugout, but the toothpaste is basically out of the tube on this.
It doesn’t bother me too much and is kinda fun in my opinion. The bulldog mask and other things are all in good fun. Diamond Dawgs do rely on HR, but Johnson built the team that way. He is a positive for the program and will have us in the hunt on a consistent basis IMO.
Most kids on college teams act like idiots when they make a play. I am shocked the other team doesn’t ear hole them the next time up. Or the catchers don’t cold cock them as they hit home plate.
The title of this post should be “Get Off My Lawn.”
I liked Chipper as a player but those 90s/00s Braves teams were notorious for 1. Choking and 2. Being a bunch of stick-up-the-ass old men who couldn’t lure a great free agent because of said ‘stick-up-the-ass.’
Get over yourself. They’re kids. Let them enjoy playing the game. You don’t want to watch? Bye, Felicia.
How bout gargle my shaved nuts…
surely there is somewhere in between bat flips, ‘pirouetting’ down 1st base, and a mindless, baseball robot.
just have some basic manners and class.