Bakich Staying Put
“I love Michigan, and I love the Block M, and most importantly, I love the kids on that bus. I wanted to see this through. I didn’t want anyone else to coach them. I wanted to be here for this type of run. Having tasted this in 17 years, these guys have never tasted it. Once you taste it, you want it every year. Yeah, we do need some help, but I know that this is gonna get us over the hump.
"An experience like this is going to move the needle and get us over the hump to where our program is here to stay and we’re here to build.”
What a fantastic hire he's turned out to be. I was quite surprised that he turned down Stanford. I hope he sticks around for a long time. Go blue.
Fuck yes. This is even better than the commit news and THAT was great news.
Fire Bakich. Fire Bakich 4ever...
I want to believe him but its hard when so many coaches and players in sports say the same thing until they're offered a fat payday from another school/franchise
Hopefully he does stay because recruiting should be insane after this run
Every time I read an interview with Bakich, he's pumping up the Big Ten. That's smart. Recruiting is not going to be insane at Michigan as long as the Big Ten is considered a second rate conference for baseball.
I too am very hopeful that Bakich will stay, but is anyone else worried that he mostly speaks in the past tense?
"I wanted to see this through. I didn’t want anyone else to coach them. I wanted to be here for this type of run."
It is almost like he is referring more to past offers than potential future ones. I hope I am only nit-picking, but I would have been happier if he said, "I WANT to see this through. I DON'T want anyone else to coach them. I WANT to be here for this type of run."
Maybe the past tense refers to his decision to stay, which by now is in the past? IDK.
The Bakich Abides
Idea for a new MGoStore cotton t-shirt
L B G
(Let Bakich Go)
Pima or Egyptian? ....might as well be picky
But the board said he should first be fired then Warde is incompetent and would let him get away.
To be fair , wasn’t that just one poster that started that thread and basically everyone just ripped in the OP?
It was more than one, but not many more than one.
So Warde must have promised to back up the truck.
Why not? The guy’s success is unprecedented. Also, this doesn’t look like a fluky run.
I have no idea why this board acts like Erik Bakich is out there doing volunteer work. He's paid a handsome sum to coach this team to wins. He's done his job very well. There is no indication from anywhere on the planet that he's unhappy, feels underpaid or is flirting with another program. In fact, he's continually done the exact opposite. He's spurned offers from better programs to stay in Ann Arbor. He's been compensated with each level of success - raising his pay from $175k in 2015 to the $400k he makes today. He is well taken care of. He's receiving bonuses for each step of this NCAA run. The dude is kicking ass and cashing checks daily. There is no need for this nonsense.
This OP is useless. He actually talks in the past tense. I wanted to do this. We wanted to accomplish that. That's past tense. As if it is done. If anything, that could be twisted into a goodbye and frankly I'm shocked you guys haven't done that yet in your unrelenting, unnecessary panic.
You're all weird. Bakich coaches Michigan. We don't have to back up a Brinks truck or fire a money cannon. We've already done that. He actually has a salary, believe it or not. If he wants to go somewhere else and that somewhere else wants him, he will leave and it won't matter how much money you throw in the air. Chill the fuck out, enjoy the job he and his players are doing and stop with these idiotic threads.
YOU'RE weird.
And don't tell me what to do.
Hey, Reg. Is the team really moving to Florida? Have you been talking to the owner? Who owns the Chiefs anyway?
Kinda sounds like John Beilein circa 2018.
No matter what happens in the CWS Bakich revived a long dead Michigan baseball. I plan on actually watching the regular season next year when it's on BTN. This run has been awesome.
IF it’s on BTN. We don’t want to miss another important BigTen eats episode, or a classic BigTen football game such as the ‘71 OU vs Nebraska for the BigTen(or maybe 8) championship...
Next year's going to be interesting, because I think (please correct me if I'm wrong) all three star pitchers are probably in the minors by this time next week?
Only two of the star starting pitchers, Karl Kauffmann and Tommy Henry, but also reliever Jack Weisenburger and position players Jimmy Kerr and Jordan Brewer were recently chosen in the MLB draft.
Starter Jeff Criswell should be back next season, though.
How we're they recently chosen?
+1 Good catch, I'll go back and correct my autocorrect.
Fire Bakich!
I love his answers, and he sounds committed!! However, in the back of my mind, I also think 'what else could he say in this situation'? I do believe he'll stick around for another couple of years, and that is when the decisions will be made - does he stay, or go somewhere else? I think these next couple of years will prove what commitment Michigan will have towards proving baseballs importance to Michigan athletics. Does he ask for stadium/staff improvements (i.e.: money)? If so, does he get it? Does he get what he feels he needs to compete? If he feels Michigan wants to compete, he'll stay. And I think any 'demands' he might have will be reasonable. I don't know what the current infrastructure for baseball looks like, but I suspect it's pretty good. I also suspect it'll get better the next couple of years. The current success will breed booster investment, much like it has for basketball and football through the years. Sustained success the next couple of years could launch the program into the world of Vandy, UCLA, Arkansas, LSU, etc, in terms of booster involvement and fan support.
And that would be awesome to see!
I would also love to see the Harbaugh's in attendance this week. I don't know what Coach's schedule looks like, but if he could take the UM jet out there for a game, it would be awesome support for the entire AD! Warde will be there, it's his job. Harbaugh would add a level of support - from the legendary football team - that would backstop this outstanding run!
I second this wish. I'd love to see more public support from the other coaches in the department. I have no doubt Harbaugh loves all the Michigan teams and roots for them as well as for his colleagues, but I'd love to see it.
Especially for Jordan Brewer. He was almost a football player for Harbaugh until his injury changed his path.
Mel Pearson tweeted out his own encouragement when Beilein and the hoops team were in the finals. Granted, he was also in the Frozen Four at the time, but it was still cool. I'd love to see that from Harbaugh as well.
If Harbaugh was there, the cameras would be on him the whole game. It would be absurd. Media can't help themselves.
Does anyone really doubt that he doesn't support this team?
Unfortunately Harbaugh there would be a distraction because ESPN is a collection of idiots who can’t fucking help themselves; and would ruin it for everyone by showing his reaction to every call and every play.
All that being said, I do hope Manuel can significantly bump up his pay. If UM is paying him like a top 5 coach in college baseball then that should do the trick unless the major leagues come calling.
The other major issue is program support. Does Manuel want to offer significant support in other areas like an indoor facility which I think is what Bakich is inferring in his comments.
This is a great read. However, it is all nice words until a new contract is written and signed, with a well-deserved raise going his way.
Make it happen, Warde!
Thanks Brandon
I mean, genuinely, thanks Dave Brandon.
Outstanding news
I know - anyone can say anything, but the more that I hear from this guy, the more I like him!
In what other sport would our Coach have to submit to an interview like this on the eve of a national championship game where the reporter wants to know if he'll be back next year? C'mon.
Every sport. You really think Harbaugh wouldn't face that line?
I think this is the key quote:
"I look back at Vanderbilt, and I look at UCLA where coach (John) Savage is, who’s another close friend and mentor, as well, and I look at schools like Louisville and Virginia, who, 15 to 20 years ago, those programs weren’t the juggernauts of the college baseball world. All of those coaches had chances to move on and take over other programs, but they dug their heels in and they stayed and their administrations got behind them and their administrations continued to build and progress the program forward. And now what you have, those are the schools that are the perennial juggernauts. That’s what it takes. It takes a total effort from the university, from the coaching staff and how you recruit and how you develop, but everybody has a part in it.”
It sounds like if UM stays committed to building the baseball program, and keeps his salary competitive in the market, he wants to build a program rather than just jump to one that already expects perennial success.
It sounds like he wants to be M Baseball's Carol Hutchins. That would be awesome for us.
I know this can be unpopular, but I hope this isn't just coach speak. No one would ever admit to potentially leaving a program right before the title game. I feel like you have to take all this with a grain of salt. Not until a new big contract is signed.