Conway has all the tools to be a star. Really fast, great arm, good power, terrific defense. Just needs to be a bit more consistent and patient at the plate. I would move her to 3rd or 4th in the lineup. Easily our most talented position player.
I don't know why it's unfair to expect Carson, Allan, Storako and LeClair to spend their 5th year here. I know for a fact that Carson and Storako applied and were accepted to grad school along with Blair. I don't know about Allan and LeClair, if they graduated and weren't accepted to grad school that's a different story.
Good analysis but the one thing you didn't touch upon is that something is amiss with the culture. Over the last few years there has been a disturbingly large exodus of players from the team. Off the top of my head Overaitis, Allan, Jimenez, Carosone, Cheleman, Kersten, Dennis, Esman, Carson, Storako, Widra and now LeClair have all left the team early in recent years. Granted, a few didn't play much, but several were starters or got significant playing time. The point is this never used to happen.
You're totally right about the lack of power. Even when we were loaded with power we often opted for small ball strategy. Now often we have to get three consecutive hits to get one run while our opponents can neutralize that with one swing of the bat. Stop recruiting a team of slappers and load up on power.
Blair announced at the softball banquet on Monday of last week that she's returning but no one covered the banquet, not even mogoblue. None of the other players made made such an announcement although it was pretty clear Livingston is returning.
Good article but there's one thing I strongly disagree with is your comment on Ellie Sieler. If you saw the games in the fall she was probably our best player with a skill set remarkably similar to Blair. She'll start at some point and that point could be the first weekend of the season. Mark my words.
BTW you spelled her last name wrong, it's Sieler.
Edit 2/12/2022--Since Sieler has started the first three games I rest my case. :-)
I listened to the original broadcast of the Roundtable and was quite surprised when I learned it had become a point of contention initiated by Ace. I went back and listened two more times and am even more baffled by the controversy. None of the four participants have any reason to apologize. Ace can say what he wants about the show, it's a free country, but he has no right to demand that the views of others be censored or banished.
Hutch pulls many head scratching moves during the season, but the topper so far this season happened in the last game. Abby Skvarce started in LF ( which as far as I know is the first time she's ever played in the OF) and Lexie Blair was moved to DH to bat for Dennis. Now Blair is one of the better left fielders we've had in recent years. Why would you replace her with a catcher defensively in LF? Blair was in the DH spot batting for freshman pitcher Dennis, then late in the game Dennis pinch hits for Blair. I know Blair has been in a slump, but that move is just bizarre.
If Chelemen wanted to play she had to leave. It's really no loss for the team and I wish her well. As for Gondrezick, she was talented but she was suspended when she was here during the WNIT tournament and has been suspended at least twice at UWV. Enough said.
I bought a used version back in April for $10.49 through the Amazon site. Looks like the price has gone up since then. Excellent resource for that era of football.
Ah, no, not even the toughest this year. Take a look at Florida's schedule. In their non-conference schedule they play Mich, Arizona, Ariz St, UCLA twice, Oregon, Wash, Minnesota and defending Nat'l Champ Fla St twice--then the SEC which is considerably tougher than the B1G--three games each with Bama, Tenn, LSU, Auburn and Tex A&M among others.
I would add to your post about men's track and field that Andrew Liskowitz had a historic day in the shot put. He broke the school record the school record by over a foot with a 2nd round toss of 64-10.75 then on his next throw he add almost another 2 feet with a toss of 66-6.5 which is the 2nd best throw in the country so far. Altogether he upped the school record by 2 ft 10 in!!
Brienne Minor had surgery on her knee and missed the whole fall season so, despite being NCAA Champ, having her game on the shelf for 4 months took a toll. Top recruit Alyvia Jones badly sprained her ankle and missed about a month of the season. On top of that senior and three year starter Alex Najarian left the team--not sure what the story is with that one. The team still went 11-1 in the B1G and could make a run in the NCAA's.
Brienne Minor had surgery on her knee and missed the whole fall season so, despite being NCAA Champ, having her game on the shelf for 4 months took a toll. Top recruit Alyvia Jones badly sprained her ankle and missed about a month of the season. On top of that senior and three year starter Alex Najarian left the team--not sure what the story is with that one. The team still went 11-1 in the B1G and could make a run in the NCAA's.
Based on minutes played it looks like N Colorado's tallest starter is 5-9, two girls are 6-1 and 6-3 who play very little. Only two players who average in double figures are 5-6 and 5-7. Huge height advantage for us.
It probably doesn't help that it's not a B1G sport. The only varsity sport that's not B1G sport that we have is water polo and the only reason that we have that is because Bill Martin gave in to a Regent who wanted water polo.
In two years we'll add another pitcher with similar credentials to Beaubien. Chandler Dennis, who was Georgia player of the year in their latgest class, is another fireballing lefty who will complete the best 1-2 punch we've ever had, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The connection between Secchia and Meijer with Forsyth has more to do with the fact that they're all Republicans from Kent County and little to do with MSU. I don't think Meijer or Forsyth have any strong connection to MSU. I don't think you'll find a better prosecutor than Bill Forsyth.
ESPN needs to expand their investigation of MSU to explore the relationship between the Ingham County's Prosecutor's Office and the MSU football and basketball programs. Nasser isn't the first coverup in East Lansing.
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Conway has all the tools to be a star. Really fast, great arm, good power, terrific defense. Just needs to be a bit more consistent and patient at the plate. I would move her to 3rd or 4th in the lineup. Easily our most talented position player.
So far she's a long way from Hutch, Bo and Red. She's only won 1 WNIT in 10 years. The future looks bright but let's not get carried away.
I don't know why it's unfair to expect Carson, Allan, Storako and LeClair to spend their 5th year here. I know for a fact that Carson and Storako applied and were accepted to grad school along with Blair. I don't know about Allan and LeClair, if they graduated and weren't accepted to grad school that's a different story.
Good analysis but the one thing you didn't touch upon is that something is amiss with the culture. Over the last few years there has been a disturbingly large exodus of players from the team. Off the top of my head Overaitis, Allan, Jimenez, Carosone, Cheleman, Kersten, Dennis, Esman, Carson, Storako, Widra and now LeClair have all left the team early in recent years. Granted, a few didn't play much, but several were starters or got significant playing time. The point is this never used to happen.
You're totally right about the lack of power. Even when we were loaded with power we often opted for small ball strategy. Now often we have to get three consecutive hits to get one run while our opponents can neutralize that with one swing of the bat. Stop recruiting a team of slappers and load up on power.
She's the top recruit in the country not just the state.
The Moore the merrier.
Actually Esman went in the portal quite a while ago but didn't land anywhere until a day or two ago.
Blair announced at the softball banquet on Monday of last week that she's returning but no one covered the banquet, not even mogoblue. None of the other players made made such an announcement although it was pretty clear Livingston is returning.
Good article but there's one thing I strongly disagree with is your comment on Ellie Sieler. If you saw the games in the fall she was probably our best player with a skill set remarkably similar to Blair. She'll start at some point and that point could be the first weekend of the season. Mark my words.
BTW you spelled her last name wrong, it's Sieler.
Edit 2/12/2022--Since Sieler has started the first three games I rest my case. :-)
Jayde Riviere will just be a junior this coming season not a 2020 graduate.
I listened to the original broadcast of the Roundtable and was quite surprised when I learned it had become a point of contention initiated by Ace. I went back and listened two more times and am even more baffled by the controversy. None of the four participants have any reason to apologize. Ace can say what he wants about the show, it's a free country, but he has no right to demand that the views of others be censored or banished.
Hutch pulls many head scratching moves during the season, but the topper so far this season happened in the last game. Abby Skvarce started in LF ( which as far as I know is the first time she's ever played in the OF) and Lexie Blair was moved to DH to bat for Dennis. Now Blair is one of the better left fielders we've had in recent years. Why would you replace her with a catcher defensively in LF? Blair was in the DH spot batting for freshman pitcher Dennis, then late in the game Dennis pinch hits for Blair. I know Blair has been in a slump, but that move is just bizarre.
If Chelemen wanted to play she had to leave. It's really no loss for the team and I wish her well. As for Gondrezick, she was talented but she was suspended when she was here during the WNIT tournament and has been suspended at least twice at UWV. Enough said.
Except this was an exhibition win over UCLA, we play them for real on Jam 25.
39-7 when allowing less that 30 pts.
I bought a used version back in April for $10.49 through the Amazon site. Looks like the price has gone up since then. Excellent resource for that era of football.
No, I admire and respect the guy a lot but not even close.
I'm pretty sure it's 53 pts. That's what a 9-16 finisher gets in a bracketed 32-team field gets and women's lax has a 32 team field.
Ah, no, not even the toughest this year. Take a look at Florida's schedule. In their non-conference schedule they play Mich, Arizona, Ariz St, UCLA twice, Oregon, Wash, Minnesota and defending Nat'l Champ Fla St twice--then the SEC which is considerably tougher than the B1G--three games each with Bama, Tenn, LSU, Auburn and Tex A&M among others.
http://floridagators.com/schedule.aspx?path=softball
Freshman Alex Storako will be our #2 pitcher.
But he was my first guess.
We give away way too many outs forcing small ball on a team that can't bunt.
Sorry, double post
I hate slap hitters. That is all.
Game just moved to 7 pm.
I would add to your post about men's track and field that Andrew Liskowitz had a historic day in the shot put. He broke the school record the school record by over a foot with a 2nd round toss of 64-10.75 then on his next throw he add almost another 2 feet with a toss of 66-6.5 which is the 2nd best throw in the country so far. Altogether he upped the school record by 2 ft 10 in!!
Brienne Minor had surgery on her knee and missed the whole fall season so, despite being NCAA Champ, having her game on the shelf for 4 months took a toll. Top recruit Alyvia Jones badly sprained her ankle and missed about a month of the season. On top of that senior and three year starter Alex Najarian left the team--not sure what the story is with that one. The team still went 11-1 in the B1G and could make a run in the NCAA's.
Brienne Minor had surgery on her knee and missed the whole fall season so, despite being NCAA Champ, having her game on the shelf for 4 months took a toll. Top recruit Alyvia Jones badly sprained her ankle and missed about a month of the season. On top of that senior and three year starter Alex Najarian left the team--not sure what the story is with that one. The team still went 11-1 in the B1G and could make a run in the NCAA's.
We've done it 4 times--'64, '92, '93 and this year.
State fans are more disappointed by this news than Michigan. My, how times have changed.
Based on minutes played it looks like N Colorado's tallest starter is 5-9, two girls are 6-1 and 6-3 who play very little. Only two players who average in double figures are 5-6 and 5-7. Huge height advantage for us.
It probably doesn't help that it's not a B1G sport. The only varsity sport that's not B1G sport that we have is water polo and the only reason that we have that is because Bill Martin gave in to a Regent who wanted water polo.
State of Michigan--check.
Big 10--check.
53-33 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
UM up 32-20 at half. Thome and Flaherty each have 14/
UM up 32-20 at half. Thome and Flaherty each have 14/
In two years we'll add another pitcher with similar credentials to Beaubien. Chandler Dennis, who was Georgia player of the year in their latgest class, is another fireballing lefty who will complete the best 1-2 punch we've ever had, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Her name is really Gillian.
In the second game vs USF we started three slappers--not a fan of that. It's been a long, long time since we've done that.
For those listening on the radio take the speed of the pitches with a grain of salt. The USF scoreboard gun typically show about 4 mph too high.
Lexi Blair is a great one--Florida player of the year. Looking forward to seeing her.
Lexi Blair is a great one--Florida player of the year. Looking forward to seeing her.
The connection between Secchia and Meijer with Forsyth has more to do with the fact that they're all Republicans from Kent County and little to do with MSU. I don't think Meijer or Forsyth have any strong connection to MSU. I don't think you'll find a better prosecutor than Bill Forsyth.
Delete
Seems pretty trivial now.
Small point, in gymnastics it's the round of 12, not 16. There are 6 regionals and the top two teams from each region advance to nationals.
In the latest poll the gymnastics team has moved up to #3 behind LSU and Utah.
ESPN needs to expand their investigation of MSU to explore the relationship between the Ingham County's Prosecutor's Office and the MSU football and basketball programs. Nasser isn't the first coverup in East Lansing.
Any idea when Massa will be back?