Tennessee Softball 2027

[DeerPark12]

Here’s the biggest thing about a bunch of yall in here. Yall don’t know exactly how it was in the locker room. Also the speculation of why she went to Bama is absurd. Are we salty that she went there yes but let the kid do her. I’ll add this she had ton of offer and she had a relationship with the bama coaches before she decided to come to Tn.

What part about her leaving because she didn’t play is absurd? Why else would she have left?

If there were issues in the locker room, as you seem to be insinuating, then why was there not a mass Exodus? You would have liked to have kept Dodge, but you recruited another infielder out of the portal and I don’t think she loved the idea of that. She also needed to be closer to home, that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. Who else left that you really wanted or needed to keep? Who left that indicates there’s some sort of issue?

Someone else came on here with a month to go in the season suggesting that there were major problems and there were going to be more people transfer out than any of us could imagine. And none of that happened.

 

[utsoftballfan23]

Here’s the biggest thing about a bunch of yall in here. Yall don’t know exactly how it was in the locker room. Also the speculation of why she went to Bama is absurd. Are we salty that she went there yes but let the kid do her. I’ll add this she had ton of offer and she had a relationship with the bama coaches before she decided to come to Tn.

I guess we are unaware of these “locker room issues”, so if you happen to know all of the details please enlighten us. It seems maybe you have a personal scoop and really are stirring this all up. I hope the best for her, but you have to earn your spot. Same thing with Bama with Briski and Moten… 3rd best at best.

 

[EZE]

There’s no we. We lost a kid who didn’t played, we lost a LHP practice player. No need to be salty, best of luck to the young lady.

I can’t be upset with someone leaving who doesn’t have any stats.

You're making a mountain out of a mole hill. I can assure you, nobody cares that she's leaving.

This person is acting like we lost Pickens before her senior season!

 

[Majors]

I guess we are unaware of these “locker room issues”, so if you happen to know all of the details please enlighten us. It seems maybe you have a personal scoop and really are stirring this all up. I hope the best for her, but you have to earn your spot. Same thing with Bama with Briski and Moten… 3rd best at best.

Side with stirring up. Had there been issues it would be pretty public. I may not always agree with Karen’s coaching all the time, but one thing she has a grasp on is the dynamic of the team culture and making sure it’s not fractured.

 

[Volfan2012]

Here’s the biggest thing about a bunch of yall in here. Yall don’t know exactly how it was in the locker room. Also the speculation of why she went to Bama is absurd. Are we salty that she went there yes but let the kid do her.

I am certainly not even caring she went there. I don't know why this is still a subject most were over it the day she left. Good luck to her I can see she was evidently number four at Tennessee a very good reason to go elsewhere.

 

[ETNVolunteer1]

Here’s the biggest thing about a bunch of yall in here. Yall don’t know exactly how it was in the locker room. Also the speculation of why she went to Bama is absurd. Are we salty that she went there yes but let the kid do her. I’ll add this she had ton of offer and she had a relationship with the bama coaches before she decided to come to Tn.

Who is salty she left? You might want to actually read this thread before responding next time because literally no one on here cares she left. Are we disappointed Dodge left? Yes. That was made very clear here. Does anyone care that Plumlee left? No. Good luck to the young lady (unless she plays us, of course). But nobody is losing any sleep over her leaving. In fact, it was rumored for months she’d hit the portal at the end of the season. It was vey much expected. You seem salty that we aren’t salty that she left.

 

[chuckiepoo]

You seem salty that we aren’t salty that she left.

That’s a lot of salt

 

[oUTraged]

IMHO, I felt Dodge kinda mailed it in in the final part of the season. She hit .161 in the post season and made a couple of errors in the field. I was wondering at the time if she had already made up her mind to enter the portal, or if she hadn't already been talking with someone.

 

[lvocd]

I don't know anything at all about this pitcher who transferred, and I don't personally know Karen Weekly, but I know enough about life to know for sure that if Karen Weekly believed she had another pitcher available who could have been highly successful in the circle this season she would have used her. NO WAY is a competitive coach who is desperate to win a national championship going to leave a potential season-changing player in the dugout. What reason would she have for doing that? Because "she was playing favorites" again? Or maybe because she has masochistic tendencies and enjoys knowing she has All-American caliber players she can simply not play so her team won't win championships?

The idea that Karen would not have been thrilled if she'd had another All-American arm to throw is just silly. The player wasn't ready for Primetime this season. Simple as that.

 

[DeerPark12]

I don't know anything at all about this pitcher who transferred, and I don't personally know Karen Weekly, but I know enough about life to know for sure that if Karen Weekly believed she had another pitcher available who could have been highly successful in the circle this season she would have used her. NO WAY is a competitive coach who is desperate to win a national championship going to leave a potential season-changing player in the dugout. What reason would she have for doing that? Because "she was playing favorites" again? Or maybe because she has masochistic tendencies and enjoys knowing she has All-American caliber players she can simply not play so her team won't win championships?

The idea that Karen would not have been thrilled if she'd had another All-American arm to throw is just silly. The player wasn't ready for Primetime this season. Simple as that.

I’ve never understood the “playing favorites“ accusation that people keep bringing to this site. I know you’re not doing it, you’re just pointing out people saying it. But throughout her and Ralph’s tenure at Tennessee, I’ve never seen a situation that suggested someone should be playing other than the person that was playing. Stats and film don’t lie.

 

[lvocd]

I’ve never understood the “playing favorites“ accusation that people keep bringing to this site. I know you’re not doing it, you’re just pointing out people saying it. But throughout her and Ralph’s tenure at Tennessee, I’ve never seen a situation that suggested someone should be playing other than the person that was playing. Stats and film don’t lie.

I cringe every time I read that “playing favorites” accusation. A coach would have to be super stupid to not play their best players if those players are healthy and available and not on any kind of disciplinary suspension. No coach is that stupid.

 

[chuckiepoo]

No coach is that stupid.

…but some of these klingons…

 

[EZE]

I cringe every time I read that “playing favorites” accusation. A coach would have to be super stupid to not play their best players if those players are healthy and available and not on any kind of disciplinary suspension. No coach is that stupid.

This is the go-to for players who aren’t good enough to play regularly…and even more so for delusional parents. It’s never that the player isn’t good enough…it’s always the fault of the coaches.

I have no doubt that CKW is laser focused on winning the only title that has eluded this program. And she is going to field the team that gives her the best shot.

As for pitching, we had three great pitchers who had the lowest ERA in the country.

At this level, sports are one of the greatest meritocracies in modern society. Anyone who thinks something different is crazy.

 

[William_77]

I don't know anything at all about this pitcher who transferred, and I don't personally know Karen Weekly, but I know enough about life to know for sure that if Karen Weekly believed she had another pitcher available who could have been highly successful in the circle this season she would have used her. NO WAY is a competitive coach who is desperate to win a national championship going to leave a potential season-changing player in the dugout. What reason would she have for doing that? Because "she was playing favorites" again? Or maybe because she has masochistic tendencies and enjoys knowing she has All-American caliber players she can simply not play so her team won't win championships?

The idea that Karen would not have been thrilled if she'd had another All-American arm to throw is just silly. The player wasn't ready for Primetime this season. Simple as that.

And to add - Erin didn’t even get enough innings for post season honors herself. Erin had arguably the best stats in the country. There were only so many innings to go around.

 

[Hexad Vol]

Those using the "playing favourites" approach may simply place different value on some aspects of the game than others. For example, those that place more value on defence like Bella while those who place more value on offence would prefer someone else to play there. Karen's job is to find the best balance of offence, defence, and pitching to increase the chance of winning. Opinions will vary.

 

[orangemadam]

Please, God, let August hurry up and get here!

 

[BruisedOrange]

IMHO, I felt Dodge kinda mailed it in in the final part of the season. She hit .161 in the post season and made a couple of errors in the field. I was wondering at the time if she had already made up her mind to enter the portal, or if she hadn't already been talking with someone.

I dunno... Think about it: you're a starting player on a team that is playing great and obviously has the players and a path to playing for the national title... but you're not giving it your best because you're thinking about next season?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't make those dots connect.

 

[EZE]

I dunno... Think about it: you're a starting player on a team that is playing great and obviously has the players and a path to playing for the national title... but you're not giving it your best because you're thinking about next season?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't make those dots connect.

I have no doubts that all of our players were trying their best. They were close to a national championship, and I have to believe every player in the country wants to win that.

She just got in a funk. And baseball and softball are funny when that happens. Because doubt creeps in…and then it gets even harder to break out of that mindset…especially against the elite pitchers one sees the further one progresses through the tournament.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

I have no doubts that all of our players were trying their best. They were close to a national championship, and I have to believe every player in the country wants to win that.Agree

She just got in a funk. And baseball and softball are funny when that happens. Because doubt creeps in…and then it gets even harder to break out of that mindset…especially against the elite pitchers one sees the further one progresses through the tournament.

Been involved with BB and SB for many yrs and agree with you however I have never seen an entire lineup go into a hitting slump at the same time like this seasons team did. They started out the season crushing the ball against elite pitchers and went into a total slump when SEC games started. Mystery to me.

 

[lvocd]

I have no doubts that all of our players were trying their best. They were close to a national championship, and I have to believe every player in the country wants to win that.

She just got in a funk. And baseball and softball are funny when that happens. Because doubt creeps in…and then it gets even harder to break out of that mindset…especially against the elite pitchers one sees the further one progresses through the tournament.

Exactly! I’ve always said an athlete’s #1 enemy is doubt. Once thoughts of self-doubt creep in they are extremely difficult to stop because it can take multiple consecutive outstanding performances to break out of it — and that’s a tall order for anyone.

I guess I’d have to say overthinking, or maybe even thinking much at all (lol), is right up there on the enemies list, particularly for the more natural athletes who tend more often to move their bodies by innate instinct rather than by some way a coach has told them to do it. Any particularly strong natural athlete can get bogged down mentally in trying to keep in their minds what a coach just told them to do instead of just trusting their innate abilities. Coaches always need to beware of overcoaching a gifted natural athlete.

 

[EZE]

Been involved with BB and SB for many yrs and agree with you however I have never seen an entire lineup go into a hitting slump at the same time like this seasons team did. They started out the season crushing the ball against elite pitchers and went into a total slump when SEC games started. Mystery to me.

Those 90s Braves teams in the World Series would be my Exhibit 1A.

Pressure seems to me to affect hitting more than pitching.

 

[EZE]

Coaches always need to beware of overcoaching a gifted natural athlete.

I heard something from a coach one time that resonated strongly with me.

You coach in practice…you encourage in games. There are exceptions of course, but I think this is a good strategy. When a coach starts trying to “help” a struggling players too much, I think it creates more doubt and pressure in the player.

I’m not accusing our coaches of this.

 

[lvocd]

I heard something from a coach one time that resonated strongly with me.

You coach in practice…you encourage in games. There are exceptions of course, but I think this is a good strategy. When a coach starts trying to “help” a struggling players too much, I think it creates more doubt and pressure in the player.

I’m not accusing our coaches of this.

 

[DeerPark12]

Been involved with BB and SB for many yrs and agree with you however I have never seen an entire lineup go into a hitting slump at the same time like this seasons team did. They started out the season crushing the ball against elite pitchers and went into a total slump when SEC games started. Mystery to me.

And that’s why we have a new hitting Coach.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Any particularly strong natural athlete can get bogged down mentally in trying to keep in their minds what a coach just told them to do instead of just trusting their innate abilities. Coaches always need to beware of overcoaching a gifted natural athlete.

Hear, hear!