Another Oregon player transfers

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Feb 12, 2014
648
43
Okay, so from the beginning of this saga, I have tended to be on the side of the players. Coach White recruited you and you want to follow him to Texas - go for it! You want to give ML a shot as the new HC but found after fall ball that she isn't your cup of tea - transfer and be happy! But, these last two are making me scratch my head. I feel terrible for the girls still on the team and for the coaching staff who, because of the timing of this, have no chance to replace these players.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
Okay, so from the beginning of this saga, I have tended to be on the side of the players. Coach White recruited you and you want to follow him to Texas - go for it! You want to give ML a shot as the new HC but found after fall ball that she isn't your cup of tea - transfer and be happy! But, these last two are making me scratch my head. I feel terrible for the girls still on the team and for the coaching staff who, because of the timing of this, have no chance to replace these players.

As you said, it seems like the players gave the new HC the fall season to see what she was like. And they have spoken with their feet. Even to the point of sitting out the 2019 season. Have any other top programs suffered as many players leaving as Oregon? It makes you wonder if the program can recover in the near future given the current situation. Do you think any of the top recruits would want to take the chance of signing with Oregon given the mass exodus of top players from the program? I know if my DD was being recruited by them I would have to think long and hard about it.

The departing players seem to be keeping their reasons to themselves and not speaking out about the situation.
 

panthadad2

fastpitch pops
Jun 27, 2017
144
18
As you said, it seems like the players gave the new HC the fall season to see what she was like. And they have spoken with their feet. Even to the point of sitting out the 2019 season. Have any other top programs suffered as many players leaving as Oregon? It makes you wonder if the program can recover in the near future given the current situation. Do you think any of the top recruits would want to take the chance of signing with Oregon given the mass exodus of top players from the program? I know if my DD was being recruited by them I would have to think long and hard about it.

The departing players seem to be keeping their reasons to themselves and not speaking out about the situation.

Only speculating here, but once the initial group of players left to go with White, I'm thinking a big factor was that the remaining veteran players didn't want to end their college careers in a rebuilding project after being a perennial top WCWS team. Only one player Burke (went to TX with White) was actually from Oregon.

As far as new recruits go, that's tough to know. They now have an opportunity to walk right into a starting situation in a historically strong program with great facilities, but with a lot more risk. Big question mark there.
 
Feb 12, 2014
648
43
As you said, it seems like the players gave the new HC the fall season to see what she was like. And they have spoken with their feet. Even to the point of sitting out the 2019 season. Have any other top programs suffered as many players leaving as Oregon? It makes you wonder if the program can recover in the near future given the current situation. Do you think any of the top recruits would want to take the chance of signing with Oregon given the mass exodus of top players from the program? I know if my DD was being recruited by them I would have to think long and hard about it.

The departing players seem to be keeping their reasons to themselves and not speaking out about the situation.

Wouldn't fall season have ended back in October or November? Wouldn't that have been the time to make that decision? Waiting until just before the start of the season seems off to me. I really don't want to try to comment on the motives of these young women because I have absolutely no way of knowing, but it clearly puts their former teammates in an awful position and was totally avoidable had they made their decision at the end of fall ball.

My guess is that when Lombardi has a chance to recruit her players, the program will be just fine. This was a tough spot replacing a beloved coach who had been extremely successful and left under less than ideal circumstances.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
As you said, it seems like the players gave the new HC the fall season to see what she was like. And they have spoken with their feet. Even to the point of sitting out the 2019 season. Have any other top programs suffered as many players leaving as Oregon? It makes you wonder if the program can recover in the near future given the current situation. Do you think any of the top recruits would want to take the chance of signing with Oregon given the mass exodus of top players from the program? I know if my DD was being recruited by them I would have to think long and hard about it.

The departing players seem to be keeping their reasons to themselves and not speaking out about the situation.

Maggie Balint's farewell letter mentioned a "lack of trust", but that's the only indication I have seen from any of the departed players that it's related to possible problems with the new staff.

As for new recruits, it's about finding the right fit. I suspect that there's a some pretty significant differences in the programs run by White and Lombardi. That isn't to say Lombardi's program is bad, it's just different, and maybe not a difference these ladies who signed up to play college ball for white were comfortable with. I expect there will be plenty of players who will be happy to play for Lombardi, but it appears that there are some pains during the transition.

Only one player Burke (went to TX with White) was actually from Oregon.

Keep in mind, however, that White was Burke's travel ball coach at one point. That bond is strong.
 
Mar 13, 2010
1,758
48
From reading all the articles that have come out, the team was given the opportunity to talk to whoever they wanted before fall ball started. None left.

It’s onky after they experienced the coaching they choose to leave.

And the statements from the players have been cryptic but clear.
 

panthadad2

fastpitch pops
Jun 27, 2017
144
18
It's starting to look like the Oregon vs. Stanford series might decide who stays out of the Pac12 cellar. Ugh. Who would have thunk that a few months ago.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Lombardi may be suffering from the same issues as Bill Belichick's former coaches run into when they try to become head coaches themselves. You can get away with various stuff when you are Bill Belichick/Patti Gasso that you cannot when you are Matt Patricia/Melyssa Lombardi. These former AC's of legendary coaches need to find their own styles while taking some of the core principles they learned when they were AC's..if you try to become a clone (not saying she is but from the article posted it appears she made some references to OU's success vs. Oregon's) it won't work.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Lombardi may be suffering from the same issues as Bill Belichick's former coaches run into when they try to become head coaches themselves. You can get away with various stuff when you are Bill Belichick/Patti Gasso that you cannot when you are Matt Patricia/Melyssa Lombardi. These former AC's of legendary coaches need to find their own styles while taking some of the core principles they learned when they were AC's..if you try to become a clone (not saying she is but from the article posted it appears she made some references to OU's success vs. Oregon's) it won't work.

Additionally, Patty Gasso's players signed up to play in PG's program, with some knowledge of what that would entail.
 

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