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How many times are the Cowboys going to be knocked out of the playoffs before someone starts pointing the finger at Don English? It's always the old '1-game series' excuse, or any of a myriad of reasons why a so-called "superior" Cowboys team comes into a playoff game tight or unprepared. That's COACHING, and English has a long history of making his teams underperform. What coach, seeing a starting pitcher give up FIVE walks in the 1st inning, would not make a trip to the mound sometime during that ordeal to help settle him down? ENGLISH probly knew his presence would make it worse for Hermans. Face it, a monkey could take this team with 6 D-1 players farther into the playoffs, and should have. Coppell deserves better, and has now for a long time.
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Cowboy4life,
I don't know how you have come to your conclusions. My son in particular has not had a strong hitting season, and it was extended lastnight. Coach English has always taken blame for things he has done wrong, but lastnight was not one of them. It seemed as though all that could go wrong went wrong for our boys. This however does not make them anyless of an individual as the next guy, or Coach English. It is a game, and there always has to be someone that loses, we were disappointed that it was us lastnight. I sat in the stands wondering why things were turning out the way they were and kept being reminded of Chris Gavora(sp?) and his parents and how they much feel in his loss. Gee I have a healthy God fearing son who went 0 for 3, things could be worse. It is not Coach English's fault, he cannot lay down bunts, catch flies, field grounders or hit for our players. He can encourage, lead a life of integrity worth being imitated and love these players like his own sons, which he has done for almost 30 years. You my friend are wrong on this one! God bless those who are able to put things in perspective.
quote:
Originally posted by Catscradle:
Cowboy4life,
I don't know how you have come to your conclusions. My son in particular has not had a strong hitting season, and it was extended lastnight. Coach English has always taken blame for things he has done wrong, but lastnight was not one of them. It seemed as though all that could go wrong went wrong for our boys. This however does not make them anyless of an individual as the next guy, or Coach English. It is a game, and there always has to be someone that loses, we were disappointed that it was us lastnight. I sat in the stands wondering why things were turning out the way they were and kept being reminded of Chris Gavora(sp?) and his parents and how they much feel in his loss. Gee I have a healthy God fearing son who went 0 for 3, things could be worse. It is not Coach English's fault, he cannot lay down bunts, catch flies, field grounders or hit for our players. He can encourage, lead a life of integrity worth being imitated and love these players like his own sons, which he has done for almost 30 years. You my friend are wrong on this one! God bless those who are able to put things in perspective.


I don't know about the rest of you but this had to be the best post from a parent I've ever read. Thank You...
Thanks maverick, my husband is the preacher, writer of our household. I took a chance and had to join this morning and get a word in for people who really our the heroes in all this. Lots of conclusions drawn about this team and their reported cocky arrogant spirit or coaches inadequacies. I haven't witnessed that, but what I have seen is a couple of strong leaders emerge and players who really love each other, and a coach that keeps things in perspective. I guess it was a successful season afterall.
quote:
Originally posted by Cowboy4Life:
What coach, seeing a starting pitcher give up FIVE walks in the 1st inning


Five walks in the first does not matter if the offense doesn't score a run. He could have walked 15 guys and it still would have been a shutout.


quote:
Originally posted by Cowboy4Life:
ENGLISH probly knew his presence would make it worse for Hermans. Face it, a monkey could take this team with 6 D-1 players farther into the playoffs, and should have. Coppell deserves better, and has now for a long time.


Is the monkey going to swing the bat for the 6 D-1 players? Players have to take responsibility at some point...there is only so much a coach can do.
What does lethargic look like? Were they laying in the dugout, did they walk onto the field when on defense and not hustle out, did you hear someone snoring, were they texting their girlfriends in the stands or playing poker in the dugout before the first pitch was thrown? They were ready to play I can gaurantee it. I have often asked my son after a game, were you trying to get a hit did you swing hard? Unsuccessful attempt to the outsider often looks like lack of effort or lethargy? But I can assure you no player at this level would go to a game and not try or want to help his team. It is ludicrous to make statements that impune them in such a way. I saw pitches thrown out and up, and bunts popped up, and hard hits go right to a player, but in no way can you make statements like this and there be an ounce of truth in it. Wish you could of been at the extra inning games against FM and SLC, anything but lethargic. Isn't this great game about swinging with confidence pitching and hitting spots, etc... The pros even struggle and are only successful about 30% of the time. Give these great kids and coaches a break, and the old saying if you can't say something nice don't say it might apply here. The Grapevine team played impeccable baseball lastnight.
Top Shelf,
Were you at the same game as me? When Morris hit the lead off double, his body language was full of passion for the game. When Hermans wasn't getting any calls, he didn't pout. Instead, he focused and went to work. I can go on with examples, but the fact is, the team lost a tough one to a good Grapevine team. It's tough being highly ranked because of the bull's eye on your back. Seems like some people just want to kick some good, talented kids when they're down. The good news is that most all the seniors are moving on to great college programs so you haven't heard the last of them.

As for English, he's made some mistakes through the years, but Cat is right, he loves those kids. I believe him to be an honorable man who has given my kid an "Attaboy!" when he needed it.
Your opinion is suspect since you said yourself you have only seen a few games, yet "they have looked lathargic for most of the year to me". Yes the coach is responsible for getting them ready, that is why they had a little chewing for an hour after FM and lots of LH bp. Not sure what else they could have done. I know you have probably seen alot of baseball since you have the honor of scouting many teams, surely you have things go awry like they did lastnight and breaks on one side of the field and not the other. It has nothing to do with umps, coaches, players, etc... it is baseball. Just wish in a perfect world your opinion wouldn't be so condescending. I am partial to the Cowboys, please forgive.
I don't ever post, but sit back and watch this forum. Very often when someone gets called out on a subject, they respond that they "know something" that the rest of us don't know. So, Top Shelf, why don't you share this knowledge with the rest of us? After all, if you are telling the baseball world that our kids are lethargic and that you "have a little more knowledge" about our team or our kids that we don't know, shouldn't you share that with us? Or is that information top secret among you scout-types?
When I see comments and posts like the one that started this thread, it makes me extremely proud that I do what I do for a living. The easiest thing to do is to start throwing people under the bus because of the outcome of a ballgame didn't go the way it was "supposed" to. The Patriots two years ago can attest to something like this. Just wondering out loud to the originator of this thread, if you have teenage children or if you have ever coached a group of high school or younger players, how many times do they do exactly what you coach them to do? They may do it time and time again in practice and in some games, however, there are times when they will fail and not execute. It's the nature of the beast when coaching young men. What gets me is when someone gets on here and bashes a man who makes his living coaching and is in the public eye. Yes he did choose his profession as did I, but you'll never see one of us sitting behind your desk watching every move you make and bashing you when the outcome of a deal or some other crisis occurs that may or may not be your fault. I wish in the future that you'd approach Coach English face to face with your issues. Or even better than that, go get your certification to teach, (yes, coaches DO teach classes during the day when they are not coaching which is a whole 'nuther thing in itself), come to the public school place of business and lets see what you can do. This isn't MLB '09 where you can hit the reset button to start over again and you don't have all-stars sitting on the bench. You do the best you can with what you have and so be it.

Coach English is a very close friend of mine and at one time my boss. I had the honor of working on his staff at Coppell and with this group of young men. They were a joy and honor to coach and I will never forget my time there. Coach English is a mentor to these players and his assistant coaches. He teaches them all about life through baseball. He is a rock solid man who is a excellent example of what it means to live a Christ centered life.
This is a great thread!!!

We have had several years of experience with Coach English and I have never run across a more incompetent, deceitful person in baseball then him. If you walk the same line(s) as him then everything is just wonderful; if you don't you are punished. I appreciate all of the God fearing quotes being tossed about - I too am of the persuasion. But when a man stoops so low as to call his professed feelings of God into action and then takes his feelings out on his ball players shame on him. This is a man who firmly believes that his way is the only way. His hypocrisy is amazing!

Now let's talk baseball skills - he has none. Okay, that is too severe. He does know how to write little notes to himself on his hands so he doesn't forget - "runner on 3rd, suicide squeeze". Obviously that's an exaggeration but still pretty close to the truth.

Now let's talk marketing skills. This he can do. He has a solid record of promoting programs and getting funding in line. He brought in a lot of money to the Cowboys program when he 1st arrived. But that job is done and he gets an A - not to discount all of the work that was done be everyone else who really brought the money in - I'm just trying to figure out how to give an attaboy to good 'ol Coach. Though it is too bad his marketing of supplements never got off the ground with his players.

Bottom line yes it is the players who have to execute. But the Coach has such an important impact on the game and I just don't see anything positive with this guy. These players love the game and they are going to do their best regardless of the coach - that's why kids like Morris et al are elite players. As much as English did to destroy my son's love of the game he couldn't do that - and that is the only thing we have to be thankful for in our experience with English.
quote:
Originally posted by L.A.:
When I see comments and posts like the one that started this thread, it makes me extremely proud that I do what I do for a living. The easiest thing to do is to start throwing people under the bus because of the outcome of a ballgame didn't go the way it was "supposed" to. The Patriots two years ago can attest to something like this. Just wondering out loud to the originator of this thread, if you have teenage children or if you have ever coached a group of high school or younger players, how many times do they do exactly what you coach them to do? They may do it time and time again in practice and in some games, however, there are times when they will fail and not execute. It's the nature of the beast when coaching young men. What gets me is when someone gets on here and bashes a man who makes his living coaching and is in the public eye. Yes he did choose his profession as did I, but you'll never see one of us sitting behind your desk watching every move you make and bashing you when the outcome of a deal or some other crisis occurs that may or may not be your fault. I wish in the future that you'd approach Coach English face to face with your issues. Or even better than that, go get your certification to teach, (yes, coaches DO teach classes during the day when they are not coaching which is a whole 'nuther thing in itself), come to the public school place of business and lets see what you can do. This isn't MLB '09 where you can hit the reset button to start over again and you don't have all-stars sitting on the bench. You do the best you can with what you have and so be it.

Coach English is a very close friend of mine and at one time my boss. I had the honor of working on his staff at Coppell and with this group of young men. They were a joy and honor to coach and I will never forget my time there. Coach English is a mentor to these players and his assistant coaches. He teaches them all about life through baseball. He is a rock solid man who is a excellent example of what it means to live a Christ centered life.


LA, Last time I checked Coach English was getting paid handsomely at Coppell. Just because he coaches a great game doesn't mean he can get away with doing a half-baked job. I am really getting tired of coaches thinking coaches don't have accountability. Good grief. Don't get into coaching big-time high school sports if you don't want heat. If you are doing pro bono coaching at the YMCA then you a get a pass.
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