Pinzino to Oklahoma

And Brian Murphy will take over at William & Mary.

1 year. Hope he never bought a house. If they don't give it to Murphy who will get the call? Let's crank up the rumor mill.

Murphy got it.  No rumor mill.

Full job - not interim.

Man that worked out pretty sweet for him. I guess they saw how well that worked for VT from a recruit standpoint. The king is dead, long live the king. Or something like that.

Pinzino already had a tough commute. His wife is the Tufts softball coach. I can't imagine her walking away from a national championship team unless she gets a D1 job.

SMH!!!!!!!

Parents & players seem to take these moves so personally.  This is a business.  Would any parent here not consider a new position at a great employer that was most likely going to pay way more?  Of course you would.

And I by no means have any insider information so don't mistake what I'm speculating as truth.  But, for fun, think about what Pinz has the potential to make in Big 12.  Now take what he was probably making at WM.  Add what his wife was making at a D3 New England softball program (read as non revenue generating D3 NE program).  Consider the cost of living in Norman vs having 2 sets of bills in Williamsburg & Boston.  Add the potential for Mrs Pinz to have a baby.  

All of that info makes this move practically a no brainer.

Good for him.

And good for kids from Virginia.  The combo of Pete & Pinz at OU might help a kid or 2 get looked at.  

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

It's not important who I am or who my son is.  He and I spoke last night about Coach Pinzino's move.  He called and spoke with him in length about his decision.  I have know idea what the conversation intailed and I do not need to know.  It was one man to another man.  The simple fact a call was made speaks volumes to a father of the kind of man my son had a opportunity to get to know.  I told my son you can never fault a person for trying to make things better for themselves, as well as, their family. 

I wish the Pinzino family the best in their new home.  Thank you Coach P.   

Great post Baseballfan4ever.  Thanks for sharing so tactfully and appropriately such insight into Coach P.  Your story says a lot about Pinzino, and you and your son.  Stories like yours give me hope that people in high places get there because they are class acts and know it is right to make those difficult but deserved phone calls.  Best of luck to your boy. 

I really have no idea the answer... but does an asst. coach/pitching coach at an OU really earn appreciably more than HC position at a W&M?  From a career standpoint, does an asst. spot in the Big 12 look better than generating program success as a HC, albeit at a smaller D1?  Does making a jump after just one year at the helm give future AD's looking to fill a potential future HC spot any pause?  Please don't misunderstand my motives in asking; I have no axe to grind with Coach Pinzino in the least and agree that a coach has every right to do what's best for himself and his family, etc.  Just trying to understand this move because it doesn't make a lot of sense to me from the outside looking in.  Is there some issue with the W&M program... such as lack of administrative support, questions about the program continuing, etc?  Or is there just a lot more money/prestige in moving into the big time college ranks than I'm realizing?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

When opportunity knocks, you better answer the door!

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

I don't know how far back Pinzino and Hughes relationship goes, but I know Pinzino's Bryant Univ (my alma mater)  got the best of Hughes' Virginia Tech squad on March 11, 2010.   I was at that game, and it was a very fired up Bryant team.  Kelich pitched a heck of game.

http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/...10/files/vatech2.htm

Soylent Green,

You're asking very reasonable questions IMHO.  These are questions that only a few people can answer, and they're not talking.  As PIS points out when the bell rings, you got to answer it.  This is a promotion for Coach Pinzino, and a chance to play against the best.   I wish him well.

The W&M AD has a reputation for being very hard for the baseball program to get along with.

Which is a shame, because there is a lot to like about the baseball opportunity at W&M, not the least of which is the way it opens up the W&M opportunity to guys who might not otherwise get to go there.  The program also has pretty darned nice facilities for a mid-major program, and last year's NCAA tourney appearance made clear that they don't have to settle for playing second fiddle.

But PIS's post is spot on.  I suspect there was some multiplying factor between last year's pay and next year's.  And who among us would not have taken that?  It's no different from the decision Hughes had to make last spring, when he came to the same conclusion.

We'll miss having Coach Pinzino around here, he was a great influence and an active recruiter.  But it sounds like we can bank on continuity in the program, so no one should panic.

And congrats to Coach Murphy, who (I presume) was among those getting a nice raise this week!  Merry Christmas!

Good exchanges above. For those interested, here's our story with quotes from Pinzino and Murphy.

http://www.collegebaseballinsi...s/PinzinoMurphy.html

Pinzino and Hughes go back to before Pinzino took over at Bryant, and as noted above, Pinzino brought Bryant down to Virginia Tech. Being in Williamsburg the past few years only improved their relationship. The process lasted a couple weeks, with Pinzino feeling he couldn't pass on the opportunity.

Murphy will keep the staff intact and will be looking for an assistant for the 2014 season.  

Thanks, CBInsider, for posting the article.

I think we all figured Pinzino would eventually move on.... just a little stunned that it was so soon. What a great opportunity for both Pinzino and Hughes.

Looks like Coach Murphy and Coach Casey have excellent experience, as well as connections in the summer leagues for their players.

Roll Tribe!

First of all congratulations to all involved. We're talking about a very fine group of coaches.

As an additional response to Soylent Green's very good questions, I'd tack on the observation that there is an ever-widening discrepancy between the salaries that baseball programs in the so-called "power conferences" are paying and the ones that aren't. As a result, it's increasingly common for an assistant at one of the "PC" programs to make as much or more than many head coaches elsewhere. When a "power conference's" position comes open it is a highly coveted vacancy.

Of course, you also see evidence of an increasing disparity in facilities. The two trends are closely associated with one another.

All of it is related to the fact that the tremendous growth in football revenue (and, to a lesser extent, basketball revenue) in the "power conferences" is providing a resource base that enables those schools to fund aggressive spending programs in other sports. Meanwhile, those schools lacking strong football revenue are finding it increasingly difficult to compete.

Viewed from a distance, W&M's baseball program seems to be one with a very positive trajectory, and there's no reason to believe that coach Murphy isn't capable of continuing that. Instead, I view it as being much more about an individual's opportunity at a resource-rich university.

You said it, it's career and profession.  There's a fine balance of taking care of the boys and taking care of your family.  I think his exit was classy and wish he and his family all the best.

As a digression, I have to say that "Soylent Green" gets my vote for best new screen name, it makes me laugh every time!

For those who don't know, SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!! AAARRRRGGGHHH!

Thanks for the tip MidloDad.  I was wondering about that.   Never heard of the movie until I just googled it.   It must have kept Heston busy between Planet of the Apes movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IKVj4l5GU4

PS...Thanks SG.