JMU just announced that Coach McFarland has decided to retire after next season. Wonder if they told him he was out so he decided to "retire" or if this was really his call. I am a huge baseball fan but the last several years here at JMU have been very disappointing. Reading these boards I have to agree baseball was definitely a program in need of a change.

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Sorry forgot the link: http://www.jmusports.com/news/2014/9/25/...ement.aspx

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I'm grateful for the hard work he's put in and the good teams we've seen in past seasons, but we are overdue for a changing of the guard. I also wonder if this is a retirement, or a "retirement". The kind of retirement in name only.

With that many of years of service he deserves a "retirement" and it gives JMU a lot of time to scour the earth for a Head Coach who can do what Mickey Dean has done with softball.

When I was in high school (early 2000's) JMU was very highly thought of. It's where my coach directed most of us who had the skill (not me). Now I am embarrassed to watch jmu baseball at times, losing 19-4 and 24-6 tend to do that. I talk to my old coaches every once in a while and now they talk to their kida about GMU, Tech, ODU, and UVA before JMU even gets a mention now.

I do recognize all that he has done for JMU and want to thank him for that. But it is the for a change, anytime JMU ends up below GMU and ODU there's something wrong.

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Longhorn must be out celebrating to have missed commenting on this thread so far. Looking forward to his final thoughts...although over the past few seasons he has made it clear he wanted Spanky out so he may have little to write.

Wonder who the admin will target to breathe life in to the program.

Spanky had a good career here at JMU. I am glad he is moving on into retirement so we can begin to rebuild our baseball program.

Go Dukes!

4 of the best coaches JMU has had are all gone within a year? What's going on...

Spanky, Martin, Walton, and MM...

(09-26-2014 02:53 AM)JMUPride Wrote:  4 of the best coaches JMU has had are all gone within a year? What's going on...

Spanky, Martin, Walton, and MM...

They got old and it was time for a changing of the guard.

Did I not tell 'Longhorn' a couple of days ago when he was ranting on the Tom Martin thread to settle down about Spanky and he would soon see a similar PR from JMU on Spanky.

You don't typically buy out non-revenue generating coaches unless a donor steps up, it just doesn't make sense for the university b/c the sports is 'non-revenue' generating. You just got to wait until their contracts are up.

On a related note, UVa announced their baseball schedule yesterday and the Dukes will travel to Davenport Field on April 8th, Wed., at 5pm. That midweek game will be sandwiched between 2 key ACC series for them (hosting Louisville and traveling to Ga Tech).

No game in H'burg.

Don't know if he would at all be interested, but I think Karl Kuhn is someone JMU should seriously be looking at to fill Spanky's role. He is the UVA pitching coach. Has been for several years. UVA has turned out some excellent pitchers over the years and are, of course, one of the finest programs in the country. He has a couple of little kids and would not have to uproot his family in taking the JMU job. Once again, no idea if he would be interested in leaving the best program in the country, but it would be a chance to have his own team.

Here's his bio in case anyone is interested...

http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-b...65807.html

(09-26-2014 11:20 AM)jmu@uva Wrote:  Don't know if he would at all be interested, but I think Karl Kuhn is someone JMU should seriously be looking at to fill Spanky's role. He is the UVA pitching coach. Has been for several years. UVA has turned out some excellent pitchers over the years and are, of course, one of the finest programs in the country. He has a couple of little kids and would not have to uproot his family in taking the JMU job. Once again, no idea if he would be interested in leaving the best program in the country, but it would be a chance to have his own team.

Here's his bio in case anyone is interested...

http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-b...65807.html

He would be a solid candidate (looking past the UVA stink) assuming he had a big role in the CAV's recruiting.

Any top assistant drawn from the UNCC or USC staffs would be a good start at rebuilding the JMU program too.

The date Spanky is gone can't come fast enough.