My answers would be #'s 2,3,and 7.

I went to a lot of baseball games at UCD and even skipped class a few times to go. Except for my last season (2011), they had very few promos and there was nothing like the excitement of the minor leagues (I was a season ticketholder to the A's and would go to maybe 5 Giants games a year so I saw a lot of baseball). The most exciting thing other than watching baseball itself was seeing if you would win a program give away drawing by number (I never won).

I won the raffle once-got a gift certificate to Rocknasium that I never used. With crowds being so small I always thought it was a crock that I didn't win more, especially considering not everyone takes one. I would not be entirely surprised if they only called the numbers of programs that no fans picked up or they chose programs at random from the stack beforehand and distributed them in the press box, called those numbers. I saw very few people ever claim them. Softball had better prizes (and women !) But ugh...the singing !

I would add the UCD fans are pretty lame as a group. There are some excellent fans (like Ralph Rago) but many more who are just there to watch whichever player is related to them and doze off the rest of the game-a lot like little league. The Aggies never have a home advantage-the opposing fans are always louder and more supportive.

Combination, but honestly it all comes back to winning. Does the Dobb have lights yet? No? In the Yolo County heat, there are no lights, for night games, after a vast majority of classes conclude on campus and students may want to actually watch some baseball, especially dorm kids.

And the placement of the stadium is perfect for students from Primero and Segundo to walk on over. Not to mention those apartments near the ARC.

I think UCD is way behind the majority of the Big West in recruiting. Back in 2005 they had the remnants of a really good 2004 D-II team (plus eventual major leaguers Eddie Gamboa and Daniel Descalso), swept UCSB, CSUN + won 4 out of 5 against both UCR and Sac State-unthinkable these days. The Gauchos, Matadors, and Hornets, among others, recruited better and improved while UCD stood still. Rex Peters got some dynamic two-way players (Popkins and Lyman), started to turn things around, and then he quit. Then instead of getting another experienced head coach to build on what they had they went with an internal hire who was not a head coach anywhere, not even at the HS level

Now UCSD, which was Division III when I was a student, out-recruits them. They have been losing the arms race for years.

And now we come to find out that the whole time Vaughn was coach and possibly even back to Peters' days there was all that drunken hazing going on. And how naive would we be to assume that only happened for a couple of days a year ? How many players during that time played hung over and ruined games with sloppy play ?

I'll reserve jugment on the current coaching staff until
I see what they can do with a team comprised of mostly their own recruited players

The lack of lights is just a stunner in my view. Even the IM fields have lights. Did we have to have a rich alum to pay for the IM lights? No. Plus there appears to no real interest in getting the lights done, by let’s say, a campaign to fund the lights. I think a lot of alums would sign on for a few hundred to get that going. Does anyone know what Rocko’s thought are on this subject?
I know BB is a nonrevenue sport, but to not to finish off what in many ways is the best college BB stadium in the west with lights Is nothing short of stupid. IMHO.

Imagine the stadium we would have had if ICA and Mrak Hall hadn't drug their feet building it due to 'gender equity' politics. They sat on the donation for an extended period, and construction prices soared.

Does the student station cover games?

The team pulled off a solid year, let's hope it continues, which would help recruiting and lights.

I think the IM lights were an easier sell because they're for the benefit of all students who want to participate in IM sports. If baseball gets lights only baseball benefits.

I believe something worth doing is worth doing well. I'd rather they cancel the program than do a half@ss job. If they're dragging their feet due to TItle IX then maybe it's time to cut some sports to reduce their financial obligationsand get new leadership at the top. Other schools manage to get the things they need for the sports they have facing challenges. Get it done.

They invested the money in a new coaching staff but they pretty much had to due the bad PR. Coaches can only do so much. UCD presents the same recruiting challenges for any baseball coach that comes in.

Soccer would benefit too, but same thing.

AggieFinn2 the only student’s who benefited from the IM lights were IM participants and many davis students are not IM players. So I realize IM might be more important for the students than BB, but then why lights on the football stadium and not woman’s soccer. What we really need is a statement from Rocko as to where this issue is going. Can’t lose BB per BW rules. The idea of cutting other sports is not realistic. BTW don’t lose the fact that over time davis woman’s sports have always over performed men’s sports. Especially women’s basketball over men’s which we all know too well. Tough times for an AD these days……

There are way more IM participants than varsity baseball athletes at UCD. Considering those lights were probably funded in their entirety with student fees and tuition dollars they needed to benefit a greater section of the student population. The IM lights are also very necessary in my opinion. The fields get a lot of use- with several contests daily, so they need lights for flexible game times. Then there's the safety factor. So while the contests played on the IM fields are meaningless to all but those involved they are important for those students who aren't talented enough to play varsity sports but want to compete and enjoy themselves.

Football has lights because many contests are at night, which accomodates more fans. Because it brings in more fans (and more money) than any other UCD sport per game-it can have nice things. Soccer can be pretty popular but it's not Portland popular. It's not like hundreds of people are denied tickets at the gate to each game. Soccer couldn't really accomodate more fans without additional seating structures also being added, so accomodating more fans with later gametimes has a very limited benefit Sometimes money trumps Title IX.

Also football games often have to be played at night in August or Sept due to the heat. Baseball is usually done by May. It can get hot in early May, but it's usually cooler than August-early Oct.

That said, Soccer starts so early, half the season is over before school starts. They could really use lights. There's shade for the fans but not so much for the players if I recall correctly. I haven't been on campus since EWU @UCD in 2017.

Yeah, my guess is that Rocko has had a conversation with BBHC that went something like this: you win some games for me then we talk about lights. Sounds reasonable to me. WS has done so much better than BB and of course is just next to the BB field. So a joint project is needed. Frankly I would have the WS coach head this negotiation and there is no doubt she is much more shall we say “interesting to look at” than our new BB coach. Check her out, she has a great personal story and she is fiercely dedicated to her sport.

Does Mens Soccer not play at the soccer field anymore?

The men's team still plays at Aggie Soccer Field. I believe 69Aggie was highlighting the women's soccer team to illustrate that adding lights could benefit a women's team. The question I would have is-how do you coordinate to get lights on both sides ? I have not seen rotating light poles at any sports venue I've ever visited so you'd have to identify two spots to install them. I am guessing baseball places theirs beyond the outfield fence, but where do you put soccer's ? And if you put them behind the OF fence you have to build an additional wall behind so as to keep distracted bicyclists from crashing into them. And UCD has lots of bicyclists who ride with their heads down oblivious to everything around them

It's ok to say the women's soccer coach is good-looking. JK No one would call you a dirty old man for that, especially since others here (I refer you to my comment about the softball team having good-looking players back when I was a student) occasionally like to comment on the physical attractiveness of women's bball players. All these old-timers are lying to you if they tell you they only notice the players'skill. LOL

Murphy Hamm is the closer and designated emotional support staff.

The profile of Murphy is fun. Perhaps baseball should name the bat-retrieving dog a coach. Bats are heavy though and those aluminum bats must really be tough on a dog's teeth-probably why they only do it a few times per game.

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Lights are coming!