Rayner Noble

[bcolston15]

That's the name i'm hearing for the open coaching position. He's the former University of Houston head coach and would a very solid hire.

I haven't heard many names and he's the only guy i've heard mentioned I like. We'll see.

He and Sunny go way back to the Alaska League in the 80's.

[Ruf/Nek7]

Sorry for not being up to date with OU baseball and all, but what coaching position is open?

[Pillmanj]

Pitching coach...Mike Bell, the former pitching coach, went back to FSU

[TumbleweedDoom]

That'd be an unbelievably good hire.

[IndySooner]

Heard that it is not Noble. At least for pitching coach.

[OutlandTrophy]

ahhh, Kenai, what a great place to spend a summer.

[rysooner]

Heard that it is not Noble. At least for pitching coach.

Include details, Indy, details...

[IndySooner]

Include details, Indy, details...

Wish I had them. Only thing I have is that Noble is NOT the pitching coach. I can't imagine he'd accept a volunteer position, but I guess you never know. It would be odd that Colston heard his name if he wasn't involved in some sort of way. It's not like he'd be the first person you thought of.

[perryj]

SO do you know who the pitching coach is?

There's a theory out there on another site that has Tadlock moving over the be the pitching coach. Could Noble take Tadlock's vacated position should that happen?

[bcolston15]

The fact that nothing has been announced makes me think there is some shuffling going on. All the candidates have been interviewed by now.

[hvhurricane]

That would be a big time hire, IMO.

[rysooner]

SO do you know who the pitching coach is?

There's a theory out there on another site that has Tadlock moving over the be the pitching coach. Could Noble take Tadlock's vacated position should that happen?

Interesting thought....

[IndySooner]

Hearing that the Tadlock theory has legs. Also hearing that a former Sooner could be his replacement as hitting coach. Weird stuff.

[hvhurricane]

I can't imagine Tadlock would be too happy about moving into that role, knowing SG is the one who controls the pitching staff, calls the pitches, etc. I am not sure it would be very good for team chemistry, either. If SG really feels that strongly about hiring another hitting coach then it makes more sense to just cut bait with TT. I wouldn't care for the move, but it would make sense to me given SG's desire to go in another direction.

[TumbleweedDoom]

Maybe it's not that he feels that strongly about hiring another hitting coach, and instead is just trying to get the best guy on staff he can, and then just let the actual positions sort themselves out. If Sunny is as dominant over his pitching coaches as you say he is, I can also assure you from others that he evidently controls the hitting aspect too. Of course, I hear from others that he never even shows up from practice anymore, so it's confusing how he could be the de-facto pitching and hitting coach, as well. It's hilarious to hear all the anti-SG bashing that's so contradictory and such ... but I'm going off-tangent ... basically, I just think he wants to hire the best guy and then worry about "job titles" later.

[TumbleweedDoom]

Looks like our friends at ChasingOmaha.com are saying that former Sooner Aric Thomas is the man: http://twitter.com/#!/chasingomaha

[IndySooner]

From what I hear, Sunny may want to take a step back from the pitching coach situation. If that's the case, who would he trust more than Tadlock?

Who knows, but the one thing I know is there is enough to the Thomas story to believe it 95%.

[perryj]

If this turns out to be true I think it signals a change in Sunny and the way he runs things. It would also be a huge statement of trust in Tadlock and appreciation for what he brings to the table as a recruiter. For all the reported differences between the two this would do wonders to clear up that perception.

I have a hard time believing the two guys have worked together this long without having respect for each other. That doesn't mean they are always going to like each other and their ideas or have their issues with each other from time to time. But in a business where jobs are always available it makes no sense to stay somewhere where you don't respect those you are working for/with and/or aren't treated with the same respect.

[rysooner]

If the Tadlock move happens and Thomas comes in a his replacement, wonder what Raley thinks of the whole situation. I would think Russell would be quite disappointed to not get Tadlock's position as hitting coach. This is getting interesting....

[perryj]

Aric Thomas was an assistant at OU for 8 years before becoming the head guy at Eastern for the last 7. You'd expect Russell to want the job and hope he would be disappointed in not getting it. You also hope he would understand that a more qualified candidate was selected should this theory/rumor turn out to be true.

[TumbleweedDoom]

Yeah, I'd feel bad for Russell, but Aric's experience and success as the head coach at a solid JUCO program (not to mention as the AD there, too) doesn't put him on the same playing field as Russell.

[hvhurricane]

If it is indeed Aric Thomas then we have come full circle to when SG first came back to OU. I can tell you first hand SG and AT did not see eye to eye when they were both assistants that one year. AT did not leave on good terms. I would have never expected them to coach together again on the same staff. And this goes against the theory SG wants to hire the best person for the job and fill the best staff possible. Noble yes, AT no. Nothing against AT, he was a great player for OU and worked his butt off as LC's assistant, but there was a reason we started going downhill and LC begged SG to come back. There was a marked regression with him as the lead assistant. We were not a very good team those years. I am not trying to bash SG, but I don't understand this move at all. This would be like the football team hiring Dick Winder back as the OC.

[bcolston15]

Unless SG needs a new whipping boy...

[IndySooner]

It's official: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/070911aaa.html

[IndySooner]

FYI, to address all points above, and I may as well because it looks like my sources have been spot-on to this point:

1. Sunny supposedly wants to step back from the in-game management of the pitching staff. That would make sense as to why he would move Tadlock there. Who would he trust more?

2. Last season wore on everyone. Most of what has been posted about the clubhouse strife, etc., has been at least based in truth. Once the season was over, though, cooler heads prevailed. Look for the old Golloway style to be back and those that don't buy into it are on their way out.

3. Thomas and Golloway had their issues in the past, but Thomas has wanted to get back into the program for a few years now. They have mended their relationship over the years and are on very good terms at this point.

4. The Noble story came from him being on campus for some camps. He wasn't a candidate, but is someone that Sunny is friends with.

[bcolston15]

This will either work brilliantly or be a colossal failure. I don't think we'll be saying anything in between.