Monday, August 08, 2005
New NU Pitching Coach
Mike Anderson knew who could help him find the perfect pitching coach for the Nebraska staff.
After Rob Childress left to become the head coach at Texas A&M, Anderson called up Dave Bingham. The long-time baseball coach is looked up to by many coaches in the midwest and often gets phone calls asking for advice.
After several talks, Bingham did help Anderson find the perfect candidate for a new pitching coach, but one he didn't expect -- himself.
"Dave has been a consultant," Anderson said. "People call to throw things by him. It's easy to call up Dave Bingham and talk. It's not just me, it's a lot of midwest coaches."
Bingham, who has been a head coach at Emporia State (1974-87) and Kansas (1988-95) and was most recently an assistant at New Mexico in 2004, was surprised where these discussions with Anderson ended up.
"Mike and I had gone through this process....I'd tell him about other candidates and try to advise him," Bingham said. "We talked one day and he said 'The principles you believe in are the principles I believe in. Would you be interested?'
"That took me back a bit."
After giving it some thought, Bingham decided that Anderson was just the type of head coach he would like to work for.
"A lot had to do with Mike Anderson," Bingham said of returning to the collegiate ranks. "A lot of the principles and relationships he has with his players and staff I believe in. And I believe it's comforting being around a guy who keeps grounded."
And Anderson felt Bingham had the qualities needed to become part of a coaching staff that could extend the team's recent successes.
"He's hard-nosed, he's disciplined," Anderson said. "It's what Nebraskans expect from this program."
Bingham doesn't feel it'll be tough to get back into coaching at the college level after sitting out most of the past decade. But his work during that time running the Dave Bingham Baseball Academy could also pay off for the Huskers in recruiting due to the connections Bingham has developed.
"Recruiting was a large part of our talks. There are so many different aspects to being a good coach," Anderson said.
After being officially introduced as the new pitching coach at a press conference Monday in the Nebraska clubhouse at Haymarket Park, Bingham was anxious to get to know as many of his new players as quickly as possible.
"Everybody tells me the cupboard is anything but bare," he said. "I met Joba Chamberlain today.
"I want to know them as quickly as possible. I've talked to professional scouts, and they list off guys (on the Nebraska staff) they think are great pitchers."
After Rob Childress left to become the head coach at Texas A&M, Anderson called up Dave Bingham. The long-time baseball coach is looked up to by many coaches in the midwest and often gets phone calls asking for advice.
After several talks, Bingham did help Anderson find the perfect candidate for a new pitching coach, but one he didn't expect -- himself.
"Dave has been a consultant," Anderson said. "People call to throw things by him. It's easy to call up Dave Bingham and talk. It's not just me, it's a lot of midwest coaches."
Bingham, who has been a head coach at Emporia State (1974-87) and Kansas (1988-95) and was most recently an assistant at New Mexico in 2004, was surprised where these discussions with Anderson ended up.
"Mike and I had gone through this process....I'd tell him about other candidates and try to advise him," Bingham said. "We talked one day and he said 'The principles you believe in are the principles I believe in. Would you be interested?'
"That took me back a bit."
After giving it some thought, Bingham decided that Anderson was just the type of head coach he would like to work for.
"A lot had to do with Mike Anderson," Bingham said of returning to the collegiate ranks. "A lot of the principles and relationships he has with his players and staff I believe in. And I believe it's comforting being around a guy who keeps grounded."
And Anderson felt Bingham had the qualities needed to become part of a coaching staff that could extend the team's recent successes.
"He's hard-nosed, he's disciplined," Anderson said. "It's what Nebraskans expect from this program."
Bingham doesn't feel it'll be tough to get back into coaching at the college level after sitting out most of the past decade. But his work during that time running the Dave Bingham Baseball Academy could also pay off for the Huskers in recruiting due to the connections Bingham has developed.
"Recruiting was a large part of our talks. There are so many different aspects to being a good coach," Anderson said.
After being officially introduced as the new pitching coach at a press conference Monday in the Nebraska clubhouse at Haymarket Park, Bingham was anxious to get to know as many of his new players as quickly as possible.
"Everybody tells me the cupboard is anything but bare," he said. "I met Joba Chamberlain today.
"I want to know them as quickly as possible. I've talked to professional scouts, and they list off guys (on the Nebraska staff) they think are great pitchers."
