Jay Hartzell and CDC on how the hiring of Jim Schlossnagle came to be

Texas held an introductory press conference for new baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle. Hear UT President Jay Hartzell and AD Chris Del Conte introduce Schlossnagle in front of the media. 

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
And we're back to the Craig WayShow. Have a message for Craig,
share it by using the talkback featureon the iHeartRadio app. Just a day
after A and NFL short to Tennesseeand the College World Series final Tennessee led
by Tony fi Tel their first evernational championship in men's baseball history, and

(00:27):
now Slash and some who on thetext line are saying hashtag slash after Losh
is now the Texas baseball head coaching. He was introduced today on campus with
Crystal Conte, Jay Hartzel, KevinEl type and in a lot of big
names as well. We're in Attennis, current players on the baseball program,

(00:49):
past players, Steve Sarkjhan Rodney,Terry Ficke Schaeffer, Billy Bowman. I'm
sure many more were in attendance tocome out and support this hiring by many
who believe is if not the bestbaseball coach up there. And we read
you his stats in the last sixyears most NCAA tournament wins out of any
coach and has the most College WorldSeries appearances along with Kevin ol Sullivan from

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Florida. Well, let's get toit today. Jay Hartzel got things started
as he introduced Chris Decante in followedby that Jim Slawsnegle, but ut President
Jay Hartzel on the hiring of JimSlasnagle. Thank you, mister chairman,

(01:38):
and I'm Jay Hartzell, President ofthis great university. And you're about to
find out that we did not coordinateour remarks because I'm going to hit a
few of the same themes as theChairman hit. This is a great day
for Long Term Nation, a greatday for our university, great day for
Texas Athletics and certainly Texas Baseball.Clearly we're here to celebrate and introduce our
new head coach, Coach Slasnagele.But before we do that, I do

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take a moment and just recognize whatI think is the special moment that our
university is in today. We're inthat moment both academically and athletically. There
are many reasons the winds are setat our back, but a couple of
those are on either side of meon this agenda here today, I want
to take a minute and recognize mycolleagues. Crystalcante says often that he United

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Texas is a reckoning and it's beena reckoning. Over the last four years
of working together. We've had elevennational championships in three Directors Cups, as
the Chairman mentioned, and we're united. We've had some touch issues that have
been facing really all of higher education, but I feel honored to work with
chamer El Tife, Regent Giles andthe rest of the border of regents,
and we've got a great board andwe're all rowing in the same direction.

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Chameriel Tivee sets our tone is youheard him say today. He puts the
students first and our patients first.He is also one to drive for excellence
and impact and any of you whomay doubt his passion for what he does
go watch his part of the commencementcelebration this last season. On the other
side of me in the agenda isCrystal Conte and I think Cedria Golden wrote

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today or last night that he wassavage and the most powerful ad in the
country. I will add, asthe chairman did, he is the best
ad in the country. That issomething that we have known for a very
long time, but it was niceto see formally recognized with an award this
season. He has said he wasthe Susan Lucci of Athletic Director of the
Year Awards. We all don't knowwhat took him so long, but it

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was great that the rest of thecountry stood that award on him that we
all have known to be true.Part of what makes CDC so special is
his ability to do what we striveto do across our entire campus. We
bring together outstanding leaders, outstanding teachers, outstanding developers of talent, and then
we bring into that mix very verytalented students, and then we're all here

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to help him. And I don'tthink there's a better ad at the country
at attracting talented people than Crystal Conte. I asked coach Ianello, our new
women's golf coach. Part of whatmade her, what made her come and
choose to come here and leave herall mater in Arizona, And really quickly
she got to the rest of thecoaches that we've assembled here at this university.
That's a credit for the entire ethleticdepartment, staff, for our student

(04:12):
athletes, and for Crystal Conte.Bringing such talented leaders of our student athletes
together is really making this a specialplace in a special time. Coach Los
Nagle fits right into the set ofextremely good coaches, and coach, we're
just thrilled you're here. Athletics isa very important part of the University of
Texas at Austin, and baseball isa very important part of Texas. Athletics

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has an amazing history. I wouldsay it's arguably second to none, and
it takes a special person to leadthat kind of a special program, and
it's clear that we have one inCoach Tosnagle. Today is the start of
a new great run for Texas baseball. Coach, We're excited for our future
together. It's going to be fullof student athletes who are going to reach
their potential, take trips to Omahaand win championships with that, Thanks again,

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coach for being here. And I'llhand it over to Crystal Conte And
now here is Chris Elconte introducing JimSlasnigl. Hi, everybody, it's an
awesome day to day at Texas.Before we move forward, I think when
you start to look at what's happenedaround, I always say United Texas is
a reckoning and what I mean bythat is we've all been in organizations that
were not united. When united,from top to bottom. Every major decision

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we make at the University of Texas, I will call the chairman, I
will call my boss, President Harpson, will discuss everything that's taking place.
And not a decision we make hasever made in a vacuum. And that's
the decision when you start to lookat what's happening around the university, whether
it be m d Anderson, whetherit's the Cibota Center, we look at
Moody. The move to the SoutheasternConference, in this great day of bringing

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coach loss to campus is all madewith the unified front and that just speaks
volumes of the institution. And thatreally started with hiring our head football coach
Steve Sarkeesian, when we decided thisis what we're going to do and what
our goals were in aspirations were Everythingis shared, and I want everyone to
room to know that has shared thoughtin mind. I may have an idea.
They'll call you. The one ofthem will say, have you lost

(06:04):
your mind today? I said,yes, sir, but I got something
for you. And this is whatI'm really so excited about our university.
So excited for the University of Texas, our fans, our donors, is
because we are united, and whenwe're all rowing the boat, Texas is
ereconing. And I always say thatwhen we're rowing the boat in the same
direction, it is erecting. BeforeI introduced coach, I just want to

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talk a little bit about Coach Pierceand just mentioned that I thank him and
Susan for their service store institution.They were great and we mutually parted ways.
And at that point in time,I sat down, I called the
chairman, I called the President Harts, and we had a discussion of what
we looked at and what we werelooking for, and we understood the gravatas
of the University of Texas and whenin traditions the University of Texas show not

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being trusted to the timid northern week. We've been ome all thirty eight times.
We've won six national championships. CoachBohoman, I see you coming from
the Olympic Childs. Buddy, goodwork came right after he wanted Natty as
well. So appreciate that, buddy. But the idea that should not be
in trusted at timmo door of theweek and what does that mean? We
started to talk about the gravitas ofour baseball program. What it's built on

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who we hire. And every timecoach President Harts will say this, who
can lead this program to what wewant? And I can't tell you.
He's a dear friend. We've knowneach other since two thousand and seven when
I was at Rice and he wasat TCU, and for ten years I
had a front row seat to watchthe man lead a program that was in

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a tc that had from the ashesto five times to go to Omaha.
The past three years at Texas Aand M. I watched what he's done
and I sent back to the chairman. I sent to my president and said,
we have a guy. We havea guy, but right now he's
on a run in college baseball,and let's see what if he is the

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guy wh would like to come here? And I can tell you I am
so proud you've chosen this opportunity tocoach laws not only for the man you
are, the team, the personthat you built, but how you conduct
your business. And I couldn't thinkof a better person to lead our baseball
program. I'd like to introduce youto your new head baseball coach, coach

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Jim Sloshnegger. So if you missedit, CDC waited outside a Snook cemetery
for hours, waiting for Jim Slashnableto return from college, to return the
College Station from Omall because he knewthat was the only place where he could
hide out without being seen before drivingto slash his home to seal the deal

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on that Tuesday night. Do youknow why? Because if an A and
M fan saw CDC and College Station, they would have felt like they saw
a ghost. Yeah. Well theywould have known think that's good, good
way, Well they would they wouldhave known that if CDCs in down,
he's not there for anything else besidesJim slowstikles. We're gonna do here.
We're going to move inconceivable back inthe show because I want to get to

(09:07):
Schlasnegle's opening statement, and this lengthyA fair warning, it's a lengthy opening
statement, but I think Texas fansreally want to hear what Jim Sloshnegle has
to say the next Texas baseball headcoach. Last six seasons has done great
things both the TCU and A andM has gone to the College World Series
twice with A and M reached thefinals this past season. We're nine outs

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away from capturing a national Championship againstTennessee before the volunteers came back and ultimately
won in Game three. So I'mgoing to hear from him up next.
Take this break early, come back, get his opening statement, and continue
here on The Craig Way Show.New head coach for the Texas baseball program,
Jim Schlasnangle. Have a day,Chris del conteve hope you back with more