LIBERTY SOFTBALL ARE YOUR NEW CUSA CHAMPIONS!! 💥 & Coach Dot IN-STUDIO! | Flames Central Podcast

the band is back together we are back it’s been a while a long time Joe goes out of town all the time missing all these shows Joe goes Joe missed one show I know I’m actually due for a vacation but I’m kidding uh it’s so great to be back with the guys Matt and Joe I’m Emily as you know it’s a flame Central Podcast powered by alova mortgage add a couple more C USA trophies do it to the case because Liberty Athletics is just on fire right now of course golf won a couple weeks ago Liberty softball basically won it twice that game talking about drama drama a lot of drama a lot of drama Liberty track oh we’re going to sweep indoor keep the broom out baby because we’re going to sweep outdoor too Bam Bam wait and that’s the hashtag bottom line that’s theh callot Lance the custodian cuz all he does is sweep oh my God come on Joe I like it you like it uh we’ll hear from head softball coach dot Richardson in just a moment live from El Paso beautiful El Paso Tech Monday afterno um so what a game what a series I mean let’s take it back to Friday right was that game that they dropped against New Mexico state and I’m like panicking run ruled uh that game Thursday maybe Thurday Thursday th they dropped the first game in the tournament and you’re like oh boy here you go drop down to the losers bracket you’re going have to fight your way out of it grab and pitching really struggled the first two games but they battle they win B they get to the championship and then they’re trailing against Western Kentucky most of that game they end up battling back they’re down 3-1 in the six they tie it then in the seventh this is when things started getting crazy yeah give it B is loaded play by play B is loaded are getting C Reagan Barrett stands there at the plate bang takes one off the arm that’s it walk off hit by pitch PL umpire is like no no you stay here you stay here said that apparently she like initiated contact oh stop it I I I don’t think so I think it was a brutal call I think it’s one of those things Joe where if that happened in the third inning yeah you’re taking your base but because of what was on the line he’s like uh I don’t know want to end like this so she ends up striking out you go to extras you’re like oh gosh how do you bounce back from that so Liberty comp talking about an emotional but you know what happened in the eighth Liberty couple of walks a a bunt where there’s a misc and his Bas is loaded no out and you’re like uhoh here we go Western Kentucky you get the first out then the girl it’s a line drive towards left Center deep enough to score the run from third on taging up but the runner from at second I don’t know what she was thinking just took off so M Clair Wilson catches it double or off a second anding over you go from bases Lo nobody out don’t get a single run out of it and then obviously Liberty comes through in the nth uh Savannah Jessie the walk-off double uh and celebration although they still reviewed like if the girl touch play get to celebrate like I mean I’ll just say this my kids were watching with me jack what was going on in the Warner house my 11-year-old daughter not happy was fired up she was like what is it with these umpires oh yeah like she was I wonder where she gets that from yeah I don’t know I don’t know I was so proud I like to say the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree friend were up Pickle uh pickle ball yeah p f but what a win to the neighbors Champions onto an NCAA Regional right so uh we’ll talk to do richson in just a sec but the regional was announced um yesterday Sunday and Liberty will play Charlotte in that first game on on Friday so to Athens Georgia Regional and Charlotte Liberty beat earlier this year 65 here in Lynchburg so you have some history there fourth NCAA Regional appearance in a row for Liberty by the way they just keep knocking on that door right keep putting yourself in that position and you’re going to break it down and reach that Super Regional and you know what they say Joe what do they say it’s harder to make a super Regional to win a regional and get to the super than it is to win the Super and get to the World Series you know what else they say cream Rises to the top they do say that they do okay we have a lot to talk about um lu baseball Missouri State added to the C USA in 25 golf is starting um regionals today out in Stanford on golf come on golf Let Go I mean what a surprise that they had in again dramatic fashion with that’s USA title um we’ll talk a little bit of Lu track as well but first let’s go to El Paso with Coach do The champ is here well well kind of kind of on the show head softball coach do Richardson the lady Flames are C USA Champions they’re not here in Lynchberg they’re trying to get head coach and apparently mayor of El Paso I’ve heard as well by the time this all this all ends so we get home coach well thank you so much but hey it was worth it that’s right that’s right Champs she knew it all along I don’t know if you called this foreshadowing but when they made do rich bobblehead the one number the number one fingers in the air love it um congratulations coach wow how do you put into words the last really week for the you and this team well if you think about it it’s been really amazing um the schedule has been very difficult this year we’ve had a lot of growth to do particularly in this circle a lot of freshmen a lot of you know couple transfers that you know you need to make your way into the team and to just feel comfortable and it’s been great to see the progress that we’ve done our bats been kind of off and on and started to right now just knock on wood start ripping the ball in a great way um but the big thing is that I’m so proud of first year in Conference USA we won the regular season so we’re the regular season Champions and defended the number one seed even though we lost the first game in the tournament which I knew would be tough because New Mexico state and their home field yeah strong bats air is light fence 190 down the lines and we bounce back one their next four games and we are the uh Undisputed I guess you’d say number one team in Conference USA for the regular season and the championship tournament so proud of the team all right coach I have a question for you because there this game was not without controversy take me in bottom seventh base is loaded Reagan Barrett gets hit by a pitch looks like the game’s over the Warner family is in full celebration mode and the home play ire says no no no no no you’re staying right here and you end up not scoring in that inning and it goes to extras what did they tell you in the moment and how proud were you of of the response after I mean listen it could have gone sideways at that point I’m sure the emotions were a wreck yeah it could have we had our chances we were behind off the piture of the year for the conference yeah and we were able to bounce back and she was relieved right so we’re able to take her out but the point was with Bases Loaded in two outs Reagan get gets up and the pitch came inside and they have those protective Shields right so it hit her elbow and the Umpire said you know that she purposely put her elbow out to be hit by the ball so I asked for a replay and in the review they didn’t change their mind which you know I wasn’t surprised because you know how umpiring goes sometimes yeah um but it was controversial yes but I was so proud of the team because we persevered we’re still persevering still here in El Paso can’t wait to get back home um but yeah it was a it was a sweet win when Megan forner ripped the ball into left Center and followed suit was Savannah Jessie and it was antila which was weird because I was over there expecting I already had sent um Brook Roberts home from third base to win the game and she got thrown out at home yeah and uh next thing you know here we go and uh we just continue to persevere well and listen when when the home plate umpire went to review the game-winning run to see if she stepped on plate oh boy there was I’m just telling you my kids I was proud of their reaction there was a lot of heated commentary about the state of umpiring and and things like that but like at that point it was like what is going on like let’s just this is over it’s over and that was even a little anticlimactic because then you had to wait for a review at the end well the response in The Dugout by um a supportive staff member was great because he was like yes we get to celebrate it twice there you go there you go that’s awesome well coach and then you guys got to celebrate in the airport because you’re stuck in El Paso and had to watch The Selection show what was that experience like for you guys and just really a reflection of how this team is just taken whatever it gets thrown at it yeah well you talked about the last 12 days we were at LSU and as we competed there with again the humidity and everything we’re able to defeat LSU who at the time was ranked third and then get to this conference Championship and lost that first an game and came back so you can imagine the emotions right everything from just the perseverance and the determination the competitiveness and then now the frustration so we are stuck in the airport our plane party of 38 plane was cancelled mechanical issues uh the flight was canceled and so we just kept hearing well there’ll be another flight there’ll be another flight and all of a sudden I looked and realized we’re on mountain time and the selection show is coming up so the airport people were great the security guards and everything they ended up getting us a conference room oh my and because we had Jamie Hall right yeah he was there Joe Cary was there we set up everything as beautiful for the selection show and the team was able to see our destination going to Regionals um to in Athens uh hosted by Georgia so we are very very excited about that match but it was anticlimactic in a way because the kids want to get home so badly there’s so much they have to do to get ready uh for regionals listen if you start driving right now you can probably make it to Athens in time for that first game Friday well I thought maybe what if we’re gonna go to Arizona or we go to Oklahoma or something I was like well we might as well stay here and the kids actually there’s Tears in their eyes when I said that they want to get home I believe it I coach what’s what’s the recipe now that you’ve had this change of schedule and this has got to throw your whole routine off and then you’re going into this Regional uh having to play Georgia all the um what you Charlotte I’m sorry play Charlotte but in that Georgia Regional what what do you do with the hecticness of everything that’s happened in order to change things to prepare to be able to be ready for Friday well one is I’m trying to uh um get home you be positive yeah trying to be positive but the other is we’re gonna have to give them another day off um and I’m hoping that that will energize them and they need to come to grips with what’s going on uh we’ve had a lot of adversity this year and so I think that right now it’s really up to them uh this is a an opportunity they’ve been dreaming about getting to Regionals the top 64 teams we’re able to get that automatic bid um we’re I think ranked 32 um um we have played Charlotte before so that is in their mind we’re excited about that we have beaten Georgia two years ago in regionals at Duke so um we have that experience so right now we as a coaching staff make sure we have to keep their nutrition up make sure they’re rested that’s why we’ll probably give them a de another day off we weren’t planning on and maybe on Wednesday a half a day before we uh take off to Georgia or wait till Thursday morning depending on when we have Team practice but there’s a lot that goes into it a lot of preparation for us as coaches the scouting and everything we got to make sure you know we get that done and we will um but right now it’s about the team being able to emotionally uh and physically uh get to their Optimal Performance and uh we’re going to do our best to make sure they get there we have Coach will with us too by the way our strength and add conditioning coach so he’s barely been on top of it with recovery and all of these things so there’s a lot that goes into it a lot more than people think um but I’m just is so blessed uh and just God is faithful that’s all I have to say uh we have really been um proud of this team and we’ll continue to do so and be uh just trying to make a difference for them and get them ready they will be coach when you look at this Freshman Class like not only are they transitioning to the college game but like all this adversity that you’ve talked about and this freshman class has come up clutch with you in uh for in Big Moment throughout the season what have you learned about that group on why they’ve been able to handle that well I think they’re just born with uh just recognizing God has given amazing gifts and they’re ready to seize the opportunities you see that uh with Yoda in the circle also with Kay love uh you know Katie is um coming pretty strong as well um you know I just think that they just love to compete and it’s been really great to see that happen uh just been really proud also of the MVP for the tournament for us Brook Roberts you know uh was really wasn’t getting it done the way she know she’s capable of and she was able to get it done this tournament and be rewarded for it Mary CLA Wilson unbelievable tournament unbelievable for just you know even the past few weeks her being the lead off for us Rachel rup has been pouring it on um it’s just awesome to see that she was intentionally walked so much this tournament I think 12 12 times and it’s just a huge respect for her she really should be in my mind the player of the year for the conference thank you dot don’t get that started get they they selected a player that was on the fifth team in the conference uh rupy has shown you know taken us to number one she’s been an instrument instrumental part of our season this year and will continue to be so um what else Savannah Jesse had a great tournament I mean I uh e had an awesome display and come back and courage she showed in the circle uh wow I can just Megan forner I can just start naming the whole team and I tell you Rachel Crane was amazing on defense as well so I hope that didn’t go unnoticed KK Madre also ended up getting another sports center right um you know I I could just name them all as you can tell Reagan has been phenomenal at the plate and defense and just Bren mcmanis did you see her rip the ball I mean two doubles a home run to help us win to get to the championship uh just Sierra kirston gets up did you see that pinch hit first pitch home run um so you guys just keep watching the lady Flames baby it’s h it’s so much fun and it’s great time to be a flame coach I think what you need to do right now is gather the girls up I know they’re tired and everything and let’s get on the parking lot and let’s get a workout in let’s push some buses around let’s pull the buses we’re going to get the cars out there let’s let’s grind it out girls we’re going to the top there’s no rest for the we running up to the top of the parking deck yeah just run the parking deck whatever you got to do just and there just thrown for a complete Loop right now well I tell you if you you see how tired I look I can imagine um you know imagine our players who’ve been out there the altitude the wind the heat you name it and uh you know just the exhilaration and the peace that come comes with uh realizing you we’ve accomplished that goal and now we have another goal before us so we’re going to make sure they get the rest they need and keep them inspired um like I said you guys the support has been amazing God is faithful and we’re just so proud to represent Liberty University and you know Jesus Christ and all that we do that’s amazing well coach don’t take Joey yach’s advice I think what you’re doing much better A lot of yeah lot of recovery a lot of hydration a lot of sleep absolutely well congratulations again your 2024 C USA Champions first year in the conference the CHS the Champs thanks so much for your time and safe travels home can’t wait to see you coach thank you guys God bless you’s to be back okay so we talked before we got on the phone with do let’s not bring up the C USA Awards let’s keep it let’s just keep it cool and talk about the ca championship and we’ll talk about the regional that was Matt but Matt going off on on uh warm hot and Flo and last week in flame Central about the ca awards no individual Awards zero for the best team in the league what are we doing Rachel R led the league in Ops and doubles and walks talk to me Goose come on here’s here’s how you know we said talking a do how much do they respect Rachel R 12 walks in five games they walked her four times in the championship game they’re like we’re not even messing with her not even messing with her that’s the kind of they’re getting the Barry Bonds treatment is what she was getting unbelievable she should have been Player of the Year another really good point that Matt made is that okay so the player of the year was also the Freshman of the year out of New Mexico State um because she’s a pitcher hitter all that but good point they like a great point that Matt made was New Mexico State played zero ranked opponents zero ranked opponents so rup is doing this again like LSU like the big time the big dogs Oklahoma Oklahoma right yeah yeah she’s doing it against those people yeah so come on give me a break like whatever we know we know where we know where Rachel rof stands in this conference now we it’s like almost like the kmen San Diego thing like where in the world is Liberty softball because how in the I just hope that they can get home and get some rest before this Regional heading down to Georgia on um about I’m worried D Went Down to Georgia yeah D Went Down to Georgia looking for a regional to steal huh it writes itself he they were in a bind and they’re way behind and they were looking to make a deal my this is good this is incredible well I hope you’re not relying on me to continue that because that’s I it’s hard for me to think of words um okay so as you mentioned Charlotte on Friday in that Regional Liberty softball has never made it out of a regional so could this be could this be the year uh we’ll just have to see I’ll bet your soul get a fill of gold that I think I’m better than you gold like USA Team USA um yeah I know when Joe is like not even thinking and contributing to the actual podcast content when he’s silent over there trying to think of the next lyric I just it’s just like rolling we were rolling um I know you’re wondering about how Joe fared in his golf trip uh so we’ll talk about that but Lu baseball on the flip side of softball not a great weekend um swept at DBU DBU is now leading the conf for First with Louisiana Tech so Liberty still in fourth in the conference uh they’ll play Wake Forest uh tomorrow which I think they’re up to eth in the country on the road and then they close out the regular season at home against latch who is tied for first place right now so a lot still on the line for latek still on the line for Liberty as well just trying to stay in the top half of the bracket heading into the postseason which will begin next week yeah it’s crazy things are winding down and you think the flame Central Podcast they’re going to have nothing to talk about we Haven dipped into Joe’s old CFL stories yet we Haven gone yet everyone forward to that this summer um but we are looking to do a summer alumni Series so we won’t just hear Joe’s story time so uh that’s something to look forward to to Lu track uh more records broken more uh best times I think Amari Lewis ran fast the fastest time in the world this year 100 now it was wind AED or whatever right what was the time you have the time 9.88 I believe it was yeah it was the fastest time in the world stop yeah that’s smoking once again just for context just for context of that folks Carl Lewis is considered one of the greatest Olympians in the history of the olymp Olympics won four gold medals in 1988 in the LA Coliseum and won the 100 meters won the 100 meter Olympic gold medal in 9.99 seconds and he just ran 988 yeah 988 yeah but it said it had plus it said 5.1 wi what do you expect when you’re in El Paso it does yeah seriously um okay so then some other by the way uh just one note on that uh Liberty just the second conference us a member ever to sweep indoor and outdoor Houston did it twice in 98 and 05 that’s the only other program that has ever done it think about the cust how long USA has been around the both is it sleeping both both the indoor and outdoor titles no but men and women does it have to be both men and women wow it’s rarely been done and and think about how long C USA’s been around yeah and think about this somebody sent me a graphic I think it was Donald sent me a graphic that at this point it’s like 22 % of all like teams FBS programs have been in Conference USA at some point so just think about all the programs that have gone through that USA over the years and Liberties and rarified air yeah we have some really good did we talk about it last week we we might be a thrower school because I mean when you look at the hammer uh the javelin yeah they’re like we’re crushing it basically um so now track will have a a couple handful of of athletes to Regional so best of luck to them there okay what else do we got sorry oh c USA is adding Missouri State yeah did you know Matt Warner first on your job third oh third my most recent job before coming to Liberty was in Springfield I was there three years I went to college in Springfield for four years excuse me so I’ve spent a seven-year span yes uh in the great City of Springfield awesome you have any records in or statues in Springfield I they maybe since I left who knows they might City and The Simpsons Springfield they got a statue that’s they statue him uh Springfield known for uh it’s cashew chicken a lot of people don’t know that Springfield cashew chicken cashew chicken was that like cashew crusted chicken is that what that is basically it’s basically like uh like your Chinese kind of chicken you get you know you could put sweet and sour sauce but it’s like a cashew sauce with cashews over rice sounds great it’s really good it’s really good but home of Bass Pro where it began yeah um isn’t it the semi Tru capital of the world too like aren’t isn’t that like a trucker Stu I don’t there could be I think they have a bues now so you they don’t have a bu I think they do yeah they do serious what I hope you wear your bu t-shirt in terms of what they added Conference USA program that has had a lot of success uh they had they’ve had a really good baseball program over the years you said basketballs Ryan Howard uh played there took they went to the College World Series in 03 women’s basketball you may remember Jackie Styles back in the day she was almost Caitlyn Clark before Caitlyn Clark little white girl that just scored like crazy took him to the final four their women’s team went final four twice really Jackie football they made the FCS playoffs recently when Bobby patrino was their headit coach so I think that was like two years ago but now they’re making the jump to FBS so that’ll be a little bit different men’s basketball kanzo Martin just took over the program you’ll remember him from being the head coach at missou Tennessee and before that actually Missouri State that’s when I was there I was covering him basketball St that’s what they’re so they at least when I was there it’s an arena is getting older now but it was an awesome Arena yeah uh their baseball team played at like the double a park there I don’t know if they still do but it’s really nice so really great Sports Town yeah listen geography is out the window right I we go from Delaware you get Kenn coming in this year Delaware Missouri State El Paso like forget that but I think it’s a really good program uh overall they finished they were in the Missouri Valley Conference they finished second last year in the All Sports standings in the Missouri Valley so they’re solid solid Edition wait is this the 13 that would be 13 get us to 12 and 2025 when they’re added um so yeah that as you can see Liberty softball stra in El Paso like the travel is crazy hopefully they come up with something yeah to figure that out yeah I think so I think so but we’ll see okay Joe any great stories from your golf trip oh yeah you just show up and you go where where’s the first hole and what’s the course record yeah no we had a great time of the golf trip and so we had two teams so was all my buddies I played with in the CFL one guy was from Texas one guy from DC other guy from Iowa we all got together in Pinehurst right well we have a 30 we play 36 holes one day back to back 18 on the second 18 we were tied on the 36 hole we were tied so we’re driving it’s starting to get a little bit dark not real dark a little bit dark we’re driving back and the kid who’s working the cart like he’s like hey man I’m ready to go home home and he sees us pull up to the first te cuz we’re have a playoff hole you can’t we’re not in this thing we’re a playoff hole so we’re have a playoff hole and so the kid the kid the kid looks and he and he’s like what are you guys doing we’re playing playoff Hall he’s like okay playoff Hall so we had playoff Hall I drain a 25f footer to extend it oh boy so we go to a second playoff hole right my gosh and he probably has like dinner with his first day he’s got dinner with his yeah the whole deal so we go to Second playoff hole extended again we go to third playoff hole right now the kids in the cart driving through the woods trying to get guys it’s time to go I say hey buddy we’re not going anywhere right this is the third playoff spit him a 20 or something fourth we fourth playoff hole finally after 40 whatever that was 41 holes okay we Crown a champ I got beat a that’s I got beat but but we brought the kid back slipped him a couple 20s he was happy as a clam got a big steak dinner had a great time outstanding Piner they’re playing the US Open there this year okay oh nice yeah it was great uh we missed your birthday because you were gone during this and we didn’t have any shows so stop I know we you know we like to give gifts on the show so I actually I actually got you got you a gift for those that remember this was three or four weeks ago we talked about stop buts Gerard Joe remembers seen this guy as a world famous belly Flopper that would light himself on fire so this is is autobiography Joe you and this guy have a lot more in common than you might think it’s scary no for real I read the first chapter yeah so not only a you world class belly Flopper which you won what what championship did you yeah I won the James Masson High School in 198 86 and that in two time two time belly flop Champion played in the CFL for multiple years yeah best and he’s a Believer so this whole book is about Faith as well is it really it is so I get this for you buts gerro uh his autobiography I hope you’ll enjoy it I know I I thought that might get you little little Tey but yeah so happy birthday you know what great you know what I love in this pictures the guy in the blue tuxedo what is that he’s got a blue tuxedo with a top hat on and a bow tie and a is that Jason so there you go happy birthday thanks buddy wow I will read this from cover to cover the last chapter that is so sweet very first thing it said room fire $1,500 worth of damage yeah well but Buster art he’s like fire obviously wow well uh this is this you know this flame Central Podcast really had it all it did um H top Perkins this is great okay Joe’s gonna go start reading this book we’ll see you right back here like I said we are not slowing down the Central Podcast summer so one foot on the gas pedal the other foot on the horn that’s how we and if you want to be a part of the show we we’re still doing that Joe still needs to give us some money from alova mortgage so we can buy some more mugs but flame Central liberty.edu and while you’re on the worldwide web you can check out another website alova morgage alcoa.com Liberty if you’re looking to buy a home yep that’s a that get up to $5,000 credit on your clothes cost we’ve been Clos them like crazy we’ve been giving these credits out like it’s like it’s pancakes at the IHOP Sunday after church it’s unbelievable and uh but people are saving money we’re adding up save saving money back money back in their pockets all day long thanks so much for listening or watching for Joe and Matt I’m Emily we’ll see you right back here next week peace