There’s no crying in baseball, but there’s apparently lots of cussing …
Yesterday, this news outlet reported on the curiously undefined job status of College of Charleston baseball coach Chad Holbrook – who is midway through his sixth season at the helm of the Cougar program. Holbrook took the Charleston job after getting run out of Columbia, S.C. – where he presided over the spectacular collapse of the University of South Carolina program from 2013-2017.
Holbrook has posted a 164-98 (.626) record in the Holy City – winning one Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular season championship but failing to make the NCAA tournament. Part of the problem? Holbrook has scheduled “cupcakes” – or weak opponents. And while this year’s slate is tougher than last year’s, Holbrook’s team has struggled to a 16-12 record – including five consecutive losses.
“To be the best you’ve got to beat the best,” the old sports cliché goes.
That has been a chronic problem for Holbrook-coached teams …
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Anyway, in our latest report we referenced several off-field controversies involving the 52-year-old coach – including an “outside review” sparked by a smartwatch recording of a lengthy “profanity-laced rant” last season. This rant was recorded by a Cougar baseball player and shared with school administrators.
The rant was recorded on March 8, 2022 in the third base dugout at approximately 9:00 p.m. EDT.
“I know I treat you f*ckers well,” Holbrook said in the clip.
Moments later, though, he remarked “I want to freakin’ vomit looking at you.”
“We got a bunch of f*ckin know-it-alls in here,” Holbrook told his players. “Got all these f*cking answers.”
Later in the recording, Holbrook referred to his players as “horsesh*t kids that are un-loyal and stabbing me in the back.”
Holbrook went off on his team for more than forty minutes, dropping dozens of f-bombs as he berated them.
In his defense? It worked. The Cougars posted a 30-10 record following the rant and, as mentioned, captured their first (and so far their only) conference title under Holbrook.
A redacted copy of the audio recording was provided to The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier last year, but the newspaper declined to publish it. This news outlet is publishing the un-redacted audio we received, although we would warn our listeners it is quite graphic in nature …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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12 comments
What were they expecting? Only words of encouragement and longer than acceptable pats on the buttocks?
Hey, I know a guy…
i’m your guy . Been out the game way to long. Ill shoe them how to handle that bat
Sorry, but D1 sports are not for the faint of heart- that’s why most don’t play college sports… There’s no crying in baseball… I maybe a woman- but I got a D1 scholarship and I promise you- we have to hide our feelings on the field and in life, so please forgive me if I have little sympathy for those who act entitled and can’t take a few F-bombs… Chad Holbrook wants the best for his players and let’s get real- we ALL could use a kick in the ass sometimes…
The previous coach was fired for less than this. Holbrooks and Roberts conspired together to fire Matt Heath so Holbrook could come to cofc, cupcake the schedule and eat at Halls Chophouse. The school later settled with Heath once the text messages came out proving their collusion. He is a terrible coach, he doesn’t recruit, he is here to retire and collect a check. The insecurity and hypocrisy of his rant is laughable. His players think he is a joke. People are so blind. They just extended him through 2028. Why? Is it because he is winning? NO. The only reason he is still here is because his best friend is the AD and nobody on the board, administration or athletic department have a clue or a backbone to say something. I played in 2005 and 2006 and I am completely disappointed at how Matt Roberts and Chad Holbrook have dismantled the program that many of my friends who played before me and my teammates worked CV so hard to build. It is an embarrassment.
how ’bout some cheese wit dat wine
That is a tired rant that has been on the message board for years – I will buy your season tickets from you
The previous coach, Matt Heath, was a .500 coach after two years. He was was a sick, despicable human being who abused his players unmercifully, not just mentally but physically. That is why he was fired, not because of some after-the-fact conjured up “conspiracy” that Fitz News wants to perpetuate. If you don’t believe it, look up the Dubberly Reports filed as exhibits in the BS case Heath brought. (Dubberly is the outside counsel with the Nexsen Pruit law firm who investigated the allegations of Matt Heath’s abuse. Look on the US District Court’s Pacer system – it will make you sick to your stomach.) And where is Matt Heath now?
D1 sports is not for the faint of heart and if the players can’t take it, they now have the transfer portal. Holbrook is building a great program in Charleston. More money has poured into the program since he’s been there than all years previously combined. When Monte Lee/Matt Heath were there, the players were required to sell CofC T-shirts to raise money, like a HS travel team. The “Anonymous” player above who claims to have played in 2005 and 2006 is likely one of the guys who didn’t get his pick when Holbrook was hired and has been – like Fitz News – trying to bring Holbrook down since. How much did “Anonymous” contribute to the program prior to Holbrook’s hire. I bet nothing.
Holbrook is .630 as the head coach at CofC and was the 2022 CAA Coach of the Year. Last week, the team went into the 3-game series at Delaware as #2 in the CAA standings and got swept by a middling team. Yeah, I bet he was pissed off and chewed some players out. So what?
Spot on A2 – spot on. People are butt hurt that MR didn’t give them what they wanted. Matt Heath destroyed the program and had more transfers than any other coach in history . Wish Fitsnews would do a little more homework as opposed to listening to squeaky wheels- lazy journalism- lazy
what a bunch of @#$$ies. we’d run up the white flag to joe xidens chicoms in no time
the player who ratted oughta be george s patton slapped
The sooner this generation learns that they are never going to win another “participation” trophy, the better off the entire world would be. Man up. Adults sometimes use four-letter words and they might just hurl them at you now and again. It won’t kill you. But this generation has been fawned over and coddled like they were two-year olds their entire freaking lives. They are so special. So very special, or so they think. Real adult life isn’t easy folks. The sooner you learn that fact too, the less irritating you’ll be to the rest of us.
He should not be in charge of any college baseball program. All of the players should transfer, which is the only way to get the administration to act….