When you're near the pinnacle of your profession in coaching, it can be difficult to find people who understand the challenges you have to face. When Florida Gators Baseball Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan wasn't sure where to turn after Florida's crushing 5-4 loss in Game 2 of the Gainesville Super Regional on Saturday, help turned out to be closer than he thought. Two other Gator coaches- Men's Basketball Head Coach Billy Donovan and Football Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weiss- offered O'Sullivan advice that Sully claims helped soothe himself and, in turn, his team.
When asked what Donovan told O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan responded, "He basically told me to get my head out of my rear end."
After speaking with both coaches, O'Sullivan called for a team meeting Saturday night, a move which is out of the ordinary for the 4th year head coach. But he said it worked.
"I wanted them to play intense but not play tight," O'Sullivan said. "But that's a fine line. I don't know that anyone has the magic formula."
Whatever formula O'Sullivan concocted, it worked, as the Gators rallied to beat Mississippi State 8-6 in Game 3.
"I feel like I've learned more in the past 24 hours of coaching than I had the previous four years," O'Sullivan said.
And it was thanks to a couple of guys who don't get to the cages very often.