For Todd and anyone else who cares....my coaching search.....

[rebel law]

Let me preface this post by saying for the 100th time that John Cohen would be a good hire. However, I think that MSU is in a great situation to try to make a great hire with out much risk. I think that with Byrne and Cohen's relationship, along with the fact that Cohen played at MSU and that UK offers nothing near the same level that MSU has, if MSU really wants Cohen as the coach then they end up with him.

Having Cohen as a fall back plan, I would do the following:

Contact Pat Casey. Very unlikely that he would come but putting out a feeler wouldn't hurt.

Contact Horton. Yeah I know he is committed to Oregon. Bob Huggins was committed to Kansas State. Robert Elliot was committed to Ole Miss. Once again, putting out a feeler wouldn't hurt. Have some pride for the MSU baseball program and don't be scared to pick up the phone.

I would contact Steve Smith. Yes he is at his alma mater but he also coached at MSU and MSU offers alot more than Baylor. I would probably have Cohen ranked above him on my list but I would certainly contact him.

My #1 legitimate pick would be Tim Corbin. He is young and he is more proven than Cohen. He, like Cohen, is at a school that cannot match what MSU can bring to the table. I would make him a big time offer and see what he has to say.

I would say contact Mainieri but I think y'all missed the boat on that one when y'all went with Polk part deaux. He is going to have LSU back sooner rather than later.

Once again, I think MSU is in a great spot because I think Cohen is there for the taking if y'all want him. I would put out feelers to the coaches that are a tier above Cohen and if there is no interest, send a plane to Lexington and tell Cohen mama is calling.

 

[bigkdawg]

I couldn't agree with you more... I know you have been catching some heat about down playing the cohen hire, but I think you are spot-on. I would be perfectly fine with the cohen hire if that was the best we can do, but I think we should shoot for the impossible... Casey, Fox, etc...... Considering our facilities, fan-support, tradition, and numerous other factors.

I think if someone disagrees with you, it's more of a sixpack mentality. MSU can never do anything well and will never do as such. </p>

 

[patdog]

I'd probably add the Virginia coach and the San Diego coach too. The only coach I would hire without a search would be Corbin. Cohen's done a great job at Kentucky, but Corbin has taken Vandy from sharing the SEC cellar with Kentucky most every year to contending for the title most every year. As for contacting Pat Casey, I'm sure Byrne has already gone to him for advice on our coaching vacancy (and of course to see if he might be interested).

 

[Coach34]

The feelers have already been out there and we are just waiting to interview now. Smith is interested, and I'm sure Corbin is as well.

As I told Hobbs, I really dont think this hire can be messed up. Its going to be hard to find somebody that couldnt win at State. We have way too much going for us. This hire is so much easier than one we would make in football or basketball. And so many top coaches that we will attract.</p>

 

[rebel law]

This hire is so much easier than one we would make in football or basketball.

That's basically my point. If this was football or basketball, then hiring an alum with Cohen's resume would be a no brainer. But since this is baseball, the one sport that MSU can offer as much as any other program in the country, I would aim a little higher initially. Guys like Horton and Casey are longshots but I really think Corbin and O'Connor would certainly listen to what Byrne has to say. I would consider both of those guys better hires than Cohen. I also agree with you Coach in that I really think it would be very difficult for MSU to botch this hire. Having such a good security blanket with Cohen, I would swing for the fence and see what happens first before I threw him the keys to the program.

 

[saddawg]

If anybody can botch it, it's State.

 

[rebel law]

Oh I have no doubt that if LT was still in charge, he could find a way to fumble around and *%$# it up. I'm just giving Byrne the benefit of the doubt. Thus far he seems to know what he is doing.

 

[Todd4State]

but you didn't put any names out there that haven't been discussed already ad nauseum.

You might want to add Tom Walter of UNO and maybe Kinneson of DSU.</p>

 

[State82]

I definitely agree that O'Connor should be on the list. As far as Corbin, I never really considered him to be someone we would have a serious shot at getting. Now, I would love to have him and would take him over just about anyone else mentioned. Didn't he turn LSU down?

 

[Todd4State]

the worst thing he could do is say no. His greatest strength is recruiting, and Vandy is close to UK as far as sucking in baseball historically.

I'm not exactly sure why he turned down LSU two years ago. He may have had some good foresight though because he would have left a team that had David Price and Pedro Alvarez. He might have been thinking- wait two years, and see if you can boost your resume and maybe make some more money.

One job he might really want one day is the Clemson job. That's where he was before he came to Vandy.

 

[patdog]

But things can change in 2 years. As I mentioned last night, Roy Williams turned North Carolina down a few years before he finally took the job. There's a very good chance Corbin would turn us down. But he's a good enough coach that we shouldn't just eliminate him without even finding out if he might be interested.

Edited to add another coach we should look at. The guy at Cal-Irvine has done a great job with their program.

 

[patdog]

Byrne has spent most of his life living with and working for successful athletic directors. He'll make a good hire.</p>

 

[RobertF50]

has been very critical of our school and program. When he first started at the SECT he made some smart-*** remarks, and recently someone said he was rude to a fan and called our field Fred Sanford Stadium. Who knows how much is bull, but it was enough for me to think he looks down on our program. Probably one of those guys that saw "Mississippi Burning" and is now a MS. expert.

 

[Todd4State]

has been very critical of our school and program. When he first started at the SECT he made some smart-*** remarks, and recently someone said he was rude to a fan and called our field Fred Sanford Stadium. Who knows how much is bull, but it was enough for me to think he looks down on our program. Probably one of those guys that saw "Mississippi Burning" and is now a MS. expert.

</p>I'd like to shove his face in some cookie dough and make me some gorilla cookies.

That said, it probably isn't true, but it also wouldn't surprise me that someone associated with both Vanderbilt and Clemson would look down on our program.

 

[Stormrider81]

I would also add that I doubt any national coach with any knowledge of college baseball history looks down on our program, and certainly not anyone that has played a game at DNF in front of our fans. This sounds like complete crap to me.

 

[Phil Wenneck.sixpack]

donated an indoor practice facility to the school? And what's their record attendance? Surely, this has to be made up. Sure we've fallen on hard times but no coach can be this stupid.</p>

My preferred list in this order:
Casey, while a pipe dream, stranger things have happened
Cohen
Kinneson
O'Conner

Truthfully, the more I learn about Kinneson, the more impressed I get. All the guy's done is win and from all accounts, demands excellence and much like Cohen, will get in the face of some of our losers and finally get them out of their comfort zone. Of course, like most everyone else, I'd take anybody besides Laffo at this point.

</p>

 

[RobertF50]

[No message]