Look, I have as much respect for Polk as anyone in the world. He built MSU baseball and SEC baseball in general. He deserves every bit of attention that he gets and all the accolades from all of us. However, some of the mess could have been avoided, at least publicly anyway. Why did he have to go out of his way and basically beg for Raffo to get the job in his letter? He knows good and well that the majority of us are going to want Cohen back or at least a national search. Instead, he basically tied the administration's hands with his Raffo public endorsement. Does he not think about what he's trying to do? He's giving us a 1st year head coach with ZERO exp. as head coach instead of letting the administration do what's in the best interest of the university. If he wants to keep it in the "family tree" so to speak, why do you limit yourself to a 1st year guy? Considering the job Cohen's done, does he have something against him or something? He has set us up for the worst case scenario to go through. Hell, I'd be happier to see Pat Mc. back than Raffo if all else fails.
I put the blame for this situation squarely on Polk's shoulders.............
- Thread starter Phil Wenneck.sixpack
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Polk's selfishness puts all involved in a tremendously bad position. I mean, in 3 damn months we have a new Athletic Director taking over full time, while at the same time a 1-year-lame-duck AD still in power. And he comes out with a 3-page letter basically telling both of them who needs to be hired to succeed him. It's as mind-boggling as Croom's quarterback recruiting philosophy.
Polk, if you really did love MSU, you would not have done this. With the way the rest of the SEC has caught up and in some cases passed us, we cannot afford to make a bad hire. We need a spark plug. Someone with energy that will reunite the damn fanbase. And Ben Stein is not the fecking answer! Damnit!!!!!
Polk, if you really did love MSU, you would not have done this. With the way the rest of the SEC has caught up and in some cases passed us, we cannot afford to make a bad hire. We need a spark plug. Someone with energy that will reunite the damn fanbase. And Ben Stein is not the fecking answer! Damnit!!!!!
Everybody knows that Polk wants Raffo to succeed him. He should've made the recommendation in private, and that would've fulfilled his duty to Tommy, if that's the case. Instead he puts it out there for all the world to see. Now Byrne either capitulates and sends the message that he has the same liquid spine of his predecessor, or he hires somebody else, which makes an enemy of Polk and KB21.
Things at MSU are changing. You can go to Starkville and just look around and see that the change is becoming very evident, and the good ol' boys are becoming like dinosaurs.
I really think one reason Polk is doing this the way he is is because he knows that Byrne is not a push over. He knows that even before this year, there were a lot of MSU people unhappy with him. I know I've gotten chastised several times on this board because people were telling me that firing Polk would be a PR nightmare, but the last coach we fired WAY back in 1976 was also an MSU legend in his own right, and he had only one year to screw it up. For those who don't know, Bragan's contract was bought out by the cigar boys of that time. Polk knew all about this because he was the one who replaced Bragan. And interestingly enough, Bragan and Paul Gregory's "recommended" successor was going to be a man named Tom D'Armi who was the top assistant at State, and when all was said and done, he ended up at Duke. D'Armi didn't get the job at least in part because the MSU cigar boys wanted an energetic up and comer from the outside- this turned out to be Ron Polk, who I believe was only 30 at the time and had led Georgia Southern to the CWS, and was coaching at the University of Miami under Ron Fraser, who really is the Abraham of college baseball in the South- Both Polk and Skip Bertman were on his staff at one time.
Polk knew all about this, and he knew that if this season wasn't going to turn out very well, that there was a very good chance that he would be forced out- especially with LT gone, who as much as they don't like each other, LT hates coaching searches even more. A new coach, even someone like Cohen, would bring in a new staff and change "Polk's way" to their way. By trying to force Raffo in, Polk is asserting his last little bit of power, and in his mind is "saving his staff" from having to get other jobs, particularly Raffo, who knows nothing other than MSU. Make no mistake about it- this is a power struggle between the good ol' boys and the next generation at MSU.
Another thought is this- let's say we hire someone that does happen to win the NC, whoever that coach is, that accomplishment would trump all of Polk's and diminish his success in his mind. I think the reality of the situation would be like Boo Ferris at Delta State- even though he didn't win a NC, he is revered there for putting them into that position to win one later, and I think if that happened at MSU, people would look at Polk in the same light. But if Polk hires a coach who is a lesser talent who does worse than he, then Polk looks better. He could have his ego stroked by his minions in his luxury box.
If you notice one thing in his letter of resignation stands out to me- everything in it was pointed at protecting his croonies and none of it mentioned anything that was for the best for the MSU baseball program. Extremely selfish, and in light of what I typed about Polk yesterday, very disappointing to say the least.
I really think one reason Polk is doing this the way he is is because he knows that Byrne is not a push over. He knows that even before this year, there were a lot of MSU people unhappy with him. I know I've gotten chastised several times on this board because people were telling me that firing Polk would be a PR nightmare, but the last coach we fired WAY back in 1976 was also an MSU legend in his own right, and he had only one year to screw it up. For those who don't know, Bragan's contract was bought out by the cigar boys of that time. Polk knew all about this because he was the one who replaced Bragan. And interestingly enough, Bragan and Paul Gregory's "recommended" successor was going to be a man named Tom D'Armi who was the top assistant at State, and when all was said and done, he ended up at Duke. D'Armi didn't get the job at least in part because the MSU cigar boys wanted an energetic up and comer from the outside- this turned out to be Ron Polk, who I believe was only 30 at the time and had led Georgia Southern to the CWS, and was coaching at the University of Miami under Ron Fraser, who really is the Abraham of college baseball in the South- Both Polk and Skip Bertman were on his staff at one time.
Polk knew all about this, and he knew that if this season wasn't going to turn out very well, that there was a very good chance that he would be forced out- especially with LT gone, who as much as they don't like each other, LT hates coaching searches even more. A new coach, even someone like Cohen, would bring in a new staff and change "Polk's way" to their way. By trying to force Raffo in, Polk is asserting his last little bit of power, and in his mind is "saving his staff" from having to get other jobs, particularly Raffo, who knows nothing other than MSU. Make no mistake about it- this is a power struggle between the good ol' boys and the next generation at MSU.
Another thought is this- let's say we hire someone that does happen to win the NC, whoever that coach is, that accomplishment would trump all of Polk's and diminish his success in his mind. I think the reality of the situation would be like Boo Ferris at Delta State- even though he didn't win a NC, he is revered there for putting them into that position to win one later, and I think if that happened at MSU, people would look at Polk in the same light. But if Polk hires a coach who is a lesser talent who does worse than he, then Polk looks better. He could have his ego stroked by his minions in his luxury box.
If you notice one thing in his letter of resignation stands out to me- everything in it was pointed at protecting his croonies and none of it mentioned anything that was for the best for the MSU baseball program. Extremely selfish, and in light of what I typed about Polk yesterday, very disappointing to say the least.
I respect Polk's career accomplishments but have been around him enough to know he has an ego the size of Texas. This is definitely his last gasp at controlling the future of the program and I believe he wants a "nice" little coach at MSU that can keep his current staff employed and will do a halfway decent job but NOT one that will threaten to diminish his legacy in any way. Any coach that could come in and accomplish more in a short period of time than what he has done lately would certainly be a threat to the pedestal that so many MSU fans still have him on.
If I make SixpackSpeak Remembers, I can mark that off of my "to do" list.
Next up- a trip to the pyramids in Egypt.
Next up- a trip to the pyramids in Egypt.
...had his chance when he brought in Pat McMahon and retired. That was it. It isn't like Pat tucked tail after a year or two either. He did stay for four years, but of course our esteemed A.D. couldn't resist begging the old legend to come back.
In any event, there's no way Polk should be allowed to have this kind of influence AGAIN. Unfortunately though, we have a large group of fans cut out of the same mold as KB21 who take every word out of Polk's mouth as the gospel, and therefore immediately have thrown their support 100% behind Raffo regardless of his lack of experience. This isn't some run-of-the-mill baseball prorgam we're talking about here, yet many people are okay with treating it as such.
Having come to know and understand MSU politics better over the years, Raffo replacing Polk was a VERY easy prediction to make before I even saw Polk's resignation letter. And now that Polk has tied the university's hands with this crap, it's all but a done deal. It's a shame, especially since Raffo will bring no new energy or excitement to the program. He's actually been a part of the problem for years now, but you'd think we're talking about promoting a guy who's been part of major success.
In any event, there's no way Polk should be allowed to have this kind of influence AGAIN. Unfortunately though, we have a large group of fans cut out of the same mold as KB21 who take every word out of Polk's mouth as the gospel, and therefore immediately have thrown their support 100% behind Raffo regardless of his lack of experience. This isn't some run-of-the-mill baseball prorgam we're talking about here, yet many people are okay with treating it as such.
Having come to know and understand MSU politics better over the years, Raffo replacing Polk was a VERY easy prediction to make before I even saw Polk's resignation letter. And now that Polk has tied the university's hands with this crap, it's all but a done deal. It's a shame, especially since Raffo will bring no new energy or excitement to the program. He's actually been a part of the problem for years now, but you'd think we're talking about promoting a guy who's been part of major success.
will be when Raffo runs the program in the ground and we can't hire Cohen because he takes UK to Omaha and all of a sudden they care and our job isn't as attractive as it once was.
I just have this feeling if/when it is Raffo, I just don't think he will be able to handle it, and will end up quiting in no more than four years. I have met Raffo on a couple of occassions, and he is a nice guy like everyone says, but he also comes across as very sensitive, and he already has a lot of people that don't wat to support him. I'm concerned that he will have a nervous breakdown at some point. That's why the HC experience is so important. If you're a hitting coach, then the HC can protect you and take some of the blame. As the HC, he won't be able to do that. Well, unless he blames the NCAA and injuries among other things, of course.
Even Polk had his moments where he at least had the "don't give a ****, this is how we're doing it attitude", and you have to have that some.
I just have this feeling if/when it is Raffo, I just don't think he will be able to handle it, and will end up quiting in no more than four years. I have met Raffo on a couple of occassions, and he is a nice guy like everyone says, but he also comes across as very sensitive, and he already has a lot of people that don't wat to support him. I'm concerned that he will have a nervous breakdown at some point. That's why the HC experience is so important. If you're a hitting coach, then the HC can protect you and take some of the blame. As the HC, he won't be able to do that. Well, unless he blames the NCAA and injuries among other things, of course.
Even Polk had his moments where he at least had the "don't give a ****, this is how we're doing it attitude", and you have to have that some.
......when he was player and a couple of times after he became an assistant coach. He's friendly and approachable, and I wouldn't mind having him as a neighbor. But "nice" isn't what this program needs right now. It needs a proven winner, and most especially someone with a real fire to come in and take MSU back to where it used to be. Raffo doesn't have a track record, and there's no way he can bring any new energy to a program that he's been a part of for a very long time. He's too damn comfortable, and he knows what he can get away with and still keep his job..........average teams, going to regionals anywhere.</p>
For a guy like Cohen, who's proven he can in a ******** where people don't care AT ALL about baseball, you know damn well that he'd love nothing more than to go back to the tradition-rich program where he played and have a chance to be the head coach that takes it to even greater heights. He'd come in with a FIRE. Maybe he wouldn't pan out, I don't know, but we need to give him or some other proven winenr that chance because the program deserves it.</p>
For a guy like Cohen, who's proven he can in a ******** where people don't care AT ALL about baseball, you know damn well that he'd love nothing more than to go back to the tradition-rich program where he played and have a chance to be the head coach that takes it to even greater heights. He'd come in with a FIRE. Maybe he wouldn't pan out, I don't know, but we need to give him or some other proven winenr that chance because the program deserves it.</p>
in the coaching profession, you have to be willing to move around from time to time. I think Polk could help Raffo find a job elsewhere even after he steps down. I have an uncle who was in the coaching profession, and he has been fired a couple of times, but he never took offense to it, or even really thought badly of the teams that fired him, he just understood that was the nature of the job. That's something that no one in our athletic administration seems to understand.
I know this has been beaten like a dead horse, but if Polk really wanted Raffo to be his successor, he would have told him to go somewhere and get some head coaching experience. Coaching in the SEC, especially at MSU can be very unforgiving.
But I do agree with you that it would be pretty crappy of Polk to not stick up for his guys a little bit at least.
I know this has been beaten like a dead horse, but if Polk really wanted Raffo to be his successor, he would have told him to go somewhere and get some head coaching experience. Coaching in the SEC, especially at MSU can be very unforgiving.
But I do agree with you that it would be pretty crappy of Polk to not stick up for his guys a little bit at least.
Ron Polk had the greatest opportunity in the world, but his ego ruined it completely. He voluntarily retired in 1997, citing his issues with the NCAA as the primary reason for leaving. Remember that - he chose to leave. He had an ideal setup - he worked for the AD and could focus on his issues with the NCAA. He retired after a trip to the College World Series.
That wasn't enough for Polk, he decided that he would rather coach some more instead of being paid to fight for the game he loves. Polk left Mississippi State and accepted the job as the Georgia baseball coach. Pat McMahon left for Florida, citing personal reasons, primarily his elderly parents.
This is where the brashness and arrogance of Ron Polk appears - Polk literally called Templton and told him he was coming back for his job - like it was his soveriegn right to coach baseball at Mississippi State. I hate to break this to you Ron, Missisisppi State had a successful baseball program long before you came to Starkville. Paul Gregory was no pushover, nor was C.R. "Dudy" Noble.
At his press conference for his Georgia resignation, he said "I knew that when my good friend Pat McMahon announced his resignation, it was going to affect MY life".
I've been told by several people in the know that Polk called LT and told him he was coming back, period.
Any other state of Mississippi employee would be written up and ultimately fired for smoking in a state owned building. Polk spits in their face.
His 17 page manifesto that he sent to everyone he could possibly thing of was one of the biggest embarrasments to Mississippi State. I've talked with television and print media people, and they took his manifesto as "ramblings of an individual with serious issues".
He should have stayed retired after 1997. He would have gone out in grand fashion. But no, he and LT had to take us back to playing 1970's baseball, by God, using the damned book Polk wrote without exception.
If Polk sincerely wanted Raffo to replace him, as Todd noted, he should have sent Raffo out for a head coaching job. The fact that Raffo has not been hired or offered to be hired by another school in any capacity tells you all you need to know about his coaching skills.
Not one that "is glad we didn't get swept by Alabama" when he could have won the SEC West title.
Polk, leave today. Let Raffo prove he deserves the job or not.
That wasn't enough for Polk, he decided that he would rather coach some more instead of being paid to fight for the game he loves. Polk left Mississippi State and accepted the job as the Georgia baseball coach. Pat McMahon left for Florida, citing personal reasons, primarily his elderly parents.
This is where the brashness and arrogance of Ron Polk appears - Polk literally called Templton and told him he was coming back for his job - like it was his soveriegn right to coach baseball at Mississippi State. I hate to break this to you Ron, Missisisppi State had a successful baseball program long before you came to Starkville. Paul Gregory was no pushover, nor was C.R. "Dudy" Noble.
At his press conference for his Georgia resignation, he said "I knew that when my good friend Pat McMahon announced his resignation, it was going to affect MY life".
I've been told by several people in the know that Polk called LT and told him he was coming back, period.
Any other state of Mississippi employee would be written up and ultimately fired for smoking in a state owned building. Polk spits in their face.
His 17 page manifesto that he sent to everyone he could possibly thing of was one of the biggest embarrasments to Mississippi State. I've talked with television and print media people, and they took his manifesto as "ramblings of an individual with serious issues".
He should have stayed retired after 1997. He would have gone out in grand fashion. But no, he and LT had to take us back to playing 1970's baseball, by God, using the damned book Polk wrote without exception.
If Polk sincerely wanted Raffo to replace him, as Todd noted, he should have sent Raffo out for a head coaching job. The fact that Raffo has not been hired or offered to be hired by another school in any capacity tells you all you need to know about his coaching skills.
Not one that "is glad we didn't get swept by Alabama" when he could have won the SEC West title.
Polk, leave today. Let Raffo prove he deserves the job or not.
I have cousins who graduated from the University of Iowa. Back in the late '50's, they had a Head Coach named Forest Evashevski, who took them to several Rose Bowls (he was even the first choice for the Green Bay Packers before they hired an obscure Assistant named Vince Lombardi). Well, when he retired from coaching, he was kicked upstairs to Athletic Director. His whole tenure as AD was to ensure nobody came in who did better than he did. From 1963-1979, Iowa didn't have a winning season.
The reason I'm telling this obscure story is, this sounds exactly like what Ron Polk wants to do. He wants to make sure no one comes in who can take State to the next level. John Cohen would make a good choice, and it would be a natural. Yet, Polkie Sherrill looks like he's wanting to expend tons of political goodwill on a career assistant, under whose tutelage MState went from one of the most feared hitting teams in College Baseball to one of the most timid and effeminate.</p>
The reason I'm telling this obscure story is, this sounds exactly like what Ron Polk wants to do. He wants to make sure no one comes in who can take State to the next level. John Cohen would make a good choice, and it would be a natural. Yet, Polkie Sherrill looks like he's wanting to expend tons of political goodwill on a career assistant, under whose tutelage MState went from one of the most feared hitting teams in College Baseball to one of the most timid and effeminate.</p>
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