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Let's talk a possible USM-UM matchup

GhostOfJackie

GhostOfJackie

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We're sitting at home, but I'm still a college baseball fan.

If USM can get past today, I think they are set up to be a very dangerous team with nothing to lose and loads of confidence. I would favor them heavily in a Hattiesburg super regional against UM (or anyone). Their staff already finished the season in the top 5 nationally in just about every category, and they just found two more arms this weekend who unexpectedly stepped up. This is a team that can swing the bats at times, and they have serious power from 2 guys in their line up. Getting past LSU today would be a HUGE confidence boost from a team that has not had major success against the SEC post season. As much as we like to rib them, their atmosphere is better than half of the SEC teams, and they averaged top 10 (I think) in attendance this season. It's not an easy place to play at all. I don't know if they win today, but if they do I think they are a team who can make a run in Omaha with that pitching staff.

I'm happy for them, and it's their moment to take that next step in the college baseball scene. Winning a home regional against LSU would go a long way for that program. We should take their success as a shot in the arm to our program. We can do better....
 
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Smoked Toag

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Ole Miss will smoke USM, similarly to what they did in 2014 vs. Lafayette (who was the #1 overall seed).

On the other hand, LSU will definitely beat Ole Miss in Baton Rouge, which will be a weird moment for Bianco. Come to think about it, there would be all kinds of drama surrounding that.
 
11thEagleFan

11thEagleFan

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Gotta get past LSU today. Our pitching is thin right now. I assume we’re going to start Ben Etheridge, who was a weekend starter before he got switched to long relief due to being outperformed. We have a left handed reliever in Chandler Best who is decent, and LSU couldn’t hit lefties last night so that gives me hope. Outside of that, Tanner Hall wants to pitch against LSU badly. I would think he will get an inning or two tonight. And then we would have to throw guys on short rest on a hitter to hitter basis I would think.

An LSU fan that I talked to seems to think that their pitching is even thinner than ours is right now. I hope that’s the case. If we get Ole Miss in Hattiesburg, it’s gonna be Eagles in 2 games and I’ll bet against anyone who wants to take me up on it.
 
GhostOfJackie

GhostOfJackie

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Smoked Toag said:
Ole Miss will smoke USM, similarly to what they did in 2014 vs. Lafayette (who was the #1 overall seed).

On the other hand, LSU will definitely beat Ole Miss in Baton Rouge, which will be a weird moment for Bianco. Come to think about it, there would be all kinds of drama surrounding that.
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Assuming USM gets past LSU, you think they would dispose of LSU and then not dispose of Ole Miss at home? Ole Miss can be good at times, but I don't think they are better than USM at home over a 3 game series. Even if they were, we all know Ole Miss would find a way to blow it. They are Ole Miss baseball.
 
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MSUDC11

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I firmly believe USM is the best team in the state this year and also think they’re better than LSU. If USM wins today I think they go to Omaha and may be a threat when they get there.

In a year where good starting pitching is hard to come by, USM’s rotation is elite.
 
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NukeDogg

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@11thEaglefan I guess I'm the 12th fan this weekend because I'd absolutely love it to see you guys beat LSU, take down OM and make Omaha. Been fun watching your boys play this weekend. Give em hell!
 
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Smoked Toag

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GhostOfJackie said:
Assuming USM gets past LSU, you think they would dispose of LSU and then not dispose of Ole Miss at home? Ole Miss can be good at times, but I don't think they are better than USM at home over a 3 game series. Even if they were, we all know Ole Miss would find a way to blow it. They are Ole Miss baseball.
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When the pressure is ramped up on Bianco, he seems to find a way. Some must forget just how close they came to a national title the next year after we finished runner-up.
 
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Smoked Toag

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MSUDC11 said:
I firmly believe USM is the best team in the state this year and also think they’re better than LSU. If USM wins today I think they go to Omaha and may be a threat when they get there.

In a year where good starting pitching is hard to come by, USM’s rotation is elite.
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They would quickly be disposed of by Oregon State, but again, it's not going to happen. LSU will probably win today, and if they don't, Ole Miss will beat them.
 
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Quincy A. Wagstaff

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Of the teams remaining, USM has the worst OPS in regional play (0.712 OPS). And two of their four games were played against LSU, who has an 8.33 ERA in regional play. Who would Ole Miss rather play? USM's hitting or LSU's pitching?
 
Uncle Ruckus

Uncle Ruckus

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Smoked Toag said:
When the pressure is ramped up on Bianco, he seems to find a way. Some must forget just how close they came to a national title the next year after we finished runner-up.
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You are the biggest Bianco homer I’ve ever seen, and that’s including his family. Jesus…how has he ever ramped up under pressure? The man has blown chance after chance to get to Omaha. He’s a f’n choke artist.
 
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johnson86-1

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Uncle Ruckus said:
You are the biggest Bianco homer I’ve ever seen, and that’s including his family. Jesus…how has he ever ramped up under pressure? The man has blown chance after chance to get to Omaha. He’s a f’n choke artist.
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Ole Miss certainly hasn't risen to the occassion under Bianco, but I think a decent amount of that is him coaching for the regular season and some of his teams not being as good as their record indicates (and/or having worn out pitchers) more so than him just choking. Not saying I'd bet on them, but I think people overplay the whole choking thing.
 
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Smoked Toag

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Uncle Ruckus said:
You are the biggest Bianco homer I’ve ever seen, and that’s including his family. Jesus…how has he ever ramped up under pressure? The man has blown chance after chance to get to Omaha. He’s a f’n choke artist.
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Man, you just stay mad. Big mad.

I'm talking real, desperate pressure. Like what he felt in 2014.
 
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tatedog

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Smoked Toag said:
When the pressure is ramped up on Bianco, he seems to find a way. Some must forget just how close they came to a national title the next year after we finished runner-up.
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They went 0-2 vs UVA in Omaha and didn't make the final series. That's close to winning a Natty?
 
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STATEgrad04

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Maybe its because I am more familiar with LSU being successful in baseball, maybe its because I know more about them with them being in the SEC, but there is nothing intimidating about USM or Hattiesburg to me. If am om I would much rather go face Southern in Hattiesburg than to have to go to the box with super regional atmosphere...Maybe I am just wrong (it has happened before).
 
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Quincy A. Wagstaff

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I agree. A lot of Ole Miss people have told me they'd rather play LSU in Baton Rouge. I would rather play in a hostile Pete Taylor Park. If they were to beat LSU today it would be the first home regional win for USM.
 
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bruiser.sixpack

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That would guarantee a Mississippi team in Omaha that ain’t named MSU. Not liking that at all! Go Tigers, Go Cats!
 
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Quincy A. Wagstaff

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Ole Miss at USM in a Super looking more and more likely. That is going to be a powder keg of an environment. Go Eagles!
 
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HamSammich

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Ole Miss is 4-0 against Southern MS and LSU.

Swept LSU at LSU.

Your people that say they don’t have a chance look foolish.

That being said, I hope it ends soon regardless where they go.
 
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MSUDC11

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HamSammich said:
Ole Miss is 4-0 against Southern MS and LSU.

Swept LSU at LSU.

Your people that say they don’t have a chance look foolish.

That being said, I hope it ends soon regardless where they go.
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They went 1-1 against USM, both midweek games. Lost in Pearl and won in Hattiesburg.
 
onewoof

onewoof

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Smoked Toag said:
Dumb. Lost 2 1-run games. Finished 4th overall. Pretty damn elite season.
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Wrong. Lost twice to Virginia in 2014 (who we beat last year). Once by 1 run, once by 3 runs. Let me explain who was elite that year. Vandy and Virginia. Then it was everyone else all in a pile of kinda good.
 
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tatedog

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Quincy A. Wagstaff said:
Ole Miss at USM in a Super looking more and more likely. That is going to be a powder keg of an environment. Go Eagles!
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USM is one of the chokiest baseball programs playing against LSU one of the most clutch baseball programs in history.

I'm predicting a lot of USM t shirts will be on the ground at the end of this one, and a lot more fans leaving the stadium in LSU t shirts than entered.
 
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harrybollocks

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Who is better, Bianco or Polk? Was the SEC tougher when Polk coached (pre-Bertman)? Who was the better SEC coach post-Bertman? A quick look at Wikipedia shows that Bianco was better from 2002-08 when they both coached but no CWS appearance. That is, is Bianco worse, equal to, or better than Polk, a legend at MSU?
 
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harrybollocks

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From 2002-08 Polk never won the SEC and had only two years above 500 in the SEC. Made CWS one year. He was better in the 90s, two CWS appearances but never won SEC. From 2002-08, Bianco had one year with a losing record in the SEC. Bianco got to more regionals and supers but no CWS. From 76-97 Polk won the SEC 4 times, went to CWS 4 times but no Natty. No Natty in nearly 30 years at State. He was pretty good but nothing special since Bertman changed SEC baseball and other SEC teams got good. Pre-Skip Bertman, SEC baseball wasn't all that special. Georgia was the only SEC baseball team to win a Natty from 1947-90. Polk won a lot of games before baseball got really good in the SEC.
 
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eckie1

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Careful, pal….

harrybollocks said:
From 2002-08 Polk never won the SEC and had only two years above 500 in the SEC. Made CWS one year. He was better in the 90s, two CWS appearances but never won SEC. From 2002-08, Bianco had one year with a losing record in the SEC. Bianco got to more regionals and supers but no CWS. From 76-97 Polk won the SEC 4 times, went to CWS 4 times but no Natty. No Natty in nearly 30 years at State. He was pretty good but nothing special since Bertman changed SEC baseball and other SEC teams got good. Pre-Skip Bertman, SEC baseball wasn't all that special. Georgia was the only SEC baseball team to win a Natty from 1947-90. Polk won a lot of games before baseball got really good in the SEC.
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The truth about Ron Cholk isn’t well-received in these parts.
 
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MSUDC11

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harrybollocks said:
Who is better, Bianco or Polk? Was the SEC tougher when Polk coached (pre-Bertman)? Who was the better SEC coach post-Bertman? A quick look at Wikipedia shows that Bianco was better from 2002-08 when they both coached but no CWS appearance. That is, is Bianco worse, equal to, or better than Polk, a legend at MSU?
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The game had passed Polk by when he came back from Georgia. He was one of the greats in the 80’s and 90’s and deserves a ton of credit for growing the game in the south.

Polk went to Omaha 8 times and with three different schools, Bianco has gone once, if he goes this year it will be twice. Perhaps Bianco has been more steady in the regular season over the long haul but he can’t touch Polk in terms of postseason success and influence on the sport.
 
QuaoarsKing

QuaoarsKing

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harrybollocks

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I agree with all that. Polk had a major influence on making baseball popular in the SEC pre-Bertman. He was good in the 80s and 90s but still couldn't put together a CWS-winning team. I just think Bianco is a good coach and maybe better than 21st century Polk (van Horn might be the best, and most consistent coach over the past two decades but still no Natty). The our stadium is better than your stadium crowd might not think this way.
 
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patdog

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Its not so much that the game passed him by as it is he just refused to recruit. To the point of driving away good players who wanted to come to MSU.
 
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