It's Polk's final game at MSU. The Dogs are playing Arkansas and the game is on SEC-TV (this is a Saturday game). The team is introduced for the final time and Polk's name is called. Do you: A.) Give him a standing ovation for his previous accomplishments at MSU. After all, who else has done more on a national level at MSU? B.) Boo as loud and as long as you can in memory of the 2008 season. C.) Stay home and miss the game altogether.
Turn ahead to May 17
- Thread starter woodrowmarsh
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It's Polk's final game at MSU. The Dogs are playing Arkansas and the game is on SEC-TV (this is a Saturday game). The team is introduced for the final time and Polk's name is called. Do you: A.) Give him a standing ovation for his previous accomplishments at MSU. After all, who else has done more on a national level at MSU? B.) Boo as loud and as long as you can in memory of the 2008 season. C.) Stay home and miss the game altogether.
As much as I've hated and criticized him over the past 3 years, his contribution to MSU, SEC, and NCAA baseball is immeasurable. Sure, this season has sucked, and except for occasional flashes, his whole second stint at MSU has sucked, but he deserves one last ovation on May 17.
A.) Because it's the "classy" thing to do. (Sorry for the rule violation) Seriously, there is a time and place to boo, and when a guy who is a legend is being legitimately honored is not that time. Also, I fault LT for bringing Polk back rather than faulting Polk for wanting to come back. LT should have done what was right for MSU, and bringing Polk back was not the right move. You never bring back a legend because more often than not, the results are bad. And as much as this second tenure, particularly this year, has tarnished Polk's legacy a little bit, it's really foolish to boo a guy who has had one losing season in his whole career- and that season was his last. Especially when you look at what he has accomplished in his 29 years at State. I would take what he has accomplished at MSU with one losing season any day.
It's a shame where our baseball program has gone, and it's a shame that I can't remember Polk as the brilliant coach who went out on top in Omaha in 97.
Now that said, when he leaves Pigott in too long, I'm going to boo his ***, and stand about a 35% chance of getting into a fistfight with some redneck sheep from Kosciousco (or however you spell it). Either that or I will offend some player's Mom.
It's a shame where our baseball program has gone, and it's a shame that I can't remember Polk as the brilliant coach who went out on top in Omaha in 97.
Now that said, when he leaves Pigott in too long, I'm going to boo his ***, and stand about a 35% chance of getting into a fistfight with some redneck sheep from Kosciousco (or however you spell it). Either that or I will offend some player's Mom.
but if I were there, I'd give him a standing ovation. He did build college baseball into what it is today and he gave us the expectations we have today. He made us a winner in something. None of that is a valid reason for the garbage we've endured the last 7 years, but I'd give him a standing ovation for the time up until 1997.
and I'll stand and cheer as loudly for him as I did last year when we were headed to Omaha. The man has made people care about college baseball. He has done so much for the game and so much for MSU itself. Any man who's given as much as he has to the game and school that I love, I feel like I owe it to him to honor him on his way out. Alot of people are upset that he argues 11.7 so much, I'm glad he won't back off of his perch from those bastards at the NCAA about it. College bowling get 13 scholarships. Men and womens basketball get more scholarships, with a much lower roster number. It's pretty much self evident over his accomplishments and what he has helped bring along for the game that he would deserve a standing ovation.
I got a letter from LT inviting me to attend that day. Unfortunately I am not able to attend that weekend. Just letting everyone know a bunch of past Bulldogs should be in attendance.
When Jackie retired everyone went crazy with applause. Anyone that boos Ron Polk is either an ******* or just too young and stupid to know who the man is.
...that SEC Baseball did not exist prior to Polk is just absurd. In Mississippi alone, UM's Tom Swayze and MSU's Paul Gregory had a nice rivalry built up in the 1960's into the early 70's. For the nine years from 1964 to 1972, UM and MSU won 7 of the SEC titles (MSU 4, UM 3).
In 1970, the Dogs went to old Swayze Field (then called University Park) needing only one win to clinch the West. Ole Miss swept the Friday DH on May 8 in front of 4,220 (1st game) and 4,300 (nightcap), setting up a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday. The great LHP Brantley Jones threw a 3-0 shutout for MSU and reportedly shot the then-state record crowd of 5,000 (many UM students during exams) the bird after the final out. I have pictures of the games and they had to rope off portions of the 1st-base and 3rd-base lines for standing-room only. Since only one SEC team went to a regional back then, Ole Miss stayed home at 25-8 (11-6). State won the SEC playoff and lost in the regionals to finish 32-8 (11-4).
The next year was Swayze's last, and UM had a rare losing season. In the series in Starkville, MSU unveiled lights for the first-ever night games at Dudy Noble Field, which had only been around about 5 years. MSU swept the Rebels in 3 close games en route to a repeat SEC championship and State's first-ever trip to Omaha. The previous year's state attendance record was smashed as MSU drew up to 9,000 for one of the games. Note that Jake Gibbs took over for the Rebs the next year and promptly led UM to a SEC Championship and a the Rebs' 4th trip to Omaha in his inaugural season of 1972. Hard to believe now, but when UM took that 4th trip in 1972, no other of the 9 SEC schools had been more than once. And at least two of Ole Miss's best teams (SEC Champs in 1959 and 1960) were prohibited from competing in the NCAA's due to the College Board's stance on integration (this was the ban MSU broke in basketball in 1963).
This doesn't count many great players and teams at Alabama and Auburn and Florida and elsewhere. This myth that SEC Baseball began with Polk is a disservice to many, and has been perpetuated by Rick Cleveland and others. One of the reasons Polk was even interested in MSU in the mid-70's is that Starkville hosted some NCAA regionals in the early 70's without the Dogs even in the tourney. Polk's Georgia Southern team qualified for Omaha through Starkville, and he noted the potential then.
In 1970, the Dogs went to old Swayze Field (then called University Park) needing only one win to clinch the West. Ole Miss swept the Friday DH on May 8 in front of 4,220 (1st game) and 4,300 (nightcap), setting up a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday. The great LHP Brantley Jones threw a 3-0 shutout for MSU and reportedly shot the then-state record crowd of 5,000 (many UM students during exams) the bird after the final out. I have pictures of the games and they had to rope off portions of the 1st-base and 3rd-base lines for standing-room only. Since only one SEC team went to a regional back then, Ole Miss stayed home at 25-8 (11-6). State won the SEC playoff and lost in the regionals to finish 32-8 (11-4).
The next year was Swayze's last, and UM had a rare losing season. In the series in Starkville, MSU unveiled lights for the first-ever night games at Dudy Noble Field, which had only been around about 5 years. MSU swept the Rebels in 3 close games en route to a repeat SEC championship and State's first-ever trip to Omaha. The previous year's state attendance record was smashed as MSU drew up to 9,000 for one of the games. Note that Jake Gibbs took over for the Rebs the next year and promptly led UM to a SEC Championship and a the Rebs' 4th trip to Omaha in his inaugural season of 1972. Hard to believe now, but when UM took that 4th trip in 1972, no other of the 9 SEC schools had been more than once. And at least two of Ole Miss's best teams (SEC Champs in 1959 and 1960) were prohibited from competing in the NCAA's due to the College Board's stance on integration (this was the ban MSU broke in basketball in 1963).
This doesn't count many great players and teams at Alabama and Auburn and Florida and elsewhere. This myth that SEC Baseball began with Polk is a disservice to many, and has been perpetuated by Rick Cleveland and others. One of the reasons Polk was even interested in MSU in the mid-70's is that Starkville hosted some NCAA regionals in the early 70's without the Dogs even in the tourney. Polk's Georgia Southern team qualified for Omaha through Starkville, and he noted the potential then.
involving MSU and UM. Supposedly Jones intentionally walked someone to put the tying run at the plate in the form of Archie Manning (who had to wear a helmet in the field when he played) who he went on to stike out to end the game and he then shot the crowd the DOUBLE bird.
And you are very correct that Polk did not invent SEC baseball. But the one thing he did is elevate it in terms of showing people in the SEC in particular how to have a great atmosphere, sell the program, and host regionals. Polk simply took what guys like Gregory and Swayze did and just took to another level. And then Skip Bertman came along and took it to another level in the form of Championships. And now the bar has been raised again. Every school has a pretty good coach, has a very nice stadium or is about to build one, and the quality of players seems to get better and better each year. </p>
And you are very correct that Polk did not invent SEC baseball. But the one thing he did is elevate it in terms of showing people in the SEC in particular how to have a great atmosphere, sell the program, and host regionals. Polk simply took what guys like Gregory and Swayze did and just took to another level. And then Skip Bertman came along and took it to another level in the form of Championships. And now the bar has been raised again. Every school has a pretty good coach, has a very nice stadium or is about to build one, and the quality of players seems to get better and better each year. </p>
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