Veazey reports on Cohen...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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While I jabbed at the question earlier, that was the best response outside of a "YES" we could get.
has put us in. Even other Polk mentored coaches that are much more qualified and proven than Raffo don't really want to be a head-to-head candidate against the person the "Great One" has chosen to pass his torch to. Polk has everybody right where he wants them.
while every red-blooded American M-State fan wants to hire the coach that will bring the most success on the field, Polk is endorsing Raffo for other reasons. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nowhere does Polk say great things about Raffo's coaching abilities.</span> He talks about how the program will be "stable" under Raffo, and how assistant coaches, kids, and the f'n Diamond Girls will be taken care of.
Sorry coach, but I'd rather see us win ballgames, host regionals, and super regionals than "stay the course". What you're doing ain't working, and I don't know why we should be expected to ask for more of it.
Polk also pointed out how it took a month to get Vince Dooley to hire Perno on his recommendation at Georgia, and how that's turned out pretty well. Well, Polk, you used up your anointing privileges at M-State the last time you retired. Remember that one? How long did McMahon hang around? You don't get a do-over.
Give me a proven head coach.
Sorry coach, but I'd rather see us win ballgames, host regionals, and super regionals than "stay the course". What you're doing ain't working, and I don't know why we should be expected to ask for more of it.
Polk also pointed out how it took a month to get Vince Dooley to hire Perno on his recommendation at Georgia, and how that's turned out pretty well. Well, Polk, you used up your anointing privileges at M-State the last time you retired. Remember that one? How long did McMahon hang around? You don't get a do-over.
Give me a proven head coach.
but if Cohen was hired, I would probably join the Dugout Club and buy season tickets. I would probably go to a lot more games than I am this year.
If Raffo was hired, I probably wouldn't, not because of anything personal against Raffo, but because I don't like the direction of the program now, and I'm not going to support something that I feel like is going to be mediocre.
If Raffo was hired, I probably wouldn't, not because of anything personal against Raffo, but because I don't like the direction of the program now, and I'm not going to support something that I feel like is going to be mediocre.
because they couldn't get someone else. That's why it took them a month.
That won't happen at MSU. Even if Polk tries to sabotage the whole thing, we'll eventually find a coach that will tell him to <17> off. OR we'll end up firing Raffo in two years and then hire Cohen. We could even go so far as to thrreaten legal action against Polk if he does try to sabotage this.
Also, I would have been VERY surprised to see Cohen say "Yeah, I'm interested, if you offer, I'm gone." in the middle of the season. And I would have said something similar about Polk, because he COULD be a pretty good resource for us in the future, so there's no need to burn that bridge. I didn't take it as a "bow down to the master" type of thing.
Either way, Cohen is going to be a winner in this situation because he's going to get a raise one way or the other.
That won't happen at MSU. Even if Polk tries to sabotage the whole thing, we'll eventually find a coach that will tell him to <17> off. OR we'll end up firing Raffo in two years and then hire Cohen. We could even go so far as to thrreaten legal action against Polk if he does try to sabotage this.
Also, I would have been VERY surprised to see Cohen say "Yeah, I'm interested, if you offer, I'm gone." in the middle of the season. And I would have said something similar about Polk, because he COULD be a pretty good resource for us in the future, so there's no need to burn that bridge. I didn't take it as a "bow down to the master" type of thing.
Either way, Cohen is going to be a winner in this situation because he's going to get a raise one way or the other.
That's such a weak argument. First off let Cohen bring his own coaches in. Secondly,what the hell is fall ball for, but to get to know the players? Thirdly, if MSU was on cruise control right now, stability would be a good thing, but it's quite obvious we need an injection of new ideas, not the Third Ron Polk Era.
1. Polk is quitting because he doesn't want to cut kids from the roster -- according to Polk.
2. He loves Raffo, wants him to have the job, etc.
3. Raffo will be forced to cut kids.
So, he is pretty well forcing someone he really likes to do what he couldn't bring himself to do. That is chicken ****.
2. He loves Raffo, wants him to have the job, etc.
3. Raffo will be forced to cut kids.
So, he is pretty well forcing someone he really likes to do what he couldn't bring himself to do. That is chicken ****.
The other side of the coin is there is nothing that says that we HAVE to get rid of Raffo. For example, if we got Cohen, then UK might hire his hitting coach. We could always reassign Raffo to some BS job as an associate AD.
I'm in favor of cleaning house, but sometimes you have to compromise a little.
I'm in favor of cleaning house, but sometimes you have to compromise a little.
because Polk is BS-ing. I really think he was afraid that he was going to get fired if not this year, then next and if that happened, he wouldn't get to "name his successor" and get his silver platters from every SEC school tour.
If he's "tired", then why is he still coaching?
We do know where Polk's loyalties lie, and they're not about winning baseball games. It's all about painting the facade of the "still powerful tradition-rich MSU baseball program" and keeping his croonies happy that buy into his facade.
Saying the NCAA forced him out (no surprise that he would say that) is really a half-truth. The truth is he can't adjust to the new rules like everyone else in the country and be successful.
If he's "tired", then why is he still coaching?
We do know where Polk's loyalties lie, and they're not about winning baseball games. It's all about painting the facade of the "still powerful tradition-rich MSU baseball program" and keeping his croonies happy that buy into his facade.
Saying the NCAA forced him out (no surprise that he would say that) is really a half-truth. The truth is he can't adjust to the new rules like everyone else in the country and be successful.
I know Polk has a lot of power, and I don't know a lot about law, but I'm pretty sure that trying to keep people from taking a job is slander.
adapt to the new rules, and knows that, that's a damned good reason for him to resign -- and at his age, it's not one that I particularly get angry about. Hell, he's old and can't change. Time to go.
I guess that reasoning is why I agree that the reason he gave in the letter was BS. If your loyalty really lies with Raffo, you make the cuts and THEN hand him the reigns.
With all that said, I will make another point:
Everybody wants this big national search. But, if Cohen will accept the job, I think the support is going to be so overwhelming for that move that he will get it without a true search. If Cohen wants to stay put, then I think the search will probably occur, and Raffo will not win out in that process.
I guess that reasoning is why I agree that the reason he gave in the letter was BS. If your loyalty really lies with Raffo, you make the cuts and THEN hand him the reigns.
With all that said, I will make another point:
Everybody wants this big national search. But, if Cohen will accept the job, I think the support is going to be so overwhelming for that move that he will get it without a true search. If Cohen wants to stay put, then I think the search will probably occur, and Raffo will not win out in that process.
My guess is that at some point in time Polk promised the job to Raffo and now he realizes that the Raffo probably doesnt stand a chance with out his "endorsement".
You would be correct. Raffo was considering going back "home" with Pat when RP was rehired. Polk told him the head coaching job was his after he retired as long as he stayed on staff. Tommy's wife has been running around Starkville and Calhoun County for years saying as much.
this is the most clever strategic move he has made in years. he knew if he heavily publically supported raffo, no other coach who respected polk would try for the job.
we're screwed.
we're screwed.
I know this has been beat to death, but why not let Raffo go coach somewhere and get some experience? Polk might have screwed Raffo over unintentionally.
Seriously, that is my biggest problem with Raffo- he just doesn't have the experience, and you need to "pay your dues" if your going to coach somewhere like MSU.
Also by keeping Raffo on staff, he has caused Raffo to be associated with the crap that is going on now.
Seriously, that is my biggest problem with Raffo- he just doesn't have the experience, and you need to "pay your dues" if your going to coach somewhere like MSU.
Also by keeping Raffo on staff, he has caused Raffo to be associated with the crap that is going on now.
I am legalistic. Someone says this is the rule, then this is the rule. I would have been a heck of a Pharisee back in the day.
Unless we can get Polk to buy off on it, Cohen ain't going to come. I think Coach34's suggestion of going to Cohen and saying look the job is going to either you or to Coach X is a way around that, but we'd have to go to Polk with that ultimatum and get him to tell Cohen that since Raffo's not getting the job anyway, he's OK with Cohen taking it. I don't think Cohen or any other Polk player or coach will take the job over Polk's objection.
ive talked to a few former players, and they both say that they dont want Raffo. Byrne knows that if he hires Raffo, he's keeping the legend happy, yet he's pissing off about 75% of the MSU baseball fans.
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