Thank you Chris Lemonis

[Quaoarsking]

I was an advocate for firing you, but I'll never forget the feeling when we finally got a title. You deserve a standing ovation every time you return to Starkville.

Today is a bittersweet but necessary day.

[Commercecomet24]

Ditto. Agree completely!

[State82]

Today is a bittersweet but necessary day.

Well stated.

[Tbonewannabe]

Agreed. He pushed all the right buttons in 2021.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I'll say this for Chris, I got to know Chris really well during the 21 season and the run up to the title. Honestly he's a great guy. Even though you never saw it, he had that fire there. He just managed a different way than Polk or Cohen. I'll never speak ill of Lemonis because he gave us the one thing we craved for: A national championship. I remember vividly sitting with him early in 2022 at the bar at Boardtown and you could just see that the newfound fame had started to wear on him a bit. Talked about not being able to do work because people would come by and knock on his office window and want him to sign autographs and take photos for their kids, grandkids, etc. Talked about being pulled in 19 different directions, not being able to go to the grocery store, not really being able to go out to eat,etc. I left that day being genuinely concerned in how he would handle that stress. I also left concerned because he talked about the newfound fame that the players had gotten and he had grown concerned with how some of them saw themselves. He was worried about how close some people had gotten to the program. Because prior to that, every decision he had made was correct. Everything he did was striving for a national championship and even when we fell short, he was still lauded because we got there once again. I, and I suspect he as well, knew he was about to be held to a different standard. It would never be the same.


I say all that to say this: Chris, thank you. You gave us the one thing we always wanted. In the end that was your downfall as well. Zac did what he had to do. It doesn't mean I liked it because I don't like coaches being fired at Mississippi State. That means they fail. But it had to be done. I'll have a cold one for you next time I'm at Boardtown.

[preachermatt83]

Perfectly worded

[DawgPounder]

Agreed. Can?t believe he?s actually gone!

[Saltydog]

Great post SVS. I'm not going to dog the man out. He deserves some credit but it was time and honestly, he's probably relieved. Hope he lands on his feet soon enough.

[Pancho]

He did the best he could. Congrats to him

[maroonmania]

I'll say this for Chris, I got to know Chris really well during the 21 season and the run up to the title. Honestly he's a great guy. Even though you never saw it, he had that fire there. He just managed a different way than Polk or Cohen. I'll never speak ill of Lemonis because he gave us the one thing we craved for: A national championship. I remember vividly sitting with him early in 2022 at the bar at Boardtown and you could just see that the newfound fame had started to wear on him a bit. Talked about not being able to do work because people would come by and knock on his office window and want him to sign autographs and take photos for their kids, grandkids, etc. Talked about being pulled in 19 different directions, not being able to go to the grocery store, not really being able to go out to eat,etc. I left that day being genuinely concerned in how he would handle that stress. I also left concerned because he talked about the newfound fame that the players had gotten and he had grown concerned with how some of them saw themselves. He was worried about how close some people had gotten to the program. Because prior to that, every decision he had made was correct. Everything he did was striving for a national championship and even when we fell short, he was still lauded because we got there once again. I, and I suspect he as well, knew he was about to be held to a different standard. It would never be the same.


I say all that to say this: Chris, thank you. You gave us the one thing we always wanted. In the end that was your downfall as well. Zac did what he had to do. It doesn't mean I liked it because I don't like coaches being fired at Mississippi State. That means they fail. But it had to be done. I'll have a cold one for you next time I'm at Boardtown.

Appreciate all you said. I have nothing but positive things to say about him personally. Represented the school in a classy way and gave us our only natty. I will disagree that he was going to be held to a higher standard though. After winning that NC, in a lot of ways, he was given way more grace than most HCs would have been given to right the ship. I think if he could have just continued making post season play, that NC would have kept most folks supporting him for a long time. But no way was anything going to save him with the team's performance 3 of the last 4 years. His is one of the quickest and steepest falls I've ever seen. From 2 Omaha trips in 19 and 21 to some of the worst baseball MSU has ever played over the next 4 seasons is a collapse that is really hard to believe happened.

[bigbub50]

Appreciate all you said. I have nothing but positive things to say about him personally. Represented the school in a classy way and gave us our only natty. I will disagree that he was going to be held to a higher standard though. After winning that NC, in a lot of ways, he was given way more grace than most HCs would have been given to right the ship. I think if he could have just continued making post season play, that NC would have kept most folks supporting him for a long time. But no way was anything going to save him with the team's performance 3 of the last 4 years. His is one of the quickest and steepest falls I've ever seen. From 2 Omaha trips in 19 and 21 to some of the worst baseball MSU has ever played over the next 4 seasons is a collapse that is really hard to believe happened.

And he could have won the natty in 2020. That team was LOADED.

[Dawgface]

Agree. I would shake his hand for coaching our only NC team and thank him. It’s a shame he couldn’t build on the momentum he had at that time.

[msudawg1200]

He was compensated very well his time here.

[Goldendawg]

He was compensated very well his time here.

Wonder what level he will land on in his next gig, if college again?

[Cooterpoot]

Yo Lemonhead, we'll put your statue right next to Hunter Hines statue **

[sandjunky]

Wonder what level he will land on in his next gig, if college again?

I mean wasnt getting a pay bump from 600k to 1.2m the ultimate thank you? What did he do with that thank you the next 4 years?

[CaptainObvious]

I mean wasnt getting a pay bump from 600k to 1.2m the ultimate thank you? What did he do with that thank you the next 4 years?

It's okay. He isn't reading this site to see the "Thank Yous". If he did, he would have been a better coach and we would have had a better team!😎😎😎😎

[Coach34]

He'll get another job. He has a Natty on his resume. If he wants he may have a job for next year. Mizzou needs one badly

[Bothrops]

He'll get another job. He has a Natty on his resume. If he wants he may have a job for next year. Mizzou needs one badly

Mizzou would be wise to hire Lemonis.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I was an advocate for firing you, but I'll never forget the feeling when we finally got a title. You deserve a standing ovation every time you return to Starkville.

Today is a bittersweet but necessary day.

Agree 100%. This guy should be totally applauded every time he steps in town for anything. I am sure he has some attitude about getting fired, but he needs to stay in touch with the fanbase.

[KOdawg1]

Lemonis will end up near South Carolina if I had to guess.

The Citadel, Coastal Carolina, Charleston, USC Upstate, Furman, Winthrop, etc...

[Tbonewannabe]

Mizzou would be wise to hire Lemonis.

Maybe a less profile job would benefit him. Although he hasn't proven that he can build a program. Both of his jobs were already built for post season. He just kept them out of the ditches until we won the Natty and it started going off the rails.