And just like that- we are tied for 7th in the SEC at the halfway point

[Coach34]

SC- 11-4
Fla- 11-4
A&M- 10-5
LSU- 9-6
Kentucky- 9-6
Vandy- 9-6
State- 8-7
Bama 8-7
OM- 7-8
Georgia 6-9
Auburn 5-10
Mizzou 4-11
Tenn 4-11
UPig 4-11

[Coach34]

We are behind the 8 ball on hosting now. SC and Fla would have to really falter to not host. A&M is gonna host. That leaves us fighting LSU and Vandy for another host spot. Could the SEC get 5? Sure. But we gonna have to really ball out like Chris Jones to get host

[Coursesuper]

We are behind the 8 ball on hosting now. SC and Fla would have to really falter to not host. A&M is gonna host. That leaves us fighting LSU and Vandy for another host spot. Could the SEC get 5? Sure. But we gonna have to really ball out like Chris Jones to get host

That rides on our trip to BR, must win there to have any chance. Lose that series were done with any hosting chances.

[Coach34]

We have to find a way to sweep a UPig, Mizzou, or Auburn

[I seen it dawg]

Shit we may need 2 sweeps or we have to win all road series left

[Coursesuper]

That rides on our trip to BR, must win there to have any chance. Lose that series were done with any hosting chances.


We have to find a way to sweep a UPig, Mizzou, or Auburn

That would help. But it really all depends on how they react to getting kicked in the junk. It's easy when your winning now we will find out if this team has stones or not.

[I seen it dawg]

That would help. But it really all depends on how they react to getting kicked in the junk. It's easy when your winning now we will find out if this team has stones or not.

Bingo

[War Machine Dawg]

This is why not finishing off the sweeps on UGA and Northern Miss were so bad. I can forgive not sweeping Vandy up there, because Vandy at Vandy. But not finishing off UGA and Northern Miss was awful.

[MarketingBully]

Yep, not a good time to lay an egg. A&M is good but they aren't better than Florida. Should have at least taken one in the series. We made their pitching staff look a lot better then it is. If we take two from LSU next weekend and Bama can take two from A&M next weekend we could be right back in it.

[I seen it dawg]

Especially Georgia.

[Bucky Dog]

We cannot lose another series, but if we do lose 2 of three next week we need to sweep 2 series of 3 out of AU, Arky and Mizzou. To be honest, u am expecting to take 2 of 3 next weekend for some reason and think we sweep on other to finish 11-4 in our final 15. It will take that to get a host spot. If so many other SEC teams weren't doing so well ahead of us, then 10-5 would get it.

[Irondawg]

We simply don't have the arms that are ready

[I seen it dawg]

With you Bucky. Gonna need at least 2 sweeps if we don't win 2 at LSU. In typical fashion we probably rally and get 2 including Sunday.

[CadaverDawg]

Cohen is a better version of Stansbury. Will always bring in enough talent to keep us relevant, but his poor decision making will always prevent us from being as good as we can be.

And another thing, he needs to figure this home field thing out. We have one of the most incredible home field advantages in the country, yet we get swept on our home field, lose to EKU on our home field, lose to Oral Roberts on our home field, etc. I'm getting sick and ****ing tired of us packing that stadium with record crowds only to see Cohen shit his pinstripes. Fix that shit, John.

[smootness]

Cohen is a better version of Stansbury.

That sounds pretty dang good.

[CadaverDawg]

That sounds pretty dang good.

It's ok. But SEC baseball is MUCH tougher than SEC hoops. Basically it means he'll never win the league, he'll make Regionals better than 50% of the time but rarely host, and he'll never win the big one. It's acceptable, but nothing to build a 55 million dollar stadium over.

That NC series year was clearly the exception, not the norm.

Hope I'm wrong. I'm probably just pissed bc every ****ing time I fully buy in to a Cohen team, they crush my soul. Ha

[Coach34]

That sounds pretty dang good.

not really

We're talking about a guy that took 4 years to get a mid-major job after leaving State

[MarketingBully]

Cohen is a better version of Stansbury. Will always bring in enough talent to keep us relevant, but his poor decision making will always prevent us from being as good as we can be.

And another thing, he needs to figure this home field thing out. We have one of the most incredible home field advantages in the country, yet we get swept on our home field, lose to EKU on our home field, lose to Oral Roberts on our home field, etc. I'm getting sick and ****ing tired of us packing that stadium with record crowds only to see Cohen shit his pinstripes. Fix that shit, John.

This weekend our hitters didn't come to play but part of it is the lineup order sucks balls. After Morrero struck out three times in the two hole on Friday, he should have been moved down. Collins should never be in the two hole. I think we should have had Rooker in the two hole Saturday and today. Would have made a big difference.

I predict our lineup will really hit its stride once we get Robson back and move Mangum to the two hole and take Brown out of the lineup. We should move Collins down to eight and have Marrero hit in the six hole. Robson, Mangum, Lowe, Humphreys, and Rooker make a pretty formidible top of the lineup. Marrero, Gridley, Collins, and Stovall at the bottom of the order would be good as well.

I agree with you though Cadaver, Cohen will win just enough to not get him fired. This was a weekend where all you had to do was get one win and we couldn't do it. A&M had a losing record on the road and Auburn even beat this team once. And before anyone says that was before they got it figured out their lineup has stayed the same all year long. It wouldn't surprise me if South Carolina sweeps A&M since that series is on the road.

[SDDawg]

not really

We're talking about a guy that took 4 years to get a mid-major job after leaving State

That's because he makes questionable recruiting decisions as much as anything else...

[MarketingBully]

It's ok. But SEC baseball is MUCH tougher than SEC hoops. Basically it means he'll never win the league, he'll make Regionals better than 50% of the time but rarely host, and he'll never win the big one. It's acceptable, but nothing to build a 55 million dollar stadium over.

That NC series year was clearly the exception, not the norm.

Hope I'm wrong. I'm probably just pissed bc every ****ing time I fully buy in to a Cohen team, they crush my soul. Ha

The 2013 team won in spite of Cohen AND his decision to pitch Graveman against OSU instead of the championship series cost us a national championship.

[Coursesuper]

not really

We're talking about a guy that took 4 years to get a mid-major job after leaving State

Agree here, we may be good at times but will not be elite. We are capable of very good stretches when hot, but the lows can be and have been very low.

[smootness]

This is the most bipolar fanbase ever.

[Taog Redloh]

The 2013 team won in spite of Cohen AND his decision to pitch Graveman against OSU instead of the championship series cost us a national championship.

You are a f*cking moron.

[Taog Redloh]

This is the most bipolar fanbase ever.

I agree, we have a bunch of idiots, but I'm willing to forgive a little emotional overdrive after being swept at home on SBW while losing one of our starting pitchers too. It does kinda suck.

[MarketingBully]

This is the most bipolar fanbase ever.

Not really. Don't you want to win championships in a sport? Our last regular season championship in a sport was Basketball in 2004 with the last baseball regular season championship happening in 1989. We have Coach Howland there which really is the equivelanf of the baseball coach from Louisville so we are good with the head coach in basketball. Cohen has been the head coach in baseball since 2008 with one CWS appearance and one SEC tournament championship with only one time hosting. Baseball is the best chance we have to win a national championship. Smoke Lavall at LSU accomplished more then Cohen and was fired. Pat McMahon at Florida accomplished more then Cohen and was fired. These are programs that expect more then our fanbase yet our traditions are just as storied (especially us and Florida). We deserve better as fans then what is happening in baseball.

[MarketingBully]

You are a f*cking moron.

It did. Call me a moron all you want. The UCLA coach out coached us and had his rotation set for the championship series. We had two games to win one and pitched Graveman.

[msstate7]

This is the most bipolar fanbase ever.

I'll own up to my part of it... I know I'm bipolar when it comes to state and braves' baseball haha

[CadaverDawg]

I can support Cohen...he'll win more than he loses, and we'll be in Regionals most years. I've supported him all along.

On the other hand, I feel like we are a potential National power program in baseball, that is capable of winning a Title..... So I'm going to have to adjust my expectations as long as Cohen is our coach, that's all. We could easily do worse....but we will never field a team that meets the level of that new stadium under John. I'm ok with that I guess, it's just disappointing to come to that realization.

Can someone post what we've been seeded in postseason each year since Cohen arrived? Just curious, and I'm driving or I would look it up

[CadaverDawg]

I agree, we have a bunch of idiots, but I'm willing to forgive a little emotional overdrive after being swept at home on SBW while losing one of our starting pitchers too. It does kinda suck.

This^

From Mr. Bipolar himself

[Taog Redloh]

It did. Call me a moron all you want. The UCLA coach out coached us and had his rotation set for the championship series. We had two games to win one and pitched Graveman.

You're either a moron or ignorant. We don't beat Oregon State without Graveman. Stop being dumb. Did you really want to trot Pollo out there?

We lost the title when we dropped Game 1. We just couldn't plate the runners. Just like John Savage said, "It was just our time."

[Coach34]

Not really. Don't you want to win championships at a sport? Our last regular season championship in a sport was Basketball in 2004 with the last baseball regular season championship happening in 1989. We have Coach Howland there which really is the equivelanf of the baseball coach from Louisville so we are good with the head coach in basketball. Cohen has been the head coach in baseball since 2008 with one CWS appearance and one SEC tournament championship with only one time hosting. Baseball is the best chance we have to win a national championship. Smoke Lavall at LSU accomplished more then Cohen and was fired. Pat McMahon at Florida accomplished more then Cohen and was fired. These are programs that expect more then our fanbase yet our traditions are just as storied (especially us and Florida). We deserve better as fans then what is happening in baseball.

Because State fans are so scared of being terrible- so many are satisfied with being decent than making moves to strive for the top. LT was going to hire Bobby Wallace to be our HC instead of Jackie Sherrill. We once told Steve Spurrier we werent interested in him. Our home grown leaders and fanbase are seriously flawed.

[maroonmania]

We are actually very fortunate to be where we are statistically. 5 of our 8 wins in the SEC have been by 2 runs or less. ALL of our 7 losses have been by 3 runs or more. We are a good team but I believe we got a little ahead of ourselves thinking we are legitimately Top 5 at the moment. I still think we are probably Top 12-15 or so but a team like A&M that is strong in almost every facet of the game and knocks the cover off the ball, we really just have trouble competing with that because we just don't have enough dependable arms at the moment.

[Coach34]

You're either a moron or ignorant. We don't beat Oregon State without Graveman. Stop being dumb. Did you really want to trot Pollo out there?

We lost the title when we dropped Game 1. We just couldn't plate the runners. Just like John Savage said, "It was just our time."

Yep. UCLA had dominant pitching and was just better than us

[CadaverDawg]

I'll own up to my part of it... I know I'm bipolar when it comes to state and braves' baseball haha

I'm with you msstate7. I'm super passionate about the Dawgs, and that takes me to some low, and potentially bipolar, places at times. Haha

[MarketingBully]

I can support Cohen...he'll win more than he loses, and we'll be in Regionals most years. I've supported him all along.

On the other hand, I feel like we are a potential National power program in baseball, that is capable of winning a Title..... So I'm going to have to adjust my expectations as long as Cohen is our coach, that's all. We could easily do worse....but we will never field a team that meets the level of that new stadium under John. I'm ok with that I guess, it's just disappointing to come to that realization.

Can someone post what we've been seeded in postseason each year since Cohen arrived? Just curious, and I'm driving or I would look it up

Yep, I agree with you Cadaver. We aren't going to win a national title in football so Dan Mullen is a great fit here for what he has done. We can win and make the NCAA tourney most years with Howland as our coach. But in baseball with our facilities and fan support this is a potential sleeping giant power. As long as Cohen is here, he will produce the same results we have always seen. That is just the way it will be. I guess we are good with Cohen results.

[Coursesuper]

Because State fans are so scared of being terrible- so many are satisfied with being decent than making moves to strive for the top. LT was going to hire Bobby Wallace to be our HC instead of Jackie Sherrill. We once told Steve Spurrier we werent interested in him. Our home grown leaders and fanbase are seriously flawed.

Well said 34, like one of my best friends always says " We are so inbred we can't get out if our own way." He's right.

[MarketingBully]

Who do you think would build a better program here, Dan McDonnell or John Cohen? Just curious people.

[Taog Redloh]

Yep, I agree with you Cadaver. We aren't going to win a national title in football so Dan Mullen is a great fit here for what he has done. We can win and make the NCAA tourney most years with Howland as our coach. But in baseball with our facilities and fan support this is a potential sleeping giant power. As long as Cohen is here, he will produce the same results we have always seen. That is just the way it will be. I guess we are good with Cohen results.
I think you overestimate our baseball programs potential. Just my opinion. I've followed this thing all my life, and I can say with certainty that we missed our opportunity to really jump out and lead the SEC when we failed in 1985, and then the follow up teams a few years after that. Now, after Polk's fiasco since then, I think Cohen is the best we can do. Those that think he isn't, I implore you to find the replacement.

[Taog Redloh]

Who do you think would build a better program here, Dan McDonnell or John Cohen? Just curious people.

Who cares? We aren't getting McDonnell.

[MarketingBully]

Who cares? We aren't getting McDonnell.

That's the attitude that C34 talked about earlier. I think you are heavily under valuing the job. The right coach should be able to win a national title here or at least be doing what O'Sullivan is doing at Florida.

[GTHOM]

Because State fans are so scared of being terrible- so many are satisfied with being decent than making moves to strive for the top. LT was going to hire Bobby Wallace to be our HC instead of Jackie Sherrill. We once told Steve Spurrier we werent interested in him. Our home grown leaders and fanbase are seriously flawed.

Coach34 with the post to beat all posts. I've got buddies who question me all the time and call me unrealistic and stupid for wanting more not just in baseball but in every sport and you just gave me the words I've been searching for. We should not settle for the status quo just because we are afraid to to take a chance.

[HSVDawg]

We have to win the West if we want to host, it's as simple as that. Too many other teams in this league are going to have very solid resumes. With a weak nonconference SOS, 17 or 18 wins and a 2nd place finish in the west isn't going to cut it no way no how.

[MarketingBully]

I think you overestimate our baseball programs potential. Just my opinion. I've followed this thing all my life, and I can say with certainty that we missed our opportunity to really jump out and lead the SEC when we failed in 1985, and then the follow up teams a few years after that. Now, after Polk's fiasco since then, I think Cohen is the best we can do. Those that think he isn't, I implore you to find the replacement.

I just said a name. We give Cohen two years to prove he deserves to coach in the new stadium and if he has shitty non host seasons the next couple of years, we offer the job to Dan McDonnell the keys to the new stadium and offer him the highest paycheck in college baseball.

[Coach34]

We have to win the West if we want to host, it's as simple as that. Too many other teams in this league are going to have very solid resumes. With a weak nonconference SOS, 17 or 18 wins and a 2nd place finish in the west isn't going to cut it no way no how.

I disagree. An 11-4 finish and a strong SEC Tourney could make that happen. 19-11 in the SEC and a strong RPI will put us in the top 16 in the nation to host. The question is can we finish 11-4?

[Taog Redloh]

I just said a name. We give Cohen two years to prove he deserves to coach in the new stadium and if he has shitty non host seasons the next couple of years, we offer the job to Dan McDonnell the keys to the new stadium and offer him the highest paycheck in college baseball.

Lay off the blue meth.

As far as what you said about matching OSullivan at Florida...BWA HAHAHA. Because UF has no advantages over us or anything.

[msstate7]

I disagree. An 11-4 finish and a strong SEC Tourney could make that happen. 19-11 in the SEC and a strong RPI will put us in the top 16 in the nation to host. The question is can we finish 11-4?

11-4? I don't think so... I think we'll be 1-2 after next weekend. I doubt seriously we can reel off 10-2 after that

[Jack Lambert]

This season is going to be fluid. I suspect after this week end we will some more flips in the standings.

[MarketingBully]

Lay off the blue meth.

As far as what you said about matching OSullivan at Florida...BWA HAHAHA. Because UF has no advantages over us or anything.

Just shut the hell up. You are the biggest asshole on this site. You don't even refute my arguments with actual real facts. Just facts according to Goat which by all accounts are figments of your imagination.

[Taog Redloh]

Just shut the hell up. You are the biggest asshole on this site. You don't even refute my arguments with actual real facts. Just facts according to Goat which by all accounts are figments of your imagination.
Are you aware of the definition of 'fact'?

[MarketingBully]

Are you aware of the definition of 'fact'?

You are speculating that we don't beat OSU without Graveman. You are speculating that if we have Graveman out for game one we lose anyway....you are speculating. I would have started Fitts in that game against OSU and relied on the bullpen fourth inning on like we did all year that year. We did score four runs that game so we would have had cushion. Starting Pollo in game 2 anyway was conceding defeat.

[HSVDawg]

I disagree. An 11-4 finish and a strong SEC Tourney could make that happen. 19-11 in the SEC and a strong RPI will put us in the top 16 in the nation to host. The question is can we finish 11-4?

You say you disagree, but I don't think you really do. 11-4 to get us to 19-11 might win us the division. 18-12 or 17-13 definitely won't. 20-10 definitely should. I agree that 11-4 over the final 15 games should be our absolute minimum target if we want to host. And that's going to be damn tough to do even with the schedule easing up over the last month.

The way I see it is this:
1) USC and Florida are hosting. No question about it.
2) Vandy and A&M are about 80% likely to host. The only thing that can prevent that is if a team other than A&M wins the West, and the committee has to choose between A&M or Vandy for the final host spot in addition to USC, UF, and the West champion. I think another team winning the West besides A&M is also the only way the SEC gets 5 hosts, in which case they could select both A&M and Vandy as hosts along with the West champ.

[Taog Redloh]

You are speculating that we don't beat OSU without Graveman. You are speculating that if we have Graveman out for game one we lose anyway....you are speculating. I would have started Fitts in that game against OSU and relied on the bullpen fourth inning on like we did all year that year. We did score four runs that game so we would have had cushion. Starting Pollo in game 2 anyway was conceding defeat.

Everything you and I have posted so far is opinion. Yet you are talking about facts like you posted some.

Now...back to UCLA. Do you realize that after the Game 1 loss, we were playing to win the title, not just Game 2.

[Coach34]

You say you disagree, but I don't think you really do. 11-4 to get us to 19-11 might win us the division..

A&M has a 3 game lead over us when you factor in the tiebreaker

They play Bama and UPig the next 2 weeks- they might go 6-0 but 4-2 at the absolute worse. They finish with Vandy, SC, and OM

At the absolute worst A&M goes 17-13 but I feel pretty confident that team will go 10-5 down the stretch. Thats 20 wins- but even at 9-6, they win the win on the tiebreaker. I think 19 wins will give us a strong shot to host because of the strength of the SEC and our RPI.

[HSVDawg]

A&M has a 3 game lead over us when you factor in the tiebreaker

They play Bama and UPig the next 2 weeks- they might go 6-0 but 4-2 at the absolute worse. They finish with Vandy, SC, and OM

At the absolute worst A&M goes 17-13 but I feel pretty confident that team will go 10-5 down the stretch. Thats 20 wins- but even at 9-6, they win the win on the tiebreaker. I think 19 wins will give us a strong shot to host because of the strength of the SEC and our RPI.

Nothing between 2-7 and 7-2 for A&M against Vandy, USC, and OM would surprise me. This same team just got swept by UF two weeks ago. They are very good, but not invincible. I'm not really worried about tie breakers. I think if we tie A&M for first in the West and both of us have 19 wins, we stand a reasonable chance at hosting. But 19 wins is the absolute worst we can do to expect a reasonable chance of hosting. And it's going to be very, very difficult to get to that point after what happened this weekend.

[I seen it dawg]

I'm not saying they will but don't be surprised if SC starts a slide. They got a big wkd coming up very similar to us. Team reaction weekend.

[basedog]

One thing for sure is we have played much better on the road in the Sec games, makes this weekend interesting in a lot of ways.

I've said it many times, baseball is a game of streaks, hopefully we get hot again against Lsu. I think the series is a toss up, I think we hit better than them, they may be better on defense, pitching about even.

I see us going 9-6 the rest of the way, 17-13.

[engie]

On the other hand, I feel like we are a potential National power program in baseball, that is capable of winning a Title..... So I'm going to have to adjust my expectations as long as Cohen is our coach, that's all. We could easily do worse....but we will never field a team that meets the level of that new stadium under John. I'm ok with that I guess, it's just disappointing to come to that realization.

^ The most OM football fan comment I've seen in awhile. Hot dang it we deserve relevance because we've got passionate fans and (ancient) history! Well, if Ole Miss loses 40 scholarships on probation -- and they still think they should be a national power during that time period -- then it's the same thing as the situation our baseball team faces.

We are NEVER going to be a consistent national power giving out 11.7 while everyone around us is giving out 27. None of the other stuff matters.

[engie]

I think you are heavily under valuing the job. The right coach should be able to win a national title here or at least be doing what O'Sullivan is doing at Florida.

^ insanity. So you think we are a coach away from being a perennial top 5 team? This coach can convince these NATIONAL kids to come here -- to a non-elite academic institution -- for 1/4 of the scholarship money -- and a future making half as much money on average if they get their degree and enter the real world -- not in Nashville or Florida -- but in Starkville, Ms -- and forego the first few rounds of MLB -- to pay 70% of their own way in school? Because we've got a bunch of drunks cooking them hamburgers and ringing bells in the outfield? Not just one or two of these kids -- but entire rosters made up of these elite kids like O'Sullivan has -- that have to fly over 3-4 much superior academic AND baseball institutions in order to come here?

Our fans can't tell the difference between non-traditional and non-elite -- and I'm not going to the trouble trying to explain it again. Literally took one SEC series to be back in the Fahr Coinz conversation. Our first true series loss on the year, by the way. Because that's what any talk of another coach entails. We ran into a buzz saw that got big hits in every situation this weekend. It happens in baseball. It's just funny that people only comment on the non-traditional when it fails. Not even noticing all of the times that it succeeds.

All while constantly moving the goalposts on what they think a season/team is and should be. How many of you called for this team to host in the preseason? Show of hands. That's what I thought. It's ahead of where 95% of you thought it would be. But Cohen only gets credit for setting it back -- not making it better? Sounds fair**

[CadaverDawg]

^ The most OM football fan comment I've seen in awhile. Hot dang it we deserve relevance because we've got passionate fans and (ancient) history! Well, if Ole Miss loses 40 scholarships on probation -- and they still think they should be a national power during that time period -- then it's the same thing as the situation our baseball team faces.

We are NEVER going to be a consistent national power giving out 11.7 while everyone around us is giving out 27. None of the other stuff matters.

Fabricate much? You just claimed I said things that weren't even in my post you quoted. Thanks for setting the record straight though, Mr. All Knowing. I'm sure everyone else is as shocked as I am to see you chime with a know-it-all attitude and a twisting of words.

[basedog]

^ insanity. So you think we are a coach away from being a perennial top 5 team? This coach can convince these NATIONAL kids to come here -- to a non-elite academic institution -- for 1/4 of the scholarship money -- and a future making half as much money on average if they get their degree and enter the real world -- not in Nashville or Florida -- but in Starkville, Ms -- and forego the first few rounds of MLB -- to pay 70% of their own way in school? Because we've got a bunch of drunks cooking them hamburgers and ringing bells in the outfield? Not just one or two of these kids -- but entire rosters made up of these elite kids like O'Sullivan has -- that have to fly over 3-4 much superior academic AND baseball institutions in order to come here?

Our fans can't tell the difference between non-traditional and non-elite -- and I'm not going to the trouble trying to explain it again. Literally took one SEC series to be back in the Fahr Coinz conversation. Our first true series loss on the year, by the way. Because that's what any talk of another coach entails. We ran into a buzz saw that got big hits in every situation this weekend. It happens in baseball. It's just funny that people only comment on the non-traditional when it fails. Not even noticing all of the times that it succeeds.

All while constantly moving the goalposts on what they think a season/team is and should be. How many of you called for this team to host in the preseason? Show of hands. That's what I thought. It's ahead of where 95% of you thought it would be. But Cohen only gets credit for setting it back -- not making it better? Sounds fair**

Big +1. 8-7 with a chance to win more series coming up. We still have a lot of baseball to play.

[BB30]

^ insanity. So you think we are a coach away from being a perennial top 5 team? This coach can convince these NATIONAL kids to come here -- to a non-elite academic institution -- for 1/4 of the scholarship money -- and a future making half as much money on average if they get their degree and enter the real world -- not in Nashville or Florida -- but in Starkville, Ms -- and forego the first few rounds of MLB -- to pay 70% of their own way in school? Because we've got a bunch of drunks cooking them hamburgers and ringing bells in the outfield? Not just one or two of these kids -- but entire rosters made up of these elite kids like O'Sullivan has -- that have to fly over 3-4 much superior academic AND baseball institutions in order to come here?

Our fans can't tell the difference between non-traditional and non-elite -- and I'm not going to the trouble trying to explain it again. Literally took one SEC series to be back in the Fahr Coinz conversation. Our first true series loss on the year, by the way. Because that's what any talk of another coach entails. We ran into a buzz saw that got big hits in every situation this weekend. It happens in baseball. It's just funny that people only comment on the non-traditional when it fails. Not even noticing all of the times that it succeeds.

All while constantly moving the goalposts on what they think a season/team is and should be. How many of you called for this team to host in the preseason? Show of hands. That's what I thought. It's ahead of where 95% of you thought it would be. But Cohen only gets credit for setting it back -- not making it better? Sounds fair**

Exactly, UF sits right in the middle of probably the best baseball state in the country. Within 2 -3 hours of Gainsville you have Tampa, Orlando, Bradenton, Miami and a list of other great baseball hotbeds. That should be the easiest job in college baseball. You have a host of minor league teams and spring training facilities which also equates to more professional scouts in the area. As a player you have the option to stay 2-3 hours from home, play with the best talent college baseball has to offer, and be seen just about everytime you play. You also more than likely get to go to school for free if you have decent grades coming out of highschool. This isn't even bringing in the fact that some of the best JUCO baseball programs in the country are in Florida. You have Chipola, Santa Fe CC, Miami Dade JC, St. Johns River CC, and a host of others to pull a guy here and there from.
All of these also benefit Texas A and M with a huge talent pool to pull from and great JUCOS.
Yes, we have a decent JUCO system here but not near what Texas and Florida have to offer nor do we have the elite highschool talent comparable to Florida or Texas. We have a few kids every year that are draft guys but not the numbers necessary to fill an entire roster with.
It is going to take a good mix of guys for us to consistently be considered elite. All in all, I don't know if it is possible for us to field a World Series team every single year when we don't have the talent pool in our backyard to pull from. Everything is not Cohen's fault I assure you. Now getting swept in your backyard on Super Bulldog weekend does suck and should not happen often but A&M was hot and we did not play our best ball. We are still fairly young especially on the mound and we are going to have weekends where it doesn't click. We have to have quality starts from Hudson and Sexton every time they step on the mound against teams like that to have a chance to win the series.

[Taog Redloh]

^ insanity. So you think we are a coach away from being a perennial top 5 team? This coach can convince these NATIONAL kids to come here -- to a non-elite academic institution -- for 1/4 of the scholarship money -- and a future making half as much money on average if they get their degree and enter the real world -- not in Nashville or Florida -- but in Starkville, Ms -- and forego the first few rounds of MLB -- to pay 70% of their own way in school? Because we've got a bunch of drunks cooking them hamburgers and ringing bells in the outfield? Not just one or two of these kids -- but entire rosters made up of these elite kids like O'Sullivan has -- that have to fly over 3-4 much superior academic AND baseball institutions in order to come here?

Our fans can't tell the difference between non-traditional and non-elite -- and I'm not going to the trouble trying to explain it again. Literally took one SEC series to be back in the Fahr Coinz conversation. Our first true series loss on the year, by the way. Because that's what any talk of another coach entails. We ran into a buzz saw that got big hits in every situation this weekend. It happens in baseball. It's just funny that people only comment on the non-traditional when it fails. Not even noticing all of the times that it succeeds.

All while constantly moving the goalposts on what they think a season/team is and should be. How many of you called for this team to host in the preseason? Show of hands. That's what I thought. It's ahead of where 95% of you thought it would be. But Cohen only gets credit for setting it back -- not making it better? Sounds fair**

Damn, that left a shit trail.

Doubt we'll see Marketingbully again in this thread.

[engie]

Fabricate much? You just claimed I said things that weren't even in my post you quoted. Thanks for setting the record straight though, Mr. All Knowing. I'm sure everyone else is as shocked as I am to see you chime with a know-it-all attitude and a twisting of words.

Maybe not in the post I quoted -- but I don't have to look far back to see where you have said many of those things. You were as far in the negativity of this program in the preseason/early season as anyone. Now it's a whole different thing. My apologies if I'm struggling to keep up on the roller coaster ride that changes week-to-week and is always all-encompassing toward the big picture.

"Potential national power program in baseball". Name an actual national power program in baseball that faces the disadvantages we face?

[CadaverDawg]

Calling for a new coach is silly. Cohen is a tremendous recruiter and a decent coach. He will always get enough talent on campus to make us a competitive threat in the tough SEC. That's almost the best we can ask for with scholly limitations, which is why I'm resetting and lowering my expectations. The only way we do better is to find a coach that recruits as well or better than Cohen while also being a lights out in-game coach...but there are not many of those out there. So we would likely end up in a bad spot if we got rid of Cohen. Hell, there's no need to anyway considering how he's overachieved this year so far.

We just need to lower expectations...or I do anyway. It sucks, bc the scholly' are what keeps us from being able to recruit enough talent to overcome John's in-game deficiencies. I truly think he recruits well enough to keep us Top 16 and in the hosting discussion each year, but his poor decision making and meddling always keeps even our current talent from maximizing potential. String together a few more 2015 style classes and we may overcome it, but I'm not sure. He meddles too much. Will still keep us relevant though, despite a very sub .500 SEC record overall.

[CadaverDawg]

Maybe not in the post I quoted -- but I don't have to look far back to see where you have said many of those things. You were as far in the negativity of this program in the preseason/early season as anyone. Now it's a whole different thing. My apologies if I'm struggling to keep up on the roller coaster ride that changes week-to-week and is always all-encompassing toward the big picture.

"Potential national power program in baseball". Name an actual national power program in baseball that faces the disadvantages we face?

LULz

[engie]

Exactly, UF sits right in the middle of probably the best baseball state in the country. Within 2 -3 hours of Gainsville you have Tampa, Orlando, Bradenton, Miami and a list of other great baseball hotbeds. That should be the easiest job in college baseball. You have a host of minor league teams and spring training facilities which also equates to more professional scouts in the area. As a player you have the option to stay 2-3 hours from home, play with the best talent college baseball has to offer, and be seen just about everytime you play. You also more than likely get to go to school for free if you have decent grades coming out of highschool. This isn't even bringing in the fact that some of the best JUCO baseball programs in the country are in Florida. You have Chipola, Santa Fe CC, Miami Dade JC, St. Johns River CC, and a host of others to pull a guy here and there from.
All of these also benefit Texas A and M with a huge talent pool to pull from and great JUCOS.
Yes, we have a decent JUCO system here but not near what Texas and Florida have to offer nor do we have the elite highschool talent comparable to Florida or Texas. We have a few kids every year that are draft guys but not the numbers necessary to fill an entire roster with.
It is going to take a good mix of guys for us to consistently be considered elite. All in all, I don't know if it is possible for us to field a World Series team every single year when we don't have the talent pool in our backyard to pull from. Everything is not Cohen's fault I assure you. Now getting swept in your backyard on Super Bulldog weekend does suck and should not happen often but A&M was hot and we did not play our best ball. We are still fairly young especially on the mound and we are going to have weekends where it doesn't click. We have to have quality starts from Hudson and Sexton every time they step on the mound against teams like that to have a chance to win the series.

Great post. Agreed on all.

Also should be noted -- the average degree from UF is worth ~ $120-150k more over the working life of an individual than the average degree from MSU. A gap that is actually a lot narrower than I thought it was. A Vanderbilt degree on the other hand is worth about an extra $12-15k out of the gate. A number that swells to well over a half million dollars over a working lifetime.

This stuff might not matter as much in football and basketball in general terms -- but it's stuff that many baseball families which are going to share in footing the bill to go to school(at MSU anyway) -- is going to look at.

[Taog Redloh]

Calling for a new coach is silly. Cohen is a tremendous recruiter and a decent coach. He will always get enough talent on campus to make us a competitive threat in the tough SEC. That's almost the best we can ask for with scholly limitations, which is why I'm resetting and lowering my expectations. The only way we do better is to find a coach that recruits as well or better than Cohen while also being a lights out in-game coach...but there are not many of those out there. So we would likely end up in a bad spot if we got rid of Cohen. Hell, there's no need to anyway considering how he's overachieved this year so far.

We just need to lower expectations...or I do anyway. It sucks, bc the scholly' are what keeps us from being able to recruit enough talent to overcome John's in-game deficiencies. I truly think he recruits well enough to keep us Top 16 and in the hosting discussion each year, but his poor decision making and meddling always keeps even our current talent from maximizing potential. String together a few more 2015 style classes and we may overcome it, but I'm not sure. He meddles too much. Will still keep us relevant though, despite a very sub .500 SEC record overall.

If he consistently underachieves during the regular season, I'd say his overachievement in the postseason makes up for it.

2011: won a regional on the road, nearly got to Omaha with a Top 32 team (2 seed)
2012: finished about where we should have but also won the SECT
2013: finished top 2 when the team was top 16 regular season
2014: nearly beat the overall #1 seed in their regional

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Maybe not in the post I quoted -- but I don't have to look far back to see where you have said many of those things. You were as far in the negativity of this program in the preseason/early season as anyone. Now it's a whole different thing. My apologies if I'm struggling to keep up on the roller coaster ride that changes week-to-week and is always all-encompassing toward the big picture.

"Potential national power program in baseball". Name an actual national power program in baseball that faces the disadvantages we face?

I would think Oregon State would be the closest? Corvallis sucks big time.

[engie]

We were a 3 seed in 2011. USM was the 2.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Great post. Agreed on all.

Also should be noted -- the average degree from UF is worth ~ $120-150k more over the working life of an individual than the average degree from MSU. A gap that is actually a lot narrower than I thought it was. A Vanderbilt degree on the other hand is worth about an extra $12-15k out of the gate. A number that swells to well over a half million dollars over a working lifetime.

This stuff might not matter as much in football and basketball in general terms -- but it's stuff that many baseball families which are going to share in footing the bill to go to school(at MSU anyway) -- is going to look at.

In the case of Florida vs MSU average that 120-150k is probably just the difference in working in Florida and working in Mississippi. That's honestly not even much of a gap...that is surprising.

[engie]

I would think Oregon State would be the closest? Corvallis sucks big time.

That would be a pretty fair comparison.
Oregon State/Mississippi State
Current RPI #44/#17
2015 #40/#132
2014 #14/#27
2013 #4/#8
2012 #25/#19
2011 #22/#16

Very comparable overall in what can fairly be called the "Cohen tenure" outside of the anomaly that was last season.

Both only been to 1 CWS since 07. Took Pat Casey 11 years there to make his first regional but has only missed once in the past 11. His recruiting class in 2005 has to go down as one of the best there has been in college baseball. Class of winners that brought home two titles and went to 3 cws against long odds. Pretty sure the first championship year they lost the first game at every level of the postseason and then won out of the loser's bracket each time. I think our freshman class has potential to carry us a long way over the next 3 years, but I really needed to see more "it" factor from the pitchers though. They've been just as star struck as any group we've brought in, while the position players have been a whole different breed. I'm expecting the light to cut on for one or two of them late in the season and ratchet up how far this team can go another notch though.

[Tbonewannabe]

I would think Oregon State would be the closest? Corvallis sucks big time.

I wouldn't think Virginia has any advantage over us except for what your degree is "worth". Not sure how much this matters in the grand scheme of things but after our stadium is built we will have the best facilities in the country.

[msstate7]

While we do have some built-in excuses vs other programs, we beat some of those teams this year on the road. Looks like we're resorting to excuses bc we got our clocks cleaned at home... I'd rather just say we crap the bed and deal with circumstances as they are rather than start making excuses

[HSVDawg]

As a reality check to the "fire cohenz" crowd, I'd just like to give a friendly reminder that we finished dead ****ing last in the SEC last year. We won 8 damn SEC games, a total that we have already matched this year. Quite frankly, this team had light years to go from last year to even get to be a respectable regional 3 seed this year, and here we are with 5 weeks to go talking about what we need to do to host. I'm as disappointed as the next guy about this past weekend, and would hate it if we eventually can't host in part because of it, but lets keep things in perspective. Some fans in their minds just set up Cohen to fail this year with their expectations. Going from last place in the SEC to a national seed or regional host over one season pretty much never happens, and can't be reasonably expected from any coach.

[Coach34]

I never wanted Cohen to fail- I just hate the way he over coaches. I spent years defending him against the Polk crew because they didn't want to admit the hole Polk left us in. He answered the bell this year- so it will continue to be his job. Still doesn't mean that he doesn't do some stupid shit that costs us.

[Jack Lambert]

I never wanted Cohen to fail- I just hate the way he over coaches. I spent years defending him against the Polk crew because they didn't want to admit the hole Polk left us in. He answered the bell this year- so it will continue to be his job. Still doesn't mean that he doesn't do some stupid shit that costs us.

We got killed in the 8th and 9th innings. That has to the coaches fault. The team lost focus and it's coaches job to keep them focused.

[maroonmania]

We got killed in the 8th and 9th innings. That has to the coaches fault. The team lost focus and it's coaches job to keep them focused.

The simpler explanation is that our back end pitching is just not very good, which its not. Humphreys is decent but even he got knocked around yesterday. Outside of Hudson, Sexton and Rigby, there is really not a pitcher we have that you can send to the mound and not be fearful they will implode.

[engie]

I wouldn't think Virginia has any advantage over us except for what your degree is "worth". Not sure how much this matters in the grand scheme of things but after our stadium is built we will have the best facilities in the country.

Virginia is the best public school in the country arguably. In one of the best towns on the east coast, one of the richer states around, and with unlimited endowed scholarship money to go around for baseball players who are "leaders" or with decent academics. It's tantamount to saying that you don't see how North Carolina has any real advantage over us in baseball. The state of Virginia produced 43 MLB draftees last year with one legit baseball program in the state and one that's clawing to become relevant in Va Tech. The state of MS produced 23 with 3 legit baseball programs in the state. There is your primary difference.

[engie]

While we do have some built-in excuses vs other programs, we beat some of those teams this year on the road. Looks like we're resorting to excuses bc we got our clocks cleaned at home... I'd rather just say we crap the bed and deal with circumstances as they are rather than start making excuses

No one is making excuses. We are trying to give a reality check. Something our fanbase seems to have lost a long time ago in baseball. The fact that we are where we are is very telling to just how good of job our coaching staff has done this year. Yet they are presented as blind squirrels occasionally finding a nut. The assumption that we can go out and cherrypick the next greatest coach in college baseball if we were to fire the ones we have with what they have accomplished seems ridiculous. It's not an easy place to win. Part of what Polk got right in his rant. The cards aren't stacked in our favor. I'd imagine if a neutral party were to rank the SEC baseball jobs -- we would be 4th or 5th in the west right now. That's just our own division. It's a nationally elite fanbase but not a nationally elite job.

[MarketingBully]

No one is making excuses. We are trying to give a reality check. Something our fanbase seems to have lost a long time ago in baseball. The fact that we are where we are is very telling to just how good of job our coaching staff has done this year. Yet they are presented as blind squirrels occasionally finding a nut. The assumption that we can go out and cherrypick the next greatest coach in college baseball if we were to fire the ones we have with what they have accomplished seems ridiculous. It's not an easy place to win. Part of what Polk got right in his rant. The cards aren't stacked in our favor. I'd imagine if a neutral party were to rank the SEC baseball jobs -- we would be 4th or 5th in the west right now. That's just our own division. It's a nationally elite fanbase but not a nationally elite job.

So with your attitude, why do we even build the new stadium?

[CadaverDawg]

As a reality check to the "fire cohenz" crowd, I'd just like to give a friendly reminder that we finished dead ****ing last in the SEC last year. We won 8 damn SEC games, a total that we have already matched this year. Quite frankly, this team had light years to go from last year to even get to be a respectable regional 3 seed this year, and here we are with 5 weeks to go talking about what we need to do to host. I'm as disappointed as the next guy about this past weekend, and would hate it if we eventually can't host in part because of it, but lets keep things in perspective. Some fans in their minds just set up Cohen to fail this year with their expectations. Going from last place in the SEC to a national seed or regional host over one season pretty much never happens, and can't be reasonably expected from any coach.

I agree to an extent....but we never should have been as shitatastic as we were last year. So expecting far better than last year should have been the expectation. That being said, we have overachieved this season, so your point still stands.

I just don't want our fans to downplay our potential too much. We are a proud baseball school, and can win big here, make no mistake. Last year should not happen very often at MSU. Last year was not something Cohen inherited...he built that shit show, so he doesn't get a pass or to compare future teams to last year when that was his team that underperformed.

Again, not disagreeing, just pointing that out.

[Taog Redloh]

So with your attitude, why do we even build the new stadium?

Because it's something we CAN do, to give ourselves an advantage. When engie said it was 4th or 5th in the west, that was a stretch. I think we are probably 2nd in the west behind LSU. The ones with the advantages are Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

This isn't hard. Your viewpoint is as wrong as an opinion can be. I told you earlier that it's best if you just went ahead and exited this thread. You can't win.

[CadaverDawg]

No one is making excuses. We are trying to give a reality check. Something our fanbase seems to have lost a long time ago in baseball. The fact that we are where we are is very telling to just how good of job our coaching staff has done this year. Yet they are presented as blind squirrels occasionally finding a nut. The assumption that we can go out and cherrypick the next greatest coach in college baseball if we were to fire the ones we have with what they have accomplished seems ridiculous. It's not an easy place to win. Part of what Polk got right in his rant. The cards aren't stacked in our favor. I'd imagine if a neutral party were to rank the SEC baseball jobs -- we would be 4th or 5th in the west right now. That's just our own division. It's a nationally elite fanbase but not a nationally elite job.

You make a few good points, but you are way too woe is us. Cohen isn't doing anything (other than the fluke CWS run) that every MSU coach before him couldn't do. If it's so hard to win at MSU, we must be damn good at picking coaches bc Polk, Mcmahon, Polk II, & Cohen have all won at MSU.

So yes, we have some disadvantages, but let's not poor mouth this thing to an exaggerated level either.

[CadaverDawg]

Because it's something we CAN do, to give ourselves an advantage. When engie said it was 4th or 5th in the west, that was a stretch. I think we are probably 2nd in the west behind LSU. The ones with the advantages are Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

This isn't hard. Your viewpoint is as wrong as an opinion can be. I told you earlier that it's best if you just went ahead and exited this thread. You can't win.

I agree with this

[MarketingBully]

Because it's something we CAN do, to give ourselves an advantage. When engie said it was 4th or 5th in the west, that was a stretch. I think we are probably 2nd in the west behind LSU. The ones with the advantages are Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

This isn't hard. Your viewpoint is as wrong as an opinion can be. I told you earlier that it's best if you just went ahead and exited this thread. You can't win.

So expecting a national championship or a championship program at MSU in baseball is as wrong as wrong can be. Engie is acting like Cohen is the best possible coach we could get which I think is false. But if you guys are good with basically getting the same results our basketball program did under Stansbury then by all means let's keep the status quo.

[maroonmania]

You make a few good points, but you are way too woe is us. Cohen isn't doing anything (other than the fluke CWS run) that every MSU coach before him couldn't do. If it's so hard to win at MSU, we must be damn good at picking coaches bc Polk, Mcmahon, Polk II, & Cohen have all won at MSU.

So yes, we have some disadvantages, but let's not poor mouth this thing to an exaggerated level either.

I will say its a tougher chore for Cohen to win now in the SEC than it was for Polk or McMahon. Back in Polk I and McMahon you didn't have the scholarship situation so out of whack from state to state like you have now. I mean just about every SEC state other than MS, AL and Ark now has a lottery that provides in state kid scholarships that don't count against the 11.7. Also, we had a much bigger "tradition" advantage and facilities advantage back in the 80s and 90s because we were one of the few that cared about baseball. I'm not sure Polk could have even survived in today's cutthroat environment of college baseball the way he recruited and with all the schools putting money into the sport.

[HSVDawg]

You make a few good points, but you are way too woe is us. Cohen isn't doing anything (other than the fluke CWS run) that every MSU coach before him couldn't do. If it's so hard to win at MSU, we must be damn good at picking coaches bc Polk, Mcmahon, Polk II, & Cohen have all won at MSU.

So yes, we have some disadvantages, but let's not poor mouth this thing to an exaggerated level either.

Please explain how it was a fluke CWS run. We won like 45 games going into the NCAA tourney. We had 20 or 21 SEC wins including the SEC tournament. We were ranked in the top 15 virtually all season, hosted a regional, and were 2 or 3 regular season wins away from being a national seed. No MSU coach since Polk in the late 80's / early 90's had a season that successful from start to finish, and that was before the NCAA tournament even began. If that CWS run was a fluke, then the whole season was a fluke.

[engie]

Because it's something we CAN do, to give ourselves an advantage. When engie said it was 4th or 5th in the west, that was a stretch. I think we are probably 2nd in the west behind LSU. The ones with the advantages are Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

This isn't hard. Your viewpoint is as wrong as an opinion can be. I told you earlier that it's best if you just went ahead and exited this thread. You can't win.

We are not the second most desirable job for a coach in the SECWest. Not even close.

[CadaverDawg]

I will say its a tougher chore for Cohen to win now in the SEC than it was for Polk or McMahon. Back in Polk I and McMahon you didn't have the scholarship situation so out of whack from state to state like you have now. I mean just about every SEC state other than MS, AL and Ark now has a lottery that provides in state kid scholarships that don't count against the 11.7. Also, we had a much bigger "tradition" advantage and facilities advantage back in the 80s and 90s because we were one of the few that cared about baseball. I'm not sure Polk could have even survived in today's cutthroat environment of college baseball the way he recruited and with all the schools putting money into the sport.

I agree.

Bottom line, Cohen recruits great and coaches well enough to keep us competitive and in Regionals most years....but he isn't good enough of an in-game coach to make us elite considering the built in disadvantages we have to overcome. He's still going to recruit at a high enough level to where we will have years of making Super's and even a CWS from time to time, so I can gladly live with that. His meddling will probably keep us from ever getting back to a Final or winning it though....but that takes luck too, so....

We just have to keep expectations in check and keep supporting.

[CadaverDawg]

Please explain how it was a fluke CWS run. We won like 45 games going into the NCAA tourney. We had 20 or 21 SEC wins including the SEC tournament. We were ranked in the top 15 virtually all season, hosted a regional, and were 2 or 3 regular season wins away from being a national seed. No MSU coach since Polk in the late 80's / early 90's had a season that successful from start to finish, and that was before the NCAA tournament even began. If that CWS run was a fluke, then the whole season was a fluke.

"Fluke" may be a poor choice. I agree. But it was about getting hot at the right time....we were a Cinderella team in the CWS. We weren't expected to make it near as far as we did is what I meant.

[MarketingBully]

We are not the second most desirable job for a coach in the SECWest. Not even close.

Who is second?

[MarketingBully]

It goes LSU 1 in the west, then who Engie? Arkansas? We have a better baseball program then they do. A&M? We have a better program then they do. Heck, the coach they have now has only been to the CWS once in 11 years. Who else?

[engie]

You make a few good points, but you are way too woe is us. Cohen isn't doing anything (other than the fluke CWS run) that every MSU coach before him couldn't do. If it's so hard to win at MSU, we must be damn good at picking coaches bc Polk, Mcmahon, Polk II, & Cohen have all won at MSU.

So yes, we have some disadvantages, but let's not poor mouth this thing to an exaggerated level either.

What exactly did I exaggerate?

Cohen is FAR MORE disadvantaged than any of those that came before him since at least the Gregory days before my lifetime.

Polk -- first full-time paid head baseball coach in the SEC. Big advantage. Got DNF built. Huge advantage. Didn't initially face the rules that now exist.
McMahon -- got DNF expanded. Was the first skyboxes in the country for college baseball. Was still the best stadium in the country at that point till the 2nd or 3rd Baum expansion in 2001-2003 or thereabouts.
Polk 2 -- Inherited a ton of talent which he wasted. Still inherited a competitive advantage facilities wise which he wasted in allowing the OM program to be built. Got the first dedicated IPF in college baseball history.
Cohen -- Inherited a total shit show on the field. Inherited the 2nd best stadium in north Mississippi. Inherited a fanbase where all of the old money wanted him fired before he ever showed up, many of which still do to this day. Inherited a 30 year old pile of bricks that was at best the 4th or 5th best stadium in the west the day he arrived and is unquestionably either 6th or 7th best in it's own division depending on how "best" is defined now.

Given the different SEC he's faced compared to all of those that came before him, it's amazing that he's won as much as he has to this point. We won't know how good he can be until we catch up in the facilities race(which is absolutely a huge portion of the deal among elite level recruits these days -- per 2 former SEC coaches).

But by all means -- our fanbase is good at sticking their head in the sand about what is really going on all around them -- show up for SBW -- and decide we are an imminent national power that should be so much better than the top 10 team we currently are. Nothing I can do to stop it -- nor is there anything going to prevent me from calling it ridiculous.

[CadaverDawg]

What exactly did I exaggerate?

Cohen is FAR MORE disadvantaged than any of those that came before him since at least the Gregory days before my lifetime.

Polk -- first full-time paid head baseball coach in the SEC. Big advantage. Got DNF built. Huge advantage. Didn't initially face the rules that now exist.
McMahon -- got DNF expanded. Was the first skyboxes in the country for college baseball. Was still the best stadium in the country at that point till the 2nd or 3rd Baum expansion in 2001-2003 or thereabouts.
Polk 2 -- Inherited a ton of talent which he wasted. Still inherited a competitive advantage facilities wise which he wasted in allowing the OM program to be built. Got the first dedicated IPF in college baseball history.
Cohen -- Inherited a total shit show on the field. Inherited the 2nd best stadium in north Mississippi. Inherited a fanbase where all of the old money wanted him fired before he ever showed up, many of which still do to this day. Inherited a 30 year old pile of bricks that was at best the 4th or 5th best stadium in the west the day he arrived and is unquestionably either 6th or 7th best in it's own division depending on how "best" is defined now.

Given the different SEC he's faced compared to all of those that came before him, it's amazing that he's won as much as he has to this point. We won't know how good he can be until we catch up in the facilities race(which is absolutely a huge portion of the deal among elite level recruits these days -- per 2 former SEC coaches).

But by all means -- our fanbase is good at sticking their head in the sand about what is really going on all around them -- show up for SBW -- and decide we are an imminent national power that should be so much better than the top 10 team we currently are. Nothing I can do to stop it -- nor is there anything going to prevent me from calling it ridiculous.

What a drama queen.

[engie]

It goes LSU 1 in the west, then who Engie? Arkansas? We have a better baseball program then they do.
No we don't.


A&M? We have a better program then they do.
No we don't.


Heck, the coach they have now has only been to the CWS once in 11 years. Who else?
How many times has State been in the past 17 or so?

I guess you will agree that Ole Miss has a superior football program to us -- for the same reasons of your current argument?

[MarketingBully]

A $55 million state of the art stadium to an already great baseball school power = a top five program. Yet the results will stay the same if we keep Cohen. Make the tournament regularly, host occasionally and make the CWS maybe once in 5-6 years. No conference championships. Maybe a tournament championship every once in a while. If you are okay with those results, by all means let's keep Cohen. Btw Goat, I was using sarcasm after Engie basically stated our baseball program sucks and Cohen is the best coach we can get for poor ol State.

[MarketingBully]

No we don't.


No we don't.


How many times has State been in the past 17 or so?

I guess you will agree that Ole Miss has a superior football program to us -- for the same reasons of your current argument?

LOL, that's classic right there.

[engie]

What a drama queen.

Nice refute. But maybe I'll be wrong about something baseball-related this year at some point. I mean, it's a long season, and I can only bat 1.000 for so long before I miss on something. I know you'll be sure to let me know when that time comes.

But you already think you know more baseball than John Cohen, so...

[engie]

A $55 million state of the art stadium to an already great baseball school power = a top five program. Yet the results will stay the same if we keep Cohen. Make the tournament regularly, host occasionally and make the CWS maybe once in 5-6 years. No conference championships. Maybe a tournament championship every once in a while. If you are okay with those results, by all means let's keep Cohen. Btw Goat, I was using sarcasm after Engie basically stated our baseball program sucks and Cohen is the best coach we can get for poor ol State.

Fahr Cohenz!?!? Good thing he has a $55 million picture on the wall without an announced ground breaking to help him recruit his 11.7 though!1!

You are a damn moron without a lick of perspective on SEC/college baseball. But I already knew that when you took the initial position.

What the morons that don't understand the game over at D1Baseball have to say about it. http://www.d1baseball.com/analysis/top-100-programs-by-the-numbers/

[MarketingBully]

The same Arkansas team that will lay an egg and finish close to last in the west this year? Also, get back to me on A&M when their entire starting lineup is gone next year. Wouldn't surprise me if they get tripped up before they can even make the CWS.

[CadaverDawg]

Nice refute. But maybe I'll be wrong about something baseball-related this year at some point. I mean, it's a long season, and I can only bat 1.000 for so long before I miss on something. I know you'll be sure to let me know when that time comes.

But you already think you know more baseball than John Cohen, so...

Do you see the irony in this post? Wow, what a douche post. Ha

[Jack Lambert]

The simpler explanation is that our back end pitching is just not very good, which its not. Humphreys is decent but even he got knocked around yesterday. Outside of Hudson, Sexton and Rigby, there is really not a pitcher we have that you can send to the mound and not be fearful they will implode.

Too many fielding errors and the pitchers had a few of them.

[engie]

The same Arkansas team that will lay an egg and finish close to last in the west this year? Also, get back to me on A&M when their entire starting lineup is gone next year. Wouldn't surprise me if they get tripped up before they can even make the CWS.

Ah -- since overall programs are measured on a one-year on-field success basis. But -- oh -- if they are successful right now -- just wait till next year when they aren't!1 You got me there. Definitely didn't prove my point that everything is an overreaction to whatever is directly behind you**

[engie]

Do you see the irony in this post? Wow, what a douche post. Ha

I see just as much irony in my post as you see it in yours. Ha

But I know that you don't actually want to debate any of it -- so I'll leave you to your minimelt.

[MarketingBully]

Ah -- since overall programs are measured on a one-year on-field success basis. You got me there. Definitely didn't prove my point that everything is an overreaction to whatever is directly behind you**

I was on the keep Cohen and see where it leads us this year before this weekend. This weekend made me realize, A) he is always going to screw with the lineup no matter what talent he has on the team, B) he will never have a good third baseman, C) we will never win a conference championship under him and get a national seed, D) we will always make dumb mistakes on the base paths, and E) we will never get the most out of our talent for three years before they are draft eligible (this still can be turned around. Mangum is the best player that looks like he could be elite for us for three years). I still would give him two years after the ball park is built to see if he can produce something even better then 2013. I'm not for firing him right away. I get most are good with the results he is netting now.

[CadaverDawg]

I see just as much irony in my post as you see it in yours. Ha

But I know that you don't actually want to debate any of it -- so I'll leave you to your minimelt.

"Mini-melt"? You mean like having such a severe case of little man syndrome that you cannot carry on a discussion without resorting to name calling and insults? You're such an angry person, you should get that checked out.

Look at how childish and spastic you get just joining any discussion. I have been debating it, and I stand by my posts....nothing you say changes that. Just bc you break down into a conceded, little man, roid rage, doesn't make you right. But keep stomping your feet and maybe you'll get some people that aren't familiar with your ignorant schtick to come out and play in the mud with you little fella.

Seriously, grow up and learn to discuss things like an adult. Your arrogant tantrums are played out. And news flash...people don't stop debating with you bc you win...they stop bc you come across as an angry arrogant douche, so they get tired of your tantrums and just quit. Bc they're adults.

[engie]

"Mini-melt"? You mean like having such a severe case of little man syndrome that you cannot carry on a discussion without resorting to name calling and insults? You're such an angry person, you should get that checked out.
You haven't actually even attempted to discuss anything. I'm the one that resorts to name calling and insults? Yet you were the one that started the name calling in THIS VERY thread. Which you'll conveniently ignore. It's funny that you make all of these accusations -- on the exact same stuff that you already did yourself. Whining about namecalling -- while namecalling.


Look at how childish and spastic you get just joining any discussion. I have been debating it, and I stand by my posts....nothing you say changes that. Just bc you break down into a conceded, little man, roid rage, doesn't make you right. But keep stomping your feet and maybe you'll get some people that aren't familiar with your ignorant schtick to come out and play in the mud with you little fella.
Yeah -- since I'm the one that went childish from the very beginning "mr all knowing".


Seriously, grow up and learn to discuss things like an adult. Your arrogant tantrums are played out.
I will do that --- just as soon as you do. Deal?

[MarketingBully]

Engie is just a very passionate fan that at least uses logic to support his arguments. I can respect that at least. The only time that logic didn't work in his favor was when he supported giving Rick Ray the chance. That situation worked itself out and we ended up getting a goldmine in Coach Howland who I think is one of the elite college basketball coaches out there. I will admit my judgement has been clouded by emotion of being frustrated with getting swept by a team that was filled with upper classmen. You have made your arguments Engie and convinced me. I concede defeat on this issue. There, we square?

[engie]

Welp....Lock it.

Eta: never saw the last response... My point wasn't to call you out so much as to call attention to the general overreaction to small pieces of a big pie...

The big picture is that we are about where we need to be and about where I thought we would be. Maybe slightly ahead. And I may have been the most optimistic on this site about this particular team..

[mparkerfd20]

And just like that we are 4th in the SEC 1 game out of first in the West.

[dawgday166]

We are behind the 8 ball on hosting now. SC and Fla would have to really falter to not host. A&M is gonna host. That leaves us fighting LSU and Vandy for another host spot. Could the SEC get 5? Sure. But we gonna have to really ball out like Chris Jones to get host

Do we really want to host? This team seems to play better on the road.

[msstate7]

Do we really want to host? This team seems to play better on the road.


?I don?t know what it is about the road, but we play better on the road. I?m not sure if it?s a focus issue, or us against the world, or what,? Mississippi State coach John Cohen said. ?Our kids love being in this environment and it?s big time. It means a lot to come in here with the tradition LSU has and our guys really treated this thing like a business trip, and we?ve played well the past two days.?

[MarketingBully]

Welp....Lock it.

Eta: never saw the last response... My point wasn't to call you out so much as to call attention to the general overreaction to small pieces of a big pie...

The big picture is that we are about where we need to be and about where I thought we would be. Maybe slightly ahead. And I may have been the most optimistic on this site about this particular team..

Yeah, I would say I overreacted to what looks like now to be an anomaly weekend vs A&M for this team. I was wrong on Cohen as it is possible he could prove me wrong on a conference championship and national seed this year. I am right though that we can win a national championship in baseball. This freshman class is special and we need to keep "adding to" in the next couple of years and we could win back to back championships here. I know that is getting ahead of myself but if we get three years out of the 2015 class then it would be possible. This is the first recruiting class Cohen has gotten significant contributions from multiple freshmen.

[MarketingBully]

Do we really want to host? This team seems to play better on the road.

I'd like to be seeded ninth host in the regionals and get matched up with the 8 National seed. That would be my ideal scenario. Since the Supers have been introduced, I think only two national seeds have won a national championship. Odds are good the national seed would be upset and we would end up hosting the super anyway.

[engie]

agreed on all

This incoming class is monumentally large in that regard. Two of those classes back-to-back give us a great chance to win SEC and national titles. Need a little more(I expected more) from the freshman pitchers though. Hopefully they find their confidence in the summer, because they all have the stuff.

[MarketingBully]

agreed on all

This incoming class is monumentally large in that regard. Two of those classes back-to-back give us a great chance to win SEC and national titles. Need a little more(I expected more) from the freshman pitchers though. Hopefully they find their confidence in the summer, because they all have the stuff.

Is Jared Padgett hurt? I expected more from him. He turned down the third round to come to MSU. He seems like a great kid. I think he will be another great starter for us in the future from this class.

[dawgday166]

?I don?t know what it is about the road, but we play better on the road. I?m not sure if it?s a focus issue, or us against the world, or what,? Mississippi State coach John Cohen said. ?Our kids love being in this environment and it?s big time. It means a lot to come in here with the tradition LSU has and our guys really treated this thing like a business trip, and we?ve played well the past two days.?

I just read that too on D1 baseball (after I made my post). We've lost to horrible RPI teams at home and got swept by A&M ... so I'm leaning toward not hosting personally. I just don't think we play as well at home as on the road. They do seem to have a better focus and resiliency on the road.

Edited to add: Maybe it's because their girlfriends can't travel with them. Can't get laid ... so might as well go win a baseball game LOL.