Sirmon's kid...

[It_Could_Happen]

Headed to Brentwood Academy in Nashville I'm assuming? Just saw it on Twitter. Wanted to see what you guys thought.

[msstate7]

Vandy bound**

[Homedawg]

The problem w sirmon' family is his girls don't have access to what they were doing in LA. Nashville is the closest place, I'm told they could find what they were doing. Not anywhere near here. So that's an issue.

[Coach34]

Sirmon's daughter is big in competitive cheer I think. Another reason Brentwood was chosen

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I also believe either his parents or his wife's parents live in Nashville as well.

[Commercecomet24]

He played with the Titans too, so I'm sure he still has ties there.

[ShotgunDawg]

Just another in a long line of young assistant coaches that don't want to raise a family in Starkville.

Sirmon
Diaz
Johnson
Collins
Etc

This is a problem folks and I don't blame the coaches. When you hire young head coaches from other parts of the country that have options, they are going to want top notch school systems and environments to raise their kids.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but this is a real issue. How do I know? Because I've personally spoken to some of the people I listed.

How can MSU build sustainable, consistent, and eventual championship caliber programs if we can't keep the best and brightest assistant coaches? Of which we are really good at hiring.

I'm sure I'll get some push back on this post, but this is real and the semantics don't matter. MSU is a wonderful university that's has made enormous strides in athletics resources and hiring methods, but I'm not sure we can continue to grow unless the town in which our great university is based becomes a more comforting place for outsiders to raise a family.

I don't want to be blunt, but I don't really care to hear people from Starkville or small town Mississippi's opinion on this because frankly you don't know any better. I want to hear opinions from people who live in suburban Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, LA, Phoenix, Houston, etc. those are one's who opinion matter because those are the places from which these young, bright head coaches are moving their families from to live in Starkville.

When the family doesn't move to the town because of opportunities and school systems, what chance do you have of keeping that coach when he is provided another alternative?

This is the next step in our quest to build championship caliber programs. We can only pour so much money into MSU athletics. At some point the elephant in the room has to be addressed.

[benbow]

ShotgunDawg, there is indeed truth in what you say. BUT, it is a Mississippi problem and not just a Starkville problem. Starkville has an impressive combination of academics and athletics. Been told that the curriculum at Starkville High is the largest in the state including string violin and Japanese among other subjects. The Mississippi legislature continues to take education in Mississippi backwards in response to a continuing anti-public education outcry. As to Starkville itself, much of the problem with the public schools would be cured if the Starkville Academy ceased to exist. With the new consolidated school district there are no school district lines that serve as a rationale to seek other options. The Academy was originally created as an old fashion "Seg" and those days have certainly passed for the most part. Besides the High School and the Academy are located adjacent to one another --- the difference --- one is 65% minority and the other is virtually all white yet on Friday nights they can hear each other's bands playing. Go figure.

[Reason2succeed]

How old are his kids? Are they graduating soon or would it be a long term issue?

P.S. Let's refrain from giving other fan bases ideas about how to recruit against us.

We know you're here. Click an ad.

[ShotgunDawg]

ShotgunDawg, there is indeed truth in what you say. BUT, it is a Mississippi problem and not just a Starkville problem. Starkville has an impressive combination of academics and athletics. Been told that the curriculum at Starkville High is the largest in the state including string violin and Japanese among other subjects. The Mississippi legislature continues to take education in Mississippi backwards in response to a continuing anti-public education outcry. As to Starkville itself, much of the problem with the public schools would be cured if the Starkville Academy ceased to exist. With the new consolidated school district there are no school district lines that serve as a rationale to seek other options. The Academy was originally created as an old fashion "Seg" and those days have certainly passed for the most part. Besides the High School and the Academy are located adjacent to one another --- the difference --- one is 65% minority and the other is virtually all white yet on Friday nights they can hear each other's bands playing. Go figure.


Good points. Whatever it is, Starkville is viewed by many outsiders as an inadequate place to raise a family. Great for retired people.

[yoyo]

It's not a Starkville problem; it's a Mississippi problem for the most part.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

If it is so bad then why did Diaz son stay behind so that he could graduate from Starkville Academy?

[drunkernhelldawg]

Education

[nsvltndog]

I don't know what they currently do with the money, but Starkville is seeing a huge increase in 2nd homes, alumni condos, investment rental properties, etc that do not qualify for homestead exemption. They would be wise to find a way to direct the additional property tax revenue on each of these towards the school system. Locals are selling homes near downtown that have low property taxes to investors or 2nd home buyers. Each time this happens the property taxes essentially double on the same asset b/c there is no homestead exemption for the 2nd home or investment buyer. The city/county should funnel that 100% tax increase straight to the public schools. The same is true of the large alumni condo developments that are going in all over town. Those are net new property taxes that in 90% of the case will have no homestead exemption on a property that in most cases is running $200 - $400K. It could be a very promising cycle b/c if schools improve property values will go up which will make them generate even more property taxes to invest in the schools.

[Thompson92]

Just another in a long line of young assistant coaches that don't want to raise a family in Starkville.

Sirmon
Diaz
Johnson
Collins
Etc

This is a problem folks and I don't blame the coaches. When you hire young head coaches from other parts of the country that have options, they are going to want top notch school systems and environments to raise their kids.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but this is a real issue. How do I know? Because I've personally spoken to some of the people I listed.

How can MSU build sustainable, consistent, and eventual championship caliber programs if we can't keep the best and brightest assistant coaches? Of which we are really good at hiring.

I'm sure I'll get some push back on this post, but this is real and the semantics don't matter. MSU is a wonderful university that's has made enormous strides in athletics resources and hiring methods, but I'm not sure we can continue to grow unless the town in which our great university is based becomes a more comforting place for outsiders to raise a family.

I don't want to be blunt, but I don't really care to hear people from Starkville or small town Mississippi's opinion on this because frankly you don't know any better. I want to hear opinions from people who live in suburban Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, LA, Phoenix, Houston, etc. those are one's who opinion matter because those are the places from which these young, bright head coaches are moving their families from to live in Starkville.

When the family doesn't move to the town because of opportunities and school systems, what chance do you have of keeping that coach when he is provided another alternative?

This is the next step in our quest to build championship caliber programs. We can only pour so much money into MSU athletics. At some point the elephant in the room has to be addressed.

I grew up in an SEC town, went to State, did grad school at a third SEC school. In my opinion, there are some schools that are a lot of fun (Athens, Gainesville), some that are also large cities (Knoxville, Nashville, Columbia), and the rest are kinda small (Oxford, Starkville, Auburn). No, Starkville doesn't have a hoppin nightlife scene, amazing public schools, or a Target. I think the thing that sets it apart is that it's kinda isolated. Oxford, College Station, and Tuscaloosa aren't anything special, but they are about an hour from big cities. Other than that, there's not a whole lot of difference between five or six of the SEC towns.

I just don't think it's fair to characterize Starkville as this wasteland lacking in culture. Starkville has improved a lot, even over the last five years. Many coaches with kids have been happy there. That being said, there is definitely room for improvement.

[Commercecomet24]

I grew up in an SEC town, went to State, did grad school at a third SEC school. In my opinion, there are some schools that are a lot of fun (Athens, Gainesville), some that are also large cities (Knoxville, Nashville, Columbia), and the rest are kinda small (Oxford, Starkville, Auburn). No, Starkville doesn't have a hoppin nightlife scene, amazing public schools, or a Target. I think the thing that sets it apart is that it's kinda isolated. Oxford, College Station, and Tuscaloosa aren't anything special, but they are about an hour from big cities. Other than that, there's not a whole lot of difference between five or six of the SEC towns.

I just don't think it's fair to characterize Starkville as this wasteland lacking in culture. Starkville has improved a lot, even over the last five years. Many coaches with kids have been happy there. That being said, there is definitely room for improvement.

Great post! This is a spot on assessment.

[Taog Redloh]

I don't know what they currently do with the money, but Starkville is seeing a huge increase in 2nd homes, alumni condos, investment rental properties, etc that do not qualify for homestead exemption. They would be wise to find a way to direct the additional property tax revenue on each of these towards the school system. Locals are selling homes near downtown that have low property taxes to investors or 2nd home buyers. Each time this happens the property taxes essentially double on the same asset b/c there is no homestead exemption for the 2nd home or investment buyer. The city/county should funnel that 100% tax increase straight to the public schools. The same is true of the large alumni condo developments that are going in all over town. Those are net new property taxes that in 90% of the case will have no homestead exemption on a property that in most cases is running $200 - $400K. It could be a very promising cycle b/c if schools improve property values will go up which will make them generate even more property taxes to invest in the schools.

Throwing money at the schools isn't going to magically help them. You still subscribe to this liberal myth?

The only thing that can help the schools is the students going in them. And the families from which they come.

[Homedawg]

Just another in a long line of young assistant coaches that don't want to raise a family in Starkville.

Sirmon
Diaz
Johnson
Collins
Etc

This is a problem folks and I don't blame the coaches. When you hire young head coaches from other parts of the country that have options, they are going to want top notch school systems and environments to raise their kids.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but this is a real issue. How do I know? Because I've personally spoken to some of the people I listed.

How can MSU build sustainable, consistent, and eventual championship caliber programs if we can't keep the best and brightest assistant coaches? Of which we are really good at hiring.

I'm sure I'll get some push back on this post, but this is real and the semantics don't matter. MSU is a wonderful university that's has made enormous strides in athletics resources and hiring methods, but I'm not sure we can continue to grow unless the town in which our great university is based becomes a more comforting place for outsiders to raise a family.

I don't want to be blunt, but I don't really care to hear people from Starkville or small town Mississippi's opinion on this because frankly you don't know any better. I want to hear opinions from people who live in suburban Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, LA, Phoenix, Houston, etc. those are one's who opinion matter because those are the places from which these young, bright head coaches are moving their families from to live in Starkville.

When the family doesn't move to the town because of opportunities and school systems, what chance do you have of keeping that coach when he is provided another alternative?

This is the next step in our quest to build championship caliber programs. We can only pour so much money into MSU athletics. At some point the elephant in the room has to be addressed.

Um, Diaz and Johnson both had their families here. Collins had no children so.....you point isn't made by your examples. Sirmons, is different, as pointed out above why his family isn't here.

[I seen it dawg]

Those of you saying its a Mississippi problem are correct....but honestly for us Starkville is all we care about with this subject. Starkville can help to fix Starkville.

[dawgs]

I grew up in Starkville and went to state. I couldn't handle living in Starkville long term. It's not Starkville though, it's a size thing. Went to grad school at a university in a city comparable in size to Tuscaloosa and Athens, and that was ok a few years, but I still wanted something bigger by the time I was finishing up. At this point, I really couldn't live in any sec town and be happy except Nashville, and vandy isn't really even a blip on the Nashville radar. That's not a sec knock either, it applies to pretty much every college town. I like entertainment options for adults, not just ones geared towards college kids.

[drunkernhelldawg]

Throwing money at the schools isn't going to magically help them. You still subscribe to this liberal myth?

The only thing that can help the schools is the students going in them. And the families from which they come.

That's an incredibly limited view. Money is not magic, but it can open up new programs and improve the quality of existing programs. Not everyone has a good family, unfortunately, so the school is the place where students should each have a chance to grow and succeed. I don't think it's right to doom children to failure just because their families suck. That idea is a root cause of many of the societal problems we suffer from today. I would call your view old fashioned. It worked back when everybody knew everybody in their little towns.

[mic]

Those of you saying its a Mississippi problem are correct....but honestly for us Starkville is all we care about with this subject. Starkville can help to fix Starkville.

Agree..
No way Okt county should only have ONE public school. And if that isn't going to change , SA should be pumping $$$$ Into it and make it one of the largest academy's in the state..

And btw if the other 2 schools were run the correct way and with better leadership they both wouldn't have been closed..

[ShotgunDawg]

Um, Diaz and Johnson both had their families here. Collins had no children so.....you point isn't made by your examples. Sirmons, is different, as pointed out above why his family isn't here.

Johnson's family never moved to Starkville. He lived in a hotel. As for Diaz, I'm sure he wasn't leaving mid school year.

[Homedawg]

Johnson's family never moved to Starkville. He lived in a hotel. As for Diaz, I'm sure he wasn't leaving mid school year.
You were referring to Wes. Sorry thought you meant Ellis. Right about manny, but at least they lived here TWICE! And Collins move had nothing to do w Starkville or kids. Like I said, he didn't have any. I know all those you speak of except never met Wes, so probably barking up wrong tree

[TimberBeast]

Throwing money at the schools isn't going to magically help them. You still subscribe to this liberal myth?

The only thing that can help the schools is the students going in them. And the families from which they come.

This is the only post in this thread that is 100% correct. This is one of the very reasons that I moved my family from Meridian. The kids ARE the problem because they are raised by their parents who are a bigger part of the problem. All of this stems from the welfare system. Until we fix that, we can't realistically discuss the schools.

[msstatelp1]

Throwing money at the schools isn't going to magically help them. You still subscribe to this liberal myth?

The only thing that can help the schools is the students going in them. And the families from which they come.

Yeah, we see how much the legislature refusing to fully fund the schools has helped improve the educational opportunities in the state. Good thing they quit throwing money at it .

[Jarius]

Starkville is very similar to most other SEC towns. Not many are something to write home about outside of the college atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, there is a LOT that Starkville can improve on and I pray that they do. Other SEC teams don't replace their defensive coordinator every year though. The problem is that 1.) Mullen runs coordinators off or fires them for not doing their job and 2.) the places our people have left us for are either a homecoming deal or a step up in program prestige. That's it.

The baseball assistant coaching losses are no brainers. 2 became SEC head coaches and 1 went back home.

[jumbo]

Sirmon played for the Titans for 6 years and still has ties to Nashville. Also, the schools here in Williamson county are some of the best in the country. This isn't a "starkville sucks" issue. I really don't think they said we have got to live anywhere but Starkville.

[BulldogBear]

Our campus isn't beautiful enough***

[breazy]

what's being missed in much of this discussion is the competition cheering. You couldn't convince me that Starkville has a squad/gyms/anything cheer related that comes close to comparing to what's available in the greater Nashville area. If that's a deal breaker for the daughter, I don't blame him for leaving his family in Nashville.

[Gutter Cobreh]

This isn't a Starkville issue and I'm surprised you guys would even insinuate that....It isn't the town, it's where it's located relative to other things (as already noted in this discussion). Yes schools play a big part, but so does getting the hell out for a weekend trip. Why do you think Saban has a lake house on Lake Burton? Easy drive from Tusacaloosa to North Georgia for some nice scenery. Where the hell you driving to from Starkville, the MS coast? That's about it.

Are we even sure Sirmon's family ever left Nashville from when he played there?

[HSVDawg]

It's not a Starkville problem; it's a Mississippi problem for the most part.

This. The problems in Starkville that exist are the same as the entire state. Mainly, that problem is lack of middle class job opportunities outside of the university. With cities the size of Starkville, that always goes back to lack of manufacturing jobs in the area that can pay a decent wage to employees that don't have 4 year college degrees. Adding more high paying jobs brings in more tax revenue which can be used to hire more / better teachers and reduce teacher/student ratio so that more individual instruction can be given. Bringing in more middle class jobs will also bring more people into the area from outside of Starkville that value education and will drive their kids to do well in school. It's not a complicated problem, but it is a complex one and there is no magic bullet to fix it. It's the same problems faced in Oxford, Natchez, Meridian, etc.

[Maroonthirteen]

I was raised in the GTR. I have good memories of my childhood. I made lots of friends, played plenty of sports and didn't feel like I missed out on anything.

I live near a city now because State hasn't offered me a job making what I make in Memphis. If they did, I'd pack this weekend.

With that said, small towns are not for everyone. I had to move to the city to find a good job. These coaches, while they have a very good job in Starkville, are moving up the ladder in their careers. Some may argue many of them made lateral moves...whatever. but for the most part, they are moving for reasons other than Starkville. I really think most of these guys would have left any school in any small town for a job at ....UF football or Arkansas baseball.

The other caveat is that everyone has to be from somewhere. Unfortunately , the state of MS doesn't produce a ton of future college coaches. Therefore the pool of hometown coaches is very very small. If it even exist. So we don't have that working for us. Also who's to say a coach coming up in MS isn't a OM, Bama or LsU fan?

Anyway, we could type up reason after reason all of which would be valid and none would be the fact that Starkville is to small. Btw, Cohen, Mullen and Howland are all from out of state.

Just my .02

[HSVDawg]

Those of you saying its a Mississippi problem are correct....but honestly for us Starkville is all we care about with this subject. Starkville can help to fix Starkville.

Starkville has done a lot to try and fix Starkville. More often than not, either the dipshit board of aldermen or the state steps in and does something to completely stop it in its tracks. It's been one step forward and two steps backwards for a long time.

[shoeless joe]

Yeah, we see how much the legislature refusing to fully fund the schools has helped improve the educational opportunities in the state. Good thing they quit throwing money at it .

Stupid post.

Gotta have money to operate, PAY TEACHERS, and provide abundant resources. But there comes a point where no matter how much of those things you have the community and individual kids have to see getting an education as important.

[msstatelp1]

Stupid post.

Gotta have money to operate, PAY TEACHERS, and provide abundant resources. But there comes a point where no matter how much of those things you have the community and individual kids have to see getting an education as important.

Sorry, thought the sarcasm was evident. Next time I'll add the asterisks.

There was a reason the legislature was shitting a brick over prop 42 and did everything they could to defeat it.