Ron Polk gets much deserved award...

[Rick Cleveland]

He changed baseball forever in Mississippi and the SEC and, to a definite degree, the nation...

https://mississippitoday.org/2017/06/19/ron-polk-will-receive-2017-rube-award/

[Todd4State]

Congrats to Polk. Sad that LT brought him back and he ruined his legacy at MSU.

[TUSK]

Congrats to Polk. Sad that LT brought him back and he ruined his legacy at MSU.

Todd, as you know, I know "less than dick" about baseball...

I remember MSU/Polk in 80s.... I remember he went to UGA and had some success...

What is the VERY "short version" re: his return to MSU and what happened thereafter, IYO????

[AlSwearengen]

Todd will give you a better answer, but my short answer would be: A. Winning wasn't at the top of his list of importance. B. The modern game, or more specifically, recruiting had passed him by and he didn't want to change.

In fact, in my opinion, even during his first tenure at MSU, winning a national championship was always secondary to him. Being an ambassador for the college game was his thing.

[Todd4State]

Todd, as you know, I know "less than dick" about baseball...

I remember MSU/Polk in 80s.... I remember he went to UGA and had some success...

What is the VERY "short version" re: his return to MSU and what happened thereafter, IYO????



LT brought Polk back because it was easy. He asked Polk on a recommendation as to who MSU should hire, Polk said me, and LT said OK. We should have gone after Manieri who wanted the job and basically wrote Genespage a letter basically trying to get support after the 2000 Regional.

Polk wasn't so much about winning as much as everyone having a "good college experience". He used MSU as a platform to front his views on Title IX and bitched about things instead of trying to come up with tangible solutions. He treated the Governor's Cup like an exhibition game while Ole Miss treated it like a real baseball game and thus he lost FIVE of them in a row.

His recruiting suffered because he was behind the times and out of date- probably in part because he was stuck in the 1970's as far as technology went and tried to recruit almost exclusively out of his baseball camp. And even then made a lot of major misevaluations on players like Louis Coleman. Basically those things caused Ole Miss to rise in baseball along with the fact that Bianco is a pretty good coach- especially when given carte blanche of the entire state. And even USM to a degree too- ever heard of Brian Dozier?

He killed his legacy trying to force Raffo in the head coaching spot and trying to sabotage MSU baseball by basically telling all of the players to transfer if Cohen was named the head coach and allegedly destroying recruiting profiles. Which were probably worthless to Cohen but it sounded malicious. He basically cemented that his attitude was that he WAS MSU baseball with his actions and he was entitled to make all decisions for us and if he wasn't allowed to he was going to try to destroy and hurt MSU baseball.

His actions were a big factor in why we had losing seasons in 2009-2010 and his tenure set MSU baseball back about 10 years all told beginning from the time he took over until 2011 when we finally had an acceptable season by MSU standards and sustained success starting in 2011 until today minus the 2015 season.

[TUSK]

Todd will give you a better answer, but my short answer would be: A. Winning wasn't at the top of his list of importance. B. The modern game, or more specifically, recruiting had passed him by and he didn't want to change.

In fact, in my opinion, even during his first tenure at MSU, winning a national championship was always secondary to him. Being an ambassador for the college game was his thing.

Jesus... for real, Al?

What better way to be an "anything" than to win???? I don't get that, buddy.

[Todd4State]

Basically TUSK it would be like Alabama bringing back Bear Bryant, going 7-6 every year while losing the Iron Bowl with the Bear looking like he didn't give a shit and knowing that you were never going to be able to fire him because he had a statue and a museum on campus. And then the Bear retiring and trying to force Mike Shula on Alabama and telling players to not play for Saban and then the Bear trying to do everything he could do to ruin the program if he didn't get his way.

[TUSK]

LT brought Polk back because it was easy. He asked Polk on a recommendation as to who MSU should hire, Polk said me, and LT said OK. We should have gone after Manieri who wanted the job and basically wrote Genespage a letter basically trying to get support after the 2000 Regional.

Polk wasn't so much about winning as much as everyone having a "good college experience". He used MSU as a platform to front his views on Title IX and bitched about things instead of trying to come up with tangible solutions. He treated the Governor's Cup like an exhibition game while Ole Miss treated it like a real baseball game and thus he lost FIVE of them in a row.

His recruiting suffered because he was behind the times and out of date- probably in part because he was stuck in the 1970's as far as technology went and tried to recruit almost exclusively out of his baseball camp. And even then made a lot of major misevaluations on players like Louis Coleman. Basically those things caused Ole Miss to rise in baseball along with the fact that Bianco is a pretty good coach- especially when given carte blanche of the entire state. And even USM to a degree too- ever heard of Brian Dozier?

He killed his legacy trying to force Raffo in the head coaching spot and trying to sabotage MSU baseball by basically telling all of the players to transfer if Cohen was named the head coach and allegedly destroying recruiting profiles. Which were probably worthless to Cohen but it sounded malicious. He basically cemented that his attitude was that he WAS MSU baseball with his actions and he was entitled to make all decisions for us and if he wasn't allowed to he was going to try to destroy and hurt MSU baseball.

His actions were a big factor in why we had losing seasons in 2009-2010 and his tenure set MSU baseball back about 10 years all told beginning from the time he took over until 2011 when we finally had an acceptable season by MSU standards and sustained success starting in 2011 until today minus the 2015 season.

Oh.... Dayum...

Thank god for Mike Dubose.... I guess... that's effed up.

EDIT: Who was the asshole AD that let this shit happen???

Double Edit: Larry Templeton?

[Todd4State]

Jesus... for real, Al?

What better way to be an "anything" than to win???? I don't get that, buddy.

My Dad very briefly played for Polk during Polk's first year in 1976 and used to talk to Polk from time to time years ago. During one conversation Polk told my Dad that if he couldn't win a NC with Clark and Palmeiro he was never going to win it. This was in the early 90's or so. He basically quit and decided to focus on other things somewhere between 1985 and that time.

That's why I was so vocal about him NOT coming back. I knew what his attitude was and his entire tenure went about like I thought it would.

[Todd4State]

Oh.... Dayum...

Thank god for Mike Dubose.... I guess... that's effed up.

EDIT: Who was the asshole AD that let this shit happen???

Double Edit: Larry Templeton?

Yeah it was Larry Templeton.

And it was some of our fans fault too because as you can probably see we have a hard time changing seats in a ballpark much less changing a coach who was known to be successful. Polk has always had and still does have his very strong supporters. And a lot of them will tell you- "well Polk had just taken Georgia to Omaha" which is true. And I can also understand LT wanting to appease a very vocal group of our fans.

But he still should have had the balls to stand up and do the right thing for the program. Like Byrne when he hired Cohen and Stricklin with the new ballpark and now Cohen stepping down and hiring Cann. Because I would be very surprised if LT didn't know how Polk really felt. It's not like my Dad was Will Clark or someone like that.

[TUSK]

Basically TUSK it would be like Alabama bringing back Bear Bryant, going 7-6 every year while losing the Iron Bowl with the Bear looking like he didn't give a shit and knowing that you were never going to be able to fire him because he had a statue and a museum on campus. And then the Bear retiring and trying to force Mike Shula on Alabama and telling players to not play for Saban and then the Bear trying to do everything he could do to ruin the program if he didn't get his way.

oh,

I now wish I knew even less about baseball.

I am out of cheap whiskey and going to mix a vodka/gatorade drink in hopes of forgetting your post...

It's your fault.*



seriously, though... thanks for the explanation... that's whack.


edit: I'm still disturbed by your post...

[KB549]

I work with a guy who played under Polk at UAB a few years ago. He told me that at the end of every season, Polk would say, "Well, I'll see you kids next year. I'm headed to New England to coach some REAL baseball players."

He said he was pretty much a jackass all the time. Still complaining about the NCAA every other breath. But, like clock work, he gets the birthday call and the Christmas card.

[msbulldog]

Sure glad we didn't hire Manieri, he's an embarrassment.

[basedog]

Actually in 94 I think, (maybe 93) Polk announced he was retiring at the end of the season. Said he was tired of the Ncaa and he was going to put his heart and soul in attacking them and hoping they would change. I have a real good buddy who stated at the time "we should let the SOB go"! He was correct, although Polk had some success in taking us back to the CWS, but he was the laughing stock for other Coaches such as Bertman for concentrating so much on the Ncaa rather than his own team!

I have mix reviews on RP.

[Pollodawg]

One of our associate pastors at church was recruited by Polk before he injured his shoulder. Went to lunch with him a couple of times. Polk has the personality of a fence post apparently.

[Spiderman]

One of our associate pastors at church was recruited by Polk before he injured his shoulder. Went to lunch with him a couple of times. Polk has the personality of a fence post apparently.

Not true at all

[Pollodawg]

Not true at all

Second hand info. Lol. I've never met Polk personally.

[Todd4State]

Actually in 94 I think, (maybe 93) Polk announced he was retiring at the end of the season. Said he was tired of the Ncaa and he was going to put his heart and soul in attacking them and hoping they would change. I have a real good buddy who stated at the time "we should let the SOB go"! He was correct, although Polk had some success in taking us back to the CWS, but he was the laughing stock for other Coaches such as Bertman for concentrating so much on the Ncaa rather than his own team!

I have mix reviews on RP.

That was around the same time my Dad told me his story. So it lines up. I think Polk tried to leave around 1991 or so though.

[AlSwearengen]

My Dad very briefly played for Polk during Polk's first year in 1976 and used to talk to Polk from time to time years ago. During one conversation Polk told my Dad that if he couldn't win a NC with Clark and Palmeiro he was never going to win it. This was in the early 90's or so. He basically quit and decided to focus on other things somewhere between 1985 and that time.

That's why I was so vocal about him NOT coming back. I knew what his attitude was and his entire tenure went about like I thought it would.


Todd, I contend that if Polk had ever taught his teams to bunt, he might have had a better chance at a national championship, maybe even multiple. It was criminal for a coach that was so into "Doing things the right way" to field teams that were worse at bunting than little league teams. So many times in postseason, when everyone is good, it boils down to who can execute the fundamentals and we always lost that battle.