DeviousDawg
06-06-2018, 09:12 AM
Here's why:
1. When Cohen made the, "multiple trips to Omaha, serious experience as a Head Baseball Coach, etc." comments, McDonnell was the hot name and assumed #1 target. As the season progressed and the hiring window approached, his name quietly fell behind others, who are presently no longer serious candidates, or even candidates at all. This fits the way Cohen seems to like to handle hires from the small sample size we have to observe with.
2. Now that Louisville's season is over, Louisville's talking heads are becoming more and more worried, while warning their sheep that this is a serious situation worth watching. The tone they are speaking in is similar to the tone our talking heads were putting out the days and weeks prior to Mullen jumping ship.
3. Through research, it is evident that McDonnell values three things above all others. Fan support, elite facilities, and unwavering support from the Athletic Department. Diving further into these three things, it is evident and obvious that MSU checks these 3 boxes better than UL ever could.
-Fan Support: UL is in a city of ~1,500,000 people, but have a stadium that holds ~4000 at full capacity. This year was the first year that UL charged for entry to a Baseball game, selling just over 1,600 season tickets. Those 1,600 season tickets count as butts in a seat, whether they are there or not, and they still only averaged just over 2,500 fans per game, and have never once reached full capacity. After reading the UL message board, the fan consensus was that the attendance this year was disgraceful compared to previous years when admission was free. One could assume that they averaged about 1,500 fans per game, in reality. Starkville, on the other hand, is a town of ~20,000, but have/will have a stadium that holds over 13,000, and would be closer to 20,000 if fire code allowed. Talk about fan support, on a good day, the stadium holds over half of the towns population, and on average, about half of the towns population. That's fan support, and unmatched when considering the ratio of residents to fan base.
-Elite Facilities: UL has a little league stadium, locker room, indoor facility(or lack thereof). MSU has the best stadium in College Baseball, the best atmosphere in college baseball, a soon to be major league quality locker room, and a huge indoor facility with the name of one of only 3 MLB players in the 3000 hit/500 HR club across the front entrance.
-Unwaivering support from the AD: UL's former AD was loved by McDonnell, and gave him full support to help build UL's brand into one of the best in College Baseball. After his firing, the new AD, while not hated by McDonnell, is certainly a huge step back Jurich. After reading comments from McDonnell on the new AD, I get the feeling that he doesn't necessarily love the new situation. MSU's AD, on the other hand, is the former head Baseball Coach who, while he won't admit it, cherishes MSU Baseball above all other sports. It goes without saying, unwavering AD support is not a problem for a prospective Head Baseball Coach at MSU.
4. Those who are actually in the know regarding the MSU coaching support, Kendall Rogers, and possibly the 247 guys, have consistently had McDonnell in the top 2 or 3 all along, while also mentioning that Schloss was not a done deal while others "in the know" were going as far as putting out contract figures.
5. McDonnell and family have lived in Mississippi, and are well aware of the Mississippi life, and will not let Starkville the city be the deciding the factor.
6. Within the same hour that UL's season was ended, Schloss pulled his name from consideration. McDonnell has been asked about the MSU job multiple times, and while he has been saying the right things, he also has never said that he was not taking the job and staying in Louisville.
I fully expect Dan McDonnell to be named MSU's next head coach. Timing wise, I am now starting to believe it will not happen until our season is over. We have a real shot and distractions such as naming a new head coach, should be avoided, imo. 1 or 2 weeks more weeks of waiting will not make a difference in McDonnell's decision, because honestly, the decision has probably already been made, on both ends.
With all this said, if for whatever reason, it is not McDonnell, I fully expect Cliff Godwin to be named Head Coach. He seems to perfectly fit the Cohen mold. Young guy, 40 years old. Smart guy, magna cum laude out of College. Aggressive recruiter, and SEC coaching experience as an assistant at Vandy, LSU, and Ole Miss.
If it's not McDonnell, I'd be shocked, and if it's not Godwin, I will have to reevaluate who I believe Cohen is as an AD. I have faith in him. McDonnell is a Grand Slam, Godwin is a 2 run HR. We should be happy with either of these two guys.
1. When Cohen made the, "multiple trips to Omaha, serious experience as a Head Baseball Coach, etc." comments, McDonnell was the hot name and assumed #1 target. As the season progressed and the hiring window approached, his name quietly fell behind others, who are presently no longer serious candidates, or even candidates at all. This fits the way Cohen seems to like to handle hires from the small sample size we have to observe with.
2. Now that Louisville's season is over, Louisville's talking heads are becoming more and more worried, while warning their sheep that this is a serious situation worth watching. The tone they are speaking in is similar to the tone our talking heads were putting out the days and weeks prior to Mullen jumping ship.
3. Through research, it is evident that McDonnell values three things above all others. Fan support, elite facilities, and unwavering support from the Athletic Department. Diving further into these three things, it is evident and obvious that MSU checks these 3 boxes better than UL ever could.
-Fan Support: UL is in a city of ~1,500,000 people, but have a stadium that holds ~4000 at full capacity. This year was the first year that UL charged for entry to a Baseball game, selling just over 1,600 season tickets. Those 1,600 season tickets count as butts in a seat, whether they are there or not, and they still only averaged just over 2,500 fans per game, and have never once reached full capacity. After reading the UL message board, the fan consensus was that the attendance this year was disgraceful compared to previous years when admission was free. One could assume that they averaged about 1,500 fans per game, in reality. Starkville, on the other hand, is a town of ~20,000, but have/will have a stadium that holds over 13,000, and would be closer to 20,000 if fire code allowed. Talk about fan support, on a good day, the stadium holds over half of the towns population, and on average, about half of the towns population. That's fan support, and unmatched when considering the ratio of residents to fan base.
-Elite Facilities: UL has a little league stadium, locker room, indoor facility(or lack thereof). MSU has the best stadium in College Baseball, the best atmosphere in college baseball, a soon to be major league quality locker room, and a huge indoor facility with the name of one of only 3 MLB players in the 3000 hit/500 HR club across the front entrance.
-Unwaivering support from the AD: UL's former AD was loved by McDonnell, and gave him full support to help build UL's brand into one of the best in College Baseball. After his firing, the new AD, while not hated by McDonnell, is certainly a huge step back Jurich. After reading comments from McDonnell on the new AD, I get the feeling that he doesn't necessarily love the new situation. MSU's AD, on the other hand, is the former head Baseball Coach who, while he won't admit it, cherishes MSU Baseball above all other sports. It goes without saying, unwavering AD support is not a problem for a prospective Head Baseball Coach at MSU.
4. Those who are actually in the know regarding the MSU coaching support, Kendall Rogers, and possibly the 247 guys, have consistently had McDonnell in the top 2 or 3 all along, while also mentioning that Schloss was not a done deal while others "in the know" were going as far as putting out contract figures.
5. McDonnell and family have lived in Mississippi, and are well aware of the Mississippi life, and will not let Starkville the city be the deciding the factor.
6. Within the same hour that UL's season was ended, Schloss pulled his name from consideration. McDonnell has been asked about the MSU job multiple times, and while he has been saying the right things, he also has never said that he was not taking the job and staying in Louisville.
I fully expect Dan McDonnell to be named MSU's next head coach. Timing wise, I am now starting to believe it will not happen until our season is over. We have a real shot and distractions such as naming a new head coach, should be avoided, imo. 1 or 2 weeks more weeks of waiting will not make a difference in McDonnell's decision, because honestly, the decision has probably already been made, on both ends.
With all this said, if for whatever reason, it is not McDonnell, I fully expect Cliff Godwin to be named Head Coach. He seems to perfectly fit the Cohen mold. Young guy, 40 years old. Smart guy, magna cum laude out of College. Aggressive recruiter, and SEC coaching experience as an assistant at Vandy, LSU, and Ole Miss.
If it's not McDonnell, I'd be shocked, and if it's not Godwin, I will have to reevaluate who I believe Cohen is as an AD. I have faith in him. McDonnell is a Grand Slam, Godwin is a 2 run HR. We should be happy with either of these two guys.