Question, is MSU successful overall in baseball because its the...

[maroonmania]

purest college sport of the so called big 3? I'm sitting here thinking that a big part of our problem in the other 2 sports is that we don't have the organization and ability as an administration, staff and fan base to reel in the big time recruits that you have to ante up for because we seemingly don't have the intestinal fortitude to get in the game and when we try we fail at it miserably by bungling it so bad that we end up on some form of probation. In baseball the "behind the scene" shenanigans are not much of a factor at all (players that want money just sign pro) so it seems we are able to play that sport with other SEC schools on a much more even playing field.

[Tbonewannabe]

Makes sense. If we had white girls that like to swallow, we might have gotten CJ.

[TheRef]

Makes sense. If we had white girls that like to swallow, we might have gotten CJ.

I don't know...I've met some pretty hungry girls.

http://images.wikia.com/elderscrolls/images/1/11/If_you_know_what_I_mean_.png

[Goat Holder]

That, but it's our fanbase to a bigger extent. That's how we attract players.

And honestly, it's ****ed up because we have to work so hard to beat our peers in the SE for talent, but talent just walks in and begs out on the West Coast. They have shit for facilities and attendance out there but those teams are routinely great. The whole damn Pac-12, Fullerton, Irvine, Pepperdine, they all have talent just because it's there. We need to be recruiting the shit out of California, I bet we could convince alot of those guys to come to Starkville just to play in front of big crowds. Gavin Collins proves this.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

That, but it's our fanbase to a bigger extent. That's how we attract players.

And honestly, it's ****ed up because we have to work so hard to beat our peers in the SE for talent, but talent just walks in and begs out on the West Coast. They have shit for facilities and attendance out there but those teams are routinely great. The whole damn Pac-12, Fullerton, Irvine, Pepperdine, they all have talent just because it's there. We need to be recruiting the shit out of California, I bet we could convince alot of those guys to come to Starkville just to play in front of big crowds. Gavin Collins proves this.

Yes. Seth Heck too

[Will James]

Yes. Seth Heck too

Detz aka The Machine

[maroonmania]

That, but it's our fanbase to a bigger extent. That's how we attract players.



I certainly agree that its our baseball fanbase that sets us apart at this stage but I think success years ago helped build that fanbase, especially since we were somewhat historically unsuccessful at least in any major way, in the other 2 main sports.

[Coach34]

purest college sport of the so called big 3? I'm sitting here thinking that a big part of our problem in the other 2 sports is that we don't have the organization and ability as an administration, staff and fan base to reel in the big time recruits that you have to ante up for .

Absolutely- altho Vandy is spending some cash to get those 1st rounders to go to college

[messageboardsuperhero]

That could be part of it.

Really, the biggest reason is that we care more about college baseball than almost any other fanbase in America. Here it is, in the heart of the SEC football season, and there are at least 1-2 active baseball threads on the front page at all times. Sure, the luckluster football season has something to do with it, but still, the breakdown of every damn intersquad scrimmage and practice we see here doesn't happen hardly anywhere else. Players want to play at a place where people care about what they're doing, and we have that. We make baseball a huge priority compared to most other schools, and I hope and believe the entire country will take note of this when we announce what we're doing with the stadium.

[bully99]

We were lucky and fortunate. You had a young aggressive coach who came in mid 70s at a time when few teams in the south gave a rats ass about baseball. He won almost immediately which helped draw fans and that's what got good players to visit. Most schools were not drawing while state was drawing big crowds. State was even drawing much bigger crowds on the road than the home team. Without our fan support over the years our baseball program would be as inept as the other programs. Our facility was awful and it operated on a shoestring budget.

[messageboardsuperhero]

That, but it's our fanbase to a bigger extent. That's how we attract players.

And honestly, it's ****ed up because we have to work so hard to beat our peers in the SE for talent, but talent just walks in and begs out on the West Coast. They have shit for facilities and attendance out there but those teams are routinely great. The whole damn Pac-12, Fullerton, Irvine, Pepperdine, they all have talent just because it's there. We need to be recruiting the shit out of California, I bet we could convince alot of those guys to come to Starkville just to play in front of big crowds. Gavin Collins proves this.

I definitely agree about California/West Coast baseball, and we are starting to get players from out there. Detz and Seth Heck are already here, and Aaron Dominguez (2014 commit) will be coming soon. I hope Cohen makes that a priority going forward.

The biggest problem we have with those guys is the town. Let's be honest: If you were from California, would you rather live in LA or Starkville? We can convince some of those guys to come here, but it's a huge culture shock.

[maroonmania]

Absolutely- altho Vandy is spending some cash to get those 1st rounders to go to college

Well granted its still not truly level even in baseball where state schollys and other factors greatly affect aid money for each school BUT I still think those factors PALE in comparison to the money being spent behind the scenes in major college football and basketball recruiting. And the only thing dirtier than college football recruiting is college basketball recruiting for the elite level players.

[chef dixon]

This will be an unpopular view point, but its probably because not that many people care about college baseball.

[messageboardsuperhero]

This will be an unpopular view point, but its probably because not that many people care about college baseball.

That's pretty much what I said. Our program can compete with the best because we care about college baseball more than almost anyone else.

[bully99]

You won't get an argument from me, but colleges have put a lot of resources in facilities in the last decade. Administrators are more interested in college baseball than the general public.

[Goat Holder]

That's how you establish tradition. Alabama, Notre Dame and others were the first to invest in their football programs as well. Now they've got tradition that damn near cannot be shaken.

[bully99]

Coach give us more info on vandy buying players. Is this well known in baseball circles And how much are they going for?

[Ronny]

"big part of our problem in the other 2 sports is that we don't have the organization and ability as an administration."

In baseball we have tradition.

MSU put an emphasis on baseball beginning early in the 20th century.

It lead to a passionate, united fanbase & coaches & players who knew how to play baseball & win @ baseball. It also lead to a pride you'll never find in our football & basketball programs.

It's similar to Alabama & football: They put a monetary & fanbase emphasis on football back in the early 20th century. The result is everybody associated with Bama knew football.

Next thing you know Bama is riding the train across country & playing in the Rose Bowl (yes, in the early days Bama played in the Rose bowl).