Scott Stricklin chat transcript

The discussion on DNF is classic Scott. Translation: We don't have a damn thing planned and I'm lazy and haven't raised any money.

His whole job is to monitor the sports, monitor coaches, upgrade facilities and raise funds. How's he doing?

The fact that we had nothing in the way of plans after our CWS run tells you that he doesn't plan for anything which is not good for his position. As far asthe season ticket holders, they are fine with the status quo. They got a sweetheart deal when it was built and have no desire to have anything that looks like reseating. What a joke.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

We aren't building a new stadium. You know that I know that. Might as well stop wishing.

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Why in the hell not? This type of "oh boo hoo, we can't afford it so just give up" thinking just pisses me off.

Look objectively at what Arkansas, LSU, UM, and Texas A&M have and now what Bama is about to have. How in the hell are we supposed to compete with these team for recruits in the facilities arms race without tearing down the outdated and poorly designed grandstand that we currently have? When Miss. State has an opportunity to make ourselves a national power in one of the major sports, we have to jump all over that chance and cut no corners. That means no polishing of turds when it comes to DNF. Windows of opportunity like this don't come around very often for us in any sport, so we must do everything we can to elevate our program ASAP while we are still in the national spotlight. Baseball is OUR thing damnit. We take a backseat to NO ONE.

Everyone knows how I feel, and we have been over this many times. I really don't feel like getting into it too deep again.

I want to lower the field and allow the grandstand to have field level seats. The lowest seats in the current grandstand are on top of a 6 footwall. Trustmark, SCAR's stadium, and most MLB stadiums all have field level seats.

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Originally Posted by engie

Need to hire a safety man to approve is all...

I find it funny that people feel they are so dangerous -- yet they pack the hell out and the ONLY one we've ever had collapse out there is the one the school itself built...

The 2 that I frequent are solid as a rock and I'm confident would meet all OSHA requirements for safety...

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Exactly. Just hire someone to inspect the fixtures before they are supposed to be put in. If one is unstable, tell them what to do to fix it.

It wouldn't be that hard.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

I want to lower the field and allow the grandstand to have field level seats. The lowest seats in the current grandstand are on top of a 6 footwall. Trustmark, SCAR's stadium, and most MLB stadiums all have field level seats.

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THIS X1000

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Originally Posted by engie

Wherever it works at. I have noticed that it's kinda hard to place a club for baseball...

One option is to build 2 levels of skyboxes(make them more "premium" in the locations) and build a club directly below the pressbox....

I'm telling you -- I sat in a skybox through Feb and early March -- it's the way to go. WELL worth the money when split up between x number of people(in baseball)...

Problem is that they've been sold out since day 1 and never open up for anyone else...

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I think we will have more boxes. How many more I don't know.

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Originally Posted by engie

Need to hire a safety man to approve is all...

I find it funny that people feel they are so dangerous -- yet they pack the hell out and the ONLY one we've ever had collapse out there is the one the school itself built...

The 2 that I frequent are solid as a rock and I'm confident would meet all OSHA requirements for safety...

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When u hire a safety man to approve it, it puts u on the hook even more when they put too many on a rig and it fails. I've had numerous talks with lawyers about this very thing. As for people feeling dangerous, I don't mine is fine. Many are fine. However, when a regional takes place and a frat rig has three time TE capacity on it- sooner or later it will fall. I pray no child is underneath. It's going to happen sooner or later. And if it doesn't great, but why play with fire? Webe already wen sued by that dickhead Doyle Bryan who had a child fall thru the bleacher and he pounce w a lawsuit. (I have no idea how it turne out, although I can find out).

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

I want to lower the field and allow the grandstand to have field level seats. The lowest seats in the current grandstand are on top of a 6 footwall. Trustmark, SCAR's stadium, and most MLB stadiums all have field level seats.

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I'm not an engineer, I have no idea how feasible this is. Sounds good In theory.

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Originally Posted by messageboardsuperhero

Why in the hell not? This type of "oh boo hoo, we can't afford it so just give up" thinking just pisses me off.

Look objectively at what Arkansas, LSU, UM, and Texas A&M have and now what Bama is about to have. How in the hell are we supposed to compete with these team for recruits in the facilities arms race without tearing down the outdated and poorly designed grandstand that we currently have? When Miss. State has an opportunity to make ourselves a national power in one of the major sports, we have to jump all over that chance and cut no corners. That means no polishing of turds when it comes to DNF. Windows of opportunity like this don't come around very often for us in any sport, so we must do everything we can to elevate our program ASAP while we are still in the national spotlight. Baseball is OUR thing damnit. We take a backseat to NO ONE.

Everyone knows how I feel, and we have been over this many times. I really don't feel like getting into it too deep again.

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Ole miss didn't build a new stadium- they added on to what they had. Ark built the one they have now 10 yrs ago. The one they had before was a shit hole. As for lsu, Bama and a&m, let's be honest, we aren't a comparable to them in the $ category, like it or not. Unless you know someone who wants to pony up $10 mil or so it's a moot point. And with that said any upgrade is going to cost lots of money. Just not what a new place cost. Not even close.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

I'm not an engineer, I have no idea how feasible this is. Sounds good In theory.

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Problem with lowering the field is that Strick just spent somewhere between $1 and $2 million redoing the playing surface and drainage. That is wasted money if we go that route...

His foresight on this stuff is not very good IMO. I also hated the fact that he has no imminent plans to renovate the east side of Davis Wade and is ok with putting in a STAIRCASE to transition from east to north...

East side should have been renovated in THIS stage of construction. Just do the west side one offseason and the east side the next. We had approved funding up to $80+ mil and only used $69 mil. Should have been a given that you go ahead and apply the same template all the way around IMO...

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Originally Posted by bobcat91

The discussion on DNF is classic Scott. Translation: We don't have a damn thing planned and I'm lazy and haven't raised any money.

His whole job is to monitor the sports, monitor coaches, upgrade facilities and raise funds. How's he doing?

The fact that we had nothing in the way of plans after our CWS run tells you that he doesn't plan for anything which is not good for his position. As far asthe season ticket holders, they are fine with the status quo. They got a sweetheart deal when it was built and have no desire to have anything that looks like reseating. What a joke.

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First, Strick was supposed to know we were going to the finals? And after we did he should have something ready in 2 months? Yea. Second, without the people who put up moebu up front, we wouldnt have the current DNF. Howbwould you solve that problem? Go by priority? Bc that's the next option available. Tell me your solution I'm all ears. Honestly.

Homedawg- tailgating anywhere is also a "lawsuit waiting to happen". Some drunk guy could come up to me, mistake me for someone and knock my teeth out. There was a big fire at the Vandy/Ole Miss tailgate this year. That doesn't mean that they should do away with the Grove or we should stop tailgating in the Junction. I could trip and fall while going to my seat in the grandstand as well and get a spinal cord injury. "Lawsuits waiting to happen" are everywhere. That doesn't mean you live your life in a jar. You don't think MSU has insurance?

The funny thing to me is I would bet a good many of the structures in the LFL are built by engineers and architects. In other words people that know what they are doing when they're building something.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

Ole miss didn't build a new stadium- they added on to what they had.

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Correct. They spent $20 mil and STILL don't have a modern stadium design that it is the league with Arky, LSU, or USCe. They(and aTm) made what will prove longterm to be a monumental mistake. It's like spending a bunch of money upgrading a carburetor when fuel injection is available for 50% more money. The stadium designs are THAT different in the enjoyment of baseball... That's why practically all major league stadiums have started over in the past 15-20 years...

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Ark built the one they have now 10 yrs ago.

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As the first open concourse design in ALL of college baseball. They were ahead of the curve with Baum. They also built in modularly -- so it can be expanded yearly with additional chairbacks down the lines/outfield and skyboxes while maintaining the same exact look. Baum today has little in common with when it was built. It's expanded almost every single year in some regard. That's the beauty of the "new generation" SEC stadiums....

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The one they had before was a shit hole.

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Who cares what they had 20 years ago?

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As for lsu, Bama and a&m, let's be honest, we aren't a comparable to them in the $ category, like it or not.

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We ABSOLUTELY ARE comparable to them in the $ category for baseball. Why do people think they are building these badass baseball stadiums as a CHARITY with surplus football funds for the hell of it? Why aren't they building $30 mil softball complexes then -- you know -- since all that extra football money is just burning a hole in their pocket? The REAL fact is that these schools are building these stadiums with financial models to MAKE MORE MONEY with them. Bama might be the exception -- but I almost guarantee they won't be longterm. They had badass baseball fan support back in the day.

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Unless you know someone who wants to pony up $10 mil or so it's a moot point.

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Come out and say that we want to build a world-class facility -- and MSU people will pony up like NO ONE ELSE for baseball. That much, I guarantee. Now, nobody is spending SHIT right now -- because they don't trust Stricklin to handle this like we all want done. I know several bigtime MSU boosters that would be happy to give 6-7 figures toward making us the BEST again. They aren't spending money on a facade improvement though...

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And with that said any upgrade is going to cost lots of money. Just not what a new place cost. Not even close.

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Ole Miss spent 72% of what it cost to build Trustmark Park brand new at roughly the same time...to still have a stadium built on 40 year old technology/amenities...instead of modern technology/amenities...

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Originally Posted by bobcat91

The discussion on DNF is classic Scott. Translation: We don't have a damn thing planned and I'm lazy and haven't raised any money.

His whole job is to monitor the sports, monitor coaches, upgrade facilities and raise funds. How's he doing?

The fact that we had nothing in the way of plans after our CWS run tells you that he doesn't plan for anything which is not good for his position. As far asthe season ticket holders, they are fine with the status quo. They got a sweetheart deal when it was built and have no desire to have anything that looks like reseating. What a joke.

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That worries me a lot as well. They have NO clue about how much better Dudy-Noble can be and should be. And then there are some that have this crazy idea that there is "magic" in the grandstand and it helps us to win. Bear in mind too- these are the same people that tried to run off Cohen for cussing.

Their idea of a good baseball venue is:

1. Dudy-Noble
2. Omaha
3. New Hope High School
4. Tupelo High School

And quite possibly in that order.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

That worries me a lot as well. They have NO clue about how much better Dudy-Noble can be and should be. And then there are some that have this crazy idea that there is "magic" in the grandstand and it helps us to win. Bear in mind too- these are the same people that tried to run off Cohen for cussing.

Their idea of a good baseball venue is:

1. Dudy-Noble
2. Omaha
3. New Hope High School
4. Tupelo High School

And quite possibly in that order.

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Trust me, there are PLENTY of season ticketholders with perspective...

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

First, Strick was supposed to know we were going to the finals? And after we did he should have something ready in 2 months? Yea. Second, without the people who put up moebu up front, we wouldnt have the current DNF. Howbwould you solve that problem? Go by priority? Bc that's the next option available. Tell me your solution I'm all ears. Honestly.

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Only an idiot has no plans for a facility that has been in need of a serious upgrade for years. On top of that Cohen was promised an upgrade when he came. Its been five years and tere are zero plans available. What have they been doing during this time? Plans are he cheapest thing we can do so that should have been already done and fundraising eshould be either in the silent phase or set to begin. As far as the ticket holders, pay the big sums to keep your seat or get the hell over to the bleachers. Basketball was first, football will be reseated after the season and baseball should be next. Sorry that we live in the highly competitive SEC but the days of the good ole boy sweetheart deals are over.

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Originally Posted by bobcat91

The discussion on DNF is classic Scott. Translation: We don't have a damn thing planned and I'm lazy and haven't raised any money.

His whole job is to monitor the sports, monitor coaches, upgrade facilities and raise funds. How's he doing?

The fact that we had nothing in the way of plans after our CWS run tells you that he doesn't plan for anything which is not good for his position. As far asthe season ticket holders, they are fine with the status quo. They got a sweetheart deal when it was built and have no desire to have anything that looks like reseating. What a joke.

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I worry about this a lot too. Many of the old season ticket holders don't realize how far behind our grandstand/press box/ skyboxes are, not to mention how bad the bleachers are, as well as the sightlines.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

Ole miss didn't build a new stadium- they added on to what they had. Ark built the one they have now 10 yrs ago. The one they had before was a shit hole. As for lsu, Bama and a&m, let's be honest, we aren't a comparable to them in the $ category, like it or not. Unless you know someone who wants to pony up $10 mil or so it's a moot point. And with that said any upgrade is going to cost lots of money. Just not what a new place cost. Not even close.

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So should we just give up trying to have nice facilities?

Look, nobody is expecting this thing to happen overnight. What I (and I assume others here) want is for us to have designs for a new, state-of-the-art, open concourse grandstand w/ skyboxes and a nice pressbox and announce this ASAP to capitalize on our CWS run. Really, these designs should have been done a long time ago, since this has been a known problem for at least a few years now. Now, do I expect us to raise the funds in one month? Hell no, but the sooner we get this out there, the sooner the money will be raised.

I'd MUCH rather us take a few years longer to raise money, build, etc. something done right and state-of-the-art, than watch Stricklin grin like he's done something special while announcing plans for simply polishing a turd. We would save money in the long run, and have a much nicer facility in 8-10 years than we would if we just renovated.

What many people also don't seem to get is this is an investment in the future of our program. We are leaving so much money on the table on premium seating alone that it's not even funny. That doesn't even include the additional revenue we'd get from people who'd normally be sitting in the bleachers actually buying season tickets and gameday tickets. This new grandstand would not be wasted money; it would pay for itself and then some over time. Try not to see it as a burden now, but instead see this new grandstand as an asset for the future. Try to look ahead at this as a visionary.

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Originally Posted by engie

Correct. They spent $20 mil and STILL don't have a modern stadium design that it is the league with Arky, LSU, or USCe. They(and aTm) made what will prove longterm to be a monumental mistake. It's like spending a bunch of money upgrading a carburetor when fuel injection is available for 50% more money. The stadium designs are THAT different in the enjoyment of baseball... That's why practically all major league stadiums have started over in the past 15-20 years...


As the first open concourse design in ALL of college baseball. They were ahead of the curve with Baum. They also built in modularly -- so it can be expanded yearly with additional chairbacks down the lines/outfield and skyboxes while maintaining the same exact look. Baum today has little in common with when it was built. It's expanded almost every single year in some regard. That's the beauty of the "new generation" SEC stadiums....


Who cares what they had 20 years ago?


We ABSOLUTELY ARE comparable to them in the $ category for baseball. Why do people think they are building these badass baseball stadiums as a CHARITY with surplus football funds for the hell of it? Why aren't they building $30 mil softball complexes then -- you know -- since all that extra football money is just burning a hole in their pocket? The REAL fact is that these schools are building these stadiums with financial models to MAKE MORE MONEY with them. Bama might be the exception -- but I almost guarantee they won't be longterm. They had badass baseball fan support back in the day.


Come out and say that we want to build a world-class facility -- and MSU people will pony up like NO ONE ELSE for baseball. That much, I guarantee. Now, nobody is spending SHIT right now -- because they don't trust Stricklin to handle this like we all want done. I know several bigtime MSU boosters that would be happy to give 6-7 figures toward making us the BEST again. They aren't spending money on a facade improvement though...


Ole Miss spent 72% of what it cost to build Trustmark Park brand new at roughly the same time...to still have a stadium built on 40 year old technology/amenities...instead of modern technology/amenities...

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First, ole miss spent $20 mil on the renovation? Last I saw it was 12. Not saying you are wrong but never saw anything close to 20. And if they spent 20 they got screwed. Second, why is open air so important? Watch the game from your seat. If you want something to eat, have it delivers to it. It's available. If you are in the bathroom you can't see anyway. Thirdly, we are comparable to them in baseball income. Yes, actually way ahead on income but we all lose money on baseball, yes even us. The others just lose more. Why are they not spending that on softball? Because they probably dot even charge to get in softball and if they do it's next to nothing. They are doing it because they want to compete in everything as best they can. That is the only way. To say they are building it to make money is nuts. Come on engie, you are better than that. As far as the people willing to spend 6-7 figures that's possible. Typically speaking the excuse being used on Stricklin is just that, an excuse. On that says, oh I would have given this if he had done this, whatever. Although there is a big difference between 6&7 figures. If they want to then I feel certain they will pony up and we have nothing to worry about. However, considering we have only had less than 10 single gifts of 7 figures or more to the athletic dept i find it hardto believe we have multiple 7 figure givers for this project. Hope I'm wrong.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Homedawg- tailgating anywhere is also a "lawsuit waiting to happen". Some drunk guy could come up to me, mistake me for someone and knock my teeth out. There was a big fire at the Vandy/Ole Miss tailgate this year. That doesn't mean that they should do away with the Grove or we should stop tailgating in the Junction. I could trip and fall while going to my seat in the grandstand as well and get a spinal cord injury. "Lawsuits waiting to happen" are everywhere. That doesn't mean you live your life in a jar. You don't think MSU has insurance?

The funny thing to me is I would bet a good many of the structures in the LFL are built by engineers and architects. In other words people that know what they are doing when they're building something.

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I'm not referring to tailgating. I'm talking about a trailer falling down and people, lots of people being hurt. And if you think most of those rigs have engineers and architects involved then u haven't been out there much. As far as your insurance remark- I don't know but insurance won't be enough to cover someone who does because of negligence. And truly that's what this is- I'm sorry. An I repeat- I stay in the outfield, I don't want it to go away! I'm sure our insurance really lives the Doyle Bryan case. And that was on the bleachers!!!!!