Originally Posted by
The Federalist Engineer
MSU has won 11 SEC titles, but only 1 since 1989. That was 2016.
(1) Polk 1.0 won 4 SECs , No NC, 21 seasons, only 1 SEC title after 1980.
(2) Polk 2.0 won 0 SECs, No NC, One Omaha, 6 horror seasons and 1 lucky season
Polk 1.0 for National Championships had a very shitty regional format in the 70s and early 80s. USC and Arizona State could make Omaha every year just beating schools like Air Force, Hawaii, and Portland State. MSU had to win the SEC, just to make a regional. Today an 11th place SEC school can make a regional. In the 70s, South Carolina, Arkansas, New Orleans, Florida State, and Miami could make regionals as Indy Programs nearly every year. SEC seems to have one or two teams per year. There was even a dedicated regional for a Big 10 and Northeast Schools, so Ohio State and St John's could make Omaha. Total shit for SEC programs. For the youngsters, Arkansas and South Carolina are not real SEC schools. They were a mistake from the mid-90s. Should have added Duke and North Carolina or Florida State and Texas.
Also during Polk 1.0, seems Polk let LSU and Bertman surpass MSU on his watch, man had no eye for threats. LSU before 1976, had no baseball pedigree. LSU had 0 SEC championships, 1 Regional, and never been to Omaha. He let the drug dealers and Juicers in Baton Rouge build a juggernaut. By the 1990s, we had Jon Harden pitching lob-balls to Lyle Mouton and other Steroid Kids at LSU. MSU was the 100% underdog.
To me, Polk 2.0 destroyed his legacy. Bianco drank his milkshake and USM became ok via feasting on MSU's odd ball recruiting. The SEC all caught up with MSU by Polk 2. If not for Greg Byrne, Ron Polk was trying to install Tommy Raffo as HC. Had this happened, MSU baseball would be a zombie program today. It took Cohen 5 years to bring things back to life.
Also Polk had his crazy camp oriented recruiting. Cal State Fullerton and Miami probably scouted their regional elite teams. Took players from local mid majors, because it was allowed by the rules. Seems our boy Polk probably wanted to be Mr College Baseball, executive of coach committees, and coach team USA more than winning titles for MSU. Why the hell was he sending hand typed birthday and get-well letters to other people's players, who has that kind of time? 50% of grandparents won't do that. Finally, the man retired but there rumors that he micromanaged Pat McMahon and made him want to leave. Does not make sense that after 20 years at MSU, McMahon suddenly longed for Florida.
Sounds like I hate Polk, I don't, just agreeing that Polk inherited a leading program in the SEC and left it in last place by 2009.