Should Ron Polk's name be on the new stadium?

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Originally Posted by Drugdog

Polk committed modern day treason against MSU. He turned on MSU. The program is bigger than 1 short man. You cannot honor a traitor. End of discussion. Maybe someone could post pictures of him in other uniforms coaching AGAINST US!!!!

Todd, your wrong on this one.

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Dudy-Noble coached at Ole Miss one year. Should we take his name off too?

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Originally Posted by Bully13

Yep. But what irked me more is what he said and the trashing of the player and recruitment records . He did his best to 17 Cohen before the door hit his ass on the way out. He didn't even stop after that. Some our early Cohen woes are directly attributable to that drama queen.

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I thought the recruiting records thing was pretty funny because Cohen was light years ahead of Polk in recruiting at that point. I doubt Cohen would have used them much if at all anyway. In fact he probably saved Cohen some trouble by throwing those out and saving him the trouble.

You're right about the second part.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Dudy-Noble coached at Ole Miss one year. Should we take his name off too?

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Are you serious? Dudy didn't coach at State, then coach against us, come back, leave, coach against us again and then try to destroy the program.

Nice try. Where a coach is before he comes to your school is irrelevant.

Fact is- Polk wants our program to burn to the ground. Does not support it anymore. Wants nothing. It the worst for us. His actions have proved it.

Regardless of what he did in the past to help, HE THREW the handgrenades at MSU. This is his fault. All the goodwill is gone.

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Originally Posted by Bully13

Yep. But what irked me more is what he said and the trashing of the player and recruitment records . He did his best to 17 Cohen before the door hit his ass on the way out. He didn't even stop after that. Some our early Cohen woes are directly attributable to that drama queen.

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This. After we went to the CWS championship series he had the perfect opportunity to admit he was wrong and apologize for taking it too far. Cohen has always left the door open for reconciliation and has gone out of his way to give Polk credit and public adoration, yet the old stubborn bastard remains butt hurt over the fact that he didn't get to choose "his guy" to replace him. I would forgive him if he admitted he was wrong to not support Cohen and saying a bunch of stupid stuff on the way out, but until then, screw him.

It's strange when people paint a guy up as a legend, he starts to believe it, then finds out he's just a dude who devoted his life to a job.
Polk was legendary. People called him "The Bear Bryant of SEC Baseball". Then LSU stepped up and started recruiting 6'4 ball players on a regimented weight program, and Polk never budged on his philosophy. It wasn't in his book.
He virtually refused to recruit outside of his office. Joe Lee Dunn was the same way.
Polk was married to college baseball, not MSU baseball. College Baseball, to this day, has too few scholarships. None of the public ranting Polk did made a dent in the NCAA decision.
His hissy fit over the hire of Cohen was embarrassing. Then he says "Go ahead and take my name off of the stadium". It would serve him right.
But let's just don't go there. It would simply bring ugly publicity to an issue with Polk that I'd rather see go away. If what some say is factual, and he's still actively trying to damage the success of MSU, I could change my mind. But besides coaching teams or playing a role that could directly impact our success, I'm willing to let him fade away.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

This is all true. Dutch McCool donated the lights you are talking about.

I'm not sure when exactly the LFL started but my guess is whenever we started playing at the current location. Unless it started at the Dorman Hall location. It was definitely there when my parents were there- which was when Gregory was the coach. According to my parents it was basically just a bunch of people in pick-up trucks or students hanging out behind the OF fence. I'm not sure when it morphed into rigs. Also per my parents we drew pretty well for baseball then- even though at that particular time we weren't at the top of the SEC. Which shows that our fanbase was already pretty good.

It was much more difficult to get to Omaha in Gregory's days as well. A lot fewer teams went to the regionals or I think they used to call them playoffs. You pretty much had to win the SEC to go to the regionals.

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LFL was formed in either 69 or 70, yes where the stadium is now. Basically a 55 gallon drum maybe 2 was placed outside the left field fence. Hey believe me it would be overflowed with beer and wine bottles/cans. It was a much rowdier nastier crowd if you can imagine that. Anything went back in the day such as throwing firecrackers at cf OM player Norris Weese who was also a good QB.
Yes on getting to CWS, the 1970 and 71 teams were as good as any team we have ever had. Crazy judo transfer rules may have cost us a chance to have a National Championship one spring, several were ruled ineligible to play.

Also Paul Gregory had to teach while coaching as did his assistant Tom D'Armi. They also had a patent on a pre game batting cage which was rolled out to home plate on wheels, they sold a bunch!

You guys should have seen Phil Still, 3rd base play, best 3rd baseman overall in our history. Hey Pete Young was great
also, but he was no Phil Still. Lol!

Heck NO! When he had his bitch fit after Cohen was hired, my dear, sainted, now-in-heaven, gray-haired mother said that Ron Polk was throwing a temper tantrum like a 5 year old....this from some one who never said anything bad about anybody or any college (except LSU, she couldn't stand LSU).

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Originally Posted by Mutt the Hoople

Heck NO! When he had his bitch fit after Cohen was hired, my dear, sainted, now-in-heaven, gray-haired mother said that Ron Polk was throwing a temper tantrum like a 5 year old....this from some one who never said anything bad about anybody or any college (except LSU, she couldn't stand LSU).

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Your late dear Mother, must have seen more than that also..... as did I.... Polk had a bad habit of throwing those "FITS" awful for young children to watch. Glad he is gone and wish some more would go...... Have seen the SAME "fits" with someone else....

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Originally Posted by Dawgcentral

It's strange when people paint a guy up as a legend, he starts to believe it, then finds out he's just a dude who devoted his life to a job.
Polk was legendary. People called him "The Bear Bryant of SEC Baseball". Then LSU stepped up and started recruiting 6'4 ball players on a regimented weight program, and Polk never budged on his philosophy. It wasn't in his book.
He virtually refused to recruit outside of his office. Joe Lee Dunn was the same way.
Polk was married to college baseball, not MSU baseball. College Baseball, to this day, has too few scholarships. None of the public ranting Polk did made a dent in the NCAA decision.
His hissy fit over the hire of Cohen was embarrassing. Then he says "Go ahead and take my name off of the stadium". It would serve him right.
But let's just don't go there. It would simply bring ugly publicity to an issue with Polk that I'd rather see go away. If what some say is factual, and he's still actively trying to damage the success of MSU, I could change my mind. But besides coaching teams or playing a role that could directly impact our success, I'm willing to let him fade away.

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+1. I agree in what you posted! Btw, headed to Durango Monday.

Of course it should. No matter what came later and what you youngsters think now, Polk almost singlehandedly elevated college baseball to the minor sport status it has now. Before that, nobody cared AT ALL about college baseball except the boys who played it, their families, and a few drunks.

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Originally Posted by Maroon Wizardry

i'm no old timer but LFL from my understanding was around before he was there and we had moderate success as well. That being said i'm indifferent about it.

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State has 17 SEC baseball titles. Ron Polk coached only 4 of them

I'm torn on this. As a kid and teen, I though he was a legend and I loved him. I really was disappointed when we brought him back, because I thought it could only end badly. That being said, my 81 year old father has reminded me consistently for 35 years that MSU was good at baseball before Polk ever got there.

This is something that seriously needs to be discussed by our athletic department because if we are going to disassociate ourselves with Polk now is the time to do it. We won't be removing his name from the stadium because it will be a new stadium. I think he's burnt the bridge bad enough to warrant not being on the new stadium. I think Cohen still thinks there is a chance for reconciliation but I think Polk is too stubborn.
I wonder also if there are financial considerations and that some older big donors have stated they want Polk's name on the new stadium.

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Originally Posted by LC Dawg

This is something that seriously needs to be discussed by our athletic department because if we are going to disassociate ourselves with Polk now is the time to do it. We won't be removing his name from the stadium because it will be a new stadium. I think he's burnt the bridge bad enough to warrant not being on the new stadium. I think Cohen still thinks there is a chance for reconciliation but I think Polk is too stubborn.
I wonder also if there are financial considerations and that some older big donors have stated they want Polk's name on the new stadium.

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All I'll say about it is this- it will be interesting next Saturday to see if he shows up. I have no idea if he will or not. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised either way.

I know Cohen thinks highly of Polk- or at least he did. If he doesn't think highly anymore no one could blame him. Even if he doesn't, I'm sure a lot of his ex-teammates and a lot of influential MSU baseball alumni- like Rafael Palmeiro do think highly of him.

I think we need to be careful with this because I think it's something that could divide our fanbase in baseball- which is the last thing we need right now. The safest thing to do probably is to keep his name on the stadium. I know a lot of the old farts aren't happy that we're tearing the stadium down in the first place and keeping Polk's name on there would be a good peace offering. And I don't mind it since I don't really notice his name on the fence anyway when I'm watching a game to be honest.

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Originally Posted by basedog

LFL was formed in either 69 or 70, yes where the stadium is now. Basically a 55 gallon drum maybe 2 was placed outside the left field fence. Hey believe me it would be overflowed with beer and wine bottles/cans. It was a much rowdier nastier crowd if you can imagine that. Anything went back in the day such as throwing firecrackers at cf OM player Norris Weese who was also a good QB.
Yes on getting to CWS, the 1970 and 71 teams were as good as any team we have ever had. Crazy judo transfer rules may have cost us a chance to have a National Championship one spring, several were ruled ineligible to play.

Also Paul Gregory had to teach while coaching as did his assistant Tom D'Armi. They also had a patent on a pre game batting cage which was rolled out to home plate on wheels, they sold a bunch!

You guys should have seen Phil Still, 3rd base play, best 3rd baseman overall in our history. Hey Pete Young was great
also, but he was no Phil Still. Lol!

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I know Gregory taught Biology. I actually can imagine it being rowdier back then. The LFL people seem fairly tame nowadays. They'll heckle but I don't recall seeing very many fights or things like that recently.

Polk's name should be on it. He elevated the program.

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Originally Posted by Bothrops

Polk's name should be on it. He elevated the program.

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So we gonna put Sherrill's name on the football stadium? He changed our football program

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Originally Posted by Random Poster

So we gonna put Sherrill's name on the football stadium? He changed our football program

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Honestly- I'd be fine with that. He will end up in the ring of honor or whatever we call it one day for sure.

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Originally Posted by Drugdog

So is Bigfoot and Nessie. And they didn't coach against us or try to bring the program down!

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That's funny as shit!

We are tearing down Polk-Dement stadium at Dudy Noble Field.

A new stadium needs a new name- one without Polk's name on it. Paul Gregory has as many SEC Titles as Polk has and a higher conference winning percentage.

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Originally Posted by Random Poster

We are tearing down Polk-Dement stadium at Dudy Noble Field.

A new stadium needs a new name- one without Polk's name on it. Paul Gregory has as many SEC Titles as Polk has and a higher conference winning percentage.

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Then name it Dement-Polk stadium.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I know Gregory taught Biology. I actually can imagine it being rowdier back then. The LFL people seem fairly tame nowadays. They'll heckle but I don't recall seeing very many fights or things like that recently.

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Actually I was talking about a brawl when a bunch of OM football players parked in LFL, all hell broke out.

I remember having afternoon games and Prof's would dismiss class early so we students could attend the games.

There were small wooden bleachers and IF u wanted to get a seat u better show up early. I can't recall every sitting in those bleachers, always sitting in the outfield drinking Falstaff and Ripple wine! LOL, Dudy Noble was alive back then.

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Originally Posted by Random Poster

We are tearing down Polk-Dement stadium at Dudy Noble Field.

A new stadium needs a new name- one without Polk's name on it. Paul Gregory has as many SEC Titles as Polk has and a higher conference winning percentage.

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So Bama should tear down bear's statute and take his name off the stadium?
Polk is not only responsible for what our program is today, he's responsible for what baseball is in the sec. Bertman was better, but bertman himself has said polk started the ball rolling.

Threads like this always remind me of an incident that occurred in Imperial Germany prior to WWI. Kaiser Wilhelm II ignored and turned his back on former Chancellor Otto von Bismark, who had founded the German Empire and it's power structure, in a very public way. It led the French Ambassador (France of all nations had the biggest reason to hate Bismark) to remark that whatever the Germans might say or do, they would never be a great people.

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Originally Posted by Leeshouldveflanked

A statue of Rosebowl would be an interesting conversation piece.....we could put it at the NE corner of DW where the visiting teams get off the bus...

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Have it standing facing NW with one arm pointing with the middle finger outstreched.

One poster earlier in the thread made a valid point in that leaving his name off makes old wounds resurface and also gives the CL a story they could all circle jerk over.

Personally, since it doesn't look like he's gonna apologize, I'd like to see his name dropped but I understand the BS involved if we do. Not to mention a disruption in the cigar ranks.

Don't need the bad pub or the bad feelings leave it alone. In 20 years nobody will know the difference.

I do not think Polk's name should be on the brand new stadium. I do think he should be honored prominently in that circular area near the right field corner that was shown on the stadium rendering. He did lot of great things for the program and I have fond memories of watching his teams compete. That man could chew on a referee like nobody's business. Nevertheless, he tainted his legacy with his childish antics when Cohen was hired. He burned bridges that thus far he himself has been unwilling to rebuild. This stadium will be brand new. The old one with his name will be gone. No need to plaster his name on the new stadium. That's just my opinion, but one probably shared by many others. We can and should honor him in other ways.

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Originally Posted by basedog

CWS appearance, Back to back Sec championships, crowds unheard of, winning records year after year. We were considered a baseball power program.

The beginning of LFL, I remember playing OM who had really good teams late 60's and early 70's and we had over 9,000 attending and a huge fight broke out in LFL.

Hey, I'm not gonna go all out stating my fact about us beginning good way before RP, but I remember and we have always been near the top in the Sec long before RP.

We were one of the first if not the first, to install lights, we were ahead of many programs. Btw, someone donated 100K for the lights, i want to say spring of 71.

Just saying confuius

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Donated $100,000 for the lights and the fight was 1972. I remember it well. Free admission to the outfield with no official head count. Best guess only

Put his name on the urinals and shitters for obvious reasons.

My position is simple: Polk's name should not be on the stadium until he's dead. He trashed the program publicly in the media then actively used his influence in the game and with his former players to attempt to harm the program. He even had to be escorted on campus by security because he threatened to, and partially succeeded at, destroying records his successor would need. He made Cohen's job a hell of a lot harder those first few years. He no longer deserves public recognition as a program legend while he lives.

The only way I would soften my stance would be if Polk publicly apologizes. Then and only then should we have a discussion about putting his name on the stadium. Unless that happens, hell no is the only correct answer. And I wouldn't recommend anyone hold their breath hoping Polk will apologize or admit his actions were wrong. His behavior states loudly and clearly that he has no interest in mending fences.

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Originally Posted by Joe Schmedlap

I do not think Polk's name should be on the brand new stadium. I do think he should be honored prominently in that circular area near the right field corner that was shown on the stadium rendering. He did lot of great things for the program and I have fond memories of watching his teams compete. That man could chew on a referee like nobody's business. Nevertheless, he tainted his legacy with his childish antics when Cohen was hired. He burned bridges that thus far he himself has been unwilling to rebuild. This stadium will be brand new. The old one with his name will be gone. No need to plaster his name on the new stadium. That's just my opinion, but one probably shared by many others. We can and should honor him in other ways.

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+1

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

If anything- Larry Templeton's name needs to be removed from whatever building his name is on in my opinion.

It was his poor decision to bring Polk back in the first place and try to ruin MSU baseball. If that doesn't happen- the shitshow of 2007-2009 doesn't happen.

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You mean 2008-2010? 2007 was a CWS year, and 2010 was even worse than 2009.

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Originally Posted by Liverpooldawg

Threads like this always remind me of an incident that occurred in Imperial Germany prior to WWI. Kaiser Wilhelm II ignored and turned his back on former Chancellor Otto von Bismark, who had founded the German Empire and it's power structure, in a very public way. It led the French Ambassador (France of all nations had the biggest reason to hate Bismark) to remark that whatever the Germans might say or do, they would never be a great people.

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Did von Bismark publicly bash German leadership without any provocation, work to sabotage his own country, and prove to all that he cared about himself more than the good of Germany going forward? If not, get out of here with that.

To me this is simple, we're building a new stadium. Give it a new name. There won't be any drama unless we keep the Dement name and only replace Polk. Heck, just call it Dudy Noble Stadium. Most people just think of "Dudy Noble" when it comes to where we play anyway. Brand it "The New Dude" for a while and be done with it. Unless someone is willing to write a massive check, of course.

My thoughts are that it doesn't matter. We will always refer to the ball yard as DNF or Dudy Noble. I'd love to see the new stadium be called CSpire Park at Dudy Noble Field or something similar. Get some $$$

I say **** eem

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Originally Posted by RiverCityDawg

Did von Bismark publicly bash German leadership without any provocation, work to sabotage his own country, and prove to all that he cared about himself more than the good of Germany going forward? If not, get out of here with that.

To me this is simple, we're building a new stadium. Give it a new name. There won't be any drama unless we keep the Dement name and only replace Polk. Heck, just call it Dudy Noble Stadium. Most people just think of "Dudy Noble" when it comes to where we play anyway. Brand it "The New Dude" for a while and be done with it. Unless someone is willing to write a massive check, of course.

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by Bully13

Looks like people forgot what he did upon Cohen's hire. It was inexcusable and he has yet to apologize.

He needs to grow a pair of balls, man up and do so publicly.

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As bad as how he handled the situation, I can forgive him. What's inexcusable is that it's been nearly a dacade, and he still refuses to even try to be part of the program. He intentionally tried to damage the program when he left, and still managed to do so long after he was gone by being a child and expecting his supporters to choose sides. MSU has done more than enough to give him the opportunity to heal things.

He knows he could just show up to a game and wave, and it would all be over. He won't. Forget him.

Here's the thing:

Polk did alot for State- but State did alot for Polk. Yet he has acted the last 10 years like STATE did him wrong and we are problem. **** that. Polk was given an SEC program that had won 12 SEC titles and been to a CWS just a few years before he got on campus. He didnt build Mississippi State baseball- he just advanced it. Ron Polk's biggest contribution is making baseball a money-making sport.

As with the NCAA basketball Tourney- in the 1970's baseball started adding conference tourney's and an expanded NCAA Tourney. Those didnt exist for our previous coaches to help us advance nationally. Most young people dont understand that

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Originally Posted by HSVDawg

You mean 2008-2010? 2007 was a CWS year, and 2010 was even worse than 2009.

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Yes- 2008-2010.