Then name it Dement-Polk stadium.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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