Coach 34 and some others

[StarkVegasSteve]

Isn?t this the case for every coaching search for every coach on the planet?

People have different tastes.

However, LSU fans aren?t on boards outlining how Baton Rouge isn?t for everyone.

You could t pay me to live in BR, but LSU fans don?t say that. Why do ours?

Because at the end of the day, Baton Rouge is a big city and there's inherently more to do, safe or not. We joke about the Target thing but Baton Rouge has 2. They have a Top Golf. They have MULTIPLE entertainment districts. We have, now, 7 bars within 50 yards of each other and 5 of them you can't move if there's more than 30 people in there.

Starkville has thankfully grown a lot in the last 25 years, most of it was just getting out of it's own way and actually embracing the University, but it still has a lot more growing it needs to do. I think that growth is coming but it may take another 20 years.

[cheewgumm]

yes! The right guy, right hunger, and fit will work out as the leading guy. But online many posters think every candidate wants to come to Town X. Never that easy especially in baseball. The money is not life changing from what sitting P5 coaches already make to move usually. It takes one wanting to win and win big, etc. We have a great town for him hungry to win also.

When LSU football job opens up, I?ll come o. Here and trash Baton Rouge as not for everyone and see how it goes.

[StarkVegasSteve]

When Georgia has 3k at the baseball game they tweet it out as an accomplishment.

Doesn?t matter to me why the coaches say they are going somewhere or even if it truly doesn?t matter to them.

It?s obviously a part of how college baseball is judged. You can tell by how all the teams tweet out their crowd sizes.

It may not matter to the coaches but It matters to somebody.

The fans are the only ones that really care. The players and coaches could care less. Because if coaches cared, Vitello would've never gone to TN and we would've had Dan McDonnell in 2019. If players cared, we would have the number 1 or number 2 class every year in recruiting and the portal.

The attendance thing is solely for fans.

[cheewgumm]

Our fans are the only ones that will talk you out of being a fan.

It?s great.

[Santiago]

When LSU football job opens up, I?ll come o. Here and trash Baton Rouge as not for everyone and see how it goes.

They did not get Riley.
LSU was also played by the former TX coach, from houston. He played LSU until he had the TX offer.
The current coach even though he is winning, is not seemingly embraced or a fit for the fan base.
So yeah, not for everyone in BR.

In Baseball they tried for Vitello, and could not get him.

[BravesDoggy]

Because at the end of the day, Baton Rouge is a big city and there's inherently more to do, safe or not. We joke about the Target thing but Baton Rouge has 2. They have a Top Golf. They have MULTIPLE entertainment districts. We have, now, 7 bars within 50 yards of each other and 5 of them you can't move if there's more than 30 people in there.

Starkville has thankfully grown a lot in the last 25 years, most of it was just getting out of it's own way and actually embracing the University, but it still has a lot more growing it needs to do. I think that growth is coming but it may take another 20 years.

The ball was really dropped when they extended 25 and built the 82 loop. It should have been expanded with infrastructure along 82 like an interstate. Sadly once you get past Hwy 12 there is nothing really but a car dealership and a Pinelake.

[Brobi-wan]

I’ll be happy with most coaches we could potentially hire. I just am not a huge fan of Thompson. I know some of you guys like him, and those of you that do know ball better than me. I just don’t love the idea.

[Coach34]

We will likely hire a good baseball coach

We also will likely not hire a big name as baseball coach. With Parker as our floor we are in a good place

[Dawgology]

This Starkville small town stuff would matter a lot more in 1986 but we live in a society where flying is very common and we have University jets that I am sure our coaches will have access to when they and the family want to get out of town.

We did this with Howland and Leach I know for sure and I'm sure Dan used the jet as well and also the other coaches.

You don't get into education or college employment if you aren't willing to live and work in a small town because so many colleges are in towns just like Starkville- or smaller or worse.

This is where I?m at. We have multiple boosters with private jets as well as university jets. You can be wheels up in 45 minutes and I New Orleans or Memphis in 30 minutes. Atlanta in an hour. Nashville in 45 minutes.

I?ve actually looked at getting my pilots license just so we can do this also. Then I remembered I get motion sickness and can?t afford a plane?.which is probably a good thing hahah

[bulldogcountry1]

I just hope the powers that be are, indeed, looking for the best fit and not just saying it. Yes, Starkville is a small town that does not appeal to a lot of students, coaches, families, etc. It is, somehow, a town that has the best college baseball stadium in the country that holds attendance records. The team has a long history of success. Expectations are high. The team has multiple message boards where fans are passionate about college baseball. There are multiple podcasts that consistently talk State baseball because people care.

It takes a special coach to be able to navigate all this and then compete in the hardest conference in the land. That's why I am nervous when people throw out names of program builders. That's great and all, but that shouldn't be a major factor in choosing a new coach. We need someone who is familiar with what to expect in an established program like State in a town like Starkville.

[Santiago]

This Starkville small town stuff would matter a lot more in 1986 but we live in a society where flying is very common and we have University jets that I am sure our coaches will have access to when they and the family want to get out of town.

We did this with Howland and Leach I know for sure and I'm sure Dan used the jet as well and also the other coaches.

You don't get into education or college employment if you aren't willing to live and work in a small town because so many colleges are in towns just like Starkville- or smaller or worse.

That is an interesting question for me, as to how much access to a university plane would a baseball coach compared to Basketball and Football coaches get.
But if a baseball coach is trying to fund it, then his earnings evaporate quickly if he is flying monthly. Typically a net worth of 25 million is where you get to where flying private often does not affect any financial plans.
Netjets are join a charter group and fly a few times a year is manageable.

I flew 3 times in one month private on my dime and thought man that sucks the money fast.

[cheewgumm]

The fans are the only ones that really care. The players and coaches could care less. Because if coaches cared, Vitello would've never gone to TN and we would've had Dan McDonnell in 2019. If players cared, we would have the number 1 or number 2 class every year in recruiting and the portal.

The attendance thing is solely for fans.

I?ll disagree that players don?t care how many fans go to games.

I think players like playing in front of more people.

I?ll die on this hill. Ha

[StarkVegasSteve]

I?ll disagree that players don?t care how many fans go to games.

I think players like playing in front of more people.

I?ll die on this hill. Ha

But that's the thing. They can go anywhere in the SEC and play in front of 10K people. Arkansas, LSU, and Ole Miss all have capacities over 10K. Tennessee, Texas, Florida, and USCe all have in the 6500-7K range. Like they are going to play in front of big crowds in this conference. It's a fact. They don't have to come here to do that. That's what I was saying, if they really cared about attendance records then we would have the number 1 or number 2 class every year.

[StarkVegasSteve]

That is an interesting question for me, as to how much access to a university plane would a baseball coach compared to Basketball and Football coaches get.
But if a baseball coach is trying to fund it, then his earnings evaporate quickly if he is flying monthly. Typically a net worth of 25 million is where you get to where flying private often does not affect any financial plans.
Netjets are join a charter group and fly a few times a year is manageable.

I flew 3 times in one month private on my dime and thought man that sucks the money fast.

The university has two jets. One is generally used for athletics and the other for academics. We also have boosters with jets that coaches can use during recruiting. As far as the NetJets thing goes, most of these coaches have jet cards and memberships to these things. As far as just personal travel though, I doubt a baseball coach is very high on the pecking order for the university jet. I do know jet access is written into most of their contracts though.

[HoopsDawg]

I?ll disagree that players don?t care how many fans go to games.

I think players like playing in front of more people.

I?ll die on this hill. Ha

They absolutely do care. Dumb narrative by a couple of posters.

[Cooterpoot]

You were right.
Recruiting the right coach to Starkville will be a challenge.
We may land one who sees the new landscape in baseball and college support, but a sitting HC will still be a big pull from one of our top tier choices.

I want to be wrong.
We will get a good coach, but maybe not without a meltdown on the boards.

You're going to be wrong. Selmon would have to really 17 up to not get a real good coach and he knows it. That's why the list is strong and deep. He also knows an assistant hire would raise eyebrows as yet another training ground hire like the football hire.

[StarkVegasSteve]

They absolutely do care. Dumb narrative by a couple of posters.

Maybe I should've clarified, they do care. Obviously no one wants to play in empty ballparks, but with the level of player we're recruiting they are going to be playing in front of big crowds wherever they go. Our attendance records are not a deciding factor. Just like our fans are not a deciding factor because the kids we're recruiting are choosing between us, OM, LSU, Arky, etc and all those fanbases have very passionate fans.

[StarkVegasSteve]

You're going to be wrong

Right or wrong is going to be a matter of perspective. I said this 3 weeks ago when the O'Conner stuff got fired up. We're going to have a portion of the fanbase that is going to get so fixated on O'Conner that anyone else is going to be seen as a failure. I don't think Santiago is doing that but there's going to a percentage of the fanbase that is going to be upset if we don't hire O'Conner. Just like there's going to be a percentage that gets mad that we don't just promote Parker.

A coaching search is rarely ever going to please everybody. Hell, the Lemonis search pleased very few and we got a national championship out of the deal.

[Santiago]

Right or wrong is going to be a matter of perspective. I said this 3 weeks ago when the O'Conner stuff got fired up. We're going to have a portion of the fanbase that is going to get so fixated on O'Conner that anyone else is going to be seen as a failure. I don't think Santiago is doing that but there's going to a percentage of the fanbase that is going to be upset if we don't hire O'Conner. Just like there's going to be a percentage that gets mad that we don't just promote Parker.

A coaching search is rarely ever going to please everybody. Hell, the Lemonis search pleased very few and we got a national championship out of the deal.

I agree. I am saying what you are saying, but I did it in a very awkward and wrong way.
We will have a good coach, but we should not fixate on just 3-4 names only.

[Santiago]

You're going to be wrong. Selmon would have to really 17 up to not get a real good coach and he knows it. That's why the list is strong and deep. He also knows an assistant hire would raise eyebrows as yet another training ground hire like the football hire.

nm