A return to glory?

One of my earliest posts here was about Mississippi States baseball team. This time last year, they were on a tear in the post-season. A Super Regional was held in Starkville for the first time since the current format started. I was part of a momentous crowd that saw the Diamond Dawgs clinch a berth to the College World Series. It was good times. Good times.

Unfortunately, the recent season was not so good (and thankfully over). The team fell apart, thanks to injuries and - according to baseball friends of mine - bad coaching. Mostly a culmination of years of bad coaching decisions, according to them.

Midway through the season, coach Ron Polk decided to resign (again), effect at the end of the season. This was the chance for MSU to make a splash and change their fortunes on the diamond. Only thing was, Polk wanted to name his assistant Tommy Raffo to the head coaching job.

Let's go back earlier in the year for a minute. Then-president Doc Fogelsong promoted Greg Byrne to Athletic Director, effective June 30. Then not long after that, ol' Doc up and left his presidency. An interim, Vance Watson, was named. One of Dr. Watson's first moves was to approve the AD promotion.

Now back to Polk's resignation. He assumed the administration would do as he says. Not so fast, said Dr. Watson. Watson says that Byrne will be in charge of hiring the new baseball coach, not out-going AD Larry Templeton. Score one for the good guys, thought a number of State fans.

Needless to say, Polk wasn't happy. The season played out and every chance he got, Polk would harp that MSU must do what he said and hire Raffo. When the season ended, the search ramped up. Byrne was a one-man searching crew. Word started spreading of some of the names he had talked to. Big names in college baseball.

The winning candidate: John Cohen, former Diamond Dawg and head man at Kentucky, where he had built an impressive resume. This made a number of Diamond Dawg fans ecstatic. Well, all but one.

Ron Polk is throwing a tantrum because they didn't do as he said. I hate to see this. I grew up on the '84 and '85 baseball teams. My tenth birthday present was a trip to Dudy Noble Field for a baseball game in 1985. Greatest gift ever. I remember when Polk first retired. It was kinda sad but the appointed head coach (Pat McMahon, chosen by Polk) was someone the fan base wanted. Then McMahon left for another position some years later. Well, MSU can go hire a top-notch head coach from anywhere in the country. Instead, Templeton brings Polk back. This wasn't such a popular decision, even though everyone loved Polk. Now, it's deja vu all over again. Except this time, the AD is doing it the right way.

I admit I'm not as much of a baseball fan as football or basketball, but I do know MSU's baseball history and what it has been, what it became recently and what it can become once again. I think Cohen will do just that. MSU baseball is very much on its way back to where we belong, and maybe even better.

"It feels good to have something to feel good about."