Byrne even lied to him to get him to resign by telling him he would hire Polk's assistant Raffo. Instead, they hired Cohen and have been to the CWS 4 times and the finals twice in the 12 years since (OM has been once).
www.gainesville.com
″Now our new athletic director throws me under the bus, slaps me in the face, punches me in the stomach,″ Polk ″Technically, he did the same thing with Tommy Raffo ... and all our coaches, all our signees, returning players and their parents who wanted Tommy all the way.″
In addition to taking his name off the stadium, Polk said he will personally take down the banners that display his name and number. He also will use his influence to scuttle a number of support programs, such as the foster parent program and the Dugout Club.
And he’s taking Mississippi State athletics out of his will. ″That’s coming out,″ Polk said. ″I’m going to go up to Tupelo and design the first ‘Until Greg Byrne is Gone’ clause.″
If Byrne resigns or is fired at some point, Polk said the school is welcome to return his name to the stadium and can expect his support again. Polk has told Cohen he won’t have his support until then. He believes Cohen will eventually build a winner, but it will take longer with no smooth transition. ″The only reason why I’m supporting Tommy is John’s got a job,″ Polk said. ″He’s got a job. Tommy doesn’t got a job. John got a break.″
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Weird how they not only survived but flourished after forcing out the very founder of their baseball tradition!
But any change to try and get better is just way too scary for little Ole Miss. I mean, do you even remember the 80s???
Ex-UF assistant hired as MSU baseball coach; Polk furious
Former Mississippi State coach Ron Polk blasted the school’s new athletic director Friday as utterly cruel’’ for hiring
″Now our new athletic director throws me under the bus, slaps me in the face, punches me in the stomach,″ Polk ″Technically, he did the same thing with Tommy Raffo ... and all our coaches, all our signees, returning players and their parents who wanted Tommy all the way.″
In addition to taking his name off the stadium, Polk said he will personally take down the banners that display his name and number. He also will use his influence to scuttle a number of support programs, such as the foster parent program and the Dugout Club.
And he’s taking Mississippi State athletics out of his will. ″That’s coming out,″ Polk said. ″I’m going to go up to Tupelo and design the first ‘Until Greg Byrne is Gone’ clause.″
If Byrne resigns or is fired at some point, Polk said the school is welcome to return his name to the stadium and can expect his support again. Polk has told Cohen he won’t have his support until then. He believes Cohen will eventually build a winner, but it will take longer with no smooth transition. ″The only reason why I’m supporting Tommy is John’s got a job,″ Polk said. ″He’s got a job. Tommy doesn’t got a job. John got a break.″
***
Weird how they not only survived but flourished after forcing out the very founder of their baseball tradition!
But any change to try and get better is just way too scary for little Ole Miss. I mean, do you even remember the 80s???
