Met and talked with former Bulldog pitcher Steve King...

[Coach34]

yesterday when I was at the Cubs-Astros game for Opening Day (It was awesome seeing Soriano piss on the 2nd pitch from Oswalt). We got into the Pol-Raffo-Cohen situation as we watched BP. For those of you that dont know, King pitched for us in the mid-80's.

Steve has withdrawn his support of MSU due to Polk's wishes of Raffo not being named HC. He said he felt he had earned that right to name his successor after all he had done for MSU. I let him finish and then I informed him that State was a mid-level SEC team before Coach Polk got the job and we are probably 11th or 12th in the SEC right now in talent. I reminded him we have missed the SEC Tourney quite a few times since Polk's return. And I informed him that we currently have the worst pitching staff i've ever seen in maroon and white- and that Raffo had been a big part of this.

He backpedaled just a little but then said Cohen also sent out some type of form letter to former players and it wasnt "hand written" like Polk's were. It was at that point I shook my head, told him he had the right to his opinion because he wore the uniform, reminded him that Cohen was a Bulldog too, and I hoped he would change his mind in the near future because John is going to make us all very proud.

Ended on a good note and a handshake.

 

[Coach34]

yesterday when I was at the Cubs-Astros game for Opening Day (It was awesome seeing Soriano piss on the 2nd pitch from Oswalt). We got into the Pol-Raffo-Cohen situation as we watched BP. For those of you that dont know, King pitched for us in the mid-80's.

Steve has withdrawn his support of MSU due to Polk's wishes of Raffo not being named HC. He said he felt he had earned that right to name his successor after all he had done for MSU. I let him finish and then I informed him that State was a mid-level SEC team before Coach Polk got the job and we are probably 11th or 12th in the SEC right now in talent. I reminded him we have missed the SEC Tourney quite a few times since Polk's return. And I informed him that we currently have the worst pitching staff i've ever seen in maroon and white- and that Raffo had been a big part of this.

He backpedaled just a little but then said Cohen also sent out some type of form letter to former players and it wasnt "hand written" like Polk's were. It was at that point I shook my head, told him he had the right to his opinion because he wore the uniform, reminded him that Cohen was a Bulldog too, and I hoped he would change his mind in the near future because John is going to make us all very proud.

Ended on a good note and a handshake.

 

[patdog]

Pretty smart and funny guy. He was the forgotten pitcher in that 1985 rotation. Not that he wasn't a decent pitcher (he was), but when you're the #3 starter behing Brantley and Morgan (both sub 2.00 ERAs and combined for 35 wins that year), it's kind of hard for people to notice you. Hate to hear he's withdrawn his support of MSU baseball, but I can promise that if he'd been around more lately, he'd have a different opinion. He can't have a clue how bad Polk II was.

 

[jackstefano]

that you're an omniscient dick in real life, and not just on SPS.

 

[futaba.79]

but, unless King said to feel free to share his views, why post a personal conversation?

 

[8dog]

is the attorney-client privilege applicable here?

I think everyone runs the risk of having a conversation spread anytime they have one. In fact, you can tell someone "don't tell anyone" as much as you want, but it will get told to someone.

 

[lawdawg02]

c34 should've told king that polk already got to name his successor once.

 

[futaba.79]

but maybe that's just me. I wasn't there, so I don't know how it went down. If King was talking to whoever was listening then it's fair game. However, it sounded like 34 struck up a personal conversation, which makes it a little different - to me at least. </p>

 

[8dog]

you have never said to someone "Hey, I was talking to John Doe the other day and he told me..."

Maybe it is courtesy, but it is certainly not common.

 

[Coach34]

but maybe that's just me. I wasn't there, so I don't know how it went down. If King was talking to whoever was listening then it's fair game. However, it sounded like 34 struck up a personal conversation, which makes it a little different - to me at least.</p>

I met and talked to the guy for 10 minutes. We have no big personal bond nor did we exchange cell numbers. I feel like I can post whatever was talked about, just like he can tell his friends and former players what I said. If I meet you around the Sixpack tent this Fall, i'll probably post about how I told you to 17 off as well.

 

[Shmuley]

If you stuck a pin in em they'd explode pent up **** everywhere.

It's a f'n message board people. A f'n message board. The constitution is not in danger here. Nobody's f'n personal rights and liberties are at stake. It's words on a screen. In the case of c34, it's f'n made up words and hypotheticals.

Here's the real conversation:

C34 to his jorted butt buddy: "I think that's Steve King. He pitched at State."

Jort Buddy: "Cool. Go talk to him."

C34 to King: "Aren't you Steve King that pitched at Mississippi State?"

King: "Yeah."

C34: "I was there in the 80s. I remember seeing you pitch when I was a kid. You were awesome."

King: "Thanks. Excuse me, I've got to take this call."

C34: "Yeah, sure."

 

[RobbieRandolph]

It's not like he was talking to Ethan hunt about the NOC list...it was a former player from MSU, commenting on the current status of the program. I certainly believe that to be fair game for 3rd party discourse.

I believe it could be in part due to the fact that it was C34 who had the discussion and not some person who's not a raging dick, and therefore people oppose him (and his actions) just for the sake of it.

 

[Coach34]

he saw me in my State shirt and struck up the convo when I walked by. Funny stuff though

 

[futaba.79]

who hasn't?

What I'm not going to do is introduce myself to someone, strike up a friendly conversation and then post it on the sixpack for all to see.

I get told stuff quite a bit. If it's in confidence, even if that confidence is percieved on my part, then I don't post it. If the person is blabbing away without my assistance, then it's fair game. Maybe I'm splitting hairs, probably am.

 

[8dog]

it was a casual conversation. There is nothing wrong with posting it.

 

[patdog]

being shared. If he said it to a guy he never met before, he'd have said it to any one of us. And unless he's changed completely since college, I can't imagine he'd give a **** about it.

 

[Todd4State]

Don't know how this got turned into a Consitutional thing. But.... Some of Polk's players are like King- they supported whatever Polk wanted, and that includes Raffo. I know Burke Masters supported Raffo, and from what I have read, probably Rafael Palmeiro among prominant MSU baseball players.

Many- like Jay Powell for example- wanted a national search and support Cohen.

Another thing that some former MSU baseball players have told me about Polk- some of the guys who played for Gregory kind of felt left out when Polk was in charge- especially the first time around. Most were never invited back to campus for alumni events like the alumni game. I think that kind of hurt some of their feelings because many of them had helped MSU win SEC Championships and things like that, and regardless are part of the program just as much as Polk's players.

It seems to me that Polk wanted to people to think that MSU baseball began with him and that he really was the only guy that built the program. That is simply not true. Polk did take us to the next level, but he built on what Paul Gregory, Doc Patty, and Dudy Noble began.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

if it gets around.

 

[basedog]

" Polk did take us to the next level, but he built on what Paul Gregory, Doc Patty, and Dudy Noble began."

Paul Gregory was a great person and a very good coach. Maybe the classiest coach ever at Msu, period. Gregory had some very talented players such as Phil Still 3rd baseman who was our best ever 3rd baseman. Man could he hit and with a wooden bat. Got drafted by the mighty Yankees but with Nettles at 3rd never had a chance. He hit a HR at Vandy during the best 2 out of 3 series for the SEC crown that was just unbelievable, it hit the basketball area which was over 400 feet. Man were we loaded in the late 60's and early 70's, Gregory was very good!

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

...he was on crazy m'fer, but not a very good pitcher.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

There is nothing there that I am sure Steve King would not say to John Cohen's face.

I do think Polk Vs Cohen is not the main issue and never was. The main issue was Polk trying to dictate to the brand new AD. There is no way that Greg Byrne could have allowed that. Ir was Polk Vs Byrne and Greg Byrne could not lose that battle.

 

[Coach34]

hardlined about what he said. It was just more matter of fact...we had a good conversation...it was great to meet someone I grew up listening to play on the radio

I just hope he and others that feel that way come around eventually

 

[jwbigcreek]

Pirate (as in CHS) boy. Some folks need to get a grip. Steve K. was a mediocre pitcher until he was a Sr. Hopefully he will come around & accept the new sheriff in town.