My Take on Ray Tanner

[Spurman54]

First I want to express my opinion and that is all. Everyone has their own and I respect that. Ray Tanner was an excellent baseball coach at USC that no one can deny. I mean the man won 2 National Championships and played for a third. Does not count all the regional, superregional wins. Outstanding. No other coach other than Dawn Staley has accomplished so much. Ray was given a gift as being a great baseball coach. Then the second part he decided to hang up his cleats and become the AD at USC. According to Eric Hyman when he left to become AD at Texas A&M he left a surplus in the Gamecock Club of over 10m. According to people I have talked to that surplus no longer exist, as a matter of fact up until this past year when the Gamecock Club membership increased to over 22,000 the Gamecock Club had a deficit. My question is what happened to all the surplus. Only Ray can tell you but he will not answer this question. Call USC and they refuse to talk about the status of the Gamecock Club whether it has a deficit or a surplus. One thing that bailed USC out was during covid the SEC gave each member school $25m. So basically, it helped each SEC member. Then the fiasco with Will Muschamp, the buyout was over USC had to fork over $12m. So, another great move by Tanner. Then in another non-revenue sport he let our once proud softball program go down with Beverly Smith. Her record in the SEC was awful. Why it took him so long to make a change is head scratching. Then on another front our once proud men's soccer program he let Mark Berson stay on too long and yes, he ran it in the ground. Ray Tanner's arrogance is way beyond naming a field after him, it should have been named after Bobby Richardson. He was the one who started things in place for our baseball program to become relevant. Ray just inherited what Bobby Richardson put in place. I will always support USC but will never hold Ray Tanner in high regards, Tanner is the example of inheriting the work that former coaches had put in place. Hopefully the new AD will not let the total capacity at Williams Brice Stadium go to 70,000. I pray they find a way to keep the total capacity at 80,000.
Like I said this is just my opinion only. I respect whatever view anyone may have.

 

[wob]

Ok

 

[Viennacock]

Tough read

 

[BftCocks09]

First I want to express my opinion and that is all. Everyone has their own and I respect that. Ray Tanner was an excellent baseball coach at USC that no one can deny. I mean the man won 2 National Championships and played for a third. Does not count all the regional, superregional wins. Outstanding. No other coach other than Dawn Staley has accomplished so much. Ray was given a gift as being a great baseball coach. Then the second part he decided to hang up his cleats and become the AD at USC. According to Eric Hyman when he left to become AD at Texas A&M he left a surplus in the Gamecock Club of over 10m. According to people I have talked to that surplus no longer exist, as a matter of fact up until this past year when the Gamecock Club membership increased to over 22,000 the Gamecock Club had a deficit. My question is what happened to all the surplus. Only Ray can tell you but he will not answer this question. Call USC and they refuse to talk about the status of the Gamecock Club whether it has a deficit or a surplus. One thing that bailed USC out was during covid the SEC gave each member school $25m. So basically, it helped each SEC member. Then the fiasco with Will Muschamp, the buyout was over USC had to fork over $12m. So, another great move by Tanner. Then in another non-revenue sport he let our once proud softball program go down with Beverly Smith. Her record in the SEC was awful. Why it took him so long to make a change is head scratching. Then on another front our once proud men's soccer program he let Mark Berson stay on too long and yes, he ran it in the ground. Ray Tanner's arrogance is way beyond naming a field after him, it should have been named after Bobby Richardson. He was the one who started things in place for our baseball program to become relevant. Ray just inherited what Bobby Richardson put in place. I will always support USC but will never hold Ray Tanner in high regards, Tanner is the example of inheriting the work that former coaches had put in place. Hopefully the new AD will not let the total capacity at Williams Brice Stadium go to 70,000. I pray they find a way to keep the total capacity at 80,000.
Like I said this is just my opinion only. I respect whatever view anyone may have.

A couple things. First, just a side note, Tanner won 2 championships and played for two more, not just one (2002). Second, I always try to keep Tanner’s accomplishments as a coach and as an AD separate, as I think it should be. The same way pro athletes who later become coaches have two paths to the hall of fame. In that regard Tanner deserves the recognition for baseball in my opinion.

 

[sclawman77]

Loved Ray as a baseball coach obviously. HOF caliber coach. Was not pleased with his AD promotion for many years-thought it was a lazy, convenient hire. Muschamp hire would have been the nail in some AD's coffins but I guess you could say last several hires have probably saved his AD legacy to some degree but the jury is still out as well. Regarding the deficit claim, I had always heard that Ray's biggest strength was keeping a tight, balanced budget (including from Pastides) in the athletic department so kind of surprised to hear that.

 

[SuperCock99]

Good baseball coach, horrible a/d. The football program went to crap. I’m still baffled at Tanner’s decision to pick Muschamp as HC. Florida fans thought it was joke when they first heard it announced.

 

[Cybercock]

Ray loves him some Ray.

 

[1982cock]

Yes imo it s appropriate to honor Tanner and name park after him. Despite his flaws as AD it is about the success and prestige that he created for our baseball program- 6 trips to Omaha, 2 national championships, runner up in two more , SEC champs multiple times. The man is a baseball legend. It is about honoring him as a legendary bb coach, not as an AD- big difference in my mind.

 

[Viennacock]

Ray made some mistakes for sure. Agree that Muschamp was a bad hire. That said, he did move the program forward in terms of facilities etc. He was also a good PR guy and also fired FM!! Not many of you care, but the sports outside the top three have thrived under Ray. Some of us do care and attend those sports.

If I were giving Ray a letter grade as an AD, it would be in the B range.

 

[Guy in the Back]

Good grief, man. The dude won 70% of his games, 2 National Championships. 2 Runner-ups, 6 total CWS appearances, won Regionals 10 times, 14 tourney appearances, 3 conference championships, and 1 SEC tourney championship. (No, I’m not Rain Man…had to look some of that up!)

I get that most aren’t happy with his team as AD. The baseball field being named after him are for his baseball contributions alone. For that, he most certainly deserves it.

As a side note, I personally have never spent time with the man, but I do know two folks that have worked with him (one with the baseball program and another in the athletic department) who have said he is as good as a person as you’d meet. I asked the one that worked with him when he was AD if she thought he’d mind signing a couple of things for my father-in law’s Christmas present. She said absolutely he’d do it. Within a week I had them both signed along with a picture (from baseball) and a Christmas card he had wrote a note in.

 

[KingWard]

As for the AD job, an authentic cutting-edge professional has supplanted an antiquated quasi-professional.

 

[Atlanta Cock]

As for the AD job, an authentic cutting-edge professional has supplanted an antiquated quasi-professional.

I hope you're correct. Know nothing about the current guy, but the last guy remained out over his skis his entire tenure.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

First I want to express my opinion and that is all. Everyone has their own and I respect that. Ray Tanner was an excellent baseball coach at USC that no one can deny. I mean the man won 2 National Championships and played for a third. Does not count all the regional, superregional wins. Outstanding. No other coach other than Dawn Staley has accomplished so much. Ray was given a gift as being a great baseball coach. Then the second part he decided to hang up his cleats and become the AD at USC. According to Eric Hyman when he left to become AD at Texas A&M he left a surplus in the Gamecock Club of over 10m. According to people I have talked to that surplus no longer exist, as a matter of fact up until this past year when the Gamecock Club membership increased to over 22,000 the Gamecock Club had a deficit. My question is what happened to all the surplus. Only Ray can tell you but he will not answer this question. Call USC and they refuse to talk about the status of the Gamecock Club whether it has a deficit or a surplus. One thing that bailed USC out was during covid the SEC gave each member school $25m. So basically, it helped each SEC member. Then the fiasco with Will Muschamp, the buyout was over USC had to fork over $12m. So, another great move by Tanner. Then in another non-revenue sport he let our once proud softball program go down with Beverly Smith. Her record in the SEC was awful. Why it took him so long to make a change is head scratching. Then on another front our once proud men's soccer program he let Mark Berson stay on too long and yes, he ran it in the ground. Ray Tanner's arrogance is way beyond naming a field after him, it should have been named after Bobby Richardson. He was the one who started things in place for our baseball program to become relevant. Ray just inherited what Bobby Richardson put in place. I will always support USC but will never hold Ray Tanner in high regards, Tanner is the example of inheriting the work that former coaches had put in place. Hopefully the new AD will not let the total capacity at Williams Brice Stadium go to 70,000. I pray they find a way to keep the total capacity at 80,000.
Like I said this is just my opinion only. I respect whatever view anyone may have.

Oh FFS! If you are going to come in from LF and say that the field should have been named for Coach Richardson "for what he put in place", then you absolutely need to add June in there too. It didn't just pass from Coach Richardson to Ray. June had a huge part in building our program as well, over those 20 seasons. Good Lord, June is our all time winningest coach too. All that said, Ray absolutely deserves to have the field named after him, even though he really doesn't want it. Ray is the one who put together the teams that gave us those 2 trophies we have on the concourse.

I swannee...some people just can't give Ray the credit he deserves on the diamond.

 

[Piscis]

Great baseball coach, average AD. Compare overall athletics (AD is in charge of all sports) under Ray to athletics under any previous AD, there isn't a lot of difference.

 

[atl-cock]

My understanding is that the Gamecock Club dues funds athletic scholrships at the school. What else are the dues spent on?

Ray's primary role as AD was in PR and fund raising. Good hire by USC as a high profile hire. Now regarding other duties, I'm glad that some have mentioned sports other than football, for good and bad. I have no real opinion on Ray's AD tenure, because while the AD is certainly the front man, I wonder how much of a role and influence the support staff has in hiring coaches?

 

[Spurman54]

Oh FFS! If you are going to come in from LF and say that the field should have been named for Coach Richardson "for what he put in place", then you absolutely need to add June in there too. It didn't just pass from Coach Richardson to Ray. June had a huge part in building our program as well, over those 20 seasons. Good Lord, June is our all time winningest coach too. All that said, Ray absolutely deserves to have the field named after him, even though he really doesn't want it. Ray is the one who put together the teams that gave us those 2 trophies we have on the concourse.

I swannee...some people just can't give Ray the credit he deserves on the diamond.

Like I said it is my opinion. By the way ask Ray where the 10m that was in reserve for the Gamecock Club when Hyman went to Texas A&M. I don't trust Ray Tanner at all. Sorry, that is how I feel.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Like I said it is my opinion. By the way ask Ray where the 10m that was in reserve for the Gamecock Club when Hyman went to Texas A&M. I don't trust Ray Tanner at all. Sorry, that is how I feel.

This is about him as a baseball coach NOT AD. Give him the credit he is due in that regard or say nothing at all.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

This is about him as a baseball coach NOT AD. Give him the credit he is due in that regard or say nothing at all.

FFS (remember that?) you had the same opportunity to say nothing at all. You didn't take it, why should Spurman? Because you disagree with him he should be silent on a free sports board that invites our opinions? FFS indeed.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

FFS (remember that?) you had the same opportunity to say nothing at all. You didn't take it, why should Spurman? Because you disagree with him he should be silent on a free sports board that invites our opinions? FFS indeed.

When someone is using his record as an AD as the reason why he should not have the field named after him, yes he needs to say nothing at all.

 

[Cpvniii]

When someone is using his record as an AD as the reason why he should not have the field named after him, yes he needs to say nothing at all.

Well said !

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

When someone is using his record as an AD as the reason why he should not have the field named after him, yes he needs to say nothing at all.

Well, of course that's your opinion. So it's the only correct one, right? Yeah, I get it.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Well said !

I'm so glad you're still alive! God is good!

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Well, of course that's your opinion. So it's the only correct one, right? Yeah, I get it.

It's a fact that his record as baseball coach, which is why the field is named after him, has nothing to do with is record as AD. Anyone using the latter as an argument against is wrong and should say nothing.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

It's a fact that his record as baseball coach, which is why the field is named after him, has nothing to do with is record as AD. Anyone using the latter as an argument against is wrong and should say nothing.

I agree with the first part of your statement. I wasn't arguing that. You totally missed the point I was making. If you want to be a Nazi about free speech you certainly have that right as an American but that's your free choice. By the way, my favorite part was when you told the OP what HIS own thread was about.