Fire Gene Stephenson

[1972Shocker]

I agree with your post, except for one possible item, and that depends on what Gene, himself, decides to do.

I will have a problem honoring him appropriately when he departs if he takes the position of screwing the program he built. If he feels it's more important to hold the baseball program hostage and make the situation all about him, than a graceful transition, one that he may still be able to have a hand in helping find/groom WSU's next coach. If he decides to gig WSU for all it's worth rather than working for a smooth transition and keeping his legend intact.

IMHO, Krusty and Krew have dug their own hole and have no one, or no excuse, to blame. I don't hold him responsible for the Christenson incident, however, his remarks of trying to justify it were totally wrong and began his long fall. It's one thing to leave for OU and something altogether different to make a comment that could be used against WSU's next coach. Well, when WSU took him back he turned out to be that next coach and it was used against him. Oh yes, there was also the "other woman" situation that got plastered all over the paper.

No, WSU and fans of WSU baseball have given more than enough rope. Now he appears to feel he's owed by WSU to be the highest paid/worst performing coach out there. The door is quickly shutting. If WSU baseball, its fans, and the grand era of baseball he built mean anything to him, he best work with WSU very soon. Otherwise, for me, thanks Gene for what you did for us and no thanks for what you've now done for us.

I understand where you are coming from @ShockTalk: and I don't really have an issue with anything you say. But building a program from scratch, and that means absolutely nothing in this case, and 35 years of mostly outstanding service is just kind of hard to ignore, regardless of what you think of Gene as a Baseball Coach and/or as a person. I just wonder that even if Gene is a jerk about this that, in the long run, the program and WSU will be better off by taking the high road regarding how Gene's departure is handled.

[Cdizzle]

I'd like to see Gene announce his retirement.
I'd like to see the guys send him out on a good note by winning the Valley tournament and reaching the NCAA Regionals for him one last time.
I'd like to see 10,000 fans watch a WSU Alumni Hall of Fame game with a post-game stadium renaming.

I don't think I'll see any of those things.

[ShockTalk]

I understand where you are coming from @ShockTalk and I don't really have an issue with anything you say. But building a program from scratch, and that means absolutely nothing in this case, and 35 years of mostly outstanding service is just kind of hard to ignore, regardless of what you think of Gene as a Baseball Coach and/or as a person. I just wonder that even if Gene is a jerk about this that, in the long run, the program and WSU will be better off by taking the high road regarding how Gene's departure is handled.

What Gene did back 1977 and built from there, is nothing short of miraculous. What I think of Gene as a Coach is the old saying "He's forgotten more than I'll ever know", (even if he does appear to be forgetting at a faster rate of late). As a person, I think of him as no worse or no better than most anyone else.

Most of my concern is coming from what I view, from the outside, as a lack of concern on his part for this program and what he's built. Can he not see what has been happening? Does he really believe that NO changes need to be made by him or WSU? If the 1/3 players from Kansas is a problem, he should make that an issue (or should have several years ago). That everything should just continue on down the same path? Who does he blame for the rapidly decreasing season ticket holders and butts in the seats? That making over a half a million $ and not dominating the Valley is OK?

This era is rapidly coming to an end. He knows it, and has known it, and chooses to do nothing to either really help the program get better or to make a planned, graceful exist. WSU has not ignored his outstanding service.

There's a story about an old man, his wife, and a mule. They were riding in a wagon being pulled by the mule. The mule stop and just sat in the middle of the road. The old man got out, pulled the mule up, got him going again, sat back down in the wagon and said "that's 1". The mule did it again, the man old down and got the mule going again. Sat down next to his wife and said "that's 2". A little later, the mule did it again and the old man got down and shot the mule. Got back on the wagon where the wife complains about how they are going to get home. The old man looks at her and says, "That's 1".

Gene has already had his 1, 2, and even a 3 while still being feed more oats every time. That's because of what he had done for WSU.

If ADES fires Krusty this year or simply waits for his contract to run out, just what kind of atmoshere will there be for that honoring. Sorry, I feel Gene is directing this train wreck and there will be little high road left.

[ShockTalk]

I'd like to see Gene announce his retirement.
I'd like to see the guys send him out on a good note by winning the Valley tournament and reaching the NCAA Regionals for him one last time.
I'd like to see 10,000 fans watch a WSU Alumni Hall of Fame game with a post-game stadium renaming.

I don't think I'll see any of those things.

Very sad isn't it. So, very sad.

[1972Shocker]

Sorry, I feel Gene is directing this train wreck and there will be little high road left.

There is almost always a high road, or at least a higher road to take. A lot of that may well depend on Gene himself and how he acts and reacts. We'll see. But out of fairness we need to consider and weigh his entire body of work and not just his post OU work (or lack of work). It would be nice if the checklist posted by @Cdizzle: was in place and we could just start checking the boxes. We could probably raise enough money from such an Alumni Hall of Fame game honoring Gene to take care of his remaining salary (and pay Brent and JT a year's severance pay as well).

[ShockTalk]

There is almost always a high road, or at least a higher road to take. A lot of that may well depend on Gene himself and how he acts and reacts. We'll see. But out of fairness we need to consider and weigh his entire body of work and not just his post OU work (or lack of work). It would be nice if the checklist posted by @Cdizzle was in place and we could just start checking the boxes. We could probably raise enough money from such an Alumni Hall of Fame game honoring Gene to take care of his remaining salary (and pay Brent and JT a year's severance pay as well).

@1972Shocker:, I'm not saying that I can't do a 180 about my opinions. There is still time, just very little. We'd all like to see the high road taken. It's just that if nothing changes, any high road will be more for show than real.

By the way, his record since OU by itself is only a small part of why I feel the way I do. It's the "parting shot at WSU" when he took the OU job, it's initially trying to defend the beaning incident, it's the stalking headlines, and, most of all, after WSU took him back, what at least appears to not be moving heaven and earth to make sure what he said was wrong and not going to happen. What someone else mentioned would have been the proper action upon Krusty and Krew coming back.....a new contract filled with incentive pay clauses. His OU comment was the same as saying, it's only going down hill from here on out at WSU, so why should have WSU taken him back with the old contract in place when Gene himself didn't think he'd be earning it.

[1972Shocker]

What someone else mentioned would have been the proper action upon Krusty and Krew coming back.....a new contract filled with incentive pay clauses.

Actually I think I mentioned that. I suppose whether taking Gene back or not was a good idea is debatable but it certainly should have come with some consessions to protect WSU from the situation we now find ourselves in.

[Veritas]

Gene should NOT be fired. Instead , a transitional plan should be established with an Associate Head Coach hired that will replace Gene in 3-5 years when he voluntarily retires.
The end of his career is approaching regardless. Let the man retire with dignity and class. All of you Gene haters will feel much better about it when his voluntary retirement does take place.

What's the plan ADES? One thing is for certain, you've made your subordinate and program a lame duck by completely mishandling this situation. Either support him or fire him, but get your head out of the sand!

[rrshock]

@Veritas:, I have to disagree. He has gone past the point of leaving with dignity and class unless he announces his retirement.

ADES has handled this situation like any business should. Gene is wayyyy overpaid for the results we are seeing. Nothing as of late (past couple of years) has shown a justification for extending his contract.

Do you feel that the university should keep paying for a program to be run further into the ground? They need to cut and run. It is overdue.

[DUShock]

Those who have been around a while know the Gene can behave quite selfishly. I hope he takes the high road and fades quietly into the night.

[SB Shock]

What's the plan ADES?

Lets hope it is to clean house at the end of the season.

[WuDrWu]

Make up game or not, there isn't one word about the game tonight.

That's where our program is now.

Sad.

[SB Shock]

Capture.JPG

[ShockerFever]

Make up game or not, there isn't one word about the game tonight.

That's where our program is now.

Sad.

Was it a win or a moral victory?

[Shockerman]

In the early 90's we were a force and played ball at an elite level. Gene was worth ever penny and more. But you don't get paid at an elite level for what you have done, but rather for what you can continue to do. My main problem is that there doesn't seem to be any urgency, it's just business as usual.

Great memories below, though the outcomes are a touch painful.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=RcjK615Qa4M

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=RFDLTMx7EXM