Fire Gene Stephenson

[MizzouShockerFan]

I just don't see Gene going to an SEC school, unless its Missouri. That would be interesting...
If the knock on this staff is the lack of recruiting, how successful would they be in a part of the country with no ties or experience. If he goes anywhere, I'm sure it would have to be in the Midwest somewhere.

[Shockerman]

Not bad at all. It is evident to everyone that something here needs to change. Shocker baseball has been in a steady decline for the last decade. I personally hope Gene goes to a school like auburn, and wins the national championship. I also hope that someday he returns to gene Stephenson stadium with a hero's welcome.

[ShockerFever]

Not bad at all. It is evident to everyone that something here needs to change. Shocker baseball has been in a steady decline for the last decade. I personally hope Gene goes to a school like auburn, and wins the national championship. I also hope that someday he returns to gene Stephenson stadium with a hero's welcome.

People drop the last decade thing too loosely around here. Expectations for WSU are high but lest we forget we were 2 wins away from a CWS 6 years ago, and 1 win away from it 5 years ago. Yes, the program has been on the decline since then. The reasons for it are still up for discussion IMO.

If Gene wins at Auburn, it will make WSU look like a school that can't win at college baseball anymore. So no, that would not be a good thing at all. Unless the new hire can make it to Omaha in about 3 years. How confident are you in that happening?

[Shockerman]

The only thing I am confident of is that under the current regime, the chances of WSU returning to Omaha are slim to none....and guess who just left the building. I don't like what is going down. I wish there was a way to keep Gene and reinvigorate the program with a couple high powered assistants or a CIW situation with a former player. However, it is clear now that it has to be all or nothing with him, and status quo is no longer acceptable to shocker nation.

I don't really care how it looks if gene and co succeed elsewhere. I will be rooting for him the whole way. ( unless he burns the house down on his way out tomorrow). I would love to see what he could do in a place that can consistentlyrecruit southern talent. With that said, I am a shocker baseball fan first, Stephenson fan second.

[ShockTalk]

Random thoughts just pouring through my brain...

Are the times and landscape of college baseball now that make WSU a harder spot to sustain Top 10 type success, or is it Gene and the rest of the staff themselves that is causing it? That's the million dollar question. If it's the latter, then the AD made the right move and WSU baseball should be relevant again within the next few years. If it's the former, then this decision may come down to haunt Sexton. I realize it's more than just about that question, if you have a mass exodus of donors and fans leaving or not supporting the program, hands may be tied. Again, I'm just worried in 5 years from now if we're coming off 4 consecutive losing seasons and then we're in big time trouble.

Again, is this the landscape of college baseball that makes a place like WSU in a league like the Valley not a hotbed anymore or is it the coaching? Gene has history and tradition on his side. Would it have been better to error on the side of caution and let him live it out? The next coach knows he's gonna have big shoes to fill and big time expectations to fulfill. Can all of that be attained?

Double ugh.

SF, is there any reason that the "changing landscape" would keep WSU from dominating the Valley? I think that is the starting point some of us are looking for. Next, with that changing landscape, any reason WSU can't be an at-large level team every 2 out of 5 years? If those are reasonable goals, that should get WSU into the NCAAs about every 4 of 5 years.

How bad it would it look to see Gene win lots of games at Auburn? Not saying it will happen, but could you imagine how that would make WSU look?

I would hope both WSU and Gene could go forward and succeed. Actually, I've always felt that when Gene and Staff went to OU, they just didn't want to have to put the amount of effort into recruiting it takes to keep a non-BCS, cold weather school, very competitive. An Auburn might be a better fit for Gene.

[AndShock]

We made the ESPN bottom line!

[GoShockers89]

.

[shox1989]

I will be pretty surprised if Gene gets the Auburn job, and even more surprised if he finds lasting success there. I do not see War Eagle hiring someone we just fired.

The SEC is also as competitive as it gets, and Auburn is not a blue blood baseball program in the same way LSU, Mississippi State, etc. are. A lazy recruiter will have a very poor conference record there.

I think an emerging program like North Texas or one of the many UT-whatevers is a much more likely landing spot.

Gene is a great salesman. Even though he doesn't have the connections there, I think he could recruit. Plus he would actually have a real recruiting budget. Something that doesn't exist at WSU. That was one of the things he cited when he momentarily left for Ou.

Having said all of that, competing in the SEC would be extremely difficult.

[Veritas]

Yet when the recruiting budget is brought up, the ADES supporters blame it all on Gene.

Wake up people.

[shox1989]

The story is now on cbs sports.com:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/eye-on-baseball/22346797/gene-stephenson-reportedly-out-at-wichita-st-after-36-years

[ABC]

I have yet to see any facts about the recruiting budget or lack thereof. If anyone has actual facts please share.

That tidbit always strained credulity in my mind. Clearly WSU's baseball uniform budget isn't lacking.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I have yet to see any facts about the recruiting budget or lack thereof. If anyone has actual facts please share.

That tidbit always strained credulity in my mind. Clearly WSU's baseball uniform budget isn't lacking.

My gut tells me that the budget tempest is exaggerated.

It is difficult to raise or allocate increased budget money, when a program is failing.

Also, a little bit of honey as opposed to vinegar will go a long way toward an improved budget.

I suspect that after the new management team gets on board, the short and long term plan for baseball will be amended.

As an example, if the current dressing room(s) is/are crappy, then it has to be remodeled or replaced.

Expect big announcements in the coming months.

[WuDrWu]

A few thoughts:

1. When you take out emotion, this is a painfully simple decision. I suspect those (might even include myself) unhappy right now will soften in the next couple of months.

2. There are MANY reasons to make a change. Regardless of history, we've been to 2 regionals (and were NOT at all competitive) in 5 years and we were lucky to reach both of them. That alone is reason to change. 5 years is a very long time in coaching. WSU has been exceedingly patient.

3. Big time college athletics is a business, and agree or not I don't care, WSU baseball is big time college athletics. Eric Sexton just made an outstanding business decision. Now he's faced with the 2nd part of that decision.

4. It would be fantastic if Gene were able to secure one of the other openings around the country, either last night or today. A comment like "It's been clear for some time that the Administration and I have had opposing view points on the status and vision for WSU baseball and I think it's in the best interest of all involved that we both seek other opportunities and to that end I was contacted by XYZ University and have agreed to become their head coach immediately" would be good for both parties.

5. When it's all over and behind us, I think the vast majority of WSU fans will be pleasantly surprised how this turns out from the standpoint of who is running the program. I make no speculation at this point as to their potential on field success.

At least give them the week before you decide to hang the Administration. You just may be surprised.

[1972Shocker]

5. When it's all over and behind us, I think the vast majority of WSU fans will be pleasantly surprised how this turns out from the standpoint of who is running the program. I make no speculation at this point as to their potential on field success.

At least give them the week before you decide to hang the Administration. You just may be surprised.

@WuDrWu:, so I take it that you believe Gene's replacement has been selected and is waiting in the wings.

[WuDrWu]

@1972Shocker:, I've gone round and round on that very thought for a couple of weeks now. I believe you and I discussed over a year ago my thoughts and understanding on how much longer Gene would coach at WSU. I believed this would be his last year and even though there were times I wavered in that belief, it turned out to be correct.

It's difficult to accept change.....but I believe the staff was prepared for this occurrence and that they have been planning for this day for some time now. It seems ridiculous to think they'll get rid of an icon like Gene and not have a plan in place. I think they have a plan in place, and I think we're all going to hear about it, sooner than later.

Admittedly, I could be very wrong, but that's just how I see it.