Gene Stephenson

[HutchShocker]

I have read many comments on this board regarding Coach Stephenson and his future as head coach. I am behind Gene 100 percent and respect him for all that he has done and continues to do for Wichita State University. I graduated from WSU with three degrees and have supported Gene from his first game thru today and will be making the drive up to Manhattan to support him and the team against the Hogs. Hang tough Gene!

I am behind you and the Shocks!

Rudy Rodriguez
Hutchinson KS

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

[shocker3]

I agree with you 100% Rudy! GO SHOX!

[martymoose]

I am behind Gene 100 percent and respect him for all that he has done

You're just referring to what he has done on the field, right? We'll ignore the rest...

[Ricardo del Rio]

I have read many comments on this board regarding Coach Stephenson and his future as head coach. I am behind Gene 100 percent and respect him for all that he has done and continues to do for Wichita State University. I graduated from WSU with three degrees and have supported Gene from his first game thru today and will be making the drive up to Manhattan to support him and the team against the Hogs. Hang tough Gene!

I am behind you and the Shocks!

Rudy Rodriguez
Hutchinson KS

I have one degree from Texas A&M and three degrees from Wichita State and I am 100% behind Kevin Hooper or most any other choice to replace Coach Stephenson.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I agree with you 100% Rudy! GO SHOX!

It looks like the liberals are lining up behind Coach Stephenson.

[ABC]

I just don't see any rationale for someone to be 100% behind Stephenson. At best for Stephenon it is a 50/50 proposition.

This is if the fifth year of mediocre performance on the field. Then the off the field stuff . . .

[ShockTalk]

I have read many comments on this board regarding Coach Stephenson and his future as head coach. I am behind Gene 100 percent and respect him for all that he has done and continues to do for Wichita State University. I graduated from WSU with three degrees and have supported Gene from his first game thru today and will be making the drive up to Manhattan to support him and the team against the Hogs. Hang tough Gene!

I am behind you and the Shocks!

Rudy Rodriguez
Hutchinson KS

I agree with you 100% Rudy! GO SHOX!

1) No one here is not wanting the Shocks to succeed. 2) Everyone is grateful for what Gene in building the baseball program from the scrap heap. 3) Few, if anyone, begrudges Gene and staff going to OU. 4) Most here did not like his parting comment about WSU as he put on the OU jersey. 5) Any indebtedness WSU had to Gene was washed away when WSU accepted him back after he found problems with OU and in spite of #4. 6) Over the last 5 years, WSU and the fans should expect and receive a product on the field commensurate to the salary he is being paid (this has not even been close). This does not even take into consideration what @martymoose: is making references to.

[DUShock]

1) No one here is not wanting the Shocks to succeed. 2) Everyone is grateful for what Gene in building the baseball program from the scrap heap. 3) Few, if anyone, begrudges Gene and staff going to OU. 4) Most here did not like his parting comment about WSU as he put on the OU jersey. 5) Any indebtedness WSU had to Gene was washed away when WSU accepted him back after he found problems with OU and in spite of #4. 6) Over the last 5 years, WSU and the fans should expect and receive a product on the field commensurate to the salary he is being paid (this has not even been close). This does not even take into consideration what @martymoose: is making references to.

THIS.

[Shocker85]

1) No one here is not wanting the Shocks to succeed. 2) Everyone is grateful for what Gene in building the baseball program from the scrap heap. 3) Few, if anyone, begrudges Gene and staff going to OU. 4) Most here did not like his parting comment about WSU as he put on the OU jersey. 5) Any indebtedness WSU had to Gene was washed away when WSU accepted him back after he found problems with OU and in spite of #4. 6) Over the last 5 years, WSU and the fans should expect and receive a product on the field commensurate to the salary he is being paid (this has not even been close). This does not even take into consideration what @martymoose is making references to.

Game. Set. Match.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I just don't see any rationale for someone to be 100% behind Stephenson. At best for Stephenon it is a 50/50 proposition.

This is if the fifth year of mediocre performance on the field. Then the off the field stuff . . .

Then there is Lloyd Phelps.

[ShockTalk]

Then there is Lloyd Phelps.

I was waiting for that shoe to drop. However, first, I want to apologize to everyone for my long paragraphs. For some reason, my return/enter key no longer functions on SN. It's works everywhere else. So does all my other keys (so far) on SN. I have asked for help. Anyway, back to topic. "Loyal Lloyd" can be jilted for a "better situation", but he remains loyal. No matter what the cost, what the lack of performance is comparable to that cost, "there's no way the city of Wichita or Wichita State can do more for Gene than he's done for them". He apparently can act any way he likes off the field as well. Sorry, Lloyd, you sound very much like a battered person who cannot see the reality of things. It's not about politics and it's not about people not liking him.

[ShockTalk]

The other jewel was the quote from Todd Hook: "I hear speculation, sure, but that's from some people that I feel like have a low level of information, that don't understand baseball. He should get as many years as he wants. What, exactly, is he on the hot seat for?" Nice to know that anyone who has a different opinion than you, Todd, has a low level of information and doesn't understand baseball. And those two last comments. Talk about a low level of information.

[1972Shocker]

How do you evaluate this season? On the surface a 39-28 with a NCAA appearance seems pretty decent. However, looking more closely the season seems to be built primarily on taking advantage of a weak MVC.

The Shocks were only a pedestrian 15-6 during regular season play but increased that to 20-7 with their run through the Valley tournament. Outside of the MVC they were 19-21 if you want to count the win over Kansas Wesleyan, which I don't, so make that 18-21 outside of the conference.

Those 18 wins were against ORU (3), Northwestern (3), Air Force (2), North Dakota (2), Texas-PanAm (2), Arkasas-Little Rock, Western Illinois, New Orleans, Iowa, Nebraska-Omaha and Hawaii. Thank goodness ORU was down this year.

We simply could not beat anyone of value on the schedule during the season making the 0-2 finish in regional play par for the course.

At this point we simply have become a run-of-the-mill upper-half Missouri Valley team. A decent team, but nothing really special. Run-of-the-mill pretty much describes the state of the progam. A little above average D-1 program.

If Gene is to continue then our staff compensation (at least the base compensation) needs to be re-calibrated in line with a run-of-the-mill program. Incentive bonuses can be used to reward exceptional years. One thing that does need to be removed is the scholarship requirements for Kansas kids.

The question is should even this be offered to Gene. On that point, I'm quite sure there is no consensus.

[1972Shocker]

The other jewel was the quote from Todd Hook: "I hear speculation, sure, but that's from some people that I feel like have a low level of information, that don't understand baseball. He should get as many years as he wants. What, exactly, is he on the hot seat for?" Nice to know that anyone who has a different opinion than you, Todd, has a low level of information and doesn't understand baseball. And those two last comments. Talk about a low level of information.

Regarding Mr. Phelps and Mr. Hook -- What do you get when the Coach becomes bigger than the University? Joe Paterno.

In fact, Mr. Phelps' and Mr. Hook's attitudes are now one more reason under by Why He Should Go column.