Did we really just fire Gene Stephenson?

[ShockTalk]

I think things could have been handled differently. I'm not particularly a big fan of how this went down. I understand the need to move on, but it seems like the man was treated like dog poo. I don't think he deserves that, no matter what your feelings are of him. He only gave us 36 years and the 2nd most wins of all time.

If some of you think we're gonna have a run like that again, well, I hope you're right. Otherwise, this isn't gonna look good.

And just who all has been asking for that level of performance, SF? If you understand the need to move on, just how would you have done it differently? Gene was not going to retire or resign....this year or next. You know that, I know that. We play in a mediocre conference. The "changing landscape" has had no affect on us not continuing to dominate the Valley, but we don't. Gene is playing against coaches making what his assistants make, or very little more. We haven't had an at-large quality team over the last 5 years. These are the kind of things I believe most of the posters here are most concerned about. Gene has always been a "performance counts" type of guy, or least used to be. Bill Snyder would retire before he had 5 years in a row like this. And if anybody thinks KU would have been satisfied with this level of performance by their basketball team and continue to pay out the big bucks, think again.

[William]

It's not reasonable to expect it, but it actually is possible (in spite of what many on this board would have people believe).

Rice and Cal State Fullerton have now been to the CWS more times (8) than we have in our entire history (7) since our last visit in 1996. Non BCS programs paying their coaches less than us are proving it is possible.

Likely? No. Possible? Yes.

Gotta shoot for the stars. Most of this board would have told people they were nuts back in the 90s if ya suggested we'd get back to the Final Four one day. Too much had changed, the landscape was too difficult, our facilities sucked, etc.

It can be done.

Did you just compare our situation with Rice and Cal st. ? Dude....... they are located in like CALIFORNIA and HOUSTON i think, are you for real?

[GoShockers89]

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[William]

Might as well go root for one of them if you think we're doomed forever.

or maybe we could have faced reality as a university and fanbase and not treated a man that did so much for us, quite so poorly.

[shockerofandover0943]

I will be looking forward to Shocker baseball next spring, much more than I was this spring.

[ShockerFever]

And just who all has been asking for that level of performance, SF? If you understand the need to move on, just how would you have done it differently? Gene was not going to retire or resign....this year or next. You know that, I know that. We play in a mediocre conference. The "changing landscape" has had no affect on us not continuing to dominate the Valley, but we don't. Gene is playing against coaches making what his assistants make, or very little more. We haven't had an at-large quality team over the last 5 years. These are the kind of things I believe most of the posters here are most concerned about. Gene has always been a "performance counts" type of guy, or least used to be. Bill Snyder would retire before he had 5 years in a row like this. And if anybody thinks KU would have been satisfied with this level of performance by their basketball team and continue to pay out the big bucks, think again.

5 mediocre years in our world is something half of the college baseball world only hopes for. No, I don't like missing out on NCAA regionals, or dominating the Valley. That, I think, should be a general expectation. I think some on here just think it'll be a walk in the park to find someone that can sustain even a tiny fraction of our past success. We may have been slipping, but how do we know for sure that it's not the landscape of college baseball changing and is not of Gene's doing? I don't the answer to that one, but if it was me, I would have erred on the side of caution. Of course, if a coach gets hired on and is producing results, people will look like geninuses here. If not, then well.. we just pushed out a legend on some not so nice terms.

And when I mean not so nice terms, I've looked around other Valley and regional message boards for reaction. From an outsider's view, most think it's a shitty way for a guy to be let out after all that poured out by him. They think the move and the way it was handled was disrespectful. This is coming from opposing fans who generally hate WSU baseball. Yes, they probably don't know everything, but I'm just telling you what the national reaction is to this and what it looks like for the program. We are being called spoiled. Maybe so.

[GoShockers89]

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[ShockerFever]

Feve, I get where you're coming from. But our average RPI over the last 5 years is 77+, on the heels of a five year period where the average RPI was 33. The trendline wasn't just gently sloping downward, it was becoming a double black diamond. Same with attendance and revenue.

Honestly a mediocre hire would probably give us the same results over the next five years that Gene was poised to give us. I understand sadness for Gene not getting a hero's exit that some feel he deserved. Fear of future underperformance relative to what we would have received with Gene, however, should be minimal.

You're right '89. The turn south has sharpened the last 5 years.

I really hope you're right with that last sentence.

The whole situation just sucks. I know a lot of people probably won't agree on me with this but I can kinda see why Veritas went crazy today. I just don't think it looks well on the outside and unfortunately, that is an important viewpoint to consider. We should never look bad or unprofessional. I just think Gene there all by himself and left to tell his fate was very tacky and distasteful. Some people think Gene can be described like that. Well, ok, but that means the university and AD should act the same way?

[GoShockers89]

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[Shockingly]

Ungrateful.

That's all I can keep thinking of when I think about the idiots, and yes you are idiots, who called for and now have Gene's head on a platter. Gene was a victim of his own success. You win too consistently and then you don't do it for a few years and you've "lost it." You're all armchair qb's who are clueless. How many games have you managed? Hindsight jerks. How many players have you recruited? 35/36 years we watched our teams win at LEAST 35 games. Mike Pelfrey summed it up best in his comments to Jeff Lutz. "Pelfrey: 90 percent of schools in America would take WSU's level of success. It's unfortunate how spoiled fans have been because of Gene."

And spare me the same tired arguments you've been throwing around on here for years. I've been an avid reader, but now I'm a poster. Gene owed you nothing, he did immeasurable things for the school, the community, the city, and mostly for many many young men. The day you know more about baseball than Gene is the day you will be called to coach at WSU... News flash: NEVER HAPPENING. Cowards.

Well now you have what you want spoiled brats, just remember that when you walk into that beautiful stadium you and your band of hooligans overthrew the king of that castle.

[vancedave56]

Step away from the ledge. Nice first post.

[shockerofandover0943]

Ungrateful.

That's all I can keep thinking of when I think about the idiots, and yes you are idiots, who called for and now have Gene's head on a platter. Gene was a victim of his own success. You win too consistently and then you don't do it for a few years and you've "lost it." You're all armchair qb's who are clueless. How many games have you managed? Hindsight jerks. How many players have you recruited? 35/36 years we watched our teams win at LEAST 35 games. Mike Pelfrey summed it up best in his comments to Jeff Lutz. "Pelfrey: 90 percent of schools in America would take WSU's level of success. It's unfortunate how spoiled fans have been because of Gene."

And spare me the same tired arguments you've been throwing around on here for years. I've been an avid reader, but now I'm a poster. Gene owed you nothing, he did immeasurable things for the school, the community, the city, and mostly for many many young men. The day you know more about baseball than Gene is the day you will be called to coach at WSU... News flash: NEVER HAPPENING. Cowards.

Well now you have what you want spoiled brats, just remember that when you walk into that beautiful stadium you and your band of hooligans overthrew the king of that castle.

Ok.

[ShockerFever]

It's not a bad first post. There are a lot of accurate statements in there and it should probably sting a few of you. The first 3 or 4 sentences are definitely key points. His success 20 years ago is causing him, in a way, to lose his job now. Are you allowed to go into a stretch of not being perfect? Or is Gene expected to be perfect? Again, with the whole landscape in college baseball question..

These two articles have hit home and are hard to read. I get it. That's what you get with former players and loyalty. It doesn't look that good on the outside. The threat of former players cutting ties with the program and not being a part of it anymore really hurts:

http://www.kansas.com/2013/06/04/2832447/what-others-are-saying-about-gene.html

http://www.kansas.com/2013/06/04/2832448/former-shockers-sad-to-see-stephensons.html

[Shockingly]

I'm far from the ledge pal... Just not sippin the kool-aid

[vancedave56]

Sorry, didn't see anyone calling for anyone's head on a platter; a lot of name calling doesn't make very many points no matter whom you are nor what point you are trying to make. I loved having Gene here as a coach, but I too am an old fart and know that time marches on. It is what it is...and now it is time to move on.