Gene on Gameplan

[shockmonster]

Gene actually sounds a little humble now. That is a great human trait/feeling that was rarely if ever used to describe Gene. I doubt if any of his AD bosses ever witnessed that trait. If Gene was in control, he was a happier man. To believe anything different is naive.

[boyshocker]

Farewell tour in the MVC might not be well received in some places.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I don't understand why people keep saying it could have been handled better...It was handled the only way Gene was going to let it happen. Under no condition was he going to retire, not now, not 5 years from now. He said it himself, he wasn't going to quit. That leaves only one option...and from the stories I've heard directly from other coaches in other sports at WSU, there is no working with Gene, it's his way or no way.

This is little doubt about the bolded words above.

[engrshock]

I think, to be fair, this attitude is what got WSU baseball on the map, along with all of the facilities. Without that drive and attitude what would we have ended up with? The bad kind of goes with the good.

[The Mad Hatter]

Bottom line is I think this could have been handled much better. Obviously the communication between ADES and Gene does not appear to have been good at all. It is very difficult with what little I know to say who bears primary responsibility for that. My gut tells me that both men probably do. However, I have to assign the bulk of he responsibility for lack of communication to ADES since he is the boss and the guy who eventually controls the way things will be handled. Again this is based on very incomplete knowledge of the actual facts and if I actually new those facts I might come to a different conclusion.

However, for Gene to say he did not see this coming is simply not a credible statement.

I have no real argument for what was done, we have pretty much known this was coming for two years now, and I think it was time to make a change. Could it have been handled better. I believe it could and should have, but I won't go so far as to say this without a doubt. It really makes one wonder what all has gone on behind the scenes over the past few years.

Given that we were hearing the same reports about a lack of communication between Gene and the rest of the athletic department when Schaus was in charge, I'm not sure how much of this you can put on Sexton. Gene was the common factor here, not who was the AD. In addition, there don't seem to be any other coaches that had these reports coming out in how they related to either Schaus or Sexton, which suggests that it wasn't a pattern based on how the AD treated coaches.

I think we would all like to think that this could have been handled better, but when you have a coach that has apparently convinced himself that he doesn't have a boss and doesn't have to answer to anybody (which explains his surprise at being fired - how could you expect to be fired if you don't believe anybody has the authority to make that call?) I don't know if it is possible for things to go any better regardless of what you do. If the only way to assert authority as AD is to pull the plug, you either end up with the situation that occurred, or you let Gene call all the shots indefinitely, which, aside from what that might mean for the baseball program, establishes the AD as being ineffectual which isn't in the interest of the athletic department as a whole (and would just create continued tension for every other coach and staff member in the department).

[choida]

I didnt experience the glory days for WSU baseball, when I attended we won a regional in 2006, but I think all good things come to an end, and when one person, or in this coach, thinks he is above the program, and has no fear in his job security, I think one loses a little sense of drive, and I think that combined with losing a little edge in recruiting and parity of the game all played into our dip in success. I think Gene deserves a statue right now to be honest, and I think this played out the same as the football coach at Florida State, dealing with a declining legend is always hard and sometimes feelings get hurt, and we all know Gene was not going to retire without a fight, and I think Sexton had to pull the plug and start fresh. GOSHOX

[pogo]

I'm not redirecting the thread because the first post mentioned Terry Elliott as a guest before Gene. Terry talked about GS and the staff in glowing terms which he should and they deserve it but then he kind of went on a rant that they should not have fired GS because he had just gone to a regional. What? Surely he realizes they had to win the tourney to qualify and then lost 2 to go home. Then he was talking about GS coaching again and he said he couldn't think of a better scenario in the future than GS coaching third with his new team against WSU. Why? To prove that WSU made a mistake? To prove that GS was horribly wronged? C mon Terry very few people feel real good about this but to think that for GS to return to rub their noses in it just doesn't sound like an adult. Small, petty, vindictive maybe. What would happen if that happened and GS lost? I don't think anyone here would feel real good about that either. The other thing was he felt that ADES owed GS a news conference to explain the decision and the process. He felt that a press release was demeaning to the man. Really? Why get into the reasons for the decision that was made. Would I like to know? Sure. Do I need to know? No and its probably above my pay grade. You know they didn't have a press conference to explain why you were asked not to continue broadcasting with MK.

[Spaulding]

I'm not redirecting the thread because the first post mentioned Terry Elliott as a guest before Gene. Terry talked about GS and the staff in glowing terms which he should and they deserve it but then he kind of went on a rant that they should not have fired GS because he had just gone to a regional. What? Surely he realizes they had to win the tourney to qualify and then lost 2 to go home. Then he was talking about GS coaching again and he said he couldn't think of a better scenario in the future than GS coaching third with his new team against WSU. Why? To prove that WSU made a mistake? To prove that GS was horribly wronged? C mon Terry very few people feel real good about this but to think that for GS to return to rub their noses in it just doesn't sound like an adult. Small, petty, vindictive maybe. What would happen if that happened and GS lost? I don't think anyone here would feel real good about that either. The other thing was he felt that ADES owed GS a news conference to explain the decision and the process. He felt that a press release was demeaning to the man. Really? Why get into the reasons for the decision that was made. Would I like to know? Sure. Do I need to know? No and its probably above my pay grade. You know they didn't have a press conference to explain why you were asked not to continue broadcasting with MK.

That's about what I'd expect from Terry honestly. Not surprising. I'm not sure gene would come out looking too good if a presser came out and outlined exactly the circumstances that went down dating back probably at least ten months. Just my opinion.

[1972Shocker]

I certainly don't discount the possibility that ADES reached out to Gene and was told in no uncertain terms where he could stick it, maybe even to the point that ADES made up his mind right there and then that it was over as far as he was concerned. Again, that is only a possibility. We simply don't know how all this went down and are unlikely to ever know that I suppose.

[vancedave56]

...and it doesn't really matter. Play ball!

[jpshocker]

Let's just call this like it is. He WAS given indications that his time at WSU was coming to a close. His contract was not being renewed, people have been calling for his retirement for several years and the morale within this program has not been good. Gene is pridefull but also too damn stubborn to accept what was right in front of him. He genuinely saw himself as untouchable and basically called the bluff and lost. No rational human being doesn't see the writing on the wall when their boss refuses to extend their contract....even for performance! I feel bad that it went down this way too but to think that Gene didn't have options to avoid this in the years leading up to this event is just plain BS.

[shocksrbest]

While I respect and admire Gene's accomplishments, I felt the slide of the program in recent years would result in his departure. Perhaps we get spoiled by the dominance and success of the program over the years, but it is as the saying goes, "What have you done for me lately"?

While the program can now move forward in a different direction, the move does seem to have invigorated Kemnitz. We shall see what transpires. Time to turn the page.

[Shox21]

I didnt experience the glory days for WSU baseball, when I attended we won a regional in 2006, but I think all good things come to an end, and when one person, or in this coach, thinks he is above the program, and has no fear in his job security, I think one loses a little sense of drive, and I think that combined with losing a little edge in recruiting and parity of the game all played into our dip in success. I think Gene deserves a statue right now to be honest, and I think this played out the same as the football coach at Florida State, dealing with a declining legend is always hard and sometimes feelings get hurt, and we all know Gene was not going to retire without a fight, and I think Sexton had to pull the plug and start fresh. GOSHOX

Boy, you sure do think a lot.

[1972Shocker]

[wildcatmo]

Right now Gene is the only one talking. I'll bet that the other side of the story will start coming out soon.