Anyone want to hire Gene?

by **iSASO** » June 5th, 2013, 11:19 pm

Former WSU coach Gene Stephenson said he would have worked at WSU for free next year and maybe beyond. Would any Valley school take that deal? UNI, would you restart your program with the best program architect of all time, who might work for free?

**Sponsor**

by **unipanther99** » June 6th, 2013, 6:39 am

iSASO wrote:Former WSU coach Gene Stephenson said he would have worked at WSU for free next year and maybe beyond. Would any Valley school take that deal? UNI, would you restart your program with the best program architect of all time, who might work for free?

No. Without a campus stadium, the limited number of scholarships we offered when we had baseball, our northern climate, and general lack of interest, it would take even Gene a decade or so to turn UNI into a winner. Then there is title IX and the budget to consider.

by **agrinut** » June 6th, 2013, 6:58 am

unipanther99 wrote:
iSASO wrote:Former WSU coach Gene Stephenson said he would have worked at WSU for free next year and maybe beyond. Would any Valley school take that deal? UNI, would you restart your program with the best program architect of all time, who might work for free?

No. Without a campus stadium, the limited number of scholarships we offered when we had baseball, our northern climate, and general lack of interest, it would take even Gene a decade or so to turn UNI into a winner. Then there is title IX and the budget to consider.

Budget? Title IX? I though UNI was headed to FBS.... Surely you don't have budget concerns.

by **BCPanther** » June 6th, 2013, 2:10 pm

If Iowa was smart they would hire Gene. But Gary Barta is their AD and, therefore, they aren't smart.

Why would UNI add a budget killer that we have no chance to ever be successful in? FBS is to make money. Baseball would piss it away...

by **CaseyGarrisonforPrez** » June 6th, 2013, 4:27 pm

I'd help Keith Guttin pack up personally in a New York minute if that meant getting Gene. Or even a guy like Pat Murphy. I would never warm to Gene and think he is kind of creepy but he has forgotten more baseball than most college coaches will ever know. All I care about is winning. If we could get rid of Terry Allen and bring in Bobby Petrino I'd do that too. I can clasp my nose and the stench of the head guy if it gets us W's. But I probably have a higher degree of moral flexibility than most athletic directors in this country.

Because of the rivalry it would never happen. Also hiring a really old guy is not going to happen but can you imagine him on MSU's bench coaching against Wichita State? That would really be something.

He should go to Japan. It worked for Bobby Valentine. It would never happen but they love baseball there enough that they can look past personality defects and other baggage.

by **iSASO** » June 8th, 2013, 12:17 pm

Former Wichita State coach Gene Stephenson belongs on the Mount Rushmore of college baseball, according to Baseball America writer Aaron Fitt.

Since coaches such as Skip Bertman, Ron Fraser, Augie Garrido and Rod Dedeaux aren’t available to replace Stephenson, WSU must find somebody else, somebody willing to build a resume at the program Stephenson built.

Athletic director Eric Sexton said the search is open to all, not just those with Shocker roots.

Whomever WSU selects, he must be willing to work with constant reminders of Stephenson’s success. Stephenson, fired on Tuesday, worked for 36 years to build a winning tradition and 7,851-seat Eck Stadium. Pitching coach Brent Kemnitz, who worked with Stephenson for 35 seasons, remains as a member of the coaching staff, a move Sexton believes will help the transition.

“It needs to be somebody that has unbelievable confidence, somebody that is not afraid of following Gene Stephenson,” Kemnitz said. “Somebody that sees what is in place and uses that to their benefit.”

The assets Stephenson, 67, built since taking over in 1977 didn’t disappear.

“They can be a perennial regional team,” Fitt said. “This is Wichita State. That name matters.”

The consensus is WSU offers a coach possibilities that match almost any school. But membership in the Missouri Valley Conference is a problem, because it makes building a lofty power ranking (RPI) difficult. Kansas weather needs no explanation. And high school talent in the state is limited by its small population and competition is fierce with two Big 12 schools.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/06/07/283715 ... rylink=cpy

by **Ricardo del Rio** » July 3rd, 2013, 8:43 pm

CaseyGarrisonforPrez wrote:I'd help Keith Guttin pack up personally in a New York minute if that meant getting Gene. Or even a guy like Pat Murphy. I would never warm to Gene and think he is kind of creepy but he has forgotten more baseball than most college coaches will ever know. All I care about is winning. If we could get rid of Terry Allen and bring in Bobby Petrino I'd do that too. I can clasp my nose and the stench of the head guy if it gets us W's. But I probably have a higher degree of moral flexibility than most athletic directors in this country.

Because of the rivalry it would never happen. Also hiring a really old guy is not going to happen but can you imagine him on MSU's bench coaching against Wichita State? That would really be something.

He should go to Japan. It worked for Bobby Valentine. It would never happen but they love baseball there enough that they can look past personality defects and other baggage.

Are you talking about KU's Terry Allen?

by **AngryWheat=FTW=** » July 5th, 2013, 3:32 pm

Gene wants to keep coaching. Any idea where he is going to end up?

by **Snaggletooth** » July 5th, 2013, 9:18 pm

AngryWheat=FTW= wrote:Gene wants to keep coaching. Any idea where he is going to end up?

He will not be able to pass the required background check.

by **iSASO** » July 15th, 2013, 6:03 am

Jim Thomas and Gene are available to the Sycamores.