DuckSouth.com

April 26, 2006

SEC suspends MSU coach Polk from tonight's game
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com

Mississippi State baseball coach Ron Polk was suspended by the Southeastern Conference for tonight's game against Southern Miss.

Though Polk was ejected from Tuesday night's game in Hattiesburg, it was not his conduct on the field that drew the one-game penalty. Instead, it was his post-game comments to the media that warranted the suspension, said MSU athletic director Larry Templeton.

"It is very clear what the conference's policy is on commenting on the officiating," Templeton said.

Following a bizarre, 13-6 loss to the Golden Eagles at Taylor Park, Polk was critical of the umpiring crew, specifically first base umpire Joseph Smith.

"Umpires are umpires, but he was just incompetent," Polk told reporters. "He was so scared out there he was hyperventilating."

Asked about the suspension, USM athletic director Richard Gianini said, “When a coach or anybody is ejected and won’t leave the premises, what do you do? How long was he going to stay on the field. The whole thing is just unfortunate.”

Polk is expected to be able to coach Friday night's SEC game at South Carolina, Templeton said.

The incident in question occurred in the seventh inning on an inning-ending play involving runner Jeffrey Rea. Polk went out to argue — his third such exchange with umpires on Tuesday — and was kicked out.

But Polk kept on Smith, following him from the infield into right field.

After walking past USM assistant director for game management Jareel Combest, Polk was confronted by campus security.

"They told me I was going to be arrested if I didn't get off the field," Polk told reporters Tuesday. "For what? Arguing a call?"

Polk left and spent the rest of the game in USM's batting cage.

When the Bulldogs (29-12) and the Golden Eagles (28-15) play tonight at 6:30 p.m., MSU assistant coach Tommy Raffo is expected to be in charge, the usual protocol when Polk is ejected.
— MORE DETAILS AS THEY DEVELOP AND TOMORROW IN PRINT AND ONLINE EDITIONS

From what I have heard about this matter, it sounds like the USM staff jumped the gun and overreacted to what, in baseball, is a fairly routine occurence ---- a head coach arguing a call and occasionally getting thrown out of the game by the umps. Sometimes coaches do it intentionally to prove a point and spark their team. Polk wasn't out there THAT long. I have never heard of local police/security taking the field to ask a head baseball coach to leave. Bizarre.

And as to Coach Polk's post-game comments about such absurdity, I thought the ban against being critical of the umps was only an SEC rule, applying only to SEC games.

Oh well, in light of all that occurred last night, it may be a blessing that Coach Polk is not coaching there again tonight. Too soon after the incident.

USM representatives might want to temper their remarks about Coach Polk. The series between the two schools does not have to be played at all.

I honestly believe the crap that happened last night killed the yearly two game series. I've got another article I read earlier......will post some quotes to shed a little more light on the subject.

After the game, Polk gave the following recorded comments both on-the-air and on-the-record. He began his post-game radio show as follows:

"All the (USM) coaches came up to me, one before the game was over, and down in leftfield. Corky (USM head coach Palmer) was so apologetic, he was so embarrassed by his athletic department sicking cops on an argument.

"And I almost got thrown in jail. Because that lady policeman stuck her face in my face telling me 'get off the field.' I told her 'get off the field.' She said 'you want to go to jail?' I said 'put the cuffs on, let's go.' Some minimum-wage flunky athletic administrator, probably security, said let's get the guy off the field, so three policemen come on the field. That's uncalled-for. And it's embarrassing to Southern Miss, they have a good athletic department and program. But to have policemen jumping on the field in an argument..."

"I was about to walk away after another 15 seconds, but you get your peace in and you get thrown out of the ball game. Especially when you have an incompetent umpire."

Polk then commmented on an earlier incident in the contest, which was critical to the first inning. An Eagle ground ball hit the third base umpire, who was positioned behind the pitcher with two runners on base. It caromed through the middle and a runner scored. "I'm not mad at the umpire for getting hit, because it was a well-hit ball," Polk said. "It hit off his shoulder and just ricocheted high over second base. Then they missed the interpretation. It's a dead ball, the batter goes to first and everybody who is forced to advance can advance, they score one run. By the time I figured it out the next batter (was up), it was too late to argue. Then I got in an argument with the umpire at third, I said how can you have three umpires out here and here's a coach, I know what the interpretation is and not an umpire knew."

http://mississippistate.scout.com/2/524597.html

this is friggin ridicliouso.. nice goin buzzards.. you just kilt the series..

i want to know who the a-hole (bush league) person was who recommend that security go onto the field..

that the umpires job... if polk don't wont to leave, then the umps should call the game its there damn right to do that.. puzzies.. i telll ya..

this is pretty said.........
if polk doesnt leave the field the umpires then have the right to call security or whatever matters it takes to get polk off, but i promise u if they would have called the game there would never be an end to it........
and i promise u something else, if state comes out and plays great baseball tonight without polk there will be soooooooo many people sayin seeeeee, look here, dadadadada, crap bout how the team is better off without polk and someone else in there, personally i hope state loses tonight just where i wont have to hear all of that.......because regardless of if its raffo or not, someone is gonna say it......somewhere

That is fu**ing rediculous, Especially when USM coach even said the AD jumped the gun. But what do you expect from high school umpires(the one on first base was one)

Jim Ellis said he had called a many college baseball games all over the country but never ever had he seen umpires that bad and he has never seen Campus police come on to the field

well duckiller ur right it is bad but ALOT of college umpires alot call in high school, i remember all threw high school in my home town gettin to know the same ol umpires over and over, then when i went and played college baseball in that same town, hell, it was the same ones again, it was like i couldnt get rid of them, but lots of them do both, but yes still bad

I have to agree. This is a "@#$%#" joke. Southern Mrs and there inferiority complex should get dropped by MSU and UM.

rebelduckaholic wrote:I have to agree. This is a "@#$%#" joke. Southern Mrs and there inferiority complex should get dropped by MSU and UM.

It ain't a complex. They're not even an accredited school for God's sake!!

mottlet

Well True

well hell, usm isnt goin to drop the games, although both um and msu play in the best in the nation(sec) usm is still gona get a recruit here and there for beatin both........