crawfish
06-18-2007, 12:55 AM
OMAHA, Neb. -- Mississippi State coach Ron Polk isn't sure he'll be back to coach the Bulldogs next season, saying his return depends on the players and the university. "I'm not going to [Rice coach] Wayne Graham's age," the 63-year-old Polk said Sunday after he finished his 34th year as a head coach with a 12-4 loss against Louisville in the College World Series. Graham is 71. Polk has been an outspoken critic of the NCAA for rule changes centered on improving academic achievement among baseball players.
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"Every year is another year, and it would depend on progress we're making with the NCAA," Polk said. "If we don't get this thing changed, things could change for me because I'm not about to call kids and tell them we can't provide and they've got no place to go." The most contentious rule change guarantees that any scholarship player would receive no less than one-third of a full ride. Also, no more than 27 players can receive any portion of a scholarship. The changes are scheduled to go into effect in August 2008. "I ask the players," Polk said. "I'd love to be back." Mississippi State finished 38-22, and went winless in the CWS for the first time in seven appearances since 1971. The Bulldogs had trouble stopping big innings in Omaha. Louisville scored three runs in each of the fourth and seventh innings Sunday, and North Carolina used a six-run sixth on Friday to come back and win, 8-5. Brandon Turner fell just short of his bid to become the first Bulldog rookie to hit .400. He went 2-for-4 and finished with a .399 average. Jeffrey Rea was 3-for-4, with a single to center field in his final at-bat in the ninth. The Bulldogs' leader in career hits stood on third as Mitch Moreland made the last out. "It was an odd feeling," said Rea, who finished his four-year career with 415 hits. "I just wanted to soak it in." Rea was taken in the 18th round of the major league draft by the Chicago Cubs. Edward Easley became the highest Mississippi State catcher ever taken when the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the supplemental first round. Moreland was taken in the 17th round by the Texas Rangers and Josh Johnson was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 16th round. Mississippi State went undefeated in regional and super regional play, beating Stetson, Florida State and Clemson. (Source Credit: AP)
http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0403/17/wmsu014.jpg http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0403/17/wmsu012.jpg http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0403/17/wmsu01i.jpg
"Every year is another year, and it would depend on progress we're making with the NCAA," Polk said. "If we don't get this thing changed, things could change for me because I'm not about to call kids and tell them we can't provide and they've got no place to go." The most contentious rule change guarantees that any scholarship player would receive no less than one-third of a full ride. Also, no more than 27 players can receive any portion of a scholarship. The changes are scheduled to go into effect in August 2008. "I ask the players," Polk said. "I'd love to be back." Mississippi State finished 38-22, and went winless in the CWS for the first time in seven appearances since 1971. The Bulldogs had trouble stopping big innings in Omaha. Louisville scored three runs in each of the fourth and seventh innings Sunday, and North Carolina used a six-run sixth on Friday to come back and win, 8-5. Brandon Turner fell just short of his bid to become the first Bulldog rookie to hit .400. He went 2-for-4 and finished with a .399 average. Jeffrey Rea was 3-for-4, with a single to center field in his final at-bat in the ninth. The Bulldogs' leader in career hits stood on third as Mitch Moreland made the last out. "It was an odd feeling," said Rea, who finished his four-year career with 415 hits. "I just wanted to soak it in." Rea was taken in the 18th round of the major league draft by the Chicago Cubs. Edward Easley became the highest Mississippi State catcher ever taken when the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the supplemental first round. Moreland was taken in the 17th round by the Texas Rangers and Josh Johnson was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 16th round. Mississippi State went undefeated in regional and super regional play, beating Stetson, Florida State and Clemson. (Source Credit: AP)