As I begin to write this post first of all let me say I love USC and I truly hate to see what has gone on with our baseball program that was put on the map by Bobby Richardson, June Raines, and yes Ray Tanner. I have to give it to Ray Tanner he was an outstanding baseball coach, and no one can deny that. His record speaks for itself. What Paul Manieri did to our baseball program is unforgiveable. Then Mainieri wants to blame the fans for what he did saying they were impatient. Unbelievable! The fans are the ones who have been supporting this baseball program with passion since Bobby Richardson and Ray Tanner made USC relevant. USC fans and boosters know good baseball because they have seen it since the 1970's until now. Shame USC had to pay that man 2.5 million dollars as part of the settlement, but that is how things work today with the coaches getting these big buyouts. Paul Mainieri never did understand the culture and the fans at USC. He had no clue and then he did what he did is unforgivable. I don't have an idea who may have been in touch with Jeramiah Donati because normally if someone is interested, they go through their agents to talk to the athletic director. Just like at LSU football the coach that was recently fired did not belong at LSU, he had no clue about the culture and everything about LSU. He was an outsider looking in and was like the Jewish people wandering in just like Paul Mainieri he had no respect for the USC baseball tradition, culture and their fans. So I say to Paul Maineria good riddance!
New Baseball Coach
- Thread starter rgamecock1
- Start date
What does Donati have to do with any of this? Remember, Tanner hired Mainieri. Tanner was a good baseball coach, and from all appearances, except for coaching hires, a decent Athletic Director.
I think a newly-hired smart admin (e.g., Donati) does not walk in the door and immediately make changes. S/he reads the room first.
It appears to me that Donati has handled the PM situation well. And it is appropriate to give a coach time at a school to instill their culture and recruits. Year one you have to endure. But after that full year and no noticeable (if any) improvement halfway through year two, it was time to part ways with PM. Year two under Holtz showed improvement (quite an understatement).
You do bring up a good point about culture. And perhaps Holtz remembered enough about it from his brief time working under Paul Dietzel.
What does Jewish people wandering in have to do with this? FYI, the first Jews came to SC in 1695.