Ron Polk is gone from Mississippi State, but he's still on the college baseball scene. Earlier this fall, Polk joined baseball staff at Alabama-Birmingham as a volunteer assistant coach.
Polk's love of the college game is evident. Who could have written such a long, impassioned letter as Polk's 2007 plea to NCAA and university officials for relief from what he felt were unfair restrictions on baseball without a love for the topic? You could tell it was written by someone who cared about his players -- and the sport of baseball.
His pleas fell on deaf ears, and he told The Associated Press after his resignation that the lost battle with the NCAA played a factor in his decision.
I can remember as a student at the University of South Carolina in the early-1970s that the Georgia Southern series -- Polk was the Eagles' coach at the time -- was always one of the toughest on the Gamecocks' schedule. His teams were well-prepared and hustled, a trait that continued throughout his 30-plus seasons as a head coach.
Glad to see you're still around, Coach.
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