The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Baseball Press Conference
6/7/2000 | Baseball
June 7, 2000
MIKE BIANCO PRESS CONFERENCE
OPENING REMARKS BY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOHN SHAFER
Several weeks ago when we set out to find a new baseball coach for Ole Miss, we knew that there would be a tremendous volume of interest by quality applicants from all over the country. While we already had some names in mind, the response from the many qualified coaches was overwhelming.
I contacted many individuals with baseball backgrounds-men I highly respect, men who know the SEC and the caliber of baseball it takes to be successful in the best league in America.
After much research and a personal visit, it was apparent to me that Mike Bianco was the man to lead our program into the next century.
Mike possesses great credentials: first as a player at LSU, then as an assistant coach for the Bengal Tigers, and more recently as a program-building head coach at McNeese State. His baseball knowledge and background speak for themselves.
During the interview process, it was obvious that he is a man of integrity who possesses great character and class. He and Camille are a perfect fit for the Ole Miss family.
He is a winner on and off the field. He cares about his players, their education, and their welfare. I have no doubt that, under his leadership, the Ole Miss program will compete every year for championships.
Skip Bertman told me that Mike was a "rising star in the baseball coaching world." I am proud that that star will be shining over Oxford, Mississippi, for years to come. Today, we feel like we've hit a grand slam.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the new head baseball coach of the Ole Miss Rebels-Mike Bianco.
OPENING REMARKS BY MIKE BIANCO
First, I would like to start by introducing my wife, Camille. Second, I would like to thank Chancellor Khayat, John Shafer, Eddie Crawford and Ole Miss for this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Also, I would like to thank McNeese State University, President Robert Hebert, and Athletic Director Sonny Watkins, who three years ago believed I could turn their baseball program around. With a conference championship and a NCAA regional appearance, I feel that program is well on its way.Ladies and gentlemen, this is truly a special day for me and my family. As a player and as a coach I have always felt that Ole Miss with its strong academic standards, first class facilities, and unique college town had all the ingredients to build a national contender in baseball.
Last weekend, my wife and I visited the campus and the town of Oxford. We were so impressed with the class and style of this University and the charming qualities of Oxford. Obviously, the most important thing to me is my family's well being. Camille and I both feel that Oxford is a fantastic place to raise our three boys, Michael, Ben and Drew.
Ole Miss has always had a tremendous reputation as a great academic institution with a strong and loyal alumni. These qualities along with the improvements made by Mr. Shafer in such a short time has made this opportunity even more impressive. With his energy and the University's commitment to excellence, this is a dream come true.
As the head baseball coach, my number one priority will be to personally contact every returning player and incoming signee. The players are the most important part of any program, and these past couple of weeks have surely been difficult on them. I want to introduce myself and get them as excited about the 2001 baseball season as I am.
My next priority will be to assemble a staff that will help us return Ole Miss to the fore front of college baseball. Because of the quickness of this situation today, I have not had a chance to talk specifics with anyone, but know that it will be handled as quickly as possible.
And, of course, once these two things are accomplished, we can finish the recruiting for 2001. And get ready for July 1 and the recruiting for 2002.
It has always been my goal to coach in the Southeastern Conference and at a great university such as Ole Miss. As a program, we will have many goals, some of which will be short term and some which will be long term, with the ultimate goal of bringing a National Championship to Ole Miss. Thank you so much for being here.
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
Q. Do you have a timetable for hiring a staff?
A. Tonight, I am going to go back and talk to the guys on my staff, and of course, I have received several resumes and applications from people who were confident that I would become the next baseball coach here. Mr. Shafer has also handed me several resumes, so on the plane ride home tonight, I will look over those things. It's important and we are going to try and make those decisions as quickly as possible. But, I don't want to put a timeline on it because I want to do what's right for the University and the baseball program.
Q. When exactly were you offered the job?
A. Last night about seven o'clock Tuesday evening (June 6).
Q. When was the first time you were contacted about the job?
A. (SHAFER) Mike was on my mind early on. At that time, McNeese State was in its conference playoffs and then the NCAAs. It (initial contact)wasn't right at the beginning of the search, but shortly thereafter. Because of the logistics, we talked back and forth on the phone, but the actual face-to-face visit was this past weekend.
Q. Were you contacted while McNeese State was still playing in the tournament?
A. Yes. But to be honest and probably what a lot media don't understand is that Mr. Shafer was very classy. All the candidates they were looking at were in postseason play and he was very adamant about not being a distraction. I really appreciate that, especially at McNeese State. It was our first appearance there (NCAAs) in seven years, so it was a big thing for the players and the university. I know a lot of people wanted this to happen quickly, but you have to respect the way he (Shafer) carried it out and we appreciated that.
Q. John, you obviously talked to a lot of people about this job. What about Mike stood out above the other candidates?
A. Mike was just special. He had great credentials as a player. He is a champion. As an assistant coach, he was a champion and then as a head coach was a champion, coach of the year. He has a great background working for two great men, Skip Bertman and Jim Wells. He had great training, and he knows the game. With everybody I talked to - and I talked to hundreds of people - I never heard one any negative comments, not one. Everything was positive. "Can't Miss" was the standard response I got. Then, when I met him and Camille I knew they were special people. As we went around town, they felt the same things that we felt when we visited Oxford. It was an easy choice.
Q. Talk about your coaching philosophy, how you got to this point and what we should expect to see from your team?
A. We are going to bring a system here that those of you who follow college baseball know a lot about. I coached for five years, as Mr. Shafer said, at LSU and was a player there. Skip Bertman is my mentor, and most of the baseball I know and how to run a program, I've taken from him. I am proud to say it. I also learned a lot of from Jim Wells, who was mentored by Skip Bertman. The system that everyone hears so much about is very broad. It's hard to be specific. It's more than pitching and hitting. It's about kids graduating and going to class and being involved in the community. It's about playing the law of averages and high-percentage baseball. We want to be excellent in everything we do on and off the field. We live it. Excellence isn't a part-time thing. It's something that programs realize if you're going to be a championship program that's how you conduct yourself.
Q. What about the challenges after coaching at McNeese State the last couple of years?
A. This is the premier baseball conference in the country, especially the SEC West which is the most dominant six teams in the country. It's a big challenge for us, but we're excited about it. We feel that Ole Miss has all the ingredients to be one of those top teams and we are excited to be here and get going. It's an honor to be in the SEC with coaches who I know well.
Q. Talk about some other things that you do help a program grow that you would like to bring to this program?
A. There is more to baseball than just winning the games. Winning is obviously important and that catches everybody's eye. There is something to be said for attendance. We want to have a program where the people in the community are very supportive. The unique thing about Ole Miss is that it is the flagship university of the state. This is something that the state can be proud of. We are ready to take it to that level. I am excited about the opportunity. We have a great facility. We talked just before coming in here that it should be packed on a Tuesday night for a baseball game at seven o'clock. People should feel that kind of excitement, and we want to bring that here.
Q. Earlier in the week you said you were anxious. What are your emotions now?
A. I think people who know me would say I am always anxious. I am excited. I have a lot of energy, and I want to get going here as soon as possible. When I leave here today, I have to go back home and handle a few things at McNeese State. I want to get back here quickly, hopefully by the end of the weekend or early next week. I will be doing a lot of things with Ole Miss such as calling the players and calling recruits from Lake Charles. I want to get started right now.
Q. What is the length of your contract?
A. Four years.
Q. You said you always wanted to coach in the SEC. Did you think that opportunity would come so quickly or did you see yourself being at McNeese State a little longer?
A. You set goals for yourself, and you strive everyday to accomplish them. My goal was to coach in the SEC. Baseball is a little different than a lot of the other sports like football and basketball. The turnover isn't as great. I don't think you ever know when those times are going to come. It's tough to set chronological goals like that, and I never really had. I knew this was where I wanted to end up and to coach at a great university that is committed to having a great baseball program like Ole Miss is. I am tickled to death to be here at 33.
Q. Did you contact John first, or did he contact you first?
A. I contacted him first.
,Q. Chancellor, would you talk about this situation and your feelings?
A. Mike represents the goals that we as a university community have set -- academic quality, community standards, integrity, character, concern for other people and success. In the world that he works in, success is measured on that scoreboard. We believe that Mike can provide the kind of energy and leadership which we need to have a baseball program that is truly an asset of this University and reflects the entire spirit and personality of this school. We are in a Commitment to Excellence (campaign) at this particular time and we've had phenomenal success over the last few years. Having a strong athletic program is a major part of being a great public university. That is our overall goal. As we look at our academic programs, student life, the campus and research activities as a faculty, we also look at the success of our athletics programs in the academic arena and the life skills training that goes into being an athlete in college and, of course, the performance on the athletic fields and courts. It's a comprehensive package, and we are delighted to have these young bright people join us.