Johnson Era Ends at A&M

[ROY]

A very sad day in Aggieland and in the hearts of all true Aggie fans. If you do not know, Mark Johnson has been relieved of head coaching duties of the Aggie Baseball Program. I don't have the words to describe how great of a man and coach Mark Johnson is. I have had the honor to know him personally and I can honestly say that I have never met another coach with as much character and class as MJ. The Ags have had a very tough year to say the least, 14 + loses by 2 or less runs!!! The worst conference results in I don't know how long, but no one can argue that he has had an enormous amount of success at A&M in the past 19 years or so. I feel a little gut wrenched right now about it. I think he was close to retirement regardless of this year's results, but there is no way a guy like him deserves to be fired! Well, I'm sure I will have more to say later, but right now I'm out!

[AggieJohn]

Good, I know that MJ has been there for years and has done amazing things, but this is a good move for Texas A&M, i applaud bill byrne for waiting till after the season was over to make changes and not creating a stir during the season

[ej2525]

I saw the game yesterday & I thought that if they didn't win he might be gone. Not making the conference tournament I suppose was the final straw. Too bad!

[Phil C]

He had a great record and I think he had a lot of 42 plus win seasons. He deserved another year if he wanted in my opinion.

[AggieJohn]

i might have given him another year, however, he was frustrated, i was frustrated.....


as i a friend of mine put this season on his away message:


Studying physics and Watching aggie baseball..........two of the most unproductive things on campus this season

[VWG]

I would think that the time to move on was necessary.
Like it or not, missing the conf. tournament is a huge disaster to Texas A&M. It should have never happened in my opinion.

[sicem74]

haha sic em 35-34

[Phil C]

Originally posted by VWG
I would think that the time to move on was necessary.
Like it or not, missing the conf. tournament is a huge disaster to Texas A&M. It should have never happened in my opinion.

I hardly think it's fair to condemn the whole program because of one little slip up.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by sicem74
haha sic em 35-34 do you wanna get aggie john started? he can post many many more scores of a&m baylor football games with his school winning than you can.

[VWG]

Originally posted by Phil C
I hardly think it's fair to condemn the whole program because of one little slip up.

IMO I don't think it's one little slip up. They take 8 teams to the tournament out of 10. Only A&M and K-State didn't make it.
It's a long season..... there is time to right a ship and in my estimation it was never done. Turn the page.

[AggieJohn]

this is righting the ship....unfortunately we all hate to see MJ go

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by sicem74
haha sic em 35-34

wow... a baseball thread and all we can get outta this guy is 'haha sic em 35-34'...

Did Baylor finally win a game or something? ;)

[AggieJohn]

watch out you might get warned

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by AggieJohn
watch out you might get warned

OH NO!!! Are you saying a bear might get me?

HOLD ME I'M SCARRRED!

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
HOLD ME I'M SCARRRED!

Here ya go... http://www.smilieland.com/graphics/hug.gif

[AggieJohn]

Year Overall League Finish Post-Season
2005 30-25-1 9-18 9th
2004 42-22 14-12 5th NCAA Super Regionals
2003 45-19 19-8 2nd NCAA Regional Finals
2002 35-24 13-14 8th
2001 33-27 15-15 6th
2000 25-32 11-19 8th
1999 52-18 23-6 1st College World Series (0-2)
1998 46-20 21-9 1st NCAA Regional Finals
1997 39-22 19-11 3rd NCAA Regionals

Southwest Conference
1996 37-21 12-12 3rd
1995 44-22-1 15-9 T2 NCAA Regional Finals
1994 31-22 6-12 T5
1993 53-11 15-3 1st College World Series (1-2)
1992 41-20 22-14 2nd NCAA Reginal Finalist
1991 44-23 13-8 2nd NCAA Regionals
1990 43-17 11-10 5th
1989 58-7 17-4 T1st SWC Champs,
NCAA Regional Finalist
1988 52-15 17-4 2nd NCAA Regional Finalist
1987 44-22-1 14-7 3rd NCAA Regional Finalist
1986 45-23 16-5 T1st SWC Champs, NCAA Regionals
1985 39-16 12-9 T4th

[Johnny Utah]

1 losing season in all and you are telling me they are righting the ship?????????? How long are they going to give Fran???? What happens if Billy Clyde does worse next year??? Wow, sometimes wins and losses do not tell the whole story. He is a class act, players graduate, great role model, etc.... Would hate to be the AD and have to cow down to alumni with money, that would suck!!! ONe big problem I have with some sports is that the so called people in charge sometimes forget why coaches coach, to impact kids in a positive way. Will A&M not making the Big 12 Tournament cause someone to die of a heart attack??? What about those players that learned life lessons, got a chance to be leaders, and were successful on and off the field. In 19 years I am sure Johnson and his staff touched a lot of lives. Will the next coach take them to the College World Series more than twice???? UNBELIEVABLE!!! Sometimes there is need for change, but GIVE THE MAN the benefit of the doubt!!!! Again, 1 losing season overall!!! Most D-1 schools never see Omaha!!! I am not even an A&M fan, but this is not good for anyone in the coaching profession!!!

[sicem74]

will baylor beat a&m this year that a big yes shawn bell is gonna be ready!!!!!!!

[mwynn05]

You do know Baylor got lucky right?

[WOS1]

Originally posted by Johnny Utah
1 losing season in all and you are telling me they are righting the ship?????????? How long are they going to give Fran???? What happens if Billy Clyde does worse next year??? Wow, sometimes wins and losses do not tell the whole story. He is a class act, players graduate, great role model, etc.... Would hate to be the AD and have to cow down to alumni with money, that would suck!!! ONe big problem I have with some sports is that the so called people in charge sometimes forget why coaches coach, to impact kids in a positive way. Will A&M not making the Big 12 Tournament cause someone to die of a heart attack??? What about those players that learned life lessons, got a chance to be leaders, and were successful on and off the field. In 19 years I am sure Johnson and his staff touched a lot of lives. Will the next coach take them to the College World Series more than twice???? UNBELIEVABLE!!! Sometimes there is need for change, but GIVE THE MAN the benefit of the doubt!!!! Again, 1 losing season overall!!! Most D-1 schools never see Omaha!!! I am not even an A&M fan, but this is not good for anyone in the coaching profession!!!

Very well put... I would add that, this year WASN'T the losing season. They were actually 21-7 entering conference play, what happened?

[Johnny Utah]

All I can say is unbelievable!!! Hope Baylor wins the Big 12, or Morris might be GONE!!! KState better win the Big 12 in basketball or he is gone! Texas better win a National Title in football or he is gone. Tech better get more fans into the arena or Knight is gone!! How many losing seasons did Coach K have at Duke before he righted the ship??? Roy at UNC better win another NCAA title, no matter that all the players went to the NBA!!! Billy Clyde better win the Conf Tournament, make the elite 8 and graduate more players or he is gone!!! Loyalty, were is it going?????????????????????????????????

[sicem74]

no baylor jsut played there hearts out and they will win the big 12 and go to a bowl game! sic em 35-34

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by sicem74
no baylor jsut played there hearts out and they will win the big 12 and go to a bowl game! sic em 35-34 LMAO!!!!!!

[sicem74]

lol i dont see north texas beating a ranked team lol they had a chance when they played baylor but who won? sic em 35-34

[AggieJohn]

hey if you were actually in college station this year you could tell that this is coming, Bill Byrne, The AD, has a motto that we are in the process of building champions, MJ did that off the field, he created class acts, including cliff pennington, a christian and a genuinly nice man, MJ did his job off the field, however in conference play this year he didn't get the job done, and as a coach that is what you have to do, you win or you aren't there. It wasn't a secret that MJ needed to shape up the program. Byrne wanted him to step down last season, however MJ convinced Byrne to give him one more season to try to right the ship. This season wasn't righted, it's okay, aggie baseball will move on. I don't think that hearts are broken right now over the move.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by sicem74
lol i dont see north texas beating a ranked team lol they had a chance when they played baylor but who won? sic em 35-34 What happened the time before that if you wanna play that game. and when is the last time unt played a ranked team at home? beat someone ranked on the road then you have something on UNT. Of course they still wont have 4 consecutive conference titles!

[Johnny Utah]

You are probably right, hope you WIN every time in your future endeavors!!! I guess if Augie does not get back to Omaha he will be let go!!! Do you honestly think Fran can last 19 YEARS??????? Sometimes not attaining your goals one year, leads to even bigger successes the next year. Again, my point is, 19 years and 1 losing season overall!!! Do you coach? What other job must you depend on teenagers or college age kids to succeed for your future to be intact! Coaches are tough, and yes A&M will move on, but someone will get them one heck of a coach if he does not retire!!! Wonder who A&M will hire??? Bryne is bringing in some HIGH profile coaches, the Alumni are happy. Be careful of what you wish for!!

[sicem74]

ok if baylor and north texas played each other who would win???? 37-14 sic 'em

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by sicem74
ok if baylor and north texas played each other who would win???? 37-14 sic 'em

Baylor is doing a wonderful job of recruiting here as of late, so it is swinging towords the bears...

But one things for certain, if UNT were to beat A&M they wouldn't dedicate a whole signature to it...

37-14 get 'em (lives, that is)

all in fun, btw

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by sicem74
no baylor jsut played there hearts out and they will win the big 12 and go to a bowl game!

Whatever you have, you need to share. :D

[AggieJohn]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
Whatever you have, you need to share. :D
poty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tiger Turtle]

MJ has been a class guy and has represented the university well for 21 years, but the program has been in an overall downward trend for the past few years. I would have preferred that he resign with dignity rather than being fired, but it was time to shake up the program, just as it was time to shake up the football program when RC was ousted. I hate to see both of them go, because they were good men and had reasonable periods of success, but sometimes it is necessary to make a change. MJ went out with class and gratitude, just as he conducted the program. All Aggies should be grateful for his service.

[AggieJohn]

he was there for 19 years

[Hobbs]

Asst. since 83
Hd coach since 85
You do the math John!