There’s a difference between jobs coaches will take and jobs they want. Often times, you can tell that difference in the things they say and the way they say them during their first few days on the job.
When Monte Lee was officially introduced as Clemson’s new baseball coach for the first time on Monday, one thing stood out to me above all other things.
He didn’t start thinking about being Clemson’s head baseball coach when the job opened up.
It might be a reach to describe it as a “dream job”, but Lee clearly has an embedded understanding of Clemson’s historical place in college baseball’s hierarchy within him somewhere. As a native of South Carolina who has coached and played in the state for his entire life, there’s a decent chance he considered representing Clemson in some capacity at some point, whether growing up or as a young coach.
After all, Clemson has been a marquee name for decades. Lee is only 38. He’s seen the sustained success of the program over time. A certain allure exists for those kinds of places.
Lee came up with an acronym—TIGERS—that encompasses the ideals he wants Tiger baseball to be founded upon. It wasn’t a groundbreaking list, but it impressed me that he came up with it in a few days. It shows he put some thought into not just getting the job, but doing the job.
Lee came across as genuine. His southern roots were distinctly portrayed. He used the phrase “second to none” on several occasions and is approaching the job with an aggressive mindset that he plans to take to the field.
Even though I observed evidence to the contrary on several occasions, Clemson has had a reputation for being tight when games start to matter. (NOTE: I’m not saying the team was never tight. I’m just saying people threw that around after losses before which the team appeared incredibly loose.) Lee said he would ensure his players enjoyed the fruits of their respective labors on game days, even throwing in the phrase “you don’t work the game, you play the game” (I may steal this from time to time).
He touted the importance of relationships, both with his staff and his players. He touted his experience in and around the game of baseball in the state of South Carolina and said recruiting in the state was the “utmost priority”—again, a response to criticism of the previous regime that had become outdated over time.
This may be the most cliché thing I’ve ever written, but only time will tell if Monte Lee’s hiring does what it’s supposed to do—return Clemson baseball to the pinnacle of the college baseball world. That task certainly isn’t something Lee only first considered two weeks ago.
In fact, I’d wager returning Clemson to that place is something he’s considered for years.
God Bless!
WQ