New Coaching era signaled with Smoke
GRAHAM: How do you feel when you wake up in the morning and you know that you’re LSU’s baseball coach?
SMOKE: I wake up in the morning and make sure my kids are doing alright. I walk my dogs. It’s just another day, every day is another one for me. I guess it would be the same as if I was at Northeastern or if I was at Vanderbilt.
GRAHAM: How does it feel to replace a guy like Skip Bertman?
SMOKE: I’m not trying to replace him. That wouldn’t be fair to me, our school or our players. The only thing I am going to try and do is add on to the foundation that we’ve built since 1983. To replace him or do what he’s done, it can’t be done. Parity has set in [these days] in college baseball. Trying to add on to the foundation, getting certain places in the SEC and Omaha and let the chips fall where they may, that’s our ultimate goal.
GRAHAM: You seem to be a very “hands on” type of coach who is very intense in practice. Where do you get your coaching philosophy from?
SMOKE: That’s all from coach Bertman. Being here 10 years with Skip, and then you know, adding on a few wrinkles, some new ideas, but most of it comes from him. Then we’ll filter down depending on the players and teams and so forth.
GRAHAM: At media day, you kind of showed a good sense of humor with some of the jokes you threw out at us. Where does that jokable personality come from?
SMOKE: You know I think that’s just part of being a head coach. When you go out and speak, you have to add a little humor to it. It’s not all Xs and Os. Also, to let the people know that baseball is a fun game.
GRAHAM: What about LSU baseball are you most looking forward to this season?
SMOKE: Seeing if I can get these kids to compete on a day-to day basis. I’ve been in baseball 21 years, so I’m not looking forward to anything other than to see if I can get the club working together on all cylinders.
GRAHAM: Where do you get the nickname “Smoke” from?
SMOKE: That was given to me when I was in junior college in Panama City, Florida. I could either be called Yank or Smoke because of a catcher from the Pittsburgh Pirates called Smokey Burgess. I’m from Pittsburgh. I was a left-handed hitting catcher, so it was either Yank or Smoke.
GRAHAM: Who were some baseball role models you looked up to growing up?
SMOKE: I was a catcher, so Johnny Bench was a definite guy I looked up to. I guess he was every catcher’s dream and local hero. I was very fortunate to have gone to a lot of Pittsburgh Pirates games and watch Roberto Clemente play a lot. It was only 50 cents to sit in the bleacher creature section. Even the Steelers were in my heyday, to watch the work ethics of the Bradshaws and the Andy Russells. I was very fortunate to live in a good sports town.
GRAHAM: What would you consider to be a successful season for this LSU baseball team?
SMOKE: Not going by wins and losses, being able to get in the postseason and see what happens from there. To teach them the game, and teaching the game revolves around teaching about life, and to let them know they can balance grades and athletics. To me, that’s big. Once I can get that in, we’ll see what happens.
GRAHAM: Back last spring, the Reveille asked Skip Bertman who would win in a triple-threat match between himself, Nick Saban and John Brady. He said he thought he would win. With that thought in mind, if you and Skip got in a fight, who do you think would win?
SMOKE: I have youth on him, but probably not the smarts. If it was a spur of the moment, I think I could get him. I don’t want to give him two or three days to think about it because he would come up with a plan, and he’d probably win.
GRAHAM: It has been said that you look similar to wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan. Has anyone ever told you that?
SMOKE: About a gad-zillion times. That and “what’s it feel like to follow Skip Bertman?” are probably the most two phrases I have heard all year.
Graham Thomas