Coach Phil Clark announced yesterday his retirement from coaching after 34 years split between skyview, germantown and bartlett. He is high school baseball in this area and anyone that would argue is a little confused. He is a great man that played for the tigers, sent alot of his own players to memphis and his son zach currently coaches for the tigers. He is the stick by which all local baseball coaches are measured and almost every single prominent high school program has a coach that has ties to Coach Clark in some way. I played for him and up until last night coached against him, hes like a second father for me and will be greatly missed in the dugout. So if any of you happen to ever see him at a game and you know him in any way congratulate him on touching so many lives during his time.

(09-27-2013 09:57 AM)tigercat20 Wrote:  Coach Phil Clark announced yesterday his retirement from coaching after 34 years split between skyview, germantown and bartlett. He is high school baseball in this area and anyone that would argue is a little confused. He is a great man that played for the tigers, sent alot of his own players to memphis and his son zach currently coaches for the tigers. He is the stick by which all local baseball coaches are measured and almost every single prominent high school program has a coach that has ties to Coach Clark in some way. I played for him and up until last night coached against him, hes like a second father for me and will be greatly missed in the dugout. So if any of you happen to ever see him at a game and you know him in any way congratulate him on touching so many lives during his time.

I never played for him, mainly because I stink at baseball, I played hoops. however, I had him for a class at Germantown. he was easy to get along with in the classroom, I liked him fine. he did seem like a loud in your face type of guy.

I had him for economics at Bartlett. He would give us our assignment then go outside and smoke and talk baseball on the phone for the rest of the hour.

He is a great coach. No doubt.

A legend no doubt. Wanted the Tiger job years ago. Just think where the program would be now had they hired him instead of Hopkins or Anderson or Rock.

Excellent Coach! Wish him well.

(09-27-2013 11:27 AM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  A legend no doubt. Wanted the Tiger job years ago. Just think where the program would be now had they hired him instead of Hopkins or Anderson or Rock.

Yeah, that still hisses me off.

(09-27-2013 12:57 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 11:27 AM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  A legend no doubt. Wanted the Tiger job years ago. Just think where the program would be now had they hired him instead of Hopkins or Anderson or Rock.

Yeah, that still hisses me off.

I don't think Clark would have been a better choice than Rock. Did he have any experience as a college baseball coach? Would he know the ropes in college recruiting? Rock was assistant head coach at both Georgia and Miss State (not to mention an MLB pitching coach) and has been doing an excellent job here. Beating top programs such as Miss State and Ole Miss who have better facilities and support should bring more credit than he gets on this forum. In my opinion, we have a far better baseball coach than our fans deserve.

Someone care to elaborate on what happened last year while on a baseball trip?

Bartlett will miss him, go panthers

(09-27-2013 10:46 AM)MemphisTigerFreak Wrote:  I had him for economics at Bartlett. He would give us our assignment then go outside and smoke and talk baseball on the phone for the rest of the hour.

No baseball great is without his tobacco.

(09-27-2013 03:10 PM)natebshaw09 Wrote:  Someone care to elaborate on what happened last year while on a baseball trip?

Kids being kids. No big deal. A small wager about what a kid would or would not do. It was dealt with and everyone moved on.

(09-27-2013 02:52 PM)Gray Avenger Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 12:57 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 11:27 AM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  A legend no doubt. Wanted the Tiger job years ago. Just think where the program would be now had they hired him instead of Hopkins or Anderson or Rock.

Yeah, that still hisses me off.

I don't think Clark would have been a better choice than Rock. Did he have any experience as a college baseball coach? Would he know the ropes in college recruiting? Rock was assistant head coach at both Georgia and Miss State (not to mention an MLB pitching coach) and has been doing an excellent job here. Beating top programs such as Miss State and Ole Miss who have better facilities and support should bring more credit than he gets on this forum. In my opinion, we have a far better baseball coach than our fans deserve.

Everyone has an opinion. Phil has had enough kids recruited to have an idea what is involved. Memphis has way too much baseball talent that would have loved to play at the next level for Phil. Parents actually sell their homes and move to the Bartlett High zone to play for Phil. The guy is a winner, no doubt. He has so many former players as coaches in the area that I believe would have made recruiting much easier. Rock has beaten some teams, but just can't take us to the next level. We used the stadium as an excuse for years. Fedex took care of that. We used our conference as an excuse, now we improved that. It is time for him to step it up a notch. Our fans and players deserve way better results that we have gotten. Blaming our fans for wanting results is garbage. It is time to quit using excuses and start showing some results.

(09-27-2013 05:32 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 03:10 PM)natebshaw09 Wrote:  Someone care to elaborate on what happened last year while on a baseball trip?

Kids being kids. No big deal. A small wager about what a kid would or would not do. It was dealt with and everyone moved on.

All the schools still chant "7 dollars" at football games..
And Arlington sent a "friendly reminder" too us saying "Remember Bartlett kids admisson to the game is 7 dollars!"

Lol..

Yep, I know one of the kids. It was a crazy thing to do but it was one of those moments you wish you could take back. I am sure everyone here has something they wish they could turn back the clock and have a do over. If they hadn't used the cell phone video, it would not have gotten the EXPOSURE it did.

Coach Clark was an amazing coach, teacher and all around person. I got the opportunity to be in his economics class junior year at Germantown

Congrats to Phil. I went to high school with him. Maybe that means I can retire sometime soon...

(09-27-2013 05:43 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  Blaming our fans for wanting results is garbage. It is time to quit using excuses and start showing some results.

We have had results. There is a definite upward trend. Those who want results need to come out to the stadium and attend games. Ole Miss, Miss State, Arkansas and Vanderbilt have big stadiums packed with fans on weekends. Not an excuse - FACT. Coach Rock has already built a better program than most deserve.

Thanks for the story.

I've been gone from Memphis over 40 years, but still love to read things like this.

(09-27-2013 08:46 PM)Gray Avenger Wrote:  

(09-27-2013 05:43 PM)Sheldon Cooper Wrote:  Blaming our fans for wanting results is garbage. It is time to quit using excuses and start showing some results.

We have had results. There is a definite upward trend. Those who want results need to come out to the stadium and attend games. Ole Miss, Miss State, Arkansas and Vanderbilt have big stadiums packed with fans on weekends. Not an excuse - FACT. Coach Rock has already built a better program than most deserve.

Quit blaming the fans. That is kindergarden crap. Take your excuses some where else. I have been to more games than many. Had family play going back to Hopkins and Anderson and Rock. Lack of butts in the seats is your new excuse. If Rock had more success, people might show up more. I know attendance is weak, but blaming attendance is your way of accepting mediocre results. Stop with your low expectations. We deserve a consistent product. Take your kool aid and your kiddy excuses and go find some blue and gray. Rock needs to take it to the next level and soon.