Nearly every fan of a collegiate team has experienced this at some point during their time following the team. But Jim Schlossnagle is Exhibit A in why you, as a supporter, should never – EVER – trust a coach no matter how adamant they are about sticking with your team.
Schlossnagle on Monday was the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team. And if you dared ask him about the prospect of coaching another team, he got pretty upset about it.
One reporter found that out the hard way. When asking the coach about rumors that he was being considered for the head coaching position with rival Texas, Schlossnagle went off.
“I think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me that question, to be honest with you,” he fired back. “But I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. And that hasn’t changed in my mind.”
“That’s unfair to talk about something like that.”
That was Monday. On Tuesday he was named the head coach of Texas.
“I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again.”
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 25, 2024
Jim Schlossnagle left for Texas less than 24 hours following this press conference
pic.twitter.com/TIkuSE6gWw
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Jim Schlossnagle Bails On Texas A&M
Now, to add some context, Jim Schlossnagle did provide some commentary in that exchange.
“That’s unfair to talk about something like that,” he said.
“I understand you gotta ask the question, but I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job and I’ve poured every ounce of my soul in this job and I’ve given this job every single ounce I can possibly give it,” he added. “Write that.”
Well coach, there you go. We wrote it.
We’ll even add the context of the team just coming off a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Tennessee that could’ve secured the first national championship in Texas A&M history.
So yeah, it is a little bit unfair to have to address your job situation when you’ve literally just completed the grind of a terrific season that ended in a painful loss.
That said, here is an acceptable response to the question you know is coming from the media: ‘No comment,’ or some variation of, ‘I’m going to take a moment to soak up the success of our program this year and address other situations in the coming days.’
Not “I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again” followed by, ‘Oops, just kidding.’
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Your New Texas Longhorns Coach
Hours after insisting he was an Aggie for life, Jim Schlossnagle was introduced as the head coach of their bitter rival, the Texas Longhorns.
“After our baseball team arrived back in College Station earlier today, Jim informed me of his desire to leave Texas A&M,” Aggies athletic director Trev Alberts said in a statement.
Think about that. He made a big display of loyalty that his players likely saw at the press conference and then, after they all walked off the bus, Schlossnagle sprinted to the office of the athletic director and said he wanted out.
It’s a great hire for Texas by the way. A “home run hire” as Texas president Jay Hartzell said.
Schlossnagle is a winner. 135-62 in his three seasons with Texas A&M, including two Men’s College World Series visits. He was Baseball America National Coach of the Year in 2016 when he became the winningest coach in TCU baseball history.
But you can never take him at his word. As an athletic director. As a player. Parents of athletes being recruited. The media.
Schlossnagle in a statement following his hiring at Texas said he knows “many will be upset with my decision.”
Many more will be upset with how he handled it.
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