Meet Talvis Franklin - New Director of Basketball Operations

Secret Agent Bulldog 001 had this to say about Talvis:

Talvis Franklin is the new Coordinator of Operations for MSU Basketball. I have personally known Talvis for the past 5 years and feel Coach Stansbury couldn't have picked a better man for the position. Talvis is 33 years of age, married and has children. He has been a manager for the team for the past 5 years and Senior Manager for the past 3 years. In fact, when I heard that Mark Price was leaving the program for another coaching position, I suspected that Coach Stansbury would move Marcus Grant into a full time Assistant position and started lobbying as much and as often as I could for Talvis to get the Coordinator's position. I could write a bio on Talvis, but I feel the attached bio written by Susan Hughes, MSU Athletic Media Relations tells his story better than I ever could. This appeared in Bullday Gameday program on February 14, 2007 for the MSU vs. Arkansas game. Talvis' picture was also featured on the cover of that Program. At the end of Mississippi State's bench sits a student who has been a part of Coach Rick Stansbury's basketball program longer than any other. Most fans don;t even know his name nor will he ever be seen in game action on the Humphrey Coliseum court. However, don't underestimate his contribution to the team, because senior manager Talvis Franklin carries the spirit of the sport in his ever-present smile. "I live by the motto 'if you find a job you love, you will never work a day in life' and there is no greater love in life than basketball," Franklin revealed. "Even though I am only 5 feet 7 inches, I love basketball more than any other sport out there. A senior teaching and coaching major at State, Franklin has found a way to incorporate his passion into his future, but upon graduation from high school things were not so clear. A mere 10 credit hours away from completing an associate's degree at Itawamba Community College, Franklin decided instead to enter the working world. Initially leaving school behind to enter the 'real world,' he eventually changed his mind about his education and career path. "it was one of those things where you say this is just not for me," Franklin recalled. "So I went back and graduated from ICC and decided to come to State." Having arrived in Starkville with his mind set on devoting his life to basketball, Franklin, a Tupelo native, set his sights on finding a way into State's basketball program. Although he had not been a manager in high school, a meeting with assistant coach Phil Cunningham put him on the path to becoming one at MSU. "I made it my priority to become a part of this program and I have every day since then. I've lost a lot of friends because it takes so much of my thime, but you have to sacrifice some things to get other things," Franklin noted. "I wanted to learn the game and I figured with the staff we have here that I couldn't go wrong." In the time he has been a part of Mississippi State's hoops program, the team has tasted success with Southeastern Conference titles as well as NCAA Tournament appearances and top 25 rankings. But no matter what the situation or what the season holds, Franklin has been there with a cheerful disposition and a smile to help make sure everything is taken care of for the team. "People think that we just cheer on the bench and that road games are like a vacation, but we work really, really hard," Franklin admitted.I love the travel, but it is a lot of work. During games I am busy tracking hustle plays, along with how many times a guy is in the passing lane, as well as trying to keep our guys motivated." Being a manager for an SEC basketball club is a full-time job, one that Franklin is glad he doesn't have to shoulder alone. This season's youthful Maroon and White squad is supported by seven managers, including fellow fifth-year senior Andy King, who are able to split up the numerous daily tasks. Though the work can be tedious and time-consuming, Franklin is able to see the big picture and understand how every experience is educational. "Basketball is not just a game. The things we go through on the court teach us real-life situations," Franklin explained. "The biggest thing I have seen is that if you approach a situation lackluster then that's what you are going to get out of it. But if you are giving 110 percent then that's what you are getting out of it. There is always a lesson being learned out on the court and you can equate it to anything. Franklin indeed gives 110 percent in everything he does. In fact, he could already have graduated with his degree, but teaching and coaching is not enough for him. He knows there is a lot of competition out there for physical education positions in schools and he has taken on additional emphases in sociology and social studies to become more marketable. And he knows there is more he can do for the team. "I could have quit school and gone back to working, but I wouldn't get the satisfaction from winning or from showing a guy something that will stay with him for the rest of his life," Franklin beamed. "A lot of people don't realize you have to train and raise young men - men who have to lead other young men - so it's not just about basketball in the locker room." While being a senior manager give him the opportunity to teach, he is till eager to learn whatever comes his way. Franklin has a laundry list of people he has net over the years and friendships he has developed with athletes, coaches and managers across the country, but he believes none have been as beneficial as the relationships he has nurtured with member of the Bulldog coaching staff. "Coach Stansbury has been one of my biggest mentors and I have taken a lot from what he does and says and how he approaches the game on the court every day. We have a great coaching staff," Franklin said. "I put all of my efforts into basketball because I know it is going to pay off sooner or later." Franklin hopes his efforts will pay off in the form of a coaching position after he graduates. After watching practices on a daily basis for five years and helping track plays and statistics from the bench, he knows the game inside and out. Now, he is eager to put his knowledge to use and begin his own career. "I want to touch the game with my mind and pass along the fundamentals of passing, dribbling and shooting to young kids since most of them only pay attention to the big plays and they have no idea what the fundamentals are," Franklin stressed. "I know I will have to start small, but once that door opens what's when I will kick it down, go ahead through and keep charging forward."
-001

Talvis sounds like he has earned this opprotunity and will make a fine addition to our coaching staff.

Psalm 25:10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.