Brad Haines has been sober since March 15, 2013 after a crippling addiction to prescription pills.
The Heritage Academy assistant baseball coach opened up to me about his journey.
Here's Part 1 of our three-part series on Haines.
What happened tonight in Starkville is an embarassment to baseball and the SEC. People are ruining the great game of baseball. God forbid anyone show emotion and god forbid some guys try to diffuse a situation and end up getting tossed from a game.
Long got emotional and
If this is Tua or Fromm the player would be suspended for the year. We have seen roughing calls for guys hitting a QB in the helmet with their forearm. The
@SECOfficiating
is atrocious week after week for all teams not named Bama, UGA or LSU
Think Juco is beneath you? Two Juco Bandits just helped State to get to the title game! They were prepared for that moment because they were a
#JucoBandit
Thank you to
@Im3Fly
for his time at MSU. He will go down amongst the great Bulldogs. Always played with heart and passion. He finished while others opted out. He never quit on his team. He was a constant when there was so much change. Thank you ET40 & best wishes in your future.
11 years sober today. I’m grateful to those who have shown me grace and support along the way. Addiction is a beast and destroys everything in its path. I was severely addicted to opiates and pills.
11 years ago I was sitting in a jail cell. Arrested for possession of a
At UF he covered up troubles for Aaron Hernandez including failed drug tests, assault and shooting incident.
At tOSU he knowingly kept a coach on staff despite knowing domestic abuse was going on & along with his wife tried to cover it up.
Jags tenure was disaster.
Also I don’t wanna hear crap about Joe Moorhead or a player of you weren’t at the game today. That’s absolutely embarrassing to have that showing for a game against a Power 5 team. Yeah it was hot but they guys were hotter than we were. Support your team or go somewhere else
Joe Moorhead was damn good to me and my daughter. I’ll always be appreciative of that and always support him. I believe he was in a no win situation. He made mistakes. I believe he will land on his feet and be successful. Thanks
@BallCoachJoeMo
for all you did for my family
Watch this interaction and watch the interaction between him and Shrader at the end of the game. These guys love their coach and he loves them. All the garbage spewed lately won’t change that. Great team win yesterday!
Saw
@BallCoachJoeMo
this weekend while supporting some of my players in the state tourney. I didn’t want to bother him as he was there to watch his son but I witnessed him shake every hand and sign every autograph. Never hesitated. Glad to have him leading our Dawgs.
Stefon Diggs won’t be in Buffalo next year. Something happened this year.
Wide open underneath for first down and keep moving ball and clock.
You can’t expect a top WR to keep being happy with 3 catches and 30 yards.
It’s baffling how the Bills continue to fail.
You can’t win with most Mississippi State fans. You mollywhop a bad team and put up 600 yards and 54 points and it’s still negativity. They wanted State to struggle or lose so they could continue to bitch and moan. They just can’t be happy for the team and coaches.
Mississippi State may have the most toxic & negative fan base. Jaded so badly from years and years of heartbreak. Attacking coaches, players, former players & making things personal. Expect a whole lot better from the fan base. Be upset. You should be. Don’t be a jackass though
Celebrating 8 years sober today. Thankful for my family, friends, my players and my daughter who all helped me through the darkness. I love this game of baseball and love the kids I get to be around. They give me life and allow me to live out my passion and purpose. Thank you!
10 years sober. I battled a severe addiction to pain pills for many years. Somehow I survived. I’ve got so much to be thankful for including my family, friends, coaches and players. Don’t give up. Don’t lose hope. Life gets better. You can read my story in pinned post on profile.
Boy there is a section of the Miss State fan base that is something else! Pro tip: Don’t comment about situations that you do not have full knowledge of, don’t go after athletes on Twitter & just stop with the toxicity. If you aren’t happy then leave. You won’t be missed
I’m very thankful to have a man like
@BallCoachJoeMo
leading the MSU program. He just made my daughters Christmas very special. During a busy time for him with recruiting, bowl prep and doing holidays with his family he took the time to send her a special gift. Thanks again Coach
Congrats to LSU and Coach O. I’m happy for him. He was fired and failed miserably in his first gig. He learned from failure, picked himself up and tonight he is a national champion!
#GeauxTigers
Baby girl turns 15 tomorrow. She’s my everything and for the longest time it’s just been me and her. She’s gotten me through some bad times and given me many good memories. So blessed to have her! I just have to keep her away from my players!
Asking for some prayers for my daughter
@marlee_haines
. She’s being admitted to Childrens in Birmingham and is pretty sick. We aren’t exactly sure what all is going on but hoping for relief and answers soon.
Today marks 9 years of sobriety. I’m thankful to everyone who has supported me along this journey.
@Theo_DeRosa
wrote my story last year. Whatever you do, don’t lose Hope!
Part 1 -
Part 2 -
Part 3 -
Wake up in the morning, grab your cowbell and get to the game. The guys need us and we can’t quit on them.
I’ve got a feeling. Could be the Taco Bell or could be something special!
As always
#HailState
I can guarantee you no one is more frustrated than the coaches and the guys in that State dugout. They are searching for answers. There’s a lot of dudes and competitors in that locker room. Just gotta find a way to stop bleeding.
Trashing on social media won’t help any.
All Valdez-Scantling has done his whole career is drop passes. He did it with Rodgers in GB and Mahomes in KC. They give this man 30 mil. He’s had two generational QB’s and can’t catch. 14 catches on the year for 10 mil a year! Cut your losses KC.
Proud of the 49 Dawgs dressing out today for
@HailStateFB
! It’s easy to quit. It’s not easy to continue walking through adversity. These 49 young men are the foundation of the future. Doubt we shock the world today but fortune favors the bold.
#HailState
Reminded yesterday that we have the right man at the helm with
@BallCoachJoeMo
! Thanks for taking the time with our players! Enjoyed getting to visit with you Coach! Hail State Always!
What a way to cap it off!
@HailStateFB
commit
@1wesleymiller
with this interception to seal a State Title and finish his high school career! I can’t tell you how much I love this dude and proud of him!
.
@1wesleymiller
may have had his best game tonight. He made plays all over the field. Had an offensive TD, 2 pt conversion, forced fumble and a huge pick to help seal it.
@HailStateFB
getting a good one! Proud of this dude!
So my baseball team rolled my yard. I’m really concerned about the arm strength on the team. They couldn’t even make it over the house. We got lots of work to do.
Great bounce back for the Dawgs. Stinnett looked great in starting role. Hines is a stud.
Gotta stay the course and allow guys to find their roles and come together. It is gonna be ok
I am 100% convinced the person(s) who made the decisions in the SEC office last night to have States entire starting lineup ejected has never ever competed in a game.
They’ve never laced a pair a spikes, strapped on a jock, stood in a box against a dude throwing a ball 90+mph &
Man I just can’t believe it. Kobe was the fiercest competitor ever! A leader. An icon. The Mamba Mentality! 🐍
We lost a legend. His daughters lost their father.
My guy
@ColeKetchum1
got his 2nd win tonight with a dominant performance. 13 k’s and 0 BB’s. ERA still at 0.00. Through 3 outings he has struck out 25 and walked one. Topped at 92 tonight and had his slider and change up working well!
@PBR_Mississippi
@15Lafferty
@OleMissBSB
I’m so sick of hearing the Joe Moorhead bashing. Promise you that guy is as frustrated as anyone of us. We got fans who can’t tell you what a choice route is trying to tell him how he should run an offense. It’s like the little league dad yelling at his kid. Step in the box fella
I was blessed to be able to share my story with our students this morning at FCA. Thankful for the support of our baseball players. Addiction once had an ugly grip on me but I’m blessed to have overcome. Heritage is a special place to me with special kids and great leaders.
@clarionledger
@_Max_Donaldson
surely you guys have more empathy and grace than to be so tone deaf. The man is on his death bed and you're doing articles about the interim?
Listen to his players. Take the rat poison elsewhere. There’s been failures and there will be growth. Players and the team don’t need the toxicity of anonymous trolls
Let me tell y’all something This is my Coach I Love this man with my heart and Soul and it’s crazy to me how y’all Disrespect this man I just don’t understand it, But I know one thing y’all better learn to respect him because he ain’t going no where no time soon !!
#Hailstate
It’s always great listening to
@jimellismsu
call
@HailStateBB
baseball game. That’s when you truly know it’s baseball season. Liiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnned foul.
Congrats to head coach
@SmithT67
on his first head coaching win! 50-25 final over Winston Academy! Proud of him, the team and coaches! Lots of hard work paying off!
Greatest line in
@rickandbubba
history from Greg. Talking about the song “Daddy Days” a woman called in and said “I’m not a dad but...” to which Greg responded “you never know nowadays”! I drove off the road laughing!
@bigvox
@SpeedyCalvin
@helmsey_mhelms
@nextlevelbb
He didn’t miss on Cannizzaro. Andy was highly regarded and his only year was a good one. You can’t predict him going off the rails chasing panties.
2024
@jackketchum24
for
@HA_PatsBaseball
looked good today in scrimmage. Worked fastball 89-91 while working in his cutter 80-83 and mixed in slider 78-79.