Does Ray have any expectations, or does he get a pass forever?

[SouthMsDawg]

I like the guy personally, and think that hes a very likable guy who means well. However unless he finds some new assistants who can coach and recruit offensive players who can hit open jumpers and score the ball we are never going to get any better.

Assuming he is back next year, what expectations are expected next year or are there any? If yall have noticed Ray along with announcers are starting to use the comment "this is like my first year" to try to win over sympathy bc of the shit show he inherited. However it ACTUALLY is YEAR 3 and we still can't shoot the 3, are one of the worst teams in the nation in Assist to turnover ratio, and are dead last in the SEC in scoring. We do play tough defense though. However if you can't score off turnovers it kills your chances to win games.

I assume we will win a couple more games this year, and with that said after a 3rd straight losing season what are and will be the expectations for RICK RAY and the Mississippi State basketball program going into 2015-2016?

Also, how does Ray expect to improve attendance. Its sad to see the Hump look so empty on TV game after game.

[Coach34]

I think pretty much everyone expected to win last night.

Indications are he is returning next year. Anything short of a postseason appearance should lead to firing. Hell, 5 or less wins in the SEC this year is worth firing to me.

[HailState39110]

Croom went to a bowl game in his 4th year. Nough said

[engie]

He's on the clock now. Has been all year.

He needs to make the NCAA tourney next year for me to be satisfied with keeping him around. Even the worst situations manage to get it going by year 4 if they are going to get going. Scott Drew made the NCAAs in year 5 -- in spite of sanctions not allowing him to play a nonconference schedule in year 3 and on NCAA probation looming/enacted through year 7 there. Tom Crean took a probation team and made the Sweet 16 in year 4. Our situation wasn't as bad as either of those.

If we aren't winning at Stansbury levels by year 4 with at least 4 upperclassmen starters, led by a core of 3 seniors that will be leaving, we just aren't going to win at that level under this regime -- and it will be time to do something different.

To me, and I've supported Ray along the way, but he hasn't met my expectations in year 2 and isn't in year 3 either. 3 straight underachievements, and I'm calling for his head along with everyone else. Although that doesn't guarantee that I'll be "correct" -- as I felt like I saw approximately 3 straight underachievements from Mullen from Auburn2011-aTm2013, although that was nowhere near the level of ineptitude that Ray has shown us at times...

[Liverpooldawg]

I think he should be fired if we finish below .500 again. In all honesty as an SEC school you shouldn't finish below .500 ever. Doing it three times in a row is completely unacceptable. If that happens and he is still the coach it starts to reflect badly higher up in the athletic department.

[Liverpooldawg]

Mullen never approached this level of bad play. He was also coaching in the top division of the top football conference in the country. The SEC in basketball is nowhere near that level.

I find the word underachieving very interesting in this context. The sad thing is I'm not sure we are underachieving in basketball. It looks to me that except on the odd nights when we make more shots than we normally do, what you are seeing is what we got. What we desperately need is a few shooters. Maybe Jimmy Chitwood still has some eligibility left.

[codeDawg]

He needs to make the NCAA tourney next year for me to be satisfied with keeping him around.

I agree, and I also know he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell to accomplish that. We need to move on.

[HoopsDawg]

We have to put feelers out to see if anyone will take this job. We can't fire him without a plan in place.

[tcdog70]

we are burning daylight with Rick Ray. In 3 years His team still can't inbound the ball. Zone defenses completely baffle Him. Fire Ray Today!

[HancockCountyDog]

Im concerned about giving him next year. We give him next year and lets say we improve and go 9-9 in SEC and win 20 games and make the NIT with an extremely senior laden team. If that happens, he won't get fired. Then looking at 2016/17, we will be starting over. Barring a monster recruiting class for the 2016 season, we would be sacrificing the 2016/17 season and maybe more.

I just think if you give him next year, you are most likely giving him two more years.

[codeDawg]

Im concerned about giving him next year. We give him next year and lets say we improve and go 9-9 in SEC and win 20 games and make the NIT with an extremely senior laden team. If that happens, he won't get fired. Then looking at 2016/17, we will be starting over. Barring a monster recruiting class for the 2016 season, we would be sacrificing the 2016/17 season and maybe more.

I just think if you give him next year, you are most likely giving him two more years.

Yup. We are Croom-ing ourselves all over again.

[msstate7]

We have to put feelers out to see if anyone will take this job. We can't fire him without a plan in place.

I agree. If we can get a good coach this year, make the move. If we don't have a deal in place, hold off till we do

[HoopsDawg]

Yup. We are Croom-ing ourselves all over again.

297th in the country in total offense.
340th in assist to turnover ratio.
326th in 3 pointers made per game.

[TheDogFather]

I think pretty much everyone expected to win last night.

Indications are he is returning next year. Anything short of a postseason appearance should lead to firing. Hell, 5 or less wins in the SEC this year is worth firing to me.

Why the change of heart? Last week you berated a thread with your 100% certainty that Ray is given next year. You said you had the highest source. Why hedge on that bet now? Wrong then or wrong now?

[RougeDawg]

I agree. If we can get a good coach this year, make the move. If we don't have a deal in place, hold off till we do

F*ck. We could have a mannequin on the sideline holdings clipboard and win more games than we do now. I've been saying it since day one. We WOULD win more games without a head coach than we do with Ray coaching us. Plus we could save a mil a year.

Unless we finish 7-11 in SEC this year he should be gone. Without his dukbass substitutions and personnel groupings we would have 2-3 more SEC W's already. For those to not see this, you must not be looking.

[msugolf]

We are in a really bad spot with our men's basketball program as it relates to its future.

Lets say he gets a 4th year and somehow finds his way into the NIT. That will in turn buy him at least 2 more years and we'll be stuck right back in the same situation. There will be no true fan support, even if he starts winning some games. Once you lose a customer/client (fans/supporters as it relates to sports) then your chances of ever getting them back are close to 0. They might pay more attention to you if you produce a slightly better product but they definitely won't totally reinvest or buy back in.

Or lets say he gets a 4th year and doesn't make any post season, which I think happens. He's then let go and we are starting over from scratch, while trying to entice a new coach to come into a situation where the cupboard is bare, which in turn lengthens the recovery process.

To me its a pretty easy decision really. You have to cut your losses. Ray's ceiling is extremely limited. We have a PG who isn't strong or explosive enough to fight through traps or create a shot. A SG (Sword) who can not go to his left and is limited shooting the ball. Another 3 guard, Thomas, who has extremely low ball handling skills, problems creating a shot, inconsistent. A 4/5 Ware, that lacks explosiveness, toughness and settles for jump shots. Another 4, Houston, who is an outstanding athlete, but below average ball handler and shooter.

Those are a lot of personnel issues to have on a team when trying to convince me that "next year" will be their year. At this point, you pretty much know what you have going forward and we don't have much. Lack a scoring threat in the post, lack a true 3 and stretch 4, no true ball handlers other than Ready, and most of all, the lack of any consistent outside shooters.

[Jack Lambert]

I agree. If we can get a good coach this year, make the move. If we don't have a deal in place, hold off till we do

There are a lot of good coaches out there who would love to make a move to the SEC money.

[Coach34]

Why the change of heart? Last week you berated a thread with your 100% certainty that Ray is given next year. You said you had the highest source. Why hedge on that bet now? Wrong then or wrong now?

Im not hedging- I was told he is getting next year

im simply saying what I personally would do

[SouthMsDawg]

Yup. We are Croom-ing ourselves all over again.

BINGO

[M.Fillmore]

This whole thing illustrates, that while Opie is far better than LT, he will never be a great AD. The hoops hire process was poorly conceived, resulted in a bad hire and Opie feels compelled to prove he was right and cram that square peg into the round hole. This is a Templeton type attitude.

Next year Ray will window dress, hire a new (and desperate) assistant or two, make the NIT due to seniors, get a contract extension, and stink again. Meanwhile Coach International Incident will make the NCAAs, open a new arena and Opie will surrender a 55 year advantage that we have had over Fredo in hoops. Hoddy Toddy.

And none of the above has anything to do with last night's loss to Bama. It has been apparent for a while.