So much for that Joe Dooley momentum the Stands crew

[Coach34]

tried to throw out there.

Get on the RR train so it doesnt run you over. You would think the Cohen example taught these people something

[CJDAWG85]

I only got to see the 2nd half, but I was very impressed. Loved the defensive effort tonight.

[engie]

Yep...

Ready for those goalposts to move again...

[TheRef]

We've reached 8 wins. Last year it took us until our win against TSUN in March to reach 8 wins, for reference.

[Coach34]

Ray coaches our team and gets them to play their ass off- we havent had that at State since Williams "retired".

Can he recruit well enough? I dont ****ing know. I hope so because he aint a bad coach and could do well here. Let's support this ****er like he deserves and see what he can do

[engie]

Our bench outscored theirs 25-4.

Dooley would recruit circles around Ray -- and have us competing for championships by now**

[codeDawg]

If everyone can "bury" the hatchet, Ray can do great things at MSU.

[C222]

Stans supporters are so pissed right now. Joe Dooley..... Hahahahahahaha

[HailState39110]

Great win tonight and hopefully a sign of things to come. I wish our fans would start buying in some more to the program and bigger crowds would show at the hump.

[Bark]

Stans supporters are so pissed right now. Joe Dooley..... Hahahahahahaha

I don't have a dog in the fight either way but I think most were just saying that Dooley was more qualified by a long shot...which is true. Let's just keep winning and everybody will be happy and start supporting the program again.

[C222]

I don't have a dog in the fight either way but I think most were just saying that Dooley was more qualified by a long shot...which is true. Let's just keep winning and everybody will be happy and start supporting the program again.

They were saying Dooley would've been a better. Ray proved them wrong.

[MarketingBully01]

Yes, as I said in another thread. If Ray keeps winning, everyone will stop complaining and there won't be any detractors. 8-2 is great and it looks solid that we will be 10-3 before the SEC starts. I have been a big Ray critic from the beginning but I am pumped that we are 8-2. When we are winning, Bulldog fans are happy. If we are unhappy because we are winning, well we aren't fans then now are we....

[drunkernhelldawg]

Tremendous accomplishment. Just win baby.

[bully99]

Not a Stains supporter He had to go. But we've played a schedule softer than 34's belly. There's hope because there's a lot of miserable basketball teams in America.

[C222]

Not a Stains supporter He had to go. But we've played a schedule softer than 34's belly. There's hope because there's a lot of miserable basketball teams in America.

You were the one who started the Dooley thread. You still want him as our coach?

[Political Hack]

Joe Dooley is a damn good coach. Not sure how one game on MSU's floor defines him as a worse coach that Ray.

I like Ray, but it'll be years before we can compare the job the two have done at their respective schools.

[TopDog58]

Not a Stains supporter He had to go. But we've played a schedule softer than 34's belly. There's hope because there's a lot of miserable basketball teams in the SEC.

Fixed it for you.

Look, the schedule is soft to help boost the confidence of a team that is still trying to build a roster, much less a program. The SEC is a shitty, terrible league as it is. So what the hell would be the benefit of scheduling up and having a team get it's brains beat in? 8 of the 14 teams in the league have an RPI of 90 or higher and even the SEC darling Kentucky is sitting at 45 as we approach league play. Do you think they have a shot at improving on that? Doubtful. So at best, the SEC is a 3 team league in the dance. Hell, while the whole league sucks balls, what better time to take our lumps and pad the schedule with some creampuffs. The rest of the league isn't doing any better.

Besides, it's not like Bury ever scheduled tough to begin with. This isn't anything new for MSU hoops. Bury was the king of playing UNO and half the SWAC. Even when getting left out of the dance due to terrible RPI, he still didn't learn his lesson.

[It_Could_Happen]

Sign me up. It_Could_Happen is officially on the Rick Ray train.

[C222]

Joe Dooley is a damn good coach. Not sure how one game on MSU's floor defines him as a worse coach that Ray.

I like Ray, but it'll be years before we can compare the job the two have done at their respective schools.

There was a 4 page thread complaining because we didn't hire a coach our current coach just beat.

The guy got fired at ECU and spent 15 years as an assistant. I never understood all the hype I guess.

[grinnindawg]

We played well last night, hope the improvement continues.
Our defensive positioning has improved vastly since last year. Or at least it did last night.
Williams was correct that rebounding effort needs to improve when Ware is in the game.

Stans teams defended and rebounded with similar intensity until the debacle.
Neither he or Williams were above average offensive coaches.

[Jacksondevildog]

We played very well last night and that's encouraging, but Florida gulf coast is a shell of that team they had last year.

[Dawg61]

What we saw last night was drastically better than any other game this year. Let's hope it's a trend and not an accident.

[engie]

We played very well last night and that's encouraging, but Florida gulf coast is a shell of that team they had last year.

4 of 5 starters back = a "shell"?

[PMDawg]

I don't care either way, but I'm going to wait and see how we look when we get to the meat of our schedule before I decide anything. We looked ok against Utah state, but the talent gap was obvious. We looked awful against TCU. We looked good last night. Those are the only 3 games I've been able to watch so I don't have a strong opinion either way yet. Dog fights against Jackson state and a couple other total scrubs has me a bit concerned...thus the wait and see.

[Coach34]

Stans teams defended and rebounded with similar intensity until the debacle.
Neither he or Williams were above average offensive coaches.

Williams teams were coached as well defensively as anybody's. I also agree that he was no offensive genius but he did do a good job of getting the guys setting screens for 00- we used to wear people out that had to chase him around. Walters set some damn good screens in his day.

Stands early teams were not coached as well defensively- but overall were coached pretty well. Offensively, I dont even want to get into.

[Where'sWaldo]

I watched the Utah State game and IJ ready didn't play. He is big part of what we do and how well we played last night.

[Coach34]

I watched the Utah State game and IJ ready didn't play. He is big part of what we do and how well we played last night.

He's a true freshman and will get better. Had a good night last night- but he is going to have some 5-6 turnover nights too. Got something to build on though

[trob115]

Another thing people aren't hitting on enough from last night is Fred being able to knock down some shots. If he starts making shots for us , it will tremendously open up things offensively. We don't have a pure 3 shooter but hopefully he can start being a consistent option for us. I love the hustle out of our team. They are a fun gritty bunch to watch.

[Martianlander]

Liked the effort last night. As long as they keep that up good things should happen. I don't expect them to compete for an SEC title this year-just be competitive in general. With a good recruiting class hopefully we can look for better things.

[Political Hack]

if Fred can make shots, Johnson can rebound, Ware doesn't get in foul trouble, and IJ plays like he did last night we'll do pretty well.

I'd out Johnson in for Colin. He's a better defender and more aggressive down low on both sides of the floor. If Colin isn't expanding the D by making shots, his value diminishes in a hurry.

[smootness]

4 of 5 starters back = a "shell"?

Florida Gulf Coast is not drastically worse than they were last year. But people saw them beat Georgetown and go to the Sweet 16 and assumed they were an awesome team. They were a 15 seed last year; they beat Miami but lost 5 games in an awful conference.

They're a decent team who can be competitive, and it was a very good win. But people always overreact, both positively and negatively, to what happens in the Tournament when in reality, that is one or a few games out of an entire season.

[Political Hack]

Florida Gulf Coast is not drastically worse than they were last year. But people saw them beat Georgetown and go to the Sweet 16 and assumed they were an awesome team. They were a 15 seed last year; they beat Miami but lost 5 games in an awful conference.

They're a decent team who can be competitive, and it was a very good win. But people always overreact, both positively and negatively, to what happens in the Tournament when in reality, that is one or a few games out of an entire season.

yep. good win in that it will give us a little PR bump and give the players some mugh needed confidence gooing into conference play.

If we win the games we should and pull a few upsets, NIT is a real possibility this season.

[maroonmania]

I realized it was time for Stans to go and I am pumped with the effort we are getting now under Ray. However, Stans' teams during the first half of his tenure DID play hard and were some of the best rebounding teams MSU has EVER had historically. Just because we needed to make a change there is no reason to denigrate everything about the way they played.

[smootness]

I realized it was time for Stans to go and I am pumped with the effort we are getting now under Ray. However, Stans' teams during the first half of his tenure DID play hard and were some of the best rebounding teams MSU has EVER had historically. Just because we needed to make a change there is no reason to denigrate everything about the way they played.

I LOVED his early teams, from 02-04 especially. We outrebounded everybody, and we defended really well. We built those teams around Austin and Roberts, then had enforcers like Brandon Vincent and super athletic guards like Zimmerman, Bowers, and Frazier. Really, really fun teams to watch.

[sleepy dawg]

This thread is certainly a change of scenery around here. I support Ray and our team fully right now. I believe there may be good things to come in future seasons if we can keep getting better. However, we are still not a good team this year. I know it's all about improving, and I'm very glad to see us improving, but I hate to get our bipolar fans too much confidence like we did with our 7-0 run in football last year.
We are improving as a team. We can still get better. Our best years are ahead of us, but we will still finish in the bottom of the SEC this year. The SEC is bad, and we will be lucky to finish inside the top 11 in the SEC this year.

[Coach34]

was talking about this earlier with someone- his early recruiting was really good. Those guys had character and played their asses off. From 2006 on, it was very different

[drunkernhelldawg]

I realized it was time for Stans to go and I am pumped with the effort we are getting now under Ray. However, Stans' teams during the first half of his tenure DID play hard and were some of the best rebounding teams MSU has EVER had historically. Just because we needed to make a change there is no reason to denigrate everything about the way they played.

Well said.

[MadDawg]

I realized it was time for Stans to go and I am pumped with the effort we are getting now under Ray. However, Stans' teams during the first half of his tenure DID play hard and were some of the best rebounding teams MSU has EVER had historically. Just because we needed to make a change there is no reason to denigrate everything about the way they played.

That is the MsU way. One day, everything about Ray will be pissed on by the message board heros.

[smootness]

That is the MsU way. One day, everything about Ray will be pissed on by the message board heros.

You're already pretty much taking care of that now.

[MadDawg]

You're already pretty much taking care of that now.

Cute. Stupid as shit, but cute.

[smootness]

Cute. Stupid as shit, but cute.

How is it stupid? Do you not piss on everything Ray does? That's all I was saying.

[engie]

You're already pretty much taking care of that now.

Don't bother pointing out the hypocrisy of his position. It doesn't take...

[MadDawg]

How is it stupid? Do you not piss on everything Ray does? That's all I was saying.

No, actually I don't. But I understand that not agreeing with the masters here (coach34 and engie) is not accepted.

[smootness]

No, actually I don't. But I understand that not agreeing with the masters here (coach34 and engie) is not accepted.

Ok, link me to a post where you talked about Ray without pissing on him.

[engie]

No, actually I don't. But I understand that not agreeing with the masters here (coach34 and engie) is not accepted.

Feel free to refute anything smootness has said on this... If you can?

I disagree with him on PLENTY. But he's got a point. EVERYTHING you say about basketball involves bitching. It's no "2 year pass" for Ray -- it's simply grinding an ax about Stansbury.

It's interesting to me that you call people out for not bringing up/accurately remembering Stansbury's early accomplishments from a decade ago -- when you won't give Ray credit for anything positive that he's accomplishing currently. Essentially -- just trying to have your cake and eat it too.

[tcdog70]

Got to give give Rick Ray and Our Team a big "Atta Boy". A well played Game

[C222]

Feel free to refute anything smootness has said on this... If you can?

I disagree with him on PLENTY. But he's got a point. EVERYTHING you say about basketball involves bitching. It's no "2 year pass" for Ray -- it's simply grinding an ax about Stansbury.

It's interesting to me that you call people out for not bringing up/accurately remembering Stansbury's early accomplishments from a decade ago -- when you won't give Ray credit for anything positive that he's accomplishing currently. Essentially -- just trying to have your cake and eat it too.

Don't waste your time. He loved Polk and wanted Cohen fired early too.

[MarketingBully01]

Yes, I agree. Very well played game and they played the game to their strengths which is defense and putting pressure on the ball to get turnovers. I disagree with that one poster who says we are still 11th. The SEC is really bad and we have the gaurd play to get middle of the pack if Ready continues to improve and Thomas can start hitting threes.

[smootness]

Yes, I agree. Very well played game and they played the game to their strengths which is defense and putting pressure on the ball to get turnovers. I disagree with that one poster who says we are still 11th. The SEC is really bad and we have the gaurd play to get middle of the pack if Ready continues to improve and Thomas can start hitting threes.

If we get to the middle of the pack in the SEC with our current roster, then give Ray a big raise and watch out, SEC.

[TheRef]

I like what Matthew Stevens said today on Twitter. (Surprise, surprise).
He said that if the team plays defense like they did last night then we could have some upsets in the SEC in our favor.
He also said that if Chicken can get his FT shooting up to par then he could be in the running for the scoring title of the SEC and said that he's a natural 20-point scorer.