I deeply and sincerely apologize for ...

[MabenMaroon]

I may have at one time, on this board or another, supported Coach Rick Ray and urged for patience and tolerance. Kept thinking there was some hope and we would slowly but surely piece it back together but I have finally reached my breaking point. My patience is completely, with out a doubt, no question about it, in good conscience, utterly GONE!!!

http://i1.cpcache.com/product_zoom/157373720/patience_my_ass_buzzard_mug.jpg?height=250&width=250&padToSquare=true

[msstate7]

I supported ray myself. I wanted him to succeed so bad, but it's not happening. I was completely wrong on ray. He has to go

[Political Hack]

I saw at the end of year one what others are seeing now. I bit my toungue until year two when it was 100%, without a doubt, painfully obvious that he was not equipped to lead this program to a successful level. Now, in year three, it's obvious to everyone.

We've wasted 3 seasons and 3 classes. We have to course correct as soon as possible and Strick SHOULD NOT have any say or role in the hiring process. If he does, you may as well ask Bailey Howell who he thinks the nicest guy in basketball is and hand him the job.

shucks fellers. awful sorry.*** - Strick

[MetEdDawg]

I still don't blame Stricklin as much as others. Were there others that were more qualified and bigger names that wanted the job? I believe so. But I think Scott really bought into getting away from AAU and building a clean program with a solid foundation and rebuilding the tarnished image, which was fairly far away from what we were before and I can see why that was enticing to Stricklin.

But now it's pretty obvious we have to go back to playing the game, getting back into the AAU circuit, and finding guys who can legitimately play the game of basketball. But we have to find a coach who can balance the whole thing and keep it from getting out of control like it was under Stansbury. Scott was left a cluster to fix and he found the wrong guy. Sucks but sometimes it happens. To me that won't define his legacy nearly as much as this next basketball hire. Does he learn from his mistake and change the philosophy of what we want our basketball program to be? That to me is the big question.

[Todd4State]

There is nothing to apologize for. Most of us gave him a fair chance and Ray didn't make the most of the chance that he was given.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I still don't blame Stricklin as much as others. Were there others that were more qualified and bigger names that wanted the job? I believe so. But I think Scott really bought into getting away from AAU and building a clean program with a solid foundation and rebuilding the tarnished image, which was fairly far away from what we were before and I can see why that was enticing to Stricklin.

But now it's pretty obvious we have to go back to playing the game, getting back into the AAU circuit, and finding guys who can legitimately play the game of basketball. But we have to find a coach who can balance the whole thing and keep it from getting out of control like it was under Stansbury. Scott was left a cluster to fix and he found the wrong guy. Sucks but sometimes it happens. To me that won't define his legacy nearly as much as this next basketball hire. Does he learn from his mistake and change the philosophy of what we want our basketball program to be? That to me is the big question.

Well, I think the whole MSU community shares the blame, all of us. But I do question whether emotion and reacting to emotion played a bigger role than a leader should allow.

[Todd4State]

I still don't blame Stricklin as much as others. Were there others that were more qualified and bigger names that wanted the job? I believe so. But I think Scott really bought into getting away from AAU and building a clean program with a solid foundation and rebuilding the tarnished image, which was fairly far away from what we were before and I can see why that was enticing to Stricklin.

But now it's pretty obvious we have to go back to playing the game, getting back into the AAU circuit, and finding guys who can legitimately play the game of basketball. But we have to find a coach who can balance the whole thing and keep it from getting out of control like it was under Stansbury. Scott was left a cluster to fix and he found the wrong guy. Sucks but sometimes it happens. To me that won't define his legacy nearly as much as this next basketball hire. Does he learn from his mistake and change the philosophy of what we want our basketball program to be? That to me is the big question.

Is it even realistic to win at a high level avoiding the AAU circuit? If we hire someone that has some deep connections in AAU and also has some connections to Europe where we can land a couple of those guys, that would be a home run.

[HoopsDawg]

Is it even realistic to win at a high level avoiding the AAU circuit? If we hire someone that has some deep connections in AAU and also has some connections to Europe where we can land a couple of those guys, that would be a home run.

No you can not avoid the AAU circuit. And AAU in the south is extremely dirty. You either do what you have to do or you disband the basketball program.

[MetEdDawg]

Is it even realistic to win at a high level avoiding the AAU circuit? If we hire someone that has some deep connections in AAU and also has some connections to Europe where we can land a couple of those guys, that would be a home run.

This was my biggest problem. I didn't like this philosophy. It's just not feasible in today's college basketball world. All of the good kids play AAU basketball now and unfortunately it's a lot of garbage to deal with because a lot of these AAU coaches and all the underhanded stuff that goes on behind the scenes.

But it's the game that's being played and if we want to be good at basketball it's the game we have to play. We need someone that recognizes that. Ray's philosophy was a noble one, but it's just not realistic today. Like I said, I can see why Stricklin wanted to go this direction because of the negative view of our program on the outside. But it just didn't work and it's time he accepts that, changes his philosophy in how he wants the basketball program run, and hires a new coach accordingly.

[Political Hack]

Is it even realistic to win at a high level avoiding the AAU circuit? If we hire someone that has some deep connections in AAU and also has some connections to Europe where we can land a couple of those guys, that would be a home run.

"Avoiding the AAU circuit" may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in major college sports. You'd have to be full special to not understand the implications of this.

[HailState39110]

"Avoiding the AAU circuit" may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in major college sports. You'd have to be full special to not understand the implications of this.

I don't like the term avoiding because every potential Div 1 player plays AAU. We are recruiting guys who play AAU. We just aren't in the 'heppin business anymore.

[BHildreth3]

Just call Kenny Payne and be done with it #nikeatleastforbasketball

[War Machine Dawg]

There is nothing to apologize for. Most of us gave him a fair chance and Ray didn't make the most of the chance that he was given.

+1

[Todd4State]

"Avoiding the AAU circuit" may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in major college sports. You'd have to be full special to not understand the implications of this.

I'm a baseball guy and I don't follow basketball very much, but I kind of figured that us avoiding the AAU circuit would be like us avoiding baseball recruits that have played in the Perfect Game Tournament.

[MadDawg]

"Avoiding the AAU circuit" may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in major college sports. You'd have to be full special to not understand the implications of this.

A lot of know-it-alls on this board thought is was a great idea.

[Political Hack]

if you think you can recruit top flight kids by dealing with their high school coaches, that have them 3-4 months out of the year, rather than their AAU coaches that have them the ENTIRE rest of the year, you're an idiot.

Every major D1 basketball prospect plays AAU unless they are a multi-sport phenom and only play varsity sports and do camps, which is RARE nowadays.

We are the oldest, ugliest, brokest guy in an old west gold mining town and we refuses to go the brothel to get a woman.