How do you guys think Howland will like 'vegas/ Mississippi? It is quite a change...

[IMissJack]

from Westwood to 'Vegas.

[smootness]

Honestly, I think he just wants to win, so I'm not even sure where he lives enters into his mind that much. He clearly just wants to coach basketball.

I don't know many people who have lived there and don't love it, though.

[blacklistedbully]

Saw an interview with him where he specifically said something about winning being a big part of, "quality of life". Said living in a beautiful place still sucks if you're not winning.

[smootness]

Saw an interview with him where he specifically said something about winning being a big part of, "quality of life". Said living in a beautiful place still sucks if you're not winning.

Yep. That's what I mean. You just don't leave Santa Barbara period, but especially for a small town in MS, unless you just want to coach that badly. He's a basketball coach, it's what he does. He'll be happy as long as he's able to have success here.

[quickstrike2]

It will be quite a change for him probably. One thing I think is different for coaches than most people is, that he basically accepted the job without ever seeing the campus, the hump, or the town. I understand this is how coaching probably works, but most of us have never done that. Random thought I had.

[blacklistedbully]

Dude is an avid fisherman, particularly fly-fishing. We do offer outstanding fishing opportunities. Santa Barbara is a beautiful town, but at the end of the day, he'll be spending a huge amount of his time coaching/recruiting, so the beauty of the surrounding city is perhaps less of an issue when you're spending almost all your time at the gym or on the road recruiting.

I suspect the biggest issue he will face will be the difference in weather. It is NEVER, EVER hot & humid in Santa Barbara.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

He's lived in Arizona & Pittsburgh I'm sure he'll be fine.

[smootness]

Howland knows nothing is like Santa Barbara. He knows he's coming to small-town MS. None of it will be a surprise, and the fact that he took the job without coming first says he doesn't care.

[blacklistedbully]

He's lived in Arizona & Pittsburgh I'm sure he'll be fine.

Arizona is a dry heat. Have been in 'Zona in the summer. It can get hot and uncomfortable, but nowhere near as bad as Mississippi. 105 degrees with low-humidity is a LOT more comfortable than 98 degrees with 90% humidity.

[smootness]

And the winters aren't as bad as Pittsburgh.

[Dallas_Dawg]

Hopefully all he wants to do is coach, croot, and sleep. His office and bed are pretty comfortable I'd imagine.

[Bothrops]

Pittsburgh weather is fricken horrible 5+ months out of the year. Damp freeze, gloomy, and overcast. At least we have sunshine and pine trees, like SB..but that's where the similarities end.

[Westdawg]

Arizona is a dry heat. Have been in 'Zona in the summer. It can get hot and uncomfortable, but nowhere near as bad as Mississippi. 105 degrees with low-humidity is a LOT more comfortable than 98 degrees with 90% humidity.

I once said this too, until living out in NM. 110 degrees is friggin hot. I felt like I was living on the blow end of a hair dryer during the summer deep into fall. It is two completely different types of heat ( dry & humid) - both are near unbearable at their peak.

[Todd4State]

Seriously, Starkville is NOT that bad. And certainly not as bad as other fans from other schools make it out to be. There's not much difference between Starkville, Oxford (yes), Tuscaloosa, and Auburn. Except that Alabama and Auburn don't constantly run their town down. Heck, Saban doesn't even live in Tuscaloosa during the off season.

I've been to pretty much every SEC school too- so I have some reference here. You can't really compare the college town schools to the Baton Rouge, Columbia, and Lexington's.

The thing about Oxford is they have history and pride in their little square. Starkville has some newer places and is upgrading all the time it seems like.

Athens is the best college town in the SEC IMO.

Heck- more people like in Starkville than Oxford for a reason.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Unless he made some secret visit to Starkville before hand, he has never seen Starkville until he came today to sign a contract. I think that shows you how much he cares about where he lives.

[Todd4State]

Howland knows nothing is like Santa Barbara. He knows he's coming to small-town MS. None of it will be a surprise, and the fact that he took the job without coming first says he doesn't care.

Like I said with Manny- in today's day and age a guy that makes Howland's salary can easily afford two homes. And it's feasible to do with travel the way it is today- even if he wanted to have a home in California. (Not sure that he does) They might even let him use the MSU plane to go back there.

Heck, if I was a college football coach and made what Dan is making, I would probably have 2-3 homes myself.

[Todd4State]

Unless he made some secret visit to Starkville before hand, he has never seen Starkville until he came today to sign a contract. I think that shows you how much he cares about where he lives.

Howland has coached at Flagstaff Arizona and played at Weber State in Ogden Utah. I doubt Starkville will freak him out.

Thing is if you are a college coach, odds are pretty good you are going to have to live in a small town. Even if it's a high profile job.

[Dawg61]

Like I said with Manny- in today's day and age a guy that makes Howland's salary can easily afford two homes. And it's feasible to do with travel the way it is today- even if he wanted to have a home in California. (Not sure that he does) They might even let him use the MSU plane to go back there.

Heck, if I was a college football coach and made what Dan is making, I would probably have 2-3 homes myself.

Howland has already said his home in Santa Barbara will still be there when he retires. He's not selling it. He is HUNGRY to win! We just got ourselves Norman Dale boys. He even looks like him. I have NEVER been this excited for a new HC in ANY sport as I'm am for Howland! He's an absolute GRAND SLAM!!

[dawgs]

Seriously, Starkville is NOT that bad. And certainly not as bad as other fans from other schools make it out to be. There's not much difference between Starkville, Oxford (yes), Tuscaloosa, and Auburn. Except that Alabama and Auburn don't constantly run their town down. Heck, Saban doesn't even live in Tuscaloosa during the off season.

I've been to pretty much every SEC school too- so I have some reference here. You can't really compare the college town schools to the Baton Rouge, Columbia, and Lexington's.

The thing about Oxford is they have history and pride in their little square. Starkville has some newer places and is upgrading all the time it seems like.

Athens is the best college town in the SEC IMO.

Heck- more people like in Starkville than Oxford for a reason.

I agree with this. Athens is the best college town I've been to anywhere. And I wouldn't wanna live in starkville the rest of my life. Not a knock on starkville cause there isn't a "college" town in the country I want to live in. I like a nice sized city. Whenever I defend starkville to other fans, it's not that I think starkville is the greatest town ever, it's that I think you're splitting hairs between starkville and 90+% of the other college towns out there. Especially from a 40+ year old coach perspective.

[mstatefan91]

Having lived here for 5 years, I love Starkville. I really do. I wish we had a mall. I wish we had more things to do that didn't involve alchol, but it feels like home to me. I hope Coach Howland will feel the same for however long he stays.

[STATEBALLIN]

from Westwood to 'Vegas.

I don't worry about Howland. Assuming he's married it's the wifey that I worry about. They're the ones at home in small town mississippi compared to cali. See Ellis Johnson, albeit not from cali.

[Fred Garvin]

Keep in mind, any coaching opportunity regarding locale is a step down from Santa Barbara. I'm sure he has his wife's blessing.

[confucius say]

I agree with this. Athens is the best college town I've been to anywhere. And I wouldn't wanna live in starkville the rest of my life. Not a knock on starkville cause there isn't a "college" town in the country I want to live in. I like a nice sized city. Whenever I defend starkville to other fans, it's not that I think starkville is the greatest town ever, it's that I think you're splitting hairs between starkville and 90+% of the other college towns out there. Especially from a 40+ year old coach perspective.

Athens is cool, but it's also 120,000 people. Good size.

[DawgHouseUnited]

I once said this too, until living out in NM. 110 degrees is friggin hot. I felt like I was living on the blow end of a hair dryer during the summer deep into fall. It is two completely different types of heat ( dry & humid) - both are near unbearable at their peak.

I worked with a guy from Arizona for a while. He used to laugh at the "dry heat" comments. He always replied with "yeah, but so's an oven!"

[maroonmania]

The dude is 57 years old. I would think he's beyond needing a place with a bustling nightlife to be out partying every night or finding something to do. Hopefully he is primarily focused on basketball and his family at this stage. Now I don't know exactly what his family situation is at the present time, I assume he is married but don't know.

[archdog]

A simple Best Buy would do wonders for the place. But come on, Tuscaloosa is 1hr20min from Starkville driving the speed limit. It makes for a good Saturday trip. I live in downtown Columbus and absolutely love it.

[archdog]

I worked with a guy from Arizona for a while. He used to laugh at the "dry heat" comments. He always replied with "yeah, but so's an oven!"

The best analogy I have ever heard of Mississippi heat. "It's like getting out of a really hot steamy shower, and then putting your clothes on without drying off."

[Covercorner2]

I guess some of y'all have never been to Arizona. It's awesome. There's a reason why people from Chicago retire there. It's perfect weather 8-9 months out of the year. Golf, Spring Training, sporting events, mountains, etc. Yes, it's hot as hell during the summer, but so is Florida, and it never rains in AZ...

[Dawg Corps]

I wish we had more things to do that didn't involve alchol

Blasphemy.

[DancingRabbit]

I assure you that 117 is effen hot no matter how dry it is. I lived in Phoenix for 3 years, spending about one week a month in Tucson.

Tucson was much more comfortable than Phoenix. Typically 2-3 cooler than Phoenix and drier. Phoenix had so many homes and commercial property trying to grow grass and watering a lot that it raised the humidity a little. Almost nobody trying to grow grass in Tucson, just native desert landscapes. This was late 80s so things may have changed a bit.




I worked with a guy from Arizona for a while. He used to laugh at the "dry heat" comments. He always replied with "yeah, but so's an oven!"

[Maroonthirteen]

Howland moved to Starkville to be near a cow.....the cash cow that is Mississippi State University! A million dollar job in MS is much better than no job in California.

....and Starkville is a CERTIFIED retirement community.*****

[Todd4State]

Having lived here for 5 years, I love Starkville. I really do. I wish we had a mall. I wish we had more things to do that didn't involve alchol, but it feels like home to me. I hope Coach Howland will feel the same for however long he stays.

I am a little surprised that after all these years that Starkville doesn't have a mall, but at the same time malls are dying out across America.

[mparkerfd20]

I don't know... why not ask Jeff Goodman?

[MadDawg]

I assure you that 117 is effen hot no matter how dry it is. I lived in Phoenix for 3 years, spending about one week a month in Tucson.

Tucson was much more comfortable than Phoenix. Typically 2-3 cooler than Phoenix and drier. Phoenix had so many homes and commercial property trying to grow grass and watering a lot that it raised the humidity a little. Almost nobody trying to grow grass in Tucson, just native desert landscapes. This was late 80s so things may have changed a bit.

First time I had ever been out West I flew to Arizona. Took a cab to my hotel. When I realized there was nowhere to get any snacks at the hotel, I decided to walk the mile or so to a convenience store. On my way back I was thinking it seemed hot but not really that bad. Then I noticed the temp on a bank sign - 105.

[smootness]

There's no doubt humidity kills you. I spent time in Ecuador several years ago, and it was hot but with essentially no humidity, so it wasn't really uncomfortable, and when the sun went down it got cold fast.

As we were exiting the plane back in Atlanta, the humidity hit me literally like a wall. I suddenly couldn't breathe.

But you get used to it. It's not that bad. Mississippi is nothing compared to Miami, and again, the winters are far better than up north.

[dawgs]

Athens is cool, but it's also 120,000 people. Good size.

120,000 is decent sized town, but it's still pretty small compared to a city and it's a college dominated town.

[dawgs]

There's no doubt humidity kills you. I spent time in Ecuador several years ago, and it was hot but with essentially no humidity, so it wasn't really uncomfortable, and when the sun went down it got cold fast.

As we were exiting the plane back in Atlanta, the humidity hit me literally like a wall. I suddenly couldn't breathe.

But you get used to it. It's not that bad. Mississippi is nothing compared to Miami, and again, the winters are far better than up north.

If I fly home in the summer, when I step off the plane, it's like breathing through a straw.

[ScottH]

He just came off as about the most "non California" a California native could.

Well done Ben. Welcome to Mississippi.

You have just sold me on whatever you are selling.

[ToniBailey]

Hopefully his wife will be okay with living in a small town. That is the biggest issue about whether or not he will be happy in small-town Mississippi.

[Todd4State]

Hopefully his wife will be okay with living in a small town. That is the biggest issue about whether or not he will be happy in small-town Mississippi.

Again, that's the point in buying a second house. It's not the "biggest issue"- it's a non-issue. And I highly doubt these coaches don't discuss it with their spouses and family before they accept the job.

It was maybe an issue with Ellis Johnson because I doubt he made enough to have two homes. Of course, I wonder if those rumors are BS considering that Manny had the EXACT same rumors as far as why he was leaving- and then he returns back to Starkville nonetheless.

[Bothrops]

Santa Barbara is not a big town, it's about the size of Tuscaloosa. It's well outside the urban sprawl of LA, and a little secluded on the beach, surrounded by a mountain range and wilderness park.