I'd hire Andy Kennedy right now

[klong-dog]

You know he knows our state and area well, as experienced as anyone out there. He'll be highly motivated to beat OM. The question is... would he leave UAB?

[HailStateSZN19]

#1 Craig Smith
#2 Wes Miller

[BeardoMSU]

No thanks.

http://ymswwc.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/popokennedy.jpg?w=380&h=246

[SmokeyDawg]

Maybe he could bring Henderson with him!**

[msugolf]

Wes Miller, Chris Jans, Bob Richey, Jon Scheyer, Andy Toole, Brian Michaelson, Richie Riley

[BiscuitEater]

Nope, Stans owned Kennedy. At one point, beat him six times in a row. In 14 years, he beat OM 21 times and only lost 8 (72%). He only lost to OM ONCE in the HUMP in 14 years.

Compare those numbers to Ray and the Howler!

[Cooterpoot]

Jesus...

[BeardoMSU]

Nope, Stans owned Kennedy. At one point, beat him six times in a row. In 14 years, he beat OM 21 times and only lost 8 (72%). He only lost to OM ONCE in the HUMP in 14 years.

Compare those numbers to Ray and the Howler!

Not only that, but AK coached at OM during the most mediocre period in SEC hoops....and he was quite mediocre while doing so.

[HoopsDawg]

I haven't looked into much, but we need to hire someone from the Nate Oats coaching tree or someone with a simiar philosphy.

[KB21]

I'm convinced that there are a lot of fans that apparently personally know Andy from his days in Louisville, and that's why they want him to be the coach. It obviously has nothing to do with ability, because he is not a good head coach.

[mparkerfd20]

I don't know Andy from Adam, but I do think he's a pretty good coach. I don't want him at State, however.

[HoopsDawg]

I'm convinced that there are a lot of fans that apparently personally know Andy from his days in Louisville, and that's why they want him to be the coach. It obviously has nothing to do with ability, because he is not a good head coach.

I mean some of our fans want Stans back. We don't have the smartest fans in the world.

[msbulldog]

I haven't looked into much, but we need to hire someone from the Nate Oats coaching tree or someone with a simiar philosphy.

Oats hasn't been coaching long enough to have much of a tree.

[tcdog70]

I mean some of our fans want Stans back. We don't have the smartest fans in the world.

Right our dumb ass fans .. why would they want the winningest Coach in MSU history? Instead let’s run out and hire Clemson’s third assistant. Stans only had a winning record against every team in the Sec except Tenn and Ky. What a bunch of idiots .

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Right our dumb ass fans .. why would they want the winningest Coach in MSU history? Instead let’s run out and hire Clemson’s third assistant. Stans only had a winning record against every team in the Sec except Tenn and Ky. What a bunch of idiots .

It was time to move on from Stans. Ray was an idiotic hire. Both can & are true.

[Saltydog]

Us hiring him would be an "international incident". I wonder if he still lacks "consortium"?

[Dawgfan77]

Those same fans were pro LT, Polk 2.0, pro croom, pro SloMo. In general pro anything that wouldn't have moved MSU athletics in a modern era.
When we hire a new coach in the next two months we need a young energetic guy with HC experience in a good G5 conference. Not a guy who can't get to the dance at WKU

[HailStateSZN19]

Those same fans were pro LT, Polk 2.0, pro croom, pro SloMo. In general pro anything that wouldn't have moved MSU athletics in a modern era.
When we hire a new coach in the next two months we need a young energetic guy with HC experience in a good G5 conference. Not a guy who can't get to the dance at WKU

You predicting that we?re gonna move on from Howland for sure?

And #1 & #2 calls imo should be to either Craig Smith or Wes Miller if we make a move.

[Dawsonmsu]

Our fans are clueless when it comes to MSU basketball. Letting Stansbury depart will go down as the biggest blunder in the history of MSU athletics.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Our fans are clueless when it comes to MSU basketball. Letting Stansbury depart will go down as the biggest blunder in the history of MSU athletics.

Rick Ray was the blunder not letting Stans go. Anybody that thought Stans was going to turn it around was thinking with their heart not their head.

[Dawsonmsu]

Please forget the hiring of Rick Ray. The process of firing Rick Stansbury should have never started in the first place. The day that Scott Stricklin first entertained the idea of parting ways with Stansbury was the moment that derailed our men’s basketball program for decades to come. This has nothing to do with Rick Ray being hired but everything to do with the firing of Rick Stansbury.

[Dawgfan77]

Please forget the hiring of Rick Ray. The process of firing Rick Stansbury should have never started in the first place. The day that Scott Stricklin first entertained the idea of parting ways with Stansbury was the moment that derailed our men?s basketball program for decades to come. This has nothing to do with Rick Ray being hired but everything to do with the firing of Rick Stansbury.

He had multiple warnings about his recruiting we were under NCAA watch not investigation but things were told to stop. He didn't. The program was on the decline with Multiple cancers. Oh and not to mention the fight in Hawaii and poor performance on the court. Stans time was up. Your defense of him basically says you only look at t he middle point of his career and not the end

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Please forget the hiring of Rick Ray. The process of firing Rick Stansbury should have never started in the first place. The day that Scott Stricklin first entertained the idea of parting ways with Stansbury was the moment that derailed our men’s basketball program for decades to come. This has nothing to do with Rick Ray being hired but everything to do with the firing of Rick Stansbury.

Ok cool well you're just wrong.

[Dawsonmsu]

Stansbury was never charged with a major recruiting violation during his long tenure at MSU state. Not one my friend. Don’t try and use that as an excuse. There are no facts to back it up.

[maroonmania]

Rick Ray was the blunder not letting Stans go. Anybody that thought Stans was going to turn it around was thinking with their heart not their head.

Not giving Stans at least one more year with Sidney gone to turn things around AND hiring Rick Ray were both blunders. As you say, both can be true.

[Dawsonmsu]

I’m wrong? How many more years do we have to suffer before you realize what a mistake we made? I guess you enjoy watching mediocre offensive performances week in and week out? You might want to look at our SEC record in Wikipedia to see what the ledger looks like the last 9 years. Maybe then you will get a clue.

[Dawsonmsu]

Let me save you some time. Here are the facts my friend. These numbers might shock you.

Rick Stansbury’s - SEC RECORD - 122 - 102 - 55 percent winning percentage
Post Rick Stansbury - SEC RECORD - 61 - 96 - 39 percent wing percentage

[HailStateSZN19]

Delete

[PGHBulldogBG]

Looks like after several attempts Arkansas and Alabama finally got the right hires. Their ADs did the smart thing. Look at head coaches winning big at smaller schools with bottom level talent for their conference and hire them after they prove to be successful a couple years at those schools. It?s not always the perfect formula, but it normally works. Much better than hiring assistants or coaches at former major schools that only did well because they could recruit. Stansbury and Howland are one in the same.

[CaptainObvious]

Whatever our AD/AD?s wife does, I hope they already have the guy lined up before they give Howland his severance package.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Let me save you some time. Here are the facts my friend. These numbers might shock you.

Rick Stansbury’s - SEC RECORD - 122 - 102 - 55 percent winning percentage
Post Rick Stansbury - SEC RECORD - 61 - 96 - 39 percent wing percentage

Let me help you out

Rick Stansbury last 4 years - SEC Record 35-29 .547%

Ben Howland last 4 years - SEC Record 35-32 .522%

We've pretty much been Stans last four years here Howland last 4 years. The problem with you & so many Stans guys is y'all memories stop after 2005. MSU fans have a bad habit of that. We do the same with Jackie & we just act like 01-03 didn't happen. We all love the good times but the further away they get we conveniently forget how things ended.

[PGHBulldogBG]

Let me help you out

Rick Stansbury last 4 years - SEC Record 35-29 .547%

Ben Howland last 4 years - SEC Record 35-32 .522%

We've pretty much been Stans last four years here Howland last 4 years. The problem with you & so many Stans guys is y'all memories stop after 2005. MSU fans have a bad habit of that. We do the same with Jackie & we just act like 01-03 didn't happen. We all love the good times but the further away they get we conveniently forget how things ended.

We are basically comparing the same two people. Recruiters not coaches. I?m not sure how someone can be a huge fan of one and not the other. It would make more sense to either love them both or not like either of them

[Ifyouonlyknew]

We are basically comparing the same two people. Recruiters not coaches. I?m not sure how someone can be a huge fan of one and not the other. It would make more sense to either love them both or not like either of them

Yea but 7 years before he was let go he had a really good team.

[PGHBulldogBG]

Yea but 7 years before he was let go he had a really good team.

Good is the keyword. If it was any better than good Stans would at least have a sweet 16. Actually the ?team? was great in 2004. The problem is that a bad coach and a great team equal NCAA second round

[Dawsonmsu]

You still can’t see the facts - Ben Howland walked into a cycle of above average players ( see list below) that allowed him to win 52 percent of his SEC games.

Reggie Perry - son of a MSU great
Robert Woodard - son of a MSU great
Malik Newman - son of a MSU great
Nick Weatherspoon - brother of a MSU great

That cycle of long standing family ties is long gone. That is why you will continue to see Howland’s SEC record fall off the cliff. By the way, Stansbury didn’t have a chance to coach the sons of MSU greats.

[Dawsonmsu]

So you’re saying we forget how things ended under Stansbury? I guess winning almost 55 percent of your conference games is so terrible. Don’t compare what Stansbury did his last 4 years to what Sherrill did during the 01-03 stretch. There is no comparison at all. You basically proved my point. Thank you!

[Ifyouonlyknew]

You still can’t see the facts - Ben Howland walked into a cycle of above average players ( see list below) that allowed him to win 52 percent of his SEC games.

Reggie Perry - son of a MSU great
Robert Woodard - son of a MSU great
Malik Newman - son of a MSU great
Nick Weatherspoon - brother of a MSU great

That cycle of long standing family ties is long gone. That is why you will continue to see Howland’s SEC record fall off the cliff. By the way, Stansbury didn’t have a chance to coach the sons of MSU greats.

So Howland is penalized for signing those guys?

[Ifyouonlyknew]

So you’re saying we forget how things ended under Stansbury? I guess winning almost 55 percent of your conference games is so terrible. Don’t compare what Stansbury did his last 4 years to what Sherrill did during the 01-03 stretch. There is no comparison at all. You basically proved my point. Thank you!

So answer me how is 55% so great & 52% so terrible? In a better SEC at that. I proved YOUR point by showing how MSU fans memories are very selective when it comes to former coaches? Educate me on that please?

[Dawsonmsu]

The trend is your friend. The last 4 years of Howlands career at MSU will look nothing like the last 4 years under Stansbury. The real numbers are starting to show up. We should should finish around 6-12 in conference play this year. Your 4 year comparison will soon be way off. Sorry to inform you of that! If my projection is correct Ben Howland will be 36-36 in the last 4 years after this season is complete. After next year, that winning percentage will drop to the mid 40’s. The trend is not in your favor.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

The trend is your friend. The last 4 years of Howlands career at MSU will look nothing like the last 4 years under Stansbury. The real numbers are starting to show up. We should should finish around 6-12 in conference play this year. Your 4 year comparison will soon be way off. Sorry to inform you of that! If my projection is correct Ben Howland will be 36-36 in the last 4 years after this season is complete. After next year, that winning percentage will drop to the mid 40’s. The trend is not in your favor.

You're making an assumption about next year. Same way you assumed Stans would've turned it around.

[BiscuitEater]

Let me help you out

Even in Stans last four years, fans packed the Hump, students stood in line for games, there was excitement!

Howland, not so much!

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Even in Stans last four years, fans packed the Hump, students stood in line for games, there was excitement!

Howland, not so much!

That's on the fans though. Mainly because of Stricklin & Ray. Howland has done enough to have more support. The anger over the team was just as high.

[BiscuitEater]

That's on the fans though. Mainly because of Stricklin & Ray. Howland has done enough to have more support. The anger over the team was just as high.

Disagree! It's the product on the floor that brings in the fans! Vic showed that MSU will support a team that gives effort! Even WBB!

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Disagree! It's the product on the floor that brings in the fans! Vic showed that MSU will support a team that gives effort! Even WBB!

The effort isn't what packed the Hump winning was. That same effort & going .500 in the SEC the crowd isn't showing up.

[Dawgfan77]

Stansbury was never charged with a major recruiting violation during his long tenure at MSU state. Not one my friend. Don’t try and use that as an excuse. There are no facts to back it up.

Not charged? Yes you are correct but here is a link about is being under investigation. Also I posted we were under the microscope and that's a fact. He was told to stop certain things after 05 and didn't
https://www.djournal.com/sports/msu-basketball-program-under-ncaa-investigation/article_e924258c-6e0f-5aee-9b2d-98945ecd7dcf.html

[99jc]

Anyone that thinks Howland or Pinson is worth a shit is a dumb 17.

[CaptainObvious]

Anyone that thinks Howland or Pinson is worth a shit is a dumb 17.

I guess the debate is closed!😳

[Coach34]

Even in Stans last four years, fans packed the Hump, students stood in line for games, there was excitement!

Howland, not so much!

That was also before you could watch every game online or on TV. Thats killed attendance as much as anything

[Johnson85]

You still can?t see the facts - Ben Howland walked into a cycle of above average players ( see list below) that allowed him to win 52 percent of his SEC games.

Reggie Perry - son of a MSU great
Robert Woodard - son of a MSU great
Malik Newman - son of a MSU great
Nick Weatherspoon - brother of a MSU great

That cycle of long standing family ties is long gone. That is why you will continue to see Howland?s SEC record fall off the cliff. By the way, Stansbury didn?t have a chance to coach the sons of MSU greats.

And Stansbury's record would have looked awful without Lawrence Roberts happening to have family in Mississippi. Those things balance out.

Also, nobody was making Malik successful his first two years because he wasn't going to buy in.

[Johnson85]

Disagree! It's the product on the floor that brings in the fans! Vic showed that MSU will support a team that gives effort! Even WBB!

What are women's basketball tickets? $5? Men's basketball has to make money off of tickets which means corporate tickets and tickets sold to people not in easy driving distance, which means unless we really develop a formal system that encourages ticket holders to get tickets to people that use them, you're not going to have as easy of a time packing out the hump.

That said, I think pretty much all sports are battling attendance issues and most sports are also losing viewers at the same time. Lots of different things going into that.

[KB21]

Regardless, it sounds like Howland will return if nothing more than financial reasons. Due to the shortfall of money from COVID, it seems Mississippi State doesn't want to pay a $6 million buy out to Ben Howland. Things could change between now and the end of the season, but I'm not anticipating a change at this point. If it does happen, I'd be willing to bet that Cohen hires an assistant rather than paying an established head coach.

[BB30]

Right our dumb ass fans .. why would they want the winningest Coach in MSU history? Instead let?s run out and hire Clemson?s third assistant. Stans only had a winning record against every team in the Sec except Tenn and Ky. What a bunch of idiots .

Right because some of our DA fans can't grasp that maybe Stans was pretty average in a down SEC in a division that was down while he was here and he still didn't ever do jack crap in the Tourney.

You are wanting someone who makes runs in the post season and yet you are arguing we shouldn't have gotten rid of Stans.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either making an occasional NCAAT and getting bounced in the first round is acceptable or it isn't and if it isn't then you shouldn't be a stans fan either because that is all he did.

[HailStateSZN19]

Regardless, it sounds like Howland will return if nothing more than financial reasons. Due to the shortfall of money from COVID, it seems Mississippi State doesn't want to pay a $6 million buy out to Ben Howland. Things could change between now and the end of the season, but I'm not anticipating a change at this point. If it does happen, I'd be willing to bet that Cohen hires an assistant rather than paying an established head coach.

About what I figured would happen. Bring him back by default so we can suck again next year and delay the inevitable 1 more miserable season.

I get basketball is nowhere near the revenue darling football is for colleges (shoot I don?t even know how many colleges are profit makers from men?s basketball), but USCe just fired Boom with his buyout equating out to around $13-15 mil and their athletic dept. is gonna have around a $44 mil deficit this fiscal year. I?m sure their athletic budget is much larger than ours (going off 2018-19 numbers about $35 mil larger overall) but haven?t we done well in years past of staying in the black to where it wouldn?t be a back breaker to pay a lame duck HC?s buyout of $6 mil in one of your big 3 sports? I might be way off here and I?m fine saying I am if someone who knows more than me corrects me. But crap, could Cohen not talk him into retirement and a reduced ?buyout? and let him fly on back out to Cali to retire out there?

[Ifyouonlyknew]

About what I figured would happen. Bring him back by default so we can suck again next year and delay the inevitable 1 more miserable season.

I get basketball is nowhere near the revenue darling football is for colleges (shoot I don?t even know how many colleges are profit makers from men?s basketball), but USCe just fired Boom with his buyout equating out to around $13-15 mil and their athletic dept. is gonna have around a $44 mil deficit this fiscal year. I?m sure their athletic budget is much larger than ours (going off 2018-19 numbers about $35 mil larger overall) but haven?t we done well in years past of staying in the black to where it wouldn?t be a back breaker to pay a lame duck HC?s buyout of $6 mil in one of your big 3 sports? I might be way off here and I?m fine saying I am if someone who knows more than me corrects me. But crap, could Cohen not talk him into retirement and a reduced ?buyout? and let him fly on back out to Cali to retire out there?

Why would Howland agree to a reduced buyout?

[HailStateSZN19]

Why would Howland agree to a reduced buyout?

I didn?t say he would. I said Cohen should try to talk him into retirement and a reduced buyout, still a buyout, but lower than the $6 mil number. If he wouldn?t budge on it, then scrape up some booster support if you got to get rid of a guy that you know isn?t the answer. Do you think he?s the answer next year? Do you feel good about men?s basketball and going into next season with Howland? Are you excited about the direction of the program?

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I didn?t say he would. I said Cohen should try to talk him into retirement and a reduced buyout, still a buyout, but lower than the $6 mil number. If he wouldn?t budge on it, then scrape up some booster support if you got to get rid of a guy that you know isn?t the answer. Do you think he?s the answer next year? Do you feel good about men?s basketball and going into next season with Howland? Are you excited about the direction of the program?

No need to rehash the same argument you've made 100 times. I just asked you a simple question on why Howland would take a reduced buyout.

[HailStateSZN19]

No need to rehash the same argument you've made 100 times. I just asked you a simple question on why Howland would take a reduced buyout.

And I said, I didn?t say he would take a reduced buyout. But that?s an angle Cohen should attempt if he thinks it?s time to move on from Howland. Mutually part ways and see if early retirement is something he?d consider along with a handsome fee, but a reduced fee from the $6 mil number.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

And I said, I didn?t say he would take a reduced buyout. But that?s an angle Cohen should attempt if he thinks it?s time to move on from Howland. Mutually part ways and see if early retirement is something he?d consider along with a handsome fee, but a reduced fee from the $6 mil number.

If Cohen wants to fire him then Howland isn't going to help. If you want me gone pay me my money & I'll leave. I'm saying Howland has no reason or incentive not to get all his money.

[HailStateSZN19]

If Cohen wants to fire him then Howland isn't going to help. If you want me gone pay me my money & I'll leave. I'm saying Howland has no reason or incentive not to get all his money.

If that?s the case, scrape up the support from boosters or cough up the $6 mil and move on. IF Cohen thinks it?s time, I don?t see how coughing up $6 mil more is some completely undoable thing and why delay the inevitable to next season.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

If that?s the case, scrape up the support from boosters or cough up the $6 mil and move on. IF Cohen thinks it?s time, I don?t see how coughing up $6 mil more is some completely undoable thing and why delay the inevitable to next season.

If the boosters wanted him gone the AD doesn't go to them to scrape up the money. The boosters come to him & say it's time we have the money. The fact that hasn't happened yet gives you your answer. Now there's still games left to play this season but as of now no one think he getting let go this year.

[HailStateSZN19]

If the boosters wanted him gone the AD doesn't go to them to scrape up the money. The boosters come to him & say it's time we have the money. The fact that hasn't happened yet gives you your answer. Now there's still games left to play this season but as of now no one think he getting let go this year.

Welp....Doesn?t get much more embarrassing than losing to Vandy at home by 21 but we?ve still got time left for him to top that so I?ll wait and see what happens the rest of the way. If we continue our recent decline & he?s back next year, I?ll know the admin doesn?t give two s**ts about men?s basketball and it?ll just be more apathy and more boring basketball to watch next year. Alright I?m done.

[Johnson85]

If Cohen wants to fire him then Howland isn't going to help. If you want me gone pay me my money & I'll leave. I'm saying Howland has no reason or incentive not to get all his money.

I agree with you that it's not going to happen, but if Howland were on the fence about coaching next year, then there might be a situation where he'd rather coach than forego his buyout, but might rather retire if he'd still get half his buyout. And similarly, MSU might prefer to fire him at half his buyout, but not at the full buyout. So there certainly could be a deal to be made if he wasn't thrilled about coaching next year.

I think it's all irrelevant though. I think Howland wants to coach and while I'm sure there are people that aren't thrilled with the way we've looked at times, I don't think his seat is even warm yet, and I don't think that's because of his buyout. Don't have any inside sources, I just think he's done well enough to be safe.

[KentuckyDawg13]

HAHAHA...that's why you are not the AD.

[BeardoMSU]

Ok, lets just hire Gene Hackman from Hoosiers and be done with it. Cohen gets to play Dennis Hopper's character....someone go get him some manischewitz, stat!**

[Dawgfan77]

The figure is less than four but north of 3. There is a plan in place but we will wait til the end of the season. Some other non contract details that will be worked out as well.

[HailStateSZN19]

The figure is less than four but north of 3. There is a plan in place but we will wait til the end of the season. Some other non contract details that will be worked out as well.

Idc if this is accurate or true, I?m gonna go with it because it gives me hope and optimism for men?s basketball that I?ve not had in a long time. Hope you?re right 77.....

[BiscuitEater]

Not charged? Yes you are correct but here is a link about is being under investigation.


Nothing burger! NCAA looked at MSU and never found a thing in 14+ years plus his assistant time recruiting!

Compare that record with some of the rest of SEC and get back to us!

[BiscuitEater]

That was also before you could watch every game online or on TV. Thats killed attendance as much as anything

Bullshit! Please explain all those televised WBB games that were complete sellouts under Vic! They were winners and fans came in droves!!

[Coach34]

Bullshit! Please explain all those televised WBB games that were complete sellouts under Vic! They were winners and fans came in droves!!

Because it cost half the price it would cost to go to a men's game. People from Jackson and other towns across Mississippi arent going to Starkville for a game when they can watch it on TV due to cost. But if I lived in the Golden Triangle and I could take my family of 4 to the game for a reasonable price? yeah I'll do it.

I'll never drive to Sville again for a game when I can watch it on TV. That includes football unless we have a big friend weekend planned. TV is killing attendance.

[Dawgfan77]

Nothing burger! NCAA looked at MSU and never found a thing in 14+ years plus his assistant time recruiting!

Compare that record with some of the rest of SEC and get back to us!

Sit this one out and have a biscuit. Things were not peaches and cream under Stans.

[Coach34]

Sit this one out and have a biscuit. Things were not peaches and cream under Stans.

Yes. The NCAA was snooping us under Stands. So much that Strick and Keenum interviewed former players like Charles Rhoades Shane Power before they made a coaching hire like Rick Ray. That should tell u something

[SPMT]

Our fans are clueless when it comes to MSU basketball. Letting Stansbury depart will go down as the biggest blunder in the history of MSU athletics.

Yep. State is a nothing program outside of the years Stans was here. As bad as I wish it wasn?t true.

[SPMT]

Our fans are clueless when it comes to MSU basketball. Letting Stansbury depart will go down as the biggest blunder in the history of MSU athletics.


Right because some of our DA fans can't grasp that maybe Stans was pretty average in a down SEC in a division that was down while he was here and he still didn't ever do jack crap in the Tourney.

You are wanting someone who makes runs in the post season and yet you are arguing we shouldn't have gotten rid of Stans.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either making an occasional NCAAT and getting bounced in the first round is acceptable or it isn't and if it isn't then you shouldn't be a stans fan either because that is all he did.

You have to realize what MSU basketball is....nothing. Nothing more than an occasional decent team. Bury had more input into the better years than anyone.

Howland has basically matched thy success. You are a damn fool if you think we will typically hire anyone better than Rick Ray.

Before you go firing Howland, you better have the ink dried on another coach?s contract or you are looking at another Rick ray type hire.

[Johnson85]

You have to realize what MSU basketball is....nothing. Nothing more than an occasional decent team. Bury had more input into the better years than anyone.

Howland has basically matched thy success. You are a damn fool if you think we will typically hire anyone better than Rick Ray.

Before you go firing Howland, you better have the ink dried on another coach?s contract or you are looking at another Rick ray type hire.


You're off the deep end on this one. We are not anything special as far as a basketball school, but we are still a P5 team that is going to make somebody a multimillionaire. We will pretty much always have better options than RIck Ray unless we are under severe sanctions, and probably would have better options even then. We certainly had better options than Rick Ray when we hired him, we just passed on them. It was basically a Cohen hire before Cohen. Thought they could pick a coach out of obscurity rather than taking a more known quantity that, as a result of being more known, had more obvious potential flaws.

[BB30]

Yep. State is a nothing program outside of the years Stans was here. As bad as I wish it wasn?t true.




What did Stans do in the tourney? We were still a nothing program when it came to national relevance. We crapped the bed every time he got in.

I don't understand why our fans hold our basketball program and Stans in such high regard.

When Stans was here we were a middle of the road team same as now that benefitted from a down SEC.

I actually think there are a ton of similarities in Stans and Howland. Neither of them have figured out how to beat a zone or handle pressure. Both were solid recruiters that landed some good talent. Neither can seem to get over the hump in the tourney.

Howland was elite at UCLA and you could argue he was elite at Pitt. He is now middle of the road.

Stans was and is also middle of the road.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

So Howland is penalized for signing those guys?

No he is getting penalized for not winning with that kind of talent. He won everywhere else he has been so what is different with MSU? He is way past his prime and damn near at the bottom of his coaching hill. He needs to retire for good this time.

[R2Dawg]

Oats hasn't been coaching long enough to have much of a tree.
Agree.

Also tree hires are stupid. That is what lost of WBB program - a tree hire. Just get a good coach, I don't care where they come from.

[R2Dawg]

Bullshit! Please explain all those televised WBB games that were complete sellouts under Vic! They were winners and fans came in droves!!

I think both sides of this are correct. TV access and cost are taking their toll on fan attendance everywhere. However, to your point, a winning team will bring out the fans. Vic proved that with a program that was typically a cellar dweller, just win and people will come.

[KB21]

This is where Mississippi State is at on this. Under Ben Howland, this program takes two steps forward and then two steps backwards. That has been consistent over the past 3 seasons. So, it appears that the program has progressed as much as it is going to under Ben. The thing is, the program is not a disaster either, no matter how many want to use the 20 plus point losses to Ole Miss and Vandy as reasons to say the program is bad. This is a situation where if you fire Ben Howland, you can get better, but you can also get worse.

Then the finances come into play. The reason they will not make a move now is because boosters aren't going to want to come up with the $6 million buy out. Even in a year, with issues from the covid stuff still having an effect on the money, I think it is very likely that if you see a change made, you will see the athletic department target an assistant coach that will not command a big salary.