Howland : "I really want to be back next year"

[CadaverDawg]

I thought he was "retiring"?

Is there a chance he's back?

[parabrave]

You left this out: BUTTTTTTT

[Pancho]

He will return if Iverson also returns.........

[calidawg]

So much for a mutual break up, yikes

[Big4Dawg]

I thought he was "retiring"?

Is there a chance he's back?

What was the question he was asked? What would the right answer be?

"Do you want to be back next year?"
"No, i don't"

[msstate7]

He will return if Iverson also returns.........

If he could bring tolu, iverson, and kugel, I'm down. I'm also fine with moving on. I have to admit though, I'm a little worried that all these sec jobs opened up. I don't like us having to compete with them

[calidawg]

If he could bring tolu, iverson, and kugel, I'm down. I'm also fine with moving on. I have to admit though, I'm a little worried that all these sec jobs opened up. I don't like us having to compete with them

the fanbase is totally lost, you can't bring him back.

[Commercecomet24]

If Ben wants to come back he better get some Nugenix and a bunch of b12 because he looked worn out and tired and coached like it and the team played like it.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Howland with Novak as bench coach. We ready!

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Of course he wants to be back. Why wouldn’t he want to?

He was never retiring. That was just an internet rumor that ran wild.

His statements change nothing. He was asked a question & he answered. He knows this is the end & so does Cohen.

[msstate7]

the fanbase is totally lost, you can't bring him back.

We better get this one right or RIP basketball. We may be frustrating as hell, but we aren't terrible, and we could easily become that

[confucius say]

7 seasons.
The first 2 we're recovering from Ray.
Since then, 5 postseason appearances, with 1 NCAA, 3 NIT, and 1that could have gone NIT or NCAA but was cancelled the week before the selection show.

For a school that doesn't care about basketball, we could do a lot worse.

[Homedawg]

He's not going to be the coach.

[msstate7]

He's not going to be the coach.

Do we have our replacement?

[calidawg]

The success of the women's program during vics tenure hurt the men's program. Howland was average but the basketball fanbase became apathetic toward it when there was such success on the other side.

Couple that with all men's games on TV now and the starkville area not being large enough to support attendance for 2 basketball programs and here we are

[R2Dawg]

If he could bring tolu, iverson, and kugel, I'm down. I'm also fine with moving on. I have to admit though, I'm a little worried that all these sec jobs opened up. I don't like us having to compete with them

Pretty much my feelings too.

If he stays another year, who else is looking next year? OleMiss, UF, Vandy, Mizzou?

[EdwardDrayton]

Well, that makes, hmmmm, nope, sorry, don?t know anyone else who wants that Coach.

[KOdawg1]

I really want to make a million dollars a year without having to do shit, but that ain't happening either.

[Todd4State]

Pretty dumb question by whoever asked it.

No one with a brain is going to either:

A. Announce their retirement in that setting.

B. Say that they don't want to come back. Which is basically the same as A.

This is a nothing burger.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

For a school that doesn't care about basketball.

This is totally false. What we care about is a basketball program that is a consistent winner with exciting competitive games (see the attendance during the Vic era). We don't have to win a championship every year but we should at least have a chance to win or more importantly the fans should feel that a Top 25 team can be fielded most years. Just give the fans their money worth.

[msstate7]

This is totally false. What we care about is a basketball program that is a consistent winner with exciting competitive games (see the attendance during the Vic era). We don't have to win a championship every year but we should at least have a chance to win or more importantly the fans should feel that a Top 25 team can be fielded most years. Just give the fans their money worth.

We've been in the top half of the sec in wins the last 4 years. Auburn, Tenn, Florida, bama, lsu, and Kentucky are the teams with more... how many do we have to pass to get 2000 fans?

[CaptainObvious]

This is totally false. What we care about is a basketball program that is a consistent winner with exciting competitive games (see the attendance during the Vic era). We don't have to win a championship every year but we should at least have a chance to win or more importantly the fans should feel that a Top 25 team can be fielded most years. Just give the fans their money worth.

Yep. Us and 300 other D1 basketball programs would love to watch a Top 25 program year in and year out.

[Turfdawg67]

It's his team dammit! Gonna have to drag him away. The rest of y'all can go pound sand and kick rocks! ***

[Leeshouldveflanked]

This is totally false. What we care about is a basketball program that is a consistent winner with exciting competitive games (see the attendance during the Vic era). We don't have to win a championship every year but we should at least have a chance to win or more importantly the fans should feel that a Top 25 team can be fielded most years. Just give the fans their money worth.
Ok Cohen.

[maroonmania]

7 seasons.
The first 2 we're recovering from Ray.
Since then, 5 postseason appearances, with 1 NCAA, 3 NIT, and 1that could have gone NIT or NCAA but was cancelled the week before the selection show.

For a school that doesn't care about basketball, we could do a lot worse.

Yep, he does a mediocre job because he is a decent recruiter but a below average coach. If he would recruit and let someone else coach I would be more in favor of that.

[RougeDawg]

Pretty dumb question by whoever asked it.

No one with a brain is going to either:

A. Announce their retirement in that setting.

B. Say that they don't want to come back. Which is basically the same as A.

This is a nothing burger.


Do we have our replacement?

At this point, a wet paper bag on the sideline as a replacement couldn?t possibly have a more boring offense.

[msstate7]

Yep, he does a mediocre job because he is a decent recruiter but a below average coach. If he would recruit and let someone else coach I would be more in favor of that.

I've been a howland fan, but I have 2 big complaints...
1. No real pg after peters
2. Kept a bad staff together. I understand brooks was a recruiter, but get some better coaches in the other spots

[Commercecomet24]

It's time.

[tcdog70]

I've been a howland fan, but I have 2 big complaints...
1. No real pg after peters
2. Kept a bad staff together. I understand brooks was a recruiter, but get some better coaches in the other spots

Where did last years freshman pg go? Did he have a good year?

[wrapit]

Where did last years freshman pg go? Did he have a good year?

started 4 games, getting 20 minutes PT per game.

[MoreCowbell]

If he could bring tolu, iverson, and kugel, I'm down. I'm also fine with moving on. I have to admit though, I'm a little worried that all these sec jobs opened up. I don't like us having to compete with them

I dont want Howland back, saying that now. BUT, if I knew Tolu, Molinar, Kugel, Garcia and others were returning, it would lighten the blow significantly. Then next year we would go 19-14 and be first 4 out.

[Cooterpoot]

I've got a better shot of banging Mrs. Verlander than Howland has of coming back.

[Maroonthirteen]

"I really want to be back..." = I want my buyout. Well played Howland.

[Coach34]

I've got a better shot of banging Mrs. Verlander than Howland has of coming back.

Howland's buyout drops by a million after the season

[OLJWales]

Pretty dumb question by whoever asked it.

No one with a brain is going to either:

A. Announce their retirement in that setting.

B. Say that they don't want to come back. Which is basically the same as A.

This is a nothing burger.

Dumb question and quite shitty.

[Johnson85]

Howland with Novak as bench coach. We ready!

I'm not sure his style would mesh with what little offensive philosophy we have, but I would not totally be against Howland staying with some help that shores up his weaknesses better.

I think if we can get Jans or Mcmahon, I'd prefer that to him returning, but if it's between a messy breakup without having a replacement locked down, or Howland returning with at least one new assistant that is strong at player development and x's and o's, I'd probably prefer for him to return.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Howland goes one more year. Goes to the sweet sixteen and retires.

[Cooterpoot]

Howland already knows his situation. He gone. I can hear LL COOL J playing in the background.

[confucius say]

I wasn't saying I wanted him back, for the record. What I was saying is he's had us in the postseason every year and in the NCAA or on the bubble every year going into March, but yet we have the worst support in the conference for any team that is at least that good. We don't care about basketball. It is third here, behind baseball and football.

Maybe if we showed up and put 8k in the arena we would have beaten TN, Aub, and Minn at home this year and would be in the tournament. We suck as a basketball fanbase.

[Coach34]

For our older posters


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siQgnEyru_8

[Commercecomet24]

For our older posters


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siQgnEyru_8

Wow, now that's going back aways!

[msstate7]

I wasn't saying I wanted him back, for the record. What I was saying is he's had us in the postseason every year and in the NCAA or on the bubble every year going into March, but yet we have the worst support in the conference for any team that is at least that good. We don't care about basketball. It is third here, behind baseball and football.

Maybe if we showed up and put 8k in the arena we would have beaten TN, Aub, and Minn at home this year and would be in the tournament. We suck as a basketball fanbase.

We demand top 30 results while giving a 200ish level of support

[BrunswickDawg]

We demand top 30 results while giving a 200ish level of support

Yep

[MadDawg]

At this point, a wet paper bag on the sideline as a replacement couldn?t possibly have a more boring offense.

Please no. This mindset is what gave us Rick Ray. The "Anybody would be better than Stands" thinking led us to believe it would be impossible to spend the next decade trying to get back to that unacceptable level. The wrong hire could set us back another decade.

[basedog]

Please no. This mindset is what gave us Rick Ray. The "Anybody would be better than Stands" thinking led us to believe it would be impossible to spend the next decade trying to get back to that unacceptable level. The wrong hire could set us back another decade.

Big Time! It's IFFY and the reason is our overall history isn't great. It could change but I doubt very serious we hire another "Babe McCarthy". I will say it's most likely his time to retire but again what is next is iffy.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Our basketball program is on way more solid ground than when Stans left.

[ScoobaDawg]

Tonight is the end of another era likely. As IYOK said.. We are in a better position than we have been in sadly around 15 years... but we seem so close to taking the next step...but everyone can see Ben isn't gonna make it happen.

I'm excited about the changes to come and hope we get a proven HC from a smaller school.

[Cooterpoot]

I'm going to guess we name our coach about 10:00 AM Friday. I'm making some assumptions, so it's a guess. Presser on Saturday.

[R2Dawg]

We demand top 30 results while giving a 200ish level of support

Yes and no. The fan support first argument is probably the biggest myth in sports. It is like saying if all you people show up at the construction site we'll start building the new plant with good jobs. No. Companies pony up on the front end and then people show up.

You win and people will show up.

Auburn had no support until they started winning. MSU women's team had no support until they started winning. We all showed up to support Croom and Moorhead but support dropped after the poor product produced. I could list every winning program in sports history and before they started winning they had average support.

Fans don't make a team win, home court help, sure.

[msstate7]

Yes and no. The fan support first argument is probably the biggest myth in sports. It is like saying if all you people show up at the construction site we'll start building the new plant with good jobs. No. Companies pony up on the front end and then people show up.

You win and people will show up.

Auburn had no support until they started winning. MSU women's team had no support until they started winning. We all showed up to support Croom and Moorhead but support dropped after the poor product produced. I could list every winning program in sports history and before they started winning they had average support.

Fans don't make a team win, home court help, sure.

We had no one there when we were a 5-seed. You're wrong.

I was talking about monetary support from the AD also. We have to be at or near the bottom in coaching salary and recruiting budget

[DeltaChicagoDog]

"I really want to be back..." = I want my buyout. Well played Howland.

Bingo

[Lord McBuckethead]

Well to start the season I was 100% on board with this team. Man, we really didn?t play well. Lost interest before the end of January. Most times I didn?t know who we were playing or when. This is coming from a guy that didn?t miss a game for 4 years when I was in school. Now, even though I live in Starkville barely even care.

That is what we are dealing with as a fan base. I never prioritize basketball with my time. Just out of habit and to be frank, the team nor the coaches have shown me anything to change my mind.

[confucius say]

Our basketball program is on way more solid ground than when Stans left.

I can agree with this. The off the court is better. The on court is about the same. If the new coach can prevent a mass exodus then we could be good quickly.

[OLJWales]

We demand top 30 results while giving a 200ish level of support

How long has it been since we won a NCAAT Game? Would be on board had we known what his record was gonna be when we hired him? Our fans have become numb to hoops. Ben is Low Energy like his teams play. No way he's as good as he used to be.

[R2Dawg]

We had no one there when we were a 5-seed. You're wrong.

I was talking about monetary support from the AD also. We have to be at or near the bottom in coaching salary and recruiting budget

A 5 seed ain't winning. A run as a 5 seed is a short burst, not one game at home.

I ain't wrong, majority of examples are just what I said. Yes there are a few exceptions like South Carolina that year packing out 0-11 but most rally when their team wins, not before. That is fact.

By investing, yes the school has to commit the resources to try and win. It may not always work out but you got a better chance. Exception again is when you get an assistant coach and he pans out - see Vic. Again no fans when we losing, Vic wins, packed house for WBB at MSU - really? They start losing and guess what fans disappear again. It ain't rocket science.

[EdwardDrayton]

"I really want to be back next year"

What a difference a game makes. Before it made me chuckle when I read it; now it’s a full on laugh out loud.

[confucius say]

A 5 seed ain't winning. A run as a 5 seed is a short burst, not one game at home.

I ain't wrong, majority of examples are just what I said. Yes there are a few exceptions like South Carolina that year packing out 0-11 but most rally when their team wins, not before. That is fact.

By investing, yes the school has to commit the resources to try and win. It may not always work out but you got a better chance. Exception again is when you get an assistant coach and he pans out - see Vic. Again no fans when we losing, Vic wins, packed house for WBB at MSU - really? They start losing and guess what fans disappear again. It ain't rocket science.

So winning means top 10 program in the country? That's the standard for our fans to show up?
Being in the ncaa or on the bubble every year is winning at a place like MSU.

[Todd4State]

A 5 seed ain't winning. A run as a 5 seed is a short burst, not one game at home.

I ain't wrong, majority of examples are just what I said. Yes there are a few exceptions like South Carolina that year packing out 0-11 but most rally when their team wins, not before. That is fact.

By investing, yes the school has to commit the resources to try and win. It may not always work out but you got a better chance. Exception again is when you get an assistant coach and he pans out - see Vic. Again no fans when we losing, Vic wins, packed house for WBB at MSU - really? They start losing and guess what fans disappear again. It ain't rocket science.
For me our basketball product has gotten stale.
It's going to take winning and an entertaining team to watch play for me to remotely pay attention again.

Which for me has been since Rick Ray was hired.

[State82]

For me our basketball product has gotten stale.
It's going to take winning and an entertaining team to watch play for me to remotely pay attention again.

Which for me has been since Rick Ray was hired.

This is exactly where I am with the whole thing. Basketball in the Hump used to be one of the most fun things to experience but that was years ago. I am a long way from being back there again.

[CaptainObvious]

The Hump by design is out-dated. The bandaid they are putting on it will barely help.

If you didn?t have the 8 foot wall separating the upper from lower level, more like 1 level all the way around, you probably would not get much push back from Season Ticket holders if the students were placed on the sidelines as they could still get great sideline seats above the Students Standing. Amazing that an engineering/architecture school doesn?t have a graduate(s) capable of redesigning a more modern arena.

[Dawg2003]

The fact that they're not building an entirely new basketball arena is very disappointing. They could have chosen a new location if it was too expensive to raze the Hump.

[OLJWales]

Any insiders gotta update? Ben Gone? If so, any info on likely replacements?

[ScoobaDawg]

Any insiders gotta update? Ben Gone? If so, any info on likely replacements?


https://youtu.be/f4zyjLyBp64

You are one weird poster dude...

[BeardoMSU]

Any insiders gotta update? Ben Gone? If so, any info on likely replacements?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-3sG0Fjhmk&ab_channel=JUSTRAND0M

[Bothrops]

Howland is a class act and I wish him the best.