Vic

[ZedFedder]

He?s getting demolished by Louisville.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I'll be honest, I really don't wish any ill will on the guy. He wanted to move on and got paid a ton of money to do it. I probably would've done the same thing, if I wasn't at my alma mater. Vic still loves Starkville and is here multiple times a year. He'll probably end up retiring here, he still owns that massive ass house and all that land. I actually think he just bought more land, but I could be wrong on that. He and Cohen just weren't going to ever work out. They were equally passionate about their sports, but Cohen was the guy in the big chair. As long as that was the case and Schaefer wasn't getting football funding for the women's basketball program he was never going to be happy.

I can also go ahead and tell you he and Jans would not have jived well at all. Vic wanted total support for the women's program and wanted it at the detriment of the men's program, which was really my only real problem with him. That and he would get his women's basketball cult all riled up and the blue hairs would start tweeting that Vic was Jesus Christ 2.0 and his team was the 12 disciples so how dare we support the men. They don't even take pictures with us. I actually saw that tweet from a "fan". Jans would've probably told him in no uncertain terms to piss off, my team makes the money and drives the bus. So sit down and shut the hell up.

[Homedawg]

While this isn't defended Jc, Vic was getting funded like football considering. Did he want more? Yes. But damn. Losing 6+ mil a year was enough. Got to draw the line somewhere. And people that like him, as myself, will tell you he was insufferable, wanting more, bitching and complaining. There was never enough no matter.

[StarkVegasSteve]

While this isn't defended Jc, Vic was getting funded like football considering. Did he want more? Yes. But damn. Losing 6+ mil a year was enough. Got to draw the line somewhere. And people that like him, as myself, will tell you he was insufferable, wanting more, bitching and complaining. There was never enough no matter.

You hit the nail on the head. And hey I liked Vic. I thought he was an extremely smart basketball mind and he was a hell of a marketer for his program. But if you told him you weren't really interested in women's basketball, which I did on one occasion, he would look at you like a dumbass and spend 20 minutes explaining how it was better than the men's game in every way, shape, and form. We actually had a really good conversation on what he would do to fix the men's team in 2015 and he made some very good points about how he would've used Sword. He also said that we needed to be full court trapping and pressing. He loved that 40 minutes of hell style.

[AlSwearengen]

While this isn't defended Jc, Vic was getting funded like football considering. Did he want more? Yes. But damn. Losing 6+ mil a year was enough. Got to draw the line somewhere. And people that like him, as myself, will tell you he was insufferable, wanting more, bitching and complaining. There was never enough no matter.

Explains a lot. On a sliding scale, he probably had it better at MSU than he does at Texas. I guess that could change if he starts winning big there, but if he doesn’t, they will eventually move on from him.

[Homedawg]

He had it way better here. He made people care. And they were invested. UT doesn't care about him nor women's hoops. Vic had some big donors on his side. Some of which he had told he would never leave, bad part is they believed him. Which was on them. He was leaving, it was a matter of time. But as StarkVegasSteve said, he does have land and house here and cokes back several times a year.

[maroonmania]

Explains a lot. On a sliding scale, he probably had it better at MSU than he does at Texas. I guess that could change if he starts winning big there, but if he doesn’t, they will eventually move on from him.

Well I can pretty much guarantee that Vic will never get the love and adoration at Texas or anywhere else that he got while at MSU. The relationship Vic had with the WBB fans at MSU was a very unique thing.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Explains a lot. On a sliding scale, he probably had it better at MSU than he does at Texas. I guess that could change if he starts winning big there, but if he doesn’t, they will eventually move on from him.

He had it better here without a doubt. He had absolutely stupid fan support and the administration was willing to give him just about anything he wanted. We were paying him Auriemma level money and he had zero national championships. I feel certain the court probably would've eventually been named after him had he stayed.

And honestly it doesn't matter if they start winning big or not. Austin is just too big. There's too much to do. He's never going to be the main attraction that he was here. Just looking at their attendance numbers this year he averaged between 5500-6000 people per game. He had a couple of outliers where they had 6500 and 7000 and one game where they had 10K. For reference we drew between 5000-5500 this year. And that's a far cry from what we drew under Vic. His last year we were averaging between 7500-8000 a game. And the second national championship year he was bringing in 9000+ every conference game. So basically he went to a city roughly 10x the population size of Starkville and is averaging about 3000 less people a game than when we had it really rolling.

[schddog72]

Explains a lot. On a sliding scale, he probably had it better at MSU than he does at Texas. I guess that could change if he starts winning big there, but if he doesn?t, they will eventually move on from him.

I hope this is only wishful thinking on your part and that you are not totally delusional. Vic will be at Texas as long as he wants to be and he'll get anything and everything he wants because the Shorthorns can afford it. Vic's going to have them in the mix for a natty every year until he's not there. Book it.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I hope this is only wishful thinking on your part and that you are not totally delusional. Vic will be at Texas as long as he wants to be and he'll get anything and everything he wants because the Shorthorns can afford it. Vic's going to have them in the mix for a natty every year until he's not there. Book it.

They may can afford it but when are they going to decide they don't want to afford it. He's making 2.3 mil a year at Texas and has not been to the Final 4 yet. I would venture to guess that only Auriemma, Staley, and Mulkey are making that kind of money and they don't ever get knocked out in the 2nd Round. Plus they have about 15 national championships between them. If he keeps up those results then they'll either go find someone that is worth that type of money or they'll pay a coach 500-750K and save money with the same type of results. To put that into perspective, Chris Jans only makes 2.4 and his program won't lose 4 million dollars this year. They may have unlimited money at Texas, but they may decide that money can go to better use elsewhere.

[Homedawg]

I hope this is only wishful thinking on your part and that you are not totally delusional. Vic will be at Texas as long as he wants to be and he'll get anything and everything he wants because the Shorthorns can afford it. Vic's going to have them in the mix for a natty every year until he's not there. Book it.
How many years does it take him to do that??? Just asking.... and he isn't getting everything he asks for. I promise you that. He keeps asking and asking and asking. It doesn't end. And while they have more money than us by a mile I bet they aren't willing to lose ten mil on women's hoops either.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Just watched Schaefer's press conference and holy hell, I've never seen him that dejected. He wasn't that bad after the national championship losses. He damn near was crying the entire time. Also, Praise The Lord and Hook Em Horns sounds just a tad forced lol.

[ZedFedder]

I know I?ve heard interviews with him, and he just does not seem as happy there. I know he?s been openly frustrated with the crowd support. The grass just isn?t always greener.

[dawgday166]

I thought he left because of the Blair-Bibby thing.

[Reunion Dog]

Wrong.

[bulldogcountry1]

Vic had it made in Starkville. He had created lightning in a bottle in a very short amount of time. He was making good money, he was getting good recruits, he had great fan support, and he had good facilities. If he possessed any wisdom at all, he would have recognized that. I don't buy that he was just waiting for an opportunity to leave. One thing is for sure, he will never, ever get the same level of support anywhere else.

That said, I don't think we should have given him a blank check to stay. Even though his teams were filling up the Hump, tickets were next to nothing. That's why I was able to take my whole family to a good many games. It doesn't take an accountant to figure out that a lot of money was being lost.

[Captain Falcon]

Vic had it made in Starkville. He had created lightning in a bottle in a very short amount of time. He was making good money, he was getting good recruits, he had great fan support, and he had good facilities. If he possessed any wisdom at all, he would have recognized that. I don't buy that he was just waiting for an opportunity to leave. One thing is for sure, he will never, ever get the same level of support anywhere else.

That said, I don't think we should have given him a blank check to stay. Even though his teams were filling up the Hump, tickets were next to nothing. That's why I was able to take my whole family to a good many games. It doesn't take an accountant to figure out that a lot of money was being lost.

This part has flown under the radar a little, it was dirt cheap to go to women?s games when Vic was here. Add a really good team to the mix and no wonder they drew the crowds they did. I think I paid 50 bucks a season in 2018 and 2019 and got two tickets to five conference games, including South Carolina. Meanwhile we were still stupidly charging like $25 a seat for nosebleed tickets to the men?s games that were not drawing big crowds. Thankfully we have adjusted that in recent years.

I will always wonder how big things would have been under Vic had the men been better during that era. Because Vic?s fan support absolutely benefitted from the Rick Ray and early Howland eras being a total trash heap. Our fans were starving for good basketball and then Vic?s rise happened.

[Mjoelner34]

I thought he left because of the Blair-Bibby thing.

There wasn't a Blair/Bibby thing. More of a Blair/2 members of the men's team thing.

[basedog]

I wish the best for Vic, he was nothing but good for Starkville, Msu and WBB team. He will go down as one of the Msu best all time coaches.

No doubt something changed quickly for Vic, but he was good for Msu so stop this bull crap hate on him. I'm sure Vic isn't or wasn't the first coach who keeps "asking" for more, what's wrong with wanting more? Most ALL good coaches have huge egos.

[Homedawg]

I wish the best for Vic, he was nothing but good for Starkville, Msu and WBB team. He will go down as one of the Msu best all time coaches.

No doubt something changed quickly for Vic, but he was good for Msu so stop this bull crap hate on him. I'm sure Vic isn't or wasn't the first coach who keeps "asking" for more, what's wrong with wanting more? Most ALL good coaches have huge egos.
I agree w all this. My point was, at some point you have to say no. And he didn't like that word. At all.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I wish the best for Vic, he was nothing but good for Starkville, Msu and WBB team. He will go down as one of the Msu best all time coaches.

No doubt something changed quickly for Vic, but he was good for Msu so stop this bull crap hate on him. I'm sure Vic isn't or wasn't the first coach who keeps "asking" for more, what's wrong with wanting more? Most ALL good coaches have huge egos.

Some are always going to hate on him because they took every word he ever said as gospel. So when he left they all felt like he lied to them. I don't think the majority of people hate Vic. He did a lot of good for Mississippi State and he did a lot of good for Starkville. I think the one issue that people have with him is that he was constantly wanting more money. We were funding and marketing his program at football level and he still was bitching and complaining that he wasn't getting enough money, coverage, etc. I know the people in the athletic dept had grown tired of him because when he came through the doors of the Bryan Building he was going to complain to someone. He kind of got this invincibility about him. He peeved a lot of people when he wanted to bring Blair on staff. There's some stuff out that if you live in Starkville and you were around that age at that time, you know. And it has ZERO to do with Chloe Bibby.

[Topbulldawg]

While this isn't defended Jc, Vic was getting funded like football considering. Did he want more? Yes. But damn. Losing 6+ mil a year was enough. Got to draw the line somewhere. And people that like him, as myself, will tell you he was insufferable, wanting more, bitching and complaining. There was never enough no matter.

Honestly, that sounds exactly like the Vic I saw as a coach. Always demanded more from his team and probably was insufferable at times. It?s a personality trait that makes him successful. I am in no way saying we should have given in, but I think it?s an interesting parallel.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Honestly, that sounds exactly like the Vic I saw as a coach. Always demanded more from his team and probably was insufferable at times. It?s a personality trait that makes him successful. I am in no way saying we should have given in, but I think it?s an interesting parallel.

Him and Cohen are the same person. They were highly demanding of their teams and they could be absolute intolerable ass holes. The difference is Vic knew how to put on a public face, Cohen never really learned that trait. Still hasn't really to this day.

[R2Dawg]

I know I?ve heard interviews with him, and he just does not seem as happy there. I know he?s been openly frustrated with the crowd support. The grass just isn?t always greener.

I don't think Vic has said. Most of what we all discuss is conjecture. My opinion is that there were a multitude of things. Maybe him and JC were not good, the Blair mess, deep down I think part of him wanted back in TX and that is understandable. I think the convergence of these things just made him take the chance. Hey and it is UT. While he will have some success, he is now back in SEC and will be tough sledding to make to top again.

I also agree that he under estimated how special he had it at MSU. You can tell from his interview on the SEC hoops special. He has MSU on a pedistal as far as best places he has coached.

If he had to do over, I'm not sure he leaves.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I don't think Vic has said. Most of what we all discuss is conjecture. My opinion is that there were a multitude of things. Maybe him and JC were not good, the Blair mess, deep down I think part of him wanted back in TX and that is understandable. I think the convergence of these things just made him take the chance. Hey and it is UT. While he will have some success, he is now back in SEC and will be tough sledding to make to top again.

I also agree that he under estimated how special he had it at MSU. You can tell from his interview on the SEC hoops special. He has MSU on a pedistal as far as best places he has coached.

If he had to do over, I'm not sure he leaves.

It was almost entirely that he and Cohen didn't get along and a little bit of that he wanted to go home. The Blair stuff, which has become and MSU urban legend, wasn't a factor and the story now is so far from the truth that it's laughable.

[R2Dawg]

It was almost entirely that he and Cohen didn't get along and a little bit of that he wanted to go home. The Blair stuff, which has become and MSU urban legend, wasn't a factor and the story now is so far from the truth that it's laughable.

I wasn't saying the Blair thing was a major factor. It by itself was nothing but deep down it hurt him and he saw a chance for a clean start so to speak. It is almost cosmetic and symbolic. I see it all the time with people's decision in life when a personal hurt happens - divorce, death in family, other pain - they make a big life change hoping it will ease the personal pain. That is all I'm saying. No urban legend here just common sense.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I wasn't saying the Blair thing was a major factor. It by itself was nothing but deep down it hurt him and he saw a chance for a clean start so to speak. It is almost cosmetic and symbolic. I see it all the time with people's decision in life when a personal hurt happens - divorce, death in family, other pain - they make a big life change hoping it will ease the personal pain. That is all I'm saying. No urban legend here just common sense.

I don't know what personal pain it caused. She was doing the same thing hundreds of college girls do. Again, what y'all have been fed for 4 years isn't the truth or at least isn't the whole truth. It's far from it. It's an urban legend and there's little truth to it from what I have seen and was told for years. I was in college with her at the time, and the rumor about her after he left never made a bit of sense. I don't know where that rumor ever started, but it would shock the hell out of me if that was true.

[R2Dawg]

I don't know what personal pain it caused. She was doing the same thing hundreds of college girls do. Again, what y'all have been fed for 4 years isn't the truth or at least isn't the whole truth. It's far from it. It's an urban legend and there's little truth to it from what I have seen and was told for years. I was in college with her at the time, and the rumor about her after he left never made a bit of sense. I don't know where that rumor ever started, but it would shock the hell out of me if that was true.

Doesn't matter how many girls were doing it. Blair was his daughter and he didn't raise her that way and he doesn't believe that way. If you don't believe that way then I get you wouldn't understand the pain it would cause but that is a fact and not a rumor. Again, none of us know the whole reasons. Again don't make a mountain out of the Blair mole hill I mentioned. Not saying that.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Doesn't matter how many girls were doing it. Blair was his daughter and he didn't raise her that way and he doesn't believe that way. If you don't believe that way then I get you wouldn't understand the pain it would cause but that is a fact and not a rumor. Again, none of us know the whole reasons. Again don't make a mountain out of the Blair mole hill I mentioned. Not saying that.

Oh yea I could see that causing him some embarrassment if he didn't know about it. Like you said though, that wasn't the reason he left and I doubt it even factored in to the situation.

[R2Dawg]

Oh yea I could see that causing him some embarrassment if he didn't know about it. Like you said though, that wasn't the reason he left and I doubt it even factored in to the situation.

Yeah there probably was some embarrassment but the personal pain was something else. He had his strong personal convictions violated by his kid whom he raised to mirror his own. That is a strong pain if you've ever had a wayward child as a parent. That kind of pain affects everything you do. I doubt too it was a decider but it was in the undercurrents of his heart. Going back to TX appealed to his heart which was wounded.

[State82]

That is a strong pain if you've ever had a wayward child as a parent. That kind of pain affects everything you do.

It most certainly does.