Someone please make me feel ok about basketball going forward

[mcdawg]

Our best 3 point shooter is Borchert and we are losing him next year. Who will be able to knock down a jump shot or bust a zone for us in year 3 of Rays tenure? We will continue to get zoned to death and score in the 50s until Ray bring in some shooters. it's kinda like watching Crooms teams in football. Even when we won it was ugly because our offense was so bad. As a fan its just not a very entertaining brand of basketball we are putting on the floor

This is exactly the problem. Stans is gone, and I recognize that. I think he should have been ask to leave earlier or stay a little longer (bring in his committed players and try to get Hood to stay), but that is over. I am worried that basketball is going to be set back so far, that it will not be fixable. I think Ray/staff are good coaches. Hell, we stay close with almost no depth or shooters. He has them playing defenses to emphasize our quickness and hide our lack of size. And, he has them run on offense because we can score in transition and not in a halfcourt game. But, like what is said above, it is ugly even when we win. I am telling you, it is a horrible atmosphere at the games. (The "webcam" stuff and "sponsor challenges" are worse than the game.) The additional players will make us better (an asst coach told a friend of mine that Daniels is very good), but will it be enough to get fans back? When we are not playing for anything (SEC, Tourney), I am not sure fans will come back just to see an improvement.

[maroonmania]

Stans wasn't the answer. I'd rather burn through 10 coaches to finally get to the right one then to stay with the wrong one any longer. Stansbury is incapable of even making a Sweet 16. I want to see another Final Four before we all die. That's not asking for too much. I will also say I expect my AD to make better hires than the coaches he fires. Especially when he goes on his own and hires who only he wanted. This isn't Scott Stricklin University.

I would just love to see another Sweet Sixteen in my lifetime at this point. I don't think people realize what a feat that was for us to make the 1996 Final Four. It took a very good Sweet Sixteen 1995 team with most starters returning in 96 plus adding a great one hit wonder in Dontae Jones to make that run. Only 4 of the 14 SEC teams have ever made multiple appearances in the Final Four (UK, FL, Ark, LSU) and only 6 (add GA and MSU) have ever even made a single appearance in a Final Four.

[Intramural All-American]

This is exactly the problem. Stans is gone, and I recognize that. I think he should have been ask to leave earlier or stay a little longer (bring in his committed players and try to get Hood to stay), but that is over. I am worried that basketball is going to be set back so far, that it will not be fixable. I think Ray/staff are good coaches. Hell, we stay close with almost no depth or shooters. He has them playing defenses to emphasize our quickness and hide our lack of size. And, he has them run on offense because we can score in transition and not in a halfcourt game. But, like what is said above, it is ugly even when we win. I am telling you, it is a horrible atmosphere at the games. (The "webcam" stuff and "sponsor challenges" are worse than the game.) The additional players will make us better (an asst coach told a friend of mine that Daniels is very good), but will it be enough to get fans back? When we are not playing for anything (SEC, Tourney), I am not sure fans will come back just to see an improvement.

Serious question. If some of you think it should be so easy to get back to the bubble, then how could we ever fall off the basketball map completely? Based on what y'all are saying, if Ray isn't the guy to do it, it shouldn't be that hard to find someone who can. So either it's easy and we can get back with our next coach (if Ray doesn't work out) or it's a whole hell of a lot harder to build a competitive team than y'all are making it out to be.

[chef dixon]

I wish people wouldn't bring up Josh Gray. The dude is not a program changer and he proved that at TTU. He's no more a player than IJ Ready. Anyone with D1 talent can find a JUCO squad and take all the shots. We have plenty of guys that can fill the role he would have on our team. Our problem is size and pure, spot up jump shooting. Our current team dribbles and moves the ball around better than any team I can remember in Stansbury's last 8 or so years. We just simply can't convert our chances. We'd be pretty lethal if we had the ball handling and movement we do now with players that could stroke it like Ravern.

[Coach34]

I wish people wouldn't bring up Josh Gray. The dude is not a program changer and he proved that at TTU. He's no more a player than IJ Ready. Anyone with D1 talent can find a JUCO squad and take all the shots. We have plenty of guys that can fill the role he would have on our team. Our problem is size and pure, spot up jump shooting. Our current team dribbles and moves the ball around better than any team I can remember in Stansbury's last 8 or so years. We just simply can't convert our chances. We'd be pretty lethal if we had the ball handling and movement we do now with players that could stroke it like Ravern.

good post

[tcdog70]

LSU says you are full of shit about Gray. they like Him a lot just like Stansbury did. iJ Ready is that the answer when y'all cant think of any other recruit Ray has signed. IJ ready is a pretty good role playerwho gets schooled when He plays defense. You have to have guards to win Big.Please Rick Ray go to JUCO and find two guards that can shoot and defend. Let them not be the smurf type guards that Ray loves. We should be able to sell playing time, because if you are worth a shift you are better than what we currently have.

[chef dixon]

LSU says you are full of shit about Gray. they like Him a lot just like Stansbury did. iJ Ready is that the answer when y'all cant think of any other recruit Ray has signed. IJ ready is a pretty good role playerwho gets schooled when He plays defense. You have to have guards to win Big.Please Rick Ray go to JUCO and find two guards that can shoot and defend. Let them not be the smurf type guards that Ray loves. We should be able to sell playing time, because if you are worth a shift you are better than what we currently have.

Well your boy Josh Gray is a towering 6 foot 1. I'd take his JUCO stats with a grain of salt because he shot a whopping 36% from the field and a slick 18% from beyond the arc in his first go-around at D1 basketball. I bet the other LSU players can't wait for him to get there and throw up 30 shots a game like he's used to right now. Ready is a solid, poised freshman player and a piece you need to have a solid team, nothing more, nothing less at the moment. I'm not saying he is the answer to our problems, because he's not, but I know adding a player like Josh Gray to our team sure as hell isn't either.

[Coach34]

Well your boy Josh Gray is a towering 6 foot 1. I'd take his JUCO stats with a grain of salt because he shot a whopping 36% from the field and a slick 18% from beyond the arc in his first go-around at D1 basketball. I bet the other LSU players can't wait for him to get there and throw up 30 shots a game like he's used to right now. Ready is a solid, poised freshman player and a piece you need to have a solid team, nothing more, nothing less at the moment. I'm not saying he is the answer to our problems, because he's not, but I know adding a player like Josh Gray to our team sure as hell isn't either.

To put it in perspective- Craig Sword shot better from 3 than Josh Gray did last year when they were both Freshmen.

[grinnindawg]

75% may be low.

I like the way the team plays for the most part, but they are so bad on offense for long stretches it is ridiculous.

[Dawg61]

Serious question. If some of you think it should be so easy to get back to the bubble, then how could we ever fall off the basketball map completely? Based on what y'all are saying, if Ray isn't the guy to do it, it shouldn't be that hard to find someone who can. So either it's easy and we can get back with our next coach (if Ray doesn't work out) or it's a whole hell of a lot harder to build a competitive team than y'all are making it out to be.

I think it can be difficult or slow to accomplish if you're not quick with turnover at the start. You can't get stuck or bogged down in under performing players for 3-4 year stretches. Sometimes you get lucky with the players you get at first and you look like a genius and other times you have to cycle through some till you get enough talent. If you upgrade your weakest links for a couple years you should soon have enough to get you on the bubble. Ray doesn't always have to be cutthroat with his players but I think it's MANDATORY his first 3 years. After that the roster should be full and his weakest players become Roq and Sword types instead of Cunningham and Jacoby Davis. He must raise his floor. I already said how he can do it. I'm not asking him to bring in Kentucky/Florida type talent. Just bring in 4 players better than Davis, Bloodman, Thomas and ? (Black or Ndoye maybe) with 4 players that can shoot and score. That's it. College basketball is not four year commitments anymore. It hasn't been for 10+ years now. It's one year scholarships that can be renewed. Eventually Ray can get a more secure and talented roster that it can become longer commitments for him and his players but definitely not right now. GO GET FOUR BETTER PLAYERS. Again do this and keep your job. Don't do this and well it's going to be very difficult.

[tcdog70]

6'1 is Abigail guard by Ray standards. Gray was a freshman just like Sword. So C34 you are saying Ray is coaching the Chicken down

[Coach34]

6'1 is Abigail guard by Ray standards. Gray was a freshman just like Sword. So C34 you are saying Ray is coaching the Chicken down

No, I'm saying Sword would average 35/game in juco

[Intramural All-American]

I don't think you realize that Cunningham has played out of necessity. He played last year due to Shaun smith and Kristers being kicked off and then two torn ACLs. Then this year, two more kick offs and fallou and Daniels having to redshirt. So each year that is 4 players gone that we expected before the season. I also don't understand the Cunningham hate. He has made some big plays for us. Obviously he's not SEC quality, but Ray never expected him to be anymore than a walkon who doesn't play. You have begged for Bear and Moore, but neither of them have shown anything in their time in (except bear can rebound, but he and Cunningham play different positions). Also, Davis was signed out of necessity in Rays first two months on the job.
You are also crazy to say Sword should be a floor type. Sword is very good. Thomas is an elite defender who still may develop his shot better. I just don't understand where he is supposed to get 4 better players. You act as if they grow on trees. If it were that easy, Auburn, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Arkansas would all be able to do it too.
Basically, Ray hasn't had a legit season yet due to 4 lost players each season. Next year he will realistically start to be judged. I expect 9-9 at least in te SEC. If he cant do that, he will be on the hot seat in year four.

[Dawg61]

I'm not bashing Cunningham. I think he's better than Davis straight up. I'm not buying that Thomas is an elite defender either but it doesn't matter because he's a huge liability on offense. Sword has been very good until this 5 game slide. He's been struggling mightily recently though. I also realize Ray isn't playing with the full deck he thought he'd have but I'm not focusing on the ones he doesn't have I'm saying he can upgrade 4 of the ones he has right now. There's better players within 200 miles of Starkville than those four. I'd go get them for you if I could. I can't. He has to do it.

[Intramural All-American]

Elite may be a bit extreme. He is a good defender, however. He has struggled offensively, but he still has games where he does well on that end. Bloodman has also greatly improved for us. Last year he was horrible. This year he is a serviceable backup. He played well in the Kentucky game. Davis is in his first year, I'd give him a little slack. And are you seriously advocating cutting one of black/ndoye who you have never seen play a game for State? Obviously black is a little more understandable, but you think we should cut a redshirting freshman in ndoye? You are so naive to believe we can just go pickup four guys to come in and make us better than what we have. Aren't you the same guy who advocated Ray picking up players from the Sanderson last year to compete in the SEC? And you said Cunningham was better than Sword.

[Dawg61]

I ripped Ray for a couple of days after we got EMBARRASSED by 46 by UNC and slaughtered by Texas and Marquette in Maui with 6 ****ing players. I was so pissed about it I brought up the tryouts idea and bringing in football players and the point I was trying to make and failed miserably at was/is that it's totally unacceptable to play any games let alone a tournament in Maui with 6 basketball players. That was 14 months ago. How long do you plan on bringing that post up for? Are you a woman? Women bring up shit 14 months ago.

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

I ripped Ray for a couple of days after we got EMBARRASSED by 46 by UNC and slaughtered by Texas and Marquette in Maui with 6 ****ing players. I was so pissed about it I brought up the tryouts idea and bringing in football players and the point I was trying to make and failed miserably at was/is that it's totally unacceptable to play any games let alone a tournament in Maui with 6 basketball players. That was 14 months ago. How long do you plan on bringing that post up for? Are you a woman? Women bring up shit 14 months ago.

I can't for the life of me figure out how you are not currently coaching in the NCAA, if not the NBA? I mean, after all, you have it all figured out and its a piece of cake to just find elite talent growing on trees in jucos.

**it was tough for me to type this post out through the blank stare I can't seem to shake over your proposition that we should cut a guy that you've never even seen play because you don't think he's any good.

[engie]

Just accept the rebuilding year -- don't form opinions based on actual results yet -- and let it play out. Rubber meets road in year 3 or else we start seriously considering going another direction.

The people that were analyzing the hell out of baseball for Cohen's first 2 years were largely the same ones off wanting to get rid of him/Butch. They were forming comparisons between Polk's last team and Cohen's first/second -- saying Raffo was a better hitting coach -- and there were even a few contending that McNickle was a better pitching coach. His first 2 years SUCKED. No one denies that, although people seem to ignore what the baseball rebuild actually taught them while looking at the basketball rebuild. There was points in time where it was not a "sure thing" Cohen would get it going in year 3 -- and everyone knew it as make or break time for him.

Point being -- you can't really take ANYTHING from rebuilding years where you are shorthanded. Just accept that there will be a few bright spots and alot of shitburgers -- and circle year 3 on the calendar. Very few coaches would have "fixed" our basketball program inside the first 2 years -- and those that could would never have likely put down roots here. As of today, we still don't know for sure what we have in Ray. Next year -- we're either in the postseason -- or we need to start looking around.

[Coach34]

Exactly. Next year the standards raise a little and it's time to push for a team capable of making the NIT

[TheRef]

Exactly. Next year the standards raise a little and it's time to push for a team capable of making the NIT

Do we accept CBI next year?