The drop in fan support for MSU Basketball is a major crisis

[Goat Holder]

I used to fight this battle all the time too, just like you are doing. But save your energy. Use it to go out and recruit more people to be MSU fans, thus more people to choose from, more money, etc. MSU's fanbase is just small, it's no better or worse than anybody else's. They all have their idiots. People are just people, even at Ole Miss.

But remember, to ever get fans in the first place, the Alabama's (football) and Indiana's (basketball) and LSU's (baseball) had to DO something on the field to get them there. It certainly helps to have fans before winning, but that isn't reality. Alabama/Auburn/etc. built their fanbases over years of consistent winning, something MSU hasn't had except in baseball. And look.....we have one of the best fanbases in the nation in that sport.

[Dawg61]

No what the problem is is that fans like you that think we should just grab a bunch of JUCOs and we will be magically better. You were probably in the club of people that actually thought we should walk into Sanderson and grab some guys because they would have made us better last year.

The problem we have is that our fan base is dumb and has ZERO ability to look objectively at situations. Is this what we wanted? No. Is it what some logical people expected? Absolutely. You had to know there would be recruiting difficulties because we blew the whole program up, winning difficulties because we had a thin roster, and attrition difficulties because of the culture that was bred during the last years of the Stansbury tenure.

Why should we expect more than what we have right now? What makes anyone think that we should be better? Is this situation like anything you've seen before? Some of you may think we have a great basketball history, but in all honestly we really don't. Couple of SEC Championships in years that we were clearly not the best team in the SEC, never out of the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament under Stansbury, some bad NIT losses very recently, guys being kicked off the team or failing drug tests, no NBA guys worth mentioning.

Geez people, wake up. Sure we did some good things, but Stansbury left us with nothing we could hang our hat on to use in our favor. It was all blown up. But somehow Rick Ray's tenure will ultimately off of whether or not he can get Malik Newman, or whether or not he can get JUCOs because that would help us so much more, or why he doesn't play a guy like D'Runnya Wilson who didn't play basketball for almost a year but we should just stick him in a week after playing football and let him work his magic and be the savior of the team. God our fan base is so stupid.

Cool story bro. Problem with it is that Rick Ray is a terrible basketball coach. If you can't see it by now you really shouldn't comment on basketball any further.

[Goat Holder]

(my best Finebaum sigh right here)

I can't believe there are actually self-hating whiteys like you still out there that would believe what you just posted. Or you may be one of those extremely racist black folks. Either way you're damned idiot. If anything, the color of Ray's skin actually HELPS him more than hurts him in 2014.

[Dawg61]

Let's be honest. The reason why there is no support is because Ray is a black coach who is losing. If he was white I bet most the fan base would give him atleast 3 years. I don't understand the whole comparing ray to croom either.

Quit trying to get the thread locked asshole. Race ain't got shit to do with this.

[mullenite]

@Fader21 Good grief.... Surely you don't believe this...

[Brad Stevens]

No what the problem is is that fans like you that think we should just grab a bunch of JUCOs and we will be magically better. You were probably in the club of people that actually thought we should walk into Sanderson and grab some guys because they would have made us better last year.

The problem we have is that our fan base is dumb and has ZERO ability to look objectively at situations. Is this what we wanted? No. Is it what some logical people expected? Absolutely. You had to know there would be recruiting difficulties because we blew the whole program up, winning difficulties because we had a thin roster, and attrition difficulties because of the culture that was bred during the last years of the Stansbury tenure.

Why should we expect more than what we have right now? What makes anyone think that we should be better? Is this situation like anything you've seen before? Some of you may think we have a great basketball history, but in all honestly we really don't. Couple of SEC Championships in years that we were clearly not the best team in the SEC, never out of the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament under Stansbury, some bad NIT losses very recently, guys being kicked off the team or failing drug tests, no NBA guys worth mentioning.

Geez people, wake up. Sure we did some good things, but Stansbury left us with nothing we could hang our hat on to use in our favor. It was all blown up. But somehow Rick Ray's tenure will ultimately off of whether or not he can get Malik Newman, or whether or not he can get JUCOs because that would help us so much more, or why he doesn't play a guy like D'Runnya Wilson who didn't play basketball for almost a year but we should just stick him in a week after playing football and let him work his magic and be the savior of the team. God our fan base is so stupid.

Great post. Let's just hope the few voices that make themselves heard on message boards don't truly represent the MSU population as a whole. Our team sucks (clearly), but I have faith most of our fan-base isn't that dumb.

[Coach34]

No what the problem is is that fans like you that think we should just grab a bunch of JUCOs and we will be magically better. You were probably in the club of people that actually thought we should walk into Sanderson and grab some guys because they would have made us better last year.

The problem we have is that our fan base is dumb and has ZERO ability to look objectively at situations. Is this what we wanted? No. Is it what some logical people expected? Absolutely. You had to know there would be recruiting difficulties because we blew the whole program up, winning difficulties because we had a thin roster, and attrition difficulties because of the culture that was bred during the last years of the Stansbury tenure.

Why should we expect more than what we have right now? What makes anyone think that we should be better? Is this situation like anything you've seen before? Some of you may think we have a great basketball history, but in all honestly we really don't. Couple of SEC Championships in years that we were clearly not the best team in the SEC, never out of the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament under Stansbury, some bad NIT losses very recently, guys being kicked off the team or failing drug tests, no NBA guys worth mentioning.

Geez people, wake up. Sure we did some good things, but Stansbury left us with nothing we could hang our hat on to use in our favor. It was all blown up. But somehow Rick Ray's tenure will ultimately off of whether or not he can get Malik Newman, or whether or not he can get JUCOs because that would help us so much more, or why he doesn't play a guy like D'Runnya Wilson who didn't play basketball for almost a year but we should just stick him in a week after playing football and let him work his magic and be the savior of the team. God our fan base is so stupid.

Outstanding post...Gracias amigo

[mcdawg]

Let's be honest. The reason why there is no support is because Ray is a black coach who is losing. If he was white I bet most the fan base would give him atleast 3 years. I don't understand the whole comparing ray to croom either.

This is such a dumb statement, it is hard to respond to. But, I will try.

1) A lot of fans didn't like the handling of the change. Like it or not, Stans had a lot of supporters. He is an extremely likable guy that was very close to a lot of fans.
2) I know a lot of Jackson-area fans that now go to Jackson State games (instead of MSU games), since they like Coach Brent. He is a very likable guy that is approachable by basketball fans. Oh, and he is black.
3) I know a lot of MSU basketball fans that now just go to high school games. I have been to more hs games than MSU games (and I have 4 lower level tickets). Takes less time and is more enjoyable.
4) MS is a hunting state. I have a lot of friends that are going hunting on Saturdays (now) instead of MSU games. You better give them a good product to get them out of the woods - no matter the color of the coach. Same goes for golfers.
5) Some are just tired of watching our team lose - again, no matter the color of the coach.
6) Some had gotten frustrated with our basketball program under Stans, so they are sour on basketball - and Stans is white.

I would keep on going, but you get the point. Having a black coach has nothing to do with it. If we were winning, they would love him. That's the way of the coaching world.

[mcdawg]

This quote on all time favorite list.

Along with the one where you said Ray was a good coach because others were copying his defense.

Now, that is funny. The defense that is last in the SEC in field goal % defense!

[Thick]

The change is stunning. Other teams, such as Indiana, have gone from winning to losing without being abandoned by the fans. I've been watching sports all my life and I can't remember seeing a change this dramatic affect any other team in any sport.

I don't see a problem with it. I live in Jackson, and I'm not wasting money on something that is not good. Would you go to a shitty restaurant over and over again if it continues to be shitty?

[Thick]

It also sends a message to the athletic department...the fans demand more from the bball program then hustle and effort. It also informs the coaching staff that the end is near if things don't change real quick. Wonder what Stricklin is thinking right now?

[MetEdDawg]

It also sends a message to the athletic department...the fans demand more from the bball program then hustle and effort. It also informs the coaching staff that the end is near if things don't change real quick. Wonder what Stricklin is thinking right now?

Right now he's thinking of strategies to get more people to games in ways that have nothing to do with our team's ability or performance because everyone is coming back next year. I don't care if the product is bad. If I had the monetary means and I only lived an hour from campus I would be there every single home game and if I lived within two hours I would certainly at least be there for weekend home games.

People don't understand that this boycotting games and pulling money out is a self perpetuating circle that only action on our part will get us out of. We can't recruit, so we suck on the court. We suck on the court, so people don't go to games. When good recruits come to games, they see no fans, so they don't want to come to our school because the fans don't care and don't show up to support the team. So we can't recruit and the cycle starts back again. Then before you know it all we have is 3 or 4 years of bad to mediocre basketball to sell to another coach and recruits, no fans at games, and less money to work with if we do want to make change. How much sense does that make?

[JOHNHEVESYMADE]

Is it NIT or bust for Ray next year? I have never heard of a coach in a BCS conference losing 14 in a row to close the season and keeping his job, but somehow Stricklin is going to sweep it under the rug. I see us winning 6 conference games next year simply because of a full roster. We will miss Borchert in all types of way and our outside shooting will be dismal again. This won't work and it's time for coach and Engie to admit Ray won't take us anywhere. There's a reason he's jumped around to so many jobs and went 16-15 in his last year at Clemson.

[Original48]

Wonder what Stricklin is thinking right now?

He's thinking...I guess it's better to be in Arizona getting punched in the stomach than at the Hump getting kicked in the Girados.

[Will James]

I used to be a big hoops fan. Back when the game was interesting aka not AAU athletes being athletic. Even if we were "good" I don't think I would like the product. The sport just doesn't do it for me anymore. It's boring to watch now, across the whole NCAA landscape.

[Coach34]

Is it NIT or bust for Ray next year? I have never heard of a coach in a BCS conference losing 14 in a row to close the season and keeping his job, but somehow Stricklin is going to sweep it under the rug. I see us winning 6 conference games next year simply because of a full roster. We will miss Borchert in all types of way and our outside shooting will be dismal again. This won't work and it's time for coach and Engie to admit Ray won't take us anywhere. There's a reason he's jumped around to so many jobs and went 16-15 in his last year at Clemson.

Trent Johnson lost more than 14 in a row and I bet he keeps his job also

[Coach34]

We will miss Borchert in all types of way and our outside shooting will be dismal again. This won't work and it's time for coach and Engie to admit Ray won't take us anywhere. There's a reason he's jumped around to so many jobs and went 16-15 in his last year at Clemson.

A) We will not miss Borchert. Yes, he can shoot a little but he couldnt guard me. He is slow as shit and didnt battle in the paint. I've had people that have actually been to practice tell me that Daniels is the best big we have right now. Including Ware. Endo is gonna be ok as well and give us some minutes with his 6'11 ass down in there.

B) So when Ray bounces around as an asst it's a bad thing- but when Robert Kirby does it's because he's a great asst? Good to know

[Coach34]

I have never heard of a coach in a BCS conference losing 14 in a row to close the season and keeping his job, but somehow Stricklin is going to sweep it under the rug. .

Oliver Purnell at Depaul has gone thru 1-14 and 1-15 stretches while rebuilding there the last couple of years and kept his job.

[Coach34]

Is it NIT or bust for Ray next year? I have never heard of a coach in a BCS conference losing 14 in a row to close the season and keeping his job, but somehow Stricklin is going to sweep it under the rug.

Pat Chambers lost his first 14 conference games at Penn State last yearand finished 2-16....kept his job- ya know, because they were rebuilding

[HardyStreetAlumniClub]

The change is stunning. Other teams, such as Indiana, have gone from winning to losing without being abandoned by the fans. I've been watching sports all my life and I can't remember seeing a change this dramatic affect any other team in any sport.

They ****ing suck. When has Indiana been as bad as we are even in their off years? Im sorry, but I'm not driving more than an hour to watch Ray's group of misfits lose to every single shitty SEC team that is put forth. I won't support losing. Last night's game pissed me off more than any other game this year. We had a terrible SEC team beat at home, on senior night, and Ray's group of misfits found a way to blow it.

If Ray can somehow find a way to get his guys to play even close to a level to be proud of, I would make my usual 2-3 games a year.