The Malik Newman/Diamond Stone Package Deal...

[engie]

I talked to an above average source last week at the coaching clinic and as of last week Malik was almost certainly going to Kentucky... I realize shit like this changes daily sometimes so take it for what it's worth

UK scuttlebutt is that they either have or are moving on from Malik. UK put out 3 new SG offers in the past couple of weeks... http://kentucky.247sports.com/Board/...ewman-29727708
http://kentuckysportsradio.com/main/...from-kentucky/

[thedawg]

Interesting... this guy said "Malik wants to go to Kentucky and they want him... I cant see him going anywhere else... 0% chance he goes to State." This guy is a State alum and huge fan. He also SHOULD know what the hell hes talking about... I have no idea what the real situation is... I really hope he comes to state because Im a Ray fan and it will save his job for 100% and he it will provide him the needed time to get it done if he can..

[engie]

Interesting... this guy said "Malik wants to go to Kentucky and they want him... I cant see him going anywhere else... 0% chance he goes to State." This guy is a State alum and huge fan. He also SHOULD know what the hell hes talking about... I have no idea what the real situation is... I really hope he comes to state because Im a Ray fan and it will save his job for 100% and he it will provide him the needed time to get it done if he can..

I'm with you.

I've had a bunch of people telling me "no chance" and laughing at me for disagreeing for a long time now to the extent that I have a number of bookmarks for this topic. All while hearing something very different from about as good of sources as you can have on this. That's not to say that he's coming to MSU -- it's recruiting. Basketball recruiting. And it's BBN we're going against here. But we're in the middle of the game for Malik and have been for months now.

That said, there is no prize for coming in second on this. Ray has got to close him.

[yjnkdawg]

I really hope Ray can succeed on this. He really came into a bad situation, so it is overdue for some good things to happen to him and our basketball program.

[Bark]

When is the signing period? There are two right? Will he sign the first period or second?

[engie]

When is the signing period? There are two right? Will he sign the first period or second?

Malik won't sign until the late signing period next spring...

[KB21]

I really hope Ray can succeed on this. He really came into a bad situation, so it is overdue for some good things to happen to him and our basketball program.

This. I honestly can't think of a worse situation for a coach to walk into outside of the situation Scott Drew walked into at Baylor. This was a complete dumpster fire, and you could see the signs that things were heading towards this late in Stansbury's career at MSU. Stans's problem was that the good players he got, he couldn't control them nor coach them up.

[hopsondawg]

Their was talk on Geoff Caulkins radio show this morning of Mississippi adding Horatio Webster to their basketball staff in a bid to secure Malik's signing. Would Rick Ray be open to adding Horatio if that is what it takes to signing Malik?

[starkvegasdawg]

Their was talk on Geoff Caulkins radio show this morning of Mississippi adding Horatio Webster to their basketball staff in a bid to secure Malik's signing. Would Rick Ray be open to adding Horatio if that is what it takes to signing Malik?

If he's not up to it then he should beat over the head with a crow bar until he warms up to the idea.

[engie]

IMO Horatio would be great for recruiting that goes well beyond Malik...

The places Malik has been with TeamUSA and the people that know Horatio and his larger than life personality have to present a ton of "ins" on the national level

[Sandman14]

Just gonna jump in and jump right back out of this party. Have to remind you guys of the dream you have concocted and now brow beaten into your skulls to such an extent that you believe it's reality. Stansbury won 17 games or more in 12 of 14 seasons. He won 20 or more in 10 of 14, including his last season in which he won 21. Rick Ray is the laughing stock of the country. He's an assistant coach who has been placed at the helm of a legit SEC basketball program, and his performance has been an utter disaster. He has a combined 7 SEC wins in two years with no hope in sight aside from this pipe dream with Newman. Three years in and we still have no talent whatsoever and are banking on signing the number 1 player in the country.

Stansbury won at least 7 SEC games in 12 of his 14 seasons. That's 7 in same season 12 of 14. Ray has 7 in two years. Stansbury won at least 8 SEC games per season in 10 of his last 11 years.

It would be an unbelievable occurrence if Ray signs Newman. And "unbelievable" is the correct word. Because it's not believable. It won't happen. Would love to be wrong, and yes, doing so could be a game changer for Ray. But somehow getting Kobe Bryant on the team would also be a game changer. Perhaps getting Lebron James to shun Cleveland for Starkville and put a wig on him to trick the NCAA. That would be a game changer too. It's just that those things are unbelievable as well. Like signing Newman.

Would really, really love to be wrong, but this chatter is comical. And I just wanted to infuse some reality into the situation.

[engie]

Stansbury also built his team for 8 years prior to getting the head job -- and still didn't make the NCAAs until year 4.

It's lovely how easy it is to define a Stansbury apologist by the data he uses to define what Stans did here. "20 wins" = "I'm still butt hurt -- and a prime candidate for one of the guys that's sabotaging Ray"

That 21 wins and first round out of the NIT with Two first round NBA players -- another in the league as a free agent currently -- along with a former national #1 recruit -- should say all there is to say. But somehow, to you, it doesn't.

Yep!!1!1 Getting Malik = Getting Lebron!!1!1 Idiot. It took you one post in the last 3 months to remind me why I have to click "view post" every time I'm feeling like reading axe-grinding basketball stupidity. Looking forward to coach banning you again.

[Sandman14]

Ray does have one accomplishment. He's done something Stansbury was never able to do over the course of his 14 year tenure. And that's win less than 5 SEC games in a season. Rick Ray, in fact, has done what Stansbury could never do over 14 years and he's done it two years in a row. The guy is a magician. What a masterful coach he is. MSU basketball is so much fun these days. Awesome.

[MarketingBully01]

This. I honestly can't think of a worse situation for a coach to walk into outside of the situation Scott Drew walked into at Baylor. This was a complete dumpster fire, and you could see the signs that things were heading towards this late in Stansbury's career at MSU. Stans's problem was that the good players he got, he couldn't control them nor coach them up.

Please stop comparing our situation to Scott Drew and Baylor. Last I checked, we weren't on NCAA probation and we didn't have a player murdered. This is the dumbest thing I think I have ever seen compared.

[Dawg61]

and a prime candidate for one of the guys that's sabotaging Ray

Ray is sabotaging Ray and all of you apologists need to start owning the suck or this whole shit will just continue to get worse. Own it Engie. We suck. Say it. Say that we suck. Until y'all can say that and give reasons why we suck without continuing to blame Stansbury, his fans and these so called "saboteurs" we have no hope because Ray has endless rope.
Please do us all a favor and tells us why you think we suck without bringing up the previous coach, boosters, dumpster fires or anything of that nature. Why do we suck Engie? Or can you even admit that we suck?

[Sandman14]

yes, yes indeed. admit it. we suck. year 3 and we suck terribly. our SEC win total regressed from 4 to 3.

think how great it would be to have a bunch of elite athletes in the program right now, acting all unruly and getting into trouble, winning 22 or 23 games, with a coach that just brings em in and let's em play ball. a good hearted man who loves MSU to his core and would never turn his back on us as Ray would do immediately if he ever won a few games and had a chance to leave (which will never happen because (A) he's an awful coach and (B) no one else wants him). sounds like a dream. we'd probably even get Newman this year. we'd have just sent Rodney Hood off the league after he guided us to 20+ wins last season. and then you wake up and realize how terrible of a nightmare this is.

this is beyond Ray. it's not Ray's fault. this is a stricklin issue.

[thedawg]

**** I thought we had agreed to disagree and let him have year three... If we arnt better this year I'll lead the charge to fire his ass but damn it he deserves this year... He's gonna win 20 this year and be very average or be about as good as Stansbury was the majority of his tenure.. Except we won't be fighting each other in the stands or walking up and down the court

[thf24]

yes, yes indeed. admit it. we suck. year 3 and we suck terribly. our SEC win total regressed from 4 to 3.

think how great it would be to have a bunch of elite athletes in the program right now, acting all unruly and getting into trouble, winning 22 or 23 games, with a coach that just brings em in and let's em play ball. a good hearted man who loves MSU to his core and would never turn his back on us as Ray would do immediately if he ever won a few games and had a chance to leave (which will never happen because (A) he's an awful coach and (B) no one else wants him). sounds like a dream. we'd probably even get Newman this year. we'd have just sent Rodney Hood off the league after he guided us to 20+ wins last season. and then you wake up and realize how terrible of a nightmare this is.

this is beyond Ray. it's not Ray's fault. this is a stricklin issue.

I really don't know why some of you so willingly set yourselves up to potentially look like hysterical idiots down the road. Not saying you won't be right in the end, but no one on the other side is saying with certainty that Ray is going to start winning and get us a natty in the next few years. And how the hell did a man who's had no association with our program in over two years get dragged into yet another basketball thread? Can that please be made a bannable offense, whether it's good or bad?

[engie]

**** I thought we had agreed to disagree and let him have year three... If we arnt better this year I'll lead the charge to fire his ass but damn it he deserves this year... He's gonna win 20 this year and be very average or be about as good as Stansbury was the majority of his tenure.. Except we won't be fighting each other in the stands or walking up and down the court

Exactly. Great post.

It speaks to the intelligence of these particular members of the "anti-Ray" crowd. While I understand the complaints and anger during the season -- and can even understand skewing on the "he isn't going to get it done" side of the fence -- but it's a totally dumb ass time to be complaining right now, as he's making a move with Malik Newman, has a full roster, has a 2nd 5, a couple of shooters, is in the game with a couple of really good 2015 recruits, etc.

[Goat from MSU]

This is turning to a another engie"\'s crew vs Dawg61'S crew PISSING MATCH. NO matter what Ray gets year 3 and for his sake it better be 20 or more wins. Better yet let's each give engie and Dawg a six shooter and the winner gets to decide Ray's fate.