"Doctor" on SPS says Ready is injured, and Bloodman is too.

[JOHNHEVESYMADE]

I ran into Trivante myself as well. He confirmed the same story and was on crutches. This was on Wednesday. He said he's out for about a week and IJ is out for two weeks with a back injury. Chickens injury of course has been publicized. All I know is this, it's not good to start the season with all of your pg's banged up. At some point you have to look at our training/conditioning and ask what's wrong. All these injuries are not normal.....

[Coach34]

I agree this many injuries is not normal.

[Political Hack]

We can just put in the 1B team.

we are a 1B team.

[Political Hack]

I ran into Trivante myself as well. He confirmed the same story and was on crutches. This was on Wednesday. He said he's out for about a week and IJ is out for two weeks with a back injury. Chickens injury of course has been publicized. All I know is this, it's not good to start the season with all of your pg's banged up. At some point you have to look at our training/conditioning and ask what's wrong. All these injuries are not normal.....

I agree it's not normal, but people can't blame it on Ray. It's just a freak occurrence.

[BeardoMSU]

we are a 1B team.

More like a 1C team. And for SEC standards, that's pretty damn bad....

[Schultzy]

More like a 1C team. And for SEC standards, that's pretty damn bad....

How do you know?

[Coach34]

How do you know?

Because it's obvious. If Ray can't win with only 7 players the last 2 years- how do you expect
him to win with some depth finally?

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

They have to condition hard and they have to go live in practice, especially prior to the season. Otherwise they won't be ready to play anyway. I don't know why we have so many injuries, and perhaps Coach Ray needs to consult with some sports medicine experts to determine if there is anything they can do differently in practice to alleviate the injury issues without taking away from getting ready to play the season, but you can't just "blame Ray". Maybe we need a new medical training staff for the basketball team.

[quickstrike2]

As a fan, Ray needs some good things to happen this year. I can give him the benefit of the doubt, but something encouraging really needs to develop this year to keep the faith.

[MaxedOutMaroon]

I see Chicken twice a week. He seems to be recovering just fine. He was in class, with little to no pain, 2 days after his surgery. I'm sure he'll miss a couple of games, but don't let people blow stuff out of proportion.

[CadaverDawg]

The defense of Rick Ray is interesting to me. Although we all knew it was time for Stans to go, I feel like there is this strong "need" within our fan base to defend Rick Ray since our fans were so instrumental in the forcing out of Stansbury. Maybe that has nothing to do with it, but I know if we had any other coach that put that kind of product on the court, seemed so in over his head, and couldn't even field a full team 3 seasons in....they wouldn't be defended like this. It's ok for people to call a turd a turd....and currently our bball program is a steaming one. Just because some people are going to wait until he actually proves something before praising him, doesn't make them wrong or a bad fan. I can promise you they are still pulling hard for MSU basketball, whether they think Ray can turn it around or not.

And before you bring up Cohen....yes, we had some dipshits questioning Cohen early on and we (I) called them out. But that was different because Cohen had proven he could get it done. So far, all Ray has proven is that we can hustle and lose....and he's being compensated well for that losing. So until we start seeing wins, you can't tell people they're dumb for thinking this may have been a terrible hire. Fair or not, it's about wins. And we're already starting to see built in excuses for why we can't, yet again, win in the shitty SEC.

Ray had a bad situation to turn around, no doubt. But it's year 3, and people are ready to quit hearing about 3 years ago, and injuries, and other shit, and start seeing some wins. You can't blame people for that. And I, like many others, am very skeptical that Ray will ever be able to get us wins. So far, he has no proven experience of winning....he isn't proving to be some great recruiter....and for whatever reason we can't keep anybody healthy. So what the hell are you guys that want to defend Ray so much expecting people to hang there hat on right now? Ray may get it done, but as of right now, all signs point to it not happening. That may change this year and I hope it does. But quit trying to jump on people for calling a spade a spade.

This whole "company line" of having to pump Rick Ray Sunshine until 4-5 years out, is bullshit. And if this were any other coach with Ray's lack of proven or current success, you folks wouldn't be defending like this IMO. Not sure why you feel the need to defend Ray. Win and people will quit questioning your ability. Until then, you get what anyone else would get...a bunch of people wondering if you can get it done. That's how most of our jobs work too, and we aren't making millions. Ray doesn't need sunshine, rainbows, and a bunch of people making excuses for him. Win, or GTFO. This is the SEC, this ain't Intramural's, brother.

[TheRef]

Honestly, this is the year for him to put up some numbers or GTFO. I'm all for giving Ray his due diligence, but if I don't see a marked improvement in the team this year I'll be calling for his head with as much fervor as I did Stansbury. I'll be no-holds-barred for it if he doesn't improve. Now the real question is what do you consider enough improvement? .500? Competing in the top half of the SEC? Winning all OOC games? Postseason tournament? Once we settle on what is "improvement" for the fanbase, then we can easily determine whether or not he has done enough to save his job.

[CadaverDawg]

Honestly, this is the year for him to put up some numbers or GTFO. I'm all for giving Ray his due diligence, but if I don't see a marked improvement in the team this year I'll be calling for his head with as much fervor as I did Stansbury. I'll be no-holds-barred for it if he doesn't improve. Now the real question is what do you consider enough improvement? .500? Competing in the top half of the SEC? Winning all OOC games? Postseason tournament? Once we settle on what is "improvement" for the fanbase, then we can easily determine whether or not he has done enough to save his job.

I agree. In my opinion, if we aren't at least debating whether we'll be in the NIT the last few games of the year.....Bye. I really think we should make the NIT though. If he can't even sniff the NIT in this weak conference after 3 seasons, piss on the fire and call the dogs.

[Coach34]

That's the problem with the Ray opposition:

To anybody that knows basketball, we look well coached. We have a plan on offense and defense and it's easy to see. Our problem has been the lack of players and talent. Yes, Ray is responsible for that as well- and this season there are no more passes

[BeardoMSU]

To anybody that knows basketball, we look well coached.

Oh...you mean that part where we shoot FT's, rebound, box out, advance the ball, set screens, hit 3's, etc.?

[CadaverDawg]

That's the problem with the Ray opposition:

To anybody that knows basketball, we look well coached. We have a plan on offense and defense and it's easy to see. Our problem has been the lack of players and talent. Yes, Ray is responsible for that as well- and this season there are no more passes

I'm sure Mississippi College is well coached, but they aren't going to beat SEC, ACC, Pac12 teams. Win. Until he wins, all this other shit about injuries, needing more talent, so and so looks great in the practice videos, etc...is simply window dressing. You can only hide behind all that stuff for so long when you're a D1 coach making millions.

And until he wins, why are people stupid for wondering if he can? He has never proven he can win. Hell, he really wasn't even an assistant on any great teams. So not only has HE never proven he can win....he hasn't even really been around a program that has proven it either. Yet people want to bash people for having doubts? Garbage.

[BeardoMSU]

I'm sure Mississippi College is well coached, but they aren't going to beat SEC, ACC, Pac12 teams. Win. Until he wins, all this other shit about injuries, needing more talent, so and so looks great in the practice videos, etc...is simply window dressing. You can only hide behind all that stuff for so long when you're a D1 coach making millions.

And until he wins, why are people stupid for wondering if he can? He has never proven he can win.

Exactly. If he wins 20 or so games this year, pulls Malik Newman, then I'll start to believe, but he has to show me something. All people have ever said is "once Ray gets depth, then we'll see what he can do". Well, he's got depth (or he did at least...which is another issue entirely), so put up or shut up; with the schedule we have this year, I don't want to hear any excuses. We play a shamefully easy OOC slate, one that even if we win them all, we'll still have an RPI in the 200's (*****) most likely

And "playing with heart" isn't the same thing as "being well coached" in the proper techniques of basketball.

[engie]

That's the problem with the Ray opposition:

To anybody that knows basketball, we look well coached. We have a plan on offense and defense and it's easy to see. Our problem has been the lack of players and talent. Yes, Ray is responsible for that as well- and this season there are no more passes

Exactly.

[CadaverDawg]

And "playing with heart" isn't the same thing as "being well coached" in the proper techniques of basketball.

Exactly. I'm afraid some of our local "experts" get these two confused a lot.

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

I'm sure Mississippi College is well coached, but they aren't going to beat SEC, ACC, Pac12 teams. Win. Until he wins, all this other shit about injuries, needing more talent, so and so looks great in the practice videos, etc...is simply window dressing. You can only hide behind all that stuff for so long when you're a D1 coach making millions.

And until he wins, why are people stupid for wondering if he can? He has never proven he can win. Hell, he really wasn't even an assistant on any great teams. So not only has HE never proven he can win....he hasn't even really been around a program that has proven it either. Yet people want to bash people for having doubts? Garbage.

I don't think anyone is saying anyone is stupid for wondering if he can get it done. Its the same song and dance from both sides for going on 3 years now: Pro-Ray folks get upset because the other side has never given the guy a chance. Anti-Ray folks are upset that Ray is here at all, for whatever reason. Bottom line: At this very moment and time, there are no more excuses. He either wins or he doesn't and we will move on. It's that simple and I haven't seen anyone that is saying anything different than that.