Does Ray have any expectations, or does he get a pass forever?

[engie]

If you want to label stating the obvious as omniscience, have at it. BTW, I never said SS hasn't made hard decisions. Making hard decisions has zero to do with my post.

I did say I fear SS will be hardheaded and give Ray much extra time to justify this bad hire. Of course if you want to justify Rick Ray as a good hire you are welcome to do so.

You weren't stating the obvious. You were stating your opinion which presumes to know Stricklin's thought process. A process none of us actually know and most people willing to take an emotionally detached look at it would disagree with you on. Practically everyone was sure Stansbury was coming back -- and Strick would never have the nerve to do what needed to be done due to Bailey Howell's friendship with Stansbury. I remember that thought process like it was yesterday.

Strick has made one major mistake that's fully/directly attributable to him in his time as AD at MSU. He listens as well as anyone and comes off about as far from "hard headed" as anyone around. Jumbotron problems at football? Admitted, got ahead of, fixed. Same will be true for the traffic next year. He's always been willing to admit/fix mistakes as quickly as he can and is a very good listener. Always. Yet people think he's suddenly going to become this locked down, hard-headed AD because a basketball coach he hired isn't getting it done? You think Strick's more endeared to Rick Ray than his MSU legend father-in-law's great buddy? Stricklin was around when the Hump was rocking. Don't forget that. He knows what we can be in basketball. He knows what we expect to be. AND he knows what we've seen for the last 3 years, and really to some extent 6 or 7 years, isn't getting it done.

When it's time for Ray to go -- Strick will send him on his way IMO. Exactly like he has everyone else whose time came. It's unlikely that time will be this year, but that's not to say that it's off the table depending on how we close out. Another brutal February collapse, and his hand will be pressed...