Scrimmage vs UAB

[MadDawg]

The solution to everything for MSU fans. Fire the coach.

Bingo.

[maroonmania]

Yep, and if we got rid of Mullen that same guy will make a football hire. You really think we will end up with Hud with this clown making the coaching decision? The other sad fact is UAB made a better hire then we did.

Not to switch over to football but this part does scare me especially if Strick somehow feels Hud doesn't measure up to his "morals" requirement. We can do better than Mullen for a HC but we can also do a lot worse. Mullen is OK its just that we have a definite ceiling with him because he is just very limited as a recruiter in my view (even besides any booster side dealings) because he is just not a good "salesman" in face to face type meetings with recruits and parents. And that's been pretty well documented at this point.

[Ronny]

..come as a shock to all the basketball conspiracy theorists reading this thread but you can't tell a damn thing about an off-season scrimmage vs. UAB.

[Coach34]

Ray is going to get at least 4 years. I dont think there is any type of NCAA Tourney requirement- but we better be close and look like the program is on the brink again

[bully99]

Meanwhile, does Stansbury still live in Starkville. Is he ever seen on campus?

[JOHNHEVESYMADE]

Stricklin will ride this one out as long as possible. He hired Ray so obviously his neck is on the line. Obviously Ray wasn't his first choice, but he is bound and determined for Ray to succeed. Fundamentally, I don't see us competing with Florida and Kentucky with Ray as our head coach. He simply isn't recruiting at a high enough level to compete for championships. For those that say we are getting Malik are ignorant. We have a 10% chance at best. This thing will go down hill once Fred, Gavin, and Chicken graduate. Is he a good X's and O's coach? I think the jury is still out. Is he a good recruiter? The only player he has committed that was wanted by other SEC programs is Demetrious Houston (sp). Everyone else he has committed simply won't be "game changers" they are all "role players". I think after his third year if we are still in the 15 win range and the bottom of the SEC again he will get fired. However, Stricklin is making the calls and he tends to shy away from conflict. Fundamentally, I want us to be good again in basketball but I don't see Ray making that possible.

[Dawg61]

Malik Newman will cure all this shit!

This +1000. Ray HAS to land Newman. Find a way Rick.

[Coach34]

Stricklin will ride this one out as long as possible. He hired Ray so obviously his neck is on the line. Obviously Ray wasn't his first choice, but he is bound and determined for Ray to succeed. Fundamentally, I don't see us competing with Florida and Kentucky with Ray as our head coach. He simply isn't recruiting at a high enough level to compete for championships. For those that say we are getting Malik are ignorant. We have a 10% chance at best. This thing will go down hill once Fred, Gavin, and Chicken graduate. Is he a good X's and O's coach? I think the jury is still out. Is he a good recruiter? The only player he has committed that was wanted by other SEC programs is Demetrious Houston (sp). Everyone else he has committed simply won't be "game changers" they are all "role players". I think after his third year if we are still in the 15 win range and the bottom of the SEC again he will get fired. However, Stricklin is making the calls and he tends to shy away from conflict. Fundamentally, I want us to be good again in basketball but I don't see Ray making that possible.

He's going to get 4 years- you can count on that

[smootness]

Fundamentally, I don't see us competing with Florida and Kentucky with Ray as our head coach. He simply isn't recruiting at a high enough level to compete for championships.

It's just amazing that people can claim things like this based on one year of him being the head coach here.

[Raytoraid83]

It's just amazing that people can claim things like this based on one year of him being the head coach here.

You obviously didn't read his full post

[maroonmania]

Stricklin will ride this one out as long as possible. He hired Ray so obviously his neck is on the line. Obviously Ray wasn't his first choice, but he is bound and determined for Ray to succeed. Fundamentally, I don't see us competing with Florida and Kentucky with Ray as our head coach. He simply isn't recruiting at a high enough level to compete for championships. For those that say we are getting Malik are ignorant. We have a 10% chance at best. This thing will go down hill once Fred, Gavin, and Chicken graduate. Is he a good X's and O's coach? I think the jury is still out. Is he a good recruiter? The only player he has committed that was wanted by other SEC programs is Demetrious Houston (sp). Everyone else he has committed simply won't be "game changers" they are all "role players". I think after his third year if we are still in the 15 win range and the bottom of the SEC again he will get fired. However, Stricklin is making the calls and he tends to shy away from conflict. Fundamentally, I want us to be good again in basketball but I don't see Ray making that possible.

I am starting to get the feeling that we will never compete in the SEC in any big way in the 2 big sports (football, basketball) not because we can't but because of our administration's polyanna view of recruiting. That is where the problem lies long term from what I see in both football and basketball. Appears Strick has him 2 coaches in Mullen and Ray neither of which who want to get their hands dirty in recruiting and that is EXACTLY the way Strick and Keenum apparently want it and that is why Bracky will be fully supported and probably the reason Strick will never give Hud a sniff. If I keep seeing this trend it may be time for me to keep up with MSU baseball but spend the rest of my entertainment dollars on something else. There is just no point in getting too financially or emotionally invested in something where you won't give yourself any real chance to compete on a somewhat reasonably level playing field. I mean the playing field still wouldn't be all that level against the SEC powers regardless but the way its going now we are essentially going to be playing with one arm tied behind our back.

[smootness]

You obviously didn't read his full post

No, I did. The entire post is him making assumptions about things he has no way of knowing yet. He claims the jury is still out on his X's and O's (because this is an area where Ray seemed more than capable last year), yet apparently the jury has already had time to make a verdict on his recruiting (because this is an area where Ray hasn't brought in any studs yet).

It's clear the two of you have an agenda. You're making judgements on our new coach based on things we can't know yet. You don't give him credit for the things he already seems to be doing well, yet hold against him the things he hasn't proven to do well yet.

He 'isn't recruiting at a high enough level to win championships'? According to...what, exactly? The one class Ray has brought in, the one in which he was already behind on the moment he was hired? The one in which we haven't actually seen either of the guys we brought in play yet?

Ray can be given full credit for Colin Borchert, Jacoby Davis, Andre Applewhite, IJ Ready, and Fallou Ndoye. We've seen exactly one of them play, and he was arguably our best player by the end of last year.

[drunkernhelldawg]

For whatever reason or reasons, we chose to blow up our basketball program. Whether it can or will ever be reassembled is an open question. I'm missing being competitive in basketball, but it is fortunately not the focal point of my life. The blame Stansbury game is getting old already, just like the Blame Croom brigade was tiresome after Mullen's first year. I say that if you come in with the New, then let the New take the wins and losses. If you are out with the Old, then forget about it. Don't use the Past to make lame excuses for a failure to be ready for the game at hand..

[MarketingBully01]

Exactly Drunker, we blew up our basketball program and it sucks.

[dawgs]

Coach34 you wanted Change and Stans to be gone which I disagreed with at first but finally gave in towards the end of his last season. However, now I'm really starting to have my doubts about Rick Ray. He hasn't signed or gotten a commitment from a 4 star recruit yet. He will play this season with only one true post player (Gavin Ware) Two of the bigs he signed are ineligible (Not sure if he knows the tricks on how to get players cleared yet) You gotta have some guys who are NBA or European pro league type pros on your team if you want to make the NCAA tournament and have a chance to win the SEC. We currently have NONE

I just see Ray is a good guy and good X's and O's coach who is in WAY, WAY over his head. He may prove me wrong but I see another season this year similar to last season.

getting rid of stans and making a questionable hire don't go hand in hand. you can acknowledge that stans had to go, while simultaneously being pissed about the hiring process. we should never keep a coach around because we are scared of the unknown of the next potential hire.

i wasn't pleased with the ray hire, but last year i was moderately impressed with the way our guys competed. the fact that we didn't finish last in the sec with 5 or 6 scholarships player dressed out most of the conference season is pretty mindblowing and testament to guys buying into what he's selling. the biggest concern i have is that if we don't start seeing more Ws and postseason (even the CBI tourney), these same guys might start tuning him out before he ever gets a chance to have a fully stocked sec caliber roster.

[Coach34]

Exactly Drunker, we blew up our basketball program and it sucks.

It sucked already- that's why it was blown up. Becoming a national disgrace wasnt masked by a few extra wins and an NIT bid

[Thick]

Malik Newman will cure all this shit!

As of right now....not happening. RR is doing a real job by getting Horatio to listen to him, but there are some other factors at play here. It could change, but not likely.

[Raytoraid83]

No, I did. The entire post is him making assumptions about things he has no way of knowing yet. He claims the jury is still out on his X's and O's (because this is an area where Ray seemed more than capable last year), yet apparently the jury has already had time to make a verdict on his recruiting (because this is an area where Ray hasn't brought in any studs yet).

It's clear the two of you have an agenda. You're making judgements on our new coach based on things we can't know yet. You don't give him credit for the things he already seems to be doing well, yet hold against him the things he hasn't proven to do well yet.

He 'isn't recruiting at a high enough level to win championships'? According to...what, exactly? The one class Ray has brought in, the one in which he was already behind on the moment he was hired? The one in which we haven't actually seen either of the guys we brought in play yet?

Ray can be given full credit for Colin Borchert, Jacoby Davis, Andre Applewhite, IJ Ready, and Fallou Ndoye. We've seen exactly one of them play, and he was arguably our best player by the end of last year.

My only "agenda" is wanting a competitive basketball program again. And rays brought in 3 classes now, about to be 4 in two weeks when the first recruiting period ends.

[Dawgfan77]

I am starting to get the feeling that we will never compete in the SEC in any big way in the 2 big sports (football, basketball) not because we can't but because of our administration's polyanna view of recruiting. That is where the problem lies long term from what I see in both football and basketball. Appears Strick has him 2 coaches in Mullen and Ray neither of which who want to get their hands dirty in recruiting and that is EXACTLY the way Strick and Keenum apparently want it and that is why Bracky will be fully supported and probably the reason Strick will never give Hud a sniff. If I keep seeing this trend it may be time for me to keep up with MSU baseball but spend the rest of my entertainment dollars on something else. There is just no point in getting too financially or emotionally invested in something where you won't give yourself any real chance to compete on a somewhat reasonably level playing field. I mean the playing field still wouldn't be all that level against the SEC powers regardless but the way its going now we are essentially going to be playing with one arm tied behind our back.

Unfortunately I am feeling the same way. I feel we made a safe hire at the AD position instead of having a national search.

[MarketingBully01]

I guess sucked is a relative term. Getting beat on your home court multiple times by 50+ is a new low. Stans never had that type of whipping on him and in fact had one losing season because we didn't know Bender would blow up in the McDonald's All American game and be picked sixth overall.

If there is one thing we have learned about this is that change for the sake of change is not the answer. Let that sink in for all you guys who want Mullen gone. We could end up with a Ray hire in football. That IMO would crush the biggest money sport we have and surely lead to Stricklin being fired. But I digress.