Perspective

[billyho]

My thoughts exactly. I agree with scottylee too. I just don't see us getting a top notch coach to replace him. I am not a fan of AK but I'm afraid our choices to replace him wouldn't be much better. But who knows Pomonkey may be right, new AD may drop the bomb....

[bigwater]

i dont see why you um guys dont want michael white.. if i wert a um fan thats who i'd be pulling for.. he's done a very nice job since he left ak's side.. his first year at la tech he inherited as mess of a program but was able to go 18-16// this year he's kickin booty and taking names.. got the la tech program ranked for like the first time since the mailman played there.. looks like there a lock for the big dance..

white is a um alum. a former sec player. and a darn good one.. i don't see how you could say you dont want him..

sidenote.. how many of yall know who the mailman is..??

[bigoak]

I can't remember where I heard this, maybe on Head 2 Head, but they were discussing the idea that Michael White may not be interested in the Ole Miss job. The theory was that he was going to be a very hot name after this season and he would probably be a candidate at schools with much better basketball programs. Unlike football, the SEC is not that big of a draw for young basketball coaches. I think MSU got to find that out the hard way when searching for a coach last year.

[mshunter77]

[SNOT]

[ScottyLee]

it costs ole miss 2.6 mill to fire AK this year. in firing AK, you have effectively fired the winningest coach in your history, who has one of the smallest, if not the smallest budget to work with in the conference. You have fired the person responsible for making athletic department (albeit, under Boone) build new basketball facilities. He supposedly turned down UAB last year as well, he has been loyal.

In doing all of this, an outsider looking in, i just don't see what the draw to come coach there would be?? and when you do find someone to take the job, i'm not convinced that it is one of the top 3 candidates your after.

now, bottom line, i'm not an AK supporter. i hate his style of play, and the way he handles his teams. i just think it's an extremely difficult situation to just simply fire and start over. as previously mentioned, when an SEC school decides to make change, it's usually not a splash and it's 2 steps backwards before its one forward. Can Ole Miss really make fundraising for the new facilities continue to grow over the next few years, if it takes 2 steps back? I honestly have no clue. Thats why we pay RB the big money. glad it's his decision and not mine.

guess to me it makes since to not fire his ass this year, put up with 20 wins or so over the next year, take that 2.6 and put it towards forward together campaighn and build the new arena and then say thanks for all you've done, you've been great but it's time to move on, as we are NOT renewing your contract. lots to think about here with the current state of the program.


edited to add... i can see the same people bitcing about not making NCAAT bitching becuase we can't make the NIT for a couple years if we were to scrap it all and start over as state did.

[H20fowlkiller]

Ill ask this if the rebels don't make the big dance this year or go to Omaha who is the first to get fired AK or Bianco?

[champcaller]

AK.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

AK and Bianco are two separate issues, each with their own benchmarks.

For Bianco, I think the benchmark for retaining him and not making a change is basically making a Super Regional this year. Even if he falls short of that, I think other factors could come into play in the decision. But, too much money and resources are being placed into the baseball program for it not to perform at a high level. Ole Miss has a top ten baseball facility, a top ten fanbase based upon attendance figures, but not a top ten team. At some point, not making it to the College Word Series will cost Bianco his job, despite his previous accomplishments.

The benchmark for AK is simply making the NCAA tournament. AK has been at Ole Miss now for 7 seasons --- 6 of those on the bubble and making the NIT (I am counting this season as NIT because I don't think we will win the SEC tournament to get the automatic bid).

AK will most likely be gone first, because he is likely going to fall short of this benchmark once again and basketball season ends before baseball season ends. The only thing that could save AK would be winning the SEC tournament, or somehow getting an at large bid into the NCAA tournament by winning out the regular season and making it to the finals of the SEC tournament (we will know if this is even a possibility after tonight's game with Alabama).

Our new AD will let the basketball season play out to its conclusion BEFORE making any statements about his intentions. Right now, all he is saying is that he is going to support the coach and program, and wait to evaluate at the end of the season. This is the prudent thing to do. The Rebels could pull one out of their rear ends, who knows --- stranger things have happened. But, absent some type of miracle, I believe that AK will be let go at the end of the season. AK's style of basketball won't work well in the SEC ---- a style with heavy emphasis on recruiting and little emphasis on discipline, defense and fundamentals. At Ole Miss, he simply can't out-recruit these deficiencies and simply win by having better athletes. Each season, to me, is like watching a rerun of the same movie. You already know how it ends. I --- along with many Rebel basketball fans --- am ready for a change.

We are about to break ground soon on a new basketball arena. So, the loss of momentum from a flat finish to this season, combined with keeping AK, would impede that progress. A new coach would bring with him hope for better days and performance on the court (Ole Miss, not too long ago, put together a string of NCAA tourney appearances under coaches Rob Evans and Rod Barnes ---so, better performance is possible at Ole Miss). And right now, hope is what we need to move forward on the new arena and a new chapter in Ole Miss basketball. A new head women's basketball coach will also be named this spring. So, I look for Ross Bork to really put his stamp on the basketball programs at Ole Miss this spring, creating a lot of renewed excitement in the program.

[stitch]

few questions........

1-When will the new basketball arena at Ole miss be ready for play / action?
2-Where will it be located?
3-If AK is not the man long term, wht delay the inevitaable even if he makes a run into the NCAA tourny?

[swamprooter]

hey David....heres what i have been told

1. raised 80 mill of 150 as of now. Additionally 20 mill will be from naming rights. Will begin building arena either summer or before dec, start dates estimated when 100mill is reached..so BBall project is first....the other 50 mill is for football.
2. supposedly located next to football field and connected to stadium. upper level football and rebel shop will be taken down
3. IMO....AK should stay..he is our man for our budget and our place.....weigh all the facts...he has had some bad luck and clowns to deal with