One on One: Jacoby Davis, Jr.

Jacoby Davis is a MSU basketball signee from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is currently attending school at West Charlotte High School.

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Jacoby, thanks for talking with us. Tell us about yourself.
Jacoby Davis, Jr.- I'm a family guy. I'm really close with my father. I love being in the gym. I'm really a funny person. I love meeting new people everyday and I'm a kid that's just striving to reach many goals in life.

G-W!SB- What can you bring to the MSU program?
JDJ- Hardworking, leadership, scoring when needed and just being that general on the floor to control the games. Plus being the best defender at all times.

G-W!SB- Tell us about your recruitment (other schools, besides MSU, and what they did to recruit you, etc. )
JDJ- My recruitment was everywhere. Meaning mid-majors and high-majors such as Western Kentucky, Hofstra, Jacksonville, Houston, Seton Hall, South Carolina, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- When did MSU come into the picture?
JDJ- Honestly about a week when coach ray got the job.

G-W!SB- What recruiting pitch(es) did MSU win you on?
JDJ- The Facilities and the fans actually knowing who I was when I came on campus.

G-W!SB- Can you talk about what you feel this program can achieve over the next 4 years?
JDJ- I think in the next 4 years it will be in at least 4 NCAA tourneys and have a couple SEC titles

G-W!SB- That's pretty ambitious. What reasons make you think your team can achieve a feat like that?
JDJ- We are hard workers and have a great coaching staff who are leading us in a great direction.

G-W!SB- When did you know you were going to sign with MSU? Was there a specific event?
JDJ- No. Just went with my gut and praying to God to help me make the best decision for me and my family.

G-W!SB-Well, I wish you the best of luck, Jacoby. Thanks for your time!
JDJ- Your welcome!

Thanks to Jacoby for his time and we wish him the best at MSU!
.

Recruiting update: 4/25/12

Josh Gray

Josh Gray has narrowed down his field to his final 3 choices: Kansas State, Texas Tech and prep school. He recently visited Texas Tech this past weekend saying that he had a "great weekend". He was extremely complimentative of Lubbock and Tech saying that it was beautiful and that he couldn't have been anywhere better.

Trey Dickerson

Trey has truly enjoyed the recruiting process and is hoping to get some official visits set up by the end of this week. He wants to cut his choices down to his final 3 schools, but calls Duquesne his leader. He also mentioned that he was now receiving interest from Rhode Island. As of the 24th, Mississippi State has not contacted him to set up an official visit.

One on One: Kahlil Dukes

Kahlil Dukes, a point guard, is one of the top players in the state of Connecticut.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- Hey Kahlil, thanks for taking some time to talk with us. Tell us about yourself.
Kahlil Dukes-
• Born May 17, 1995
•Born and raised in Hartford, CT
•Junior (16 years old)
•Goes to Capital Prep (Hartford, CT)
•Been playing basketball since I was born
•I made my first basket on regulation at the age of 3
•I'm a workaholic
•I love representing myself and where •I come from
•Love to win, hate to lose
•Motivated by success and everything that comes with it
•Kris Dunn is my big brother and biggest admiration
•Huge faith and belief in God
•2-Time All-Stater
•Just your abnormal teenager:
Music, sleep, workout, chill, rest, and do it all over again
•Oh and I write poetry don't forget that!

G-W!SB- Wow. That's a lot. Its cool to know your not just one-dimensional. What separates you from the rest of the 2013 class?
KD- I just push myself mentally; spend a lot of time alone, thinking, sleeping, seeing myself succeed, seeing the hardwork pay off, seeing where all the training can and will take me, listening to guys who have done it like Kris Dunn, and just disciplining myself to get into the gym everyday no matter what happens throughout the course of the day. If my body is tired or if I for some strange reason can't get the gym, I watch film and learn something to improve my IQ so that I don't make the same mistakes again and make more of the good decisions as my game progresses. And honestly, I just want it. Some say they do, but I've proved it.

G-W!SB- You sound like you want it a lot. Which schools know you want it and want you in return?
KD-
•Rice
•Sacred Heart
•Quinnipiac
•Vermont
•Robert Morris
•Saint Peters
•Saint Bonaventure
•Princeton
•Stony Brook
•Fairfield
•Hofstra
•USC
•LeHigh
•Northeastern (just interest)
To name a few

G-W!SB- Congrats on the USC offer. Are there other ways you can tell your hard work is paying off? (and ok I gotcha)
KD- Thank you!
And yeah those top players or players who are above me were showing me love. Usually when you play well against the best competition in the country, they're too into themselves to respect a player who has worked just as hard as them or works hard like them to get where they are or become how good they really seem to be. And I got that love, not just from coaches, but from the players I've never been mentioned in the same sentence with before.

G-W!SB- How does it feel to watch yourself elevate because of your own hard work?
KD- Unexplainable, you spend months and months training to become someone who is talked about and admired for his talents and you wonder where it'll take you, I've found out exactly where hard work leads. When you dedicate your life to something, you expect something in return. I guess you could say, this is the return.

G-W!SB- Which schools have impressed you the most do far?
KD- Definitely USC because they pulled the trigger with me. A lot of high majors wait for you to be this ranked player, hype player, sky's the limit potential, 7'0 footer, but they came to see another player from California play and I happen to be playing against him, I performed, and they ended up offering me so that really impressed me that they pulled the trigger so fast, made me feel like they really wanted me and saw high major to professional potential in me.
But other than that, Vermont has been all over me, from my school to other states, they've shown the most interest and have contacted me the most so they've impressed me as well. However, I'm still open and waiting my options.

G-W!SB- Ok man, thanks for talking to us! Can't wait to talk again if that's cool with you!
KD- No problem, anytime!

Thanks to Kahlil for his time! We look forward to keeping up with him this next year!

One on One: Derek Millinghaus

I recently interviewed Derek Millinghaus, a point guard from Schenectady, New York. He recently signed with St. Bonaventure, but his letter of intent was released, and he then signed with Ole Miss.

Andrew Toler: Would you mind explaining the situation with St. Bonaventure?
Derek Millinghaus: I signed with St. Bonaventure last year and I did not want to go there anymore because my family was moving down south. I wanted to be kind of close to my family.

AT: There's a lot of colleges down south! What made you choose Ole Miss?
DM: I chose Ole Miss because Coach [Andy] Kennedy has had a lot of good point guards during his career and I felt that he will push me to be the best player and point guard that I can be.

AT: Tell us about your recruitment to Ole Miss.
DM: Coach Kennedy has been at my games faithfully, so I felt that [Ole Miss] really wants me.

AT: I understand. Who are some players you look up to/feel your game is most like?
DM: I would say Chris Paul and Brandon Jennings.

AT: How is their game similar to yours?
DM: They are able to score and pass, and bring excitement to the game.

AT: What excites you the most about playing for Ole Miss?
DM: The passion the fans have for ther school, being able to play in the SEC, and having a chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

AT: How do you feel about Ole Miss's current roster? Who are you excited about playing with?
DM: I feel that we have a lot of pieces to make it far next year, probably even the Final Four. I'm excited about playing with everyone on the roster.

AT: Do you feel like you could be the missing link to the Ole Miss offense?
DM: Yes, I think that I'm the type of guard that they need.

AT: What kind of guard does Ole Miss need?
DM: They need Derrick Millinghaus! [Laughs] Ole Miss needs a guard that attack the basket well, shoots well, and will do anything to help his team win.

AT: Thank your for taking the time to talk to us. I'm an Ole Miss fan, so I'm looking forward to seeing you play. Hotty Toddy!
DM: Alright thank you. I appreciate it.

Thanks to Derek Millinghaus for interviewing with me. He is a great guy and I hope to do it again soon.

One on One: Trey Dickerson

Price High School (CA) Point Guard Trey Dickerson sat down with the Good-Win! Sports Blog to discuss his past, present, and future basketball career.

I HIGHLY recommend that you watch this video. However, if you don't have time here are the highlights.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- Give us your top 5 school choices.
Trey Dickerson- Mississippi State, Duquesne University, Hofstra University, Quinnipiac University, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- I'm putting you on the spot here. If you had to, rank those schools you mentioned earlier.
TP- 1. Mississippi State 2. Hofstra 3. Duquesne 4. Quinnipiac University 5. Southern Cal

G-W!SB- Can we talk to you again maybe? Keep up with your recruitment?
TD- Sure! Let's talk in about a week or so!

Thanks again to Trey for talking to me! He's an awesome guy and I'm really looking forward to talking to him again. Here is him dunking (He's 6'1".)

SEC Mascot Mash-Up: East

Ok, now that you all have gotten my take on the mascots of the west, it's time for my second introductory article, but this time I'll giving my personal opinion on the mascots of the SEC East.

8. Florida, formerly known as the Gators.

New mascot: Swamp People.

It was hard to choose between Florida and LSU for this one. But taking the swamp people's obsession with Alligators into account, Florida was the obvious winner.

9. Georgia, formerly known as the Bulldogs.

Again, TOO MANY BULLDOGS.

New mascot: UGAs.

The traditional bulldog mascot that has been a part of Georgia football for as long as anyone can remember. The Dawgs don't have to give up their mascot after all.

10. Kentucky, formerly known as the Wildcats.

New Mascot: Hoopers.

These guys aren't good at anything but Basketball. And an occasional year of baseball.

11. Missouri, formerly known as the Tigers.

ANOTHER tiger in the SEC. These guys definitely need a new mascot.

New mascot: The Out Of Place Ones.

The State of Missouri is around 500 miles away from the nearest SEC East state. Definitely out of place.

12. South Carolina, formerly know as the Gamecocks.

Ok, I'm going to be straight with ya'll. The Gamecock is a pretty cool mascot, and definitely original. As an Ole Miss fan, though, I'm not going to mention the other organization with that mascot.

New Mascot: Palmettos.

South Carolina is the Palmetto State. Natural choice.

13. Tennessee, formerly know as the Volunteers.

What's a volunteer? Beats me. These guys need a new mascot.

New Mascot: River Rats.

Neyland Stadium is famous for being located on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River.

14. Vanderbilt, formerly known as the Commodores.

New Mascot: Nerds.

Look. These guys are super nerdy. One of the smartest kids I know didn't even get accepted into this "elite" school.

Ok guys, this is my first set of articles. Hope ya'll enjoy reading my writing, because I am definitely looking forward to writing!

One on One: Michael Roy

Friday night, JUCO point guard for John Woods Community College, Michael Roy, took time to sit down and talk to me about his basketball career, past, present and future. During the interview we discussed future college choices, his basketball skills and other interesting things.

If you can't watch the video or don't have time to, here are the high spots below. Otherwise, I highly recommend that you watch the interview. Thanks again to Michael for talking to me!

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Tell us about what sets your game apart from everyone else.
Michael Roy- I'm an all-around player. I work on all parts of my game from defense to offense.  But my main goal is to get my defense up on a high level so I can guard anyone that the other team puts in front of me. Since I'm short at 5'8", I think that working on that can make up for my height. By doing that, I can show people that I shouldn't be underrated like I am.

G-W!SB-  Can you tell us some schools that you feel you would be a good fit at?
MR- I feel like I would be a good fit at LSU, Northwestern (State University), and Nebraska. I've been watching those 3 schools since I was a kid, so I've always looked up to the players at those schools. I've always thought about those 3 schools like, "I want to be wearing that jersey right there". So I've set goals to play on a Division 1 or Division 2 level.

G-W!SB- Most people would see being 5'8" as a  disadvantage. Can you tell us why it's not a disadvantage?
MR- First off, I'm a physical guy, so don't think you can push me around on the court. So to get past my height, I just push myself harder. I motivate myself to work harder My strength, my speed, and my ability to guard make up for my height.

Here are Michael's highlights for his senior season in high school. If your interested in setting up an interview, contact me!

SEC Mascot Mash-Up

As you all know, two new teams were added to the SEC starting in the 2012 football season. With the conference realignment, I think it would be a fun idea to do a little mascot realignment, if you catch my drift.

I just want to start off with a little introduction. My name is Andrew, and I will be helping out my man Will. Keep reading our blog.

Let's start with the West. In no particular order.

1. Alabama, formerly know as the Crimson Tide.

New mascot: Thundering Elephant Herd.

I know this is jipping a certain C-USA team. But seriously, C-USA? No one cares about their mascots anyway. And Alabama has been long overdue for a mascot change. Crimson Tide? What does that have to do with elephants?

2. Arkansas, formerly known as the Razorbacks.

New mascot: The Ones That Never Catch A Break.

Darren McFadden never won the Heisman, and they have only been selected for 1 BCS bowl regardless of their recently high rankings. And then when they actually get a decent coach, he has to mess things up for them. Really Bobby? Really?

3. Auburn. Formerly known as the Tigers.

New mascot: Plainclothesmen.

For all of you familiar with college football locales, particularly in the great state of Alabama, it is known that Auburn University is located in the region of the state called "the plains". But don't think there's anything plain about the state of Alabama. They have the last 3 BCS championships.

4. LSU, formerly know as the Tigers.

Too many tigers. WAY too many tigers. And bulldogs. But we'll get to that later.

New mascot: Ragin' Cajuns.

Sorry. Had to steal another mascot. Sorry to that little Sunbelt team in south Louisiana, but this mascot fits those corndog-eating, beer-watergun-shooting "fans" better than any other.

P.S. I don't like LSU.

5. Ole Miss, formerly know as the Rebels.

This was an easy one, seeing as this is the team closest to my heart, which all you readers will definitely realize as I begin to write.

New mascot: Flood.

Jackson, Mississippi, Easter 1979. One of the worst floods the mighty Pearl river has ever produced. Yeah, it messed a lot of stuff up, which is something the Ole Miss frat boys have been doing a lot of lately to get that atrocious excuse for a football season off their minds.

6. Mississippi State, formerly know as the Bulldogs.

Again, too many bulldogs.

New mascot: Turf Managers or the Fighting Les Miles'.

As most people know, MSU has an excellent agriculture school and they pride themselves on that green glory they call grass. It's a perfect fit.

7. Texas A & M, formerly know as the Aggies.

New mascot: Noobs.

2012 SEC schedule: Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida.

You asked for it, you got it. Welcome to the SEC.

Hey guys, this has just been a little taste of what's in store for ya. Check back later this weekend for the unveiling of the new mascots for the East!

UM-USM Game Rained Out, But Not Without Some Antics from the Teams

Here at the Good-Win! Sports Blog, I like to give people the best sports highlights and analysis.Southern Miss and Ole Miss were set to play one game, but it was rained out.The players got bored and made the most of their time. And while there were no game highlights or analysis last night at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, there were some highlights there will definitely be some analysis.

Ole Miss Baseball Team Goes Bowling

Analysis:

• The bowler (whose name is unknown to me) has some serious form. Any bowling coach would be proud of that. 
• On another note, Senquez Golson makes an excellent bowling ball. Paging coach Freeze!
• I really like the acting skills of Hawtin Buchanan, number 21. He does an excellent job of putting some suspense into this. 
• Props to Ole Miss for the use of (what looks like) the entire team. 
• Overall Grade: B+

Southern Miss Takes a Roller Coaster Ride

Analysis: 

• First off the leader does an excellent job of leading the players. 
• The players did an awesome job with their reaction time.
• I could totally imagine these players riding a roller coaster. They did a great job of selling this.
• Overall Grade: B

Southern Miss Players Rescue Other Players

Analysis:

• Props to the hand- binocualrs. It's a classic.
• Those lifeguards were booking it to save those players. Except for that guy skipping out. Still not sure what that was about.
• The CPR that was given looked extremely realistic. Good acting by both guys too.
• The thumbs-up from the saved played was a feel-good ending
• Overall Grade: B+

It's at this point that a full-on Dance-off broke out.

Dance-off 

Analysis:

• Ole Miss's player had some weird thing goin' on, but it worked out for him in the end.
• Ole Miss' Overall Grade: B-
• Southern Miss' player's swag was undeniable. The team got behind it too.
• Southern Miss' Overall Grade: A-

Southern Miss Player "Bernie"'s and Leaves Ole Miss Speechless

Analysis: 

• The dance choice was on point. The "Bernie" is an excellent dance.
• The smack-talk in the middle to Senquez Golson was a good little break before starting to do what looks like the "Dougie". 
• The fact that Ole Miss didn't answer is huge. They didn't even know how to respond.
• Overall Grade: A

Worm-off

Analysis:

• This is an excellent dance choice. You can never go wrong with classics like the worm. 
• Ole Miss' player, Will Jamison, gives us a little prologue to the worm. Then the man gets some serious air.
• Ole Miss's Overall Grade: A
• Southern's player gives us a quick look at his worm. Wasn't spectacular. 
• Southern Miss' Overall Grade: B-

"The Ole Miss"

Analysis: 

• Originality points here. Big time.
• So just for future reference, I'm the first person to dub this "The Ole Miss".
• The acting was great too.
• Overall Grade: A+

Now this wouldn't be a sports  blog if I didn't relate this to sports (besides the fact that they are baseball teams). If this were a baseball game, I would say that the final score would be:

Ole Miss 7, Southern Miss 6 (in 13 innings). 

Its always fun to write pieces like this. Any thoughts/comments/questions? Thanks for reading! 

One on One: An interview with Josh Gray

Josh Gray is a MSU signee, who is asking for a release of his letter of intent. Josh attends school at Phillis Wheatly High School in Houston, Texas.

Good-Win! Sports Blog-
First off Josh, thank you for taking some time to be interviewed. My first question: What makes your game so much different and sets you apart from competition?
Josh Gray-
Because I'm dangerous!! I'm kinda hard to guard because if you guard me up close, I'm to fast, quick, & explosive I'll blow right past you and if you step back I can knock down the jumper from anywhere on the court...So how can you guard that?

G-W!SB-
I'll be straight up with you, I couldn't. Great answer. I can't help but notice that great confidence in you. Who instilled that in you?
JG-
My work ethics but I'd be wrong if I took ALL the credit for it. I can honestly say my personal trainer Marcus King & my mentor John Lucas helped me out a lot. They have put & are still putting lots of time in with me to get my game right.

G-W!SB-
John Lucas is one smart man. Can you tell me some about you're relationship with the other signees?
JG-
Don't really know any(one) but big Gavin (Ware) & P.J. (Hardwick).

G-W!SB-
PJ is a great guy from what I can tell. Man, I gotta know. During this entire process at MSU (from being recruited up until this point), can you take me through the highs and lows of being recruited/signing with MSU?
JG-
It's been a rough, long, stressing, fun experience and process!

G-W!SB-
I heard that you talked to Coach Ray. Can I get your honest first impression of him?
JG-
Yes I did ...He's a great guy who has a lot of good things to bring to the table. He loves the game. Give him a year or 2, he'll turn the program around, at least that's what I think.

G-W!SB-
I read the other day, that you were disappointed in the way some Mississippi State fans were acting. If you could tell them anything, what would you say?
JG-
Dear Mississippi state fans,
I hope all of y'all enjoyed the game tonight (national championship game). I just want to take this time out to thank y'all for all the support. Y'all are the best fans ever, and I couldn't ask for any other fans. Throughout my recruiting process with state, it's been kinda rough with me decommiting & recommitting, but y'all still stuck with me & that what makes y'all great. I talked with coach ray last night and from my first impression, he's a great man with alot to bring to the table. Y'all are going to love him. So if I do decide to stay with state, get ready to hop on the unstoppable train. But if I don't, remember coach ray is a great man. He'll take care of MSU with me or without me. Y'all have to understand it was hard for me to take the retirement of coach Rick because I committed myself to him, his staff, & his program and he just up and left. (wow). From a point guard's standpoint, its very important to have a great relationship with a head coach and that's what me & Rick had. It's hard for me to still come to state with a whole new coaching staff that I don't know at all or know anything about. I'm still trying to get to know them, but it seems like I'm running out of time for what I'm trying to do and that's to go to school in July for summer school. Well goodnight everyone, I'm praying & asking god to guide me through this and y'all do the same thing. Follow me on twitter for updates (@ThatsJoshGray), thanks and #hailstate

G-W!SB-
Good stuff man I appreciate you talking to me.
JG-
My pleasure.

__________________________________

• Thanks again to Josh for taking some time to let me interview him. I wish him the best wherever he plays ball (you should too)

One on One: An Interview with P.J. Hardwick

P.J. Hardwick is a Mississippi State signee attending school at the Christian Life Center Academy (Miami, FL). Below, he talks with me about his recruiting process, Mississippi State, the former MSU coaching staff and more.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- P.J., first let me thank you for taking some time to talk to me. You just recently signed with MSU, can you  tell me about you're experience being recruited?
P.J. Hardwick- It was a great experience and it was actually a long process. It has its ups and downs, but I'm glad to be a Bulldawg.

G-W!SB- So were you always a Bulldog? Or were there any other schools in the mix?
PJH- Plenty of schools were in the mix, but I narrowed it down to my main three and made a decision. MSU, South Florida, and Texas A&M.

G-W!SB- What was the biggest factor in your decision to pick MSU?
PJH- I picked MSU because it was a family atmosphere, coaches were loyal and honest and I would have a opportunity to start as a freshman. The SEC is also a great conference for exposure.

G-W!SB- I'll get back to the exposure thing, but I have a question a lot of people would like to hear you answer. How did you feel when you heard that Coach Stansbury had  resigned? And did it make you rethink your signing with MSU?
PJH- I was shocked! Coach Stansbury and Coach Grant recruited me. And yes, it did make me rethink some more, but I'm a pretty loyal guy. I haven't heard from Coach Ray, but I plan to ASAP. Then I will make my final decision. (Note: PJ told me later that night that he spoke with Coach Ray.)

G-W!SB- Hmmm... That's interesting. You would think that Coach Ray would have contacted his possible starting point guard for next year. Especially if Josh Gray doesn't go to state next year. Speaking of Josh Gray, how close are you to the other signees?
PJH- I don't know (the other signees) personally, I just know them. But I am close with Josh (Gray).

G-W!SB- Did you watch or hear Coach Ray in his press conference?
PJH- I was working out, but my dad told me about it. I heard he said some positive things.

G-W!SB- He said he didn't know how to lose. You don't know how to lose either, right?
PJH- I'm a winner and a natural born leader. Even now I'm about to go workout.

(At this point in the interview Hardwick stopped to go workout. Everything prior to this was around 5 pm on 4/2/12. We resumed later at around 7 pm later that day.)

G-W!SB- You're close to Josh Gray, can you tell me what's probably going through his mind right now?
PJH- I'm not sure.

G-W!SB- That's okay. Earlier in this conversation, you said that the SEC was a great conference for exposure. With that kind of exposure, what does the world learn about P.J. Hardwick as a player next year?
PJH- The world will know the name P.J. Hardwick this time next year. Mark my words. Not only one of the best point guards in the conference, but in the country!

G-W!SB- Let's say with that excellent exposure you get drafted into the NBA. If you could pick a team to play for, who would it be and why?
PJH- Miami Heat because thats where I'm from.

G-W!SB- Yeah, I should have seen that one coming. Okay, two more quick questions.
1) You think we can do this again about this time next year? I want to hold you to your prediction.
PJH- Sure we can. I like to help others.

G-W!SB- Okay one more.
2) You gonna follow your boy here on twitter?
PJH- Haha I'll see what I can do.

G-W!SB- Okay P.J., I look forward to talking to you next year. Thanks for all your time!
PJH- No problem, my man! God bless.
______________________________________________________________
On a personal note, I would like to once again thank P.J. for his time. P.J. was truly a nice guy and made me feel like he sincerely appreciated my questions. I wish him the best wherever he ends up playing basketball.

A New Era in Mississippi State Basketball: Rick Ray

Forward: I promise you that I was so close to naming this piece: "Old Dogs Learn New Rick". So close.

Mississippi State Athletic Director Scott Stricklin was expected to name a new head coach for the men's basketball team sometime this week, but it wasn't expected to be another guy named Rick. Former Clemson assistant coach Rick Ray was announced as the next head coach of Mississippi State's men's basketball team via Twitter by Scott Stricklin. To say the least, Rick Ray's name was not discussed by the media or fans as an expected candidate for the job. But here's the question most people are asking: What did Scott Stricklin see in Rick Ray to name him the next men's head coach at Mississippi State? Here's what I think Stricklin saw.

Note: Everything anyone says at this point, except for facts (i.e. Rick Ray is the next men's basketball coach at MSU) is speculation. And don't let anyone else make you believe any differently.

1. A Fresh Face- Personally, I don't think you can underestimate this factor. Most of the MSU fan base felt like it was time for a change, and the best way to do that was to hire someone "unexpected". I'm not sure I disagree with Stricklin. It has been 30 years since Mississippi State has had a coach from outside of the program (Bob Boyd from the University of Southern California).

2. Someone Respected in the College Basketball Community- I will admit that I had never heard the name Rick Ray until today at about 5:15 pm. But after reading some of the comments that were made tonight by fellow coaches, I will admit that I am impressed. Tennessee head coach believed that "MSU did its homework and reached out to a qualified coach". Purdue head coach Matt Painter, under whom Ray coached for 4 years at Purdue, said of Ray, "Rick Ray is a tireless worker and a fierce competitor." It goes further than that. All-American Robbie Hummel said that coach Ray will "do a great job at Mississippi State". These people are just a few examples of the people that regard Ray highly.

3. A Good Recruiter- Not to be confused with "The Recruiter (AKA Rick Stansbury)". At Purdue, Ray brought in the best recruiting class in school history. Ray helped bring one of the top recruiting classes in 2007, boasting none other than Robbie Hummel. 

4. A X's and O's Coach- Personally, I don't believe that Rick Stansbury wasn't a good X's and O's coach. However, it was a common complaint. Here's what current Clemson coach had to say about Ray, "He's an extremely talented guy, a very hard worker, and a really good basketball coach. X's and O's are at a very high level. He knows how to coach the game."

But perhaps the most important thing that Stricklin saw in Ray was something was something that, oddly enough, was something that was not present. 

5. "Rick fits the model of head coach we have sought to bring into our program over the last several years"- After reading all of the press release that Mississippi State released this afternoon, the statement above, written by Scott Stricklin, caught my attention. In my interpretation, Stricklin is saying that Ray fits the model for the type of coach he wants at Mississippi State, which apparently Stansbury didn't fit. It's possible that Ray did not have some of the characteristics that other candidates had. (Not really sure what that is at this point though.)

But, like I said, all of this is speculation. But this is not speculation in my mind: Scott Stricklin got his man. Let's see if Ray can get his first win today at the press conference. That would be a start.