Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

Mark my words, he will be the next mid major up and comer...just watch.
If we're going to be relegated to the assistant route, he at least
deserves a phone call.

Division II Coach of the year 7 times. 2 National Championships.

The guy has won everywhere he's been & he fits the mold of everything we are looking for.

Took over WKU mid season and went something like 8-1 to get them to the Tournament. Even after going 8-1 under him, they still finished with a losing record. That says a whole lot in itself.

Scott - call this guy if you haven't already.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harper
 

o_riverdawg

Redshirt
Jul 21, 2008
523
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

which is why he bolted for the NAIA school. If that's the case, Scott is not going to talk to him, because he wants someone who is squeaky clean
 

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

of the candidate pool. If we're going to hire from the Calipari gene pool, then we might as well go get Scott Drew.

I haven't heard of any NCAA troubles with Ray Harper, but if that's the case, I wouldn't think OM's new AD would have given him the gig in the first place at WKU. The guy is a proven winner. I'd take him over any assistant coach mentioned on here or any other board.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

one of the best I have ever seen. He was 13-4 against Pearl at KWC. He went to the NC game 6 out of 9 years at KWC. Made it 3 out of 3 at OK City. And he was turning over his roster pretty much every year.<div>
</div><div>His problems at KWC stemmed from some academic issues with a couple of players who the school cleared to play only to be ruled ineligible by the conference much later.</div><div>
</div><div>He was 11-8, including a 6 game winning streak to get them in the NCAA's, after he took over the train wreck at WKU.</div><div>
</div><div>Dude lives and breaths it. Getting the WKU job is a dream come true. Only wish his Dad had been around to see it.</div><div>
</div><div>If Ray ever leaves WKU - and that's a big if - its not going to be at a place like Mississippi State.</div>
 

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

But if we showed him interest right now before he becomes a big name at WKU, you never know. WKU is a very good gig....and you're probably right - he may not leave if offered - but we could triple his salary and set up his family for generations to come.

All he can do is say no. We should at least be calling and getting him in front of us.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

BriantheDawg said:
But if we showed him interest right now before he becomes a big name at WKU, you never know. WKU is a very good gig....and you're probably right - he may not leave if offered - but we could triple his salary and set up his family for generations to come.

All he can do is say no. We should at least be calling and getting him in front of us.
Ray has a wife and no kids and a job a kid from Western Kentucky could only dream about. I would never say he would never leave WKU, but my hunch is, Ray will be wildly successful at WKU for a very long time.
 

beachbumdawg

Senior
Nov 28, 2006
2,810
537
113
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

What did you find about ricks son being floated
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

beachbumdawg said:
What did you find about ricks son being floated
Stranger things have happened but highly unlikely.
 

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
0
36
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

He'd be a better hire than anybody else I've heard could potentially still be in the running. We should at least give it a shot.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

BriantheDawg said:
He'd be a better hire than anybody else I've heard could potentially still be in the running. We should at least give it a shot.
Oh, he clearly would be a better hire than anybody this side of Shaka Smart, but MSU had a better shot at Smart than they do with RH.
 

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
0
36
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

I understand Ray is from western KY, but I also understand that 1.5M is a **** ton of $$ and about triple what he could make at WKU. He's not a top commodity right now so it'd be worth a damn shot to at least give him a call. You never know until he stops returning our calls.

He needs to be a candidate if he's not already. I just haven't seen his name thrown out very much, hence my post.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

but I know Ray Harper pretty well. I was at the celebration when he got the job and he seemed pretty happy to me.<div>
</div><div>As a matter of fact, someone asked him the other day if he was going to take the call from Bjork when he shitcans Kennedy. His reply was something to the effect that he already has a lot better job than that.</div>
 

BriantheDawg

Redshirt
May 24, 2006
2,903
0
36
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

All he can do is say no.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
0
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

BriantheDawg said:
All he can do is say no.
I'll probably see him in NO this weekend. I'll tell him about the opening.
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

And trust me, Ray Harper is about as down to earth as they come. He would probably return your call.<div>
</div><div>Which is what I've been trying to tell you.</div>
 

AshleySchaffer

Redshirt
May 25, 2009
649
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

Why do you constant talk about how bad of a job the Mississippi State basketball job is????


Explain why you feel it's an unattractive job to guys like Prohm, Marshall, etc?????


You seem to know basketball, what coaches would you have gone after I'd you we're our AD ????
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
0
Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

AshleySchaffer said:
Why do you constant talk about how bad of a job the Mississippi State basketball job is????

Explain why you feel it's an unattractive job to guys like Prohm, Marshall, etc?????

You seem to know basketball, what coaches would you have gone after I'd you we're our AD ????
I don't think its a bad job. I just don't think its a very good one - especially to a good mid-major coach who gets the big picture. Small market - middle of the pack program in an average league kind of job.<div><div>
</div><div>It pays pretty well, but the smart ones don't take the first pay raise that comes along - they wait for the big kahuna that can lead to the really big pay day.</div><div>
</div><div>The assistant route is probably the most logical one for a place like MSU - although most of the top notch assistants are going to wait for a better fit to come along than a place like Mississippi State.</div><div>
</div><div>I never threw up on the whole Kenny Payne idea. Its a bit of a stretch but he does have a track record of recruiting and player development. He worked wonders with Harrelson last year who was nothing more than a bit player Cal's first year. And as skilled as Anthony Davis is, he's gotten better since he arrived in Lexington last summer.</div><div>
</div><div>Stricklin is in a tough spot. Anytime you make a hire in football or basketball at a place like MSU, you are rolling the dice.</div><div>
</div></div>
 

Ol Blue.sixpack

Redshirt
May 1, 2006
1,681
0
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Ray Harper gets my vote over Kenny Payne or any other potential assistant coach on our radar..

I saw where he parlayed MSU's interest into a whopping one year extension at $300K.<div>
</div><div>What does that say about the MSU job?</div>