re: Missouri as a basketball job

I don't think Martin is a serious candidate for the Mizzou job. Not that Martin isn't attractive, he is, nor a good coach, because he is. I just think our AD is going in a different direction than Martin.

Then if Mizzou is such a better job, then why do they struggle to get a great coach and Vandy and even South Carolina did not when it became opened?

Not saying Mizzou won't get a good coach...but it is sounding like they have to snag a coach that is getting runned from another program.

You don't think the school/athletic administration plays a bigger role then the "arena"?

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Then if Mizzou is such a better job, then why do they struggle to get a great coach and Vandy and even South Carolina did not when it became opened?

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I'm sure you realize the dumpster fire Mizzou has endured over the last 5 years or so, there lies your answer.

Dumpster fires I am afraid plays a major role...I am sure the current school administration and the environment on campus has a huge role to land great coaches.

JMHO that the Vandy job is a better one for a coach then Mizzou.

But, the arena has to be the main reason. Come on CNB!

I gave multiple reasons. Not only the arena.

Missouri is in a bad state right now yes, but they have higher potential IMO.

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, even if it's wrong.

I think they are in the same ball park. Mizzou has a higher upside imho, but I'm a Mizzou fan.

Yes, Mizzou is a better job than Vandy, but you specifically asked why Mizzou struggled to get a decent coach the last two hires. So...

The quick answer: Mike Alden

That's why. Alden was great for football and the Olympic sports, but due to many factors, became an incredible micro manager that pretty well handcuffed the basketball coaches. His reputation among basketball coaches become so bad that he struggled to hire anyone.

So, what happened to cause this?

1. Quin Snyder: outstanding hire at the time that just didn't work out. The wheels starting falling off and Snyder got Mizzou into NCAA trouble and a lot of trouble off the court. That pretty much freaked Alden out and he became overbearing when it came to basketball. Kareem Rush played for Mizzou, was an all conference type. His younger brother Brandon wanted to play at Mizzou, but had iffy academics. He got cleared, but Mike Alden vetoed Snyder and Mizzou signing him. He flat out wouldn't allow it. So Brandon Rush signed with the beakers. That's an example of his overreaching.

2. Mike Anderson: really a pretty good hire at the time. What you guys probably don't realize is that the day Anderson was hired, a lot of people thought Alden was getting the ax. There was a Board of Curators meeting that day and those covering it didn't know if they were going to cover a basketball coach hiring or an AD firing.This was because of how he had handled the last year or so of the Quin Snyder era.

3. Frank Haith: judas, what a screw up. Alden went hard after Matt Painter at Purdue. He had him, Painter was in Columbia and did a hand shake deal, agreeing to the job. Some in the media even leaked it that Painter was going to be the next coach. Painter got back to Purdue and had a change of heart.

A few things here: don't ever let someone leave without putting the name on the contract. The other big thing, which would come to show in the next hire, was that Alden would chase a big fish for his top target, which is good, but then wouldn't have anyone in line for Plan B.

So, Alden went from just about hiring Matt Painter to roaming around the Final Four with a briefcase trying to get anyone interested in the job.

Mizzou fans can than Ross Bjork for what happened next. Beware MSU fans. Bjork told Alden about Haith and he got hired. Haith was going to be fired by Miami within the year. Smart planning on Haith's part.

Sorry, lots of junk under the Haith heading. Late summer the NCAA crap about Haith and Miami broke. Alden should have fired his arse on the spot, but for some reason allowed him to coach. Mizzou was left with a senior lead team and a good PG in Phil Pressey by Mike Anderson. That team won 31 games and the last Big 12 tourney, plus was a 2 seed in the NCAA.

Then that group graduated and Frank Haith remembered he was Frank Haith, leading to worse results each season before figuring out he'd get fired at Mizzou, so he left.

4. The Kim Anderson hire.

Alden, in keeping with his m/o, chased the big fish. This case it was Marshall. Mizzou supposedly offered about a 7 year, $20M deal and was literally negotiating with him 12-18 hours prior to Kim Anderson's announcement.

Alden, in keeping in form, didn't have a backup plan. That's how we got Kim Anderson. Anderson had just won the DII National Title and was a former conference POY at Mizzou, as well as a former assistant at Mizzou.

5. Reasons for optimism:

Everyone from that era is gone. The assistant AD in charge of basketball at Mizzou is the son of Duke's AD and Florida's coach's brother. Money is there, fans really want some positive to happen, etc.

Sorry so long, but it's been a long twisted journey to get where we are not.

It is not.

I think it's a pretty damn good job. Strong fanbase. You wouldn't have to really venture to far or recruit outside of St. Louis. I think it's a top 3-4 job in the SEC.