(04-18-2019 07:14 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Contract details released?

Not yet. Ladner said he doesn't even know what he's being paid yet.

The first assistant hire sounds like a winner. Ladner needs some time and he may just be the best man for the job. Hard to say. He certainly WANTS the job and has zeal and experience. Having a good AD and president who support and show interest will give him a good start.

clt hopes for the best.

Every program needs a "lifer" to be a consistent, highly successful program. That goes for football too. Ladner will be a true lifer if he's successful (USM basketball alum, raised in Hburg, etc). If he isn't successful, he will be fired. We just went through the worst years in our history. Its not like he can screw up a program that's at the pinnacle of their success. There is only upside to the hire. I think it was the hire that makes the most sense for the LONG TERM success of the the program. He has his opportunity to truly take us to the top and be our coach for the next 15 years or so. I can't ask for more than that. Adams from TT (or anyone else not named Ladner or Weatherspoon) would be gone in 1-3 years depending on their success. This is the chance for USM to make the leap every program wants and needs. Hope it works out.

This could be the perfect match. Hope for USM that it is, because if they’re good it makes all of us better. Would love to see that happen.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, this hire just shouts “small-time” and “tiny budget”.

(04-18-2019 12:41 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 10:23 AM)usm99 Wrote:  and what will surely be a talking point among USM fans on each side of the fence. USM AD's quote on reasoning for hiring Ladner:

https://twitter.com/taylorcuret/status/1...45157?s=21

"we wanted someone who could recruit this area...we wanted someone who could energize our fanbase and get us back to filling Reed Green Coliseum"

granted there's a lot more but the catch to me in that above phrase is that nowhere does it mention "getting USM to the NCAA tournament"

That's not a bad quote. Almost exactly what Hamrick said about Dan when he was hired in 2014. You need to do the 1st 2 steps before you worry about getting back to the NCAAs.

I still believe Sadler had you on the right track, it will be up to Ladner now to keep you there.

yep....no differently than LE...

this is one clique-ish town...

I grew up with the guy....he was a good athlete and better man...

I can only pull for him to succeed at this point....

(04-18-2019 05:51 PM)Cardiff Wrote:  This could be the perfect match. Hope for USM that it is, because if they’re good it makes all of us better. Would love to see that happen.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, this hire just shouts “small-time” and “tiny budget”.

I agree. But look, all the big donors (including guys like Favre) were pushing Ladner hard. Tough to tell them no.

I've seen more people saying they're joining Hardwood Club and buying season tix than ever before (more than when Tyndall was hired). Ladner has very deep connections to Hattiesburg and South Mississippi. Lot of people that haven't given a damn about USM hoops in years are pumped. If he can win, this could be end up being very good for USM.

I’ll be interested to see how many promising contributions actually come through. The biggest issue with those pushing Ladner has been their lack on interest and investment for years. Let’s see if they actually join HC and EC and Season Tickets or if they just don’t because they’re satisfied now that they got their way.

(04-18-2019 10:23 AM)usm99 Wrote:  and what will surely be a talking point among USM fans on each side of the fence. USM AD's quote on reasoning for hiring Ladner:

https://twitter.com/taylorcuret/status/1...45157?s=21

"we wanted someone who could recruit this area...we wanted someone who could energize our fanbase and get us back to filling Reed Green Coliseum"

granted there's a lot more but the catch to me in that above phrase is that nowhere does it mention "getting USM to the NCAA tournament"

I hope we weren't looking for someone who could recruit the Hattiesburg area. I don't care if not 1 kid on the MBB team is from Hattiesburg. Look at successful MBB programs, they may only have 1 kid on the roster from the state the school is in. I'd rather recruit everywhere except Hattiesburg.

Maybe this is a great hire, I don't know. It just feels small-time at this point.

Not only that, va, but Ladner isn't going to get anyone to drive an hour to watch his teams play, that is unless we're a NCAA team.

(04-18-2019 01:39 PM)DustMyBroom Wrote:  I hope for the best, but the most likely outcome seems to be years more of mediocrity and apathy.

You have to be a little careful with this attitude though. There are 14 professional basketball coaches in Conference USA. Most of them are paid in the mid to upper six figures to coach basketball. It's stiff competition out there. WKU hired a former SEC head coach... recruited a slew of high major players and still didn't win right away. It's TOUGH.

You see why Southern Miss is in the shape it is in. A large majority of our fans look for excuses not to support our program rather than to support it.

(04-19-2019 06:55 PM)EagNBran Wrote:  Not only that, va, but Ladner isn't going to get anyone to drive an hour to watch his teams play, that is unless we're a NCAA team.

the true test is consistent winning. If Ladner is able to do that, people will show up. Yeah it would be great to nab the auto-bid once or twice but even if that doesn’t happen, fans will be interested if the team is good.

(04-20-2019 07:38 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 01:39 PM)DustMyBroom Wrote:  I hope for the best, but the most likely outcome seems to be years more of mediocrity and apathy.

You have to be a little careful with this attitude though. There are 14 professional basketball coaches in Conference USA. Most of them are paid in the mid to upper six figures to coach basketball. It's stiff competition out there. WKU hired a former SEC head coach... recruited a slew of high major players and still didn't win right away. It's TOUGH.

What I posted has nothing to do with the other schools in this conference. We had guys who were more successful than 66-88 in division I who were on our radar and had expressed interest. Certain of our donors have an unhealthy obsession with hiring coaches who they see as “one of us”. It doesn’t even matter to them if the guy is the best fit for the job: their universe is somehow off-kilter if we hire a proven winner whose coaching history or alma mater doesn’t read “Southern Miss” somewhere on it. That very attitude has given us already a football coach who can’t win tough games with top 3 recruiting in the conference and top ten nationally ranked defenses. It’s also given us a baseball coach who can’t win games in a regional despite talent and top 20 nationally fan support.

It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, only to have the whole thing rewind itself and start over right before the best worst part.

clt hopes his check clears

(04-20-2019 07:56 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  You see why Southern Miss is in the shape it is in. A large majority of our fans look for excuses not to support our program rather than to support it.

Nasty, there is nothing wrong with fans being skeptical about a hire, in my opinion. It is actually an indication that they care. Not a S Miss thing, but happens with most hires at every school.

(04-21-2019 09:12 AM)va-eagle Wrote:  

(04-20-2019 07:56 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  You see why Southern Miss is in the shape it is in. A large majority of our fans look for excuses not to support our program rather than to support it.

Nasty, there is nothing wrong with fans being skeptical about a hire, in my opinion. It is actually an indication that they care. Not a S Miss thing, but happens with most hires at every school.

Sure there is. My question is why should they start a new coaching gig with a negative approach. I would like to hear answers on why this will help the program.

(04-21-2019 12:27 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  

(04-21-2019 09:12 AM)va-eagle Wrote:  

(04-20-2019 07:56 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  You see why Southern Miss is in the shape it is in. A large majority of our fans look for excuses not to support our program rather than to support it.

Nasty, there is nothing wrong with fans being skeptical about a hire, in my opinion. It is actually an indication that they care. Not a S Miss thing, but happens with most hires at every school.

Sure there is. My question is why should they start a new coaching gig with a negative approach. I would like to hear answers on why this will help the program.

I would be more concerned if every coaching hire, fans all had positive responses.

Still waiting to hear why that helps the program.

(04-22-2019 12:37 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  Still waiting to hear why that helps the program.

How does blind optimism help the program?

It's not about whether it helps the program or not, it's about scrutinizing hires, especially one so underqualified when compared to other candidates. It makes you question the thought process of those who hired him.


If he wins, nothing will matter. People will be excited and support him. But if he doesn't, people are going to look at who else was interested in give a very questionable think through of our new AD.