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Jocephus wrote:

Missouri hires Kim Anderson
Updated: April 28, 2014, 4:27 PM ET
ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... rson-coach

I didn't think it was possible to feel worse than I did when Haith was hired.

This is actually somewhat impressive, I think:

He led Central Missouri (30-5) to the 2014 Div. II championship with a team that had 10 new players and only one returning player who had averaged more than 4.7 points per game the previous season. The national title was the first for the Mules since 1984.

JL21 wrote:

Jocephus wrote:

Missouri hires Kim Anderson
Updated: April 28, 2014, 4:27 PM ET
ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... rson-coach

I didn't think it was possible to feel worse than I did when Haith was hired.

++++

At D2, there are almost no restrictions on recruiting. Finding 10 "new players" could pretty easily mean that he found 10 dudes who had been kicked out of other CC or D1 programs. I don't know if that's the case but it is absolutely possible.

JL21 wrote:At D2, there are almost no restrictions on recruiting. Finding 10 "new players" could pretty easily mean that he found 10 dudes who had been kicked out of other CC or D1 programs. I don't know if that's the case but it is absolutely possible.

Understood, JL. Still, he won the national championship while competing against teams playing by the same rules. That doesn't happen by accident, at any level.

I do get your frustration, though.

AKA Mike Alden panders to alumni in a last ditch effort to save his job, rather than do what's best for the program.

cardsfansince82 wrote:AKA Mike Alden panders to alumni in a last ditch effort to save his job, rather than do what's best for the program.

Yup. Does winning a D2 championship (and being pretty meh otherwise at the D2 level) really make Kim Anderson that much different of a coach than the guy we passed over three times before?

If he'd played at Oklahoma and this was the hire that was made, the fan base would be uniformly against it.

I definitely think he's pandering to alumni to rescue attendance.

Is his job really in jeopardy? I'm not trying to be belligerent or argumentative. It's an honest question.

In his tenure, the football program has done a 180. The fundraising seems to be great, given the major renovations to Faurot Field and the new hoops arena. Softball has become a national powerhouse thanks to his hire of Earleywine. And joining the SEC gives the athletic department more money (and visibility) for a long time.

On the other hand, there's been no shortage of off-field (or off-court) bull [expletive]. Players have been in trouble with the law. Hoops has been mostly mediocre in his tenure and attendance is way down. Fans lack faith in the program. And whatever happened with Norm Stewart, oldsters haven't forgiven it.

I think you mostly get judged on football and basketball. People had soured quite a bit on Pinkel until last year. Bball has been mostly underwhelming and the Haith hiring plus the off field stuff has been a disaster. It was my sense that this hiring could make or break Alden's ability to remain employed, but I could be wrong.

Not that I think he should be fired necessarily, just stating my impression of the average alumni opinion.

It's an interesting hire, for certain. Were the alumni really clamoring for him over, say, anyone with any real star potential?

Does Fuller stay? Is he HC in waiting- with KA being 59?