Mississippi News
State introduces Chris Jans, as six SEC hoops jobs change hands
State introduces Chris Jans, as six SEC hoops jobs change hands
Question: What does it tell you when six of the 14 universities in the Southeastern Conference have hired new men's basketball coaches in a week's time?
Answer: I don't know. It just means more?
In a way, it does tell you it means more – at least from a financial standpoint. It must. SEC schools, including Mississippi State, will pay many millions of dollars of buyout money to coaches who will not be their coach any more. They are doing that so they can hire new coaches and pay them more millions to succeed where their predecessors could not.
State, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Missouri and South Carolina all have hired new hoops coaches.
When nearly half of a league's coaching jobs change hands, it also tells you these are difficult jobs where the only thing that exceeds the salaries are the expectation levels. Al Davis said it best: “Just win, baby!” Davis coached football, not basketball, and he coached in the pros, not colleges. But what he said surely applies to SEC basketball. Just win, baby! Win, or else.
Chris Jans, the new Mississippi State coach, brings sterling credentials to the job. To paraphrase Davis: Jans has just won, baby, everywhere he's been and especially at his most recent job, New Mexico State.
Over the past five seasons, Jans' New Mexico State teams have won 122 games while losing only 32. Three of those five teams made the NCAA Tournament. Contrast that with this: Mississippi State has made the NCAA Tournament once in the past 13 seasons.
The flip side: Look at the credentials Jans' predecessor brought to Starkville. Before Ben Howland took the State job he had been selected Coach of the Year in three different conferences, had taken two Pittsburgh teams to the NCAA Sweet 16 and then taken three consecutive UCLA teams to the Final Four. Howland's teams at Pitt and UCLA won nearly 70 percent of their games.
Howland's Mississippi State teams won 58% of their games over seven seasons and went to the NCAA Tournament once. To be fair, Howland's 2019-20 State team (20-11, 11-7) almost surely would have gone to the NCAA Tournament had not COVID caused cancellation of the post-season.
The point is, Howland – always a gentleman in all our dealings – is a proven winner and never had a losing season at State. Yet, he couldn't do enough at State to keep his job for an eighth season.
Jans, who looks for all the world like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, seemed nothing if not confident in his opening press conference Wednesday morning in Starkville. (Jans looks so much like Cruz, I had to check and make sure I was on the SEC Network, not CNN.)
“We're going to play with confidence,” Jans said. “When we walk out of the tunnel, we're going have a swagger about us, We're going to believe in each other. We're going to play together. We're never going to step out on the floor without a chip on our shoulder. And we're never going to fear anybody. We're going to respect our opponents, but we're going to be very prepared and treat every game like the Super Bowl.”
Jans' winning percentage of .765 currently ranks fourth among active coaches (and that will soon be third because this is Mike Krzyzewski's last season).
During the press conference Wednesday, a reporter mentioned that State has been to only one NCAA Tournament in the last 13 years and asked how long it would take Jans to remedy that.
Jans didn't hesitate before answering.
“Our goal is to be in the tournament next year,” Jans said. “You're not going to hear me talking about building a program. In this day and age of transferring and the portal and with the landscape of college basketball, that's not the way it is going to be done. You've got to build a team each and every year. With my junior college background, that's what we've done for the most part over my entire career. I'm comfortable in this space. It's been proven around the country, you can improve your fortunes in a hurry.”
Yes, you can. And, by the same token, your dreams can crash and burn in a hurry as well. Remember, similar press conferences were – or will be – going on at six different SEC schools. Everybody's goal is to be in the NCAA Tournament every year.
More than half, most years, will fail. And that will lead to more multi-million buyouts – and more press conferences.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Columbus Farmers’ market hosts its grand opening
SUMMARY: The Hitching Lot Farmers' Market in Columbus, Mississippi had a successful grand opening with live music, arts, crafts, and vendors. The market allowed local gardeners to sell their fresh plants and vegetables, while also offering educational sessions on health and safety. Market coordinator, Chelsea Best emphasized the importance of supporting local vendors who work hard to provide fresh produce. Customers like Cream McCloud expressed their satisfaction with the market and its offerings. The market is open on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Overall, the community enjoyed shopping locally and engaging in fun activities at the Hitching Lot Farmers' Market.
The post Columbus Farmers' market hosts its grand opening appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Town of Carrollton celebrates new municipal playground
SUMMARY: Pickens County, Alabama is focused on economic development, with the town of Carrollton recently celebrating the opening of a new municipal playground. The project began six years ago and was completed in collaboration with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Officials believe that amenities like the playground will attract more people to the town. Mayor Mickey Walker highlighted the potential for hosting events at the playground area, which includes a walking track and pavilion. Overall, this initiative is seen as a positive step towards increasing community engagement and attracting visitors to the area.
The post Town of Carrollton celebrates new municipal playground appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Columbus Fire teaches community about safety practices
SUMMARY: The Columbus Fire & Rescue Team demonstrated their vehicle extrication skills at the Hitching Lot Farmers' Market as part of their training. Battalion Chief Chip Kain emphasized the importance of this training in preparing the team to quickly and effectively rescue individuals from accidents and transport them to medical care. The team thanked Champion's Towing Recovery for providing a vehicle for the demonstration. The demonstration highlighted the critical role of the Rescue Team in getting accident victims to the hospital in a timely manner. The event showcased the dedication and readiness of the team to serve the community in emergency situations.
The post Columbus Fire teaches community about safety practices appeared first on www.wcbi.com
-
SuperTalk FM5 days ago
Legislation outlawing ‘squatted’ vehicles in Mississippi signed into law
-
SuperTalk FM3 days ago
Mississippi governor approves bill allowing electronic search warrants
-
228Sports5 days ago
PRC’s Bats Come Alive Late As Blue Devils Beat Picayune To Advance To 6A South State Title Series
-
Mississippi Today7 days ago
On this day in 1917
-
Mississippi News6 days ago
LCSO wants people aware of a scam circling the area
-
Mississippi News6 days ago
Winston Co. Sheriff’s Office investigates shooting at Dave’s Club
-
Mississippi News4 days ago
Strong storms late Wednesday night – Home – WCBI TV
-
Mississippi News3 days ago
Louisville names street after a former high school