The Reflector

What is it about Rick that causes these players to transfer? I just don't get it. He apparently knows how to get talent to MSU but once they are here he has not a clue of how to keep them.

It is because he pays great players to come here and then does not punish them and let's them do whatever they please, and the average players (Ben) he has to discipline. Stans has NO control over our program.

John pretty much hit it right on the head. You cant expect to run a dirty program and then keep all the talent that you got illegally. Maybe he should have "donated" more money to Ben's chruch. haha.

Yeah he is comming to take my place at UNC, since I am fixen to leave for the NBA.

Well if he was some kind of all star like his brother I may be shocked, but if this kid thought he wasn't getting enough playing time at MSU he will be shocked to find that he doesn't have the talent to get minutes elsewhere either.

I say good riddance. This guy is not 1/10 of the player his brother is. Can anyone say Jealousy? All that publicity his brother gets was getting to him, so he had to try and make some noise some way since his play doesn't get it done.

Any one that knows Ben, please contact him and tell him we have an opening for one huge ego at our University - North North West Missourri State. We have a new practice facility also. The Church of Christ next to campus just put up two goals in the church parking lot. Ben can use one and the rest of the team will use the other one.

Man you guys should leave that kid alone. In sports, just like anything else in life, you can't blame someone for trying to better themselves... Of course I'm upset to see him go but we should be looking closer at the core reasons that our talent comes and then leaves after a year or two. Recruitment can be flawless but unless it's supported by a continual program of positive influence, then you're not going to be able to keep the good people that you've worked so hard to get. This can be applied in business, sports, universities, hell even the fraternities and sororities. If you can't add value to the individual joining your organization and show them some benefits of them coming and doing work for you, then it is no wonder that they will begin to search for better opportunities...

"If you can't add value to the individual joining your organization and show them some benefits of them coming and doing work for you, then it is no wonder that they will begin to search for better opportunities..." Dave what are you smoking. The guy averaged 33.5 minutes of playing time each game. No way he will see that anywhere else. Sorry we didn't help him get National Player of the Year, but that was his brother's fault. If he wasn't such a streaky shooter, he might have made the all SEC team. That one's on him. If he wasn't Tyler's brother, no one would give a flip about the kid. We give him lots of playing time in a great basketball conference and all he can do is bad mouth us to the media.[See his latest interview in the Columbia, MO newspaper}.

He missed alot of shots in the games we lost. His time was going to get devoured by Dee Bost anyway.

Guys I'm not trying to exactly put the dude on a pedestal here, I'm only trying to point out a general problem that MSU is, and has been having for the past few years. A problem that is demonstrated by the title of this very article. I'm only offering a suggestion that we should possible look into the internal structure of the program as a whole to try and figure out what it is that would keep some of our talented players from packing up and leaving. Ben has made a positive contribution just like others that have transferred in the recent years did. Of course he's not a star shooter as the media has portrayed his older brother, but you can't discount the fact that he has made a few clutch plays, i.e. 3 free throws in a row to tie vs. USC.
He got the playing time obviously because we had no one better to fill the position, and if his time would be compromised by Dee Bost, then that should entice him to step up his game and learn to be more competitive and prove himself a true asset to the organization. If he's bailing out simply because of that fact, shame on him; if he's out because we are unable to provide the means by which to develop his potential (and yes I only said potential) talent and quickly move on to our next recruit, then shame on us. If Ben never decided to leave, then I would venture to guess that none of us would think it a negative thing. However, without, we will still have a team and hopefully be just as competitive if not more next season. But, we must ask ourselves, if new recruits such as Dee Bost are going to be such positive, strong players, how long are they going to stay with us and the current program? There is no apparent answer, but I sure hope we find it soon, or we may be discussing this same article a year or two from now...

The only other transfer worth anything that left was Reggie Delk. But I think having a twin who rode the pine helped him make his decision.

Man, this is basketball. People develop their skills in the middle of nowhere with just a hoop and concrete. If he is saying it is lack of facilities, he's got a different problem that he is not talking about. My son loves Ben Hansbrough, Ben Hansbrough does not love MSU and therefore he does not love us. Good bye, Ben.

Oh, and those three freethrows he hit, that was after he was 2-7 shooting in the game.