The SI story ended any chance of Howland being hired
Posted on: December 16, 2018 at 16:10:06 CT
ScottsdaleTiger MU
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You will recall the SI story on Howland's UCLA program that appeared during Mizzou's coaching search. It painted a picture of a coach who had lost total control of his program and players, i.e. if memory serves, rampant drug use (including before and at practice), physical intimidation of some players by others, attendance at raves the night before leaving on road trips, etc. If you don't, google Howland & Sports Illustrated and then read it.
The appearance of that story effectively ended any possibility that Mizzou was going to hire Howland. Bluntly the Tiger Athletic Department, the UMC campus administration, the System administration and various influential alums were simply not willing to take the risk that similar stories might appear about Tiger basketball and Columbia, Missouri.
The issue was not whether Howland was a good coach or would likely bring success to Tiger basketball. It was the risk, the danger that the program, the University and the local community might be subject to the same kind of bad publicity. The decision makers were not willing to take that risk.
It makes no difference that Howland has had more success at Mississippi State than Kim Anderson did at Mizzou. And it doesn't make any difference that SI subsequently backed off some of the allegations or that it settled a defamation suit brought by one of the players named as a bad actor in the article. Once the article appeared, Ben Howland was not longer a viable candidate for the Tiger job. The article precluded Mizzou taking the risk of a Howland hire.