Whitesell to Join Staff

[jimbofive]

youse guys got no vision. can't see past the end of your dicks, which isn't saying much. we HOBVIOUSLY traded whitesell for moser to steal all of whitesell's super secret six-star 2012 recruits. then, after we go to the sweet sixteen this year, RM decides he's cemented his legacy, shits his pants at the fair, and we bring porter back, with all of his 2012 recruits. jensen becomes head coach, porter lead assistant/recruiter, and whitesell becomes director of basketball operations.

then we dance dance revolution for the next 20 years.

[GOSLU68]

I didn't say anything about unproven. Whitesell's only proven he could go .500 in the horizon. Trust me, right now he's done nothing to prove he can take us to a higher level. I don't even know why he was hired, since I hope we're not taking Loyola's rejects to guide this program. I guess my ideal coaching candidates in order of priority to succeed RM would be as follows:

1.) A guy who's dominated a mid major conference for about 3-4 years and been to the dance. Like the guy at Winthrop, his name escapes me, who went to Wichita. Hopefully, this guy was in a mid western conference. So that would rule out a Whitesell type who didn't dominate the Horizon. The ideal here would be Stevens, but he ain't leaving Butler for SLU.

2.) An AC from an A-10 winning program. Whoever X's AC is in waiting for the HC to depart to greener pastures would be great. If for nothing else than to disrupt the coaching heritage X has going.

3.) An AC from a BCS'er who was the primary recruiter. One has to be careful here, since my dog could be Coach K's or Calipari's AC and sign big time kids to Duke and KY, but might fall flat on his face at SLU. I think we saw a little of this with Zo. He could get kids to sign on at UCLA, but not at SLU. We don't need a Quinn Snyder type.

4.) A once successful BCS coach who left for what he thought was his final stop but it didn't work out and he didn't cheat. A guy like Crean comes to mind. IU hasn't let him go yet, but if he doesn't do something quick he could be out on the street in the near future. A Paul Hewiitt type for example.

RM makes seven figure count them out on your fingers. Why say you are going cheap on the next HC. No one is suggesting Whitesell is Porter Moser and certainly not heir apparent to RM. I don't know what else you are running on about but you don't pick a newbie to compete as HC in the A10 and RM isn't going to retire soon. I've seen him doing laps at the MAC and while not a svelte figure he doesn't have to drag himself out of the pool. Nowadays modern medicine lets people like Dick Cheney serve father and son presidents with a hell of lot worse situation than a couple of stents with no heart attack.

[Clock_Tower]

Fr. Biondi and his proven track record is enough for me to agree with 72 about us going back on the cheap. IMO the money we are paying RM or should I say Chaifetz and Novelly are paying will be a one time thing to go with the new building unless RM takes us to such high heights that a repeat situation becomes more likely. Limited success by RM puts us back to 6 figures.

[sludon]

New to the board ... first post. Just wondering, is Whitesell a done deal? I haven't seen any official annoucement from RM.

[slu72]

RM makes seven figure count them out on your fingers. Why say you are going cheap on the next HC. No one is suggesting Whitesell is Porter Moser and certainly not heir apparent to RM. I don't know what else you are running on about but you don't pick a newbie to compete as HC in the A10 and RM isn't going to retire soon. I've seen him doing laps at the MAC and while not a svelte figure he doesn't have to drag himself out of the pool. Nowadays modern medicine lets people like Dick Cheney serve father and son presidents with a hell of lot worse situation than a couple of stents with no heart attack.

See Clock's post. RM's a one time deal. I'd venture to say he's the highest paid coach in the A-10 and paid more than a lot of lower level BCS coaches. I don't think Fr. B will break the bank again if he doesn't see more positive results over the next two seasons. The primary one being a chock full arena every night. I also don't think he'll go cheap like he did with UB. My guess would be RM's successor will be north of a half a mil and south of 3/4 of a mil. For those kind of bucks you should be able to land a promising up and comer or a proven mid major HC. The problem is finding him and making sure he's a good fit. For example, Zo was not the best hire we could have made back in 1999. He was a WC guy who couldn't lure WC kids here and you just knew he'd jump at the first good oppotunity to get back to the WC. Yeah, he was great at PR and with the local media, but that doesn't equate to W's. Spoon on the other hand was a great hire for SLU. Knew the recruiting territory, was a good X and O man, good track record at a mid major, beloved by the media, and had the aw shucks personality that filled seats with people from outside the SLU community. When RM does hang it up, hopefully after two years of trips to the dance, Fr. B's got to see the import of keeping it going and that means a great hire who won't come cheap.

[Westy03]

I don't think Fr. B will break the bank again if he doesn't see more positive results over the next two seasons.

Biondi/SLU doesnt pay Rick's salary. If Chaifetz and Novelly want to continue to pay for a higher priced coach then I would hope Biondi would sign off on it, if not then Fr. Biondi is a bigger problem then I thought.

[Clock_Tower]

Biondi/SLU doesnt pay Rick's salary. If Chaifetz and Novelly want to continue to pay for a higher priced coach then I would hope Biondi would sign off on it, if not then Fr. Biondi is a bigger problem then I thought.

I admit that I have been highly critical of Fr. Biondi. IMO, he goes from passive and aloof to meddling and confusing apparently in response to the wishes of high end boosters. IMO, Fr. Biondi inherited this urban, midwestern, Jesuit university in 1987 in bad shape. Today, the university is much improved at every level - including men's basketball. Chaifetz Arena and RM walking the sidelines are Fr. Biondi's highlights. At the same time, believe it is fair to ask "What could have been..." questions. Craig Upchurch fiasco and then desparate moves to restock the team (w/ what turned out to be bad apples) and the lack of support given to Grawer ended the term of SLU's Savior of good D1 basketball. Sad that relations with Rich Grawer have not really improved since. Pettyness, nickle & dime mentality pissed Spoonhour off and effectivly ended our NCAA appearances. 20 years of play at the embarrassing West Pine Gym, the lack of real weight trainers, etc. sure didn't help our recent coaches - Romar and Brad. If Fr. Biondi can take credit for Chaifetz Arena in 2008, then why no blame dating back to 1987. Nearly every other department/school/program at SLU had received a major upgrade in facilities/staffing, etc. Why did it take 20 years and what would things have been like today if Chaifetz Arena was built in the mid-1990's?

Here, it sure appears that Dr. Chaifetz decided to make major donations to men's basketball but did express a desire to make sure the quality of the team was going to be more on par with the quality of the new building. Hence, Brad needed to be replaced with a high profile, big-name guy -- turned out to be RM. I still think Fr. Biondi bungled the whole firing of Brad and should have informed or used CL to fire Brad/replace him. IMO, RM is a high risk but high rewards hire. Good or bad, the entire culture of men's basketball has changed at SLU. In the end, I remain in favor of the decision to hire RM but recognize that he was not Fr. Biondi's choice. Instead, with the one-time opening of Chaifetz Arena, we hired a one-time, big-name, high-profile coach to kick it off. In support, RM's salary is being paid, in part by Chaifetz and Novelly. Will Chaifetz and Novelly remains committed to SLU after RM? I hope so but would suggest that it depends. If Chaifetz/Novelly see that RM's leaves unhappy and leaves without reaching the realistic and expected goals of the program because, in part, Fr. Biondi cancelled the chartered flights, cut funding or did not adequately increase funding to recruit, hire coaches, etc., made negative public comments..., then I don't see the financial support happening with the next coach. I have no fear that Fr. Biondi would ever oppose the wishes of Chaifetz and Novelly and would gladly sign off on any similar big contract to RM or his successor. Again, I think it is imperative that SLU achieves these goals under RM. If not, we could face another 20 years of mediocrity.

[jjray]

A good post clock. We can rehash the past mistakes and bemoan the way Father B alternatively meddles in and ignores the basketball program but a leopard does not change its spots. Biondi isn't a fan of the sports department. It's just a means to raise money in his eyes. I don't begrudge him that view as his job is to run a university, not build a basketball empire. However, it has been extremely shortsighted of Jesuit schools in the midwest to not see the direct correlation between basketball success and the increase in student applications together with increased donations.

All that aside, the future of our basketball program rides on the beaten down back of Rick Majerus. More to the point, this coming season is critical. Rick doesn't have much time left on the sidelines, perhaps not much time on this earth. Last season looms like a dark shadow over recruiting. Only success on the court will turn around the direction our basketball program is heading. We have the players to make that happen. IMHO, either the Billikens make a dramatic surge in 2011-2012 or the door closes on the Rick Majerus era. They will have to make a decision about a contract extension after the coming season and, if the team lays another turd, I don't believe there will be an extension which kills recruiting. With no extension, Rick plays out his contract and leaves. We are back to square one with a Soderberg type hire. Rick and the kids have to lead us out of the wilderness this season. All depends on it.

[Clock_Tower]

A good post clock. We can rehash the past mistakes and bemoan the way Father B alternatively meddles in and ignores the basketball program but a leopard does not change its spots. Biondi isn't a fan of the sports department. It's just a means to raise money in his eyes. I don't begrudge him that view as his job is to run a university, not build a basketball empire. However, it has been extremely shortsighted of Jesuit schools in the midwest to not see the direct correlation between basketball success and the increase in student applications together with increased donations.

All that aside, the future of our basketball program rides on the beaten down back of Rick Majerus. More to the point, this coming season is critical. Rick doesn't have much time left on the sidelines, perhaps not much time on this earth. Last season looms like a dark shadow over recruiting. Only success on the court will turn around the direction our basketball program is heading. We have the players to make that happen. IMHO, either the Billikens make a dramatic surge in 2011-2012 or the door closes on the Rick Majerus era. They will have to make a decision about a contract extension after the coming season and, if the team lays another turd, I don't believe there will be an extension which kills recruiting. With no extension, Rick plays out his contract and leaves. We are back to square one with a Soderberg type hire. Rick and the kids have to lead us out of the wilderness this season. All depends on it.

Agreed. And just to add. RM had only 1 schollie to offer last Fall - and did so with JM. Time will tell if this was good or not but RM was able to make that offer on the heels of 3rd tier post-season success/23 win season and with the assumption that we'd have KM, WR and BC coming back this year for their Senior seasons (JM plays with them 1 year). Then, this Spring has not resulted in much positive -- no new recruits to date - unless you argue that we are better off without another late Spring bad apple like Justin Jordan. Now, this Fall, we may have 4 scholarships to fill, but this time, on the heels of an 11 or 12 win season full of odd events and speculation. RM has come through each Fall with American recruits -- not necessarily in the Spring -- so this Fall will be RM's hardest sales job yet. I honestly believe we will do quite well this year - 20 to 26 wins - with some type of post season but that will be too late for this Fall's recruits. Enough time for RM to prove he is worth the money and a contract extension. I would resign RM now, where SLU has more leverage and can point to the last yeras's clunker of a season but fully expect Fr. Biondi and SLU to do nothing, possibly wait until after RM wins big this year and then be put in the position of trying to resign their once again, high-demand head coach.

[jjray]

Agreed. And just to add. RM had only 1 schollie to offer last Fall - and did so with JM. Time will tell if this was good or not but RM was able to make that offer on the heels of 3rd tier post-season success/23 win season and with the assumption that we'd have KM, WR and BC coming back this year for their Senior seasons (JM plays with them 1 year). Then, this Spring has not resulted in much positive -- no new recruits to date - unless you argue that we are better off without another late Spring bad apple like Justin Jordan. Now, this Fall, we may have 4 scholarships to fill, but this time, on the heels of an 11 or 12 win season full of odd events and speculation. RM has come through each Fall with American recruits -- not necessarily in the Spring -- so this Fall will be RM's hardest sales job yet. I honestly believe we will do quite well this year - 20 to 26 wins - with some type of post season but that will be too late for this Fall's recruits. Enough time for RM to prove he is worth the money and a contract extension. I would resign RM now, where SLU has more leverage and can point to the last yeras's clunker of a season but fully expect Fr. Biondi and SLU to do nothing, possibly wait until after RM wins big this year and then be put in the position of trying to resign their once again, high-demand head coach.

Agree with your assessment of the trouble our program will face recruiting this fall. They will have to dig out a gem or two from the rough this fall and just pocket a few scholarships. That is about the best we can expect. I hope you are right about the 20 wins and post season of some sort. We need it badly. 2011-2012 we need to come out of the wilderness and get back on the map. The following year Kwamain, Cody, and Cory will be seniors. That year (2012-2013) we need to make some noise with an NCAA tourney bid.

[For-DaLove]

Agree with your assessment of the trouble our program will face recruiting this fall. They will have to dig out a gem or two from the rough this fall and just pocket a few scholarships. That is about the best we can expect. I hope you are right about the 20 wins and post season of some sort. We need it badly. 2011-2012 we need to come out of the wilderness and get back on the map. The following year Kwamain, Cody, and Cory will be seniors. That year (2012-2013) we need to make some noise with an NCAA tourney bid.

No we need to go to the NCAA this year or RM is gone.

[waldo027]

No we need to go to the NCAA this year or RM is gone.

+1. The time is now. We get KM back and he is basically a senior (4th year out of high school). He'll be a super senior the next year.

I also do not think the losing season will hurt recruiting nearly as much as people here think. Almost all the players on the roster now came here before we had any really big years. I think lack of playing time for young players will hurt us much more.

[JettFlight5]

+1. The time is now. We get KM back and he is basically a senior (4th year out of high school). He'll be a super senior the next year.

I also do not think the losing season will hurt recruiting nearly as much as people here think. Almost all the players on the roster now came here before we had any really big years. I think lack of playing time for young players will hurt us much more.

I follow this as well. If this team isn't in the NCAA next year, there will be a lot of explaining to do. There are no more excuses. That way, when the Bills make the Dance, I can quit being angry with John Cook too. So it's win-win.

[JohnnyJumpUp]

No we need to go to the NCAA this year or RM is gone.

I disagree...til death do us part

[jjray]

No we need to go to the NCAA this year or RM is gone.

Kwamain, Cody, and Cory will be seniors the following year with McCall, Loe, Jett, Barnett and Evans juniors. If they make the NIT and win a few games, I don't see how Rick doesn't come back if he is physically able to do so. If my math is correct he still has a year on his contract after the 2011-12 season. I don't see Rick walking out on his senior and junior players if they make the post season (again, if his health permits). If the team wins 20 but fails to make the NCAA nor NIT ala two season ago, then who can say. Rick might not even accept an invitation to one of those lesser tourneys.

[For-DaLove]

Kwamain, Cody, and Cory will be seniors the following year with McCall, Loe, Jett, Barnett and Evans juniors. If they make the NIT and win a few games, I don't see how Rick doesn't come back if he is physically able to do so. If my math is correct he still has a year on his contract after the 2011-12 season. I don't see Rick walking out on his senior and junior players if they make the post season (again, if his health permits). If the team wins 20 but fails to make the NCAA nor NIT ala two season ago, then who can say. Rick might not even accept an invitation to one of those lesser tourneys.

Even though you make a good point, I'll stand by my prediction.

Biondi would love nothing more than to can Rick.

[jimbofive]

Even though you make a good point, I'll stand by my prediction.

Biondi would love nothing more than to can Rick.

Biondi's a ######.

[JettFlight5]

Even though you make a good point, I'll stand by my prediction.

Biondi would love nothing more than to can Rick.

Many fans would like to can Biondi too. Unfortunately, the Father has the power to get rid of Rick.

[jjray]

Even though you make a good point, I'll stand by my prediction.

Biondi would love nothing more than to can Rick.

Meaning you believe the decision will be out of Rick's hands if they don't make the NCAA tourney in 2012? If this is true, I'm shocked Bondi thinks this way. He's crazy if he fires Rick before his contract is out.

[slu72]

Meaning you believe the decision will be out of Rick's hands if they don't make the NCAA tourney in 2012? If this is true, I'm shocked Bondi thinks this way. He's crazy if he fires Rick before his contract is out.

What would concern me about axing RM if we don't make the dance this year would be transfers for the sophs. They'd still have two years left and might feel cheated if RM's gone. Hopefully, the powers that be take that into consideration. But it's important this program get off the schneid and start making some noise. The kid who could really help this program make a big leap is Berry, but he ain't coming if we're still stuck in mediocrity city.

[Bobby Metzinger]

Meaning you believe the decision will be out of Rick's hands if they don't make the NCAA tourney in 2012? If this is true, I'm shocked Bondi thinks this way. He's crazy if he fires Rick before his contract is out.

+58 We'd be on the hook for the remaining $ on RM's contract, plus whatever we'd be paying some third-rate HC to take over a program that's mired in mediocrity. Not the most ideal of situations.

[Clock_Tower]

Meaning you believe the decision will be out of Rick's hands if they don't make the NCAA tourney in 2012? If this is true, I'm shocked Bondi thinks this way. He's crazy if he fires Rick before his contract is out.

Fr. Biondi is many things but crazy is not one of them. The good padre is also not stupid. No way he'd alienate his 2 big boosters by firing RM and no way Fr. Biondi would pay RM to not coach. Instead, Fr. Biondi is much more likely to let things play out through the end of the contract and then either renew or not renew RM. If RM fails to win or if Novelly/Chaifetz close their checkbooks, then Fr. Biondi takes SLU in a different direction - spending $750,000 upon a "top" BCS assistant coach. If RM succeeds, then Fr. Biondi turns to Novelly/Chaifetz to help pay, and if not enough money is committed by them, then Fr. Biondi goes public and says SLU cannot spend such money in an effort to get RM to stay on the cheap, and if this does not, then Fr. Biondi takes SLU in that same different direction. Fr. Biondi truly believes that SLU can be succesful enough with a $750,000 coach - especially a coach who is a good citizen, ambassador of the program, will do a radio show... Fr. Biondi could care less about creating a lameduck situation and having recruits possibly go elsewhere if no contract extension for RM. Fr. Biondi has already shown that he doesn't care about about details - Spring recruiting period - when he waited way too long to fire Brad and then way too long to hire RM -- we completely lost any chance for kids that Spring. Most programs fire a coach at the end of the regular season or the end of the conference tourney. Fr. Biondi simply does not care about such items.

[Billikan]

What would concern me about axing RM if we don't make the dance this year would be transfers for the sophs. They'd still have two years left and might feel cheated if RM's gone. Hopefully, the powers that be take that into consideration. But it's important this program get off the schneid and start making some noise. The kid who could really help this program make a big leap is Berry, but he ain't coming if we're still stuck in mediocrity city.

It is getting to be almost impossible to even read this board because of the number of false and inaccurate things posted along with trolls posting crap. No one who says that Father Biondi is going to fire RM if he does not make the NCAA tournament has a clue about the situation or Father Biondi. He fully understands the impact of the loss of KM and Willie this past year in terms of our record. He also knows that we still have a team of mostly underclassmen as key contributors so there is great hope for this coming season and a strong desire to make the tournament but no one is getting fired if we do not make it. As 72 has indicated, it is the following year when all concerned will be expected to make the big dance and even make some noise. This team for this year will be good, talented and inexperienced in terms of playing together so it might be the middle of the season before we hit our stride and we have some very tough opponents early in the season. The following year everyone will be bigger and stronger and will have played together for a full year--the makings of a real tough out for anyone who plays us. I am very optimistic about the coming season but I am realistic in that there will be some tough teams in our conference and we have some real difficult opponents out of conference. Father Biondi will give this coach and staff the two full years to prove themselves and I think the team will really be good by the end of that time.

[JettFlight5]

It is getting to be almost impossible to even read this board because of the number of false and inaccurate things posted along with trolls posting crap. No one who says that Father Biondi is going to fire RM if he does not make the NCAA tournament has a clue about the situation or Father Biondi. He fully understands the impact of the loss of KM and Willie this past year in terms of our record. He also knows that we still have a team of mostly underclassmen as key contributors so there is great hope for this coming season and a strong desire to make the tournament but no one is getting fired if we do not make it. As 72 has indicated, it is the following year when all concerned will be expected to make the big dance and even make some noise. This team for this year will be good, talented and inexperienced in terms of playing together so it might be the middle of the season before we hit our stride and we have some very tough opponents early in the season. The following year everyone will be bigger and stronger and will have played together for a full year--the makings of a real tough out for anyone who plays us. I am very optimistic about the coming season but I am realistic in that there will be some tough teams in our conference and we have some real difficult opponents out of conference. Father Biondi will give this coach and staff the two full years to prove themselves and I think the team will really be good by the end of that time.

I just don't see the commitment to building a winning program like more successful schools. Rick Majerus is a great move towards that direction, and I hope that we're all idiots for insinuating that Fr. B. would fire him. I've been wrong before. It's winning time now...so I want to be proven wrong for my skepticism.

[jjray]

It is getting to be almost impossible to even read this board because of the number of false and inaccurate things posted along with trolls posting crap. No one who says that Father Biondi is going to fire RM if he does not make the NCAA tournament has a clue about the situation or Father Biondi. He fully understands the impact of the loss of KM and Willie this past year in terms of our record. He also knows that we still have a team of mostly underclassmen as key contributors so there is great hope for this coming season and a strong desire to make the tournament but no one is getting fired if we do not make it. As 72 has indicated, it is the following year when all concerned will be expected to make the big dance and even make some noise. This team for this year will be good, talented and inexperienced in terms of playing together so it might be the middle of the season before we hit our stride and we have some very tough opponents early in the season. The following year everyone will be bigger and stronger and will have played together for a full year--the makings of a real tough out for anyone who plays us. I am very optimistic about the coming season but I am realistic in that there will be some tough teams in our conference and we have some real difficult opponents out of conference. Father Biondi will give this coach and staff the two full years to prove themselves and I think the team will really be good by the end of that time.

Reassuring to hear Billikan. As I said, it would be insane to fire Rick before his contract is up. Can't fathom that happening. I expect Kwamain to make an immediate and substantial impact. I'll be personally disappointed if the 2011-2012 Billikens are not a 20 win team. The following year's team should carry even higher expectations as you state.