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Tonight We Saw What We Could Have Been


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If SLU had taken basketball seriously consistently over the years since the Easy Ed days, we could be Villanova. A fluke title in the 80s, and now tonight a dominant run.

Similar profiles. Catholic school, enrollment 10-15 thousand, no D1 football. But instead we are mired in mediocrity other than flashes with Spoon and Rick. What we could've been.......

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If SLU had taken basketball seriously consistently over the years since the Easy Ed days, we could be Villanova. A fluke title in the 80s, and now tonight a dominant run.

Similar profiles. Catholic school, enrollment 10-15 thousand, no D1 football. But instead we are mired in mediocrity other than flashes with Spoon and Rick. What we could've been.......

If you would have been rich, beautiful, and smart, you wouldn't have had so many problems in life. But instead you have been mired in mediocrity other than some undeserved breaks in life. What you could've been...

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If you would have been rich, beautiful, and smart, you wouldn't have had so many problems in life. But instead you have been mired in mediocrity other than some undeserved breaks in life. What you could've been...

Some of you guys confuse me on this board. Perhaps looking at things objectively is frowned upon here. I don't have any problems in life. Speak for yourself

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Some of you guys confuse me on this board. Perhaps looking at things objectively is frowned upon here. I don't have any problems in life. Speak for yourself

Don't be a Debbie Downer. SLU appears to be wanting to make the right moves. What else do you want? Look to the future. Don't dwell on the past. Learn to be a winner, not a loser. Only one school with "Similar profiles. Catholic school, enrollment 10-15 thousand, no D1 football." ,as you put it, won the NCAA Tournament this year. Nobody else did. Snap out of it and focus.

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Some of you guys confuse me on this board. Perhaps looking at things objectively is frowned upon here. I don't have any problems in life. Speak for yourself

Some confuse me too. Nothing wrong with wanting to be like Nova, Xavier, Butler, Gonzaga. I have a high opinion of SLU, the facilities, the fans, and St. Louis and I hope that coach Ford will take us there.

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If's are excuses for making a wrong decision or a mistake. SLU just never learned from their mistakes or wrong decisions. We all know what they are, so no use going over them again. Hopefully, we made a good one this go around.

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I nearly went to undergrad at "Nova in the late 1980's. Applied, accepted, visited campus... but did not go. Fresh off Rollie M's surprising title, excitement was still on campus the following year. Also on campus was an artificial turf football field named after donor DuPont who created and donated to 'Nova the then newest style of turf (yes, no D1 football but still college football) as well as a new indoor sports complex which house half their home games (8,000 going off memory) which could be re-arranged to allow for full size indoor track for their track team. Nice and modern swimming pool along with weight and training rooms, etc. No comparison with SLU. And while we were happy and content with our training in West Pine gym and that closet in which a universal weight set was jammed inside, playing our games off campus and thinking we are top tier b/c we joined the Great Midwest, 'Nova was having success in the Big East on Monday nights while raking in much more money than we could even imagine. No, we were asleep at the switch, did not make sports a priority, did not invest in our facilities until way too late. The same can be said about Marquette, X, Gonzaga, etc. who were engaged in the race for modern D1 sports while we were asleep on the sidelines.

Again, it all starts at the top. We were lead by Fr. Biondi who never made sports a priority and then who even had the nerve to then meddle, frustrate and hinder the sports programs over the years. What's done is done. We have new facilities, new leadership, we paid a buyout for a coach who had 2 years left and we hired a new, proven D1 head coach. We are way behind but at least we are engaged and awake from our long slumber.

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I nearly went to undergrad at "Nova in the late 1980's. Applied, accepted, visited campus... but did not go. Fresh off Rollie M's surprising title, excitement was still on campus the following year. Also on campus was an artificial turf football field named after donor DuPont who created and donated to 'Nova the then newest style of turf (yes, no D1 football but still college football) as well as a new indoor sports complex which house half their home games (8,000 going off memory) which could be re-arranged to allow for full size indoor track for their track team. Nice and modern swimming pool along with weight and training rooms, etc. No comparison with SLU. And while we were happy and content with our training in West Pine gym and that closet in which a universal weight set was jammed inside, playing our games off campus and thinking we are top tier b/c we joined the Great Midwest, 'Nova was having success in the Big East on Monday nights while raking in much more money than we could even imagine. No, we were asleep at the switch, did not make sports a priority, did not invest in our facilities until way too late. The same can be said about Marquette, X, Gonzaga, etc. who were engaged in the race for modern D1 sports while we were asleep on the sidelines.

Again, it all starts at the top. We were lead by Fr. Biondi who never made sports a priority and then who even had the nerve to then meddle, frustrate and hinder the sports programs over the years. What's done is done. We have new facilities, new leadership, we paid a buyout for a coach who had 2 years left and we hired a new, proven D1 head coach. We are way behind but at least we are engaged and awake from our long slumber.

Thank you, this is exactly what my post was trying to say.

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Summed up well, Clock. A lot of frustrating years no doubt. Every time we thought we saw a break through, we managed to screw it up. Rich Grawer pulled us out of the mire, but then ran into personnel problems. Where we really blew it though was w/Spoon. Charlie showed how big SLU hoops could be with both the students and the community. If Fr B had fully committed to hoops then by upping the budget, starting a fund raising program to upgrade facilities, and letting the pros handle the details, I think we could have joined the ranks of the Catholic school elites and sustained it. Sadly, we got done in by an ice cream cone and statues. Fr B just never got it that sports are a school's window to the world. Sounds like Pres P gets it, though.

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Nov 25, 2011.

SLU 80 Villanova 68 in Anaheim.

If Villanova can do it, then SLU can do it!

And the next game we absolutely destroyed another Final Four participant from this year - Oklahoma. Things can change fairly quickly in college bball.

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Summed up well, Clock. A lot of frustrating years no doubt. Every time we thought we saw a break through, we managed to screw it up. Rich Grawer pulled us out of the mire, but then ran into personnel problems. Where we really blew it though was w/Spoon. Charlie showed how big SLU hoops could be with both the students and the community. If Fr B had fully committed to hoops then by upping the budget, starting a fund raising program to upgrade facilities, and letting the pros handle the details, I think we could have joined the ranks of the Catholic school elites and sustained it. Sadly, we got done in by an ice cream cone and statues. Fr B just never got it that sports are a school's window to the world. Sounds like Pres P gets it, though.

I am sure I am not alone but I do recall our program having success under Spoon, attendance was really good, donations and membership in the Billiken Club appeared to be on the rise, building an on-campus arena to sustain the recent success was discussed but then Fr. Biondi committed SLU to a long term lease with Kiel Center/Scottrade after apparently cutting a deal with Civic Progress and the St. Louis Blues c/o their Chairman, Michael Shannahan. In short, SLU would commit to being a long term tenant to help make Kiel Center make profitable in the short run and then, in return, Civic Progress/Shannahan/others would financially help SLU build our on-campus arena. Turns out that we upheld our portion of the bargain but no one else did. Instead, we sat idle and did nothing while continuing to practice/train in West Pine Gym while our fellow university competition built and upgraded their facilities. Marquette, for instance, chose to keep playing in their version of Kiel Center (off-campus 20,000 plus NBA venue of the Milwaukee Bucks) but did not wait and built their own first-class practice/training facility with coaching offices. Now, while I prefer our current Chaifetz which as the coaches offices and practice/training facilities all inside our actual arena, waiting really set us back. And then, of course, when we finally were about to build our facility, we season ticket holders made our smaller donations and bought our bricks but Civic Progress and its principals were no where to be found. ;)

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I am sure I am not alone but I do recall our program having success under Spoon, attendance was really good, donations and membership in the Billiken Club appeared to be on the rise, building an on-campus arena to sustain the recent success was discussed but then Fr. Biondi committed SLU to a long term lease with Kiel Center/Scottrade after apparently cutting a deal with Civic Progress and the St. Louis Blues c/o their Chairman, Michael Shannahan. In short, SLU would commit to being a long term tenant to help make Kiel Center make profitable in the short run and then, in return, Civic Progress/Shannahan/others would financially help SLU build our on-campus arena. Turns out that we upheld our portion of the bargain but no one else did. Instead, we sat idle and did nothing while continuing to practice/train in West Pine Gym while our fellow university competition built and upgraded their facilities. Marquette, for instance, chose to keep playing in their version of Kiel Center (off-campus 20,000 plus NBA venue of the Milwaukee Bucks) but did not wait and built their own first-class practice/training facility with coaching offices. Now, while I prefer our current Chaifetz which as the coaches offices and practice/training facilities all inside our actual arena, waiting really set us back. And then, of course, when we finally were about to build our facility, we season ticket holders made our smaller donations and bought our bricks but Civic Progress and its principals were no where to be found. ;)

If it is not in writing then it is not going to happen. If Biondi did not do this then shame on him.

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I am sure I am not alone but I do recall our program having success under Spoon, attendance was really good, donations and membership in the Billiken Club appeared to be on the rise, building an on-campus arena to sustain the recent success was discussed but then Fr. Biondi committed SLU to a long term lease with Kiel Center/Scottrade after apparently cutting a deal with Civic Progress and the St. Louis Blues c/o their Chairman, Michael Shannahan. In short, SLU would commit to being a long term tenant to help make Kiel Center make profitable in the short run and then, in return, Civic Progress/Shannahan/others would financially help SLU build our on-campus arena. Turns out that we upheld our portion of the bargain but no one else did. Instead, we sat idle and did nothing while continuing to practice/train in West Pine Gym while our fellow university competition built and upgraded their facilities. Marquette, for instance, chose to keep playing in their version of Kiel Center (off-campus 20,000 plus NBA venue of the Milwaukee Bucks) but did not wait and built their own first-class practice/training facility with coaching offices. Now, while I prefer our current Chaifetz which as the coaches offices and practice/training facilities all inside our actual arena, waiting really set us back. And then, of course, when we finally were about to build our facility, we season ticket holders made our smaller donations and bought our bricks but Civic Progress and its principals were no where to be found. ;)

-does Civic Progress still exist? i believe on the window looking from the arena concourse onto the practice floor Mike Shanahan's name is on there as a major donor to getting Chaifetz built

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-does Civic Progress still exist? i believe on the window looking from the arena concourse onto the practice floor Mike Shanahan's name is on there as a major donor to getting Chaifetz built

If memory serves me right, Shannahan was the owner of the Blues but the Savvis Center was still owned by Civic Progress and they were concerned about renting competition. I think maybe Civic Progress is now the RGA?

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If it is not in writing then it is not going to happen. If Biondi did not do this then shame on him.

Cheese.

Likely very hard to do. Remember that SLU is in the business not only of educating students but in soliciting donations with the top donors being guys who were involved with Civic Progress and the likes. Fundraising for our new building was stalled in 2005/2006 and that was long AFTER waiting as requested and being the good tenant for ten (10) years. Had SLU moved forward in 1995 without waiting and turning down the long-term lease, maybe not only would the pre-Chaifetz donations materialized and the arena never been built but maybe also other projects never started and donations never landed. Of course, SLU could have used money from somewhere else -- possibly even endowment money -- to make sure teams had a place to play. But Fr. Biondi was the consummate City politician and real estate mover & shaker and therefore the athletic program was placed on hold for ten (10) years while SLU complete a number of other deals which benefited the university in general but not the athletic program. In short, it is unfortunate that Fr. Biondi came on board in 1987 and that our teams practiced/trained in the long outdated West Pine Gym for another 20 years.

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Cheese.

Likely very hard to do. Remember that SLU is in the business not only of educating students but in soliciting donations with the top donors being guys who were involved with Civic Progress and the likes. Fundraising for our new building was stalled in 2005/2006 and that was long AFTER waiting as requested and being the good tenant for ten (10) years. Had SLU moved forward in 1995 without waiting and turning down the long-term lease, maybe not only would the pre-Chaifetz donations materialized and the arena never been built but maybe also other projects never started and donations never landed. Of course, SLU could have used money from somewhere else -- possibly even endowment money -- to make sure teams had a place to play. But Fr. Biondi was the consummate City politician and real estate mover & shaker and therefore the athletic program was placed on hold for ten (10) years while SLU complete a number of other deals which benefited the university in general but not the athletic program. In short, it is unfortunate that Fr. Biondi came on board in 1987 and that our teams practiced/trained in the long outdated West Pine Gym for another 20 years.

I believe the big stumbling bloc was the building of the Doisey Healthcare Center. This project in Biondi's thinking had to be funded before anything could be done for an arena. Only after this project became a reality would he allow the arena project to commence.

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If memory serves me right, Shannahan was the owner of the Blues but the Savvis Center was still owned by Civic Progress and they were concerned about renting competition. I think maybe Civic Progress is now the RGA?

Yes. I believe Kiel Center/Savvis was originally built and owned by Civic Progress which was replacing the Arena/Checkerdome with the new Kiel Center along with plans to renovate and re-open the Kiel Opera house. The Billikens were a long-time tenant of the old Kiel Auditorium, leased space at the Arena when Kiel Auditorium was torn down and rebuilt and thereafter leased Kiel Center/Savvis for 15 years or so until 2007 when Chaivetz opened. At the time, the plan was for SLU to rent to help pay down the debt and make the redevelopment profitable by which time the owners would then consider replacing the Billikens with an NBA team as a long-term tenant. I believe Bill Laurie owned both the Blues and the building (Kiel Center/Savvis/Scottrade).

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