aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 I'm actually becoming a bigger fan of him each day. Now with Kshoe bringing up the debate again, let me chime in with my two cents. I'm glad that Soderberg is very particular about the player he wants to compete at a high major status and he is uncompromising in that regard. Let's compare him to Romar, who I'm a huge fan of. However when Romar missed out on a top-echelon player, he compromised his standards and went with lower-caliber players, who couldn't compete at the high major Division I level. In particular, I remember Josh Seyfert from Montana. I bring him up because I remember Soderberg stating how he disagreed with the signing of Seyfert at the time because he didn't think he was good enough at that level. Actually at the time of the interview, Soderberg was giving Seyfert credit because he came off a good game and Soderberg was reflecting how Romar might have been right about the kid. Of course, time passed and it was obvious that Soderberg was right and Seyfert moved on to Montana. I really think it speaks to Soderberg's faith. He's not compromising his standards and he believes that the "right" player will come along in some form. I'm willing to trust that he'll find that player and feel like we need to exercise patience. I really like the direction of SLU's program and have been optimistic about its direction since last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRaginCajun Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 I think one could make the argument that he has compromised those standards with the past recruiting class and I guess the book is out on the current recruiting class since we have nobody committed. I am a fan of Soderberg, but I am very unsure of him and his staff when it comes to this area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 They're not part of the core. As long as Lisch and Liddell can stay at least one more year, SLU will be fine. The key will be the junior class. Brad will have to get some hits there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Be careful of putting all your eggs in one basket - that concerns me about that not getting anybody yet this year as a recruit. If Brad bingos next fall then great but if he does not then we are in real trouble unless he pulls a rabbit out of his hat this spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Unless we get nothing but McDonald All-Americans every year. It is way to early to make a call on last years recruiting class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardball Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Simply put BS has problems recruiting. Will not go into all the facts supporting this claim but you can't sugar coat it SLU is not getting the players year in year out that it should. BS is planning on a big class in '08. For his sake I hope he is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 No for SLU's sake I hope he is right. If he is wrong then he simply leaves as some point and we are right back where we started when Romar left - that would be a real disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Hardball, funny you would imply something - Griftser has said that Brad made a very good impression on him and his son. That is straight from the horse's mouth. Doesn't mean the kid will come to SLU but he at least seemed impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardball Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Your right Cheese SLU has more to loose than BS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 Of course, it would be nice to get core, high-major recruits every year, but given our conference and program profile, that won't happen. It's one of the reasons why I think the MVC will fall off after this year. Until SLU can reach the NCAA on a consistent basis, like a Gonzaga, they will have to put "all of their eggs" in one basket and hope they hit a home run. It also doesn't help that St. Louis isn't a hotbed for high school talent. We're more known for football. Note: V-Time, I welcome and look forward to your retort. By the way, how's Western Illinois looking? Also, how have those St. Louis area players doing over there? Especially, the ones SLU should have recruited. Was it Lorenzo Taylor and James Washington? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardball Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Cheese I have often said that BS is a quality person and think he does well speaking to the public. As a matter of fact, I have encouraged him to be MORE visible in the community and a more vocal "salesman" for the program. It is great that Grifster thinks BS made a good impression but as you know impressions apparantly don't translate into committments. Unfortunately, nice guys sometimes don't get the job done. Let's roll the dice on the 2008 class and see what BS delivers. It is all about results. Plain and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Come on now ... you write that post as if you are some kind of mentor or something that UB takes stock in what you say. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 >Hardball, funny you would imply something - Griftser has >said that Brad made a very good impression on him and his >son. That is straight from the horse's mouth. Doesn't mean >the kid will come to SLU but he at least seemed impressed. This reminds me of a conversation I had with one of this year's player's parents. I asked what the draw to SLU was and his mother immediately said it was Brad and his personality. She suggested that a lot "creeps" come out of the woodwork when you're being recruited and Brad doesn't have that aura. Whether or not that's important to a recruit is one thing, but I don't think it's Brad's personality that is the problem. What may be the problem is either 1.)his method of always going after the "perfect" fit as AJ sees it is causing us to miss good players or 2.) Brad doesn't pony up the goods like other coaches might (Calipari types), which is good in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 got hardon mixed up with billsboys in my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slubaseball42 Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 AJ - I totally am in agreement. I am as proud of a SLU grad as anyone on this message board (and a former SLU athlete), however I have come to grips that we are not a high profile program who should expect to get top 100 recruits every year. Until people are happy with a nice, probation-free, quality student-athletes, team they are going to continue to be frustrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 I think the above are flimsy excuses,ie SLU's a hard place to recuit to. Why are any harder than Gonzaga, Marquette, DePaul, Butler, Geo Mason...on and on and goes this liste. I think we should all take a break from the recruiting for the issue season. See what happens in the spring, are we dancing?, Has anyone verballed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 and that lifted them to prominence. Marquette got Dwyane Wade and he STAYED four years. That took them to another level. DePaul?? They're no better than SLU. What SLU needs is for Lisch and Liddell to make a run in the NCAA and then maybe SLU can be the Gonzaga of the Midwest. I'm not taking a defeatist attitude and saying that SLU should settle for mediocrity. They have the tools to make a run in the next couple of years, though I'm concerned that Liddell might leave after this year which would be a blow to the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Would anyone please name me the last Billiken head coach that did not have trouble recruiting? Hmmm... Soderburg Romar Spoon Grawer Ekker Coleman Albrecht Polk Bennington my memory fails me here, but golly gee, it looks like there ain't much in the way of recruiters here besides Romar, and he left for geen pastures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nostatic Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 D Wade did not stay 4 years, but his impact has be significant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 He was on the cusp of building something special. There was an article last year about the players, who would have came to SLU the next year: Hollins (NBA), Taj Gray (OU starter) and a couple of other impact players. Plus, Romar was an Ahearn fan... (I had to get that started again.) We just now need to be more patient and little lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Mo Baker would have been a real difference-maker had Lorenzo been able to get him. That was one miss that really hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Eddie Hickey. Lets dig him up and have him replace Brad. http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Hickey.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 at the NCAA has a great deal of merit. Here is why I agreee. History has shown that no coach even Romar was able to recruit top notch players to SLU year in year out. Why? Because we aint in a great conference, we do not have great facilities,and we do not have a recent history of winning. Brad has built a team that certainly can compete in conference and we will see how we do against solid to excellent non-conference foes this year. If we do well this year, recruits will have see us on TV, see that we run, and will hopefully see a group of kids having fun winning. All we have had to offer recruits in the past is PT, now with tommy, KL, Ian and our group of freshamn 4's we do not even have that. Soon we will have the new on campus arena etc...a winning run is the next step at building the winning tradition, that will attract top talent. Either that or we need Global warming to make St. Louis Beach front property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Spare parts? I don't get that ... to me that infers that they will be role players. I'd like to give them more time before making such a decision. They may in fact be core players in the future. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 and we know what became of him. I hope Horace Dixon becomes another Rodman. It would be great of Knollmeyer became Keith Van Horn. Wouldn't it be nice if Dustin Maguire became Steve Kerr. However, I'm not holding my breath, but they could emerge. However, their profile suggests nothing more than being a role player. That's fine as long as Brad gets a couple of recruiting hits in the next couple of years and Lisch and Liddell can stay together another year or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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