Old guy

@The Wiz In statics and dynamics, standard courses in Mech Engineering and advanced physics, there is a well known problem about a collision between an object going at such a high speed and with such a high mass and momentum that it cannot be stopped (an irresistible object), and a stationary object with such a high mass and strong composition that it cannot be moved (an immovable object). This occurs out in space and the problem is to analyze what happens to these objects after the impact takes place. Are we indeed an irresistible object and SC an immovable object? I may have exaggerated some with my comparison. However, with our weak OOC schedule we may have a chance of creating a level of recognition for SLU that might be useful to get an at large spot. Towards the end of the season, even a team with a major win way over the spread, may not gain much in terms term of ranking. I think your philosophy should emphasize consistent winning way over the spread is a more effective method of improving your team's ranking early in the season. I do completely agree with you that winning must be the primary aim overall. However, not wasting your lead in the final minutes of the game is also very important particularly early in the season.

Go Jordan, you can do it, broken nose or not.

@SantaClaraFan Thanks for the information. Team Ranking's stats for this season gives SLU a better offense and SC a better defense. The final spread is yet to be fixed, however it appears it may be a very low spread. I think a win by a low score over the spread will be rather meaningless for either team. For a good result in terms of a ranking change, the winning team will need to win by a large score over the spread. This brings me back to my college years pondering what might happen when an irresistible object hits an immovable object. Is SC capable of stopping SLU's offense or is SLU capable of penetrating SC's defense? We will find out won't we.

Of course, a spread of 2 pts means that either team can win this game. I think the key to this game will be to aim at a win for at least 22 pts. That would be a very good goal for this game,

I apologize for my error. The Team Rankings SLU rank before the Purdue FW game was 57. Before the game our ranking inn A10 was 4th., below VCU, GW and GM. SLU's ranking according to Team Rankings after the game was just published at 48, an improvement 7 slots. By the was the Rankings of the remainder top schools at the same time as our new ranking of 48 are as follows: VCU 50, GW 52, and GM 96. Please remember that rankings are temporary approximations to the level of the schools at any one point in time. By the time new games are played the rankings will bee readjusted. However, it is necessary to understand that rankings are constantly variable. As of NOW SLU is the top ranked MBB school in the A10. This is not a permanent level, but it is a useful number that help establishing the reputation of schools within a season. Rankings vary most rapidly at the beginning of a season, the more games a school plays the less movement its ranking level will change. By the end of the season, ranking levels do not vary much at all after each game.

I made a mistake on the ranking before the game, it was 57. The new rankings, post game, will come tomorrow morning. I expect the ranking to be higher than 51. My error today, sorry.

Wonderful results for us. We won 91 to 60, that is 31 point win. The final spread by Team Rankings was 20 pts. Purdue FW was expected to score 72.8, we held them to 60, and ended 11 pts over the spread. No doubt in my mind that we went much higher up the ranking of 57 we had at the start of the game. Very satisfactory game for SLU. One of the changes in this game was that Schertz did not release the bench all at the same time, but gradually. So, they had a chance to play and did not sink our lead at the end. Very well done. Great result! Go Bills!

Very nice description of how your system, particularly your way of calculating the spread. It is interesting to me because your system is similar to finding value in the stock market, which is a field well known to me. The interesting thing about the stock market is that there is also fear and greed involved in the valuation. Why?, because the valuation is also dependent upon purchases and sales, and it is quite variable. I agree that under it all, in sports valuations and stock valuations, there is a level of rock bottom truth. Truth may or may not be what the mass of the public thinks it is or is told it is by the numerous advisors and experts out there. However you look this complex problem at, there is a connection between price and value, or bets and results, oftentimes expressed in the last few minutes of action before the betting window or the trading day are closed. Very interesting stuff, the relation between fear, greed, and value. I am ready for tonight, we will most likely win this one (very close to certainty in this case), all that needs to be done is to play it and hope Schertz does not let the point advantage gained by SLU to melt down in the last few minutes of the day. As always, you have a great system.

Is Thames expected to play in this game?

Team Ranking numbers are in. Their spread has us winning by 20.5 with 5 stars of confidence against Purdue FW. SLU has better stats in 7 out of 8 stats in Offense, and better defense in 5 out of 7 stats. Go Bills and win by a lot of points over the spread!

Just imagine what would happen if Mt. St. Mary (NY) had made 106 pts and Fordham 36. The standing of Fordham within D1 would have completely evaporated.

Pretty bad, but Fordham took full advantage of their opportunity.

@brianstl I know most of the fans have desire the best for SLU MBB.. That is a fact, however there are variations between different people's desires. First of all, I do not know if we really are good enough to win the A10 tournament, although I agree we just might be capable of doing so. Since my ultimate goal for SL MBB is to get an invite to the Dance, my approach to get to this goal is to have SLU be able to get an at large invitation in case we do not win the A10 tournament. To get an at large invite to the Dance, I think we need to develop a position iin the eyes of the viewership where they really want to see us play and crunch the opposition. I think the earlier we start playing not just to win, although this is not absolutely necessary, but to crunch the opposition. I did not find SLU in the Massey ratings

I was hoping to start the crushing from the very first game we played this year.

If any of you have been in the military, you are aware that the best made plans can be undone shortly after their start and can lead to a catastrophe. The only way plans work roughly as they were planned is by adaptation and improvisation patching the errors made. It is important not to leave any favorable circumstances un used. You just must use every advantage that presents itself. This applies to basketball as well, you cannot watch as a msjor lead disappears at the end of a game. The opposition, whoever they may be will see any rigid pattern a team uses and take as much advantage as they can out of it. It is not a good thing to watch a large lead disappear in the last 3-4 minutes of a game. The opposition will use the final 3-4 minutes to gain as much as they can from us. I agree that PR and opinion are important factors to gain at large slots to the Dance. Yes we must keep on winning, that is required, but we must develop this aura of not only winning but winning by significant margins over the spread. We must develop a reputation of a team that not only wins but crunches the opposing teams. I think this is most important to get an at large sport at the dancee.