Leaderboard

Coach's Show with Rammer. It will air on KMOX tonight, but was filmed live today. Time of tonight's airing wasn't given. https://www.pscp.tv/w/1zqJVXzRQamKB (Lot's of repeat from the Friday and Sunday interviews.) Coach got the first COVID call at 7 AM Wed 30th of 2 positive players. The test they took was on Monday, 28th . Coach started feeling bad on Wed too and took another test. One other coach tested positive on Wed along with Coach Ford. Positives were spread out. Positive guys spent 10 days in quarantine, then they had the 7 days until return to action. If the players were negative, they had to quarantine for 14 days. Only 3 or 4 guys could use the stationary bikes. Guys were given basketballs just to keep it in their hands. He has seen that the guys now working out are 'behind'. Discussed the 2 pm Zoom's covered in the KMOX post. All players were on every day. With SLU having no A10 games, he wanted to get the guys into the A10 mode, get the conference juices flowing. Talked about first 8 games. Complimented Strickland making a good play at the end of the half against LSU. Talked to Perkins early in the year to get him to the FT line more often. He is now a marked man, a focal point of scouting reports. He needs to accept that challenge. Coach watched the NC State game last night. The first half was the worst half of the year, so far. Lucky to not be down by more. Didn't play great the second half but obviously played better. MN is unbelievable at home. SLU made MN adjust, and they did adjust for the win. They have beaten Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State at home. And we have played them as good as anyone. Called Jacobs our X factor, he hasn't gotten the recognition he deserves. Yuri's 7:2 ratio is the best Coach has ever coached in his 25 years. Have had a couple of individual workouts so far. Our guys understand they have to take it one day at a time now. He is dealing with getting guys back in shape and particularly those who weren't positive. Guys have to be handled differently. When are we going to play, "I don't know." We aren't playing anytime soon. We have to react to how our players are feeling. Some guys are (apparently) having trouble getting through these individual workouts. "How do you know which games to make up?" There will be a difference in games played prior to the A10 tourney. How do you handle that? How will the NCAA Selection Committee evaluate a "20 game" season against a "30 game" season? Scheduling was so difficult for many teams, will the Committee say "but they didn't play anyone" when that team's power games were canceled? Even 'the eye test' will be difficult. "Team Blue, playing for each other." Coach talked about this today with the team. How we will make this better. Guys are disappointed as they can't do the same things they did 3 weeks ago. When in quarantine, coach could have come out at day 10, but he wasn't feeling great so he stayed another day. At 11 days, he made a choice was to be positive, so he came out of the basement and turned his attitude around and started feeling better. Team Blue is about having these experiences together. Team has to handle this together. Team Blue identity has to be more prevalent now than before. This is a work in progress. How has Goodwin weathered this? He was in the individual workout today and had a good session. Coach puts him as one of the top 5 to 10 players in the country, based on whatever criteria you want...stats, leadership, impacting games, potential. Linssen has helped our team get to another level. He is the ultimate team player, doing all the little things. We have 3 legit post players. Bell was hurt before the season and really didn't join the team until almost the first game. Hope to have a full practice this weekend. Boxes have to be checked before we can move ahead day to day. We aren't doing many contact drills yet. We need to see where we are before we can determine when we can play another game.

I consider myself a pretty optimistic person. But after 10 months of lockdown w/minimal social interaction and not being able to travel to visit family because of my age and a medical reason, I have to admit isolation takes a toll. When Billiken BB returned I finally had something to boost my spirits. And then Team Blue gets Covid and shuts it down for what seems like an eternity. I surely can't wait for the Bills to take to the court once more. I'm not down or depressed just fed up and frustrated with this infernal plague, as are most people in my age group. Some tips to get thru it: happy hours on the phone with friends both old and new help, and listen to some good old 60s and 70s rock while sipping on the Glen Morangie. Music and single malt scotch are great medicines. Soon I'll be getting back on the golf course, so I have that to look forward to. Also, I was able today to secure appts for my Covid shots. Still, there's nothing like watching this edition of Billiken BB to really take one's mind off the tragedies that are taking place in the outside world. Let's go Bills! Come back strong and show the A10 what a great team looks like. God bless all, mask up, thank God every day you wake up, and stay safe. We will beat this thing.

I think we all can learn things from the people who were successful in the past. On this day that we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, let us look back on The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Prior to Dr. King’s historic speech Camilla Williams opened the program with a beautiful performance of The Star-Spangled Banner. Nobody protested during the anthem that day.

Geez, it is gonna be weird to see the Bills playing in April!

It does seem that way. I would think that the A10 should trump all decision makers and maybe they're giving Ford some leeway since they know SLU is their strongest team.

I like it and while the motivation is based on Covid and all the players being in the same location, I'll predict that these changes are here to stay. They'll get more prime-time games and the Sweet 16 games that used to be going head to head will now be spread out on Saturday and Sunday. While everyone will bemoan losing the Thursday all day games and playing hooky from work, it'll be just as sweet to get a full day of first round games on Saturday.

Hold up, why have y'all been keeping this a name secret from me all this time?

Why would we do that though? We don't need those games to be dancing. Why not play games where we can win at 60% of our best coming out of this thing. We don't need the rest of the league this year. They need us

How many positives did Villanova have? Were 80% of their players positive? Were the positives spread out over a week? What are the Philly quarantine guidelines? What are the Villanova guidelines? This is the third quarantine for Villanova since Sept. It certainly sounds like they have this figured out. Thanks.

As much as I want us to come back only when we're at full strength and ready, I also don't think Ford/SLU should get a say when we come back. I would think once we are out of quarantine/city protocol, we should be required to come back and play even if our guys are out of shape or not in a basketball rhythm

thanks for the post

Coach Ford on KMOX this Sunday Morning: He covered a lot of the issues he discussed Friday (see third post above). Team got positives for 5 to 7 days after the initial two positives on Dec 30. That has staggered the return of players. Said protocols through City and SLU are some of the most restrictive he has heard of. [I believe the 7 day slow return was his one of the issues that differs from other areas.] "We are a week or two from playing a game." He doesn't know how strict the NCAA will be for the 13 game minimum for the Tourney. He mentioned how the Ohio State football team got a minimum criteria removed by the Big 10. Coach said again that the 26th probably will be the next game. We are in uncharted territory. He hasn't seen / heard of any other teams with 80% positives. The team had a 2 PM Zoom daily through the quarantine. They focused on one item for each Zoom, showing clips with positive plays. They showed A10 highlights, and discussed how teams and selected players were performing. They showed NBA plays and how SLU needs to learn from those plays. He watched a lot of A10 games, looking at inbound plays, etc. He has 'enough scribbles' to put in new offense and defense plays.

Me. I think there's a more than decent probability you've been on fatgrandpa.com so $.65 seems like a bargain.

Why do the moderators always ignore liberal hate on this board?

You find grabbing a p$&@y funny....really??? They used to say humor was a high indicator of intelligence...not sure about that any more. Though I guess it does require a pretty high IQ to figure out the code. I think I finally have the & sign...anyone have the @ yet???

It’s not about whining, but stating the obvious... their political agenda is now more important to them than having a quality message board..They continually allow hate and filth from the same group... and ironically it will eventually destroy this once great site...

I’m doing just fine... I just pointed out i that I don’t enjoy reading about Trump hate and vile language on a BASKETBALL BOARD... do you????? There are scores of political based message boards that I could refer you to if you need help. If the moderators intend to turn this board into a bastion of liberal talking points, then they are well on their way to success....

and 4 players chose to embarrass themselves by sitting during the National Anthem...

Didn't the women get the message that help is on the way?

Since when did patriotism and loving your country equate to pushing politics? Americans historically rallied around the flag..it was a symbol of pride and unity.

be honest, there is no liberal cause you would be embarrassed by...the players obligation when playing in a SLU event is to represent SLU, not themselves....Stu found it newsworthy, and Steve allowed it to be on his board, so what's your problem with someone commenting on it???? you would have some credibility if you ever posted concern about a liberal concern being posted, but for some reason, comments from those individuals never garners your interest...why is that???? you would think you would be embarrassed by your hypocrisy continually being exposed......

Villanova went on pause around the same time SLU did, and yet they’re going to face Seton Hall tonight. Like I said, some programs act like they’re in D1, and then there are others who act like SLU.