Taj79

@torch --- that I had not heard, thanks. Lindy's also shows the #84 kid in next year's class, Jarius Lyles a 6-1" PG from DeMatha in suburban DC, verbally committed to VCU. They also list next year's #62, Andrew Chrabascz of Ausburnham, MA, committed to Butler. He's a 6-6" PF. MacCauley's grandson is not listed. Malcom Hill listed as #41. Interestingly, not one kid from the whole state of Missouri for Classes of 2013/14/15. Only Beischeid at #60 for this year. Guy who did the write-up for the A10 named Bill Doherty. He's listed as an ESPN contributor under Lunardi's bracketology section but I can find no other information on him right now. Obvbiously written before Majerus hospitalization, before Dez Wells to Maryland, before Burgess as partial qualifier, before Molack at St.Joe's having third knee surgery. Great line for us ...."more tough guards than a state penitentiary" and does list the bad as Conklin and inside scoring gone. Top five are KM, Wyatt and Wells along with Butler's AR transfer Clark and Roosevelt Jones. Jones is a 6'4" power forward who averaged 8 ppg and 6 rpg last year in the Horizon making all-newcomer team. He'll be going up against DE, Gaston, Aiken, Roberts, Randall, Kanecivic, Braswell, Hollis-Jefferson, Wright, Pellom, Conger, Vinson et.al., so I am projecting his work being much harder this year than last. Call me unconvinced right now. And last year's defensive POY and Sixth man award winners Aiken andRoberts DON'T make any of the top three teams? Skeptical even more. CE on second team. KC is #32 but it also says he is the player to watch as a "surprise" recruit of the conference saying "some Big Ten coaches will gnash some teeth watching KC head to the A10." Additionally, he lists Jared Drew as our "top newcomer" saying "compared to Billikens star DE in terms of athleticability and is a solid rebounder and prides himself on playing hard defensively." He offers nice blurbs on DE some more and singles out JJ as one to "keep an eye on" but in doing so focuses on JJ's defensive end of the floor. Doherty has us #1 followed by Butler, Temple, VCU and St. Joe's. He has X at 6 and Umass at 7. Given our recent media day poll and results, plus adding in last year's results, I can't see how he ranks Butler that high, putting them ahead of the likes of St. Joe's and Umass, and, even with Wells, giving Xavier such a spot with little returning. Plus Butler lost Norad who wasthe defacto PG last year with ties to both Final games. Clark may go the sameroute asDillardover at SVU ---- having to do alot in terms of score and assist. Add to this that I have to believe the night-inandnight-out qualitiy of our league will be at least two steps above what is seen in the Horizon night after night.

Okay kshoe ---- I'll refrain and go with your route.

@doowop ---- Lindy's has KC ranked as the 32nd best player in the country; tops in the A10 seven spots ahead of Semaj Christon at Xavier. This is the first time I've ever seen him mentioned outside of Majerus and on this board. Dunham at Butler was the only other coming in at #90. I was surprised Burgess at VCU wasn't mentioned --- most of the buzz here on the Mid-Atlantic has him pretty high too as he replaces his brother for Shaka.

Have my edition of "Lindy's" in hand. Digesting it now. Yes,Bills on cover and at #9 but will readmore before I say something.

"SLAM" Magazine,the NBA's propaganda rag, did a "Top Twenty" only for college basketball. We did not make it.

One would hope jjray is on topic, however, I'm with WV on this one given the uncertainty at the top. Plus, spring is/has never been good for us. However, if there is blossoming by GG and JM, I'm okay .... DE and JD at the three, with "more tough guards than at a state pen ..." according to Lindy's if KC is as real a deal as believed. As some have said, this is not your usual Billikens .......

When sshoe did his poll in another thread, this was what I was expecting. While I like to believe Lindy's, I think the 20's is about all we can expect right now --- with points/votes deducted due to the Majerus absence.

The college game is a guard's game. Who else would you consider? Putney and Riley are guards at Umass. I think VCU is guard-dominated --- Burgess, Theus, Brandenburg.. Baron if he is/were still at Rhode Island? He's a guard. Braswell at Charlotte is big but he's left a lot to be desired over the years. Not him. Of course, Aiken was all A10 as was Kanacevic and Roberts at St. Joe's so you got a point there. Wright's a pretyt decent big man at La Salle but you can't elevate him over even others on his team -- Galloway and Duren --- who are also guards. Loe and Ellis don't/can't displace anybody no matter how much we love them. Nope. This is expected. Of these five, I can see Gaston as the most probable lock for not being here at the end of the year. After that, I would think Kwamain is second. Not because he's not good but more so because of his supporting cast be so much better than any else's other than Williams' at Umass. Beware Umass. Hope Kellog's coaching inability rises to the top.

Out of curiosity, anybody know WHO voted? There are 30 first place votes with 16 teams. I guess they gave one vote to each coach and then one to a corresponding media rep from that area. Like Timmerman? Still, that means either two teams didn't have a media rep or one team failed to vote -- from either the coaching or media side. Just curious. With all due respect to St. Joe's, I don't see that. They were a six-man team last year and while they all made some all-A10 team, I wasn't that impressed. But they are all a year older. Plus, they added little to the mix. Kyle Molock is their best rated recruit and he a 6-2" guard --- behind Galloway, Jones and Quarles on the depth chart. Does the swing vote go because of Martelli and his experience/age? I sat on Hawk Hill last year when we totally throttled them and heard a lot of St. Joe fans b*tching that Phil's offense is the same one he used with Nelson and West and while it works with two outstanding guards, Martelli doesn't have that now. Fo rme Galloway blows hot and coll dtoo much and Jones is small. But so too I guess was Nelson. Maybe, like Rick's system, they'll play into Martelli's better with another year of experience. Kanacevic wil replace Conklin as the A10's poster boy for the one player most other fan bases are likely to hate. Succes for me this year would count a title (regular season or tournament) as gravy only if coupled with a run to that second weekend in March. For this program, that's a high goal and lofty aspiration.

Are we perpetuating a myth here? larry72 has done this many times but I am not picking on him --- has it ever been proven that Biondi reneged on flights and travel promises? Pardon my age and senility (05!). Legit D1 players? That's an opinion that I'm not sure I share. Were there more? How about less? How are you using your accounting? Lisch and Liddell? Meyer was legit. Eberhardt likely legit. And if you answer Lisch and Liddell, I think Majerus would counter and even go as high as three -- only they would be Lisch, Meyer and Eckerle. And I don't think you can lump the roster and Biondi rumor statement in with things like the situation, the pils and the leg. What Rick inherited I'll give you, but the rumor aside, the other instances were occurrences based on someone's poor judgment. So while I too agree with the "bittersweet" stance espoused by Cowboy, it's only because he won't reap the rewards and accolades finishing what he started.

Easy answer --- no. In a previous lifetime, I argued St. Louis was notoriously weak historically as basketball development area. This is further proof of that.

The "Major" Indoor Soccer League appears to have had seven teams in it last year after having the Chicago Riot fold the year prior, while another, the Omaha Vipers, joined another league (the PASL)) and then folding. In 2011, four new teams (Norfolk Sharx, Rochester Lancers, Syracuse Silver Knights, Wichita Wings) joined old holdovers Baltimore, Milwaukee and Missouri (Kansas City -- playing in the Independence, MO, Events Center). I wouldn't call that "major" hence the note of such in the first line of this message. Now, the PASL (which I had never heard of until just this morning) they have 19 teams and include old Steamers' nemisis the San Diego Sockers. Redaing up on them is facinating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Arena_Soccer_League I had never heard of them before. They even have a defunct team in their history called the St. Louis Illusion. Which I am guessing was quite appropriate. They supposedly played from 2008-2010 at The Game Arena in Glen Carbon, Illinois. Really? Oops, now called the Illinois Piasa. You got to love some of the destination trips in the PASL, both current and defunct, to include Harrisburg, PA; Hildago, TX; Rockford, IL; Beaumont, TX; Tijuana (yep, that one); Turlock, CA; Stockton, CA; Saskatoon and Wenatchee, WA. The reported average attendance for the 2011-12 season was 656 ppg. PPG = people per game! NICE!

The Ambush? Christ I went to St. Louis Steamers games where our fan fave Kevin Slaten was the PA announcer. Who knows what a Slobo is? They were a blast. Speaking of the Blast, that is the name of the team here inBaltimore that still plays in what I guess is left of the MISL. I think they are down to like seven teams or so now.

@skip -- I'd be nothing if I wasn't skeptical. If I were sceptical, woudl I get to hold a scepter? Hmmm. 'Tis tempting .... @sshoe --- okay then, where do I think we should be ranked? On the high end, maybe in the 21 to 25 range to start. Certainly not Top Ten. And I think 11 to 20 is a bit of a preseason stretch again for a program that hasn't been ranked but maybe twice in my history. Fortunately or uUnfortunately, the rankings only matter on the day after the final game., I'd settle for a top 16 at that point. All the rest just leads to good banter and discussion. AP and USA Today just won't have us that high. Ever. If we made the Elite Eight, they'd rank us nine or ten just for spite. Final Four? We'd get ranked fifth maybe. I know folks will say "what about the publicity" tha t comes from bein gin there or mentioned on the scroll on ESPN nightly but I think we are quite hamstrung there this year as well because of our current "situation": namely either an unknown coaching situation for next year, an interim promoted despite being coaxed out of "retirement," or heading in a totally new direction then where we currently are and quite th emystery as we speak. Only one thing would likely justify a high rank to those out there that do this for a living .....a 14 and 0 record on the turn of the new year. In my heart-of-hearts, the Bills are always #1. This year could very well be special, and you all know what I think it hinges on. I don't care if we're ranked or not. Last year there was one way to measure success -- the Dance. Mission accomplished. This year, it's the A10 title (regular season or tourney), the dance and the Sweet Sixteen. Next year? No clue -- too many variables and unknowns right now. So live for the now.

Yeah -- I with bonowich on this one .... it was the "oldest university West of the Mississippi" when I first set foot on it in 1974. Ditto on the name of the room. Pretty soon, Biondi will have been the priest doing the exorcism as well.

Nailed it Box!

I put down for votes but outside the top 25. Why? No reflection on the team or its talent (because its there) but I just don't think the coaches or media will all of a sudden jump up and change their way of doing things. I was putting our schedule into my planner for the upcoming first half of 2012 and believe that the only way we crack the polls early is if we beat Washington and end up playing and beating Kansas. December does us no favors in terms of stashing some national pub away. Until we host New Mexico on New Year's Eve. I really believe that due to our irrelevance as a basketball program, we will need to pull a Murray State and run the table --- by the largest of margins --- all through December to get where we all believe we need to be. Stumble against Washington and we won't have any games of note to get to the Top 25 anyhow. Look how last year went --- fast start, blowing folk sout, and all it took was one minor stumble at Marymount and we never sniffed the polls again. That's who we are. That being said, I think the Lindy and Blue Ribbon ranks just give credence to our beliefs ... that we should be very good this year. Still, we have to play the games. The Saints were Super Bowl champs, what, two years ago. Now, Herm Edwards says they lose at Green Bay on Sunday and they are out of the playoffs at 0-4. Doo-doo happens.

I have to believe every institution has issues like these .... I am sure there are folks at Notre Dame NOT happy with the move to the ACC; that there are West Virginia alums (is that an oxymoron?) not thrilled wiht moving to the Big Twelve or wherever they went; Texas A&Mers not happy about their move to the SEC and so on. And we have our Biondi moments. Then jjray takes cheese's comments and refers to it as "common knowledge in the national coaching community." I don't know if it's that widespread, but now that it's "in print" well, it must be true. Any coach worth his salt is going to look at every aspect of a situation before he or she takes a job. I think they should. In our case, the job description will likely have "must be good with people, kids and an archaic and non-caring president." In print or not. Now, does this mean Fr. Larry has to go? I have no clue other than 25 years seems like a long enough time if for no other reason that some see such stability as stagnation. I don't deal with Larry so I don't know, don't really care and see it of no consequence to me if he stays or goes. I will say that I fully believe cheese's evaluation but not because we are so unique, rather, because anyone looking at the job (any job for that matter) should do their due diligence. Besides, one guy is likely to say "Biondi sucks" while another may have a 180 degree different opinion. The only way you get someone truly committed to the program itself is to hire someone closely tied to the program. Former players come to mind. A coach local to the area. I always think back to the Grawer hire. He was the "man" for the job. Of course, Biondi nickle-and-dimed him to death, according to some. And it will go on. Right now, live in the moment --- the 2012-13 season. Nothing else really matters because we don't control that destiny.

Proof will rest in the pudding ---- I've seen too many of these saber-rattling efforts on way to many sides, both pro and con to the issue du jour. Standard operating procedures here. Let's see how this plays out, if at all. This crusade is being waged from an undefinable place with an undefinable goal .....namely how do you determine what's Top 50 and what isn't? Is it a Top 50 rank in News and World Reports? Who are they to decide? If that's the case, why couldn't Bumphuque U. pay them off and achieve the rank they wanted? Seems like chasing an imaginary tail to pie in the sky definitions.

Ho-hum. Understand the move --- have to believe its stop-gap at best. Likely no one out there to speak of. This wiull all remain interim until either Majerus' contract expires, or a resolution on that is achieved. Again, I believe this is May's chance to start shaping his staff and because he was not in on the Majerus hire, I think its going to take one hell of a season from Crews and compnay to make that regime stick. I think Whitesell is gone no matter what when this season is over. If Platt was with Crews at Army and part of the regime/issue that eventually led to Crews' dismissal, call me skeptical. I understand the 57 year sof coaching experience on th ebench but c'mon ...... Evansville, Army, Loyola, College of Charleston and Arkansas something? Not impressed enough to believe the remedy is already within the program.

I'd love to hear how the whole Kowal thing went down but likely never will. What I find amazing is how some annointed programs seem to always skate by in different aspects ... all the crap Kentucky and Memphis seemingly avoid despite bogus test scores and being the perennial one-and-done schools, Duke and some senior getting $100K in credit while still in school, Xavier getting that Walker kid from Vanderbilt and Lyons just up and leaving and bring immediately eligible at Areizona for old coach Sean Miller. I am not accusing anyone of anything but it is just amazing how some guys/programs seem to never be touched by the enforcement arm of the NCAA. Just saying ....

Sounds promising....as expected. Good stuffon the newbies andlast year's bench riders. Still not too sure on GG but lots of time. On a different topic but maybe of some interest ... Maryland lost it appeal on Sam Cassell, Jr. NCAA said there were questions about his final classes at his prep school. Which is the same prep school JJ and GG and I think JB went to. Doubt that it means much to us right now but Maryland pointed out that kids taking these very same classes were eligible two and three years prior. Cassell now has to enroll elsewhere or stay on as a partial qualifier. The ACC does not allow partial qualifiers to play/practice as I understand it so he'd have to redshirt. Puts a nice hole in the side of Maryland's huge recruiting class. Makes the need toqualify Wells a little more urgent.

A violation of anunspecified team rule. Not saying much more. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8371246/butler-bulldogs-dismiss-chrishawn-hopkins-rules-violation

@BAB --- ditto what prebilliken said about G-town and Maryland. They are just like any state school-private school-two school battle you see in some other states. Mizzou/SLU. Ohio State/about six or seven other Ohio schools. Penn State/Pitt. Washingotn/Gonzaga. The Indiana schools. Nova/Temple. They even play a BB&T Classic in DC's Verizon Center and while G-town and Maryland are there, each plays someone else and not each other. I'll have to ask my Nova buddy what's cooking up there -- he did alert me to their upgrade to D1 study that went on last year but they concluded not to proceed at this time. I'll let you know.

Frankly, I find this odd. If you subscribe to the theory, as I do, that big money football is driving all the major conference realignments, then Notre Dame doing this WITHOUT football makes no sense to the ACC. Did Notre Dame dominate the Beast in basketball? Hardly. Although I guess trading Cincy, Louisville, and Uconn for th elikes of Duke, North Carolina and Maryland is a wash. Plu sthey regain old friends in Pitt, Syracuse and BC. They get rid of SMU, Houston and so on. But football is the driver and I suspect they didn't want to share any cuts into the Notredame Broadcasting Companys (NBC) that they receive solo now. I am unfamiliar with the new college football playoff. I know Notre Dame had a set aside in the old BCS arrangement where they had to be considered along with the BCS conference winners. Does some clause like that exist in th eplanned four-team playoff situationnow being discussed? I sure hop enot. Notre Dame football is irrelevanmt right now, living off the ghosts of the past.