Taj79

Yo, billybilly ----- shambles? Hardly. Shambles were only achieved in the Ekker years. Which was worse due to it sitting on top of the Coleman year and the Albrecht tenure. We have some highs and lows since then and might grade out as a C-minus program overall. Certainly not an F. The loss of two starters might have devastated us in every year prior to this one but I don't have that view right now. I could be wrong --- I didn't think losing Hughes would matter as much as it did and I was wrong but even that did not "shamblize" the program. Programs in shamblization don't have a HOF coach, a new arena, and a full roster.

The college game runs through the guards. We lost an all-conference performer there. KM is the greater loss. I don't care how much respect we will or might have for MM or JJ, we alsom might not. The reality is that they too are adjusting to the collge game as much as RL is. We might be able to get by with KC and CS but in both cases, only time will tell.

I think one can deduce that JJ had problems in the classroom. Ball State has since rescinded their offer to him because of a failure in summer work. So .... as I speculate it, he was a classroom casuality, regardless of Majerus' assessment. He tried to go home and was conditionally accepted there ----- in the Ricky Clemmons "make up 24 hours of credit in summer school" mode. He failed this and Ball State pulled back the conditional offer. I have heard through some very good sources that JS didn't like the Majerus "experience." Wealth of raw talent but just didn't get whatever Majerus was selling. If he were on the roster today, I'd be less inclined to be worried about the loss of Willie's shot blocking defense --- both Cory and JS would have been able to fill that void IMO. And they couldn't, combined, be any worse at the line then Willie. Thi sis rationalizing, I know it, but so be it. Now, we have to hope that Cory, freshman Loe, a healed Conklin and maybe a surprise in freshman Evans, can pick up the slack. In Athlon's, Majerus' quote about the team was one that said his guys had to understand that conditioning put in in the summer, would shape the body and the results of the season in January and February. When I read that, I immediately thought of Ellis. And only Ellis. But maybe he was talking about Reed and the others. NH, in another thread, talks about Willie puttin gon weight and possibly dominating the Big Twelve. Iasked what makes you think that when in two years here, wqe've seen little in the line of Willie adding weight, stamina and improving on his free throws. Maybe Rick was talking about others too. Who knows. But again, the mantra of "In Rick I Trust" becomes even truer this year. We shall have to wait and see.

Kowal has one year of eligibility left and does not have to sit out a year provided he is enrolled in a graduate program his original school did not have. Northern Illinois did not offer a master in theology, which is the major I last heard Kowal was interested in. He wnats to coach at a Jesuit high school (alma mater deSmet) and teaching theology seems to be his path in. Jesuit to Jesuit was seen as a nice touch as well so the last we heard it was us, Creighton and Marquette. The he disappeared off the radar. I am asking, sans invneted photos of the Simon Rec Center, if anyone has seen or heard of SK's ultimate decision. It should be well over 45 days since he made it.

To NH reference "With a year and a half to put on weight and work on free throws, willie could be dominant—even in the Big 12." Willie has had two years to do that here. And the results? Still rail thin. Still a free throw adventure guide. Still stamina issues. And, while good, did not dominate a supposedly inferior league competition roster. I love Willie and wish him well. But if the rumors of academic trouble are true, and let's not forget one of the two accused to leave lost his Ball State opportunity because of classroom failures, then I'd say I see a downward trend here --- regardless and independent of the conduct issues. College rosters turn over like a roasting chicken at Kroger. Good rosters (i.e Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina) turn over more frequently with early outs. This is what the current state of college basketball has become. I am treating Willie's deaprture as an early out. Yes -- it would have been nice to know thois in May or June but so we deal with it. I am treating Kwamain as an injury or the dreaded suspension that it is. I think Brian said it in another thread and I echo it too that i'd be surprised to ever see Willie suit up for K-State. Having said that, surprise me.

Willie is going to have to hit the books the next year without any court time to look forward to. Hmmmm. One has to wonder how all that will play out.

Better yet, anybody know where this kid is right now?

As a point of fact, David makes a valid point. As a value judgment, I am staying out of the debate. It is a well-known contention that a jury of your peers is predisposed to rule in favor of the little guy and against "the man," whomever that "man" may be. Case in point: A habitual, 37-year-old criminal in Baltimore with a rap sheet a mile long for robberies since he was 15, with no employment record, was shot and killed while running from police when he was caught in the act of his most recent home invasion. The family sued the police department, not for murder, or homicide or anything like that, but for LOSS OF POTENTIAL INCOME. The initial verdict was in the family's favor for the tune of a couple million bucks. Justice?

Release from scholarship is the key terminology here. Any talking before that is tampering. Does tampering occur? Do agents now pay players? Sure --- but I am certain its how its done and if you are caught. Key note: according to Timmerman, Reed is enrolling (with his release papers in hand) at Kansas State. He still has to sit out a full transfer year making him eligible to play second semester next year. The same will be true for Kwamain if he got a release. I would think any player would want that sooner, rather than later. Without getting that now, he is looking at two years removed from the basketball court. I can't see that. In another thread, I said I thought Kwamain was done. I am less inclined to stick with that prediction the longer Kwamain remains locked on to scholarship as opposed to getting his schollie release.

Exactly why I don't want my life's work dependent on the decisions of 17- to 20-year old kids. The May event is to blame and that occurrence is solely on the shoulders of 1 to 4 highly visible male student-athletes.

Just for the record ----- I think the process could have been handled better. Equality -- in terms of parents, lawyers, etc. --- seems not to have been equal if we are to believe Reed Sr. and some other posts. Reed Sr. is stating law suit and I can't blame him for that if one believes the KSDK interviews. I don't see much "pro" in this particular "process." Now that the hand's been dealt, we play with the cards we've been given. And from my foxhole, I am willing to bet we don't see Kwamain back at the U either. He's saying all the right things which is good in terms of keeping his options open. His lawyer says he will "be surprised" if Kwamain doesn't reapply. I fully expect him to be utterly surprised somewhere around, oh say, January.

given my sources on this ordeal, I am backing roy's sentiments as well. Live in the public eye; die in the public eye. With priviledge comes responsibility. Jail Plaxico --- not free Plaxico. I don't like all the guff that's out there and justice should rule in society at large. Saint Louis University is NOT society at large, it is an entity unto itself. The team will suffer however given the talen tpool now on campus, not as much as with some other Billiken editions. We shall survive.

There will be no Midnight Madness event whatsoever. Guaranteed 110%. Rumblings are of a "Fan Appreciation" event later in October. Stay tuned.

Let me say again, for the record, that I don't have a lot of faith that these so-called "four- and five-star" recruits from St. Louis are worth much. I have said this before and it has been pointed on on numerous occasions that that is my stance. We shall see. To Bearvision ... a long time ago I had my run-ins with the original incarnation of Vtime, wherein he said "offer everybody." It is my belief that they current version still throws a lot oF mud up on the wall, so to speak, hoping something sticks somewhere. Is this his early calls on McLemore? I don't know. But my key phrase is "mean more than 00 (squaw-******) ar a mid-Major program." Because these ratings are purely subjective, so too might the results of a collegiate career be. Right now, is Scott Suggs more than squaw-******? I say "hell no." Now, he has two years to correct that but does a four- or five-star player need that long in today's watered-down college game to deliver with such a rating? To NH ... "going" BCS or even "committing" to BCS or mid-majors means nothing in my subjective ratings. You list four for 36% of these St. Louis players having major impacts at these schools? I am not so optimnistic and history of st. Louis players seems to back up my pessimistic outlook. Dwayne Polk. Joel Shelton. Okay, maybe these weren't four and five stars back then but still, when the STL Post-Dispatch POY sucks as bad as the majority have, well, that's history. Whatever Bradley Beal, Cameron Beischeid, Ben McLemore and Jordan Granger do has a chance to affect long-term and long counted for results. I just don't believe in the St. Louis taelnt pool. That's why i don't really lose a lot of slepp over missing on these guys as we seem to do. In their behalf, they are doing exactly what I would do if I were them.

Programs just don't wake up one day and become "special" ---- its a process, a marathon, and not a sprint. There are a number of factors, some of which are tradition, winning histories, the coach, the conference, the facilities, the administration's commitment, the talent pool, and so on. We are not there but are making progress on a number of fronts. Will we ever have all the planets line up? Not in my lifetime. But with Majerus and Chaifetz, we at least have some things in better shape than others moreso than we have ever had. I see us losing more of these local battles in the closest years to come. It is why, in my book, these next two years are key and essential. The talent base is in place to legitimately compete this year. But these guys have to want it and produce --- they are NOT five- and four-star players, but they all know the coach and know the system. I bought Athlon's the other day --- not because I put any more stock in some hack writer telling me what's going to happen but because its a reference for the rest of the year. We were picked for fifth and to make the NIT behind Temple, Richmond, Xavier and Dayton. Do I care? Not really. But what most moved me were the quotes attributed to Majerus ....."we don't have a scheme .... (the players) have to understand your shooting percentage, defensive effort, and rebounding are correlated to conditioning .... (those that improve) will have spent the summer developing those tools and improving those skills." He has long talked about the five year plan --- living w/Soderbeg's remains, and recruiting from there. He has done well and i don't think anyone will argue that last year was a nice surprise. But that surprise might have moved the expectations up a year when he was thinking next year. If we continue to improve and we improve on last year that is only three possible conference rungs AND most certainly an NCAA berth. Right now, the future is so bright I have to wear shades. Screw Andy Strickland! But .... this is only a plateau. As a somber reminder, three of Xavier's four recruits are Athlon's Top 100. We have none. Dayton has a Top 100 in Staten as does St. Joe's in some guy named Papa Samba Ndao (?). Of the next 200, St. Joe's has three more , Dayton has three, La Salle two and Richmond one. Athlon's actually listed one for us --- Dwayne Evans! Oh, and Xavier's fourth guy is also in there. None for Temple --- yet with Dunphy, I know that means nothing. So here we are, arguably maybe one year ahead of the timeline in the original Majerus predicition. I have tempered hopes for this year bt am anxiously awaiting the start. I have high hopes right now so I'm concentrating on the current and letting the future come as it may. I'll react from there.

Having two daughters of my own, but without knowing any of the facts here, let me say that if wrongdoing was done, it needs to be corrected, college basketball team fortunes notwithstanding. Something I don't understand however, why wait all this time from alleged transgression to tribunal? Doc? I mean, its the last week of September, this all went down last May, school started in August ----- I know the American court system is a sham and bogged down in minutia, what's the problem with Saint Louis University's student court? Is there that much lawlessness running around the midtown area that this can't be resolved?

Who watches PTI -- Pardon the Interruption? In the best Kornheiser gravel I say ..... "Welcome backs boys and girls. Okay, the game I always win ..... over and under. Reali. The first category please .... Percentage of 11, count them, 11 St. Louis college hoops prospects listed by STLHoops Insider that actually mean more than squaw-****** at a mid-major, Division 1 college basketball program in the next four years? Nine percent! I believe one of these prospects might mean something but not a single percenatge point more.

While I will admit to disappointment in this news, I am not disheartened. Again, in Rick & staff I trust. On to plan B. I don't completely disagree with MB's statement .... but I would never say never. Right now, I think his statement is more accurate than not ---- if I'm a four-star plus recruit, I am out of here. Let's see --- this one to Notre Dame. Beal to Florida. Lee to Florida. Tyus to Florida. Swopeshire to Louisville. Suggs to Washington. Brandenburg to Virginia. Hansbrough to North Carolina. Hansbrough to Ole Miss/Notre Dame. The same is true here in Maryland ---- Gay to Uconn. Anthony to Syracuse. Josh Boone to Uconn. Sam Cassell to Florida State. We are not really in a position to compete --- either as a program or from a conference standpoint. But we are getting better and closer. I was hoping to turn the corner on this one but it is still not meant to be. Hopefully, those of the "offer first and early" persuasion will also see that error in ways. What it is going to take is a real perceptive kid who can see through the forest for the trees and realize that he/they could be in on the makings of something extremely great. That usually involves sacrificing personal pride and ego ---- something hard to let go of by all these budding, usually-coddled superstars. I also agree that this may not be over. But if it is, so be it. We won't be dying as badly as we used to.

Let me be clear --- just because a kid gets a few D1 offers (or so it is said) does not in my book make him a four- or five-star recruit. Who does stars? Rivals? If and only if Rivals listed a kid as such, would I add that to their resume. Now, there may be more lists --- a Rivals Four-Star, an ESPNU Top 100, a Vtime Bullsh*t Local D1 wannabee honor and so on. All are of course legit and get added. But even "can't miss" prospects do --- for various reasons. Grades. Clearinghouse. Donating their bodies as cadavers to a practicing law school grad working in juvee court, and so on. kshoe is right when he says my belief that St. Louis is weak as a developmental basketball area. Even when we get four- and five-star recruits, and they do go elsewhere as so noted in this thread, they don't have John Wall-esque or Carmello-esque years. Hughes had one, but would hae have had the same at a BCS school where he wasn't the one and only? Jahidi White? Average. Loren Woods? Average. David Lee? Average in college, exploded in the pros. LaPhonso Ellis? Workmanlike. Jimmy McKinney? Average. Tyler Hansborough? Above average. Scott Suggs? Incomplete. John Brandenburg? Zero. Just getting mentioned with these accolades is one level of success, but you still have to take the next step and then the next. Eventually, it will catch up to you. Case in point: the greatest basketbal player is SLU history went from BMOC to first round lottery pick to NBA journeyman.

Anyone out there agree with the theory that the college game goes through the guards? Besides me? And the guy over on ESPN (Katz, Gottleib, Bilas, whomever) that wrote it? John Wall. Derrick Rose. Tyreke Evans. Evan Turner. Rajon Rondo. Dwayne Wade. Allen Iverson. Stephon Curry. Jameer Nelson. Even Larry Hughes. And then there are the wiry finishers ... the ballhandler small forwards of LeBron, Kobe, Carmello, Brandon Roy, Kevin Durant. I hope Loe and Manning and Evans are all more wiry than stationary ala Kennt Freese, Brett Thompson, Anthony Mitchell and Va'Shun Nedwborne. And I still am unconvinced as to who is going to shoot the ball at this point as well as deliver it past this year. To me, this year is about developing some consistency in that outside threat. Outside of Cody Ellis. Maybe they are on the roster in an improved Salescich and Cassity or additions Jett and McCall. Who plsys point when Mitchell is gone? Jett over McCall? Is McCall the second coming of Darren Clarke? Jett another Randy Pulley or Justin Jordan? Manning another Chip Entwhislte? All I'm saying is like the greta Joaquin Andujar used to say "youneverknow." Agree the taslent pool is huge and much deeper than ever befoee --- if press clippings are to believd. I never really believe Biancardi due to his connection to Rick. I never really believe Bials because of his bias towards the ACC. Was the same with Packer. In a ny case, proof is in the pudding and we are a ways away from that so i ma happy once again to put my trust in Rick and staff and go from there. Wow! A full rostr --- whomever shall we sign in the spring????

Another update omn the "Nova to BCS football" status floating around Philly. http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20100916_Mike_Kern_.html?nlid=3232407 Basically, the author is advocating Nova being forward-looking out towards 2020 whgen no oen knows what is going to happen but havign BCS football "gets you in the room." Interesting debate. What got me was the comment where by a reader said "no Big East, go ACC" which raises some good points about Nova having better DC/Baltimore ties and allowing the ACC even more in-roads to the NYC area. The authro also talks about the BCS conference breaking off and going their own route in terms of a BCS-only March Madness. I think its reasonable; football is already there (BCS vs. D1-AA). The beat goes on.

Unfortunately, if BilliKen Bob and Billikan have that many years associated with the program, then they are not of this age ----- by that i mean the instant information age --- the age where the information spreads long before the credibility of the source checks out. And its an age where it is more important to be punked and engage in shock jock repetoires than it is to be respectful and dogged. Its 'adapt or die' and if you can't do it, you have to move on. I'm not endorsing it, I'm stating fact. I hope no one leaves --- I may disagree wiht you but I'll be gracius enough to agree to disagree. Unless you ARE a punk or a PUTZ and even then, I'll give you a grace period. Eventually, you're behavior will be met with my appropriate reaction. For the most I'll ignore. But Metz wannabees and joey flugel's cannot go uncontested.

Butler also plays football ----- believe they might be in the same football conference as Dayton. As for Temple football, winning in the MAC is one thing; Temple would be crap if they weren't there already. Thinking this "adds" to Big Least football is a mistake.

This from here on the Least Coast: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20100911_Villanova_weighs_offer_to_play_Big_East_football.html?nlid=3221802 Yeah, yeah ... Nova is already in the Big Least, a onference in which "it dominates" in all other sports. But its football is that old "Division 1AA" or whatever. So they would have to upgrade which, as it stands now, is a good time considering they won last year's D-1AA title and are flying high.Strike when the iron is hot. What do we care? Well, the fall back posiiton is that if Nova declines, the next choice is Temple. One but not both. Temple was throen out a while back but some now believe Temple football, because it is winning in the MAC, is a viable option for Big Least contention. In that case, I think the question becomes what about the rest of Temple sports? What about the basketball team, which anyone would have to pick as a plum. But again, the issue becomes will the Big Least want two basketball playing members in Philly when it obviouly doesn't want two football playig members. Nova will decide end of this year.

C'mon ---- really? What did you expect? You talk about dinosaurs? Mizzou and its fans think this way --- despite having one great rivalry with Illinois that stands in testament to why these things work out well. Louisville/Kentucky? Wisconsin/Marquette? Indiana/Butler? Georgia/Georgia Tech? Tennessee/Memphis? We need to unhitch our wagon from such Dark Ages thinking. We're there ---we'll play anytime. Call us. Rick did the right thing --- sounds like we negotiated (again) and they bailed. Throw it in the paper and let the court of public opinion weigh as it may. I don't see any negative here for Rick or SLU. Genius!