Taj79

I've never heard of this guy before. Did I miss something somewhere where it said we were recuiting this guy? I don't recall it. Or are you saying that all 300+ Divison 1 school slost out beause he committed to one -- namely, Indiana? I don't understand how you lose the race if you haven't even entered the pool. Or is there some tongue-in-cheek here?

The interpretation was "legally, legitimately on merit." Everyone refers to the Memphis win as the Miracle in Memphis and I agree. That was one of those Cinderella stories, an oddity, where we got hot and the breaks went our way. I'd compare that to Mizzou's run through the Big 8 tourney in the 70's, the Detroit run through the MCC in the mid-80's and many other "lucky runs" that permeate the landscape. As I recall, that team threw up a pretty good clunker against Utah in Cleveland in the NCAA first round. Score was like 47 to 45 or something. We were not there on merit and if Memphis had not happened, we most likely would have been sitting at home that year. I recall going into that post-season as the eighth or ninth seed in CUSA.

.. kind of guy. Not to support the cries and call of the Express person here but the demonstrated "support" and fact presenting done by BLIKNS goes from the 1940's until the 1990's. That is 50 years with five things given as supporitng evidence. What's happening in those fifty years seems to be five high times with little in between? And Hughes again was 1997, which will be ten years ago at the end of this season. We have been a program mostly in limbo for the last 25 years. We ebbed out in the Ekker years; came back, plateaued and nose-dived in the Grawer years; achieved our greatest watermark during the Spoon years (through little if any of Spoon's doing); saw one aberation in the Romar reign and have been consistently predictable ever since.

How come the best player on the best team in the state, if not the country, is a lowly three stars? Weak talent. Its not hard to be a giant among pygmies assuming that this only ranks the talent inthat particular class. Given what I've read on here, seems like Suggs, Brandenburg, Griffey adn others in a general ranking of the overall area, might be rated higher. The scientific formula for ratings is, however, who's opinion is subjectively perceived to mean more. Frankly, from an observer's platform, I can't wait to see how the Powell saga plays out. It will be interesting to see why he goes to junior college as much as it will be interesting to see why the University of Unknown beats out the College of Obscure or wahtever for his talents.

Meaning with about 64 draft slots, minus the usual Europeans that I've never heard of, Kleiza was among 50 or so top college players per pro eyes last year? Hmmm .... I think I'd take the JUCO kid if those comparisons are true. However, just because the streets are talking doesn't mean the Bills are signing anyone. Still, its good to know.

... and it was painful. But it was what it was. I recognize that it is 4-in-14 for some of the young studs floating around this board, but it is also 4-in-40 for some of the older guys and gals. The point is that I don't know what level folks think we're at right now, and that's what I was asking. The last time we went to the NCAA's legally, legitimately, on merit was 1997, Hughes one adn done year. We've been shut out for ten years now. So if you break it down, 1975-1992 ZERO apperances, 1993 -1997 FOUR aapearances, and 1998 - present ZERO appearances. In 40 years, this program has had one five-year walk on the wild side. No wonder we are laughed at as heartily as we are.

Just what would that be? Not to take a slap at SLUDrew but where are we now? And where is the next level? That gets talked about in cliches but I have to wonder if we can seem to have a definition about where "we are" and where "we are going" (i.e. "the next level). How do you define success? League championships? We haven't won one of those in how long? Tournament championships? Okay, you don't win the league outright but you win the post season tournament. How many of those have we won? I think that answer is one in the last 35 to 40 years. Dance invitations? Four times over the same past 40 years .. two with Claggs, one with Hughes and the Miracle in Memphis. So I would offer that our level ain't too high to begin with. Are you saying Brad isn't the one to get us above our current doldrum level? Right now are we above the current level of SEMO and UMKC? I'd like to get to a very high level but it is difficult to know where you are going if you don't know where you currently are or where you've come from. So, are you saying Brad can't get us to the next level, which would be --- to me --- an annual player on the national stage.

Something I don't get .. haven't been able to get ... for some time now. I, like Nashville, haven't been on the board in a few days and have not nor will not read all the drivel that is spewing out there. The world has not come to an end with our loss to the Salukis but a really good team finds ways to win those games. What I am pondering is why the void at the four? When we play essentially five guards, one center and one power forward. Why are we not playing any of the three guys recruited at 6'8" or better? I mean, my pondering comes from this, you (Brad) recruited these kids (Obi, HD and AK), you (Brad) must have seen something that made you offer them $33K per year (SLU scholarship), you (Brad) must have said somewhere deep down that each provides something beneficial to the program, yet you (Brad) who control the sub patterns do not put them in. Are all three so much projects? If so, I would argue that you can't survive with more than one project on the roster at a time, and the last three years, that's been Bryce. Shucks, even Bryce doesn't get over a minute of playing time? You would think that a project like Bryce eventually moves into some sort of contributing role. Can someone offer some answer to this?

.. that its not racist, just plain stupid, moronic, idiotic .. but then good ol' Putz beat me to it (so to speak). What did Momma used to say to Forest ... "Stupid is as stupid does." Seems to be an aptly fitting shoe.

NCAA rules allow you five years to complete four years of eligibility. If that's a redshirt year for injury, so be it. If its transferring, so be it. There are some rare exceptions where even after redshirting for age reasons, you can apply for a sixth year due to some form of major, catastrophic injury. I seem to recall the QB (White, I think) doing that at Oklahoma a few years back. Price should be listed as a sophomore, but who listed him as a junior and where? Well, as I've said before, it is was in the paper, it must be true.

.. have had our go-arounds and don't readily agree but I've thought him an avid supporter of the program. Who says you can't support while calling for the coach's head? Maybe that's too extreme but what I'm trying to say is that a fan of any program does not necessarily mean you support all aspects of the program. For years, I have believed it is time for Joe Paterno to retire. Despite that, I still go to the scores column on Sunday morning and home the Sh*ttany Lions have won. You can raise questions. Questions that lead to insightful discussions would seem to be welcome almost everywhere in life's travels. Some problems I have: who cares and why bring it up now? Second, it is okay to bring up as I see it because of the myth busting issue .. I remember folks saying Falkner wanted engineering so we had no chance. Some other things, tho, are that I don't know how someone anywhere can readily identify a "pattern" among posters. And if there's a pattern, so what. Fianlly, my favorite is the old "if its in the paper it must be true" myth. Bottom line: like the other "who are we recruiting thread" the answer has to be we will never really know. maybe the engineering thing was an excuse. Maybe not. Either way, the reality is he went elsewhere. Best wishes. Much like a pantry, our ingredients are on the shelf. We can't bemoan whats not there. We work with what we got. Brad stocked it, Brad's got to cook with it.

... with all home games and against some questionable opposition. I don't profess to despise Mizzou as some on here do (even less now that Quin is gone) but unless this great start is maintained throughout the year, there is no real help here come selection time. My only beef with Mizzou is come play us. Every year. Louisville-Kentucky. Marquette-Wisconsin. Georgia-Georgia Tech. Things can happen.

In the past, I have offered the opinion that a good team must defend the home turf and win a fair share of its away games to be considered Dance-worthy. Sure, there are reasons and foibles that occur all over the length of a season but when a misstep occurs, something is done to correct that misstep .. maybe you pull an upset off on the road or win one you never should have. In any case, it must be balanced out. To me then the success of this team is to win out at home, winning when expected on the road, asnd balancing out the slips that occur with any season. An "A+" then for the home season, to me, would be to win every game, which makes (to me) the following games key as the season goes on: Houston, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Missouri State, Xavier, and Charlotte. I might even throw GeeDub in there as well. Of those games, the only one that really perturbs me is UNC. If we lost that one, I would not be surprised ... I mean, #6 and they just beat #1. Its an up-hill battle at best. A win would be tremendous, and I will root like hell for it but it would not surprise me whichever way it goes. We already defended the home turf against Houston so that is good news. We have to beat the contenders in the A10 or it will all go for naught. Mo State is on an upward trend, we need to beat them at out place. Ole Miss I don't know much about but beating an SEC team has to be a good one as far as RPI and schedule is concerned. On the road, must wins in conference (again to me) are St. Bonnie, Temple, and Rhode Island. Fordham, Umass, and Xavier are all contenders. Losing there woudl not surprise me. Dayton has traditionally given us fits, both home and away. I'd like to steal a win there but you just never know. St. Jope's on the road with Martelli is hard to figure as well. I'd like to steal a win there but it will be our first time ever in their bandbox fieldhouse. Out of conference, Houston might repay us the favor we did to them in our visit there. A loss would not surprise me. Pacific I don' tknow much about except I believe they are picked to finish strong in their conference if not win it all. And SIU is SIU. I have found that over time, with both them and Mo State, location sometimes does not matter. Any of the expections missed above must be negated by doing the opposite or coming out on top at +/- games. The Loyola game to me could have went either way and I agree with you that its a + as far as I'm concerned right now. 8 and 3 would be the minimum acceptable going into the UNC game .. minimum acceptable as it means on track and doing okay. I don't want to get ahead of things and predict the whole year because you just never know. I think the vital signs for this year are as great as can be expected right now. If the season ended today, we're Dancing. But its a marathon, not a sprint.

I am sorry if you thought you were asked to defend your post. On the contrary, I thought I was being genuine in thanking you for the insight. I never knew how to interpret those block items and you set me straight. My point is this: If put into a sentence, the emphasis and meaning are completely different when you say "Williams has high interest in North Carolina" versus "North Carolin has high interest in Williams." What kid wouldn't express high interest in an elite level program? As I've stated before, every kid with any amount of talent sees themselves as the next Jordan, and carries in their own mind a usually-inflated opinion of themselves and their talents. Nothing wrong with that. But now knowing how to interpret these web sites makes it a little more interesting. Again, thanks.

.. for the answer and the additional insight. So, the butcher-block board on these web sites is the interest that the KID has inthe school, and not the other way around. Interesting. It would then seem to follow that the "Offer" section was also filled out by the player as well? Would you agree on that one? So that means that this kid claims he has an offer from Mizzou? If so that means that, if true, Mizzou and Mike Anderson have one and only one scholarship for the upcoming year, it has been offered to the Williams kid. Agree? Has Leon seen this? Anderson is just leading him along if that's the case.

... I asked a serious question a couple posts above. Care to answer it? Jumping over me, one of your all-time admirers, to thank a first time poster, well, where's the love in all that?

Your opening statement said "Earl was there hawking his wares." Could you expand upon that? What does Earl hawk at these events? Just curious.

.... how do you differentiate between rumor and reality? In other words, if you see something on some internet board or in the newspaper, do you automatically say something like "well, if its in the paper (or on the web) it must be true?"

.. or Skip here, Slumn1?

Despite what anyone claims from here on out ... the short answer is "no."

... comes from the fact that the signing period has come and gone and he's still available. That to me is not a single taker. I have seen the various lists of upcoming high school graduates and for most of them, Leon Powell is listed. I think I've seen him as high as the 60's but 70's and lower seem to stick more. In any case, I am giving him his due and noting that I have seen him listed. But he has ONE offer?!?!? One .. Bradley. For argument's sake, let's say that Brad has NOT offered. So he has one offer. That's one single offer. No others. How can a kid, listed in some top 100 circles, have one and only one offer? A talent that good? A talent you say is the best in the entire St. Louis metro area? Nevermind the fact that he's turning down a Sweet Sixteen program by the way in snubbing Bradley ... the only school that has welcomed him from the time they made the still one and only offer. Here's a whole boat load of love being laid on the guy and he's not taking it? My youngest kid is a junior in high school and is late in taking the ACT. I should have had her take it last year. But it will be done and over with next week. Leon hasn't taken the ACT yet? Or is waiting on the scores? Seems like really bad timing, I mean what with getting used to a new coach and all that. I'd thunk he'd done that over the summer even when there was little if any secondary pressure to worry about then. But that's me. Kid just ain't qualified if you ask me. No one would let this much talent sit around and dangle in the wind this time of year. Also, if Mike Anderson wants to close the borders and recruiting in state is one of his priorities, how come he hasn't even offered either. Strange. Yes, vey strange. Top available player in state and even the state U. hasn't offered.

... Vashon kid dominates lesser opponents. Vashon wins. Vashon moves on to another (hypothetically) state title. Vashon kid "graduates." Vashon kid disappears off national radar. Nate Lasch says he heard Earl Austin claim Powell has a SLU offer. Earl Austin says it to others on this board. Mosely says Leon is dying to play at SLU. Others claim Leon is at West Pine Gym a lot. Yet, no letter of intent? Now "others" are talking in Leon's ear. I'll say its the same old, same old. Still a top one hundred recruit remains unlocked up. Why oh why is that? No one. Nada. Zip. Not a single taker? Walks like a duck ...

What makes you think Mizzou and SIU offered the Williams kid? Something you read on a web site? Who posted this information? The kid's uncle? His father? The kid? Miek Anderson? Some mid-state punk like Terrel Ramey? I'm sorry .. I apologize to Terrel Ramey as I don't know who he is either but my point is without corroborating information, I don't believe any of this. I beleive offers when I see signatures on letters of intent. The Jordans are hilarious. First of all, unless those kids are tearing it up and have the national reputation of an OJ Mayo, Greg Oden or even Larry Hughes, forget about it. Dad should be able to pay straight up and then some for their college education. And the list of "medium interest" for the younger one is absolutely funny. Did he miss anyone of any repute in that listing? A 6'4" kid who can "bully" himself up into the paint. Me thinks Loyola Academy ain't seeing much in the way of competition. And no, being offsprings of NBA legends gets them nothing as far as an offer is concerned. Show me, I say. We don't need people coming to games so they can coddle up along side Michael for show. I mean, Mike was a stud but that doesn't mean the lineage went on in the breeding ..... for reference see Moses Malone Jr., George Gervin Jr., John Thompson III, and so on. Its the game Vee, not the sideline three-ring circus that is the And1 tour.

Anyone have the scoop on Knollmeyer or Johnson? Are they back? Practicing? Ready to play some minutes? Thanks.

.... and right now I am measuring this game in two ways: #1) how do we bounce back from the fiasco that was Texas A&M and #2) as I have said in the past, a decent team must defend the home court. This game, along with all home games against the A10 teams must be wins for this team to have a date in the dance come March. A good team wins all its home games and beats mediocre on the road along with an upset or two. This will be a nice early season test. Is it over if we lose? Heck no. It won't look good later on down the line on Selection Sunday but we can recover. Right now, I don't think Butler is a lock nor do I think Tennessee or Indiana are on the outside looking in. But while Tennessee and Indiana have cachet with which to recover, we sadly do not. That's why we must win on Saturday for the overall benefit of the program. Gonna be tough nonetheless.