Schasz

John, I don't think there is anyone more tuned into the HS basketball scene than Earl. He used to be an infrequent poster when Nark had his Billiken boards but I don't remember seeing him post on Steve's board. I've kind of wondered why? Has anyone asked Earl about it at Tipoff Meetings? As an out of town fan, I would really enjoy reading what he knows about the local kids, especially the ones SLU is after.

That is a good question seeing as how Marquette is playing St. Johns a soon to be BE conference rival.

NEW2SLU, Good post and I agree that those looking at this year as being the demise of ND are very shortsighted indeed. I still think that Ty Willingham was an excellent higher by the Irish and he will get them back on track. The ACC makes little to no sense for ND and I would lay money that if they do move to a conference for all sports that it will be the Big 10. Heck, they already play several of the teams already, so it set up as a natural for them. They only play basketball in the Big (L)East so I'm not sure how them leaving really tips any scale one way or another.

About freakin Exb games and who the Exb teams beat or did not beat. They are strictly put on to get some of the bugs out before the real games that count. I would never think that beating an Exb team would be a solid preview to how the rest of the season would fare for our Billikens. I'm only concerned with what we do once the ball is thrown up for real the first time. What the heck, I do enjoy reading a p!ssing contest here every now and then.

Before I moved from St. Louis supposedly he was a sports agent.

Claiborne has not been a friend of SLU's since before I left St. Louis for good and that was 1996. I did not hear the interview and thanks for the recaps...I am picking up vibes that he was argumentative on the conference shift. Why? It served no purpose other than to make him look like an A-Hole.

I assume that they had the news conference earlier in the day to accept the A10 invite. Can someone local give us out of town fans a synopsis of what Woolard has to say?

You know that it is time to start college hoops for keeps once we see the preseason polls. In looking at the AP poll I had the following thoughts. UCONN is no. 1 as they seem to be in many of the polls...they are followed by Duke, Mich State and Arizona who we will see at Savvis. No real surprises here, and one could make an argument that any of these four could hoist a national championship banner next year at their gym. I kind of like Michigan State but then I saw a lot of them at the NCAA Tourney last year and really liked what I saw in person. Will Mizzou make their first Final Four before the NCAA puts them on probation? The AP has the Tigers at no. 5, and they do appear loaded for this upcoming season. My second favorite Jesuit school, Gonzaga is ranked no. 10. I think they have almost everyone back from a talented team that lost a heart breaker to Arizona in the NCAA Tourney last year. CUSA has the following ranked teams: no. 16 Louisville, no. 18 Cincy, and no. 23 Marquette...Memphis also received votes. IMHO, UAB and Charlotte will be sleepers in the race for teams getting the CUSA NCAA bids. From our new A10 conference, only St. Joes made the Top 25 chiming in at no. 17. By the way, Jameer Nelson is quite a player for St. Joes. Xavier came in at no. 29 and Dayton received 1 vote. It should be another exciting year, and I am ready to see how Coach Soderberg and our Bills fare this year.

You will probably get little argument from any died in the wool Vols fan that Phil Fulmer must get better people at the skilled positions if UT wants to get back into the national championship hunt. I believe that Casey Clausen regressed since the outstanding performance that I saw from him when UT completely took Michigan apart in the Citrus Bowl two years ago. Now some of his best receivers left early for the NFL, but he has been very inconsistent throwing the ball too. On more than one occasion, I heard the TV guys saying when UT played teams like Auburn earlier this year...well Cadilac Williams was dowm to UT and Auburn on his decision. Right now that decision could be the difference in UT being right in the hunt for another national championship, as Cadilac did a number on UT earlier this year.

Once again, USF, the 5th CUSA school invited was strictly for their football program and the fact that the school is in Florida. I also agree that Stu has done a very good job staying on top of this story.

The last time I was in Knoxville was several summers ago. My wife and I drove our two daughters around campus and I wanted to show them Neyland Stadium (easily one of the top five college stadiums I have seen a game). Anyway while we are driving up to the stadium I not only saw a parking spot right next to the stadium but my eyes light up when I saw the stadium gates wide open. We walked right into the stadium. Being there for a game and one of my highlights was seeing UT play GA in Herschel Walkers first college game. Yep those 100,000+ folks dressed in orange on the TN river is quite a sight.

Oh yeah...please educate me when those Long Horns won their last National Championship, bet it was before most of the people that post here were even born. I don't see it getting done with Mack as their HC, especially with Stoops at OU.

tseugnekillib, I'd buy into your last statement. I also agree with the notion that Bernie does a good job on the pro sports commnetary and does not do the same kind of consistent and knowledgeable commentary on the college front.

Nark, Interesting comment about the ground breaking for the arena happening in January. I sure hope that is true. Can someone get a copy of this article over to Bernie, since our SLU publicity dept. doesn't seem to know him.

I don't know if I buy into the paying players stuff but then I don't have inside information on UT Vols athletics. I can tell you that there football fans ( and they have four from my family) are some of the most rabid fans that I have EVER experienced in college sports. I have been to Mizzou football games when they played Nebraska and I would say UT Vol fans with their orange travel just as much as the red clad Husker fans. There was a heck of a lot of orange in that Orange Bowl on Saturday, and not all of them traveled from Tampa as I ran into a few that came all the way from Knoxville. Just because Vandy sports suck wind, doesn't give anyone justification to trash the Vols!

You will have to forgive me for going a little off topic, but my wife, two daughters and myself thoroughly enjoyed the Miami and UT Vols football game that we attended at the old barn they call The Orange Bowl...how appropriate for Saturday's contest. Not exactly the nice wholesome atmosphere of Neyland Stadium. I mean the Miami fans cheering when a Vols player was husrt was bush league...not to mention the beer that was thrown on us after one of the Miami TO'S. I think the pageantry of college sports is what makes it so very popular, and next to my beloved Billiken basketball, UT Vols football in the fall ranks right up there with our household. No, the Vols did not overwhelm the Gangsta's from Miami...they just did not shoot themselves in the foot time and again as the Gangsta's did. The Vols defense had the answers in this game when it came to crunch time and made our Miami trip very sweet indeed. South Beach was much more enjoyable with the taste of victory to celebrate.

Billiken Rich, Is that a song because I'm not into the C & W music.

I don't know about the pickle empire...I thought that the day I saw him dismantle Michigan in the Citrus Bowl when he was a Soph that he could be a special player. It hasn't quite turned out that way for Casey. By the way, his brother transfered to UT from LSU and supposedly the best of the lot of brothers is in HS back in SoCal. I have heard some rumblings about UT playing some hotshot young back tomorrow who hasn't gotten much PT if any...heard his name and it escapes me. Anyway, he is the son of a former NFL player.

CentFLBilliken, UT really has not played very well at all so far this year. For a Sr. Casey Clausen has been very eratic. VA Tech sure did not do the Vols any favor beating up Miami last Saturday night. The Canes will be minus a couple defensive starters. I have heard the oddsmakers have this game set at about 11 points. I would be happy if it is closer than that because it will be a good game. We are staying at South Beach...a first for me. Go Vols!!!!

I kind of like how that military training can and does transcend into how one can view a foe in a sporting event. I am going to try that real hard while I sit in the Orange Bowl on Saturday. Yea, I freakin hate Miami....go Vols!!! It's fine with me to hate an opponent, as no one on earth hates to lose anymore than I do.

Coach Soderberg proved last season that he can flat out coach. He showed us this year that he can recruit too. We are darn lucky to have him at SLU, and I also look forward to an exciting brand of basketball this season. This team may lack talent, but with Coach Soderberg they won't be outhustled. Thanks to those that keep us out of towners informed about the practices.

No Travis Dieners but there is one Kevin Lisch that I desperately want to see in Billiken Blue.

XU95, You don't have to beat Xavier's drum to me. Heck, I've been tickled with each whipping that you gave the darn Bearcats. I am really pumped at the prospects of playing Xavier again in the A10. Please just excuse the uninformed St. Louis writer. The SLU fans are very excited about the invite to the A10.

Most people recognize him for what he is, and don't take him too seriously. The only aport that I ever felt that he even had a clue about was hockey.

Yea, but that won't help MU and Ru Paul as they are basketball schools, so do they get hosed when they want to leave the Big (L)East???