slufanskip

Lobo ... I don't know if we neccessarily played better. The loss of Nick was huge ... Teams didn't have much idea about Will and Vedad ... a few games though and coaches put to gether a plan to stop them. They are both very talented ..but freshmen with holes in their games. I look for them to improve ..but I'm not so sure how quickly. Coach D said at the beginning of the year defense would be our strength .. goals might be a little harder to come by. As teams see us more it will become even more important that we finish our opportunities better.

I'm out of town so I cou;dn't see the game ...thanks for the report. I'm glad to see Gannon back. Wickert was holing the back of his thigh frequently during the last 2 games. Probably a Hammy problem. If not Coach D may be happier with the play of the freshmen. If that is the case I like the fact that he doesn't stick too long with vets who aren't performing up to par. I have thought he same thing about John D. ... though I don't think he distrubutes as well from play as he does from set pieces. The guy I really like is Brian G. he is stronger on the ball than John D. and plays a little more under control ... he seems to see the field better and distribute well. I'm sure as we play more games it will become clear. Makes for a tough game when an opponent just wants to sit back and play for a tie.... but the Billikens really need to finish better. The perils of starting 8 freshmen !!! I'm sure Will and Vedad will improve ... but until they do we will see some low scoring games.... It would not take a lot of film to put together a game plan at this point in their careers to shut them down. Crowd Will and get overly physical with Vedad even at the risk of a yellow card. We are seeing the growing pains we all really expected.

Looks Awesome ... What a great time it will be to see Drake and Illinois St. there every year.

more likely it is nobody who works at KFNS. This guy is just an idiot. I don't really get to other boards but Nark you should reply to why you called this guy a liar. My older bro played for spoon at SLU. and my younger bro is Tommy L. who is going to sign with SLU. I beleive that would make Tommy L. the brother of a Bill that played for SLU. I think we would know if that was true ... plus he has a sister attending SLU now and a brother (aka the eagle) who works for KFNS. This guy is very well connected. I wish I could be him

gister ... go back and read the ntire thread ... he corrected himself and said Ramsey said the MVC was the best place for the Bills ...not the A-10

Only half ... that is good for a KFNS show ... most of them are 25% advertising ...along with 50% of the host gushing gaga over a product. I love it when they spend 30 minutes explaining why this mortgage lender is the best in the world ... after 20 minutes of patting themselves on the back for their great segway into the mortgage lender. 30 minutes later the whole thing over about a different mortgage lender. About Bob Ramsey ... I like his game broadcasts ...but he cannot be the voice of the Billikens if he is at anytime going to say something counter to the company line. Period ... just a fact of life ... every job has things we don't like and this should be one of them for Bob. His only opinion must be the same as the Schools.

Hey courtside ... Like I said I didn't notice wher Brian G lined up but defensive midfielder is probably the right call ... though in this game he really took control and distributed the ball well and even advanced it on the dribble very confidently. Vedad ... has been in the states for a couple of years at least. He is really just hot headed ... but in his defense ... I thiink he was kicked while down a couple of times and what 18 year old wouldn't lose their temper ... just that this seems to be a continuing thing. I saw Coach talking to him 1-1 a couple of times ... I'm sure they are working on it. I seriously doubt that Will will ever develop into a dig the ball out type of player ... I think you have to have the mental makeup for that type of play ... now he can and I'm sure will get stronger and improve ... he will also improve his strengths and od course as the team plays together longer will learn to utilize him differently. I'm sure that coach D is more than aware of the weaknesses of Will and Vedad. They will improve and the best is not even close to being here. Any word on Peplinski ... or Nick Gannon

Sorry ... I wasn't clear the handball was on the other end ... obviously you didn't see it. From my understanding what was pissing Vedad off was that he got kicked a couple of times while down after the play. My point was even if he did ... he cannot let it change his approach to the game. There are other ways to settle that score.

Good Job Nate ... For whatever it is worth ..you earned my respect by listening to both sides of an argument, reconsider your opinion then go on KFNS and make good. You the man

Sluballs... If you were right behind the final goal ... you were in the opposite corner from me. What was your take on the hand ball ...could you see it? Was Vedad getting kicked and stepped on after the play a few times ..or was he overreacting ... I wasn't watching either time

I don't think it is a three year project. We have too much talent. I've been saying exactly what you just said for a while. Especially Wickart ... I think he is strong in the air ... but he is not quick footed and constantly looks to boot the ball down field instead of controlling play. This game was not as bad as others .. he had been holding the ball too long and getting a lot of passes blocked. I think Grazier was playing sweeper ... If he did not line up there, he certainly filled the role ... He was the brightest spot in the game .... he looked tremendous.

Just a few more notes on the game. Vedad is a detriment to the team if he cannot keep his emotions under control. As soon as he gets angry he tries to hard to take on the entire other team 1 on 3, 4, 5. doesn't matter he will not give the ball up until he loses it and we lose a possession. Brian Grazier had a fantastic game. He ran the show, he frequently came to the other defenders and got the ball and advanced it confidently either on the dribble or with sharp well placed passes. We controlled most of the play ...probably more than 60-40. but simply stated ... Martin cannot give up that last goal ... especially if it was near post. We need to use our wings more ... John D needs to get wide more he is a tremendous crosser. AND LAST ...WE MUST FINISH BETTER. Out of 3 tremendous 1 or 2 on 1 chances we netted 0. I think we are finding out the hazards of a team with 6 or more starting freshman. I still do not know what is up with Nick Gannon ... One of the asst. coaches said he was hurt ... but I didn't get how badly. So I have no idea for how long.

Nate ... I think you were refering to my comment about you being off to a nice start earlier. It was sarcasm. You are not off to a nice start. Of course you are entitled to your opinion ... but on a Billiken board ... downgrading them is not goin to get you off to a good start. Then your comments about the Marquette site were over the line. SLU has been competitive in CUSA ...why could they not be even a little more competitive in a conference that is a step below what CUSA has been?

The reason doesn't matter ... if we weren't in a major conference ..the games probably wouldn't have happened. Fact is they did.

This game was more dissapointing than the WIU game as we controlled most of the play. We missed too many easy opportunities to score. A 1-1 with the keeper by Vedad in the first half. A 2-1 opportunity we didn't even get a shot or a pass off, and then the opportunity spoke of above. On that chance Will should have shot earlier ...not a fancy touch shot ..but a blast low ... and then Vedad follows for the rebound and touch in ... simple. I was across the field from the final goal so I didn't see it ... but this is a fact .. a keeper never gets beat near post. Goalkeeping 101. This is not sour grapes I try to be very objective ... but this was the worst reffereed soccer game I have seen in years ... Louisville had a clear handball just outside the box on the right side 10 feet in front of the linesman no call. 3 minutes later another in the box on the left side ... another ball 6 inches over the touch line was let play ... should have been our corner, again right in front of the linesman. NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. Also a lot of extra curricular activity by Louisville behind the refs back after the play ... no help from linesman. I'm out of time so I will write a more in depth analysis later.

Great News .... I'm looking forward to seeing him play this fall and then next year as a Billiken.

Thanks for the correction ... I don't know where I got Tuesday from

SLU plays Louisville tonight at home at 7:00. Hopefully Wed night was a wake up call and our intensity level will be up. These home conference games are a must. It would be nice to and should be possible to see a 2 or 3 goal win. I have still not heard what was up with Nick Gannon, anyone know if he will be playing tonight. Who is going to the game? Also congrats to the Lady Bills they beat Houston on the road improving their conf record to 3-0 and their overall record to 6-1-1. A very good start for Coach Champions team. They have not allowed a goal in CUSA play which is 3 straight games. They play again Tues at TCU. I'm traveling to DFW on Tues night ... I wish I would have checked, I would have left earlier to see them play.

Come on now... A spirited and even a little heated discussion is one thing ... The site is a little funny ... but lets be careful not to step over the line. Nate you are off to a good start on this board.

Voted for Burwell

Actually I think the bouncing around has worked ... We are in CUSA and play a very good schedule every year, something which you say your Jays can't get done. Maybe if you had "bounced around" you might have played a stronger schedule and gotten a higher seed in the tourney and advanced further. Many of the same schools with us now were also in the GMC ... so we have in a way been stable.

Since the discussion is about the value of being in a better conference ... I would submit that it has gotten us home and away's with Cinci, Louisville, Marquette, and Depaul every year. We would not have those in the MVC

Courtside ... To tell you the truth I was trying to think about what I thought of Brian G. and really couldn't give a fair analysis. That is why I didn't mention him. We've been saying the same about this team ... very young. I will be surprised to see them go through CUSA undefeated. It is also hard to say how much Nick Gannon would have affected this game. To repaeat ... I think they can make the sweet 16. f they play well at tourney time ....maybe the elite 8 anything more I will be estatic. I'm surprised that you think Vedad has shown previous positive signs with his head in the box ... I have been especially looking for that due to his size ... and really didn't see anything exceptional. I agree that they need to work harder to win the ball in the midfield. Vedad does not work that hard at defense at all. Will is just not strong enough. Vedad should watch film of Brian McBride ... a very strong forward ...especially in the air ... but he still works as hard as anyone I've ever seen at disrupting the opponents defenders and midfielders ...frequently causing turnovers. I don't think I can go Sat. night ... if you are there I hope we will get a detailed report.

He may have wrote good thing in the past ... but that doesn't diminish this article. It was on the front page of the sports section with a headline saying SLU would be better off in the MVC. There is no way he did any research into the facts of who SLU is and what they are striving to acheive. People in St. Louis will read that article and because of who he is make the assumption that he is correct. Every single SLU fan needs to bombard his email letting him know what we think. Have your friends do it also. Maybe we can inspire him to change his mind and write a new story The letter above was super. Job well done .... Now lets get a note to him from everyone.

It is not whether they have knowledge or not ... it is perceptions ...perception is reality. The more media types who link us in with the MVC ... the more the general public will see us in that light. That will hurt recruiting. I hope this ends and as soon as we get an official invite from the A-10 we accept.