slufanskip

This team played their guts out. Down five with under a minute left to the #21 team in the country on their home floor where they virtually never lose.  A handful posters were consistently positive.  And yet many (most?) of the rest were just salivating for a Billiken meltdown - so obvious.  WTF?!?!  Is this not YOUR team?  And a bunch of "regular" posters were pretty silent which one can only assume was because the Billikens weren't getting destroyed.  
The snark from the MBAs every time the Bills made a mistake was disgusting.  There are a lot of us who still support this team. And many of us are the ones the others talk about - the ones writing the big checks. But a lot of us are sick of the MBAs on this board.  If you really hate Travis and the team THAT much, go post on the opponents board.  Let those who support the team enjoy reasonable discussion (at least in GDTs) about the team we love and support regardless of who the coach or AD is. 

There are plenty of people who are prolific posters when the Bills are getting crushed but go strangely silent, or nearly so, when the Bills are winning or, especially when they are exceeding expectations. 

-this board never fails to amaze and the current is seeing Huggins in this thread......unless I'm missing the joke

Seems to be a very snowflake attitude.  Buck up buttercup.  You are supposedly a fan of a mid major basketball team.  All you have is hope.  You know going in that each season will likely end in "disappointment."  If you need to protect your fragile feelings from disappointment then I suggest you become a fan of a team like Duke or Kansas.
I really do not understand how some people doomwatch their favorite team.  

Elite 8:
Stanford 2 Nebraska 1 2OT
Florida State 3 Pittsburgh 0
BYU 4 North Carolina 3
Clemson 2 Penn State 1
…………….
Nebraska’s Eleanor Dale finished with 28 goals. (Gaebe finished tied for 5th in goals nationally, tied with Nebraska’’s Weber with 16.)
……………
BYU returns to the Final Four for the 2nd time in 3 seasons. They had to shovel snow off of the field before their game with North Carolina.
BYU trailed at home, in the 30 degree snow, to UNC, 3-0 at the half. But the Cougars completed the 4 goal 2nd half comeback. Electric is not a strong enough adjective. An all timer. Goals in the 61st, 81st, 82nd, and 89th minutes. (5 BYU players have double digit goals and a 6th has 9.)
…………..
Tough one for Penn State. Good game and well earned by Clemson. 6-7 very good first half opportunities tor PSU, and a few high level early 2nd half opportunities for Penn State to get a couple of goal lead. Mostly Linnehan and MacBean. (who had their goal from top of the box low far post off of the post and in) Linnehan came close a few times as did MacBean. Damico Missed a wide open goal from 8 yards.
Penn State had the better chances in the game. Both Clemson goals were scored by defenders which is often how they score. Morris had a long outside back run from inside of midfield, after a 50/50 ball. Ripped a nice shot on the run from 18 far post. White played a nice long over the top diagonal ball over Schiemann, and Conti ran onto it, great save made but Wiesner overran it and she accidentally knocked it into their own goal full stride on the rebound.
Clemson was a little more efficient. Not the best game from PSU’s holding mids and distribution from the back with them up the middle. Agresti didn’t play, so they played a more traditional 4-2–3-1.
Clemson neutralized the middle of the field. And they had good enough help in back with Linnehan and MacBean. (Morris, White, Hersehfelt, Conti, Lyles, were good) MacBean ripped one off of the post in the final minute from 15. PSU seemed a little fatigued late 
…………..
College Cup Final Four:
Florida State vs Clemson
BYU vs Stanford
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14 of 16 2nd round games were decided by 1 goal, and the other two were 2 goals. Clemson needed an 88th minute equalizer and PK’s in Sweet 16 to advance. BYU needed 4 2nd half goals. Stanford needed OT against Nebraska. 
Margins are small.
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Clemson became the 36th different school to make a College Cup Final Four. 
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Bedlam moment for BYU:
https://x.com/byusoccer_w/status/1728250666630656328?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng
https://x.com/byusoccer_w/status/1728275039060111360?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng
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SLU will host BYU and Penn State next season. And they will travel to Xavier. And there will be a few more good ones added. 
…………..

It is a shame that there are only a few dozen people in attendance for this game.

I thought it was a good call. Lots of weak ones so far but imo that was the right call

Way to early for the corner tactic which rarely actually is effective 

It’s funny how if a player doesn’t improve enough it’s the coaches fault, not the players. Except if we don’t like the player, then of course it’s his/her fault. 
There’s nothing about basketball fundamentals that is rocket science. It’s not about the teacher, it’s about the work. You can get a video of how to shoot and a video camera to record yourself if you really wanted to. 
 
Jordan Goidwin became my favorite Billiken ever but his failure to become a much better 3 pt shooter in college was on him not the coaching staff

It’s funny how if a player doesn’t improve enough it’s the coaches fault, not the players. Except if we don’t like the player, then of course it’s his/her fault. 
There’s nothing about basketball fundamentals that is rocket science. It’s not about the teacher, it’s about the work. You can get a video of how to shoot and a video camera to record yourself if you really wanted to. 
 
Jordan Goidwin became my favorite Billiken ever but his failure to become a much better 3 pt shooter in college was on him not the coaching staff

Emily Gaebe was named to the National Team of the Week at both College Soccer News, and Top Drawer Soccer, again this week. 

The vast majority of college coaches I know, and I know a’few, prefer the Golden Goal. They didn’t like the rule change at all. They wanted to be different snd unique and not just copy everything Europe.
Many of them would also disagree that it improves the quality of play. Many would say the opposite. The teams that sit back and don’t attack in OT are the same teams that sit back and don’t attack in regulation. No team that thinks it has a good chance to win would sit back instead in OT and play for unpredictable PK’s, out of fear of a counter. 
 

SLU 3 Saint Joseph’s 0 
4-2-3–1 for SLU. 
It is the 7th game in a row that SLU has scored in the 24th minute or sooner, sometimes much sooner. This is when Gaebe has started. It’s SLU’s 5th game in a row starting Gaebe at forward, Kelly and Larson on the wings, and, Groark in the middle. It’s been effective for SLU. 
SLU is a well balanced team. But the strength of its teams is, forcing turnovers, winning 50/50 balls, combination play in transition. 
……………..
SLU’s goals vs Saint Joseph’s were scored in typical SLU fashion, of winning 50/50 balls in the middle of the field with its defensive midfielders, combination play transition, and set pieces.
22nd minute. Lawler wins the 50/50 ball at midfield, and she distributed to Kelly on the wing, who sends Gaebe in space in on goal. 1-0.
56th minute. Earning corners, and finishing them in a variety of plays are practiced often at SLU. Luebbert to Heckel, to Gaebe, 2-0.
88th minute. Nice play by Gary in the middle of the field to J Preusser on the wing who curls for Sawyer behind the defense. 3-0.
Lots of pressure and chances all game. SLU sat 3 of its best attacking players with a lot of time left, hoping to tack on one or two more with the next 11. 
……………
Shots 25-2. SLU is 6th nationally in shots per game. SLU is 7th nationally in assists per game. SLU is top 4 nationally in scoring offense. SLU is top 7 in assists per game. 
………………
SLU won its 5th A10 regular season title in its last 6 seasons. They are seeking their 6th straight A10 Conference Tourney Title.
……………….
Brown: Ivy League Champs.
Nebraska: Big 10 Co-Champs.
Xavier: One more game for Big East Co-Champions.
BYU: Likely finishing 2nd by a half game in the Big 12.
Utah State: Playing for 2nd place next week in Mountain West. 3rd at worst. 
…………….
Arkansas won its 4th SEC Title in 5 seasons. They made the Elite 8 the year they didn’t win it. SLU is 2-0 v Arkansas in the past few seasons.
…………….
Current NCAA Top 16 seeds:
12 of 14 won their weekend games. 2 play Monday. Both should win. Number 1 lost but they will still be top 16. 1 will drop out. More will eventually lose in conference tourneys. 
………………
RPI after Sunday:
BYU 3
Brown 7
SLU 14
Xavier 21
Nebraska 23
Dayton 57
Utah State 70
Creighton 127
………………
SLU hosts VCU Friday night in the A10 Conference Tourney.
……………..

Duquesne Dukes. Duquesne is a physical team that plays hard, with some size in the attack with Matesa and Moore. Krafchick has some undersized pace at right back and they like to play up through Matesa on the right side making diagonal runs with Moore up top. Matesa can play either wing or up top as well, mostly dribble runs, as a target or triangle combination play. Nice player. Team strength is in the central defensive midfield. (Sharpless, Muir, Majka) 
Vulnerable defensively on set pieces, and service from the wings. Pace and depth will be challenge for them. 
Expect to see two teams with 4-2-3-1’s without a lot of formation changes regardless of score.

SLU in the polls:
United Soccer Coaches: 22
............
BYU 7
Brown 15
Xavier 20
SLU 22
Nebraska 25
............
 

Emily Gaebe was named to the National Team of the Week at Top Drawer Soccer.

Emily Gaebe was named College Soccer News National Player of the Week.

College basketball fandom exists on a  spectrum.  Some fans support the coach under any circumstances.  Some fans won't be happy with anything less than 25 wins a season.  Most fans are somewhere in between.  They've heard both sides of the argument and don't need to hear them endlessly repeated.  But if you're on an extreme end of the spectrum, you can't see that.
If you are disgusted with the product then the obvious move is to not renew your season tickets.  It's the only action you control.  Hoping for serious changes after this season is just that.  Hope.
 

The BVF needs more money!
[BVF holds event to raise more money]
Wait, this is bulls--!!!!

I know no one is going to miss my witty repartee but I've had it with the negativity.  Wake me up when we have a coach everyone believes in with support that everyone has participated in with time and money.  Till then, Torch, I love you but F off................  

Last nights game was an absolute blast to watch.   UCA was aggressive and SLU's counter attack in the second half was exhilarating.   UCA came in with a pretty crappy record, but they clearly have some skilled players up front.     I guess this point may not matter in the long run, but SLU men's soccer attendance is one of the highest in the NCAA, but if you watch our games on ESPN+ you would think we have about 12 people in the stands and three people randomly walking around.   We need to get a damn handheld camera as part of the mix where you can see the stadium side of our venue once in a while.   

SLU in the polls this week:
Top Drawer Soccer: 14
College Soccer News: 23
 

RPI after Wed/Thurs. games:
SLU 24
BYU 5 (draw w/#7)
Brown 13 (3 more for Raphino)
Nebraska 23
Xavier 27 (draw w/#14)
Dayton 47
Utah State 74 (5 of 6 dubs)
Creighton 158 (preseason league #3  winless in league play)
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