slu72

No, Skip, the real question is can UB sell Nark on coming or does he end up at UMSL?

Which is about 2.6 trips more a game than VN made to the charity stripe.

Based on UB's conservative persona lookf or DP and LM to start. Unless one of the 4's had stepped up and did something special even before the injuries, I'd expect him to go with that lineup. He's not one to tolerate freshman mistakes as well as loose cannons (JJ). All that said, the fact that IV is taking shots from outside, as reported both in practice and the BW game, I'm thinking BH is going to see a fair share of time in the post.

I'll bet a six pack, BH gets 15 mpg with IV at the 4 in the games prior to TX A&M. If he contributes on defense and pulls down some boards what more do we want from him? Also, with IV's deft passing touch, he may even get a few bunnies.

A strong majority? That's really sad...pitiful actually.

nm

'Cause SIU's got a bunch of idiot fans like Dawgfan.

Better than a stick in the eye...for all you historians when was the last time we showed up in the also receiving votes section...1997 would be my guess.

Huggy will have KSU dancing. Bill Walker's most likely going to be cleared to play after December. He's enrolled at KSU. Huggy Bear strikes again. For those who get SI, read Reilly's rip on KSU and Hugs in last week's issue...a very very funny right on column about a guy we all love to hate. Met CoC coach Bobby Cremins at a function the other night. Said he met UB at some camps this past summer and added "he's excited about his team." Wanted to ask him if SLU ever approached him about the HC job...but thought better about it. Agree w/Broy, Post Disgrace is indeed no friend of the program. Nothing about A-10 press day? Realize you got the WS going on there, but nothing? That's the way to generate some excitement about the local college team. UMass must have landed some hellacious transfers to be getting all this positive press. They're as good as an eight seed if you believe all this. For you guys going to practices...any leaders emerging at the 3 or the 4? I'm guessing it's LM and JJ. Would really like to see DP get it, if his shot's returned from hibernation, as he'd be the key to real up tempo style. CBS Sportsline quote: "Silly to think they'd beat UNC". Brings back memories of Kansas and Louisville. What's it gonna take to make the dance? 21 wins, with one of the W's being an upset of TxAM or UNC. And make the semifinals of the A-10 tourney. This should do it given our schedule.

Wow, an actual post about a basketball issue...how clever...how unique. I think the answer depends upon what or who develops at the 4. We've played a pack because IV needed help on defending teams with good inside games. This isn't an approach that lends itself to up tempo basketball, as everyone is too busy defending or rebounding. If one of the 4's comes along, I think the pack will not be the defense du jour, especially against teams with weak inside play.

Brianstl, either your pic or the Blue Kool Aid pitcher would make for a great t-shirt....Coach B's Billiken Blue Kool Aid Club. Slogan ideas, "Guaranteed to make your RPI rise!" or, "Feel like dancing? Have a glass!" or, "The beatings will continue until you join!" or, "Got the 39 point slow down blues? Have some blue K!" or, "Who needs Coach K, when you got Blue K?" or, "A glass a day keeps reality away!" or, "What, me worry?"

Here's the link. Pretty positive. http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/new...%3fid%3d2613269 I'm not an insider, but got in somehow.

A quote from my initial post: "I hope UB leads us to the dance, to the sweet 16, lands 4 of the top 2008 class, and brings in a couple of decent recruits between now and May. Do the BB'ers have a lot of confidence in his ability to achieve all this? Not really, but why does that make us "lesser fans", pariahs, nattering nabobs of negativity?" Ok, all of a sudden it's negative to question a guy's performance who makes twice as much as any professor at the univeristy? Has any BB'er ever said, "Oh, we're going down the tubes this year because of UB."? No!!!!! Not once, never. Hell, I'm thinking we can beat UNC in December if the guy does a good job of coaching. The whole damn point was no one can honestly say UB has been an overwhelming success as the coach of SLU. Any one who does is kidding himself. He's been mediocre at best. Get a grip. But, can he turn it around this year? Yes, in a heartbeat, by taking a team with an all conference center and two freshman of the year candidates to the dance. Forget recruiting this year, I, and others, think he's blown it. I think he blew it last year, but am willing to hold judgement on AK, DM, and HD. I hope they all make the all Frosh team in the A-10. I will personally hail UB as the greatest evaluator of talent in the nation. Get this, NO BB'ER WANTS THE BILLIKENS TO FAIL! THEY WANT THEM TO RUN DEEP IN THE NCAA, WANT THEM TO PULL 17K+ INTO SCOTT TRADE CENTER, IN SHORT THEY WANT THE BEST FOR THIS PROGRAM. That's negative? I don't care if I'm posting from frigging Bum F**k Egypt, I'm a graduate of St. Louis Univeristy and want the University to do well in all it's endeavors. You St. Louis guys should go out of town and watch a game like we played against St. Joes last year with a bar full of people who don't know squat about SLU. You tell them why a D1 program scores 39 points. It ain't fun....trust me. Do I live and die by this, am I judged on how they perform? Not by a long shot, but dammit they are my college basketball team. Just like the Red Sox are my baseball team and the Giants for football. I'm a fan. I want my teams to win. You STC'ers are all saying this is the year, and the BB'ers are with you. Not one of us is going to take any pleasure from us missing the tournament. But what we are going to say is why should we keep him if he misses it and can't bring in talent? Check your posts STC'ers, you're the ones saying this is the year. God, I hope you're right. I'm outta here.

You missed the point, Thicks. No one wants UB to fail. No one wants him fired. After five years, there are a lot of posters just begging his to show us something for cripes sakes! Say you owned stock in IBM and after five years profits were level, market share the same, and the brightest and best computer folks were going to Micro Soft,Apple, and Dell? Would you go to the stockholder's meeting and say, "Hey good job, my stock hasn't lost a penny since you came on board. It hasn't gone up either and doesn't look like it's going to, but who cares?" I'd hope the question would be..."Uh, and when are we going to see some growth, some potential, some price appreciation?" That's all we're saying.

I know of two...but it could have been 3. Ahern topics always get the juices flowing here. I only do it when it's a slow news day and the watch the fur fly. And you've got to admit, with not many recruits to discuss, it's been a slow off season. As to the really "mean" naysayers...one of them I ignore completely. The other one I do read. He's sarcastic, but makes some good points. Again, my position on UB is please...please...please succeed. He's a Martelli type, ie he's content to stay and not jump ship. With the possibility his son will join him here that would keep him here another 4 years. I agree that coaching stability has been lacking at SLU and we need it. What we don't need is stable mediocrity.

For the first time in six years of posting I've been asked to leave by Billikan. Bless me father for I have sinned: 1.) I don't live in ST. Louis, 2.) I'm not agreeing with the STC'ers re: UB, and 3.) I don't think everything in Bradsberg is just hunky dory. Mea Culpa...mea culpa...mea maxima culpa. There's no reason to cite the excellent results of the last four years, we all know. No reason to cite the list of stellar recruits, we all know. There is reason, however, to take issue with the idea that if you don't agree with the UB supporters, who seem to argue for stable mediocrity, you should just go out and burn your Billiken gear and forget you were ever a fan of Billiken Basketball. Which is akin to saying if you disagree with W why don't you leave the country and move to N. Korea. With the exception of just a few BB'ers, who will remain nameless, I think most care as much about Billiken hoops and want the same level of success as the STC'ers. We are just tired of waiting for that day to get here, and question if UB is the guy to do it. I hope UB leads us to the dance, to the sweet 16, lands 4 of the top 2008 class, and brings in a couple of decent recruits between now and May. Do the BB'ers have a lot of confidence in his ability to achieve all this? Not really, but why does that make us "lesser fans", or pariahs, or nattering nabobs of negativity? Worse, some have called Hardball and RajunCajun liars. These two new posters have proven themselves to be fairly knowledgeable about college hoops. Do you think they're going to home games and root against SLU this year because they don't think UB is the right man for the job? I'd hope not. I don't think many BB'ers would stoop that low. Hell, I hope UB achieves the above levels of success...goes beyond it...way beyond it. No one is cheering for him to fail. It's his fault he's running out of time to prove he can succeed. You used to be able to disagree on this board without having your loyalty, sanity, or veracity questioned. Now there is a core that just want everyone to join the chorus and sing happy days are here again. Billikan, hopefully none of the BB'ers are leaving, and hopefully none of them will stop posting their thoughts and opinions in a reasoned and intelligent manner. By the way what's your favorite flavor...Cherry or Lime?

We can't compare ourselves to MU and GU, brother Jesuit schools? Does GU have great hoops facilities? Are their academic standards lower? Is there recruiting budget in the millions? That's it, I give up, time for us to drop to Div IIA or NAIA status. I'm beginning to believe there is something to the STC'ers drinking from the Kool Aid trough. Here's another team to look at for a relative quick turnaround, Baylor. Like us small, private, not a BB powerhouse. And the odds against that happening after their murder scandal were astronomical. But their new coach is getting it done...and he'll do it quicker than UB. When will you guys stop accepting mediocrity?

Hate to take you to task here Broy, but in addition to Gillespie, Romar at Washington, Pitino at UL, Thompson at GU, Crean at MU have all had sustained success since taking over programs on the decline. Now I know you'll respond that Pitino is a snake oil salesman, but who wouldn't love to have him at SLU? Oh yeah, toss in Matha at OSU. He turned around a program in complete meltdown...looks like he's doing ok. All of the above, with the exception of Zo, have done this without any NCAA investigations. And Zo's was relatively minor.

Manic depressive? C'mon, that's a little harsh...and to lump me in with Metz is indeed severe. That said, yeah, I'm depressed because we haven't had an NCAA invite in 7 years, have played barely over .500 ball in the same period, and other than TL and KL no real excitment on the recruiting front in the last five years. Hell, that's enough to depress anyone. Meanwhile, you get other new coaches who turn programs around in 2-3 years. And all those guys aren't cheaters. Look, I'm as excited about this year as any of the staunchest UB supporters. I hope we go to the sweet 16 and they extend him for 3 more years...but if we don't even make the dance, I think it's time to consider a new era at SLU that coincides with the new arena.

We're all excited about this year. I wish we had some recruits to get excited about. I know I'm gonna be hammered as being a nattering nabob of negativity, but damn, it's discouraging when we can't close these deals.

Hard to compete against KU's madness, but thanks to Blue Crew Prez and his troops ours will be OK. Wish I could be there. Will bet Billiphan won't be....or at least admit it's himself.

You're loyalties lie with you, Billiphan. That's why you're so full of, dare I say it, full of c^^p. Again read the sign off....some guys have gone 0 for life.....

Nark, I think a lot of us know why you've been rather quiet here recently, and share the same concerns.

WH is a student of the A-10. Good to see some love thrown our way for TL, IV, and KL. Can't wait to get this season going.

or was his real dad, the late great Frank Zappa?