slu72

Personally, I don't give a rat's a55 where our players come from....as long as we are winning. Yeah, local players would be great for numerous reasons stated on this board but if we're winning and winning consistently, our entire team could be from Greenland for all I care. 

Successful FB programs have years of tradition backing them up. You don’t create that overnight. Just look at the top 20 or 30 programs, almost every year it’s the same programs. Yes, they are huge revenue producers, but for less successful programs they are large losers. Look at UConn as an example. They tried to take a minor program to a major program. Finally gave up due to losses. 
Let’s say SLU would go with a minor program and play in a minor conference. Does anyone think we’d draw large enough crowds to even break even? Highly doubtful. We tried this with Hockey back in the 70’s and made it as major as it could be at the time, ie we were playing schools considered top tier. Didn’t pay and almost had us dropping to D2 in hoops. 
No, put the $$’s into both men’s and women’s hoops. Make those programs annual winners.

Let’s no go there, eh? 

Would this be a good time to make an offer to Walker, formerly UI AC and SLU alum. He’d likely have plenty of contacts in CHI and the rest of the MW. 

Would this be a good time to make an offer to Walker, formerly UI AC and SLU alum. He’d likely have plenty of contacts in CHI and the rest of the MW. 

Really, who cares? They didn’t finish as Billikens. That said some of our posters continue to reap some praise on Yarborough, Reynolds, Bishop,  and Bartley. Those 4 plus Crawford, Robey, Obeko, and Hines, we’re  all Crews recruits and played together for 1-2 years when we totally sucked. Two PIG teams that finished well under .500. If they went to shine somewhere else, why did we suffer through two years of the worst Billiken BB I’ve ever witnessed? A lot of those games were painful to watch. And let’s not forget we had the kid from Nova, whose name escapes me, who was pretty good and still we sucked for two years. Are we to conclude Jimmy the Dead could bring in some talent but couldn’t coach them to a CYO championship?  Thank God Tatum chose Duke , or else we still might be stuck with Crews,  and Travis may have ended up at VCU, Duquesne, or back at UMass and be hated by SLU fans. Happy that the above players found some success where they ended up, but for some reason just couldn’t put it all together here. The common denominator; Jim Crews the worst HC in SLU history. 

With those 3 hack him if he starts to go off. I think UMass is the sleeper team in the A10. I know everyone’s thinking SLU and Richmond are the top 2, but w/A player like Mitchell anything’s possible. 

I liked Jimmy when I heard he’d lost like 80lbs last year on a special diet. Now this. I really think this kid is out to prove he’s a player not just a big body space eater. Also, he showed some pretty good footwork as the season went on. His FT’s looked good and I hope he can develop that form into a mid range jumper. If so, he’s gonna end up being a special Billiken. He gets my gem in the rough award of last year. 

I liked Jimmy when I heard he’d lost like 80lbs last year on a special diet. Now this. I really think this kid is out to prove he’s a player not just a big body space eater. Also, he showed some pretty good footwork as the season went on. His FT’s looked good and I hope he can develop that form into a mid range jumper. If so, he’s gonna end up being a special Billiken. He gets my gem in the rough award of last year. 

You go Jimmy Bell. Be the best u can be. This kid was a warrior last season and a difference maker. I love him and his commitment to get better. Go, Jimmy Bell! 

2X time NBL MVP, NBL Champion, Finals MVP, Defensive POY, 3X All NBL 1st team, 1X All NBL 2nd team, NBL Scoring Champion, Olympian.  One of the most decorated pros to ever play for SLU.

-offering as perspective on how special.....
JGood has 1,156 career points, 12.4ppg avg, if we play 30 games and he averages 16ppg he will be 7th all-time leading scorer
already top 10 in rebounds, career to date avg is 8.5rpg, if he averages 8.0rpg (and it will be more) over 30 games he will be 4th or 5th in total rebounds depending on HAS
career avg to date is 3.5apg, if we play 30 games and averages 3.0apg (and it will be more) he will be tied for 7th in career assists
already second in career steals, career avg to date is 1.95spg, if we play 30 games and averages 1.5spg he will be all-time leader with 35 more than AB
career avg to date is 34.5mpg, if we play 30 and he is at 34.5mpg he will be 3rd in all-time minutes played
-no Billiken should ever wear 0 again
-if the season goes close to as I suspect and the ADept wants to unfurl a 5th banner on Senior Night I am good with that
-can we stop saying someone will 'replace' JGood? in 21-22 his minutes will be up for grabs but I find it almost impossible to believe there is a 'replacement' 

I agree on Jacobs talent. But u have to admit he doesn't bring it every night. Attitude. There are no nights off at this level. 

Put everyone on notice, The Bills are gonna be something to see. Can't wait for that Orlando tourney. Where we should put the nation on notice that this is a team to be reckoned with. 

Thank you, JGood. You and Has can lead Team Blue to heights we’ve always prayed for. 

That was my point! 

Predictions:
- Goodwin, Hargrove, Collins transfer to Mizzou
- Jimerson transfers to Virginia
- French transfers to Syracuse
- Perkins transfers to Illinois
- Jacobs transfers to DePaul
- Linssen and Lorentson both go pro overseas
- Okoro transfers to Illinois St
- Strickland never steps on campus and eventually signs with the G league
- Thatch retires
- Bell transfers to Michigan St
- Ford goes to Kentucky
- Crews takes over again in a low cost move
- Bishop transfers back and sits out another year. After an injury year and a suspension year, he finishes his SLU career as a 34 year old
- Larry Hughes Jr signs with Duke after SLU fails to offer his all MVC caliber teammate
- Shaka Smart takes over the job after he is fired from Texas
- 4 years later, SLU has a sweet 16 caliber roster but basketball season is canceled after the players strike because they want higher pay
- Shaka moves to Mizzou
- 05 records his 500th Harris Stowe basketball podcast

I'd bet that SLU's strength coach has sent him some instructions on what he should be working on in the gym. The real problem is he's not going to get open gyms with the team to get used to the speed of play in D1. All FR struggle with that for awhile until the game slows down for them. 

I'd rather have a very healthy Thatch back. And am pretty sure so would Ford. 

Dare I say it? It's why getting into the Beast is critical as we go forward. How to do that? Build a nice tourney resume. How to do that? Keep Travis Ford very happy. 

Don’t know squat about Nesbit, but w/ the exception of JGood and Gordon, SLU still doesn’t appear to be an attractive landing spot for the areas 4 and 5 star players. They all seem to want the bright lights of the P5 schools. Travis is killing it w/ the local 3 star guys and finding hidden gems elsewhere, eg Bell, Jimerson, Jacobs. So, I don’t see where a kid like Nesbit is vital or key to our future success. Yeah, he would be a terrific get, but we’ll be fine w/o him. 
If we can someday get to a Gonzaga level our chances with the local/area top 100 kids will likely go up. But until that day, Travis is gonna need some luck. 

Can’t wait to see him play, but first things first. We’re looking at potentially the best season ever in Billiken history this upcoming year. Bell and Francis will be together for 2 years along w/ Yurimania, Hargrove, Fred, Jimerson, Lorentsson, Strickland, and probably some new local talent. This could truly be the long awaited Golden age of Billiken hoops. 

From the Oregon Ducks message board:
 Re: Okoro transferring 1/2 disappointed but 1/2 not surprised. I hope the best for him, great kid who had some struggles on the court but no doubt stuff he can overcome. Hopefully he finds a team with a good big man coach, something I think Oregon is lacking. I won't forget his Fr year though when Altman credited him for the late season surge to the Sweet Sixteen! Hard to find a player with a better attitude than him.

I just remember Chris Mack of X saying Rick was playing Chess and I was playing checkers. Although, I think Rickma's greatest work was done in practices. He taught how to screen, spacing, D, and rebounding. The Anaheim tourney was a BB clinic. That team worked to perfection and got some big W's. 

he wasnt much of a billiken fan (was a rickma fan, but never gave the billikens much significance).   so i was never too concerned about bernie's take.