billikendave

mine came today too. they look good. similar in style to last years tickets. Looks like pictures and names of juniors and seniors made the tickets this year.

When doing initials, I just ask... What would Guy Phillips do? DE covers Dwight,Dewayne, David, Dan, etc.... No problem!

I would guess it is the only option they feel they have to get pressure for change. If enough alumni, donors, people of power are tired enough of bad publicity, something will change. From most accounts, Biondi won't change or even validate/acknowledge the feelings/concerns of the faculty. It's his way or the highway. Apparently, even to the point where you can't attend a open meeting. He won't show to faculty senate. So he won't talk, won't change. What options are left to work for change within the system as it exists? The risk they run is they over play their hand.

I guess you are looking for an answer other than to hear what the president of the university has to say on issues in which faculty and sga had voted no confidence? It's not as if Biondi and board of trustees are open and willing to talk about these issues on a regular basis...

Add universities who cash the checks but do little to provide guidance to students about life after college. What are you going to do with this degree. They honestly say that is not their job. They say the university's job is to educate and not provide job training.

It has gone up too. I'm not saying it didn't. Biondi and his brethern at other similar schools have spent huge amounts of money on campus improvements. During that time, the campuses have become resorts. During that time, tuitions have exploded. Students have to have wealthy parents or borrow large sums of money to go to SLU. It wasn't always that way. While the campus is beautiful, I look with a jaundiced eye because I know how much of it is being paid for.

The beautiful campus has come at an expensive price for a student. A SLU education is not as affordable as it used to be. It has way out paced inflation and wages. The buildings are being paid for by SLU students that are going to be mired in federal and private student loans for a lifetime. $75,000 to $100,000 in student loans is not unusual for a SLU grad. A guy like me who went through SLU and has been fairly fortunate. It took me 12-13 years to pay off my loans. I know several who had double what I had. During this time, I have not been able to save as much as I should for my kids college because I was still paying my own. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that I will send my kids to SLU (or similar Catholic university) without them having to bear huge loans. If they do, the cycle will continue with their kids. as it stands today, I will likely send my kids to state schools and would not consider SLU. This is from someone whose family has 5-6 different alumni in it.

I didn't say that he was solely responsible for the entire system but that he was an active participant in it. The result is a palace of a campus and high tuition. If you want to say that tuition went up everywhere, fine. So did buildings and manicured campuses everywhere. All i have said is that when the final book gets written on Biondi, praise him for his building effort. However, you need to also put in there that tuition went from $6,100 per year to $31,000 during his tenure. To me, that means something. Transformations of a lot of campuses have happened over the past 25 years. My point is SLU/Biondi isn't the only one to do this in the past 25 years. AlumniFan even called it an "arms race." But not one person on this board or around town says this. He is a "genius" for what he has done. But the moment I say that tuition has increased 5x during his tenure, people immediately say how has it increased across the board. All good but no bad.

I acknowledge that tuition is increasing everywhere. Campuses are expanding and building everywhere. I went to Dayton for undergrad in the mid 90s. I don't recognize the campus today. those who went before me said the same when I went there. Buildings and acquisitions have been happening with private schools across the country. College campuses have become manicured resorts. I know Marquette has had similar transformations. Look at Wash U and the building and expansion. Biondi has done at SLU what other private schools have been doing across the country. The "arms race" that you speak of. I think we look at SLU and marvel at the transformation because it is in front of us and we are SLU alumni. But, I think similar statements can be said at a lot of similar schools. As a result, tuition has exploded universally. If Biondi gets credit for the building boom that has taken place nationally on college campuses that he brought to SLU, he has to take blame for his contribution to the explosion in tuition.

I understand your point. But his turning the campus into an "oasis" has come at a pretty steep price to students. I think that should be a part of the discussion on how he has transformed midtown

Tuition is 5x what it was when Biondi started. I know it has gone up nationally but shouldn't this at least enter the discussion? I know there are federal loans and financial aid and scholarships, etc. Beautiful buildings-- yes but it costs a heck of a lot now. Tuition History What was tuition at Saint Louis University Main Campus for the past five, ten, fifteen or twenty years? Looking at historical tuition increase rates may provide an indication as to expected increases in the future. Historical tuition and fees for all available data years back to 1987 follows. 2010 - $31,342 Tuition and Fees. 2% Annual Increase 2009 - $30,728 Tuition and Fees. 6.4% Annual Increase 2008 - $28,878 Tuition and Fees. 8.4% Annual Increase 2007 - $26,648 Tuition and Fees. 6.8% Annual Increase 2006 - $24,958 Tuition and Fees. 5.9% Annual Increase 2005 - $23,558 Tuition and Fees. 6% Annual Increase 2004 - $22,218 Tuition and Fees. 5.8% Annual Increase 2003 - $21,008 Tuition and Fees. 5.9% Annual Increase 2002 - $19,830 Tuition and Fees. 7.5% Annual Increase 2001 - $18,438 Tuition and Fees. 6.8% Annual Increase 2000 - $17,268 Tuition and Fees. 7.3% Annual Increase 1999 - $16,100 Tuition and Fees. 7.8% Annual Increase 1998 - $14,940 Tuition and Fees. 7.5% Annual Increase 1997 - $13,900 Tuition and Fees. 8.6% Annual Increase 1996 - $12,800 Tuition and Fees. 16.7% Annual Increase 1995 - $10,970 Tuition and Fees. 1.4% Annual Increase 1994 - $10,820 Tuition and Fees. 9.5% Annual Increase 1993 - $9,880 Tuition and Fees. 7.9% Annual Increase 1992 - $9,160 Tuition and Fees. 8% Annual Increase 1991 - $8,480 Tuition and Fees. 9.8% Annual Increase 1990 - $7,720 Tuition and Fees. 9% Annual Increase 1989 - $7,080 Tuition and Fees. 9.1% Annual Increase 1988 - $6,490 Tuition and Fees. 6% Annual Increase 1987 - $6,120 Tuition and Fees.

You missed my point or it wasn't clear. I think we are in agreement and not really disagreeing. I was meaning to refer to Biondi and SLU and not an individual coach but the coach can be a symbol of what SLU is. Is SLU really committed to basketball or is it lip service. Found part of article from April 22, 2007 from Vahe Gregorian and couldn't access on post website. Perhaps others could. This is my point. Remember his press conference with Grawer that he wanted SLU to be a "Top 50 program." Charter Flights, cell phones, poorly paid assistant coaches. Will the real SLU please stand up? Biondi getting out hustled by Creighton is a sign that its lip service. Because of that, Creighton was an easy choice. http://business.highbeam.com/435553/article-1G1-162438790/firing-soderberg-reminds-others-slu-athletics-history

But will he say the coaches' name right this time?

What i was trying to say was explain why we weren't in the BE as 10 teams. I think we would always be 11 or 12. Personal loyalty aside, i think Creighton was the right move for the BE. The BE wants to see how SLU does before asking it to be part of the conference. Are we for real or not? As far as the Omaha article, what I got out of that is Fr. Lannon worked it really hard to get in through his personal relationships. On top of that "Lannon focused on the positives — the school's fan base, its top-notch venues and the success of its programs." Creighton is well established and has a track record and has been the class of the Missouri Valley basketball for many years. No comment on whether Biondi/May lobbied as hard or wanted it as much as Creighton. But, our program is not nearly as stable and proven as Creighton is. No consistent history like Creighton has. And, no coach.

Sorry, I am Sim Buhllar slow sometimes.....

Think this is the other way around. It is my belief that the coaching instability is what kept us out. From an outsider's perspective, I think there is a real question whether SLU is for real or whether SLU is going back to mediocrity without Majerus. The outsider perspective (and some insider too) is Majerus was a bolt from the sky that no one expected. SLU paid for a coach (by its standards even though it was cheap for a Rickma type coach) and upped their budget. Remember the cellphone and charter flight debate. Chaifetz opened. SLU looked serious about upgrading basketball. Now, Majerus passes away. Crews, a retread who was out of coaching after a mediocre time at Evansville/Army, takes over a veteran, Majerus team and excels. Fantasitc job this season. What is the reality? SLU is really at crossroads. I guarantee (my opinion only) this is why the BE took Creighton first. They wanted to see how SLU shakes out. If it looks like Romar/Sodeberg era SLU is returning, Richmond or VCU and Dayton may look better.

Also, he is on the board of trustees for the university. He has said wants to keep that position.

didn't Rammer get ejected from a game a few years back? I seem to remember a similar style incident where Earl had to take over rather unexpectedly.

That logo with the winking billiken from the late 80s during the NIT runs with Bonner, Gray and Douglass that Torch posted is the one I have always liked the best. Not intimidating but don't think mascots have to be. Perhaps its just the one I identify from my youth. Just looking at it takes me back to the old Kiel. To me, the new/current one always looked like a chipmunk without a neck.

People here want 12 because that means a significant likelihood that SLU is in. We'd be fine with 8 if that meant SLU was the 8th team. However, I agree with you on the 12 being a football driven number. That was the magic number for a conference championship game. The old days (80s and 90s) were smaller numbers in conferences -- BE had 9. Big 10 truly had 10. Big 8, Pac 8 etc. I think the Great Midwest was a phenominal basketball conference with 6 teams and added a 7th with Dayton while it lasted. It began its decline when it became C-USA to accomodate football even though that meant Louisville, Memphis, UAB, Tulane, S. Florida and S. Miss.

Notre Dame has the highest graduation rates in D1 football and 100% grad rate in basketball. Based upon that factor alone, they are not like anyone else. I don't think you can reasonably say they are a football factory like an SEC school unless you have blind hatred. There are bad people everywhere and bad decisions made everywhere. http://stanford.scout.com/2/1066657.html http://espn.go.com/blog/notre-dame-football/post/_/id/1906/irish-top-ncaa-graduation-rate

So he can have it on his resume and in a couple years he can move to a bigger program.

I don't blame May either. But, Roy, do you mean what you just wrote. SLU has has one real sport (sorry soccer, etc). The athletic director doesn't have a say in how its only major revenue sport is run/structured? If true (which it may very well be after Biondi shanked Cheryl Levick), wow.

NOOOOOO! He is the anti-Majerus. He is still on some sort of punishment for admittingly lying to the NCAA. From wikipedia In the summer of 2008, Pearl invited high school junior Aaron Craft and members of his family to a cookout at his Knoxville home while Craft was on an unofficial visit to Tennessee. At the cookout, Pearl said that Craft wasn't allowed to be there under NCAA rules, but encouraged all those in attendance not to tell anyone about it. When the NCAA began an investigation of the affair, Pearl not only lied about the cookout, but told Craft's father to lie as well.[9] On September 10, 2010, Pearl acknowledged the violations in the Craft affair, and also admitted lying about it to the NCAA. As a result, Tennessee imposed sanctions on Pearl and his entire staff including $1.5 million in salary reduction over the coming five years and a delayed retention bonus. His off-campus recruiting was also restricted completely from September 4, 2010 to September 23, 2011.[10] On November 20, 2010, the SEC ordered Pearl to sit out Tennessee's first eight SEC games.[11] After finding out about additional NCAA violations, as well as a violation of the school's substance abuse policy by a player, Tennessee fired Pearl on March 21, 2011.[12][13] On August 23, 2011, Pearl was given a three-year show-cause penalty for his unethical conduct in lying to the NCAA. This means that the sanctions imposed on Pearl will remain in force if he is hired by an NCAA member school within that period. Specifically, he is prohibited from engaging in any "recruiting activities", which means he cannot contact recruits, although he may evaluate talent during that period. If a school does choose to hire him and chooses to challenge the NCAA restrictions, it must appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and "show cause" for why the sanctions imposed on Pearl should not follow him to that school.[9] In imposing the penalty, the NCAA said that while Pearl's actual violations were not egregious, his lies elevated the case to a major one.[14] Since most schools will not even consider hiring a coach with a show-cause order in effect, it will likely have the effect of blackballing Pearl from the collegiate ranks until August 23, 2014. His assistant coaches were also given one-year show-cause orders, in effect until August 23, 2012.

I don't disagree with you but practically speaking. How do you recruit when you have no guarantee that you will be there? Come play for me at SLU .... except I may not be the coach? THis is the problem with "interim" coaches.