Triangle andToo

1. Embarrassing Moment - For all of you Fat Arses that were cheering for that 3 pointer at the end of the game the other night, shame on you! There was no reason for our Billikens too rub it in and embarrass the University of Toolane. Evidently the promise of that free pasta dinner far surpasses sportsmanship in your feeble minds - what goes around, comes around. Athletic Director Tucci had already given the thumbs down too Coach Soderberg for any further scoring - no conflict of interest here. 2. Rumor Mill - Triangle is hearing more and more rumblings about Saint Louis University establishing a 1 or 2 year college prep school. With the cost of attending state schools skyrocketing, the thought is too provide inner city students an extremely affordable alternative and too groom financially strapped and academic average students towards a future 4 year degree from Saint Louis University - an education above and beyond what the junior college district and state schools could provide. Plans are in the extreme planning stage but the powers too be think that there is a vast untapped resource of students in this city that will not get a chance too develop in the public academic environment because of admission increases, academic qualifications and financial restraints. Of course the implications could be dramatic on the athletic department if such an institution is established. Stay tooned. 3. Mid-Major Woes - Have any of you poll watchers taken a look lately - Gonzaga and George Washington (maybe) - whoo else????? The demise of the mid major conferences is inevitable and will eventually force the NCAA intoo going too a 2 tournament March. This could be very exciting with the possibly of the final four from the majors meeting the final four from the mid-majors. Of course the mid major tournament would have too be a bit longer (or there could be more teams allowed intoo the major tournament too balance it out), but you would still have the best four teams of the majors meeting in the elite eight against the best four teams of the mid majors. The possibility of an upset would be temendous and with all of the elite 8 games played in primetime it would be a boonaza for TV. It would also create great interest for the mid major tournament with people watching closely too see whoo has the possibility of upsetting a major for their office pools. 4. JJ Fans - Get Real - The guy is a knucklehead and the only reason he is starting is because of Freebird’s hurt knoggin’. What you see is what you get. Granted he is quicker and shoots a little(?) from 15, but. Coach Dinosaur was forced intoo this lineup, no matter what he says in the papers, Tom would be starting if he was healthy. IV is practice lazy and Kareem Bryce is a Kareem Project as predicted. 5. Question???? - Why is Matt Doherty without a job???? Tulsa????? 6. Top of the Key Three - The top of the key 3 pter is the easiest, hands down. But Coach Dinosaur refuses too set this up. This seems like a natural for Danny Brown with his height. Set the screen in the high post and bring Danny around. Let Reggie or AD fire from the corners with reggie also freelancing. With little or no scoring inside this year and most likely next year, Coach Dinosaur needs too find new ways of outside scoring (3 pters) - this is a way. 7. AB Triangle Comment - If we need AB too recruit St. Louis or anywhere for that matter, then what the hell is Coach Soderberg doing? What happened too all of those Wisconsin (or wherever recruiting ties)? Unfortunately SLU had already hired Chris Sloan as Director of Basketball Operations - this would have been a perfect place for AB to get his feet wet too see if he liked to get back intoo the SLU basketball environment. Is AB just another athlete who says “Well, you have too pay me this for me too do this†or wil he be willing too take a subordinate salary for a subordinate position - Triangle says Yes - he trooly wants too be an active part of the SLU basketball community. 8. Letters, it takes time and Guts - Whether it is a hand written letter with that 37 cent stamp or an email - it takes time too write and guts too put your REAL name on it too the Post-Dispatch. For those of you who wished that these people who expressed their extreme dissatisfaction with the basketball program would leave our Billiken basketball program or God forbid even “die†so you could get better seats - well, this is just disgraceful. It is the apex of depraved thinking. 9. EMERGENCY SITUATION!!!!!!!! For Immediate Broadcast - For all of you Billiken.com posters who are living in those cardboard crates down on the riverfront - GET OUT - the river is rising and will crest above flood stage toomorrow morning. You really shouldn't be living in those conditions anyway - rain or shine. See everyone Courtside Toomorrow night! Beat Sincy!!!!!!!!!!!!! so it goes - drive carefully! “Sidewalk scenes and black limousines - some living and some standing around†- The Byrds

Brad has had several "miscalculations". Didn't he also "miscalculate" last year's team so he scheduled a ridiculous preseason schedule against those above 300 RPI teams. "I really didn't know what I had with this team so I wanted to get some wins under our belt". That "miscalculation" ruined any chance of a respectable RPI rankning and a possible NCAA bid. He is bad enough as a coach much less a mathematician. so it goes

Play this player with that player - play that player with this player, it ain't going too make any difference people. We can all hope that Coach Dinosaur plays younger and quicker developing players, but it ain't going too happen. The Jurassic age will continue. Fact - Coach Dinosaur was fired buy UW. Although UW was also trying too lure a bigger name coach , they were tired of the plodding defensive style. They realized a change was neccesary. Coach Ryan's team is averaging 70 pts per game and has that monsterous home winning streak. The arena is packed night after night. Fact - When Coach Dinosaur was hired over Coach Brian Gregory, it was supposedly a great steal with a pipeline for those great Wisconsin and upper midwest recruits - well where are they? As it has turned out, Coach Dinosaur evidently had no pipeline of recruits too anywhere. All of those great recruiting ties have evidently disappeared, POOF! Phone calls too Europe, Chippy JC, a K-St knucklehead reject and a 7-Foot super project (This guy is no where near Chris H's ability) Fact - Was it a total surprise too Coach Dinosaur that Josh and Chris were graduating and there was going too be a need for on court leadership in 2004-05. Evidently he didn't. He did nothing too groom a leader on this team. Leadership is passed down from the top - delegation. It is quite evident that 3 starting players. IO, RB and AD have absolutely NO leadership qualities and Coach Soderberg did nothing too groom these players for an obvious void. 3 returning players with gobs of playing time under their belt , it is a total mystery Fact - The Dayton Flyers lost their 3 top scorers from last year and have 8 freshman and only 1 senior on their roster but managed too kick our ass at our Saviss. (and will be on their way too another NCAA bid) Why ?- Coach Gregory, who should have been coaching our Billikens, but evidently a very ill-informed AD, a restaurant owner and the players knew what their doing in recommending Coach Dinosaur - NOT! Fact - Attendance at our Billiken games is just embarrassing for a lone Division 1 basketball team in such a large metropolitan area. Is there any wonder about lack of funds being donated for the new Vapor Arena. Fact - Triangle is hearing more and more comments before the game, during halftime and after the games from longtime Billiken season ticket holders about not just the losing game itself but the comments Coach Dinosaur is making too the press in post game interviews and too the press in general. Words such as "Dumbfounded" - "Unbelieveable" - "Searching" - "At A Loss" - "I'm Searching for the best way" - "I don't know if their better shots, but we have to try something" - This is his 3rd year of coaching at SLU. If any of us were in our 3rd year of our jobs (hiring all of our subordinates) and we were advertising these comments about our managing accomplishments, we would be fired. No doubt. Fact - Coach Dinosaur just has too give these players more playing time - at least 30 minutes. He has too find some kind of leadership for next year. Polk, Brown, are essential - Meyer and KnuckleHead Johnson(?) are a possibility for much more playing time. Dispute these facts - Is the future in Coach Dinosaur? A Happy Safe and Prosperous New Years Too All Great Fellow Billiken Fans, so it goes.

Triangle only hopes that your last thought is correct. Contracts mean nothing in college basketball there are "outs" galore. But who knows at this stage - maybe he will be able too play at a mid-major A-10 level. so it goes.

AB is just a constant moneymaker, if you don't need the dividend income, use the DRIP. Look intoo a company called Biomet - a real money maker and a solid history of growing leaps and bounds, don't buy it now but wait for an upcoming split (when it reaches upper 40's) - check the growth chart out - it's a phenom! Can the '93 Escort - 11 years on that thing is about 2 or 3 years of bonus. As far as "peace" goes - Triangle already did the time . so it goes.

Hopefully we won't have too worry about him being a Billiken if you know what Too means. so it goes

Three schedule changes and none because of television. Triangle could take the changes because of the exposure a regional or national television audience would bring but for these reasons - it's just OUTRAGEOUS! We are really getting pushed around. Season Ticket holders should demand the following: 1. Monies received for the DePaul change should be disclosed and only go intoo the men's basketball recruiting budget - nothing else - not even the new arena. 2. Season ticket holders should be given the opportunity too redeem their unused tickets for these non TV scheduling changes - the cost would be taken off next year's season tickets. 3. Any season ticket holders attending the DePaul game should be given several free drink tickets (maybe 7 or 8) and a free food ticket (maybe 1) too redeem at the post game Saviss Club Super Bowl Party. All proceeds from the sale of beverages and food from this party should immediately go intoo the men's basketball recruiting budget. 4. No less than 3,000 free tickets for the Depaul game should be distributed too childrens' charities and youth basketball programs. The top 200 senior season ticket holders should be contacted for their charity and program suggestions. It shouldn't be the decision of just a few. 5. Anyone attending any one of the 3 schedule changes would be given 2 half price coupons redeemable for next year. E-Mail the powers too be - E-mail and let your feelings be known. It is just a bunch of crap. It is bad enough that we have too watch the crap on the court but we are being pushed intoo the crap pile with absolutely NO input. We are being pushed around like we are nothing more than a bunch of "Night Of The Living Dead" Zombies. Our new AD must be brought too her knees - she must realize that the season ticket holders hold the power, we are not a bunch of zombies. If the above demands are ignored - then boycott the Depaul game as an act of civil (or religious) disobedience. E-Mail - E-Mail - E-Mail ---jam the computers! It is really ironic that with the Holy Christmas Season upon us and with Peace On Earth at the forefront, our Billiken administration chooses to do the DePaul change for 2 grown men beating the crap out of each other. But - so it goes A Safe Holiday Season Too Everyone A Special Wish for safety and sincere thanks goes too our dedicated military and civilians who are dispersed throughout the world. so it goes

Well the last game showed some promise with Coach “the Dinosaur†Soderberg finally implementing Coach Triangle and Too’s smaller and quicker lineup. It really makes no sense Too go out and recruit such a quick point guard such as DP only to have him enter the front court and have too SLOOOOOOW the offense DOWN waiting for the lumbering bodies too get down court and implement some useless screens, setting up useless missed layups. And what about KL and TL coming in next year - Quick, Quick, Quick -- Fast, Fast, Fast. The smaller and quicker players can set those screens (if needed) in a faster paced offense just as well. Coach “The Dinosaur†Soderberg teaches his players too get back quickly on defense and there is NO reason with the players he has recruited that the same thing can’t apply too the offense. The more shots that you put up, the more will fall - the defense will still be there. A virtual onslaught of quickness - you have the players Coach “The Dinosaur†Soderberg, you recruited the quickness, didn't you? Granted - Oakland was an opponent on par with our 2 exhibition games but our Billiken ball was moving up court far quicker than any other game. Even AD seemed quicker with the smaller lineup. Hopefully the meteor is about to fall (if not already) on those Frericks,â€The Greecian Formulasâ€,LM's, and the 7 foot T-Rex dinosaurs. Hopefully the clouds of darkness will part and the Billiken earth will begin too see the light of a new age. A NEW AGE of “BILLIKEN BLOO IS TOO QUICK FOR YOO!†We will see toomorrow against Dayton, a real test - “Death Too Jurassic Basketball†- see everyone courtside. so it goes

Bash another poster and another program that has nothing too do with the sad state of affairs of our Billiken basketball program. - no substance, but typical - so it goes.

Give Triangle a Coach -- That goes intoo the locker room after a victory and says that “the victory was acomplished by great team defense†and Too will show you a liar (or a dinosaur). The fact is that the winning team scored more points than the losers. Coaches like too puff out their chests during interviews and stress defense while they are secretly smiling about how they had 3 or 4 scorers in those double digits. It boils down too this - “OUR OFFENSE BEAT YOUR DEFENSEâ€. Something Coach (The Dinosaur) Soderberg will never say. The name of the game is OFFENSE - the players enjoy it and the fans flock too enjoy it. You need too change Coach (The Dinosaur) Soderberg! Get Brown in there (AD on the bench). Get Vash “the dash†in there, immediately, if not sooner. Reggie and DP are the men - get too the lane as quickly as possible, this could be a very quick lineup. Quit throwng those courtside tantrums about defensive lapses - it is a joke. One big man for the occasional (very occasional) inside pass and for rebounding (a smaller but much quicker lineup CAN REBOUND TOO Coach (The Dinosaur) Soderberg). OPEN UP THE GAME WITH THE QUICKNESS OF THE TEAM ,hell you recruited the quickness. You have them thinking that they can’t shoot without running around making 5 passes and setting 4 screens hoping for the perfect wide open shot. On defense - throw a “zone†in there once in awhile just too give a different look too the opposing team’s offense and too give Triangle's starters (who should be playing at least 30 minutes a game) a little break. KEEP our Billiken basketball program from a Jurassic age (if they haven't already), Coach Dinosaur, you need too change. so it goes.

What do you expect???? We have a very strong minded defensive coach. What he needs is a "Mike Martz" offensive coach and turn that portion of the game over Too him. He is Too worried about the defensive side of the game. Or think about this - maybe he just dosn't know how Too react defensively Too other coaches offensive coaching - his defense is Too predctable, he doesn't change (zone????). You need Too score points Too win. so it goes

We have Big Men - They are not "quick Big men" - see second half of UMSL game. Now our opponents have 2 game films Too watch in not worrying about our Billikens inside scoring. so it goes.

Win. Win, Win - just worry about wins. If you have a coach that can't win games (that is what he is getting paid for) then get rid of him. The athletic administration and the coaching staff are saddled with the responsibility of scheduling according Too a favorable RPI ranking "THIS YEAR" and is up Too the coaching staff Too deliver with the "WINS". Those contracts come with money and the responsibility of winning games against Austin Pee. so it goes.

1. Austin Pee??? How the hell can you win a game shooting - what - 23%? How the hell can you win a game not defensing a 3 point shot in crunch time in overtime? How the hell can you battle back and have the “big mo†on your side in overtime and not make a basket in OT - well you can’t - what a joke! 2.St. Louis or Bust - Our Billikens are sure saving those recruiting bucks - no reason Too travel outside of the St. Louis area. Now we will see how St. Louis players stack up against national players. Triangle’s prediction is that it won’t be very well. Also is Coach “five year contract†Soderberg losing recruiting contacts on a national level, as if he really had any. 3. Shocking News!!! - Layoff King Billiken Roy’s back - immediately! We have had our battles in the past but he has become a very objective poster, (give Triangle another pill). 4. KnuckleHead - Had the displeasure of sitting next Too JJ courtside at the last home game - “CLUE†is a 4 letter word, and he doesn’t have one - (see Triangle’s post from several years ago). A wasted schollie - fork over the bucks people. Coach Soderberg should be forced Too pay for this one. 5. Vapor Arena - Triangle drove down in the gas guzzling Presidential Bush SUV the other day Too take a look at our Billiken’s new arena. It was beautiful Too say the least,a marvel of engineering technology, Trooly invisible- the first of its’ kind. This should assure our Billikens of an undefeated home season - just tell the visiting team Too show up at the location - easy win “Hell we showed - but couldn’t find the front door must less the whole damn buildingâ€. Sorry guys. 6. Look Out Atlantic 10 - Here Comes Da Billikens!!! - Mike DeCoursy of the Sporting News is one of “THE†most respected college basketball writers in the country and here is what he has Too say about the “Ocean Too The Far East 10 Conference†-â€it is now headed back Too obscurity - if the Atlantic 10 gets more than 2 bids, it will be a major victory.†Too’s opinion - the A-10 will be recognized as a mid-major in the near future (very near). The good is that it will give our Billikens a much better chance of making the Big Show . The bad is that we could have joined the MVC and had a whole bunch of rivalries Too boost attendance and had the same chance of making the tournament. 7. Brutal Schedule - Hey! Anyone looking at the schedule? Our Billikens play 6 teams in the last 7 games in the CUSA schedule that will be all vying for NCAA tournament seeding. It is another scheduling debacle playing IPFW (sounds like one of my Dad’s ole union teams) after Charlotte and entering those last 6 games. With the IPFW game, our Billikens play 8 games in February. No reason Too schedule this game at this point in the season - Stupid People (someone else is clueless besides JJ). 8. Polk vs Horton - Objective opinion - Triangle gives a close edge Too Horton. He will be surrounded by better players at Mizzou. He is not as quick and is not as good as shooter but he is a better playmaker because of the pre college competition he has faced. Coach Iron’s stringent - tight reigns- coaching will hurt DP in his growth in big time college basketball. They will be both superlative point guards in relation Too their programs and the competition they play. So It Goes -

1. Search Committee????????? The search committee starts with AD Woolard and a very short list that he has left on his desk. The so-called search committee is just an interview committee. Look for the new SLU AD Too be on AD Woolards list - can you name him???? 2. Jilliken on committee???????? - What the hell is that? Former Billiken sports stars, such as Anthony Bonner, Scott Highmark, and Mark Santel would have been very valuable for input - not Too mention at least being included on that input in fund raising activities.You might ask "Where's Easy Ed on your list Triangle?" Well we need young people. Both Anthony and Mark have vast college and professional sports experiences both nationally and abroad (contacts anyone?). Scott is an up and coming businessman in St. Louis and you don't even need Too talk about his SLU accomplishments. What the hell does Jilliken know about hiring an AD and really - what accomplishments?. We have extremely intelligent former athletes that have gone through the SLU athletic and educational system - why not - what has Jilliken done? What about the other coaches? - evidently no imput. 3. Vomit! Coach Snyder should have been fired and AD Alden should have been given a "next time - your gone". The problem is that Coach Snyder's contract only calls for dismissal when there is a MAJOR violation. The NCAA rules calls for multiple MINOR violations MAY add up Too a MAJOR violation - but nobody seems Too know what this means. Remember, Coach Dollar made over 20 illegal recruit phone contacts at UW and didn't get fired - over 20 minor violations for one coach. On a side note, the NCAA (college Presidents) are reviewing the "Lack of Institutional Control" penalty. They are considering an "AD/Coaches Control" rule - this takes the heat off of the institution as a whole and puts the responsibilty where it belongs. 4. Monty - Please no!!!!! Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery is leaving for the NBA, the money is one thing but there is another factor. Coach Mike (along with Coach Olson) have long fought the "negative recruiting" that goes on in the Pac 10. "You won't be able Too make the grades" or "the coach will be retiring". Both coaches have presented mucho documented evidence Too the the PAC 10 authorities - Too no avail - taking an "all's fair in basketball and war" philosphy. It's a damn shame - he is one of the top 5 college baskeball coaches today - teaches the college game (both on the court and in the classroom) - not the glory. 5. It's Greek Too Me? Our Billiken Greek God has returned Too Greece choosing Too play amature basketball (for all European professional coaches Too see) rather than stay on campus and practice with the team for the summer. With rapidly rising European basketball salaries coupled with the extreme nationalism that will be shown in Greece for the Summer Olympics - do you really think we will see this guy again? 6. High Schoolers Declaring and College Standards - Triangle has no problem with this - 99.9% of these NBA declaring kids don't belong in college anyway. It will clean up the academic lie. But ###### does flow down hill. With tougher academic standards and ***** players not wanting Too meet these standards - the lesser schools will be left with lesser talent. Top coaches will get their top players in order Too compete on a high level (eventhough those players might not be the caliber of their previous players). Lesser schools such as our Billikens are really going Too suffer - the talent pool for us will get smaller and smaller and very less talented. 7. Radio Sports "Wars" (very bad choice of a word by the Post-Dispatch) - Evidently we are in for a real upheaval in our talk sports radio. Triangle thinks that the new owners of KFNS are in for a big surprise in turning that station into a "Men like Too talk about Manly things" station. Too can care less about listening Too babes, talk about SUVs, frat humor and sex (maybe just a little) talk - when Triangle toones inToo a sports station - Triangle wants Too hear about sports, period. Mike Claiborne, what a joke!!!!! "For as long as I've been in the business, I've never been more excited" - well Mike you had plenty of opportunity Too do what you wanted at KASP and KFNS - why didn't you do it????? You are the biggest ass kisser in the St. Louis sports media. Sounds like David Greene has the right idea taking over at KSLG with a good slam at the "get your news from the daily sports page" people at KFNS, sounds like a true all sports station and he will absolutely not ignore local sports. 8, Wasting Time??? Tommy L. is finally taking his parents official visit Too our campus this weekend -WHAT????? Evidently (from a fly on the wall) - Tommie is having trouble wanting to be placed in a basketball factory prep school way away from home and may prefer Too play one year of JC ball much much closer Too home. The problem for our Billiken coaching staff is not that he would lose one year of eligibility at JC or the fact that it would still open up other university recruiting - the fact is that the right prep school would offer a much more stringent academic environment in preparation for his classroom structure at SLU. Tommie knows where he wants Too go Too college - does he know where he wants Too work in the classroom in order Too go Too that school. Are we wasting time with TL? - Traingle says Yes. so it goes.......

1. Arena News, Gurgle, Gurgle, Gurgle - The Slu multipurpose arena has now been delayed by 1 year with the "supposed" focus on academic expansion. Hey, if Father B could make a buck he would with the new arena being built as quickly as possible. The real problem is not academic expansion, the real problem is not with lack of commited funds - Listen up - structural engineer friends of Triangle say that THE REAL PROBLEM is building a structure of that size on an underground SLUSHPUPPY (Mill Creek). The basements of Harris Stowe College, the Warren school and even the old Laclede Town Community have been plague consistently with severe water leakage. Has anybody really thought about why this land is setting there relatively empty for all these years, right next Too Market and HWY 40? Well this is the reason and it has been glossed over by SLU and the media - everyone has assumed that the location is a done deal - it is not. Look for a combination entertainment, sports and indoor swimming and fishing facility. - gurgle - gurgle 2. Does SLU Need an AD ????? - Triangle believes NO - Not in the traditional sense. Our Billikens have NO football program - and any college AD will tell you that football takes up big hours. SLU is down Too a commitment Too 2 sports - Men's Soccer and Men's Basketball(?) - the other sports are just horrible, with no sense of improvement or direction. It was widely known that AD Woolard didn't really know who Coach Soderberg was until he was hired - what an easy job. What does the AD of SLU do 40 HOURS A WEEK? Look at the records and NCAA Tournament appearances of SLU sports teams. Look for SLU Too inquire within the NCAA Administrative ranks for a new AD - it is not a real Division 1 AD job, only a job Too keep up with NCAA administrative requirements. 3. Nick Kern - Sad - In a recent interview by Frankie C and the Roberts Brothers (owners of the STL Skyhawks and STL community developers) - Nick Kern is one of the best basketball players Too ever come out of the St. Louis area, he is just awesome. Coach Romar recruited him for our Billikens and inToo the SLU Community. The problem is (according Too the Roberts Brothers), he had very litle educational and social skills. Remember, Coach Romar recruited him knowing full well about the academic problems with Randy Pulley and Jason Edwin. Kern attended 2 community colleges with documented social and academic problems. He is one of the top players in the league (with Floyd as his coach) but still hangs around Penrose and Union at night. The Roberts Brothers have enrolled him into a Job Corps Program but as they say - they can only do so much. This is another player that Coach Romar thought could be a part of the SLU total environment????????? 4. Basketball Recruiting Budget Has Decreased (On Purpose?) - Evidently all you need Too do is hop in the car and recruit St. Louis - make a phone call Too a buddy in Europe - and contact Chippy JC on the cell for their best player. All kidding aside - it is going Too be very interesting how these top players in St. Louis compete against the Atlantic Ten in the upcoming years. If TL honors his commitment, it will be a real showing of how well STL high school basketball stacks up - Coach Soderberg has made the choice - do or die. 5. NBA or College Debacle? - Who cares? Colleges will always have their players and the NBA will always have their players. HS players declaring for the NBA draft are probably college academic rejects anyway - BOO-HOO - they don't want Too go Too class and put in the academic work, let the NBA deal with them (or Europe). Coach Olson put it best "It's a waste of time". so it goes..............

It's the batting order stupid - where you hit in the lineup determines what is the most important stat. Baseball is different from other sports, stats or different in importance in the batting order. Where would a player be if he hit 40 dingers and had only 40 RBIs. Batting average is the most overated stat. You can load the bases every inning (from the first place hitter Too the last place hitter) but if you don't have those RBI guys - forget it. There is a stat that combines RBIs with sluggling percentage, most important. so it goes.......

Whitey is always very good at telling people (whoever will listen) what he WOULD HAVE DONE - except for the 83-84-86 and 88 seasons. The fact is - he walked out of his contract, deserted his players - during a season and has never managed again. Although he will never ever admit it - he made a big mistake in walking out on that team and the fans of St. Louis, it probably cost him the Hall of Fame. He was branded a quitter. so it goes

If there is one thing that Triangle knows more about than college basketball it is baseball (Too knows, you think that is impossible - but it is Troo). Listen up- The most overlooked part of a major league roster is middle relief. If you look at the rosters, 85% of them have jerks. Walt has assembled the finest bullpen in the major leagues. He couldn't afford top starting pitchers so he went for the bullpen which is always underpriced (except for a proven closer), and he more than accomplished the task. Now for Tony, he has Too realize that he has this veteran relief staff - these guys are used Too pitching a lot of innings. His old formula of resting relief pitchers and eliminating them from games does not hold this year. It is his job Too manage a 25 man roster for every game, not a 22 or 23 man roster. King, Traveres, and Kline need Too pitch every 2 out of 3 games - Eldred 2 out of 4 games. IZZy probably needs Too pitch 2 of 3-5 games -(avg. for the season)- only use Simo in mop up rolls (a lot ahead or a lot behind). These guys are proven relievers and loss of control means lack of work. Tony seems Too have shown the most confidence in Lincoln for innings in getting both right and lefthanders out but he has Too start showing this confidence in all of his relievers - they are a very veteran proven staff. Our starters are only going Too go so long at this time of the season - Triangle would prefer only 4-5-6 innings - then turn it over Too the pen. These guys can't sit on their butts for a couple of days and then come in with pin point precision and then sit on their collective butts for another couple of games including off days. Did you all see Farnsworth trying Too get out 60 year old Julio Franco yesterday - Houston's GM tried Too save money by trading Billy Wagner, then changed boats mid-stream by signing Petit and "The Rocket", now they are stuck with a crap bullpen (Dotel - give Too a break). Everyone picks our Cards Too finish 3rd behind the Cubs and the ASStros but both have no proven closer and their middle relief is bad. Both the Cubs and the ASStros have no where near the offense that our Cards have which means they are probably going Too be involved in a lot of lower scoring close games - pressure on the bullpens as the season wears on. Walt knew what he was doing with a weaker starting pitching staff, now it is up Too Tony Too manage the relief corps properly - innings, innings, innings - so it goes.

Someone poolease ask. 1. Granted, the NIT must work within a difficult changing seeding and TV schedule, but our Saviss is open Monday night. Now here is the point - our Saviss cost a lot of money Too open and judging from last years attendance against Minnesota, was this a main factor in AD Woolard's ignoring our Saviss and only negotiating with the Family Arena for the first & second round games? Didn't he know our Saviss had an open date on Monday? Was he trying Too save money on a 2 game gaurentee? 2. This is coupled with the complete ignoring of season ticket holders in forecasting an NIT appearance. The only way our Billikens were going Too appear in the Big Dance was Too win the CUSA Tournament. In the past, season ticket holders were mailed info regarding a possible NIT appearance and a planned ticket policy well in advance. Purchasing tickets through a ticket agency (with their surcharge) on a first come first serve basis for the Family Arena was a complete Joke. Triangle has a good friend who lives in St. Peters - St. Louis University graduate, avid Billiken fan - he is out of town a lot and does not have season tickets but attends the games with his family when he can. He went Too the Family Arena Too purchase tickets for the family and was told that he couldn't purchase an upper bowl ticket for 10 bucks a piece at half court because all of the lower bowl tickets had Too be purchased first, he had Too sit in the end seats. Another CHEAP act on AD Woolard's part. Opening the upper bowl meant more ushers and more consession stand openings, adding up Too more money. 3. AD Woolard contracted the Family Arena knowing full well that it was a Union Building. All employees including scorekeepers and the time shot keeper had Too be union. Now that doesn't mean that they had Too actually keep the score, (including foul status) or work the time clock - they just had Too be there, sitting on their old fat asses, collecting a pay check. Our Billikens could have still hired their own EXPERIENCED COLLEGE PEOPLE. The NIT or the NCAA doesn't care, they just have Too be up Too the standards. These guys didn't know their collective asses from a Big hole in Coach Quinn's Ass - when was the last time they were involved in a D1 college basketball game - ever? - they just didn't know the rules - who checked on this? Another detail overlooked by AD Woolard, another black eye? And believe you me, the NIT noticed this debacle in awarding the second round game, what a joke on national ESPN coverage. In Closing, what is going on? What's going Too happen when our Billikens get the proposed arena - is AD Woolard going Too be running the coordination of events or is a total entertaimant person needed. We could end up with our Billikens not getting an NIT game because a revival Bob Kuban concert has been scheduled........ so it goes

Too has posted a "Night Before Madness' poem for a number of years, imPoster. so it goes

And all Throo the house Not a creature was stirring Not even a Billiken mouse While fans of the best 64 Are getting ready Too Dance Our Billikens must settle For the usual Little Prance Our weak non-con schedule Doomed and shut the door As our Coach and AD Thought our RPI would be ignored But alas a spark did happen And our Billikens showed game so heres wishing well Against the Irish of Notre Dame So all true Billiken fans Still hope for a furure Big Dance But Billiken reality is reality - More practice doing the Little Prance. so it goes

1. Imposter?????? There is no imposter, there is only one Triangle and Too - out of the institution but not drug free. 2. Quack, Quack, Quack. Where was our Billiken's medical staff Wednesday night - out drinking one of those cheap Sinci beers? There is no way Tom should have played in that game. The player has absolutely NO say in this situation, it is up Too the medical staff. Too has personally watched 10s of thousands college basketball games and has never seen anything like it. Too play a player in that condition was totally negligent and was a serious breech of medical ethics. Quack, Quack, Quack 3. Heat rising off a hot summer highway - Is Reggie a mirage? Triangle says yes. Poor dribbler - inconsistent shooter. No where near as quick with the ball on the floor as Marque and seems Too be afraid of the lane. Really shys away from sticking his nose inToo it. With a 5'9" point coming in next year our Billikens are not going Too have the luxury of Josh being willing Too go underneath for guard rebounding. Reggie really needs Too toughen up, become a better dribbler and take 2 Too 3 hundred Three pointers a day in the gym, everyday. 4. Tigers vs Wildcats - Coach Snyder has finally settled on a lineup and the Tigers are roaring while Coach Olson is trying Too hold things Toogether with a team that seems destined Too destroy themselves. There is a thing about team chemistry. Too many stars? Too many young stars? Coach Olson has Too many young stars (NBA bound) and the old stars (leadership) are starting Too take control at Mizzou. Experienced stars are always better than inexperienced stars. Triangle's Arizona team is toast right now while Triangle's Mizzou team is surging. Coach Olson needs Too get his recruiting act Toogether. 5. Charlie - Prayers for the Spoon - what a coach and more importantly, just a mold of what every human being should be. Family, Friend, Neighbor, Co-worker, Chance Meeting, no one better. Look for Coach Lavin and Coach Bibby Too go hard for this job. Coach Lavin is out of work (wonder why?) and Coach Bibby is tired of playing second fiddle Too football (ego). 6. Triangle's Hero - Coach Phil Martelli. He not only called that St. Bonnies idiot (B word) fan a nitwit and a moron- (enough for Triangle's definition of hero) but hell - we don't have a power forward so lets quick whinning about it and run 4 (yes count them 4) guards out there. This is coach that isn't afraid Too try something new including a switching matchup zone that has opponents confused as Too who is guarding them. But he doesn't have a Wisconsin background Too fall back on. Is anybody besides Triangle getting tired of hearing Wisconsin everytime Coach Soderberg opens his mouth. 7. Worst Coach - Dan Monson. First he has Rickert and now he has Humphries, but with no results. Both players orally commited Too other universities but then strangely de-commited at the last minute Too their home Gophers. Evidently he can't recruit anyone unless their father won't sign the LOI. 8. Mathematics Anyone - Add Too the list of worst recruits ever for our Billikens , Johnson, Clarke and the Grecian Formula. Hey JJ, at least aim for the rim, - aim, aim, aim for the rim - give someone a chance for a rebbie. Clarke - where are you? Earth Too Clarke, Earth Too Clarke. Free college education for some practice intensive defensive work. IV - not your fault, your just not made for this level of competition - no lower body quicks, not even close - beating someone Too a block is never going Too be possible. 9. King Billiken Roy HeeHaw - Jesus Roy, when you call Frankie C. and present a topic, at least be prepared. Don't be fumbling around in your massive amounts of paperwork looking for what 5 teams could end the season in a tie for the CUSA #1 position. What did you think, he was going Too keep you on the air for an hour? There are 10s of thousands of people listening Too Frankie's show, hanging on every bit of information, and there you are making a statement and then all we hear are papers being shuffled around and a bunch of stuttering. Very bad, very, very bad King. 10 Congrats Too Coach Romar - You all know Triangle's history with Coach Romar but he has caught lightning in a bottle with a 3-point shooting team and a very weak Pac 10 league. His bigs block out,rebound and kick the ball out. His players play a tough perimeter defense and seem Too know their inside offensive limitations. Lets see if it holds Troo in the Pac-10 tournament. 11. People, Let's be careful out there - Rushing the court after a tremendous home court victory is one of the the great experiences in college basketball, but it also very dangerous. After witnessing the onslaught of fans on the Hearns Center court after the Okie St. game, Too wondered what the future holds for the new Billiken arena. Sure the Blue Crew would rush the court but what about the large majority of Billiken fans? What about these fans with their wheel chairs, their canes, their walkers, their masks strapped Too oxygen tanks (every breath crucial Too survival) - it could result in mayhem and tragedy. so it goes.......... Go Bills - Beat Toolane!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Too our Billikens and especialy Too Coach Soderberg for just a great victory Tooday (another pill please). Jeezus, 50 pts in the second half. Yes, you can set up those screens very quickly, there is no need Too wait 20 seconds Too do so - you are going Too get the same shot anyway (another pill please) - Logic says you are still going Too have Too put the rock Throo the hoop. Defense is still defense. Triangle senses that Coach Soderberg now wants Too open the o-ffense Too a quicker pace, it is much more suited Too Reggie's style of play (Plan . Players get excited about scoring points in an offense that allows them Too do so without waiting around for the same shot - getting back on defense should be the same. Let's face it Billiken fans, the 3 point shot is going Too be the thing for our offense - (Frericks injury-IO waste of time) and the quicker you set it up the better. Coach Soderberg should know by now that he has taught our Billiken players enough there is Too know about defense responsibilities - it is good Too see that the he finally opened up the Plan B offense. The motion offense can be a quick offense either Too the basket or from the perimeter - it is all about getting down court and executing the assignments in a quicker format - the shots will be the same - and hat is Reggie's style (another pill please). so it goes.......

The one thing about being in an institution are the drugs, Too bribed some extras Toonight so excuse Triangle for some spelling and whatever - so it goes ----- Ramblings----- 1. Spoonball - Remember when Charlie came Too St. Louis, everyone was worried about his defensive style of play - boring - boring - boring. But then the "H"man came Too our Billikens and the offense was ignited. Sure Claggs was there and Scott was there but it was the "H" that brought the offense toogether. Then there was the "Legend", Charlie let him do his thing - no bother about his defensive limitations - Charlie adapted. Coach Soderberg needs Too do the same thing - enough about the "Total" defense - put JJ inToo the game, quit worrying about 2 fouls and "CAN" that 3 guard offense with AD (3 guard offense with AD???????). IO is a bust defensively but can hit that mid-range (10-12ft) jumper, so can JJ (you wonder why this isn't more of an arsenal?) Varner can't hit anything. Whew, that last pill was a nice one. The starting lineup is fine but when Tom and/or IO gets inToo foul trouble DON'T go that stoopid 3 guard lineup. Keep Josh and Reggie at their NORMAL positions (no need Too confuse anyone - this isn't rocket science) and bring in your other bigs at their positions - V at center, Ross at the 4 and JJ at the 3. Quit worrying about JJ's defensive liabilities - AD and Ross have just as much if not more offensive liabilities. Oh yes, yes, yes, Coach Soderberg - is the ZONE DEFENSE some kind of scum of the earth. Confuse someone once in awhile - especially when your inside subs are in the game - where is it - it SLOWS the game down. If you have confidence in your perimeter defense - use it. The lack of the use of a zone defense just really pisses Triangle off - another pill please - Coach Soderberberg needs Too do a lot of learning in this area. - enough. 2. Huskies beat Arizona - Very poor defense on my Wildcats part - up by 9 with 9 Too go and then get outscored by 21 - just pititful. Oh yes - the Huskies have a shot at the NIT. 3. RPI - Our Billikens lack quality wins - only one against Dayton. You can talk about everything else but quality wins (home or away) are the name of the game. Our Billikens have plenty of chances for those quality wins left but coming out of this road trip without 2 wins would end any chances for an NCAA bid except for a Conference Tournament win. 4. Congrats Coach Martelli - for callng a female heckling St. Bonnie's fan a "moron and nitwit" and you should not have been been made Too apologize. Coaches take far Too much abuse from fans and should be allowed Too have verbal retribution. The St. Joseph administration should have backed their coach. Side bar Rambling ---- While Triangle was attending a Mizzou vs Okla St. game as a young adult student at Ole Mizzou back in the 60's, Too found Tooself seated immediately behind the Cowboy bench at Brewer Fieldhouse. Of course Okie St. was coached by the college and Olympic coaching legend Henry Iba, one of the Trooly great college coaches. The game was very close and it was evident Too Triangle that the refs were giving everything Too Ok St. and screwing the Too's Tigers. Triangle loudly objected and insults were exchanged between the coaching staff (very loud and obscene insults) and Triangle. The language and insults got really bad until the security people finally took notice and moved in. Well, they couldn't eject the OK St.coaching staff, so Too was gone. In retrospect, now as a responsible, mature adult citizen, Triangle desereved it. Coaching staffs should never have Too apologize for responding Too nitwits and morons (at that time, Triangle). 5. Fish in the Net - Josh is a fine shooter - just not a quick one. Let Reggie shoot off the dribble (create) and set the screens for Josh for the set jumper or Too peel off the screen inToo the lane. 6. Wild Blue Yonder - Yet another team is playing that Princeton offense (Stanford) and that is Air Force. Do not want Too play this team in the first round of the NCAA. Coach Scott uses this offense and a smothering defense which could bring a 5 or 6th seed Too their knees. 7. College Coaching Quandary - Has the 3 point line destroyed the inside offensive game in college coaching? Would you hire a former college guard as your coach? Look at young highly payed coaches, Coach Q at Mizzou, Coach D. at Florida and our beloved Coach R at Washington and their failures (3 highly ranked conferenxes). This is a very interesting question, has inside coaching gone down the drain. Are inside players now looked upon as merely ocassional 1-2 foot shots and offensive/defensive rebounders (bruisers), instead of a mainstay or equal contributors of a teams offense? Guards seem Too look upon the game from the outside in, but the actual game of basketball is centered around the basket radius. The most high percentage shot is the dunk and then it radiates outward, physics, it's easy. It is easy for Triangle, start from within, pound the ball inside, score or get fouled. The lane is still the lane on offense, it is the closest Too the basket, why not? What has happened? Input? 8. The Most Important Posting - we all need Too say and devote our prayers Toonight and everynight Too our people who protect us in our communities, in our country and the world. It seems like a daily reading in the newspapers about our soldiers being killed or injured in the far out regions of the earth and there is a tendancy Too read it and forget it. The city of St. Louis lost a dedicated police officer today in the fight against drugs in our community. Of course any loss of life is tragic, but the loss of an officer's life in the dedicated protection of our close community is especially devistating. We all seem Too get lost in in our mundain arguments about sports, Officer Sloan was just trying Too do his job and protect his community. Americans are all over this world, just trying Too do their jobs, just trying Too protect us. so it goes..........