courtside

It's not shall we say, Cards/Cubs in Chicago...where, if no connections, you have to pay about $75 or so...maybe less if you can pull it off around $50 or so. But the norm would be in the $75 range. Bleachers go for around that amount, and grand stand...top level box seats more...approach $100 plus. And this is a much easier ticket there than say an interleague Yankees, Red Sox etc... You won't get a ticket there for Cards game under $50 without knowing somebody. When I travel and go through this at some parks, I always think just how easy itis in the Lou to get Cards tix.

>SLU is not two players away from being a top 25 team Doc. >Pass me that Kool-Aid. > >Unless those two kids are flat out superstars. Wow, pulling my own quote. That's a first. I didn't say it to be a bleep, doc. I think people need to be positive, enthusiastic, glass full, but also in reality. SLU right now is far from that level. They would need to very elite level players. You said they were two players away....I said they need to be superstars...i.e. great players...you come back and mentione superstar players, further ilustrating my point. I am all for SLU doing well, but I will not go overboard positive or negative. Some of the current SLU players are not talented enough ...even with 4 years of improving, to make much of an impact, and that's a fact. SLU needs to recruit to REPLACE some players. Others obviously are fine. I have said on more than one occasion that Soderberg will get next year and the year after to make NCAA(and that wouldn't even mean they are a top 25 team). SLU is improved this year, and will improve next year if only because the Frosh will be Sophs....SLU needs to recruit one or two more kids in the Liddell Lisch caliber...not position, but caliber, quality...in 07-08 or SLU will not sustain the momentum of one good class. Or else SLU will not be a top 25 caliber team. I do actually like the recent irritability of some respected posters, and the lack of continued patience. I am all for accountability doc. If no one holds SLU's athletic dept and administration accountable for a winning hoops program, they won't have one, and won't feel the pressure to have one. St. Louis in general has long been a town stereotyped as a place where good guys go to try hard....well...at some point St. Louis needs to be more than the little engine that could. That includes SLU hoops. SLU SHOULD have a solid hoops program. SLU SHOULD be drawing many more fans than the East Coast big city schools, based on location and dollar competition. This isn't happening overnight. SLU has had to make up for decades of apathy. I am positive for initial steps, a new arena etc...but it takes more than just a few initial steps.

SLU is not two players away from being a top 25 team Doc. Pass me that Kool-Aid. Unless those two kids are flat out superstars.

Bickel didn't attend DeSemt. And I wouldn't excatly rule out a player based on his school's history. Or we'd be saying it about most of the metro area. What schools have produced multiple high quality college saccess big men? The ones mentioned for DeSmt dominated the high school level. ...which is actually a step above may other schools.(Ries had solid career at Wymoning, Baniak underachieved at SLU, Howard played at Dartmouth, Stockbarger Valpo, Kohnen was star at Navy, many others at D-II or smaller D-I)....no not high d-I level. But who has? The V? Nope. Woods and White out of Ritter, that is two....what about anyone else?

Well.... Philly is almost TWICE the size of St. Louis in population for metro area. And Philly city population is 3 times larger. Philly has long history of hoops, pro, college, high school....and stands out as most popular in that area of all sports. So many to choose from. Philly is also less than two hour drive from NYC....and D.C./Baltimore area....two other hotbeds for high school hoops. Two other massive population areas. SLU needs to recruit the region first. Get a few more of the high end local and regional players. They could come from different parts of Missouri, Il, Ark, Tn, etc...then SLU can venture out to other regions. Why would a kid from NYC or Philly want to go to SLU??? If they are a great player, they could play in Big East or ACC out there. They could also choose to go to an A-10 school in Philly....SJ and LaSalle beat SLU this year...why not go there? SLU has to win with local and regional players first. Develop and build something. Then expand recruiting base. By playing in the A-10...SLU can eventually recruit in those Northeast areas where kids are more exposed to SLU because of the conference.

Yeah Schasz on South Beach...but the stadium is so far out in nowhere land and a bad place to see a baseball game.

Fellas, Cards tix imo are pretty easy to get. Don't fret over the pre-season sales, and season tix. You have to scalp and go in person...but prices are extremely low. Now, with new park...that may change. But I never once had a problem when in town and heading to Busch for tix. They were practically giving away Cards/Yankees tix for big summer weekend series....tix going below face value. This happens all the time. You should have zero problems going day of game. And I am not talking about paying anything more than the ballpark of face value...AND these are box seats we are talking about. There were box seats going for $10-20 bucks for people just trying to get rid of them. A buddy of mine also knows a scalper and gets tix any time he wants, face value or better. Playoffs is another story entirely. I NEVER have a problem getting tix in person day of game at Cards games....any type of seat you want...good to great prices. Don't be discouraged. I don't enjoy the whole scalping deal...like anyone else...and usually I have tix already of some kind...but I have had to do it on occasion.....and I literally became convinced it was better to not buy Cards tix ahaead of time, just so I can go in person and get box seats....better seats....than just buying higher seats ahead of time.

It will help some each year, and it will have a big impact when finsihed. It signifies a commitment to hoops. Kids will visit other schools, and you want to make sure your facilities put you in the mix. I believe the number one reason most kids...not all, but most kids pick a school is the coach. A lot of other things come into play as well obviously.

Actually Kiper co-hosts ESPN Gameday radio and discusses various sports throughout the year on the show on weekends. No, he isn't an ESPN college football broadcast analyst regularly. But he has even filled in on that too for games. Works with Andy Polin, Dave Revsin etc...

I agree with Illinois fan....accountability. The only way SLU gets better is if people get disappointed with results. SLU has never been a pressure to succeed gig. And Kap...no one is saying SLU needs to get two top 100 kids each year. People know that is unrealistic...In order for SLU to turn a corner....they will need to add 1-2 good players in the 07-08 class. Every couple of years, SLU will need to find one player, regardless of position. If SLU hypothetically can't bring 1 or 2 kids in 07-08 who can be strong players...SLU will be still better as Lisch and Liddell get better...but how much better? It is unrealistic to think SLU is at the point they can bring in studs each year. Gota build something first.

All I said was that it is getting late to find somebody who can contribute immediately for next year. SLU isn't going to get immediate impact recruits EVERY year. SLU needs to be able to find top 100 recruit or two for the 07-08 class. I think there is more pressure on that class.....to find a couple of top 100 kids.

A little late in the year to be finding some talented players for 06-07.

Marcus Williams gets a one semester suspension for stealing lap tops and selling them. On more than one occasion seen flipping off opposing fans and posing for tv, ...perhaps is was karma that his game tying jumper went in and out. He's a great player, on a great team. But won't be adding Big East Tourney title to reg season and post season accolades this year.

>2005-06 Collegeinsider.com Freshman All-Americans >Josh Alexander, G, Stephen F. Austin >Mario Chalmers, G, Kansas >Wilson Chandler, F, DePaul >Jeremy Chappell , G, Robert Morris >Devan Downey, G, Cincinnati >Bobby Frasor, G, North Carolina >Jamont Gordon, G, Mississippi State >Tyler Hansbrough, F/C, North Carolina >Jason Holsinger, G, Evansville >J.R. Inman, F, Rutgers >Juwann James, F, James Madison >Curtis Jerrells, G, Baylor >Brandon Johnson, G, San Diego >Tommie Liddell, G, Saint Louis >Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, F, UCLA >Tasmin Mitchell, F, LSU >Tyrese Rice, G, Boston College >Brandon Rush, F, Kansas >Diamon Simpson, F, St. Mary's >Rodney Stuckey, G, Eastern Washington >Tyrus Thomas, F, LSU >Mike Trimboli, G, Vermont >A.D. Vassallo, F, Virginia Tech >Marcus Williams, F, Arizona >Shawne Williams, G/F, Memphis I know a few ....Rush was Big 12 Frosh of year, Hansbrough was ACC ...Jamelle Cornley at Penn St, not listed on your list...was Big Ten Frosh of year, Mbah a Moute at UCLA was Frosh of year in Pac 10....and Dominic James, Marquette...on the above link list...but not on the cut and paste list you provided(had Bobby Frasor on there instead)....was Big East Frosh of year. Not sure other than Penn St if there was a player of the year in decent conference not on the list.

Taj, It was the Catholic Finals. Neumann was an all boys school and it combined a couple of years ago with the all girls shcool...and is located on 10th street South Philly. Roman, an all boys school is in City Center...on Broad Street. The Neumann kid hit the game winner at buzzer and sprinted toward the Roman section...who had been taunting him all game with Flava Flav pix and signs saying he resembled the rapper etc...buzzer game, hotly contested, two rivals...fans went on court...led by this player by the other team's section...fans in stands throew stuff as the player taunted them....it escalated...etc... It easily could happen anywhere else in the other mentioned places.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/baske...ame-brawl_x.htm

Director of Basketball Operations is an entry level position for graduated players who want to get into coaching, to learn. These positions, same position Drew Diener started with at DePaul before heading to UVA....are widely held all over the country. And gasp they run camps, help with recruiting, and practice often with the team. It is a very minimally paid position, and a position people do not have for more than a couple of years before they move on to another school...usually a lesser hoops program to move up the ladder more quickly to be a higher level assistant working toward a number 2 ast, and number one asst...etc...It is a training ground to get experience. Sort of like the old restricted earnings coach who made $13k a year and free apt. Those types of gigs.

The Big East didn't lose any prestige in hoops. Football, where the money is larger, ...lost some sure, but Big East was hardly a great football conference. But, is in BCS. As for the inclusion of those schools...simple....DePaul plays in 3rd largest market, has long tradition of hoops, as does Marquette....and S. Florida is there to play football, and the goal is to build a big time program at S. Florida...which is improving leaps and bounds each year.

Roy, Florida IS a high school football hotbed. And, S. Florida is a big school, ...some think a sleeping giant for football. It isn't so much to tell kids they can go play a game there...the idea is that S. Florida...and though not in the Big East, C. Florida can build some big football. HUGE schools. Football Football Football. And much progress has already been made at S Florida and C. Florida. C Florida wasn't even D-I long ago.

I've said many times before it starts with students and attracting students to games. Sure many have disdain for the apathy of current students. But thinking beyond that, in order for SLU to create any type of atmosphere, it begins with students...obviously having a great atmosphere for them and winning etc...also involved but you start with students...and recycle it with incoming class after class after class. Commitment from Administration to win, to have the facilities, to be able to market to students and young adults. Plenty of old people and little kids go, this isn't the issue. I for one though uncertain of the right size of the new arena, think it will only add to the college atmosphere, as opposed to filling the place with Joe random guy coming in to see a good game when they are doing well. While those folks are welcomed too, they aren't the focus. SLU should have a goal of a couple of thousand students EACH game. ...at least.

Kshoe, Please point out where I said "Courtside" was disappointed. KL and TL have played exactly to my expectattions, ...promising Frosh who will need some time to adjust to the college game, KL more so than TL, and it happened exactly that way. How soon we forget all of the posts and threads by others earlier in the season. Not my posts or threads, but they did exist. I always said they will be as expected top 100 level players, and SLU would be a solid NIT team. You can't take away the mistakes of the early games, just as you can't take away the good things of later games. Unless you were in a coma, you missed the many threads about these players earlier in the season. If they were better than advertised, SLU would be an NCAA lock team. They aren't. Do I think KL has done well as a Frosh, sure. So I think based on Roy's endless hype, he was as good or better than Roy hyped him, nope. KL met my expectations. And he met the expectations of the general public. He didn't meet Roy's based on his posts. So, if you are going to attribute something to me, get it right.

Lol....I merely responded to off base comments comparing Novak to Stemler....this isn't the first post I have seen it. I posted nothing on Marquette's team. I did ask around as I do all the time with different coaches/players/school officials/fans etc...and aded the Amoroso thing, something I didn't know until it was proved to me...because it didn't make a lot of sense. Stemler is physically non-comparable to Novak. I didn't see the comparison. Playing ability as well. I actually have no opinion on their team either way on this board. Certainly no different from any other team. THREE years ago(when Marquette was more relevant due to their same conference and final four spotlight at the time)_ you posted that you thought Justin Love was as good as Dwyane Wade. I disagreed. You also said that Chris Braun was as good as Steve Novak. I disagreed. I happened to disagree with you both times. I also believed another of their players would make all conference, when you thought otherwise. This was three years ago. The other part of the post dealt with expectations. It was/is my belief that expectations were too high with this year's Frosh. I was hoping some would learn from that. You for one, grossly over-hyped Kevin Lisch and how well he would do his Frosh year. I didn't single you out afte rthe fact...I merely cautioned everyone the danger of possible let down when that occurs. I think it is ridiculous to compare Stemler with a player of that caliber....only sets him up for failure according to this board. A more realistic comparison would have seemed more appropriate considering how this board runs with that stuff. I don't care about the team, the sport, etc...if I disagree with something, I'll do it. I will gladly standby my handful of times over the course of 3 years of posts in which I disagree on something when the comparison were of those above. I for one can seperate biases. The funny part is, when I do it over the course of a three year period with other topics, or other schools, or other players...they don't get brought up. The issue here is one that you have with Marquette, and what other people have with them...conference stuff etc...that is your deal. Funny I don't get these complaints when I talk about other schools too. I will always be objective regardless of school or player etc....and if it is a school you don't like every once in a while, tough. I'd rather be objective. I certainly think my posts speak for themselves over the course of years.

This is the problem as well. People need to really settle down. Steve Novak? Ryan Amoroso maybe. I posted this the other day. Marquette may lose Amoroso due to transfer and looking for a replacement. Novak is 4 inches taller, has been named top 15 senior in nation by some...should make first team all Big East conference, is his school's all time leading 3 pt shooter, leads the nation in free throw shooting percentage, and has highest all time in that category this year. His shooting percentage is also extremely high. And he will be single season all time 3 point shooter this year in Big East conference surpassing Ray Allen. He was top 50 out of high school, chose Marquette over a who's who of top traditional hoops schools. Could we please not compare Stemler to Novak? Come back to earth people. He is more like Amoroso. I realize Roy compared Braun to Novak a few years ago, laughably. Novak will be drafted, has improved many aspects of his game. The caution was there with Lisch and Liddell, top 100 kids, something SLU hasn't seen in a while...but not saviors. Let's keep SOME perspective on this. Is he good enough to play for SLU and contribute? Is he a better option than others being looked at? Those are the questions. SLU isn't all of a sudden a ....we only recruit top players palce because we had one good class of two kids. That isn't realistic. Takes time to build something. Role players will be recruited and needed. If Stemler has quick enough feet, quick release, great accuracy, ability to get off shots, ability to play a little taller than he is...he will add value. Obviously when a kid goes from juco, to unproductive D-I, injury, back to juco...etc...it is a different rout to take. Let's not dismiss him, and let's not over-hype him either.

I will dismiss the point altogether. Nate, you may want to flip through and look at a thread from last week or so regarding the affects of internet message boards on players and others. Everything was covered there. In short, you underestimate the intelligence of young men, and overestimate the power of message boards.

What you are not getting...is SLU winning out to conference final doesn't give them anything to think about. Theywill NOT be thinking about or considering SLU, period. Either autonatic or no. Winning the rest or losing the rest will not matter. I have a better chance at winning the lottery.