courtside

It has always been the biggest interest of mine, to see SLU have about 3000 or more students attend most games. This is Levick's deal. She worked at Stanford and SCU...SCU is pretty small...but Stanford is closer to SLU's size, so she has some experience and success in this area. As SLU continues to draw more and more undergrads from out of state...what else are these kids going to do? If you can play an attractive style, win some games, and make games an event....need to hure a consultant to make games more of an event...from intros, to promotions, to music, etc....Hopefully these college kids wil then buy season tickets in their 20's and 30's, and make the average age of a SLU game attendee drop dramatically. I beleive sitting on your hands is a STL thing...only playoff Rams games have I seen it different. I won't soon forget the altercation at a Cards Red Sox WS game in STL...between Cards fans, because a few people actually got up and stood during a rally and exciting part of the game. and the others complained about it. As hard as I try I just don't understand it. As for SLU, this is clearly one of the top things I will be watching under Levick. Sure people can say it will be better in a new smaller on campus arena....but there is ZERO reason 3000 plus college kids can't ride a shuttle to Savvis and back in the interim. At this point, it starts with winning games, and part of that is a university commitment to hoops which hasn't been present before. Then hopefully Levick can promote the heck out of it to future prospective students. When kids go to some of the other private schools of similar size etc...most have getting season tickets on their agenda, and those who don't quickly figure out that it is the thing to do.

This past Tuesday they named the domestic players (30 of them) to report for Jan training camp for WC for a chance to battle it out for roster spots. Twellman, Noonan, and Ralston represnting the STL area for invites. Nothing mentioned about the European based players who are all assumably under some consideration. http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.js...s_mls&fext=.jsp

There are players, college and pro that do things more disrespectful than that all the time. You just happened to hear this one. What about the ones you don't hear about? Unless you have personal experience with a player or coach etc...how can you judge them except for seeing if they have a criminal record or not. How exactly are you going to know a lot of times if someone is a jerk or not? Catching one quote from a player somehow forms opinions? It is no different than forming an opinion of a team or player on one game. I would have to agree Schasz I do think it is sour grapes for many. We could always play count the "Refs suck" threads and make a game of it.

Well...I knew when I posted about Morrison's tendency to chatter a week or two ago...it would lead to a thread like this...sigh. You are going to wear yourself out if you get bent out of shape over what college or even pro athletes say on or off the court. No big deal. If Cinci came to town this year, wouldn't they be a little less interesting without Huggins? Some of the so called "nice" people out there are bigger jerks than the so called jerks, and some aren't. That's the way it goes. The only other thing I can add is ...can't judge a team, SLU or Gonzaga on one game. Sizing up a player based on one game is ridiculous ...good or bad. Seeing or watching several games is m more accurate reflection of the evaluation of a player. Commenting on one game and having thoughts about one game is one thing, but attributing theose comments as the overall evaluation of a player is far from complete.

SLU72 The poster who started this is a "she" not a "he"...unless I am mistaken.

No sale. Amaroso is not a low post back to the basket inside player. I will give you he is improved, can shoot it outside, hustles, ....etc..a scorer...but he gets eaten alive by strong low post players. Not a strong defender, inconsistent. He needs a few more inches. How good can Lott be if he not only doesn't start, but doesn't play? There is plenty of opportunity to play there at the 4 or 5. Looks like that Barro kid will be a project for 3 years, maybe contributing his senior season. What good will it do their current Frosh class, if the class above them...their class, and the class below them doesn't contain inside presence? They will have to be fun and gun and score a lot in transition...which they could....but their defenders will have to play much bigger.

Morrison is one of the handful of best players in college ball. Novak is a good player, solid player...but it has taken him too long(years in school-wise) to develop shots off the dribble,(much better, but still needs more) and he doesn't consistenly draw enough fouls as he should. He shoots 92-93% from the line...so sometimes he gets 25 because of 3's and ft's....and other times 15 because he isn't active enough inside...just to draw fouls on smaller players. As a shooter, maybe Reddick can hang with Novak...not many can. Because he is 6'9 or so, can shoot the lights out, and hits free throws..he has the potential to be even better, and continue playing. He easily could put up 25 a night, or disappear around the 3 point line and get doubled and frustrated. Morrison posts, draws fouls, can put it on the floor, can shoot it, has size also can do a lot of things...intangibles, active....not a fan of the stache or the constant trash talk from him..but that is minor stuff, he is just having fun out there. He is a better athlete than Novak.

No mention of Boston College either. Now that they are in the ACC, I am sure their scheduling ideas have changed as well. 16 Big East games changes the schedule thinking. I will give Marquette a great class this year, and what looks like possibly a solid one next year...but they need to develop a current roster big man to get over that hump. Or take a juco transfer that is better than the one they got this year.(Lott)...because those two kids for next year play 1-3. juco transfers better start or be a 6th man, or they are a bust. (They need a Merritt or Jackson) The lack of recruiting and developing more low post threats has been their biggest draw-back. DePaul beating Creighton and Wake, getting crushed by NI, ODU, etc..they are young and all over the place...no not jesuit..but had the Creighton DePaul game on the brain.

Exactly.

For those keeping score at home, Isn't it interesting to see all of these top rated STL area high school players commit to some non-soccer powers, or even non-DI teams??? SLU nabbed three first team area players. One other is committed to national power New Mexico. NOBODY ELSE has committed to remotely a currently strong D-I team. Where are all of the people who complain about ...just keep the local STL kids....? None of SLU's recruits will be superstars as Freshmen. But two of them should make solid first year contributions. All three have potential to be good college players. Why aren't these other kids going to top national powers? Answer: They aren't good enough.

Simply put SLU needs more Tommie Lidell's, very athletic players who can also play. We could end the discussion right there. You need two to three classes IN A ROW like that to build something. UNC was good on transition defense....with that said SLU needs to get players who can put more pressure on in transition. Polk's play...well on the one hand a lot of people are saying good things relative to his past performances which is encouraging. On the other hand, year two for him, and he is playing point guard. He needs to get into the lane and distribute the ball much much more. If this is something he can't do, he needs to be a lights out long range shooter, and scorer, which he isn't. He is a nice back-up point guard, who brings speed and energy to the game. Unfortunately at SLU he has to start a lot right now. Lisch as Roy has commented often times seems to be playing without a purpose, either passive, wasting dribbles(if you aren't going anywhere, don't dribble the ball while standing there) or forcing things. He will be a good player...just shows you how hard it is to make an immediate impact as a true frosh at big time D-1 level. AD's play down the stretch, ugh...oh well. And of course, a nice effort for the V but obviosly SLU needs a power forward desperately, or anything in the front court. Getting better athletes and players will contribute to getting easier transition points, free throws, put backs, etc...that make the difference in the game. It is too difficult for SLU to score too often, especially against good offensive teams. Nobody is questioning Soderberg's ability to coach, but gotta get the players who can play at that level. A great effort and good game. Sure SLU received the short end of the calls, but it didn't decide the game. As was mentioned a player the caliber of TL, ...the good teams have several of those at different positions.

You can do well by pretty much reading the few posts right above this one starting with Roy, Cheeseman, Tonka... Regardless of what anyone says on this board, SLU would have LOVED to be invited to join the Big East, even though it is too big and eventually may change. In a millisecond. Conferences should have 12 teams. As a school, SLU is looking to continue to advance academically, and also geographically. A LOT of folks live in the Northeast. Programs like Temple, St. Joe's etc...when doing well get coverage, a lot of it. No disrespect to the nice people in the towns of the MVC, but if you want to be big time, academically, athletically, or in any way...gotta reach big markets. I could have simply answered: Money, Media markets, TV. I would also agree to some extent with AJ's comments about SLU perhaps thinking they are bigger and more important than they are. With that said, SLU needs to push for more exposure, to be better and better and bigger and more big time in all facets of the school. It is doing that slowly. I am sure folks on this board would prefer a hoops conference that looked something like this: SLU Marquette Dayton Xavier Creighton Georgetown Villanova Providence St. Joe's Seton Hall DePaul Notre Dame Marquette? Who can blame them for joining the Big East? Strong hoops traditon, have had history of East Coast players/coaches etc...also, they are a little over an hour from the nation's third largest tv market...common knowledge that the Chicago Tribune Sports editors went there, big alumni support there, and they are covered perhaps 1st in local hoops over UI and the local city schools...the only college team it covers more is ND football, just down the road in South Bend. Off topic but since I folow college soccer...Marquette recently fired its men's soccer coach and replaced him with a guy who took the job primarily so he can compete with soccer powers UCONN, St. John's, ND, etc...and he probably would not have taken it if it was C-USA or something else, a big success of a hire for them. The A-10 is not ideal for SLU, but one, SLU has to prove they can become a consistent NCAA tourney team year in and year out, something they haven't done. The A-10 was the better alternative in basketball than the MVC for the above reasons. Hopefully years down the road SLU will be a perennial top 25 team, playing in bigger road gyms on bigger stages. The school in the past has NOT in any way shape or form from an administration standpoint, had any inkling of a commitment to major college hoops. The school has in the past ten years plus made a commitment to academics, campus quality, etc...and hopefully will be in the same breath of Georgetown, BC, etc...down the road when kids or adults think of the jesuit schools, when it comes to the college experience.

What part of finishing first in conference(tied, but defeated the 1st place tied teams and technically first) and tying the conference title game did you miss this season tseugnekillib? It's all the more reason to discuss the weakness of the conference. Why don't you point out to me all the teams that did go unbeaten untied in their conference this year? I don't think anybody is questioning SLU's need to improve, but by the same token I personally believe SLU would be better off in a much tougher conference finishing 5th or 6th in the league, than playing each year to just win a conference tournament.

I don't think anyone on here dislikes Warming...at least I have yet to see any posts from anyone to the liking. Creighton had a great run in the NCAA tourney after getting a very fortunate first round draw, Lafayette at home. They won two quality games vs Duke and Penn St before falling to Clemson. This, after really a nothing to write home about regular season. The difference between Creighton and SLU this year were two things: 1) Creighton won their conference tourney, and 2) After a fortunate first round draw, they won two more quality games once they got in. After losing to SLU and Stanford in exhibition season, Creighton turned in a solid year against a mediocre schedule....losing to the likes of Tulsa, UIC, W Kentucky, Drake, and tying SMU. Their "big" wins on the season...well against an NCAA opponent it would I believe be only Bradley...who lost in NCAA first round to UW Milwaukee. They did also have wins over Memphis and MO St. Creighton also benefited from being pre-season ranked rather high. As I said to their credit, they made the most of their NCAA appearance once getting in. Teams such as James Madison, Providence and a few others very questionable to get at large bids didn't fare as well. ..................As for the NCAA itself, any of the final four can move on, but New Mexico and Maryland are the favorites. SMU, whom SLU handled 4-2 this year has landed in the Final Four after a slow start this season. There was a nice piece in the NY Times on New Mexico's program, referencing some of the things I referenced a while back...that STL doesn't have the stangehold on youth soccer...a small community of Alberquerque produced 9 players on their team, and two more on the ACC Final Four teams are from there...to give just one example. Banditos has had a top youth club team there. ...a top STL area recruit is going there next year, as they are increasing national recruiting as well. As has been exhausted before...STL still produces good players, as do many other areas, some years STL area produces more elite level recruits than others. In women's soccer, about 8 teams were good enough to win it, and Portland, one of them did. SLU women seem to still be in the building a program mode, and finally took care of the conference tourney...(playing in a weaker conference helps) and got an NCAA win. They still have a ways to go to be a consistent top 25 team...need more speed and fitness, and skill at that pace. Something to build on for next year, but as with the men, the A-10 conference is NOT a help for soccer, and can be said after year one, a mistake in soccer. But, SLU is there for men's hoops reasons. I will say on a seperate note that the NCAA is rewarding too many little conferences in soccer with undeserving automatic bids. At least make it 64 teams in the tourney. That would fix it more.

At the very least, SLU should have ALL of their games on tv somehwere on campus, if not a neighboring off campus bar. Eventually with some success they can work on a much better tv deal...I would have to imagine this is a high priority under the new AD.

You guys both beat me to Tucker...not knowing that or witnessing last year's NCAA's...is as bad as the UWM board. UWM is still a commuter school...a D-1 version of UMSL...so I wouldn't expect much from their board...though their past coach Bruce Pearl went WAY out of his way to single handedly create fan support and atmosphere at games. Can their new coach sustain and increase it?...well...we'll see in a couple of years. I am curious to see how Rob Jeter does, which I think will be solid considering his background. I will also be interested to follow how Pearl does in a few years at Tennessee. UWM does return some talent. As recently as this summer, Soderberg told me he was still not over what happened at UW. Instead of animosity, he seeemed like a guy who would still want that job, though happy to be at SLU. He is what he is...refreshing from the standpoint that he is low maintenance on facilities, perks etc..but imo you have to get out and sell and up and coming program or recently struggling program perhaps even more than he does. He flat out told me all he wants to do is coach, and doesn't get involved in the other stuff. Refreshing, but perhaps a little close-minded too. Of course Soderberg will be known in WI and UWM...etc...but does anybody know who he is outside of those two states...probably not...and who cares...as long as he recruits and wins. He very much needs to follow up this class with 1-2 more back to back classes to build something. People will overlook the low scoring games only if you win a lot. He is a nice guy, and I am rooting for him to see if he can get it done. But the bottom line is building a consistent winner. He is fine as long as SLU doesn't slip next year or year after. He has the pass of a recruitng class this year...if SLU is .500 next year, he should be scrutinized highly.

In no order....of the above posts...it never ceases to amaze me how often Kevin Slaten gets time on this board. Wow. I would have to concur about Majerus...he wanted the ND job, had it, then ND said no, becuase of his comments. His reasons for backing out of the USC job were a combination of health and other things with the AD, not just health. He does travel a lot for analyst and studio work, but he bought a condo in downtown Milwaukee this past year to be close to family, and that is where he lives. ...if he isn't working...wouldn't surprise me one bit if he showed up for the SLU/UWM game and popped in...he is a gym rat, always taking in practices and games. As for Miklasz...as I have said before, a friend of mine, but he admittedly doesn't follow college or high school sports closely enough to get that kind of info from him...pro sports yes, college, absolutely not.

There isn't any one player whom he resembles to me...maybe a combination of Jackie Jewsbury and McKee. He won't be playing forward or up top. But he will quietly, with tenacity, and steadily control the midfield and he brings more skill than some others. His high school team plays a tight system, not wide open like CBC or somebody else. He is capable of finishing from the midfield position. He could either be an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder. Very cerebral player as well. I don't see any reason why he wouldn't come in and get time immediately at SLU off the bench, eventually starting. IMO, as I said, DeSmet produces a couple of kids each that can play at a major D-I level. Now, with any kid making the transition, the first year is always the challenge, not sure how long it will take him to make an impact, but he will make one. Great character, etc...Zero concerns about him as a recruit.

Finally....Timmerman finally writes an article of merit. About time! Thanks for the link.

Aranda's #...at DeSmet ...I want to say "10" going off of memory.

First of all, I grew up in both North County and West County, and have relatives in South County, so I can take all comers on this one. I have to ignore ignorant comments like which part of town has better athletes than others....athletes are anywhere and everywhere, period. I would disagree with Torch's assessment that STL is still some sort of soccer capital. If STL was soccer royalty, why did teams with arguably a worse 2005 resume get into the NCAA tourney this year and not SLU??? STL still produces good talent in soccer, better than many other areas, but in no way shape or form is there a monopoly of players in STL vs other areas. There are areas just as good as STL...and, do to some other markets' MUCH larger size, there is a lot more depth in other areas. One needs support to back up discussion. Okay...why isn't there ONE kid currently from STL in the younger age national team pool of players, U-17, U-18...the only ones who were in U-20 PLAYED AT SLU. I also would say, go look at a roster for the top 5 or 10 ranked college teams in America, and look at the hometowns. Look at UNC, UVA, etc...the kids are from Carolina, MD, VA. Look at Cal not a single kid from outside of CA on the roster....and so on and so on. There are plenty of teams out there doing it regionally. There are also teams out there with more of a national following and more diverse geographies as well. IU is typical this way ND, etc..some times. When Bob Warming and others coached SLU, Pat Noonan and Chris Klein still chose Indiana. When Joey Clarke coached, Kevin Grimes still chose SMU, Tim Hudson as well went there. I would definitely argue with a lot of facts to support me that STL area gets a handful of immediate impact, college difference makers each year, and NO more than that...some years it may be more on good years. STL does have good depth of quality players, but not players who will be top 10 top 20 star difference makers. Look at teams, ...take a Chaminade, DeSmet, SLUH, CBC which most recently have by far had the best hs teams in STL. Vianney is coming back but fell off for a while after being exceptional prior to that. This year, DeSmet for example has exactly 3 good players to the level that can play at a SLU level....and that may only be two, one of which is only a Soph...look at SLUH, same thing....CBC and Chaminade have had the most talent in recent years because al the Gallagher kids go to CBC and Fusz kids go to Chaminade....look at Danny Wynn, Cooper Mckee both went to SLU....both good solid players, who in high school, played on mythical national title teams. They were the best of the best, Mckee went from high school scoring machine, to defensive midfielder, a solid good one, but he wasn't good enough to be a forward at SLU. Wynn has improved each year and has had a fine career at SLU...but even he needed a year or two to get playing time. TJ Novak is reigning MO high school player of the year, he couldn't start as Frosh at Stanford, who had losing record past few seasons. He did play a lot and he will be a very good player.... All of the above mentioned have good to very good players...etc...no question....but I am telling you, there is a difference between having a solid college career at middle of the road state...and being a top 10 or 20 team...or level player....it is hard stuff. So, how good would SLU be if they got all local kids? One, that just isn't going to happen. The days where every kid wants to stay home for college left in the 1970's. Welcome to 2005. So take one of the above examples, DeSmet, SLU got Matt McKeon, Craig Corbett, a couple of great ones, but didn't get Noonan, Klein, Ambersley, all going to IU. And in plenty of other years, they don't have anybody good enough to play at that level of school. This is the same at other places too. Joe Germanese from SLUH is at Vanderbilt, a non-soccer school, and would a starting forward at SLU, he wanted to go away and find a different fit. Some will stay, some will go....sure Donigan needs to get a few more elite ones to stay...but he also needs to get elite ones from elsewhere too, and not just good ones. A lot of the Texas kids he recruited haven't turned out to be much. He has had better success with a few good transfers, Brannan, Wick, Hutton, etc...from top schools. What I would ask Torch, or AJ or some others....how much do you see of other college soccer teams each year...in person, tv, or tape....? not against SLU? And how much youth club ball so you see? Take Chicago for no reason in particular, they have excellent club teams, multiple two ior three really strong ones, like a Gallagher or STL Soccer or Fusz. And Chicago didn't produce that kind of talent in the 80's or even 90's...it has changed dramatically. Soccer is good everywhere. Sure some areas like STL have more depth, but CA, Tx, Mid-Atlantic, NY/NJ/Ct, areas have that depth too. And almost any area has a handful of top kids. STL area just has more of the very good solid players than a lot of areas...that doesn't mean all are good enough to play on top 10 or 20 teams. If SLU got every great player to stay home, sure they would be very good, but it is insulting to everywhere else to think they would automatically steam roll people too. Soccer is still not the same as coaching hoops or bigger revenue sports and shouldn't be...Sure STL job is different and I would agree. If you recruit kids who leave early and go on to be successful pro players, it should be taken into consideration as part of your success. Donigan was recruiting high level kids, and he got unlucky with a bunch unexpectedly leaving early. And a few others with injuries who haven't panned out. Anyone on here knows he does not get a free pass with me, but let's be fair. Kids also didn't leave early in the past...let's stop living in the past. Now, a better discussion would be style of play, or if you even wanted compare how STL kids who went elsewhere are doing now. I can think of Ambersley, Germanese, ...maybe a Novak or McKee, maybe the kid at Northwestern...a few others...who are in a 4 year Frosh through Senior window right now from STL who are playing on a different college team than SLU ...who are any good at all. Please help me fill in the rest Torch. Where are they?

Do I even have to reply to this thread? sigh. All I will add for Skip is the missing name of David Peplinski to be added. High School All-American, had a knee problem, and unfortunately got into some off field trouble. He was highly recruited by top schools, a great get, came from great background, was coached by former teammate of Donigan's. It was unexpected he would get into trouble. He has since transferred to New Mexico and plays a lot for the current top 3 Lobos. As for recruits, I just haven't seen Holmes play recently. From all accounts is is a "player," and dramatically improved. But we are talking about SLU being a top 25 or better team. I think it is safe to say Holmes could have played big school STL area soccer and done well...but a lot of kids from big time STL club teams and high school teams ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH to play big time college soccer. Josh Aranda out of DeSmet was mentioned. Skilled, tough, hard nosed midfielder, a leader, captain as an underclassmen in past, something unheard of at a place like DeSmet,... lacks height, but physically stong unlike a Dado or Sweetin. He was also looking at Harvard and a couple of others. He is definitely good enough to play for SLU. He isn't a Frosh difference maker, but will eventually be a starter and good player. If he were 6 feet plus, he'd really be something immediate. I would say Aranda/McKee comparisons aren't too bad, though I think Aranda can do more things than Cooper.

This is very very very tame stuff. Is there more I am missing? Wow! And as cheerleaders and dance teams go, only Memphis had it going on in C-USA....maybe a distant distant Cincinnati or something...but Marqette, SLU etc...no thanks.

For soccer folks...the NY Times is reporting that MLS has made it a done deal for Toronto to join the league. There is a $15 million dollar fee deadline for another team to join as expansion. The deadline is in December, then the price goes up significantly. The cities mentioned were, in no order: Atlanta, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Tulsa, and for whatever reason the 5th city is escaping me this second, but nothing near STL. KC and San Jose have been up for sale for a year...and the report said their fates will be decided in a a couple of weeks. ...lastly I read online Donigan's article/reaction and I was floored at what I read. ...considering a "softer" non-conference schedule to get more wins/results.????? It did say only "considering".... wow...the problem is the conference reputation, and the need is to schedule tough non-conference games to overcome that low margin for error in conference. Perhaps a discussion would better be to see if they could play some of those non-conference games later in the season, instead of so early. I wish I read something that said, "We have to get better players and better results against top teams....We want to be a top team so we will continue to play top teams" Obviously Providence was rewarded for playing in a tough conference despite not so good results. Seems to be better to be a 5th or 6th place club in a top league.

There are a lot of African American leaders, coaches, mentors in many communities throughout the U.S. who do a lot of great things for kids, without the grand-standing, questionable methods, without the arrogance, and most of all, without the need to make race the first and foremost issue all too often. Nothing gets under my skin more than racism of any kind to anyone. And Floyd Irons has long been in a position of power to be a lot more than he has been to a lot of people. It's really a shame. Instead of people mentioning his name as a great contributor to kids, athletics etc...there will always be the baggage that comes with his name. He created it for himself by his own actions and behavior.