Bay Area Billiken

That drive to the hoop by Kwamain was an awesome play, NBA-like. Great stuff. It was a good win, and it's good to still be playing this season.

That was an awesome dunk by Kwamain, his first career dunk- live and in HD on HDNet.

Rather than Drake, if there is one old MVC rival whose series should be resumed, it is Bradley. Bradley was once St. Louis U's biggest rival of all, a true rival in every sense. As a kid growing up in Downstate Illinois in the 1960's and 1970's, I was often told about the great SLU-Bradley games in the 1950's before I was born, about Bradley trying to steal the Billiken at the old Kiel Auditorium, etc. Even out here, I talk sometimes to a 75 year old transplant from Wisconsin, who has lived out here for years. But he remembers listening on the radio in Northern Wisconsin to SLU v. Bradley battles. Bradley and SLU have played 69 times, with Bradley regrettably leading the all-time series 43-26. But the two have not played since 1995, 15 years ago. In the early formative years under Rich Grawer, Coach Grawer understood the importance of this old rivalry.

Re Loyola and Detroit, SLU has played recent home and homes with both of them. SLU played a home and home with Detroit in 2007-08 and 2008-09, splitting the games, each winning on its home court. SLU leads that series 29-15. SLU played a home and home with Loyola-Chicago in 2006-07 and 2007-08, with SLU sweeping the 2 games. However, Loyola leads the all-time series 24 to 22. So this shows that SLU has played Marquette (54 games) more than Detroit (44 games) and Loyola (46 games). And the Detroit and Loyola home and homes show that SLU is practicing what it preaches re Marquette. Resume the Marquette series. Marquette should not act like a big BCS football school vis-a-vis SLU.

SLU and Marquette have played 54 times- Marquette leads the series 31-23, and SLU more than held its own with Marquette when they were both in the MCC, the Great Midwest, and C-USA. Larry Hughes once torched Marquette for 40 points in Milwaukee. Spoon had a 9-7 record against his Marquette counterparts. When Marquette was still an Independent, SLU played at Marquette in 1978 the year after Marquette won the National Championship. I remember listening to that game with Bob Costas at the mike. The next year, my freshman year at SLU, Marquette returned the visit and played SLU at The Checkerdome (Arena). The teams last played in 2005, after which Marquette bolted for the bright lights of the Big East. So it is not correct that Marquette has a "limited history" with SLU. Marquette does have a limited history with West Virginia, Rutgers, UConn, etc. As for Drake, SLU leads the all-time series 53-30, but the teams have not met since 1987, which was the last year of a 4 year stretch of single games. Before that the schools had not played since 1976. The reason for all those games was that Drake and SLU were both in the Missouri Conference Conference, which SLU left after the 1974 season. I understand the economics. But Marquette and SLU are very similar institutions. They are among the best of the Jesuit schools and are not that far apart geographically. They should be playing each other in basketball. Maybe it will take intervention from the Jesuits themselves to get this series back on line, although that evidently has not been effective so far.

I love this time of year and want my alma mater to excel. We used to sit there at SLU and watch Marquette. We'd say, if they can do it, why can't we? In fact, there was a SLU student from Milwaukee back then that wanted SLU to hire Rick Majerus, then an assistant at Marquette. How ironic is that? This was in the early 1980's, at the time SLU hired Rich Grawer, the Saviour of Billiken Basketball as we know it. We're still saying it, but I think we are getting there.

Indeed, it could be worse. Not to be too negative here, but SLU waited a long time- from 1957 to 1994- between NCAA Tournament appearances. Once the former SLU Chancellor, the late Father Barry McGannon, was out here for an alumni function. I told Father that I was at the SLU victory (over Minnesota) in the 1995 NCAA Tournament. He said, "... do you realize you were at St. Louis U's first NCAA victory in 38 years?" Now there are extenuating circumstances. SLU had some very good teams after 1957, like that 1971 Missouri Valley Conference tri-champion that lost a playoff game by 2 points to Louisville at Robertson Fieldhouse (Bradley) in Peoria, of all places. Those were the days when the NCAA only took 1 team from a conference. I always felt as if 2 of Rich Grawer's NIT teams were snubbed by the NCAA too.

The great rivalry in those days was Georgetown, coached by John Thompson, against St. John's, coached by Lou Carnesecca. The coaches had a friendly rivalry. Louie wore those trademark sweaters, and Thompson began wearing a sweater on the bench. They faced off in the national semi-finals. And then add Rollie Massimino, and Jim Boeheim, who still coaches Syracuse. What great theater that was. In the '70's, the great coaching theater was Notre Dame's Digger Phelps v. Marquette's Al McGuire, my all-time favorite coach. And a little later, the great Ray Meyer had DePaul back in the limelight. In the 1990's, our own Coach Spoon had a friendly coaching rivalry with Bob Huggins, then at Cincinnati. We were the good guys, the Billikens, and Huggy Bear was the ultimate villain. The last SLU NCAA appearance followed the 2000 Miracle of Memphis, after Kenyon Martin went down against SLU. Some of us refer to that as the Act of God game. Re Loyola, that last NCAA team was led by Alfredrick Hughes, who never seemed to know a shot he didn't like. SLU and Loyola were both in the MCC (now Horizon League) back then. Red Rush, a colorful announcer, was the radio voice of the Loyola Ramblers. "He eyes it, he skies it, he buys it."

Perhaps the greatest year for the Catholic schools in NCAA hoops was 1985, my last year at SLU. That was the year when the Final 4 had 3 Catholic schools: Villanova, Georgetown, and St. John's. And that NCAA Championship Game was one of the greatest upsets of all time, as Villanova, a huge underdog, took down mighty Georgetown, which had Patrick Ewing in the paint. St. John's had Chris Mullen. Quick trivia question- who was the 4th member of the 1985 Final 4? (Answer- Memphis State of Coach Dana Kirk and Keith Lee. I didn't remember and had to look it up.)

As I recall, there used to be a class at SLU called Basketball Physics, something like that, taught by Ron Ekker. Maybe I should have volunteered back then to take over that class, but I was just a SLU undergraduate without a degree yet, and I still don't have a teaching credential. Catholic schools do have a rich history in basketball, some well before my time, like LaSalle and Tom Gola, some when I was a kid, like St. Bona and its trip to the Final 4 with Bob Lanier. I remember quite well when Marquette won the NCAA Championship under Al McGuire when I was in high school. And I remember Notre Dame ending UCLA's 88 game winning streak- that was a UCLA Bruins team that had Bill Walton at Center and was coached by the Wizard of Westwood himself, John Wooden. We are a proud lot. My wife told me last night that she thinks I pick all Catholic schools in those brackets. That's not quite the case, but I am admittedly biased and perhaps subconsciously influenced. That has to explain why I have Notre Dame making a run to the Final Four.

The ones that don't understand our situation are the ones from Notre Dame, Marquette, Villanova, Georgetown, and even Xavier. St. Mary's guys are understandably pessimistic re hoops because they are so used to being snubbed, and they've lost so many key games to Gonzaga, the last one notwithstanding. But they were able to go to school amidst beautiful scenery and surroundings ... so they don't complain much. They just expect the worst from the NCAA when it comes to their Gaels. To guys from USF, LMU, Santa Clara, we at SLU are big time these days. USF guys remember the glory days- Bill Cartwright, et al.; Santa Clara remembers their best teams couldn't beat USF. And LMU Lions still talk about Hank Gathers and Bo Kimball. The Bonas are a proud lot and are proud of their school, which is ok. At some point, something about Bob Lanier can enter the conversation. For that matter, LaSalle guys are a pretty proud, toughened lot themselves. They didn't get to go to school amidst that beautiful scenery like their Christian Brothers brethren from St. Mary's did. Many of them are from Philly, East Coast tough.

In this case, it can be attributed to the incense.

No, he was there well before that time. He and his wife are actually from the Bronx, and she is the Principal of the Parish School. When she recently spoke at Mass, I think on behalf of the Franciscan retreat house, she advised that she was wearing her St. Bona brown. It is kind of neat having all these guys sitting around the table talking hoops for a while. And we've got our own little corner of the A-10, way out here on the Left Coast.

At least SLU made the now Saintly 17, which is a good thing. This Pope's Poll has become quite a conversation piece in our parish men's group that meets on early Wed. mornings. We've got guys there from USF (the Priest himself, who deadpanned last time that his team was still in Hell), Marquette, St. Mary's, Xavier, Notre Dame, San Diego, Loyola Marymount (whose son is at Villanova and broadcasts 'Nova games on the campus radio station, and whose daughter is a freshman at SLU), and of course, yours truly from SLU (whose son is a Junior at Fordham). At coffee and donuts on Sunday, the SLU and Fordham guys were talking A-10 hoops with a St. Bona alumnus, who advised that Coach Jim Baron was once a star player for the Bonnies. We were both aware that our Bonnies and Billikens went down back to back in the A-10 Tournament.

True, but would the CBE even be there for SLU if not for the CBI? They appear to be linked in SLU's case.

Let's add to your B- that you were kept out of the NIT supposedly because of your non-conference schedule, and that the CBI is putting you in the O'Reilly Tournament in KC in 2 years, with Kansas and Syracuse in the field (hopefully meaning you'll get to play one of them, although not certain at this point), when your Sophs will be Seniors. Then what would you do? Now granted, it's not like SLU had a choice of picking between the NIT and CBI this year. But you can no doubt see that the CBI is a worthwhile endeavor for SLU this season. The CBI is a win-win for SLU.

No, you didn't answer my question, you changed it and asked a different question. What are the probabilities, risk factors of your questions with this young SLU team? The chances of your A are slim this year, we have a fighting chance, perhaps not a statistical likelihood, but certainly a better chance, for your B. Both are secondary tournaments, and that is a key, so getting to play at home is an important factor. (In other words, neither are the NCAA.) Thus all things considered, the CBI is better for SLU this season IMO. Upsets do happen, and tonight's game is certainly no given. ISU Blue has made some noise and been noticed this season.

Perhaps- but which would you take if this was your choice: A- Playing a road game in the NIT and losing the first game; B- Playing in the CBI as the #1 seed overall and getting to play 5 or 6 games, all but 1 of them at home. (And add to that getting to play in the O'Reilly Tournament in Kansas City in 2 years in a field that involves Kansas and Syracuse- I think that's the biggest carrot of all.)

If the Billikens come out in this CBI with a good attitude and play their A game, they can win this whole Tournament. And that will get some national publicity, albeit a blurb, but still good publicity for SLU. Many know that Oregon State, coached by President Obama's brother-in-law, won this CBI last season.

Agreed- we should be rooting for X- All for one in this case. Minnesota is yet another BCS team that should not be in this year's NCAA, not with that RPI of 61. Granted, Minnesota did win a close game late in the season at Champaign, but Illinois finished ahead of Minnesota in the Big Ten standings. And I'm not saying Illinois necessarily was NCAA worthy itself, not with that RPI of 74. But Illinois did finish 10-8 in the Big Ten, which is usually good enough.

To take a statement from Donald Rumsfeld, the NIT is the "Old Europe," yesterday's news. It has become a farce of a tournament with the presence of North Carolina (16-16), NC State, and Northwestern (RPI 117) in its field, and its seeding to allow North Carolina to play at home in the first round. It is not the next best 32, not with those three and the presence of the 8 automatic bid teams, 7 of which have no business being there. The seedings are gerrymandered to try to get the teams the NIT wants to New York City. It is the Old Guard, trying to hang on to some relevance, with that ridiculous College of Retired Coaches. Why isn't Charlie Spoonhour on the Committee to represent Midwest interests? The games on ESPNU aren't even on HD on DirecTV. Some cable systems don't even have ESPNU. The CBI is a better place for this SLU team. It is forward thinking, outside the box. SLU's CBI acceptance has reportedly led to SLU being included in that high bar O'Reilly Tournament in 2 years. That in itself makes this CBI worthwhile for SLU. My disappointment with SLU getting snubbed by the NIT was because I thought the season was over. The disappointment was gone 3 1/2 hours later.

Washington played a very good game in the Pac-10 final against Cal. UW beat Cal, the regular season Pac-10 Champ, 2 out of 3. I met Coach Romar last season when he was at the St. Mary's at Santa Clara game. He seemed like a good guy. Who knows? Anything can happen, but UW (24-9) is playing good ball down the stretch and has won 7 straight.

SLU, VCU, Oregon State, and Princeton- in the CBI. In that other tournament (the NCAA), the first bracket I filled out has Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia, and my out on a limb pick, Notre Dame.

Was that Eastern time? My understanding is the SLU game starts at 8 p.m. Central (9:00 Eastern) on Tuesday night.

And there's a whole host of places in Central Illinois, Prairie Capital Convention Center and UIS in Springfield, Carver Arena (where Bradley plays) in Peoria, a new arena in Bloomington, Redbird Arena or even old Horton Fieldhouse in Normal. Basketball floors are portable. I know the one at Assembly Hall is portable because at least when I was there way back when, the base of the permanent floor was concrete. Why couldn't they just move the Assembly Hall hardwood floor down the street to Huff Gym? Someone at the big U of I must not have thinking. Maybe there are fiefdom issues with wrestling, volleyball, who knows? If Gov. Blago was still in Springfield (or Chicago), he would have stepped in and solved the problem (even if he is a Pepperdine and Northwestern man). To be bi-partisan, it would be ditto for Big Jim Thompson As for Stony Brook, this will be its biggest athletic event ever. Can you just imagine this? It is unbelievable, but true.