Bay Area Billiken

Watching the Aztecs, I really didn’t think they were that good, even though they reached the NCAA Championship Game. They played tough defense, which kept them in the games. But their shooting was so off, that my impression was they couldn’t shoot (an overall assessment). They cut the UConn lead to 5, but then ran out of juice (not gas, as they hail from California). Matt Bradley was SDSU’s only player who averaged double figures in scoring. He was a 3 year player at Cal, then played 2 seasons at SDSU. SDSU made the National Championship Game, finished 32-7, while Cal flatlined at 3-29. From a basketball perspective, Bradley made a good move.

A fellow member of the morning coffee group, a former Cal player who suited up against the mighty UCLA Bruins in their glory years, was at the Meet and Greet for Coach Madsen yesterday in Berkeley. I’m interested to hear his report this morning. Madsen has already brought some energy to the Old Blues after 3-29.

UC’s are the University of California. Cal State’s are the California State University System. They are two different public university systems in the same State.

I thought of both Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State in Baseball. But I think the Final 4 in Basketball is bigger.

SDSU overcame a 14 point deficit and its own 13-22 FT shooting. This is probably the biggest win in athletics in California State University System history.

AZTECS ️

Ms. BAB and I wish Yuri all the best, and we have enjoyed watching him play Hoops and represent our Alma Mater.

The narrative continues. Ask yourself on which side are you really stationed.

I'd like to see how many of those NCAA appearances VCU would have garnered if the zebras in the East Coast Bus League with its Southern Spur actually called the fouls, as specified in the Basketball Rules, like the refs surprisingly did to VCU in shorting its "Havoc" (Gimmick, aka Fouls) vs. St. Mary's in the NCAA Tourney in Albany. In the Bus League, it seems the refs are more interested in hailing their ride shares to catch their departing flights out of town.

VCU has had and lost 4 coaches since that prestigious CBI Championship in ‘10- Anthony Grant, Shaka Smart, Will Wade, Mike Rhoades. That VCU “Havoc” (Gimmick aka Fouls) is true Hoops poetry in motion, veritable Baryshnikov’s on the hardwood. We’ll see if Dave Odom’s son continues this aesthetic beauty, or brings his 180 degree different system with him to the successor of the Richmond Professional Institute. Free Sonny Smith.

Time will tell about this claim. Odom is believed to have his eyes on the ACC, where his Dad coached, and/or other Power 5. Like other VCU Coaches, he likely sees VCU as a stepping stone. How long he is actually there remains to be seen. But VCU does have interesting buyout clause language for its coaches, requiring the school that poaches its coach (i.e. Penn State with Rhoades) to play a home and home with VCU.

The return of Gibson Jimerson changes the outlook, is a tremendous shot in the arm to the program.

One always knows the argument has been won when the lame insults get hurled. You have failed to explain why North Texas, with its NET of 38 was snubbed by the NCAA and instead is playing tomorrow night for the NIT Championship. You have also failed to explain the transfer of 6 NCAA at large bids from the “mid-majors” to the Power 5 + 1. But by all means keep spewing the narrative. At some point even you might grow tired of it.

The RPI is still available. It was the metric used for decades. It is the metric last used for NCAA Soccer and Baseball. it is the best available example to compare to the NET and show what the NCAA has done to service its Power 5 overlords. Of course, the RPI does not fit the narrative of the anti-Coach faction on this board, not with SLU’s inconvenient truth RPI of 53.

NIT Finalist North Texas, with its easily NCAA Tourney qualifying NET of 38, was nevertheless snubbed. Desi: Explain that one to me, Lucy.

21-12, 12-6, playing in the A10 should have gotten SLU on the Bubble, not OUT of everything. That 21-12 yielded an RPI of 53, which would have been the 2nd to last team IN the NCAA, had the metric formally used still have been used. SLU would have no doubt been snubbed, would have been relegated into the NIT, probably as a #1 seed in the NIT, but would have had a stronger argument for NCAA inclusion had the RPI still been used. Of course, the NCAA, servicing its Power 5 overlords, developed and then tweaked the NET, which resulted in SLU's NET of 99. 53 vs. 99 is a tremendous disparity. 21 Wins, 20 vs. D-1, a .667 conference record in 18 conference games, and advancing to the A10 Tourney semifinals is worthy of NCAA consideration, irrespective of what metric the NCAA uses. You have to be close to perfect to get an at large now from the A10, have virtually no margin for error. Power 5 + 1 schools do not face that same gauntlet. VCU would not have received an at large bid, and Dayton did not receive one. What actually happened? Very simply, six (6) NCAA at large bids were transferred to the Power 5 + 1 from the so called "mid-majors," still a pejorative term in the case of SLU, but one becoming mainstream.

Former Billiken Lassina Traore, 6'10" 230, just completed his Sophomore season at Long Beach State in the Big West, averaged 12.9 ppg and 10.5 rpg, was named NABC All-District 9. He hardly played in his freshman year at SLU. He just averaged a Double-Double for The Beach.

That's South Florida, the copycat USF, including the same colors, although I think the Florida version may have received the trademark, would need to check that. When we hear USF out here, it's the Dons, the team of Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Jumping Joe Ellis, Phil Smith, Kevin Restani, Snake Jones, Bill Cartwright, James Hardy, Winfred Boynes, Chubby Cox, Quintin Dailey, Wallace Bryant. However, sometimes the nomenclature is USF (CA). As you can probably tell, if I had a second team, the USF Dons would be it. However, to paraphrase the sign at Yankee Stadium: A Billiken fan has no second team.

Jimer is a solid Billiken on the court and in the classroom.

I'm not buying it, 05, 21-12 RPI 53 (albeit rigged NET of 99) and OUT of everything, uninvited. Maybe had we lobbied early we would have made the CBI. But that would not have gone over well with this fanbase.

Former Houston Coach Guy V. Lewis: "I just throw out the basketballs and let the boys play." There is some merit in that statement. See the Association, the NBA.

Caffeine and cashews, Willie. I want some positivity around here, look at the half of the glass that's full.

05, as long as SLU is in the A10, the at large may no longer be available under the new rules of engagement aka the Power 5 + 1 NET power play, the latest rendition of the Golden Rule (He who holds the gold makes the Rule), the redistribution of at large bid$.

The Mad Dog is a good hire for the Golden Bears. The Old Blues will be behind him, as long as he doesn't slip and wear any Stanford Red. "Take off that Red shirt!"