Quality Is Job 1

You're calling someone stupid because you failed to recognize his sarcasm, and you call me a jerk because I think your calling him stupid while misspelling "you're" is ironic. Okay. You win.

GoSlu wrote, "Glad we agree your STUPID!!!!!!!!!! Maybe some progres" Pardon me, his what? And what about Rich's stupid (Rich, why didn't you tell us you had a pet)? When is an adjective a noun? It tickles me to see someone who can't spell you're call someone stupid.

...and, counting his redshirt season, next year will be JJ's fourth year attending SLU.

>Roy, not satisfied but they did get to the Big Dance and >afterall that is the goal. The 1998-99 Billikens squad (the year after Hughes) did not reach postseason.

...and a miss! Strike two!

Actually, SLU was seeded 7th, and Maryland was 10th.

Coach Soderberg said on his show last night (or on the post game show) that the reason he didn't play Dwayne much in the second half because DePaul had started to post Drake Diener (6-4) up against him, and the decision was to counter with a taller defender.

If that were the case, then what about Saint Louis's four NCAA trips during that period?

Remember, while we may refer to the school as Charlotte, its official name is University of North Carolina-Charlotte. It's probably viewed the way UMSL is in the University of Missouri system. Probably the majority of folks in Charlotte went/go to UNC (-Chapel Hill) or North Carolina State. Charlotte also has to compete with Wake and Duke for interest in its sports programs.

Broy, I have to agree with Cowboy. They ran a play for Reggie to get the last shot against Oral Roberts, and he was rebuffed. He did hit the winning shot against Southern Miss though.

He just plays an eight-man rotation, barring injury or foul trouble. Clarke has been out as a result of back spasms, and Johnson is on the outside looking in because he doesn't practice hard consistently.

...isn't athletic. Bird was a very good athlete.

The Billikens ALREADY try to run on a reasonably regular basis (especially off steals and long rebounds), and Liddell isn't even here yet. Hey, I listened to a portion of R&R on KFNS this afternoon, and Billiken Bob Ramsey corrected listeners on the nature of the Billikens' style of play: it's not that the Bills try to slow down the pace; rather, the scores have been low because the shooting has been bad.

I've never been down on Luke Meyer. Now, I didn't get excited about his recruitment and signing, but I'm always willing to wait and see what a player will contribute. I can't recall a time this season in which I criticized Meyer. Maybe I said I'd rather see Brown play, but Luke's a freshman (as is Brown). Frankly, I don't remember, and I don't feel like searching.

I sure hope the only bricks associated with the Billikens are outside the building (unless their the opponents' contribution to building the program). Hey, I'll save up to try to contribute to building the building, but it's Brad Soderberg's (and his recruits') job to force the opponents to contribute to building the program. Bryce, raise your arm and pull down a brick!

"Plans do not include a practice court or offices for athletics department personnel." If the players still have to go to West Pine to meet with the coaches and to practice, the new building isn't much more than a closer "off-campus" arena.

Danny Brown is the Billikens' best finisher on the break. As SLU transitions to a more uptempo offense, DB will be a key component. I salivate at the thought of Polk leading the break with Liddell on one win and Brown on the other. Luke Meyer will definitely have a major role.

Some dude who probably doesn't know which side of a self-adhesive stamp he should lick is calling me a moron! Despite UND's official address, every publication and media outlet I've ever noted locates Notre Dame in South Bend. Go ahead; book yourself a hotel in Notre Dame, Ind.

Notre Dame is in South Bend, Indiana.

If that contest is ever done again, I would recommend that the contestant spin one direction three times and then spin the other direction twice. That will balance the equilibrium and help prevent dizziness.

You're probably right. I wrestled with that choice, and for some reason I settled on Pattonville.

Eric Bickel was a 6-10 forward out of Pattonville. He was part of that banner recruiting class which included Julian Winfield, Scott Highmark, Erwin Claggett, Ryan Grant, Brian Smith, and juco transfer McGlother Irvin. He played two seasons (1991-92 and '92-93) and then transferred to UMSL.

>I think there's value to your system but I'd offer something >that I used in a thread elsewhere ... namely perspective. > >The letter counting is good but I don't see it as a >stand-alone value. It has to be added into the overall >perspective of a team and that means a whole bunch of >complicating factors must come into play as well. As Cowboy >notes, what if a couple of these lettermen can't shoot?!?! >All one has to do is look at Drejaj for that persepctive put >into reality. > >What if three or four of your "high number" lettermen are >stiffs? I'm all for the continuity to help with the program >but these would be worthless if the four seniors all had >four letters and they were all as productive as Ross Varner. > I would argue that those 16 letters might not add up to the >production one freshman like Danny Brown is contributing. > >Is your formula important? I think absoluetly so .. but its >not a stand alone, "go to" indicator as it is a part of the >overall equation that is needed at a SLU. As you pointed >out, it was not needed at Syracuse a few years ago to equate >into a national title. I know my post was long, but please note that I did say in my second paragraph, "The stat doesn't mean everything.... However, it's probably a good yardstick of how a team will come together." I also referenced the 2002-03 Syracuse squad in that paragraph.

I agree that a redshirted season may be a benefit to some players and, indirectly, to the program, but I can't really account for it in my "formula." The problem is that the role of a player in his redshirt year is different. In practice he's on the scout team and rarely plays with his future unit/rotation. Furthermore, he doesn't get the feel of the system at game speed, with out-for-blood rivals breathing down his neck. Related to that is that his teammates don't spend that redshirt season learning to trust that player and know what he'll do on the court against true opponents.