GOSLU68

I would like to hear about Agbeko's injury. It did not look like an ankle roll but like a trick knee that just completely collapsed. This kid is best facing basket. If someone could pass to him at eight feet from basket he has a quick move for his height.

I thought Manning played up to his potential. I think if we set Majerus style picks MB with his height and shooting range should be shooting behind a pick and not picking up his dribble after one bounce and waiting for someone to bail him out. MB does not make things happen. He is best shooting from a kickback pass. TL may not fit. He and Gilman both look for the pass back that never seems to come. Manning passes and runs away with his head down. Jolly leads the team in freshman fouls and Manning is second in freshman fouls. MB does not make things happen at point. I don't like the McBroom option but you know he is going to try to score. With MB you know he is going to get rid of the ball. I would like to try MR but add him to the list of people that Crews has freight ended to shoot. McBroom and Crawford were shooters in high school why turn them into dribblers? Reynolds is more reluctant than Cassity.

I think along with Crawford and Gilmann he is among the better passers and is the best inbound passer we have. I know he has liabilities on defense (doesn't match up well, doesn't move his feet to suit Majerus, but along with Jolly and Manning he does set picks. He does not make mistakes is very conservative with the ball. His 3 point shot is flat-unless the coaches are busy elsewhere it would seem someone would tell him from that far out it drops in easier from above instead of trying to skim over the front of the rim. Unless he is hurt; in the doghouse; or has told the coaches he is moving someplace where his style fits in better I can't see why he did not get in the last few games. Trolls aside; if someone has a real clue please comment. I was happy to see Reynolds get 13 minutes and he showed up very well.

We need everyone we have

Not suited up for game

Gillman has nice talent but minutes need to be taken by other bigs; I liked the high post passing Tanner Lancona did the last time he saw action from the floor instead of the bench. His passing and inbounding passes were better than what we have had since. I like Mike Crawford inbounding but he is shorter and not as strong as TL if we insist on this 3/4 length pass just to get the ball in. I would think Reynolds could be taught to get separation and to steal the ball so he could play more often-isn't he supposed to be fast? With half a dozen guys RA, TL, Jolly, Gillman, Neufeld, Welmer you would think we could try high post low post again. It broke the zone defense something we had trouble with in the past. Our problems with bigs are two: no rebounding and no blocking out. They all want to be the next Rob Loe not the next Chris Heinrich. We are easy to drive in against and we have the rebounds taken out of JM and AG's hands too often when they do get them

I think their big objective in the games is to see the same number of fouls are called on each team each half if possible. Umass game white haired ref should retire: he called fouls where he was 40 yards away and the fouling player was blocking his vision of what happened and the whistle blew because of something apparently happening. He did not look out of shape but did not move to get the best view of the game.

Substitution: Here is our official game plan and general rules from which we can not deviate: 1)choose starters; 2) no matter what is going on sub guards at 3:50 don"t wait until the rest of the subs come in at 5:00 into the game. 3)inbound goal get the ball in were only freshmen. Prefer to throw past mid court as number one option- try not to lose the ball 4)don't rebound on our free throws since we make 60% it is not worth the chance someone might not get back on defense on time 5) if we were close at half time stick to game plan we might get lucky in second half 6)we are only freshmen so learning plays is not required play one on one street ball if teamates are standing around 7)if coach yells at us about a mistake or something not working look the other way or walk away something else will happen to distract him in next ten seconds. 8) if our player shoots run to other end as we hardly ever get the rebound anyway take players out who stay to rebound 9) if I shoot run to other end as follow up has not produced many points this year 10) if we have a lead check to see if we can substitute as some of the players have not got their time in. 11) even though it is mid season be sure to substitute all players after they are in 5 minutes because since they don't play 30-35 minutes they tire easily after 5 minutes. 12) if your shot has not been falling stand around coach will probably take you out soon anyway 13) if your shot has not been falling look to pass rather than quick release shot 14) don't reach in to steal the ball sometimes refs call a foul if you foul you will get substituted for 15) if it is the last shot of the game and we miss don't try to rebound it is useless 16) if it is the last shot and the rebound goes to the other team don't foul maybe they will miss too 17) if the opponent starts a run don't use a time out. save it we may want to use it later. 18) for difficult inbound plays under our basket put in tall guys to catch long passes instead of fast people with good hands who can get separation; 19) remember what worked in past games and try and do that again. 20) remember what did not work in past games and try and avoid that.

It would be a move in the right direction to fire Guy however the subs they keep hiring when he is not available do not have as clear voice

Notes? Anybody see my notes? Tanner you have my notes?

I hope the kid can play somewhere next year. He showed a lot of heart on the floor for SLU. GG could have been a great example for the guys who did not play last night. Some of them have a lot of talent but need permission to play up to their ability and leave their best on the floor not on the bench. TL may not have his shot falling but I trust him to inbound the ball or catch a pass. MR has speed that should have been used in a VCU havoc. Jolly has talent but needs to stop making fouls. We need these guys

I wish we could play VCU three times this year

In most of the games we have lost we had one or two significant leads. The staff seemed to think it was more important to substitute than leave the team on the floor building the lead

Actually I thought the coaches had time cards and you did not get in the after game party unless your minutes were all accounted for in the rotation. How did TL and MR get out of the doghouse- we better tell AM. I would think it would be good if MB had the feeling he left the game on fire and would come back next game and do the same thing-comparing him to AM he makes me nervous when he dribbles up floor at the edge of the sideline where it easy to get boxed in and his passes do not give me the floor general feeling. Hitting 4 threes is fantastic but he is a long way from point guard material. I hope he develops into our point guard. MR has speed (but seems deer in the headlights freshman lost) it has been so long since something on the basketball floor clicked for him. Crews trying to keep them all happy instead of trying to win is different. And what was it with our older assistant yelling at the sitting players at first time out at same time Crews was yelling at them-does that work with 18 year olds. You could see Jolly easing away from CC when he was trying to coach him up and he was not even yelling. CC was the most active this game of any previous games. Tanner B seems to be hearing more than one voice now.

The Dukes had 6 steals to our 2. Lancona passing at the high post took control and broke the zone defense. Jolly was not as good at it and since AG is such a good passer and has such floor vision I was surprised he did not get his chances at high post. What game were people watching Lancona shooting tolerable last two games and Manning had zero rebounds in 13 minutes while RA had 3 in eight minutes- not saying RA should get minutes just that Manning needs to learn at 6-11 and 250 pounds to get position instead of heading for the other end as soon as shot is hoisted.

Are you coach Crews sneaking on our board? If so please encourage the players to try and play defense and steal the ball.

What happened to AY? He seemed a little out of control early. Now I have trouble remembering when he was in the game.

I think TL is a heady ball player and sees the court well and deserves more minutes. He does not look like he is in good shape. Maybe he is eating right before the game figuring he will have digested his dinner and be ready to play the last few minutes of the game. Crews seems to have lost a few of these players-like their burning desire to win and be the hero has been replaced by contentment to get in their allotted minutes and go back to the end of the bench.

So far I am not convinced about Crews. Crews plan may yield us 7-9 players for the next 2-3 years but it is brutal to watch a team not performing what we considered to be SLU givens- defense, steals, low turnover. We have all watched "Hoosiers" and Crews will only win the Gene Hackman award if he wins the A-10 tournament. We are watching a lot of bad basketball and a lot of it is because of the coaching. We have no inbound play. Crews said the one that worked Crawford thought of in 2 minutes. We usually prefer to throw to Gilman 25 feet inside the opponents side of the half court line. Majerus started this no men on the line on free throws because we were playing only 5-6 players and this helped them recover. Crews keeps doing it in spite of a rotation that seems all important-taking out a five that is stretching a lead so they are rested at the end of regulation. How we got players like Ash in foul trouble with 14 minutes of playing time really sucks. Crews seems to have taken the will to shoot out of Manning, Crawford, even Mc Broom and I never thought that would happen. When we had Majerus I was hoping we would go after Stallings as he was local even if he was of a Collinsville-Illinois heritage. I think Manning is better this year and I really like AG. I think TL is one of the steadier hands at crunch time-why is he so often buried at the end of the bench. I think Reynolds is the fastest guy on the team-why doesn't he get taught the junkyard dog style that Spoon used against Grawer so successfully? I see a lot of good things but for only five minutes in each half. The other five minutes in each half we are playing a different line (like hockey) that gives it all back. I think Crews has to learn to substitute when needed rather than wholesale changes at 4 minutes Crawford and 5 minutes whoever is elevated from the doghouse that game. I think Crews should not write down his plan. Once he buys into what he has written he is willing to die with it rather than adjust. Majerus made really good adjustments during the game and for second half. If our current plan is not working we fold.

When Hurley's team came in you had to notice many of the bigs wearing rib pads under their white warm ups or t shirts. I felt it was going to be a rough game when I saw that. Do the Bills wear protection from elbows, etc.?

I was going to save the hands of stone reference for RA. It is a developmental issue for some and they can work out of it. First thing to do is ask them where they have the easiest time catching the ball. Then make the guards get it to that point instead of firing it chest high or lower at them. If they move toward the basket and the pass is enroute there is going to be less fighting off and more taking in with a softer reception. With regards to Majerus he could have five players on the floor and understand how they could play together within their own abilities and not say TL is my backup for MY and RA is my backup for TL and expect them to do the right thing. Gillman often doesn't catch the ball but passes or deflects it for an assist without taking full control. You see spot up jump shooters who catch and shoot without coming down into a standstill and starting up again. Gillman reminds me of a young Easy Ed Mc Cauley but to earn that distinction he has to have a Conklin summer as an incoming sophomore.

Good topic: I would think a coach who figures TL is indispensable the last few minutes of the game would let him play enough to break a sweat. It takes a miracle to take off warm ups and be a savior when the game is going south at the end. I Like both Tanners and both can see what is going on during the basketball game. Crews is so rigid the opposing coach knows after 4 minutes MC comes in; a minute later we bring other thin players. If Manning and Gilman are playing well why not go twin towers. I think Miles Reynolds has speed if MB can play so should MR Crews needs to leave the team alone and not substitute when we are winning. Crews needs to put men on line when opponents are shooting fouls-they can't be that winded that they need to stand over the half court line when we have trouble in bounding. We should have won the last two games we had early and substantial leads

My grievance is that we don't get to choose our own spellchecker like we choose which Bible we want to follow in the New Testament.

Crews had his head in the air looking up in the stands-aloof the last 30 seconds. It is no wonder the team to that queue. This game was first of the season that was a pleasure to watch sans last 30. We stole the ball, we rebounded. Some of the players actually played together. We had lots of mistakes as a young team will. However, we got in the flow before Crews could make the predictable personnel changes that either come every 4 or 5 minutes. Too bad when we went up by 12 near the end of the game those guys couldn't have stayed in the game. It could be as MY stated some of them are starting to trust the other players. There were some good passes by Malik and Gilman. A couple of times people passed to Gilman moving toward the basket. I thought by now RA would have been getting regular Alley Oop passes but his hands are not as good as last year. Manning is doing a reasonable job on defense. Manning looks a little more relaxed on offense as well. I am not sure why our players don't look determined to score when they get the ball. They seem to wait for lots of space thinking they will get stuffed? At the end of last year I would have bet Manning would foul out most games. The new Crews system keeps every one in the game except MB who still having trouble making his feet move on defense. Agbeko forgot and was guarding his man on offense a couple of times but all in all an improved performances. I will give a pass to ML and AY on their poor shooting percentages because they did actually get some offensive rebounds for some of those missed shots. My biggest hope for next year Gilman and Davel Roby put on 20 pounds of muscle-each. DR has real potential to be an all around good player. We have several players besides Gilman who are aware of where the ball is and where the other players are but he is the nicest surprise so far.

You are really giving the guy who followed Ron Erker too much credit. Erker was trending the Bills to leave division I basketball and Grawer played in the poorest leagues we could get into. Greatest Billiken coach has to be judged not what you did before or after being with SLU. Hickey and Majerus and then Spoon. Bennington was a great coach in the minds of basketball as well. Grawer couldn't work with talent. He had Claggett on the bench his freshman year so that the two coaches sons could play. Kevin Footes was among the most talented to come to SLU during that time-he would bench him for getting rebounds and dribbling down the court and dunking the ball. At six foot 9 Grawer believed he should pass to a guard to set up a play. I voted for Boushka, Ferry, Easy Ed Mc Cauley for All American status. I added Larry Hughes because he was the real deal who stayed home and made Spoonhauer's other recruits play much better. I finished with Gray over Bonner but it was a hard choice. Bonner could not shoot a jump shot and Gray played like a guard and play maker. They played at the same time so I was able to compare. Another day I might pick Bonner instead. Definitely, Grawer getting Douglas, Gray, and Bonner to all come to SLU when we have always had trouble attracting local talent was the real appeal for Grawer to have any consideration-as a recruiter not as a coach. Crews, I think we will have to wait and see. He played the hand left him by Majerus well and he has recruited some nice talent. If Tatum's son comes to SLU he may make us all believe in Jim Crews. That would be nice. I like his approach to this years young talent-giving them all a chance is certainly different than last year's team where seniority mattered. I think he comes to games well prepared. I am not convinced he can see the floor like Majerus did or make adjustments during the game or at half time. I hope he does and I hope he can. It is definitely easier to vote for someone after they are finished than during. Grawer going 5-23 and getting fired in his last year certainly ruined his chances. I thought it was great when Grawer got paid a dollar for every fan in the seats if that story was true.