satrap

I despise this sentence and sentences like it. And it has nothing to do with MO State, a school and program I think about with near-0 frequency.

I thought I heard that gigantic THUD coming from the east. Why go through all of that, firing a coach and interviewing REAL coaches, just to hire Lavin??

True.

I personally always admired Brad from afar but, Lord have mercy, how much time with his dad can Kramer stand? Of course, I must be projecting my own filial issues on Kramer

Well, the good times crack WAS funny. I do remember that story; this was in the past 4 or 5 years, right? Yes, definitely.

Yeah. You, me, and about 49% of Rams fans out there. They'll draft Bradford, because they don't have the guts to go with their every instinct. Also, Burwell strikes me as a friendly guy. Why he gets so much flak in St. Louis is odd.

I know, I know, but I feel this way about that: Bob contributed much more to Lindenwood that vice-versa. Karraker went there too. Bright people end up at third tier places all the time. Not that I'm comparing Ramsey, who is very bright, to Randy K, who is not so much. Lindenwood's the type of school who figures out how to get a scholarship lozenge-sucking team via federal grant dollars. And, not to be racially supercharged here, but St. Charles is horrible.

Agree on the relative insanity of leaving hoops in the MAC for Lindenwood. I was always a Brad supporter but Lindenwood is super meh. And, I apologize in advance for this- I truly do- but Lindenwood is not a quality institution whatsoever. It is a federal student loan recycling/laundering operation.

After having season tickets for three years, I decided not to re-up this year for a few reasons, so I wasn't there. That being said, I took my two young kids to the Rams game yesterday- my first trip to the dome since about a month after 9/11/01. What a bore. Billiken basketball is MUCH more exciting, much more fun for a sports fan and much better to entertain children. I am mystified at the popularity of the ponderous sport of the NFL vs. the excellent value of NCAA hoops. GO Bills.

Beating a Big12 or Big 10 team is always good, no matter who, when, where or how.

Very impressive win by the Billikens. Just very impressive.

Ah, the former Vashon player: almost always WAAAYY less than the sum of his props.....

First of all, WHO CARES how good the bottom feeders are or aren't. It has absolutely nothing to do with SLU's success. Michigan State wasn't apologizing for how bad Northwestern was when they won the NCAA tournament, UCLA/Oregon St, etc. etc., let it go. Secondly, since I'm in a particularly anti-Majerus mood right now, I'll comment that the money for marketing went out the window when we had to pay this coach his oversized contract. SLU is too limited an athletic dept. to have it both ways. It's either/or and RM's contract won out.

Your suggestions and observations are right-on. In fact, the conference tournament- if you are going to have one- should be a major showcase for a league and in almost all respects MORE important than an additional possible NCAA bid. Having the tourney Fri-Sunday is esentially acknowledging the seriousness of the effort, and Atlantic City is the best venue I can think of for a league named the Atlantic 10.

I dislike Hansbrough as much as the next guy- which obviously means alot as he is probably the least popular player of the last decade. But I always thought likely-future-NBA-success-or-lack is the most bizarre way to think about a player, since what TH has done at, and for, UNC is simply humongous. Who REALLY cares what he does as a Washington Wizard or Western Australia Fire????

I don't really want to add to this thread, because I don't really care whether the WBB team is undefeated or winless. But only a player with a massive inferiority complex would leave a team based on a projection that it would be worse next year. Great players are supposed to ensure that doesn't happen, not meekly bow out (not that Lisch did that). I think Larry Bird was one of the first to shake his head at the trend of players wanting to be traded to "contenders". Contention is something good players are supposed to deliver, not receive.....

I'm surprised you're asking, since you probably have a better feel for this than most. Though I think it's totally self evident that the fates of the two teams are completely separate and each could be very good or very bad or any combination therein at any time. There's just no relation between the teams, as both will sign some St. Louis guys, both will lose many St. Louis guys, and both will sign many non local guys.

Bingo. And this was a different type of mistake- more physical than mental, though nerves I'm sure played a part.

I've heard this alot, and am not inclined to argue; all I can say is that Dayton is a team of (relatively) poor shooters who, if they were reliable shooters, would have been a top 10 team and a favorite to reach the Final Four.

Seven years ago!!! Yowza. I'm sure you're right, and the admin. made the right move- continuity I think is underappreciated in college athletics, with Gary Pinkel being the poster child for this concept. His staff's stability has really helped Mizzou, and the transition to Brad from Lorenzo was at least a nod in that hopeful direction. I'm very impressed with Gregory, but I tend to be appreciative of what a zillion coaches do. This year alone, I think Gregory, Ed DeChellis, Ben Jacobson, Bill Carmody, and Steve Fisher have done outstanding jobs "in the shadows".....

The guys on this board who know the rules figured his situation out extensively when he transferred, as far as eventual eligibility goes. You can probably find it in the board archives, and it will tell you that he's going to lose a year or somesuch. As far as the Tommie Liddell 20/10 run as a soph: DAMN THAT WAS FUN. I was soooo impressed with Lisch and Liddell at the time. And trying to rationalize Ian's play by blaming it on his finger (I think it was his damn pinkie, if I'm not mistaken) or his foot or something. IV wasn't actually that bad- he just wasn't that good, and he needed to be THAT good to make SLU a potent team. What might have been....... Someone, give us an update on ol' OPAAAAA!

I would be happy, for years, if Mizzou made the final game!! (Sorry for the heresy)

Not only that, but there is something very evil about the Leviathan, Ohio State U. Blecchhh

Nice post, Taj, and I agree. How could one know what he would have done with any degree of certainty. The odd part, for me, is how little patience some players have for the game and for life. You would think for stability's sake that RC or anybody else would WANT to stick it out for 4 years, since that's the best way to have the proper college experience. I think, without any inside knowledge, that RC was probably unhappy with his decision almost immediately after making it and wanted out. This was probably due to the academic side of things. As far as the highighted part, I am curious as to whom you are referring?

Interesting, the European art of avoiding taxes. Probably for another OT discussion, but it does speak to the universal dislike of tribute to the state. As far as Trent Meacham goes, I cannot believe there is a team in the world- anywhere in the entire world- that would pay him money to play basketball. I don't think he's not a good little player, but he's not worth paying money. If there is a league that would pay him, it's such a low level as to make the money either minimal i.e. not enough to live on, or very, very temporary, as in weeks.... As far as Theresa goes, I concur that she should have stayed or I guess I should say that I would have stayed. What is it with the Lisch family and the 3 year academic plan? It's certainly admirable on one level, but with people living longer and longer lives, there's just no rush to enter the excitement of the job market for the next 50 years. Whatever floats your boat down the Danube- or Volga, more likely....