Duff Man
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Posts posted by Duff Man
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College basketball as a whole is not as popular as it was 18 year ago. The regional economy is in far worse shape than it was 18 years ago. Those are far bigger factors in the attendance than the lack of cheerleaders in the local media.the difference between now and spoonball days when we averaged 17k per season is we are no where near the level of media support as spoon had. besides cusamono there is no one that could be considered a cheerleader. bernie would defend rickma, but if you notice, there was no love for saint louis university.we are going to have to win the conference and go deep in the tourney to win over the fans without media cheerleaders.
Media support or lack thereof is part of the equation, but there are others out there besides Cusamono who actively promote SLU. BJ Rains for example is firmly on the bandwagon. Tim McKernan is a Mizzou honk, but still keeps SLU in the discussion and generally seems bullish on the potential of SLU basketball.
and I don't care how many local media guys you have in your corner, none of them are going to do you any good when they're not on the air for 3 days leading up to the game (as was the case for New Mexico).
It's unfair to judge interim coach Crews on his media skills, but the man is a boring interview. Majerus may not have had Spoonhour's charisma, but he certainly was able to pull some casual fans in just by going on the air and talking about the upcoming games. Ideally our next coach can 1) recruit 2) develop talent 3) out-game-plan his peers 4) make in-game adjustments and 5) possess a charm that appeals to the local media and casual fans (note: media savvy is the least important of those 5 skills)
Regarding local players...
Of course having a team featuring local talent boosts attendance on some marginal level. This is an undeniable fact. The question is to what degree you factor that into your overall strategy. You don't want to waste scholarships on token locals just to fulfill some sort of quota.
What seems to be overlooked [edit: well, until GOSLU68 raised this point in the previous post] is that many high school students - if given the choice - want to go somewhere else for college. This is human nature.
If you're a highly touted basketball recruit from St Louis, and you have offers from programs with National Championship pedigree, what's it going to take for you to turn down that opportunity and stay in St Louis to play for SLU?
Are you prepared to see SLU turn into a Calipari-style 1-and-done factory that will inevitably go on probation for recruiting violations?
I'm all for recruiting more local players, but the pool of kids who
1) want to stay in St Louis
2) are good enough to fill a role NCAA caliber team
3) can cut it academically at SLU
is not very deep.
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lol at "not having us as a top 25 team". Not sure if trolling or you're just new to this whole college basketball thing. We're 13-1 against a top 20 SOS, with two wins over ranked teams, including a top ten team on the road. I don't know what your criteria is for a team deserving to be ranked, but I'd be extremely interested to see what you would consider worthy.
To be fair, he did call UNM a great team - just not in the top 25 based on his computer algorithm - which factors in margin of victory, etc...
Coaches' poll has the Lobos at 23.
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Thanks for posting the article info - I wonder why VCU is not considered over George Mason? I still think that Creighton is not the lock everybody thinks - they may get an invite but I think the Omaha thing is a problem. I also still think Dayton is a question - they are not needed for the Ohio market if X joins. I understand the - Conf will not have their own TV network - but the conf should not want to relegate itself to small markets to start with - they could easily see that in a bigger market the team their could become good and take over.
Creighton was 6th in attendance last year averaging 16,665. Dayton ranked 28th averaging 12,154. These programs dominate their smaller markets and don't have to compete against pro sports locally. They might not have the upside of bigger media markets, but they do offer stability and both are a safe bet to pull their weight when it comes to non-conference RPI, even in their rebuilding seasons.
I know Brian Gregory is long gone - and this phenomenon was primarily true under his tenure - but what conference wouldn't want a program that consistently builds an NCAA caliber non-conference resume then under-performs in conference play?
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If it's BE7+ X, Butler, Dayton, Creighton, and SLU, I would expect Marquette to be the 6th team in the East (i.e. 'traditional') division rather than the retro-MCC West.
A major objective is to get as many nationally televised conferences games as possible, and the key element is highlighting traditional rivalries and establishing new ones.
The 5 original BE programs surely prefer Marquette to Xavier or any other new addition. Marquette has the brand of a successful BIg East program and in selling the TV rights, you're going to want as many premium 'traditional' Big East matchups as possible.
Additionally, you want to maximize the number of Xavier's match-ups against their natural rivals. They're not going to take Dayton and then split them up from Xavier.
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http://saintlouis.scout.com/2/1251329.html
"Since [Kwamain Mitchell] was hurt, we didn't have many guards," Carter said. "They were trying to do what was best for the team, and trying to do what was best for me. We just couldn't come to one decision."
"I played better in practice but I knew I wasn't going to be right," Carter said. "I had absolutely no problems with the Coach [Jim] Crews or the coaching staff, this was just the best decision for me. I just need some time off."
I'm not sure how to interpret these comments. The program would have every incentive to redshirt him if he was truly hurt. Kwamain was going to be back in time for the A10 season and surely Carter's impact in that extra year (2016-17) > anything he could have done this season (even without the injury). They certainly had to know he was always a threat to transfer and would be foolish to force him to play against his will.We were worried his lack of playing time would force him to transfer...and according to Carter the opposite was true
Either Carter is being coy about his motivation or someone within the program ("nothing against the coaches"?!? Then who? May?) has royally ###### up.
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Did Carter tell you directly about his feelings?
empathy : the capacity to recognize feelings that are being experienced by another
Staying with the dream date analogy - imagine it's the first date, and you traveled 5 hours to be there, and upon arrival you are informed your date can't make it because of a heart attack sustained months earlier.
Again...I'm not saying it would have made any difference (and it's possible this was a complete non-factor), nor am I saying SLU acted in the wrong (no-win situation, really) - I'm just saying that if I'm in Carter's shoes I'd have found the timing of the announcement dubious.
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From the kid's perspective, I don't think there's much difference.
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I'm not sure it would have made any difference, but the program clearly had a gag order on Majerus health right up to the point where Carter was enrolled. I can't blame him for feeling like they pulled the wool over his eyes.
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I do not understand the need or the want to have certainly players "come off the bench." Last year the talk was it was great to start Loe and have Cody come off the bench (and often play more minutes.) This year its Carter and Jett. If Carter is good enough to bump Jett and/or Jett's motor isn't up to playing all game at a high level so be it but otherwise I don't get it.
When the team is short-handed and Jett is forced into playing 35+ minutes and serving as the first option on the offensive end, that's going to take a toll on his defensive intensity. He has to conserve energy and temper his aggression in order to stay out of foul trouble.
When the team is at full strength with Mitchell and Carter, Jett can have an even greater impact playing fewer minutes because he's able to rev up the defensive intensity knowing that he'll get a breather.
As far as Jett starting or coming off the bench...I personally think it's preferable to have either Evans or Jett in the game at all times. With Carter and Kwamain coming back from injuries, Jett will probably continue to start for the foreseeable future, but at some point when Kwamain is back to full strength, it should revert back to Mitchell/McCall with Jett coming off the bench.
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Why is everyone shitting on Rob Loe in a thread titled Corey Remekun?
Thus far, Corey is most improved player from last season. His low post repertoire still leaves something to be desired, but he's clearly our best big man and he was dearly missed against Santa Clara.
Even a game like Wednesday, his stat line isn't that impressive, but did well guarding Tony Mitchell in the 2nd half, had a brilliant hustle play where he forced a turnover in the backcourt, came up with a huge block late when SLU was up only 1, and then came up with a critical offensive rebound and putback to break a 59-59 tie with under 2 minutes to play.
Corey is the unsung hero of this team.
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Ramsey said in postgame the Billikens have and RPI of 30... SOS = 8. Encouraging numbers!
Check that math.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/rankings/rpi/index1
RPI of 51 SOS = 18
Honestly, it's way too early to look at RPI. Just win every remaining non-conference game - including New Mexico - everything will be fine.
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The frontcourt combo of Barnett/Ellis/Loe cannot be allowed to happen again.
Offensively you end up with a bunch of guys hovering beyond the arc and nobody even threatening to draw a double team in the low post, so either Jett or McCall end up dribbling into traffic and forcing a tough shot.
Defensively I'm not going to criticize Barnett or Ellis for their effort, but they are not shot blocking threats or physical intimidators while Loe is playing in slow motion. We need either Evans, Remekun, Manning, or even Glaze (once he returns) on the floor at all times.
Sure you might be able to steal a possession or two with that soft frontcourt - especially when Loe is hitting shots - but once the opposition has identified the weakness, don't wait for the next whistle, CALL A ###### TIMEOUT and get a proper forward in there.
Crews nearly cost us the game with that ######.
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Larry Brown made 3 Final Fours in 7 seasons, won the title as a 6-seed in 1988, and never missed the dance.
Aside from the fact that they're both over 70 years old, and each lost to Phil Jackson in the NBA Finals (of course, Brown subsequently beat Jackson to win an NBA title), Larry Brown and Jerry Sloan are not fit for comparison.
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http://deadspin.com/...ust-four-points
Mention on deadspin about a previous board meltdown...
Bryce Husak is immortal.
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Manning hasn't shown the ability to play defense any better than RL. In fact he was much worse last night.
Loe is a 6'11" streaky 3pt shooting freak who cannot defend good players in the low post. He should get 8-15 minutes a game. I've lost patience with him. He's still getting pushed around like he's a skinny fresh fish. Loe has been given tons of minutes and has not developed into even a competent defensive low post player.
Manning on the other hand has upside as a low post player but has not been given an adequate chance. 73 minutes played in his entire Billiken career. When he's played, he's looked competent on offense (certainly more competent that Remekun looked at any point in his first 2 seasons) and unlike Loe, he looks like he might actually be able to play his position on the defensive side of the ball.
I get that Manning is still very much a work in progress, but all we really need from him is 10-15 minutes as Remekun's backup.
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Washington is KenPom 78 and RPI 20. This was always going to be a tough game even with Kwamain.
The Santa Clara loss was MUCH worse for the following reasons...
-we were double digit favorites against a non-BCS opponent
-we were playing at home
-we trailed by double digits for the bulk of the game
-we never looked like we had a shot at any point in the 2nd half
Every loss - even going back to last season - people act like the sky is falling. LMU. New Mexico. Dayton. Temple. UMass. Rhode Island.
The season is far from lost.
That being said there are a few things that stand out as recurring problems that Crews needs to address.
1) Rob Loe's role needs to be reduced. He cannot be allowed to guard the opposing teams first low post option. Let him start, fire up some 3s, and either ride his hot hand or sit his cold ass down. Remekun and Manning need to be guarding the opposing team's best low post players. Loe was eaten up by SIU's 6'5 power forward from Wentzville, I don't understand why he was allowed to guard 7'0 Aziz N'Diaye.
2) Cut down the undisciplined dumb fouls. Evans especially, but Jett and Remekun too. There is a fine line between aggressive and undisciplined play. Also - and this won't come up for a while - having the awareness of how games are called on the road. Evans and Jett are not going to get the calls on the drives on the road that they get at home. Going strong to the hole and waiting for the call is not a good plan against athletic teams - especially on the road. There needs to be a dump off pass to the open man in order to 'earn' the whistle.
3) McCall needs to be more assertive on offense. It's unrealistic to except him to step in and take over Kwamain's role, but he's shooting a high percentage from 3 and he's quick and good with the ball. TAKE MORE SHOTS!!! If he missed badly, so be it - but until Keith Carter gets healthy and shows he can do it - McCall is the best candidate we have to fill Kwamain's offensive leadership role.
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Brad Stevens - without question.
Self or Izzo would be in the picture if we were a big-time BCS program.
Definitely not Perma-tan Crean. Aside from 2003, when he rode an all-time great baller to the final 4, he underachieved in the dance with Marquette. He won't get the caliber of players here that he has currently at IU.
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I like how ESPN.com's box score is refusing to acknowledge Manning ever got into the game.
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At this point, my greatest concern is that Kwamain will commit multiple homicides before the night is over, and spend the rest of the season in prison.
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Really, the game was lost between the under 8 and under 4 TV timeouts in the first half.
It's 28-21, McCall has an awful turnover that leads to a 3 pointer 31-21. Glaze turns it over and it leads to a layup 33-21. Evans grabs a huge offensive rebound on the next possession and feeds Jett for a layup to get it back to 10. Jett then gets a steal and feeds Evans on the break who just completely loses control of himself and falls out of bounds under the basket and throws it right to the other team, and Jett picks up his 2nd foul going for a steal out of frustration.
Crews needs to understand that Jett and Evans need to be protected (from fatigue with timeouts and from foul trouble with substitutions). We cannot survive with either of them out for extended periods of time.
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What do you call a racist wifebeater who can't get over the election?
A Trainwreck
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They're overhauling the stats program so they can get a 0 instead of 00 to appear when Carter is in the game.
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That Mike McCann kid looks like a player. Is he a walk on? He wasn't even on the printed rosters but he hit a nice shot in the 2nd half.
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There was a pre-scrimmage story that was also published, but the post-scrimmage one that includes the excepts above explicitly says...
With the big men, Crews said both Rob Loe and Cody Ellis need to get the ball inside more and get to the foul line more often.
Temple v. Kansas
in Billikens.com Main Board
Posted
Jeff Withey gets secret service level protection from the zebras, it's :Jimbo Bad Language: ridiculous. KU has now played 12 games at either Allen Fieldhouse or the Sprint Center and he has yet to pick up a 3rd foul. In the first half today there were 2 blatant fouls that were not called 1) the Wyatt pump fake 3 where he got Withey in the air and induced contact (the announcers claimed it was a good no-call because Withey went straight up and down when he clearly was moving out towards the arc) and 2) the below push off that robbed Temple of an offensive rebound
The second of the 2 fouls that were called on Withey was a very late whistle and probably wouldn't have been called if the basket had gone in. I remember it was the same story against SLU. It's a HUGE advantage for a shot blocking threat like Withey to be given multiple extra fouls each game.
The worst call of the game was a first half steal by Wyatt that was ruled a kicked ball when it never hit anyone's foot.
KU had ridiculous calls against them too, as one player got thrown to the floor on the baseline away from the ball after a defensive rebound (I believe Wyatt chucked/missed a quick 3 on the ensuing possession) and Releford's 5th foul was absurd, but he'd already put the game out of reach by that point.