Bobby Metzinger

Reported.

Don't have to be a core player to have a huge impact, though. John Paxon, BJ Armstrong just as vital to the Bulls as MJ and Scottie. The under the radar guys can stick a dagger like Steve Kerr did. We need our stud guys, for sure, but those silent assassin types are sure fun too! I saw JJ as one of those guys that as soon as you relax, bam, he's knocking down jumpers.

So true, TheOne. Felt like we were all rising out of the ashes with his hiring. Program turned a new page and attitude. I think Ford has that swagger, too. Good fundamentals as basketball players, but more importantly, as visible people in the community. Was awesome to see so many people show up for his intro!

Hard to believe the Majerus era began 11 years ago at SLU. Here's a pic I took from the presser. Thanks for the memories, coach. The light shining down on him in life and in death. Truly a remarkable person.

Shocker that they’ll probably end up with Muffet up the Toll Road in South Bend... ND will depart four seniors after 18-19. Stone will get her talent to SLU somehow. She’s doing a great job with the young women she’s brought to campus so far.

Dave Gavett approves. When you say balance the league out, do you mean because the conference had more football powers south of the NY/NJ area in West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami? Or just because most member schools did not have D-1A football?

What are St. John and Seton Hall doing in the BE then? Wasn’t Rutgers in the BE for a stretch? NY/NJ metro for all practical matters is just one demographic. You are right in saying NY doesnt want two BE teams when at one point they had three in a 40 mile radius of MSG.

I wouldn’t necessarily call the C’s team Brad Stevens inherited a full-on rebuild. Maybe this year they exceeded expectations given the injuries to Gordon right off the bat and Kyrie late, but not certain about a total Knicks style rebuild. But to your point, he’s done a hell of a job there. The building blocks are there and he’s the architect. What I meant by Jay Wright being the face of Philly sports is that someone outside of Philly could be at the grocery store, see him and recognize him. He’s garnered local/national exposure for a while now. Not too many people could pick Doug Pederson out in the frozen food aisle, even if he was carrying the Lombardi Trophy around. Something about those damn pinstripe suits JW wears! C.) is spot on.

Brian, out of curiosity, would he leave Philly to be fourth or fifth fiddle in New York to the Yanks, Mets, Giants and Jets and/or Rangers? He’s arguably the face of Philly sports. Way more than Doug Pederson and I know the Eagles loom larger than Nova, but aside from cash considerations, he’s living the life. Look at what the jump did to Pitino. Billy Donovan makes it look easy with OKC, but name me a coach that has gone from College to a pro rebuild and turned it around? I know he’s probably got the Teflon style with the press, but Dolan’s guy in my opinion is Quin Snyder. I can’t tell you a damn thing about the Jazz, but how they’ve managed to hang with the Thunder is pretty impressive. He could do the same thing in the east with a no-name roster.

Reverting back (almost) to the old Prop 48 days...not sure where I’d draw the line on that, especially with the Graduation rates now playing a role in postseason participation. Maybe the schools with the top 25 graduation rates would get a pass, as an incentive to be able to play freshman. Would it apply to all D1 programs including the non-scholarship offering Ivies?

Would definitely be nice to have a little mini gateway to Europe via Reykjavik. Hopefully WOW gets a nice market share through STL.

+1. Good to see Lambert getting back into the long-haul international game. Been what, 25 some odd years since TWA serviced LHR and CDG?

This sucks. But what an amazing moment for DJ, obviously concerned about his own wellbeing, to be thinking of others in a less-fortunate predicament. What perspective this young man has. Truly someone who "gets it." Prayers to you, DJ.

You’re a sorry excuse for a SLU fan. Go away, Peter Pan!

91,000 expected for the UGA spring game in Athens on Saturday. Not even 900 at Farrot Field last Saturday. SEC. SEC. SEC. The local construction company laughing all the way to the bank on the end zone project, since usually it's the away team striding in untouched for six.

Lighten up, Francis.

So ironically, I have a meeting at RU on Friday. Nice little school in Waleska, about an hour north of Atlanta, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians. Will try and get some more footage. No word on if my Friday meeting will produce typical Friday Jimbo style pics though

Absolutely... the what-could-have-beens over the last few years, though... it is frustrating. I think he will be a great addition on and off the court. Good leadership.

Interesting post, OG. Almost like you can point a finger at both Crews for not being patient and Reynolds for possibly the same exact thing (depending on the conversation he and TF had). And maybe you are right in your assumption that Crews was never going to plug Reynolds into a system where he could succeed at a high mid-major, but he really must have flourished in Stockton in order to have caught a ticket to Norman. Will be interesting to see how he plays under Lon.

Spot on, Nick. Just remember Flounder was a legacy at Delta house and barely got in.

Oklahoma basketball could be the most inconsistently baffling program in the country given the talent they somehow redirect from neighboring Kansas. Granted they got to a Final Four with Buddy, but went 11-20 the next year and then were probably the most Head-scratching “why?” of the field of this year’s tournament. Good luck, Miles.

Funny you mention Jim Larranaga - however, his consistency at a football school rarely goes noticed. Which is a shame - you're right to mention his name. The win Miami had in Chapel Hill on TarHeel senior night was one of the better wins by any team all season.

Are you talking about Bill Self taking Lon Kreuger's recruits to the tournament once he arrived in Champaign from Tulsa and are you also talking about Bruce Weber taking Bill Self's recruits to the National Championship game in '05? Asking for a friend (JMM28). Illinois fans and their rose petal glasses might scoff at the notion that both Self and Weber benefitted from more than full cupboards when they arrived at UIUC.

+1, Steve Miller. But Porter's roots are in Chicago. I could see him bolting if/when Doug McDermott leaves or is asked to leave Creighton down the road, but do you see his system working at any major program (that is looking for a HC) right now?

Seems to be the case down in neighboring Queens with St. John's, too, going back to the unfulfilled promises of Felipe Lopez, Ron Artest and Omar-Sharif Cook.