TaLBErt

It warms my heart knowing you still think of me.

It becomes less valuable every year.

That's not how I feel, but that certainly seems to be how things are at SLU. That's not how it is at every university, however. I suspect the sentiment about SLU basketball among the students stems from the fact that if we're really honest with ourselves, the program has yet to experience genuinely memorable success. We have made exactly zero sweet 16s, a level of success most of us would mark as the bare minimum of a successful program. The Majerus era was exciting and memorable for folks that frequent this message board but not really for casual fans and students. @JMM28 hit the nail on the head. SLU fancies itself an elite academic institution that is above surrendering any of its so-called academic integrity for athletic success. Every year SLU becomes less and less relevant to the average American. Since I graduated, I watched our US News ranking drop lower and lower. We can't even crack the top 100 anymore. It's incredibly frustrating as an alumnus knowing that my Saint Louis University diploma becomes less valuable every year. Playing the game, the way schools like Marquette, Xavier, and Creighton do would be far more profitable for the University and its students and alumni than continuing to pretend that SLU is some elite institution. When in reality, Saint Louis University is nothing more than a very expensive and average school that exists as a buffer between childhood and the real world for privileged children.

Didn't know that.

Man, that student section is depressing. SLU students just don't care about basketball. I'll never understand it.

Only down 7 but it feels like more.

I hate playing Dayton. Always reminds me of what we could be but aren't. The energy in that arena fuels their players.

Anyone know what the coaches were jawing about?

This is fantastic!

Does Linssen have a hickey on his neck?

I just hope the girls are having fun.

Come on dude. The Texas Longhorns logo is as identifiable as the Yankees "NY" or the Green Bay Packers "G". Sure there are other schools on UT's level but that's a massive American brand. I promise you can find Texas gear in St. Louis. Try Dick's or Champs.

Crap end to a crap season.

Heartbreaker for Richmond.

Yep. The Marquette guys I work with have been saying Porter will be their next head coach since Woj got canned. They know nothing, but who knows.

Again, this is the problem. I've been on this board for a long time, and there's nothing in my posting history that would indicate that I'm a troll. Will you find posts where I'm critical of my alma mater? Yes. Snarky and hilarious posts? Absolutely. Posts where I'm heartbroken over a loss? Yep. Posts where I'm celebrating a victory? Heck yes! I am a bonafide Billiken fan and alumni. Now, about this thread. Was I a bit thin-skinned about being told, "Please make sure you get your entire head in front of the shotgun?" Maybe. That's always going to be a disgusting thing to say to another person, especially over college basketball realignment. Someone close to me was lost to suicide, and it struck a nerve. I’ll forever be appalled that Steve wouldn’t come out and renounce such language on his site. I think that would have gone a long way towards making the forum more civil. As I said, it’s his site, and that’s something I’ll have to get over. People come here seeking community and are regularly driven away by the mob. Let's be honest the Billikens need every fan they can get. This thread isn't the first of its kind, and I'm hardly the only one to feel this way. I made this thread to try and invoke some change. It was a poor attempt. It was started with anger in my heart and undoubtedly came off that way. I believe that this forum needs moderators. I do not understand why you, Steve, are so resistant to the idea. Maybe you just can’t find anyone, but a few even-keeled folks who can call off the mob or give a poster who has crossed the line a timeout would make this board a much more vibrant community. All that said, I’m not going anywhere. This is really the only game in town, and Billiken basketball is something that brings me joy. You can flag every bit of content I create as a troll post if you must, but I don’t think that will matter. There are reasonable people on this forum that will balance things out. Go Billikens! Let’s get this win today!

Maybe you're right, but he'd never do that because this place is a free-for-all.

Yep that's the problem in a nutshell. There are about 15 members that can say and behave however they want while actively driving away new fans by chastising them for having an opinion the deviates from the hive mind.

This is honestly pretty disgusting too.

@SluSignGuy, this guy has got to go. He simply doesn't get it. Ban the troll. Show some conviction, Steve. Either: A.) Come out and publicly condemn this kind of content on your site and do something about it. Or B.) Say you're cool with it. This isn't this guy's first offence. He's called women the "C word" and that's just with a simple "Billiken Rich" Google search. I think my favorite part about that quote is that he could have just let the app censor it, but he didn't want the word to be left to the imagination. This dude deserves the Metz Club. (BTW saying nothing is option

C'mon man. You're a smart boy, Skip. You know the difference between "Please make sure you get your entire head in front of the shot gun" and "If I was that stupid." ... Right?

Respectfully, that wasn't me you were chatting with earlier. None the less, point taken.

You sir, just won the gold in mental gymnastics.

All messed up things to say to another human being. Ever known someone that's committed suicide? It's not funny, and it has no place on this message board centered around a Jesuit Catholic university.