Billy Ken

Listen, I’m not trying to stir up trouble. I honestly feel like Chief Brody in Jaws when he wants the beaches closed! I’ve been going to games for decades and I’m not totally down on Ford, but if in year 4 it’s like this, I’m out. I said everything about AD I wanted to say, he’s a zero and not worth talking about. Outside of Majerus/Crews coaching Majerus’ players this whole deal is suspect at best. As far as Ford, it’s his responsibility to bring in right pieces, shooters, character, etc. I don’t feel bad for him at all. I like him but this season is making me nervous. Preseason #1 in A10 and look at them now. It really is interesting how coaches, staff and leadership are never at fault or held accountable. It really is and anyone who questions anything is a troll or not a fan? I disagree. Just asking everyone’s better angels to think about all this. A guy asked this question and it made me think, if Villanova, Xavier, Gonzaga, Creighton or Georgetown just to name a few jobs opened...who Ford be a target or even get an interview if he was interested himself? I don’t know that answer and that’s what concerns me. The character of the players, chemistry of team, transfers, I doubt would happen like this under Majerus. It just seems sloppy. And you can’t compare Ford to Majerus as coach not even same planet. All I’m saying.

128. Year 3. Over $1 million a year salary. 128. Just lost to worst team in A10. Let the troll calling and not based in reality arguments and name calling begin. This is depressing. Either way we are still 128. But just you wait until next year....

Trolling? Ok. When people were saying CG was a problem, teammates didn’t like him, would walk out of practice, wasn’t going to class, then he leaves and you find out all of the trolls were right. Whatever. All those guys in locker room talk. SLU athletics isn’t the CIA. Ask a student athlete if you know any next time you are down there. If there is fighting while a team is slipping that isn’t good.

Did anyone hear anything about an altercation between two players in the locker room during halftime of the Davidson game? IF this is true makes me wonder what really is going on.

I think you can keep that whole list. I’ll just take Majerus. Wow

What happens if Coach Ford doesn’t get this off the ground? Serious question. How many more seasons after this one? 1/2?

BoT memeber straight up told me AD wasn’t prepared at all to be offered a spot in Big East and fumbled whole deal. Do you really think Father wouldn’t have taken more money???? Come on. Once Father was on way out he was blamed for not getting into BE and everything else right wrong or indifferent. Now unless BoT member I know was lying or totally wrong I don’t know, I doubt it. How did Butler get in??? BUTLER.

#1 watch the guy talk to an usher like I saw at a game this season then judge. Also where else can the highest paid coach in A-10 finish 4-5th after preseason #1 pick and get paid over a million a year? I don’t blame the coach, I can tell you that much. I’m done ringing bell about AD. Promise, will never change opinion and will just sit back and watch. Time will tell.

After 3 years in a league like A10 I guess I expected more. I do like Travis, our seats are right over by where AD has sat for years. I use to be a fan, I really did of AD. However, over the years, personal experiences, speaking to arena staffers, slu people, people out in county where his stomping grounds are, he only turns it on if you can do something for him or showboating for higher ups or donors, same people that defend him on this board and say, you don’t know anything, he’s the nicest guy or he’s the best AD ever. Fine that is your experience and I respect that. When I’m around my big donor friend he’s chummy, just me and I say hi outside gate B and he just stares like I’m a complete stranger and keeps walking. I don’t expect him to know my name but I’ve met the man literally over 30 times at least! How does he raise money or work in a profession dealing with the public? Heard that from so many people it’s not funny. He has vision like mole, figuratively and maybe literally. Not very friendly and it’s very well known people around town aren’t big fans. My point is he has been around and is this program better off than when he took over? Is it more relevant than when Spoon or Majerus coached? I don’t think so. SLU isn’t relevant in metro area, much less nationally. He blew Big East membership, I’m sorry no way Butler get in over SLU and AD should keep job, if he really wasn’t to blame, if he had a spin he’d of left in protest. I just think department is stale and needs new leadership. If Ford deal doesn’t meet expectations, if Stone doesn’t make NCAA in year 10, those would both be huge failures. Am I right? All I’m asking is what is the bar and accountability AD holds at SLU? What’s his report card? I’m really asking. I think he’s a fake and not nice. If he was talented, and place was growing I could live with him. Just asking, not trolling. It’s my opinion and experiences over tens years of spending good money down there. I think Coach Ford and Coach Stone need better support possibly.

Ok

So you are saying that it was just a little misunderstanding? I’m sure if it was your daughters or sons it’s be a different story. I disagree. It was a black eye on the program either way.

Weren’t both sexual assault cases not national news good, bad or indifferent? That’s the perception any way sorry. How many has Dayton, VCU, other A10 MBB programs have over same time span? I really don’t know. I’d be curious.

Really? Really? These are all facts. There has been 2 sexual assault issues with players being expelled/withdrawing while AD has been there. He hired Crews, who won with Majerus players and players running team, ask one of them sometime and now he’s hired Ford in year three. I read OK State message boards and its scary how similar they are and this board is when it comes to Ford, I like him, just saying. Plus EVERYONE in town around high school AAU basketball knew CG was insane, but the coaches at slu thought they could change that, who did that workout? To say this is wrong, please tell where I am off? Thanks

Agree! Terrible passing, awful shot selection and free throws....could be one of the worst Bills team ever. How as a coaching staff do you A. realize guys who can and can’t shoot free throws B. Fix bad free throw shooting????? Two arm underhand them if it’ll work! Same stupid mistakes, turnovers every game.

I like Ford, but he has a bit of a used car sales feeling, always has I believe. Agree with your post. It’s really not much of an offense at all and the last three years we’ve seen athleticism get better, but what a dumb team basketball wise. I’m tired of the talk and hype. Wait until next year, if this thing doesn’t take off and the AD isn’t canned I’m done as a Billiken fan. AD didn’t hire Majerus, he owns Crews and Ford. Blew getting us into Big East, he blames Biondi but he had zero clue what do, from inside source in school leadership. A lot still to be written yet. But two sexual assaults, the transfers, I know they say that’s part of the new world, a kid leaving his home team for DePaul said a lot to me, shouldn’t have even been offered a scholarship with his history, but what do I and about 100 high school coaches in the area know? Today’s game was depressing to leave the arena.

I’m thinking this program is cursed.

Lose to Rhode Island at home? 6-11, 1-3 in conference. I was one of 8 people there tonight. I know I will get beat up or called a troll, I don’t care. Such an over-hyped, low bar, little results program. 7 years, 2 NITs. Last post on this, I really hope I’m proved wrong but this whole deal has peaked and now gone stale. Sure they are young, but this isn’t a very good group or a good excuse after tonight. Just my opinion.

You make good points. I will say this, Father absolutely ran a lot of good people away. It couldn’t have been easy working under him. I get on AD because that’s easiest thing to do. It’s a systemic problem honestly. I am just frustrated and tired of everything but the kids experience and the actual contests. Something is off, maybe I’m wrong, but the dysfunction seems never ending.

Gonzaga, Creighton, Dayton, Xavier, St. Mary’s, Loyola Chicago, Villanova, on and on and on...why even be D1? That’s SLU biggest problem. Stuck in past, can’t do this or can’t do that, how can other private Catholic schools? AD we have now hasn’t done anything to move the needle, not getting into Big East should’ve been the end of him, it wasn’t Father Biondi’s fault. It’s no surprise, I’m beating a dead horse, I’ve had chairman of board even yell at me that we will never be Creighton and don’t want to be. So there you go. He didn’t hire Majerus or baseball guy, only long term successful areas during his rein. That’s my point I guess. He’s not a D1 AD, SLU can and should do better. If his two biggest “wins” are women’s soccer one ncaa appearance with all the players recruited by the coach now at Xavier, who coached them in club ball and Lisa Stone, AD is the AD SLU deserves. Hope I’m wrong as always, just tired of all the drama and excuses and such low expectations.

Irrational? The AD can’t get another job, why do you think he is still at SLU all these years? I’m tired of mediocrity at SLU and all the excuses. One constant last ten years, same guy creating all the problems, then in charge of fixing the same problems he caused! Definition of insanity.

Who is then? Honestly? One decade he’s been given, only at SLU.

AD claimed Jim Crews had the best freshman class ever in SLU program history. Calbert Cheney was a game changer. Jim Crews can recruit. Keith Carter was an NBA level talent. Ford is cut from same cloth as Majerus. Lisa Stone was taking team to NCAAs. Mens soccer is better positioned than ever....fired coach three years later. Im sure there is more, point is this guy either has no idea what he is talking about or is pulling stuff out of his you know what, either way, the act has gotten stale. Ford will take program to new heights....TBD....AD might have cursed poor guy.

How did that work out for Louisville AD and Baylor AD? The buck stops with the AD. Everyone is town knows stories about how crazy Gordon really is and the AD doesn’t? He watches over a multi-million entity yet has zero accountability? Where else but SLU or college athletics in general would this be acceptable? That’s all I’m saying. I understand what you are saying and agree, let coaches recruit but there was too much baggage AD should’ve known about, TF as well. Every year since kid was 11 years old there has been an incident of some sort, that’s a facts, AAU, Vianny, WG and now SLU. I’m not surprised and neither should AD or coach be as well. That’s all I’m in this particular case.

I’m not speculating about anything. I want to throw this out there now. AD has been at SLU a decade. One decade. He 100% owns MBB, WBB, both soccer programs. Great hire for women’s soccer I’ll give him that. I think men’s soccer has a lot of work ahead but can’t do any worse. He has no problem peacocking around when things are good, that’s easiest thing to do. Now he has to finally be held accountable for all of it. If MBB pulls it together I’ll give him the credit, but if they don’t, he finally has to go. He sat idle and watched as men’s soccer hit rock bottom for years, hired Crews, situations one and two, didn’t get into Big East, now two years straight of MBB dysfunction. WBB is better sure, but 2 NITs in seven years, god knows at how many hundreds of thousands a year in salary and people act like coach is second coming of Pat Summit, she’s been coaching since 1985, not 2015. I seriously don’t get it. Ask anyone around town about how big of a goof ball Gordon was for years whether it was AAU or high school with coaches and teammates. Didn’t do their homework or thought they were smarter than everyone else. Well they own all of it now. Good or bad. I hope for the good. I want program to succeed but I am so tired of all the dysfunction and stupid stuff. Very frustrating and the AD is never held accountable, ever. Now he has to be, no more excuses. I think Gordon leaving could actually be a good thing for the team overall and they may actually play better, I sure hope so.