cgeldmacher

I get it. My take is that I think we should all continue to support the program in whatever way we have and let the chips fall where they may. Whether that money helps Ford get us where we want to be or the next coach, it still helps the program overall.

The crazy thing about this argument that is happening is how insanely inaccurate both sides are in characterizing each other's opinions. As someone pointed out, no one who thinks Ford should be gone actually hates Ford. On the opposite side, it's getting very old hearing that people who think Ford should be retained (for now) are happy with 20 win seasons. We are not fine with 20 wins if that means not winning the A-10 and not making the tournament. NoCoBillsFan's post was dead on. Neither side can disagree with anything he posted. I, personally, thought Ford should get one more chance. That doesn't mean I'm happy with the state of the team. I see everything NoCoBillsFan wrote and say "yes, we need to be better than that." The team under Ford has not met the university's and fans' expectations. There have been some extenuating circumstances, but those cannot be used as excuses indefinitely. I think that most "Ford Supporters" will say its time for him to go if this season doesn't prove that we are on track with the expectations. Can't we just cheer for our team and know that we're all, nearly, in the same place about being upset with not being better right now, without the stupidity that has made this board nearly unreadable for several months?

But what if all of the power conference schools have three or four times as much money every year to use to hire their guns?

Couldn't, sadly, agree more. I really fear that free agency and NIL means that SLU is facing an uphill and maybe impossible battle. I've never been so worried about the future of our program and that has nothing to do with Ford or May. My concerns have to do with forces beyond anyone at SLU's control. Not sure how anyone can think that we can be the next Gonzaga when literally no one in the A-10 can keep its good players. The players A-10 teams are getting to replace the players leaving aren't replacing the quality of the players it is losing. I'm not sure that Gonzaga is going to be able to continue to be Gonzaga in a few years under the current rules.

That's not what the tweet says. Just because they say they are prioritizing returners on pace to graduate does not mean they are still paying former players. I would argue that their philosophy might be why GJ stuck around one more year.

Inglorious Basterds - I know it's not historically accurate and alters history at the the end, but it's still fantastic.

Wow. 23-7. Fogarty is 5 for 5 with 6 runs scored. Has a walk, three singles, a double, and a home run. Also, throw in a stolen base. That's a heck of a day.

20-7. Does that move the comfort meter?

We just keep scoring. Now 15-7, top 8.

I think that is because the band has never really been pushed to be a student only organization like all other college pep bands. If its filled up by alumni, then there's no pressure to fill it up with students.

All other college bands I see are student bands. Should alumni be able to participate in students musicals just because non-students are in the audience? Should alumni be able to play for the baseball team just because non-students are in the stands? The only reasoning behind why we have the only mostly non-student band anywhere is that "its always been that way. Where is the logic behind that?

No, we always have 60% alumni in the band. Not occasionally to fill in. The fact that it has always been that way 1) is probably not true, and 2) doesn't resonate with me. If having more than 50% non-students in your pep band is not a thing, then we really should move to a student only band. Like I said before, these organizations are for the students. That's why they exist.

Someone answer this for me. Are any other pep bands in the A-10 or even outside the A-10 made up of roughly 60% non-students and 40% students? Seems like every other pep band out there is is student organization. That's what the University and its clubs are for, the students. It would be similar to 60% of our cheerleading squad being made up of 40 to 60 year old alumni. If that split is a standard makeup of university pep band, then things should have been left alone. If not, then I have no problem with the University and the Athletic Department wanting to transition to a student only band like everyone else.

I found an NIL sponsor for Dalger…

I think D3 is a bit dramatic, but I have the same fears you do. If it is the beginning of the end for us, it is also the beginning of the end for VCU, Dayton, St. Mary's, St. Joe's, Belmont, etc. If success is going to be directly tied to how much money your donors want to pay for a team, we're screwed and all other similar schools are screwed as well. It doesn't matter when we decided to go all in.

LE, I appreciate your posts about soccer very much. I have Courtside blocked and love having someone who attends the games and practices provide information that doesn't come with the possibility of a lawsuit if shared by someone else. Thank you.

The Bus?

Bruce Davis @BruceinNJ Credit here goes to SLU assistant Chris Harriman. As an assistant last year at Cal, the Bears played a summer tour game at Bayer Giants Leverkusen. Got blown out 85-59. Van Bussel played for Bayer Giants Leverkusen in 22-23. Harriman’s international connections are outstanding. Don't know Bruce Davis, but interesting that Harriman is paying dividends already.

Any chance he may want to transfer next year to finish out his career in his home town?

Harriman was here from 2008 to 2012. If he gets us a Loe and an Ellis every 4 to 5 years, that would be just fine by me.

I don't think that Majerus gets Ellis or Loe without Harriman. So, I don't know that I would say his success had little to do with his assistants. He relied on Harriman to recruit kids from that part of the world to SLU. It's hard to get kids to come to the US at all from Australia and New Zealand. It's harder to get them to come to the Midwest. Harriman did that with Ellis and Loe. I'm not sure Majerus would have known who they were if not for Harriman.

Cal's starting senior point guard, with one year of eligibility left, is also in the portal and is "undecided." Could be a good bridge to Medley.

Since we now have two spots open, I would really like to see Conklin get one of the spots. He could coach up our bigs, something we could have used last season. He also could be a great resource for possibly pulling recruits from Australia or New Zealand. I don't think he'd have to actually fly back and forth to accomplish this, as the connections he has made during his time down under should be enough to be able to bird dog us some talent from that corner of the world. If there is someone we really want and have a chance at, a flight would probably be worth it to see the kid play in person and then seal the deal.

Great thought. Poach Martin might be just the assistant coach we need in this new era.

If this is the way of the NCAA now, then why would we not scour the recruits who have signed with lower conference teams, find guys who signed at a lower level and then blew up high school or AAU ball since signing, and go after them? If the NLI doesn't mean anything, then lets recruit right off of other teams signees.