Bills_06

https://bracketologists.com/

Good tweet by Stu.

Pitbull?

He has been in a walking boot for a bit, no crutches.

To me the biggest is their fans and media that cover them. They act like they are Kansas when a conversation about playing SLU comes up where it is some crazy idea because they are so much better. Just recently Gabe Dearmond was asked about better program SLU vs Mizzou and compared the last decade which SLU has been better than Mizzou but he of course then says that is because Mizzou plays in a more difficult conference and Mizzou is just having a bad decade. There were years over the past 10 the A10 was just as good if not deeper than the SEC.

I always scan Dave Matter's chat for mention of SLU during basketball season and saw this for what it's worth.

What does starting down 10 against SIUC have to do with anything? We started up 9 against Auburn, were up 13 against Dayton, does that mean our record is deflated because we lost those games?

Yea I thought there were recruits sitting there too. Couldn't see faces from across the arena though. Looking at Franks video of the final free throw and shot from Dayton, if it was recruits, they were into the game.

I would never say people can't criticize Ford but in every GDT of a game we lose, the loss it is on Ford. It is like the other team/coach/our players don't have a say in it. It is just becoming a lazy take after every loss.

I am honestly curious if we could ever lose a game without the same 2 or 3 posters just posting how that loss is on Ford. It is just so predictable.

Larry Hughes giving away tickets.

If anybody thought that McKinney might have been creating team chemistry problems because after the first game he sat out Mizzou scored season high 91 points against Florida, they can forget that. They got smoked by Mississippi St. last night only scoring 45 in what Gabe Dearmond referred to as the worst performance in Martin's 3 seasons (impressive he was able to do worse than losing to Charleston Southern at home). Going to coach's point on as long as he can accept his role coming off the bench, I wonder if part of reason he was so upset with it at Mizzou is because he felt misled on his playing time or if because Mizzou hasn't been a good offensive team all year so how could he not help. If it is just he wants to get high minutes right away, then probably best to let him go somewhere else.

Anybody catch the coaches show? I missed the beginning. I did hear Jack Raboin talk about the process of becoming a walk on which I thought was interesting. Said he went Juco and had the intention of becoming a walk on a D1 school since sophomore year of high school. Was going to fly down to the final four to talk to some coaches after his juco year and Corey Tate missed his flight so ended up on his. He walked up to him to and started talking about his goals and basically before he landed he knew he was going to SLU as a walk on. Wants to get into coaching after playing so wanted to learn from D1 coaches.

Yea Ford should make sure he knows what happens and with his son on the team, I am sure he does. Just reading the PD article on it, very odd things looked to be happening. I am not a big fan of people saying things on social media instead of trying to keep them in the locker room. How do you not know there were other guards on the team you committed to? Can't imagine this helps Martin recruit St. Louis when he was already missing out on the top kids anyways. Link

I am sure most have seen this by now but a clip of Danny Mac's interview with Ford today talking about Thatch.

Surprised there isn't a promotion for those seats. I couldn't believe how crowded the Umass game was. Was there a promotion or something going on for that one? With the crowd for that one and this one being a 6 o'clock Friday night, I am hoping it will sell out. Glad the students will be back. Atmosphere is much better when they show up and are loud.

This article mentions graduate assistance Brian Petruzelli but at the end of the article Bess is quoted as saying, “Coach has helped me with my shot so that’s probably the most improved part of my game,” he said. Is coach Brian or is it Ford? Link

But that goes to my point or question, what coaches? Ford or some of the assistant coaches on the staff? Or did the one coach that taught him leave? I would say we don't know 100% but I would be surprised if Ford didn't have a hand in helping teach and if that is true then it shows Ford can teach and then it is up to the player to perfect it. Free throws are the one thing you can practice exactly what you will do in a game by yourself. French can have absolutely perfect form in practice and make 1000 in a row where Ford can't tell him anything additional to do but if he doesn't practice enough or if he changes it during a game, that is on the player.

Who is responsible for Bess learning to shoot? I must've missed the previous documentation where it was definitively stated.

I only posted it because you said Ford isn't teaching them at all. Maybe that is the one picture where French messed up. I don't know, all I was posting it for was to say it seems Ford does work on technique and try to teach them.

The numbers are on your side this team sucks at shooting free throws but I just can't get there with blaming Ford. Even shooting underhanded I have mentioned a few times but the player has to want to do that. You can't just force them if they aren't comfortable with it. Wilt improved his shooting the one season he did it and stopped because he felt like a sissy according to him. Shaq said he would rather shoot 0% than shoot underhanded. Ford can change 1000 things and help them have perfect form but if a player goes to the line and changes it because of pressure or how tired they are, then they need to realize than and try to replicate that more in practice. Ford can't say "that seems like how you probably feel in a game". The only person that knows how French feels and what goes through French's mind when he steps up to the line in a game is French so yes, I do put the main blame on the player to figure it out.

I just don't think that is true though...

Carter said the tests should be back in 2-3 days on the 20th based on what he was told.