Post-Game Radio and Brad's Comments

[davidnark]

For the 2+ hours since the game, KFNS has devoted its talk show to a discussion of this team. There were dozens of callers, with near unanimity that Brad needs to go. Maurice Scott even called in to state the same.

Brad's post-game comments were the most interesting element. KFNS replayed the key comments multiple times. For those who missed it Brad said (paraphrase, not exact words) "for the fifth straight week I have no answers" and "I would give my left arm to have Anthony Drejaj back."

If Brad had any hope of instilling confidence in his bosses and the fan base, he definitely lost it after those comments. He sounds like a man that is in way, way, way over his head. Give a f'in break--Anthony Drejaj is the answer?

[ILbillikenfan]

590 the fan has been a Billiken anti Brad rant for the last few hours.

I cannot agree more about how ignorant Soderberg's comments were. What good is going to come by saying he wishes he had a below average player back. Is he trying to say the talent he has now is worse? That is going to boost morale. He even said he would like to have Newborne back. I mean that is absurd.

[SLUDrew]

When your team is up against it, openly pine for players who already graduated. That should really boost this team's morale.

If there was one thing I thought Brad would never do it would be throwing his players under the bus. Its real sad to hear.

[SShoe]

I'm going to take one positive out of all this. At least the media is talking about it. Three years ago, the consensus would have been, "SLU lost, same old, same old". Now people are making it known that this isn't acceptable. The bar has been raised, which is good. Unfortunately, Brad doesn't seem to be the guy who can hurdle it.

[Bay Area Billiken]

It sounded like the pressure is getting to the coach.

This has happened before at SLU in the last years of several coaches' tenures.

The current coach seems to be too brutally honest for his own good. Sometimes things are better off left unsaid.

[Slumn1]

His post game comments aren't any worse than what he say at practice, during halftime or after the games. He has the shook most of the players confidence so bad that he will never get them back.

This is a coach that totally loses control and becomes a basket case on the sideline. Anybody remember when he was trying to put JJ back into the SIU game after he had fouled out. He lost touch with what was going on in the game and that wasn't the first or last time.

If BS is half of the man he thinks he is, he would admit that he is in over his head and resign.

[AlumniFan]

That's why Brad wishes he could have Anthony back and so do I.

Same team as last year except that A) Lisch has been injured for about the last 10 games; Ian clearly has not been nearly as effective as last year; and C) Drejaj is gone - no leadership.

So, comparing this team to last year's, this is now a worse team even though their record is better.

I know most of the active posters on this board see it somehow as ALL Brad's fault, but, as I have stated many times, I just don't think this team is as good as most of you let yourselves believe. Some people let the crowd sweep them away with hyperbole and that is exactly what happened here. Instead of blaming everyone else, mainly Brad, maybe accept that your expectations were out of line with reality.

Injured Lisch + Ian ineffective + no Drejaj (i.e. no leadership) = a worse team.

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[AlumniFan]

You can kiss 2007-2008 goodbye because any potential Spring pickups are GONE and you can kiss the 2008 class goodbye because there will be an interim coach, followed by a panel formed to find a new coach, followed by a 6-8 week search, followed by all of the area 2008 class being heavily recruited by everyone but SLU, followed by a new head coach being named, followed by the new coach being told, "sorry, it's too late" by the entirety of the 2008 class.

This is a situation that calls for a very intelligent, UNEMOTIONAL approach. Thank GOD none of the posters on this board are making the decisions!!!

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[moytoy12]

Umm...because you know exactly what is going on and how it would proceed. also, you know who the new coach is and that this new coach has zero recruiting ties.

I'm not advocating that we dump brad mid-season, but i do find it comical that you know exactly how it would play out.

[kshoe]

So you had an expectation that this would be an 18-12 team. Congratulations!

But it is complete bull to blame the fans for thinking that this team had the potential to be an NCAA caliber team because:

1) our coach said it was NCAA caliber...many times

2) all national publications predicted us in the top 4 of the conference and many had us in the NCAA tournament

Don't blame the fans for having expectations (i.e. an occasional NCAA birth), especially ones that the coach tells us he can achieve. If the coach doesn't achieve the goals he sets out for the program then yes, he is to blame.

[TheA_Bomb]

I think that when you are recruiting you would notice which players you are recruiting are floor leaders in High School or seem very driven and motivated. You would probably get some indication as to their work ethic from their HS coach. Lamenting the loss of Drejaj is not something that should be done look for recruits that have drive.

The Lisch injury bug has been costly to this team and that is partly to blame for some poor performances.

Their is such a thing as "Coachspeak" for a reason. As a coach you can't blame a loss on one player being injured. If that player never comes back the team may believe they can't win without him. Saying "I don't have the answer" while being honest does not instill any confidence from the team or fans. You got to do better than that.

I think this is as talented a team as I have seen at SLU that is what got me excited. Maybe the team just has bad chemistry.

[willie]

Ok Fan I'll bite. You are probably right we're just not that good. So who's fault is that?We shouldn't get excited that we have 3 pre season all A-10s.It's not Brad's fault for bad recruiting or poor evaluation it's the fans fault for getting their hopes too high. Get real.

[kshoe]

Some local examples:

When Brad took over this program in the Spring he was able to sign Drejaj, Reggie and IO. It can be done.

When Spoon took over for Grawer he signed Dobbs and H Waldman transferred. It can be done.

When Mike Anderson took over Mizzou last Spring he signed Hannah, Tiller and Carrell. Hannah is their best player. It can be done.

When Quin Snyder took over for Norm in the Spring he signed Kareem Rush and Kroenke. It can be done.

As for the vaunted 2008 local class...what talented local player is going to sign with SLU knowing that Brad is on the hotseat? He's got no chance with those guys. At least a new coach would have a chance.

[slufanskip]

It's Brad's fault and it is the players fault. It is Brad's fault for having a team with little or no depth. It is also the players faults for playing below their capabilities.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[TEE]

great now we pine for no talent/little engine that could players. exactly how many NCAA tournament wins did Drejaj's "leadership" get us? 18-12, hmmm, I guess you don't expect much do you? you need to check your ego and your snide/condecending comments at the door.

all of us here want SLU to succeed...

when there is a coaching change made, I'm sure Cheryl and Father will call you to see if it is ok, and then check what mediocre hire you would like to make since you apparently think you know more than us!

FIGHT ON!

[SluSignGuy]

But who set those expectations? On Brad's first day he was quoting national championships. He has even said himself that the bar was set at an NCAA bid. Very few were calling for his head until the St. Bonaventure loss. The Duquense loss was even harder to swallow. Without an NCAA bid in 7 years, how the heck are you going to sell the 2008 class to come to SLU outside of St. Charles West?

For their being no leader, from what I can tell Liddell is trying to strap this team on his back Perry style and Luke Meyer has definitely stepped up. Brad himself also has said that Luke is a leader on this team.

If anything, people are being too hard on Ian. The guy averaging double figures in points per game and is our leading rebounder. Where the hell would we be if he did hire an agent or something. This despite a 6-5 power forward. Luke has performed admirably in this role, but he should be a 3. I would kill kill kill for him to be a three. Brad going for Grimes over Shaw was killer, and we are paying for it in spades right now.

Next year our starting lineup is probably Liddell, Lisch, Polk, Meyer, and AK. With our bench being Husak, DM, and DB. We have eight scholarship players as of right now for next year. I never understand the save the scholarship thing Brad has done, if you got it, use it. You may find some diamond in the rough. Hell, give it to someone just because they play their heart out, maybe they will be the next Matt Lawrence.

You may want to give the players more fault, but honestly, this is still one of the most talented teams per player that SLU has had. The problem is, we only have about eight players. The talent problem we have is the four, but this is entirely Brad's team. Brad may be missing Drejaj, but Drejaj's team was his last year of an excuse of an empty cupboard from Romar. He got to recruit this whole team.

Atlantic City is it now. This season had high expectations because it finally wasn't a wait until next year season. I will hopefully be in Jersey, with the Drejaj family, rooting for the Billikens unless they are playing one team. However, if 80 million dollars is being invested into this program, this program better put on a good show or they are wasting their money.

[AlumniFan]

On the one hand, you have complained about Brad's recruiting then on the other you use his past recruiting to make a case for recruiting????? What's up with that?

On top of that, Drejaj, IO, Dobbs, and Waldman are not exactly the kind of recruits that are going to lead this team to the next level. Great role players, but if that's all it takes we wouldn't be having this argument in the first place.

And as for Anderson, he is 2-6 in his last 8 games and WINLESS in the Big 12 so I would not be waving him around as a shining example of what can be done with "last minute" recruits.

C'mon, kshoe. I know you have the quant/bond guy superiority complex, but you can do better than that against an equity guy. ;-)

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[SShoe]

>

>Injured Lisch + Ian ineffective + no Drejaj (i.e. no

>leadership) = a worse team.

>

>"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands

>up for others." - Ben

No Drejaj or Newbourne = no depth = worse team.

I'm sorry, Drejaj was nothing special. He was a Rudy with an east coast attidude and rounder build. He played these two guys significant minutes and it helped because it allowed everybody stay fresh and played tough D as the season progressed. But it's Brad's fault for not replacing those minutes with adequate recruits. If AK or DM aren't any good then his recruiting was terrible. On the other hand, if these two are any good and just aren't being played, then Brad's coaching can be in question for not playing these guys enough minutes. It took him forever both last year and two years ago to start playing Luke. And guess what, Luke's pretty damn good. The only reason Ian played as an underclassmen was because Frericks got hurt. Either way, Brad's one of two things. Two stubborn, or a bad talent evaluator. I'm going with both.

[AlumniFan]

So when all those national publications had us at or near the bottom in all the past years you agreed with them every time?

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE - look it up.

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[AlumniFan]

Let's not twist words, Willie. No one is saying that it is the fans' fault we are losing. However, if I expect to go out and run a 4:00 mile and end up running an 8:00 mile it is my fault for having unrealistic expectations. Just that simple.

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[SLUBALLS]

Just a couple comments from a non-b-ball expert.

-The drejaj comments. I think this is simply a desire to have a leader on the court. Brad in the past commented that having Drejaj on the court or at practice was like having a "head" coach out there. Right now no one seems to be stepping up to take on that leadership role. I would think Ian would be the natural fit given his senior status, but he's somewhere else. I don't think we can discount the lack of leadership on the team.

-Anyone else think its strange that in the six straight games Liddell has poured in 20+, we've lost four of those six? Are other players expecting him to carry the full load and therefore depending on Tommie too much?

[AlumniFan]

"you need to check your ego and your snide/condecending comments"

What has been snide or at least any more so than most posters on this board? What is the ego issue? I am sure as hell not bragging that I predicted us at 18-12 because I would have liked to see us at 24-6, it was just what I thought about the team when we were making predictions.

IF anyone on this board plays the ego card it is you and all your high level connections and golf games with the powers at SLU.

As for Drejaj, are you telling me you would NOT want his leadership and intensity on this team right now? Over on the A10 board they are talking about how this team plays with no energy. That would NOT be the case with Drejaj on the floor or on the bench.

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[JMM28]

>

>I know most of the active posters on this board see it

>somehow as ALL Brad's fault, but, as I have stated many

>times, I just don't think this team is as good as most of

>you let yourselves believe. Some people let the crowd sweep

>them away with hyperbole and that is exactly what

>happened here. Instead of blaming everyone else, mainly

>Brad, maybe accept that your expectations were out of line

>with reality.

>

I believe the talent is there to be an NCAA team and wipe away a weak A10.

In your belief, Who's fault is it that this isn't that great of a team then? If this team doesn't have the talent to be more than an 18-12 team, who didn't recruit the neccessary talent?

I mean, either way youre making an argument that makes Soderberg out to be a failure. Your "This team isn't that good" argument just means you dont think he has recruited the neccessary talent.

The simple damn fact, which you are COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to, is that Brad is responsible for the team on the floor. He recruited them. So what is it?

[Bay Area Billiken]

I heard the Coach's comments re Drejaj and Newbourne, and I thought they were inappropriate. This is college basketball, as in college. Players graduate or use up their 4 years of eligibility. When the Coach cited Newbourne, it really made me wonder what the Coach was thinking.

I agree with the SLU Sign Guy, that the lack of a 4 is the biggest problem. Earlier last year, I hoped that JJ was going to be the answer. But now it is clear that he is not. So why not go to Adam Knollmeyer, who is going to have to carry a significant load next year? He didn't even get off the bench today.

Another thing from my following of the Billikens since 1978: when things go bad and the coach loses the team, the first thing to go is the defense. The worst example of this was Ekker's last year in 1982, especially after he announced his resignation during the season, effective at season's end. I was gone by the time of Grawer's last year, but that was a tough season too, with a dark cloud hanging over the team. Soderberg and Grawer have some similar traits, especially in terms of being too honest publicly, at times for their own good.

[kshoe]

to the portion of my argument that the coach himself set the targets and so far he has come nowhere close to meeting them.