Eckerle

[jp18]

Here is an update on Eckerle. From what I have heard - from good sources - he narrowed his list of schools to SLU, Wash U, Drury and Southern Illinois. And if he goes to SLU, he will use his academic scholarship and walk on.

I know many want us to jump all over Eckerle and offer him a scholarship, but if he is considering going to a D-II and D-III school, I'm not sure how much help he'll be for us. I know several in the area out there, and they aren't sure he can play D-I.

Just thought I would give you an update on his status.

[brianstl]

I think he is considering the D2 and D3 for academic reasons only. If he chose either of those schools it would be for those reasons and would not be a statement of his basketball ability. That said I think he is consider a low mid to fringe D-1 prospect from what I have heard others say about. The time I saw him a thought he was better than that.

[VTIME]

Yeah, he's definitely a D1 basketball wise, but he's likely the valedictorian of his class and I think it was a 32 he scored on the ACT. That's why he's considering the academia of a Wash U. He can flat out score and he's a very good athlete.

[Box and Won]

Sounds like he would dominate DIII.

[billiken_roy]

i commend the young man that has the realistic expectations he isnt an nba player and realizes that the value of a washington university education will probably take him far after college. that should not be a reflection on how good of a basketball player he is.

if my daughter was offered a full ride to pitch for texas or arizona but was also offered a full ride at wash u, i would hope she would go to wash u.

[billikenbilly]

i disagree. a wash u degree does not do a whole lot more for you in st. louis than a slu degree. i think a slu basketball player with good grades looks just as good if not better to employers than a wash u bball player with a wash u degree. division 1 athletes are treated pretty damn well by society even after they are done playing.

[SLUDrew]

I do not want to be the only D-1 school offering a kid a scholarship to play basektball. If he wants to walk-on, that is great.

That being said I am with Roy and commend him for realizing academics are going to take him farther after college than basketball

[courtside]

>I do not want to be the only D-1 school offering a kid a

>scholarship to play basektball. If he wants to walk-on, that

>is great.

>

>That being said I am with Roy and commend him for realizing

>academics are going to take him farther after college than

>basketball

And I'll disgree with you.

Key words being "in St. Louis," in your post. Who said anything about just St. Louis? A Wash U degree will open more doors than a SLU degree...and obviously the same with advanced degrees from either school.

If SLU is looking for a bright roster, Brandenburg hit 30 on the ACT too. Too bad Eckerle isn't 6'11

[Majerus Magic]

Paul is an awesome kid. I have known him for several years and he is wise beyond his years. I was talking to him about schools and he wants to go into chemical or biomedical engeering and he realizes that on a national level WashU would serve him much better than any other schools. He was also considering Ivy league schools such as Brown but opted to stay close to home. He realizes that basketball won't pay the bills after school so he is making smart decisions.

[Izik O Jagerbomb]

I agree with billikenbilly. Wash U. is for nerds. Alot of businesses hire college atheletes just because they were college atheletes and regardless of their acedemic skills. I have seen this time and time again.

Official agent of Travis Tadyszack

[SLUSER]

I completely disagree. what fool is going to pass up the Wash U student vs the SLU student? Wash U is one of the top colleges in the NATION. you must be a SLU grad or something.....

[Box and Won]

If he gets a full ride at SLU vs. having to pay his own way at Wash U., that's one factor in our favor. Playing Division I basketball is another.

[Battlecat455]

If he can play at a DI level, and many apparently think he can, the fact that he is considering a DIII school for academic reasons should be considered a plus, not a detriment. It's some indication the kid has some sense as well as some brains. I'd say that greatly improves his chances of being an asset to the team. What the hell difference does it make if anybody else has offered him?

[FromGreeceWithLove]

Living in Houston, TX I can assure you that the University of Texas is an extremely quality school. UT is a top-notch university for academics and athletics alike. I would have to say that Washington University carries a strong reputation around the country as well, but I would be careful in assuming UT is just another run of the mill Big 12 school that is only about athletics. All things considered, I would have my son be a Longhorn and get a degree from UT over Washington University.

[moytoy12]

"All things considered, I would have my son be a Longhorn and get a degree from UT over Washington University."

Yea, but that would require living in texas and who wants to do that?

[NashvilleBilliken]

Exactly. The kid needs to determine if a goal of his is to play high level division I hoops while recieving a quality education. Wash U is a better academic institution than SLU, but it's not like a SLU degree means nothing. I've done quite well in Nashville with my degree.

I would think the ability to get both would be a huge incentive to come to SLU. While bball won't be paying his bills, it's a once in a lifetime experience that only a VERY few fortunate induviduals get to participate in. I disagree with Roy's post below about a child choosing between an athletic opportunity or persuing academics at Wash U. The two can coexist.

And just so you guys know, the valedictorian from my high school went to Wash U. I ran into her around here last year and she is working as an administrative assistant on hourly wages. The school on your diploma doesn't guarantee you some big wig job.

[Pistol]

As a SLU alum, I still have to agree with SLUSER here. According to the most recent US News & World Report college rankings, the definitive rankings for universities, Wash U is now #12 in the nation, in the company of some of the best schools in the world. To say that a Wash U degree does little more than a SLU degree in St. Louis is probably not true, and nationally it's not even close. I work in a city that is not St. Louis, and the difference in respect between SLU and Wash U is light years. People here in Chicago put Wash U on the level of Northwestern and the U of Chicago, which are right with Wash U in the rankings.

I'm not the biggest fan of the rankings and the system they use to determine those, but they hold a lot of weight in the eyes of employers, alums, parents, and the general public.

[brianstl]

Steer and Queers and I don't see any horns on FGWL.

[FromGreeceWithLove]

What does that make you? I don't know, *****. Good stuff brianstl.

I looked at the rankings and UT comes in at #47, which is pretty solid. I live right by Rice University and they come in a couple spots behind Wash U at #17 and Rice reminds me a lot of Wash U; nice campus, strong academic reputation, and a lot of minorities. I still do not see how any reasonable individual would take Washington University over the University of Texas though if athletics were even a factor. Getting to play for the Longhorns (Big 12 versus D-III), receive a degree from a fine academic university, be in Austin versus St. Louis, good party school, and the quality of the female population at UT. All in all the University of Texas has to be one of the finest universities in the country in my opinion.

[billiken_roy]

and that nerd from wash u will be the boss of the college athlete that just skated by in school because he was an athlete.

[billiken_roy]

box, even though supposedly d-3 schools dont give "athletic" scholarships dont beleive it for a second. they give athletes with great academics scholarships. but if push came to shove, i am willing to bet that those scholarships might disappear if an injury put that student out of his or her chosen sport. i see that as a disguised athletic scholarship.

i know a player that ended up at mckendree because coach edwards wouldnt guarantee him his "academic" scholarship if he got hurt before he got to wash u.

[brianstl]

I guess you have no clue when it comes to famous movie lines. If you did you would have understood the post.

[billiken_roy]

nashville, i never said that my daughter wouldnt pitch at wash u. in my example.

my point is that a prospective student athlete should look at their probable destination after 4 years of college. if that student athlete isnt going to make a living playing that sport, it makes sense to me to grab the better academic opportunity. and that student athlete can still participate in athletics at a washington university.

[billiken_roy]

greece, i used texas and arizona primarily because they are recognized as two of the best softball schools in america or at least near the top every year. it had nothing to do with insinuating that either are sub academic institutions. that said, they are both subordinate academic to washington university. as washington university is subordinate to them in softball.

my point again was to point out that a student athlete should consider where they are going to be in 4 years and make their decision accordingly. someone that is as strong as erckle is apparently academically (32 act's arent normal folks) has to think about academics when making their college choice imo.

[FromGreeceWithLove]

I did understand the line and I liked it.