L. Hughes in the East Conf. Finals. Why no buzz here?

[VTIME]

He's the only Billiken player in the NBA and his team is thriving. This is the official Larry Hughes appreciation thread. He's representing the Billikens proudly. He's been an above average player and borderline All-Star during his NBA career and has been a model citizen off the court. His career scoring avg is 15ppg. He averaged a career high 23ppg after a midseason trade to Golden State from Phildelphia and his career high for a full-season was 22ppg with the Washington Wizards during the 2004-2005 season where he was named 1st team All-Defense after leading the league in steals and would've made the All-Star game had he not been injured a few weeks before balloting was done. Teammates Antwan Jamison who helped form the highest scoring NBA trio that year got the nod instead.

[MB73]

I for one never thought Larry really gave a damn about SLU.

[slufanskip]

borderline all star for his career?

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

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

[Bluecrewwebmaster]

does anyone in St. Louis, Cincinnati, or the rest of the midwest really give a damn about the NBA anyway?

[drkelsey55]

Not really, but I allways look to see how Larry does.

[Band Man]

>I for one never thought Larry really gave a damn about SLU.

I don't think it's a fair statement to say that Larry never really gave a damn about SLU...given the situation with his brother's illness it made all the sense in the world for Larry to leave SLU after one year to cash in on a huge paycheck in order to help his mom and brother. Hopefully the Cavs can rebound from tonights loss and we will see a former SLU start in the NBA Finals...

[thetorch]

Larry's had a tough time the last couple years.

Constant nagging injuries, the death of his brother which hit him extremely hard and still affects his him on a daily basis, and his and the cavs inability to define his position on the team.

He has had an up and down playoffs. He did well defensively against Kidd but struggled on offense. He played very well in the first round offensively against an injury depleted team.

I think it was unfair to compare Hughes to Scottie Pippen when he was signed by the Cavs. Larry is not and never will be that good. Larry is a solid #3 option on a very good team. Until the Cavs develop a better sidekick to Lebron they will not be able to win a championship. Larry just isn't it. He's more of a Ron Harper type.

[VTIME]

> borderline all star for his career?

>

>

> Official Billikens.com sponsor of H

>Waldman

>

>Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would

>have helped club.

He was borderline for a couple years, not his entire career. Sorry I didnt make that clear enough for you.

[Taj79]

#1) Not a Billiken. Consensus is 51/49 and Larry did a year. That's like 25%, not even close to 51%. I understand the "go for the riches" mentality and the need, especially for the medical bills for Justin. And I don't begrudge anyone that but to me, he just isn't a Billiken. He's just another non-descript, tatooed, nameless, interchangable part in a league that means nothing to me. He's Kwame Brown, PJ Brown, Caron Butler, Eric Snow, Jason Richardson, Boris Diaw, Desanga Diop, Michael Olakawandi and the rest of a bunch of overpaid, budding hip-hop artists. Put shorts on Snoop Dog and he's there as well, albeit coming from the hip-hop side of the tracks.

Saint Louis University was convenient for Larry Hughes. I will say I enjoyed his year with us but have also said on many occasions that in the long run, it wasn't worth it. He gave everyone, Biondi included, a false sense of hope, of a continued and sustainable future that didn't happen. Not all his fault but so what. But that's me.

To me, the real Billikens are guys like Bonner, Claggett, Lew McKinney, Jimmy Glass, Carvin Norman, Abdur Raheem Al-Mateen, Josh Fisher, Carlos McCauley, Jeff Harris, Scott Highmark, H Waldman and, yes, even Dick Missavage and Ross Varner. Some obviously were all-stars, some were two year guys coming in from JUCOs, some were really nothing as far a basketball goes. Some graduated and some didn't. But through thick and thin, these guys were more constant over their careers than anyone one-and-done. Maybe if Hughes had continued on while in the NBA ..... came back and hung out at games and gave back to the University. But it ain't his fault, matter of fact, all of his connnections to the school are probably gone. He'd be pretty much a stranger.

I know for a long time there, Coach K demanded that all players on a certain team had to graduate eventually or their national title banner would not go up in Cameron Indoor. I kind of like that idea. Same with retiring numbers --- seems like the first priority there ought to be a degree, I mean, isn't that what SLU is really in business for? No degree, no honors of any sort.

Like I said in another thread, when guys are no longer Billikens or Billikens-to-be (ala White, Carawell, Woods) they no longer occupy a main stream thread in my head. I wish them well but other than note checking every now and then, I'm focused elsewhere. Same goes for Larry and the Cavs.

I find it ironic that on one of the sports talk shows last night, they were discussing how the NBA "needs LeBron to get to the finals in order to pump up the ratings." They also talked about how LeBron needed a title to become legit ala Bird, Majic and Michael. The league was going to suffer with another grind-em-out series that is the Pistons and the Spurs. LeBron carries the banner ... sure, he does. Because if not, we're back to a whole bunch of nondescript, tatooed, overpaid, hip-hop wannabees. Where's the panache and fan appeal in all that?

[billiken_roy]

larry should be it, but after all these years, i just dont think he plays very smart. the talent is still there, but he still plays like a rookie imo.

[VTIME]

In 2004-2005 he was the only player to average 22pts, 6 rebs, 4asts, and 2.5 stls and made 1st team All-Defense. Not rookie like.

[Pistol]

Respect from this board. He is the only Billiken in the NBA, has had a solid career despite constant injuries, moves, and the death of his brother (the only thing that kept him in St. Louis in the first place).

No matter where you guys say his heart was (i.e. not a "true" Billiken like H Waldman, Highmark, Claggs, Perry, etc.), he gave us one electric season down at the Savvis Center. Sure, I would have liked to see another one and I'd like to see more of a continued presence around SLU from him, but how many NBA players are that active with their alma maters, especially the one-and-done players? There are guys involved with their former programs, but it's just a handful.

Give Hughes a lot more credit and respect. It may have only been one year, but it was a hell of a lot of fun while it lasted and got the program a lot of attention.

[Adman]

Pistol, I agree.

Furthermore, if he hasn't done so already, if I were RM, I'd be reaching out to LH and looking for a way to involve him in the program. Leverage all your assets.

He's already planning on bringing other marquee names for clinics, talks, etc.

Adding Larry would be recruiting home run if done right.

[moytoy12]

"Larry deserves more respect from this board...the death of his brother (the only thing that kept him in St. Louis in the first place)."

Those statements seem a little at odds. You're saying that billiken fans should give more respect to a guy who only played at SLU becuase that guy had a sick brother. I don't have any ill-will towards Larry. I like larry and was glad i was at SLU when he was there. But i don't think we should be worshipping LH (not that you or anyone else has stated as such).

V, Larry has not been a borderline all-star for his career. I agree with Roy, Larry has the talent, but not the discipline. He has good years with mostly average to slightly above average teams. Everytime i watch LH, his shooting percentage is not good, he commits too many turnovers, and he usually only shows up in spurts. Again I like LH and wish him well, but V, once again, you are off the mark.

[VTIME]

I never said for his entire career. I named things he did during his career and during his Washington Wizards days he was a borderline All-Star. He has not regained his Wizards form in Cleveland because they've been a grind it out defensive team for his 1 1/2 years there. Only down the stretch did Mike Brown move Larry to point guard and the team started to show a spark. He was definitely a borderline All-Star in Washington, specifically his last 2 seasons.

[billiken_roy]

the ncaa has limits i believe as to the extent a celebrity alum can help.

i do remember larry last year doing a radio promo and a billboard for the billikens.

[billiken_roy]

vtime i agree with you on the point of mike brown's offense. the few and far between instances that larry and lebron take off shows that showtime fastbreak offense would be great with cleveland. i am totally baffled why brown prefers to play 24 second offense. especially considering they really do not have a point guard.

[Westy03]

I totally agree. I can see why they wouldnt want to run against Jersey but this is Detroit. Its not like the rest of Clevelands roster are slugs either. Anderson V. and Drew Gooden can run the floor very well for big men. I think they could really use it to their advantage. With no point guard its just dumb to play a grind it out half court game.

[Pistol]

My point was that regardless of why he came here, he gave us an incredible season compared to what we're used to. He was national freshman of the year and was one of the most dominant players in the NCAA. It doesn't matter why he came here, he played his butt off here and gave us a great year. Being close to family is a big reason why a lot of recruits sign (Thompson just said being close to his mom was a major factor), so you can't give him less credit as a "true Billiken" for choosing a school based on proximity to family. So what if he would have gone elsewhere under other circumstances? The fact is he did come to SLU, and he put people in the seats.

[Taj79]

... is Ricky Frazier a Billiken "great?" he had a tremendous one-and-done ... granted he trooped off to Mizzou to play and not the NBA. How come all those "Yew" players get to go back and stand on the sidelines during Hurricane football bowl games? How come Marcus Allen and Keyshawn and Ronnie Lott are at the same place at USC games? Maybe there's a difference betweeen football and basketball in the NCAA? I recall Magic Johnson being at Michigan State games. Oscar Robertson at Cincinnati games.

I don't hold any affinity towards Larry and his Billiken career, if you call it that. I reveled in it as I said but gone is gone. His relationship with brother Justin has been well documented and I respect that. But he stayed local for it and parlayed a one-and-done successful year into his NBA riches. He was nothing more than he is today .... a well-paid mercenary in the overpriced world of professional sports entertainment. Guy has been in the bigs for ten years now and played for four teams ..... stats or not he becomes a nobody without any roots. Frankyl his best roots are at CBC if anywhere. He has no connection to SLU ... even I have a degree that takes me back no matter where I find myself.

Larry is and was the biggest fish to come out of the SLU basketball pond, no doubt about it. But even Majerus gets more mileage of "I put Keith Van Horne into the NBA" than "SLU is where Larry Hughes went."

To be more than just a footnote in any given history requires doing something above ordinary. Ross Varner played four years of Division 1 college basketball. For a guy with his talent, that's extraordinary. Same with Missavage. Hughes had one great year and probably would have had more but the blue-and-white turned into the red-white-and-blue of the Sixers way too early. So it was what it was and no hard feelings but Hughes is not a Billiken legend in my book.

[VTIME]

Doesnt Larry have the single season scoring record at SLU too. Remarkable for a freshman. He put the team on his back and took them to the second round of the tourney. When you say he has no roots, are you saying he has no legacy at SLU, because I think thats just not fair. I dont think Duke fans would talk like that about Luol Deng or Memphis fans about Dajuan Wagner and Shawne Williams. He could've gone pro out of high school, he was that good. At the end of the day most are glad he came, however brief his stint was.

[moytoy12]

"At the end of the day most are glad he came, however brief his stint was."

I don't think anyone is saying they are mad he came to SLU, even if for one year.

[slufanskip]

I'd say borderline for one, and imo he probably should have been an all star that year, but besides that his carrer has not been borderline all star. In fact it has been so-so at best.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

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

[billiken_roy]

there are very few issues that i disagree with taj on. but i think on hughes with slu, any amount of time here was good. the fact we didnt capitalize on his brief stay was spoon's fault. i have heard the legend that if hughes had stayed dion glover and pete mickel were about to commit to slu, but i ask why spoon didnt have them committed before larry left?

that one season of hughes was one of the most amazing displays of sheer talent i have ever witnessed. sure i would have loved to have seen what could have been, but it was remarkable regardless.

what has been more disappointing to me is the fact that imo hughes has wasted that mountainous talent since. sure he is a decent player, but he should have been an all-star.

[Four Seventeen]

I'll tell you why, VeeTime:

Because the Golden Age of the NBA was from 1980-1998. That's it. Bird. Johnson. Zeke. Pippen. Worthy. Laimbeer. Stockton. Malone. Dumars. Some guy named Jordan. No one cares about the NBA anymore simply because the league has lost it's luster and the NBA can't market players who are constantly in Stern's doghouse. It's racially driven, and I'll be the first one to tell you that I'm not going to go buy a ticket to see the Portland TrailBlazers play when I can go to a police lineup later that night and watch them. I don't want to hear grown men who make millions of dollars to not play defense whine about not making enough money (Spreewell) and then B.I.T.C.H about having to wear a suit and to represent the league in a more positive manner. Was the suit deal racially motivated -- DAMN RIGHT IT WAS -- was it the best thing for David Stern to do -- DAMN RIGHT IT WAS.

The hip-hop culture is out of control and is killing the youth of America faster than Al Gore can come up with more of his Nazi Propaganda. No one cares about LeeBron or DeeWayne or even Kirk Heinrich. The NBA sucks right now. It's going to take the abolishment of the hip-hop/gunslinging NBA guys to get me back. The Jordan-Bird-Magic days are over and thank God I get ESPN Classic.