brianstl Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 These are my sentiments exactly. Rick Majerus did not recruit Tommie. Coach probably would not have recruited Tommie coming out of HS due to his coaching and Tommie's style of play. Tommie did not commit to SLU to play for Majerus. This is an arranged marriage. That being said Tommie has to make the most of this situation. He is definitely not in the catbird seat. Tommie is frustrated but not defeated. Tommie has always been a player who controlled the ball and created for others. Now coach is trying to get Tommie to play off the ball and allows other to create for him. A pretty big role reversal I'd say. This transformation will not happen over night. I'm positive that Tommie will adjust and be better for this experience. Hopefully come conference time no one will remember this thread. JaleJarr I think this whole thread is getting way to blown up. It was a dad sticking up for his son, who he thought was being unjustly critizied. It is a new system for Tommie and there is an adjustment period. I think Tommie will get through it. I think Tommie is a pretty special kid. In a defense of TDELL, outside of TDELL sticking up for his son, he is right Tommie's numbers would be a hell of a lot better if Brad was the coach now. Tommie would be in the same system he has been for the past two years. That said I think Tommie will be more than fine in Rickma's system given a little more time to adjust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaleJarr Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I would be shocked if RM wouldn't have recruited TL. The difference would be that he would be 2 years into learning RM's way. He wouldn't have been a star being benched for not getting it as he was learning, he would have been a freshman learning and earning his way into the starting lineup. Personally I'm not sure TL is a better player playing off the ball. Maybe we become a better team that way, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's best for Tommie. Imo what Tommie needed to do was learn to keep his intensity higher for the entire game, never letting his focus drift, offensively and deffensively. I've always thought he had the vision to be a pg, just not the intensity or the (I hate to use this word, but it fits) the leadership qualities to play it. I was hopeing RM could pull those qualities out of him, not change him to a player who plays off the ball. With that said ... RM is the coach with the record to back up what he's doing, so I'll defer my opinion until he has had time to get his system in place and him and Tommie have found a common ground with Tommie playing to his potential, it will come. How does one define leadership? Coach Majerus can state that he has never had a losing record, Tommie can boast that he has never starting on a losing team. They are very similar in this respect. Where the two diverged I believe is in their personalities. I think people can get sidetracked by Tommie's demeanor. I would love for Tommie to be this rah rah type of guy, but I don't think it is going to happen. He is too detached from his emotions. Probably would have made a great serial killer. This is my take on the situation. Coach is trying to develop that killer instinct in Tommie. Tommie doesn't respond in the way that Coach wants. He assumes Tommie's doesn't get it. So he calls out Tommie publicly through the media about Tommie's perceived lacksadaisical play. Still no response. Next move is to shorten Tommie's playing time. To me this is the only way to get through to a player. You take away that which is most important. As a coach with limitless power you don't have to explain yourself. You can say and do as you will. Imagine yourself as a parent who picks up the local newspaper and read how Coach Majerus is disparging your son in the papers. "Tommie plays only 8 minutes of the 2nd half due to a missed assignment". "Good players don't allows those things to happen". As a parent your natural instinct is to protect your child. Which is the reason why I can never watch a game near my sister. They are fans of Tommie. He can do no wrong, but as a former player(low level) I can understand what coach is doing. I don't like reading all the bad things said about Tommie, but as a young man he will be better for the experience. Now what time is the game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Can we let this post go. I really see no good coming from continuing it. I am a Tommie fan and a Rickma fan. Let's get more than 4 games into the season before we all start acting like this is a huge deal. I am sure some people are worked up about it now, but let us see how it plays out over the next five games before we make this bigger than it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Can we please delete this thread. No good can come of discussing this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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