Most Amazing Transformation

[ACE]

Ok, "sucked" was an exaggeration. However, as a charter member of the Kool Aid club, I can't seem to remember when anybody defended BS's recruiting. It was more of a let's wait and see how they pan out. Even at the beginning of the year, I was on people about doggin DM and AK. Perhaps they were closer to right than I was, but I still stand by my wait and see approach.

How can we take a different perspective with RM? Well, I'll tell you. First off, RM isn't a 17 year old kid. He is a proven commodity and a grown man. After 40 years of coaching, RM isn't gonna have some drastic change. This plays into reason number 2....expectations. When we pay a guy one million dollars, that comes with expectations. When a company replaces a CEO, do the shareholders just allow thousands of dollars to be lost and chalk it up to a new guy? Absolutely not. Now, if they hired Joe in IT who looks promising but doesn't really have any experience...well, that's a different story (and probably no a public company!).

All that being said, let me reiterate that I'm fully on the RM bandwagon. I think we are going in the right direction and I think he's a hell of a coach. I DID, however, expect our record to be better and I DID expect to beat SHS at home. And I sure as hell didn't expect to look like a JV team and get blown out by Kent State. I don't it's negative or hypocritical to voice displeasure in that.

Nash,

I generally agree with you about taking a wait and see approach with recruits, but the problem with the previous regime is that we were waiting with too many players at one time. Justin Johnson was a 5th year senior and seemingly every year, we were waiting. Newbourne, we waited and never got a payoff. Danny Brown, I know there was an injury involved, but we've done a lot of waiting and he's still a role player. Husak, after 5 years in the program, is just now starting to make some contributions.

The point is ideally you have 8-10 players who can contribute, then that allows you to give some young guys like Mitchell and Relphorde time to develop. I am hopeful they will play a bigger role next year and maybe Marcus will get more clock later this season. Last year's recruits DM and AK, we're still waiting on.

I agree that expectations should be raised for RM, but I would make the point that his presence has already paid dividends. We got nearly 1,000 new season ticket holders. Contributions for the arena are up. In the fall, a very important development happened with the signing of 5 kids, who have a good chance of forming one of the best recruiting classes we've had.

Keep in mind that Rick Pitino and John Calipari did not make the Big Dance in their first season, and at programs like Louisville and Memphis, that is considered failure - not a "historic season." This year, RM is not playing with his roster. I want him to squeeze as much as he can out of it, but I'm also realistic about some of the deficiencies this team has. I want to see them improve this year. I want to see them playing their best ball as the season progresses in February and then in the conference tournament. Where that takes them... I'm not sure? I don't want to see them lose 2 of their last 3 regular season games and get embarrassed in their last Conference Tourney game like last year.

[slufanskip]

Nash,

I generally agree with you about taking a wait and see approach with recruits, but the problem with the previous regime is that we were waiting with too many players at one time. Justin Johnson was a 5th year senior and seemingly every year, we were waiting. Newbourne, we waited and never got a payoff. Danny Brown, I know there was an injury involved, but we've done a lot of waiting and he's still a role player. Husak, after 5 years in the program, is just now starting to make some contributions.

The point is ideally you have 8-10 players who can contribute, then that allows you to give some young guys like Mitchell and Relphorde time to develop. I am hopeful they will play a bigger role next year and maybe Marcus will get more clock later this season. Last year's recruits DM and AK, we're still waiting on.

I agree that expectations should be raised for RM, but I would make the point that his presence has already paid dividends. We got nearly 1,000 new season ticket holders. Contributions for the arena are up. In the fall, a very important development happened with the signing of 5 kids, who have a good chance of forming one of the best recruiting classes we've had.

Keep in mind that Rick Pitino and John Calipari did not make the Big Dance in their first season, and at programs like Louisville and Memphis, that is considered failure - not a "historic season." This year, RM is not playing with his roster. I want him to squeeze as much as he can out of it, but I'm also realistic about some of the deficiencies this team has. I want to see them improve this year. I want to see them playing their best ball as the season progresses in February and then in the conference tournament. Where that takes them... I'm not sure? I don't want to see them lose 2 of their last 3 regular season games and get embarrassed in their last Conference Tourney game like last year.

yea ... what he said

[billiken_roy]

As for Soderberg, he is relavent to the debate because this is primarily HIS roster. This is the team he recruitied. The major deficiencies at the 1, 4 and 5 and general lack of depth are because of his recruiting failings. If there is any blame to be thrown out about how the team has played, imo, it has more to do with the talent deficiencies on Soderberg's roster than it has to do with deficiencies in RM's coaching.Relax. Better times are ahead. Patience.

there you go again. looks like you are the one that needs to relax. myself, i am concentrating on watching majerus spin his magic with the players he has as a hall of fame coach with an all-star staff should be able to maximize.

[billiken_roy]

Keep in mind that Rick Pitino and John Calipari did not make the Big Dance in their first season, and at programs like Louisville and Memphis, that is considered failure - not a "historic season."

ace, i dont know the answer to this, but since you apparently looked up their ncaa failure seasons those first year's of pitino at louisville and calipari at memphis, you probably know the answer.

what was louisville's and memphis's record the previous season before pitino and calipari took over and how many top 8 players did they return that next season from the previous roster? thanks, you are the best!

[ACE]

Sodie, Sodie, Sodie. I can understand why you don't want anyone to mention Soderberg, since you were wrong about him. Probably just wish everybody would forget about that.

RM inherited a Sodie roster with deficiencies at the 1 and at the 4 and 5, where the only two bigs were AK and BH - two guys who barely saw the floor the previous season. Can anybody refute that statement?

[billiken_roy]

i've moved on. the day soderberg was fired was a new day. does absolutely no good living in the past. you might want to try it.

p.s. what about that pitino and calipari team info?

[ACE]

i've moved on. the day soderberg was fired was a new day. does absolutely no good living in the past. you might want to try it.

p.s. what about that pitino and calipari team info?

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

I don't blame you for trying to forget the Soderberg era, but his past is still with us - this is his roster with its strengths and multiple deficiencies (1, 4, 5 and depth). When criticizing our current coach for this team's performance, that important fact must be taken into consideration. Not sure why that is so difficult to grasp.

No coach is above criticism including RM, but the level of negativity early on from a few folks is mind-boggling.

[ACE]

ace, i dont know the answer to this, but since you apparently looked up their ncaa failure seasons those first year's of pitino at louisville and calipari at memphis, you probably know the answer.

what was louisville's and memphis's record the previous season before pitino and calipari took over and how many top 8 players did they return that next season from the previous roster? thanks, you are the best!

I don't know. If you do, feel free to post it and make a counter argument.

I simply pointed out the fact that Calipari and Pitini missed the NCAA Tourney in their first seasons.

[billiken_roy]

I don't know. If you do, feel free to post it and make a counter argument.

I simply pointed out the fact that Calipari and Pitini missed the NCAA Tourney in their first seasons.

fyi,

calipari's first season at memphis he ended up winning 21 games and got to the nit final four. he follwed a team the previous season that was 15-16.

he used 7 out of the 8 previous top 8 players as only shine was not on the new team. obviously calipari took what he had given to him from a mediocre team and improved in his first season dramatically without adding a single impact player.

pitino's first season resulted in 19 wins and while they didnt make the ncaa tourney they did make the nit. he followed a previous team that only won 12 games the previous season.

pitino used 6 out of the previous top 8 players plus lost the top scorer, marcus maybin, and did not replace maybin with an equal new impact player.

it seems like both were able to succeed far beyond what the previous coaching staff's did with same rosters in a what was then a very tough conference usa. personally, i would be thrilled to see us win 19-21 games this season now. i think that majerus is a better floor and x's and o's coach than either calipari or pitino.

[JaleJarr]

Brad said all the right things last year but TL's defense did not improve and IV remained a mystery all season long.

I don't really get the issue of Tommie being a poor defender. I would agree from reports that Tommie has picked up his defense, but that is primarily due to Coach Majerus change of defensive approach. Tommie first 2 years under Brad S. were mostly him playing freelance. He covered the entire area of the floor. He was also the guy providing help defense in the post. Now if you are that guy playing that role with a limited bench you might get fatigued. You might also give up some easy looks due to that.

Tommie's defense and grasp of Majerus' offense was criticized earlier this year without respect to Tommie's ankle surgery. A very critical part to a basketball player. The surgery also gave him a late start in his conditioning. So he was pretty much playing catch up.

[brianstl]

I don't really get the issue of Tommie being a poor defender. I would agree from reports that Tommie has picked up his defense, but that is primarily due to Coach Majerus change of defensive approach. Tommie first 2 years under Brad S. were mostly him playing freelance. He covered the entire area of the floor. He was also the guy providing help defense in the post. Now if you are that guy playing that role with a limited bench you might get fatigued. You might also give up some easy looks due to that.

Tommie's defense and grasp of Majerus' offense was criticized earlier this year without respect to Tommie's ankle surgery. A very critical part to a basketball player. The surgery also gave him a late start in his conditioning. So he was pretty much playing catch up.

Tommie is looking strong on both ends of the court right now.

[king88]

I have suspended hoops88 from posting for three days with the warning that if he doesn't fit in better afterward, the discipline will be harsher. In the meantime, I request that you guys begin to use the "ignore user" feature.

Thicks,

Why did you suspend me (Hoops 88) ? I guess I wasn't saying what you and others wanted to hear. This is supposed to be an open message board, remember ? Don't be upset with me because SLU has a bunch of NAIA players. RM has basically said that himself !

I have had people on this board call me all sorts of foul names and that's fine. I

[billiken_roy]

hoops/king, who says this is an open message board? this message board is the property of one person and he can do whatever he wants with it. he has appointed very good moderators that make decisions that are in the best interest of the community. hopefully your newest moniker is also X'd by sundown.

[brianstl]

hoops/king, who says this is an open message board? this message board is the property of one person and he can do whatever he wants with it. he has appointed very good moderators that make decisions that are in the best interest of the community. hopefully your newest moniker is also X'd by sundown.

Just 88 him (add to the ignore list).

[king88]

hoops/king, who says this is an open message board? this message board is the property of one person and he can do whatever he wants with it. he has appointed very good moderators that make decisions that are in the best interest of the community. hopefully your newest moniker is also X'd by sundown.

Roy,

Great post. Keep up the good work. You are a class act !

[billiken_roy]

Just 88 him (add to the ignore list).

ok, i have just added my first poster to the ignore list. see how it works.

[king88]

ok, i have just added my first poster to the ignore list. see how it works.

Roy,

Over 14,000 posts and you want to ignore me. I must be speaking the truth indeed !

Happy Holidays !

[king88]

Thanks, just curious as to how it actually worked. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't miss what was going on. Plus, Metz wasn't well-liked here but was always an entertaining read. Hoops88 just isn't worth bothering with unless you like run-on sentences and tons of exclamation points.

Pistol,

Thanks for the kind words ! Maybe you should start an English Comp message board. I'm sure the response would be great.

Happy Holidays !!!!

Hoops 88

[slufanskip]

Pistol,

Thanks for the kind words ! Maybe you should start an English Comp message board. I'm sure the response would be great.

Happy Holidays !!!!

Hoops 88

At first I thought we should ban you also Hoops/King, but then I saw your post that stated SLU needs to get players like Dwight Howard and I thought "WOW" what tremendous insight, this is a poster we just can't live without.

I'm waiting anxiously for your next zinger, I'll be shocked if you can beat that Dwight Howard post though ... that was off the charts. You really are the King