4 Scholarships to open up

[slufanskip]

sure do. I've heard of 1 or 2 transfers in a year but 4?

I feel really bad for the kids, Majerus screwed them big time. Now we know why the percentage of kids who make it 4 years in his system as reported in SI was so low. It's not that THEY can't take it, it's that he runs them off. These are kids who made a committment to SLU and could have gotten out when Majerus first came. But instead, he keeps them and now dumps them, costing 3 of them a year of eligibility. I remember hearing great things on this board about Relphord and Knollmeyer, I could have sworn from the hyperbole here they were future all-conference guys. Some guys do blossom after their first year or two. And, considering we will lose (assuming this report is true) 7 guys and were already short scholarships it's going to be another long season next year.

It is ridiculous that they lose a year of eligibility if their scholarship is not being renewed. Someone ought to sue the NCAA. I can't imagine them losing.

[kshoe]

sure do. I've heard of 1 or 2 transfers in a year but 4?

I feel really bad for the kids, Majerus screwed them big time. Now we know why the percentage of kids who make it 4 years in his system as reported in SI was so low. It's not that THEY can't take it, it's that he runs them off. These are kids who made a committment to SLU and could have gotten out when Majerus first came. But instead, he keeps them and now dumps them, costing 3 of them a year of eligibility. I remember hearing great things on this board about Relphord and Knollmeyer, I could have sworn from the hyperbole here they were future all-conference guys. Some guys do blossom after their first year or two. And, considering we will lose (assuming this report is true) 7 guys and were already short scholarships it's going to be another long season next year.

Your post makes no sense.

1) These are kids who made a committment to SLU and could have gotten out when Majerus first came.

Two of them yes, two of them no. Knollmeyer and McGuire could not have gotten out.

2) But instead, he keeps them and now dumps them, costing 3 of them a year of eligibility.

The only one that will lose any eligiblity is McGuire. The other 3 still have their full eligibility.

3) I remember hearing great things on this board about Relphord and Knollmeyer, I could have sworn from the hyperbole here they were future all-conference guys.

Interesting revisionist history but I will conceed that these were Brad's top 2 recruits the past 2 years so maybe people thought they would be good out of pure hope.

4) And, considering we will lose (assuming this report is true) 7 guys and were already short scholarships it's going to be another long season next year.

How does losing 4 guys that aren't good enough to get more than 2-3 minutes per game for an average team hurt the program? I don't understand that logic.

[Band Man]

Band Man, not sure where you are in life, but at 18,19 or 20 I am not sure i would have been able to see this silver lining

if this is all true, i hope the kids can see it

and if this is not true, which i guess is a possiblity, what a huge disservice strickland did to these kids

I'm at basically the same spot in life as these guys except for the whole D-1 Basketball player thing. It just seems to me that these guys would much rather play somewhere than sit on the bench for 3 more years...I may have a different mentality but I don't know. Put all initial shock and disappointment aside...wouldn't you rather play the 3 years remaining of your eligibility at another school than watch your friends play from the far end of the bench?

[brianstl]

Band Man, not sure where you are in life, but at 18,19 or 20 I am not sure i would have been able to see this silver lining

if this is all true, i hope the kids can see it

and if this is not true, which i guess is a possiblity, what a huge disservice strickland did to these kids

According to Strickland one player is headed to Ball State. He said he was headed there to hook-up with one of the former asst. coaches. I wouldn't think that is the case because none of the former asst. coaches are at Ball State. Walker is at Murray State, Jason Grunkemeyer is at Miami(Ohio) and Beane is at IL State. I guess he could have confused Miami and Ball State.

[inthelou]

There's a Kentucky congressman trying to pass a bill to eliminate anonymous internet postings by requiring all folks submit their first and last name to the site where they are posting. I instantly thought of Roy.

I don't mean to put Roy on the spot. I've just never seen anyone do that before. It's weird. He doesn't do it on here. Why on there?

[Cowboy]

I'm at basically the same spot in life as these guys except for the whole D-1 Basketball player thing. It just seems to me that these guys would much rather play somewhere than sit on the bench for 3 more years...I may have a different mentality but I don't know. Put all initial shock and disappointment aside...wouldn't you rather play the 3 years remaining of your eligibility at another school than watch your friends play from the far end of the bench?

i would want to play, but my mentality to my own lack of athletic prowess was to try to be the big fish in the small pond, i wanted to play not pick splinters out of my ass

maybe they came to slu because they thought bball aside, this was the place where they could get the best education for what they want to do in life

part of me, if this whole deal is true, feels bad for them, i really do

part of me realizes this is like North Dallas 40 - they are peices of meat - not that this is right

[BIG BILL FAN]

I have no problem using Eckerle's scholarship next year. He apparently was told that his scholarship was a one year deal. And I don't have a problem telling other kids very frankly that in all likelihood they will not be able to get much playing time in the future. But just kicking them out and not renewing their scholarships is not right.

Do I want to see better players? Yes. And I hope some players decide not to come back so they can get PT at another school. But to just cut a kid loose, I am not sure about this. Hopefully at least SLU will help the kids secure a scholarship at another good school. We see coaches come and go and at will. The players always seem to get screwed.

I remember hearing RM earlier in the year say that he was going to find a way to keep PE on scholarship next year. Does any one else remember hearing this?

[Band Legend]

I remember hearing RM earlier in the year say that he was going to find a way to keep PE on scholarship next year. Does any one else remember hearing this?

The original post said nothing about Eckerle. The names mentioned were Mitchell, Relphorde, McGuire and Knollmeyer. And for all of you who are wailing and gnashing your teeth; be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Majerus is not running a day care center here. I've seen him on the sidelines this year, and it's evident to me that his fire still burns. He desperately wants to win and win big. I for one am going along for the ride.

[Alonzo P Hawk]

some of the outcry about this situation is ridiculous. these players were pretty awful and not what we're looking for to create a big time program that's going to take us deep into the tourney. some of you are obviously not tired of seeing the billikens sitting out in march.

if you don't get a 3.0 gpa for certain academic scholarships, you lose 'em. not really a big difference here. these kids just didn't get a 3.0 in basketball.

[SluSignGuy]

How much is this, plus the Dixon loss going to mess up our graduation rate, and therefore our future scholarships...

So how many new players we looking at next season potentially?

[AlumniFan]

How can anyone possibly be upset by this news? 4 players who won't play Wednesday, won't play next year, didn't play this year are leaving??? GOOD! Billiken Blue Skies await! best news i heard all day.

I am sure to get ripped for this, but some people believe that when a kid makes a commitment to a school, the school should make a commitment to the kid. Everyone decries kids who make a commitment and then change. Should be the same way about for the school. Probably 95% of these kids are going to make a living from their education, NOT from basketball. If it is a mutual parting, that is different. I do not know what this situation is.

[kshoe]

I am sure to get ripped for this, but some people believe that when a kid makes a commitment to a school, the school should make a commitment to the kid. Everyone decries kids who make a commitment and then change. Should be the same way about for the school. Probably 95% of these kids are going to make a living from their education, NOT from basketball. If it is a mutual parting, that is different. I do not know what this situation is.

I view an athletic scholarship as little different than an academic scholarship. With an academic scholarship you have to keep a certain GPA in order to retain the scholly. With an athletic scholarship you have to maintain a certain level of productivity on the basektball court to keep it. Not sure why an athlete on scholarship should play by a different set of rules than a braniac on scholarship.

[billiken_roy]

I kind of agree with you Roy. It does suck because of the committment these kids make.

A question for you: Why do you sign your first and last name on Bernie's Press Box? I don't think I've ever seen anybody do that before on an Internet board.

because imo if you arent big enough to own up to what you are writing on these message boards then you shouldnt be writing it. it is amazing how much braver people are if they get to remain anonomous.

[kshoe]

How much is this, plus the Dixon loss going to mess up our graduation rate, and therefore our future scholarships...

So how many new players we looking at next season potentially?

I asked this a while back and got absolutely no response, but I don't think it hurts. From what I could find, the NCAA really only punishes you if a player leaves and he is not on track to graduate (that may have been the case with Dixon but I doubt any of the current guys are in that position).

[billiken_roy]

Do they have to sit a year if their scholly is cancelled?

yes

[davidnark]

Someone correct me if I get the details wrong, but in Majerus's book I believe he explains how he pulled the plug on the scholarship for Jensen's brother, but worked real hard to help him find the right program. I think the brother went on to have a great career at Weber State (or something similar). I assume he will do the same with these kids.

Again, these kids will likely find themselves being a victim of corporate layoffs or other similar unfortunate events in life. I hope that they learn from this tough situation and make themselves better for it.

[TheA_Bomb]

I never thought of this from the viewpoint that academic scholarships can be revoked too.

I don't like this situation because I am always hopeful that our guys are just diamonds in the rough. They just need for it to click and they will produce. I'm an optimist that is why I am a die-hard fan. I defer to the experts in this situation. Majerus is proven and he wants certain things. Whatever it is that he is looking for translates into wins. If he is running these guys off then they don't have what he is looking for and keeping them around won't translate into wins. If they really love SLU they can stick around and pay for it like 90% of the rest of the population.

Uncle Sam paid for my school, if I was blinded in my sophomore year and couldn't serve after graduation it would have meant they wouldn't pay for my school anymore.

Life is tough. My life will be more enjoyable with SLU winning.

[AlumniFan]

I view an athletic scholarship as little different than an academic scholarship. With an academic scholarship you have to keep a certain GPA in order to retain the scholly. With an athletic scholarship you have to maintain a certain level of productivity on the basektball court to keep it. Not sure why an athlete on scholarship should play by a different set of rules than a braniac on scholarship.

I agree in principle, but the problem is that academic performance is primarily objective (e.g. GPA) whereas performance on a basketball team is highly subjective. If an athlete is clearly lazy, comes into camp 20% overweight or out of condition, has behavioral problems, etc., that is one thing, but for a kid who is giving his all, but just isn't, in a new coach's eyes, "good enough", losing a scholarship seems wrong, at least morally.

[moytoy12]

I agree in principle, but the problem is that academic performance is primarily objective (e.g. GPA) whereas performance on a basketball team is highly subjective. If an athlete is clearly lazy, comes into camp 20% overweight or out of condition, has behavioral problems, etc., that is one thing, but for a kid who is giving his all, but just isn't, in a new coach's eyes, "good enough", losing a scholarship seems wrong, at least morally.

There are plenty of subjective majors full of hard working kids that just aren't good enough (english, communications, philosophy, all those touchy feely liberal arts classes).

These kids were offered a year or two for free at a top educational institution and will probably go get additional free education (when they transfer). I'm not losing sleep over it.

[brianstl]

I agree in principle, but the problem is that academic performance is primarily objective (e.g. GPA) whereas performance on a basketball team is highly subjective. If an athlete is clearly lazy, comes into camp 20% overweight or out of condition, has behavioral problems, etc., that is one thing, but for a kid who is giving his all, but just isn't, in a new coach's eyes, "good enough", losing a scholarship seems wrong, at least morally.

How is it wrong morally? Folks this is a business. Majerus is getting paid big bucks to produce results. He is not getting paid big bucks to build young men's self-esteem while they get a $30,000 plus freebie for their efforts. Life is hard and you need to produce results. 99% of the adults their age would give the effort to get the chance these guys are getting. These guys will still be better off than that 99% even when they are getting a free ride at their next stop.

Guys their age are getting killed and maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is real life. These guys having to go to a new school for free are nothing more than minor inconveniences for them.

[satrap]

What are the chances we EVER get a recruit out of ESL again?

[Alonzo P Hawk]

I agree in principle, but the problem is that academic performance is primarily objective (e.g. GPA) whereas performance on a basketball team is highly subjective. If an athlete is clearly lazy, comes into camp 20% overweight or out of condition, has behavioral problems, etc., that is one thing, but for a kid who is giving his all, but just isn't, in a new coach's eyes, "good enough", losing a scholarship seems wrong, at least morally.

My sophomore I was on an acting scholarship at SLU. After that year, they didn't seem to see much in me, so they gave the scholarship to someone younger. It was a competition, just like basketball. What did I do? I went to SLU TV and got a bigger scholarship. These kids can't complain. They were very lucky for a good amount of time.

I don't buy the "they made a commitment to SLU, SLU should make a commitment to them" argument. Loads of kids at SLU make commitments to SLU, their choice. SLU doesn't owe them anything free. SLU is a business looking for the best talent.

I'm glad to see the "heart-break Bills" will be a thing of the past very soon.

[Clock_Tower]

What are the chances we EVER get a recruit out of ESL again?

Excellent.

BTW, why single out ESL. Trying to bring race into this topic? Why?

[AlumniFan]

SLU is a business looking for the best talent.

There are a lot more faculty and staff at SLU that would likely disagree than would agree with what I think your statement implies. Here is SLU's mission statement:

"The Mission of Saint Louis University is the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity. The University seeks excellence in the fulfillment of its corporate purposes of teaching, research and community service. It is dedicated to leadership in the continuing quest for understanding of God's creation, and for the discovery, dissemination and integration of the values, knowledge and skills required to transform society in the spirit of the Gospels. As a Catholic, Jesuit university, the pursuit is motivated by the inspiration and values of the Judaeo-Christian tradition and is guided by the spiritual and intellectual ideals of the Society of Jesus. "

Think whatever you want, but I doubt that you are on the same page as the university in this regard.

[moytoy12]

There are a lot more faculty and staff at SLU that would likely disagree than would agree with what I think your statement implies. Here is SLU's mission statement:

"The Mission of Saint Louis University is the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity. The University seeks excellence in the fulfillment of its corporate purposes of teaching, research and community service. It is dedicated to leadership in the continuing quest for understanding of God's creation, and for the discovery, dissemination and integration of the values, knowledge and skills required to transform society in the spirit of the Gospels. As a Catholic, Jesuit university, the pursuit is motivated by the inspiration and values of the Judaeo-Christian tradition and is guided by the spiritual and intellectual ideals of the Society of Jesus. "

Think whatever you want, but I doubt that you are on the same page as the university in this regard.

Then why did SLU sell the hospital to Tenet? I think the university is very well aware of the dual business and academic roles it serves.