Sodie to Missouri State?

[victor]

I just got a call from a friend in Springfield claiming he saw Sodie on campus in a coat and tie. We all forget that he did win 20 games last year. Administrators must be trying to package him with Kramer. Interesting development!!!!!

[moytoy12]

I just got a call from a friend in Springfield claiming he saw Sodie on campus in a coat and tie. We all forget that he did win 20 games last year. Administrators must be trying to package him with Kramer. Interesting development!!!!!

Quite frankly, I hope he goes there. Our ability to compete for recruits against MSU would greatly increase.

[Clock_Tower]

I wish Brad well and also hope he would get the job. As to recruiting, there is no other way to sugar coat it. Brad's failed to get the job done and actually got worse over time. I was extremely surprised (pleasantly) how well he did that first Spring when Romar left us with a mess. Getting Ohanon and Drejay was quite good and made me think he had sources for talent (Europe and New Jersey). Then picking up Reggie Bryant made me think he had friends within the D1 coaching ranks (like Spoon did getting Waldman). Then with the arrival of IV (even though he was not good/project his first year) made me think he really had European connections. Then, getting Frericks (servicable until major injury) made me think he could get JUCO talent. Landing our current Senior class with TL and KL the following year made me think Brad really had this program turned around.

After the above, Brad's recruiting went south. Failure each year to get a 4. Failure to replace Drejaj. Failure to get help for IV. Failure to add to KL and TL. Signing only DM in the Fall and nothing last Fall. Then waffles over recruits, failure to get early commitments, saving scholarships for the future, problems with the AAU crowd...

I will always wonder "what might have been..." had Brad been given any type of real support from Fr. Biondi. Had the Chafeitz not stalled for several years under Woolard ...

With proper support, maybe Brad would be good in Springfield. At the same time, many of his deficiencies here at SLU were his own doing as mentioned above.

[knight_rider]

Read on coaching news online where Sodie is rumored to be a candidate for the Western Illinois job. Another viable option for him would be as an assistant for the Hoosiers if Tony Bennett gets that position; even though Kramer couldn't play at that level.

[3Jack]

Read on coaching news online where Sodie is rumored to be a candidate for the Western Illinois job. Another viable option for him would be as an assistant for the Hoosiers if Tony Bennett gets that position; even though Kramer couldn't play at that level.

At least one Big Ten School, Iowa, is interested in Kramer. They haven't offered yet but he is on the Iowa coaches radar.

[Basketbill]

I wish Brad well and also hope he would get the job. As to recruiting, there is no other way to sugar coat it. Brad's failed to get the job done and actually got worse over time. I was extremely surprised (pleasantly) how well he did that first Spring when Romar left us with a mess. Getting Ohanon and Drejay was quite good and made me think he had sources for talent (Europe and New Jersey). Then picking up Reggie Bryant made me think he had friends within the D1 coaching ranks (like Spoon did getting Waldman). Then with the arrival of IV (even though he was not good/project his first year) made me think he really had European connections. Then, getting Frericks (servicable until major injury) made me think he could get JUCO talent. Landing our current Senior class with TL and KL the following year made me think Brad really had this program turned around.

After the above, Brad's recruiting went south. Failure each year to get a 4. Failure to replace Drejaj. Failure to get help for IV. Failure to add to KL and TL. Signing only DM in the Fall and nothing last Fall. Then waffles over recruits, failure to get early commitments, saving scholarships for the future, problems with the AAU crowd...

I will always wonder "what might have been..." had Brad been given any type of real support from Fr. Biondi. Had the Chafeitz not stalled for several years under Woolard ...

With proper support, maybe Brad would be good in Springfield. At the same time, many of his deficiencies here at SLU were his own doing as mentioned above.

You really outlined the time line quite well, I still think that the sudden unexplained resignation of his number one assistant in the middle of the summer hurt him. Still wonder why........

[OrlandoStewart]

According to my sources Kramer has been recruited hard by Mike Brey and his staff and he has received an offer from ND. Many people think he can not play at that level but I think he can. Nobody thought gary valentine could hold his own at Villanova and he did fine.

[brianstl]

According to my sources Kramer has been recruited hard by Mike Brey and his staff and he has received an offer from ND. Many people think he can not play at that level but I think he can. Nobody thought gary valentine could hold his own at Villanova and he did fine.

If Bennett gets the job at Indiana, I don't think Kramer would have any problem playing in that system at the Big 10 level.

[Pistol]

I wish Brad well and also hope he would get the job. As to recruiting, there is no other way to sugar coat it. Brad's failed to get the job done and actually got worse over time. I was extremely surprised (pleasantly) how well he did that first Spring when Romar left us with a mess. Getting Ohanon and Drejay was quite good and made me think he had sources for talent (Europe and New Jersey). Then picking up Reggie Bryant made me think he had friends within the D1 coaching ranks (like Spoon did getting Waldman). Then with the arrival of IV (even though he was not good/project his first year) made me think he really had European connections. Then, getting Frericks (servicable until major injury) made me think he could get JUCO talent. Landing our current Senior class with TL and KL the following year made me think Brad really had this program turned around.

After the above, Brad's recruiting went south. Failure each year to get a 4. Failure to replace Drejaj. Failure to get help for IV. Failure to add to KL and TL. Signing only DM in the Fall and nothing last Fall. Then waffles over recruits, failure to get early commitments, saving scholarships for the future, problems with the AAU crowd...

I will always wonder "what might have been..." had Brad been given any type of real support from Fr. Biondi. Had the Chafeitz not stalled for several years under Woolard ...

With proper support, maybe Brad would be good in Springfield. At the same time, many of his deficiencies here at SLU were his own doing as mentioned above.

Nice rundown, CT. The thing is, he did have some of those connections you mention, and he constantly was showing us reasons for being optimistic before we struggled through more recruiting losses and tough seasons.

The head coach at Chipola (don't know if he's still the HC) when Brad was at SLU used to play for him up in Wisconsin (at Loras College). Frericks and Newborne both came from Chipola. Lance Randall, now an assistant at Loyola-Chicago, coached in England for 3 years before coming back to the states and eventually joining Brad's staff as a grad assistant, and he had nice international connections. I still think Brad's issue was hesitating, which we've discussed before. I also think that Brad is the kind of guy who admits when he makes mistakes and learns from them- sometimes too slow for D1 hoops, but he's had a year off now to regroup.

You mention Woolard, and he seems to be doing a nice job at USF, but he was lousy at SLU. Didn't seem like his heart was in it at all, and I have every reason to believe it was a jumping-off point to him from the start, not just at the end when he went to USF. He didn't have much personality to go with his habit of just settling for mediocrity- how Hughes and Pizzoti were never fired under him is beyond me. He wasn't a good fundraiser and never seemed interested in pestering Biondi for a longer leash. Cheryl was good at all of those things, and I feel bad about the way it ended for her here. Anyway, I would certainly not have wanted to be a head coach under Woolard. You could be lousy and have job security because he didn't care, but you never got money because he wasn't good at his job and also let Lori Flanagan make too many decisions.

[davidlee]

Nice rundown, CT. The thing is, he did have some of those connections you mention, and he constantly was showing us reasons for being optimistic before we struggled through more recruiting losses and tough seasons.

The head coach at Chipola (don't know if he's still the HC) when Brad was at SLU used to play for him up in Wisconsin (at Loras College). Frericks and Newborne both came from Chipola. Lance Randall, now an assistant at Loyola-Chicago, coached in England for 3 years before coming back to the states and eventually joining Brad's staff as a grad assistant, and he had nice international connections. I still think Brad's issue was hesitating, which we've discussed before. I also think that Brad is the kind of guy who admits when he makes mistakes and learns from them- sometimes too slow for D1 hoops, but he's had a year off now to regroup.

You mention Woolard, and he seems to be doing a nice job at USF, but he was lousy at SLU. Didn't seem like his heart was in it at all, and I have every reason to believe it was a jumping-off point to him from the start, not just at the end when he went to USF. He didn't have much personality to go with his habit of just settling for mediocrity- how Hughes and Pizzoti were never fired under him is beyond me. He wasn't a good fundraiser and never seemed interested in pestering Biondi for a longer leash. Cheryl was good at all of those things, and I feel bad about the way it ended for her here. Anyway, I would certainly not have wanted to be a head coach under Woolard. You could be lousy and have job security because he didn't care, but you never got money because he wasn't good at his job and also let Lori Flanagan make too many decisions.

minor point - Loras College is in Iowa

[satrap]

According to my sources Kramer has been recruited hard by Mike Brey and his staff and he has received an offer from ND. Many people think he can not play at that level but I think he can. Nobody thought gary valentine could hold his own at Villanova and he did fine.

With all due respect, I don't believe you re: ND. I'll apologize if you're proven right. And who is/was Gary Valentine?

There is NO way, zero, zilch, nada, bupkis, that Brad is named coach at MSU. After the hell that they have gone through with Hinson- who was clearly a good, but not great, coach- it would be impossible to sell Brad to the fanbase, alumnibase, professorbase, any base. I like Brad, and really like Kramer, but there is simply no universe in which MSU signs up for a package deal with what appears to be a borderline DI player.

[NashvilleBilliken]

Quite frankly, I hope he goes there. Our ability to compete for recruits against MSU would greatly increase.

If Majerus is fighting recruiting battles against MSU, he is not earning his paycheck.

[moytoy12]

If Majerus is fighting recruiting battles against MSU, he is not earning his paycheck.

you don't think theyll go after the same recruits?

[kshoe]

According to my sources Kramer has been recruited hard by Mike Brey and his staff and he has received an offer from ND. Many people think he can not play at that level but I think he can. Nobody thought gary valentine could hold his own at Villanova and he did fine.

Gary Buchannon?

[Postcard]

Gary Buchannon?

I think that's who he meant.

[billiken_roy]

maybe he meant gary valentine who worked in maintenance at the villanova campus. gary was employee of the month at the university 4 times in 1997 and i believe won a trip to the pocono's for that never attained before or since feat.

[NashvilleBilliken]

you don't think theyll go after the same recruits?

Not where it matters. Rick is being payed to make this program big time. I'm sure there will be instances when we recruit the same guy (i.e. when a major recruit is a sophomore), but if Rick is worried about losing kids to MSU, I don't think the program would be where I expect to be.

[OrlandoStewart]

With all due respect, I don't believe you re: ND. I'll apologize if you're proven right. And who is/was Gary Valentine?

There is NO way, zero, zilch, nada, bupkis, that Brad is named coach at MSU. After the hell that they have gone through with Hinson- who was clearly a good, but not great, coach- it would be impossible to sell Brad to the fanbase, alumnibase, professorbase, any base. I like Brad, and really like Kramer, but there is simply no universe in which MSU signs up for a package deal with what appears to be a borderline DI player.

A lot of people thought KL was not Div 1 player either and he has been great for us.

[StLouBlue]

Nice rundown, CT. The thing is, he did have some of those connections you mention, and he constantly was showing us reasons for being optimistic before we struggled through more recruiting losses and tough seasons.

The head coach at Chipola (don't know if he's still the HC) when Brad was at SLU used to play for him up in Wisconsin (at Loras College). Frericks and Newborne both came from Chipola. Lance Randall, now an assistant at Loyola-Chicago, coached in England for 3 years before coming back to the states and eventually joining Brad's staff as a grad assistant, and he had nice international connections. I still think Brad's issue was hesitating, which we've discussed before. I also think that Brad is the kind of guy who admits when he makes mistakes and learns from them- sometimes too slow for D1 hoops, but he's had a year off now to regroup.

You mention Woolard, and he seems to be doing a nice job at USF, but he was lousy at SLU. Didn't seem like his heart was in it at all, and I have every reason to believe it was a jumping-off point to him from the start, not just at the end when he went to USF. He didn't have much personality to go with his habit of just settling for mediocrity- how Hughes and Pizzoti were never fired under him is beyond me. He wasn't a good fundraiser and never seemed interested in pestering Biondi for a longer leash. Cheryl was good at all of those things, and I feel bad about the way it ended for her here. Anyway, I would certainly not have wanted to be a head coach under Woolard. You could be lousy and have job security because he didn't care, but you never got money because he wasn't good at his job and also let Lori Flanagan make too many decisions.

I think the Chipola coach was Jans, who left after we got Newborne and became an assistant under Moser at Ill St. I haven't heard or checked on where he went after that. That was the end of our JUCO line from Chipola.

I have said it in the past & will probably have to say it again in the future, but in Brad's last year with Jamal Walker as an assistant replacing Beane, we were recruiting a much higher quality player than previously. Look at Pullen at Kansas St, Swansey at Georgia, Marcus Walker at Colorado St, and others. I do think it was a case of too little too late though. I would have liked to have seen what Brad & Jamal Walker could have done over more time than just one season though.

I think Brad can be a successful coach but he does need quality assistants for recruiting and also for in game help. I hope he has taken this year off and rethought some of what he was doing here--if so he should be a good hire for whatever school gets him.

[3Jack]

I think the Chipola coach was Jans, who left after we got Newborne and became an assistant under Moser at Ill St. I haven't heard or checked on where he went after that. That was the end of our JUCO line from Chipola.

I have said it in the past & will probably have to say it again in the future, but in Brad's last year with Jamal Walker as an assistant replacing Beane, we were recruiting a much higher quality player than previously. Look at Pullen at Kansas St, Swansey at Georgia, Marcus Walker at Colorado St, and others. I do think it was a case of too little too late though. I would have liked to have seen what Brad & Jamal Walker could have done over more time than just one season though.

I think Brad can be a successful coach but he does need quality assistants for recruiting and also for in game help. I hope he has taken this year off and rethought some of what he was doing here--if so he should be a good hire for whatever school gets him.

Chris Jans is at Wichita State who is in the running for Kramer now.

[slufanskip]

According to my sources Kramer has been recruited hard by Mike Brey and his staff and he has received an offer from ND. Many people think he can not play at that level but I think he can. Nobody thought gary valentine could hold his own at Villanova and he did fine.

Gary Buchanon. Played for Villanova from Valley Park. Sent Reggie Bryant to SLU. Blake Ahearn and Gary are the 2 leading free throw shooters in the history of the NCAA.

[slufanskip]

A lot of people thought KL was not Div 1 player either and he has been great for us.

Who thought that? Kevin was being recruited by BCS schools. Kramer reminds me alot of Brian Grawer and I have heard Earl Austin say the same. Brian had a nice career at a BCS school.

[DoctorB]

I have heard that Kramer is also on the radar screen at Penn State. cannot say how serious that has been but I think he would get minutes for the Nittany Lions.

[TheBand]

You could be lousy and have job security because he didn't care, but you never got money because he wasn't good at his job and also let Lori Flanagan make too many decisions.

Shot out of nowhere at Lori Flanigan!

(Perhaps the ONLY time in the history of the board her name has been mentioned other than when she left the program? And I'm not even sure that happened then!)

[Clock_Tower]

You really outlined the time line quite well, I still think that the sudden unexplained resignation of his number one assistant in the middle of the summer hurt him. Still wonder why........

Forgot about him and am drawing blank on his name right now. Anyone know if he is he back in coaching? Maybe his desire to go into the private sector was the truth and nothing more is behind his departure.