Mike Claiborne on RM

[satrap]

This is, essentially, my view. I wonder how widespread it is outside of Claiborne since it seems, of course, RM has the biggest college basketball media in this town- Frank C, Bernie, and Bob- unequivocally on his side:

http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2008/0...ts/sports04.txt

[billiken_roy]

This is, essentially, my view. I wonder how widespread it is outside of Claiborne since it seems, of course, RM has the biggest college basketball media in this town- Frank C, Bernie, and Bob- unequivocally on his side:

http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2008/0...ts/sports04.txt

claiborne has not been a billiken lover for years, but that goes beyond any venom he has directed towards the billikens. wow. he makes my distancing from rickma look mild.

[NextYearBill]

He doesnt use RM's name once in the article. What a gimp. Is he talking about Rick? You wouldn't know

[moytoy12]

"Grawer, Spoonhour, Romar and Sodeberg were all class individuals who could coach and recruit and still found time to be decent people and role models." (emphasis added)

I didn't know Sodeberg could recruit.

[moytoy12]

Some specifics would have been nice. Pretty hollow piece. What Claiborne is saying might be true, but some of the accusations should be backed up by examples.

[davidnark]

I don't agree with Majerus's disregard for the average member of the local sports media, but I will give him credit for one thing, Majerus has absolutely figured out where the power is in the local media, and he uses it for his benefit. Everyone generally agrees that the last coach was a good guy, but it didn't stop Kevin Slaten from trashing him every day and Bernie Miklasz from repeatedly referring to Soderberg's program as irrelevant. Meanwhile, Majerus has Miklasz repeteadly promoting the program to the public and recruits, had Slaten singing his praises for taking a tough stance with Liddell, and has KSDK--the most popular local TV sports news-- regularly promoting his program. Between these three media sources, Majerus has the power in local print, TV, and radio behind him.

Courtside warned 13 months ago that Majerus would tick off much of the local media and pander to the media powers, so this shouldn't be a surprise.

[BIG BILL FAN]

claiborne has not been a billiken lover for years, but that goes beyond any venom he has directed towards the billikens. wow. he makes my distancing from rickma look mild.

Claiborne has been a Billiken basher ever since he was cannd as a commentator on the radio broadcasts. As for his comments about the local kids:

"How anyone at this point would think this would be a good situation for their kid should take a long, hard look at what has happened at Saint Louis University lately. No longer is this the place for the hometown kid, and you can solely thank the head coach for that. His most recent statement about four kids he wanted to run off was unacceptable."

Huh????? Has he looked at our incoming roster??? Femi John, from Florissant, Rubin Cotto from Alton, Kyle Cassity and BT from Southern Illinois, maybe Josh Harrellson from St. Charles. These are the same bitter comments he has been directing towards the program for the last several years, just a different target now.

[Box and Won]

Call the waaaaaa-mbulance, Claiborne.

[3star_recruit]

Huh????? Has he looked at our incoming roster??? Femi John, from Florissant, Rubin Cotto from Alton, Kyle Cassity and BT from Southern Illinois, maybe Josh Harrellson from St. Charles. These are the same bitter comments he has been directing towards the program for the last several years, just a different target now.

Claibs kills his argument when he messes up simple details like this.

[JMM28]

This is, essentially, my view. I wonder how widespread it is outside of Claiborne since it seems, of course, RM has the biggest college basketball media in this town- Frank C, Bernie, and Bob- unequivocally on his side:

http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2008/0...ts/sports04.txt

The only thing I'd use the st louis american for is wiping myself after a hot steamy one. This guy is a joke, and so are you.

[ACE]

"No longer is this the place for the hometown kid, and you can solely thank the head coach for that."

What a load of garbage that statement above was ... John, Cotto, plus Thompson and Cassitty not too far away and Harrelson at the top of our wish list. We made a strong push for Griffey and Suggs. We're going after Allen.

Recruiting seems to be going just fine. It's funny, but I don't remember some of these local media types being big SLU boosters and encouraging good local players to come here. In fact, many of them would seem to turn their nose up at us, like we weren't big time enough for them. We're going to win with or without their support. Besides, media members like BM, who used to take shots at us and who might actually have some influence, are now in our corner. Relax and enjoy the ride.

[Guest BillikenReport]

I don't remember seeing Claiborne at a Majerus post-game press conference this season.

I don't have a problem with people voicing their opinions, but it rings hollow when those same people won't question the coach in person.

[Pistol]

claiborne has not been a billiken lover for years, but that goes beyond any venom he has directed towards the billikens. wow. he makes my distancing from rickma look mild.

I'll take this guy seriously when he learns how to write- poorly developed arguments, sentence fragments, even bad spelling ("Sodeberg"). It seems to me that he has a bone to pick with Majerus. Perhaps he's a member of the [small-time] local media that he claims Majerus routinely snubs. He also acknowledges that transfers out of the program happen all the time, but they normally end with "We wish them the best." I suppose this direct quote from Majerus that was published in the largest paper in St. Louis wasn't enough for him:

"I walked into their life, they walked into mine. I really like them, I wish them well. They're good students. Marcus asked me if he could still work with the team. I'm letting him come to individual workouts. I don't like Anthony, I love Anthony. Anthony and I discussed talking about him going to junior college, getting some playing time, and perhaps coming back. But he's not going to play ahead of Tommie and Kevin. He doesn't have a chance."

Instead of the media-packaged "We wish them the best," Majerus has the guts (or, dare I say, class) to be honest with the media. These kids wouldn't have played. Sorry you need candy-coating, Claiborne.

This is a quote of Claiborne's I particularly like:

"It rankles me that the coaches who came before him and who asked for a new facility are no longer here. Grawer, Spoonhour, Romar and Sodeberg (sic) were all class individuals who could coach and recruit and still found time to be decent people and role models."

So all of a sudden, the coach asking for a new facility is enough to get one? They aren't rich kids on Christmas. This is the real world, and tens of millions of dollars need to be raised first. We also needed a real AD, not a patsy looking for a bigger job like Woolard. And since when could Grawer, Spoon, and Soderberg recruit? The vast majority of posters on here and general fans have conceded that recruiting was not a strong suit for any of these guys.

I have another question- when the head coaching job at SLU opened up the past couple times, who did he want to fill the position? I'm just curious. There's a reason he's not writing for a national paper (he even puts "national" in quotes to show disrespect): because Claiborne's arguing and writing skills are better suited for a high school paper. Keep pouting while SLU keeps building a nationally-respected program for the first time, chump.

[satrap]

The only thing I'd use the st louis american for is wiping myself after a hot steamy one. This guy is a joke, and so are you.

The American is, undoubtedly, a strange publication. Most of the African-American community has political views- which intersect with their views on sports- that could only be described as utterly insane. However, it does contain Earl's friendly little gems each week and Claibs seems like a fairly rational actor, though I never listen to 550 AM.

[brianstl]

Claiborne has been a Billiken basher ever since he was cannd as a commentator on the radio broadcasts. As for his comments about the local kids:

"How anyone at this point would think this would be a good situation for their kid should take a long, hard look at what has happened at Saint Louis University lately. No longer is this the place for the hometown kid, and you can solely thank the head coach for that. His most recent statement about four kids he wanted to run off was unacceptable."

Huh????? Has he looked at our incoming roster??? Femi John, from Florissant, Rubin Cotto from Alton, Kyle Cassity and BT from Southern Illinois, maybe Josh Harrellson from St. Charles. These are the same bitter comments he has been directing towards the program for the last several years, just a different target now.

He ruins his argument there. The main problem for Soderberg is that SLU was no longer becoming the program for local kids under his watch. He whiffed on Roundtree, Falker, Booker, Ahearn, Tatum, O'Rear, Shaw and others. SIUC was becoming the place for local kids.

[billiken_roy]

I don't agree with Majerus's disregard for the average member of the local sports media, but I will give him credit for one thing, Majerus has absolutely figured out where the power is in the local media, and he uses it for his benefit. Everyone generally agrees that the last coach was a good guy, but it didn't stop Kevin Slaten from trashing him every day and Bernie Miklasz from repeatedly referring to Soderberg's program as irrelevant. Meanwhile, Majerus has Miklasz repeteadly promoting the program to the public and recruits, had Slaten singing his praises for taking a tough stance with Liddell, and has KSDK--the most popular local TV sports news-- regularly promoting his program. Between these three media sources, Majerus has the power in local print, TV, and radio behind him.

Courtside warned 13 months ago that Majerus would tick off much of the local media and pander to the media powers, so this shouldn't be a surprise.

i was a regular slaten listener. he ripped on rickma during the season more than he praised him.

[3star_recruit]

Besides, media members like BM, who used to take shots at us and who might actually have some influence, are now in our corner. Relax and enjoy the ride.

The only media member who used to take shots at us that is now supportive is Bernie. The other media members who aren't on SLU's payroll are more negative than ever, which is the point Claibs was trying to make. He just butchers the details in order to make his argument, which I deplore.

As for Bernie, being in "our" corner and being a Majerus bandwagonner are two different things. He has a long track record of abandoning ship when coaches don't live up to his advance hype, Andy Murray being the most recent example.

[satrap]

The only media member who used to take shots at us that is now supportive is Bernie. The other media members who aren't on SLU's payroll are more negative than ever, which is the point Claibs was trying to make. He just butchers the details in order to make his argument, which I deplore.

As for Bernie, being in "our" corner and being a Majerus bandwagonner are two different things. He has a long track record of abandoning ship when coaches don't live up to his advance hype, Andy Murray being the most recent example.

Good points. I should clarify that you guys who defend the program as to the local content are correct, and Claiborne is wrong in those details, certainly. I think he, along with myself, is just disappointed at the utter media and fan unfriendliness that Majerus has shown. I've probably gone overboard in describing RM negatively,but overall his behavior in StL has just made his lack of PR polish morph into downright needless churlishness.

[moytoy12]

Good points. I should clarify that you guys who defend the program as to the local content are correct, and Claiborne is wrong in those details, certainly. I think he, along with myself, is just disappointed at the utter media and fan unfriendliness that Majerus has shown. I've probably gone overboard in describing RM negatively,but overall his behavior in StL has just made his lack of PR polish morph into downright needless churlishness.

Not being facetious, do you have examples of this fan unfriendliness?

[ACE]

The only media member who used to take shots at us that is now supportive is Bernie. The other media members who aren't on SLU's payroll are more negative than ever, which is the point Claibs was trying to make. He just butchers the details in order to make his argument, which I deplore.

As for Bernie, being in "our" corner and being a bandwagonner are two different things. He has a long track record of abandoning ship when coaches don't live up to his advance hype, Andy Murray being the most recent example.

Let them be negative. I don't remember many of them rallying around Sodie and Romar during some of those mediocre seasons. When we make the Big Dance, they'll all jump on board. And if they don't, who cares.

All of these periphery issues mean little. It's about winning. Brad was a nice guy, but much of the local media didn't take our program seriously. The status quo was leading us nowhere. Does everybody realize that if things had stayed the course, the year after TL and KL graduated, our upperclassmen would have consisted of AM, DM, AK and MR... Yikes! Some of us were sounding the recruiting warning bells for good reason. Things had to change for the better and now they are. Enjoy the ride!

[cheeseman]

It was said that RM would have a different kind of relationship with the local media than our other coaches. While Romar and Soderberg got along with the media the media never really cut them much of a break. Spoon was a media darling and figured out how to play them to his advantage. Grawer was not getting any slaps on the back either. I am not sure how to take this article other than Mike C. is not happy about something and he is using his bully pulpit to express it. Ultimately the proof will be in the net results that RM produces.

[brianstl]

Not being facetious, do you have examples of this fan unfriendliness?

I don't think he makes the time or kisses the ass of some boosters like previous coaches did. The same thing causes his problems with some media members. When it comes to the media, it appears to me, he has determined that he needs only to give time to certain local media members and national media members. I think he thinks he gets the most bang for his buck that way.

[satrap]

Not being facetious, do you have examples of this fan unfriendliness?

Just not coming on the postgame much, not being as radio accessible as Brad or as he should have been-given that he was trying to resurrect a dormant program. Thats it.

[willie]

As someone stated above Claiborne has had no love for SLU since he was dropped from the SLU broadcast many years ago. As a little background Claibs.was just a guy who hung around West Pine in the eary Grawer years. He became something of a go- for around the program. Somehow got the gig as the play by play radio man. Became friends with Bonner and delivered Bonner and himself to agent Jim Steiner. Somehow became agent for an all pro Dallas lineman[name excapes me]. Parlays all of this into a radio job with the newly founded sports radio industry. Somehow gets a reputation as a sports guru. To me he fits the mode of if you act like you know what your doing people people beleive you do. Most of the time I think he's full of crap.In any event he has no appreciation from where he got his start.

[satrap]

I don't think he makes the time or kisses the ass of some boosters like previous coaches did. The same thing causes his problems with some media members. When it comes to the media, it appears to me, he has determined that he needs only to give time to certain local media members and national media members. I think he thinks he gets the most bang for his buck that way.

Man, he SHOULD be doing that stuff. For chrissakes, why in the world should Bill Self or Mike Anderson or Bruce Weber do that and not RM? Bill Self was on Fox Sports Radio, ESPN, and Dan Patrick last Tuesday morning, after getting one hour of sleep after the Monday night NC game. I'm sure he did interviews with the KS media, too. Nobody is asking RM to be Paul Harvey, but I just don't understand the lack of outreach-unless he believes own hype.