Matt Vogrich

[davidlee]

I saw this in The Sporting News I received today (5/5/08).

"Big-time teams complain they can't find shooters, but St. Louis has caught on to something with its pursuit of 6-3 SG Matt Vogrich, a junior at Lake Forest (Ill). He has good size for his position and excelled when given room to shoot behind screens at the Hoop Group Jam Fest in Pittsburgh. (InsideDish)

[GOSLU68]

I saw this in The Sporting News I received today (5/5/08).

"Big-time teams complain they can't find shooters, but St. Louis has caught on to something with its pursuit of 6-3 SG Matt Vogrich, a junior at Lake Forest (Ill). He has good size for his position and excelled when given room to shoot behind screens at the Hoop Group Jam Fest in Pittsburgh. (InsideDish)

the difference between Bills games the last 5 appoximate years has been a dirth of shooters. Whether we won or lost in the Monroe Douglas, days

or Erwin Clagget guys; we had a lot of options.

Coach had to find it hard watching tapes of the Bills he was inheriting; people like DM, RM, AM, Polk just couldn't find the hole. The reason BH was allowed to shoot from the three was he could do it better than some of the guards. I doubt we will have to suffer through low scoring games where nobody wants the ball as long as Rick is in charge.

[jjray]

the difference between Bills games the last 5 appoximate years has been a dirth of shooters. Whether we won or lost in the Monroe Douglas, days

or Erwin Clagget guys; we had a lot of options.

Coach had to find it hard watching tapes of the Bills he was inheriting; people like DM, RM, AM, Polk just couldn't find the hole. The reason BH was allowed to shoot from the three was he could do it better than some of the guards. I doubt we will have to suffer through low scoring games where nobody wants the ball as long as Rick is in charge.

That was the perplexing thing about how Sodie recruited and utilized players. His entire system was designed to generate medium range jump shots yet he always had a limited numbers of players who actually hit open jump shots. If the few shooters get d'ed up tight or have an off night or get hurt (see Reggie Bryant), then we lose. Why exactly Sodie couldn't find playing time for a guy like Darren Clarke (aka the F**cker from Minnesota) on a team starved for shooters is one of the mysteries of the Soderberg universe. And I won't even bring up the mystery of why Sodie didn't offer Blake Ahern, the best spot up shooter the city may have ever seen. See I made a post about Sodie recruiting conundrums and didn't talk about Ahern.

[3star_recruit]

Well since you didn't bring him up

Ahearn had a great run at MO State but he wasn't the best spot up shooter the city has ever seen. He only shot 40% or more from three one year the three years he played varsity at Desmet. He had a pretty mediocre senior season compared to other top shooters in the area. But he was the best free throw shooter I've ever seen.

Ahearn made it his business to prove everybody wrong and that's why he able to take his game to another level at MO State. Maybe there's a lesson in that for all us -- recruit kids who have a chip on their shoulder and want to prove people wrong. Femi John has a bit of that.

[upsaluki]

New Vogrich article

I know you guys are in on this kid

[Guest BillikenReport]

SLU was the first to offer him, but I doubt he ends up as a Billiken.

[Cowboy]

SLU was the first to offer him, but I doubt he ends up as a Billiken.

nate - was this a kid you mentioned you thought we would get awhile back?

if so, did his stock rise sooo much in a short time he now has big time callers?

if not the kid, who am i confusing?

we do need some good bball news!!!!

[Guest BillikenReport]

nate - was this a kid you mentioned you thought we would get awhile back?

if so, did his stock rise sooo much in a short time he now has big time callers?

if not the kid, who am i confusing?

we do need some good bball news!!!!

Same kid. Since that time, he's picked up some other offers. There was also a story that had him listing his favorites as Miami-Ohio and Northwestern.

He's had a SLU offer for a long time, visited the school a couple times and hasn't made the decision to come to SLU. So it doesn't look good for the Billikens.

I hope I'm wrong. This kid could be an Ahearn-type player at SLU.

[J.J. Loscutoff]

Same kid. Since that time, he's picked up some other offers. There was also a story that had him listing his favorites as Miami-Ohio and Northwestern.

He's had a SLU offer for a long time, visited the school a couple times and hasn't made the decision to come to SLU. So it doesn't look good for the Billikens.

I hope I'm wrong. This kid could be an Ahearn-type player at SLU.

Was this the kid with the connection somehow to Dr. Chaifetz? Same HS as Chafetz' kids or something like that?

Was hoping the Bills could land this guy. Is he considered a better shooter than Matt Roth? (I guess we need "makers" though, not "shooters"--in the spirit of Norm Stewart's line. Wasn't it: "We don't need 3-point shooters. We need 3-point makers!")

[OC]

This kid could be an Ahearn-type player at SLU.

(bracing myself for imminent message board version of a ten-car pileup)

[Pistol]

Same kid. Since that time, he's picked up some other offers. There was also a story that had him listing his favorites as Miami-Ohio and Northwestern.

He's had a SLU offer for a long time, visited the school a couple times and hasn't made the decision to come to SLU. So it doesn't look good for the Billikens.

I hope I'm wrong. This kid could be an Ahearn-type player at SLU.

Those are some interesting front-runners. I'm guessing he does well in the classroom and has some non-basketball priorities high on his list.

[NashvilleBilliken]

Those are some interesting front-runners. I'm guessing he does well in the classroom and has some non-basketball priorities high on his list.

I don't necessarily get that feeling after watching this video. He's been saying all along that he wants to wait and see what kind of offers pop up. According to this interview they have, and they are big time. I would bet big bucks he ends up going to a BCS school. With the changing of the three point line, the under the radar sharp shooter is going to be much tougher for us to land. Everybody is going after kids like these it seems.

[moytoy12]

I don't necessarily get that feeling after watching this video. He's been saying all along that he wants to wait and see what kind of offers pop up. According to this interview they have, and they are big time. I would bet big bucks he ends up going to a BCS school. With the changing of the three point line, the under the radar sharp shooter is going to be much tougher for us to land. Everybody is going after kids like these it seems.

LOL. Hello, my name is mr. monotone reporter.

[Pistol]

I don't necessarily get that feeling after watching this video. He's been saying all along that he wants to wait and see what kind of offers pop up. According to this interview they have, and they are big time. I would bet big bucks he ends up going to a BCS school. With the changing of the three point line, the under the radar sharp shooter is going to be much tougher for us to land. Everybody is going after kids like these it seems.

Everyone should be going after shooters, too. That type of player has always been underrated because of the almighty "upside" that other kids show. I think the extended three-point line will have a good effect on the college game.

[BLIKNS]

I think this just proves how RM can tell talent.

[moytoy12]

I think this just proves how RM can tell talent.

let's hope he starts signing some of that talent.

[brianstl]

let's hope he starts signing some of that talent.

It has been much slower on the verbal front this year than last. It has been the same at a lot of the schools in the area minus the Illini.

[Clock_Tower]

I'm afraid this year's recruiting will not meet most of our expectations. Not only are there fewer local prospects - many of whom have decided to go elsewhere and/or will go elsewhere for football, etc., but also I really think it will be more difficult to bring in a kid who will need to compete with the incoming 7 freshmen (pretty good talent) for the next 3 years. Playing time is no longer RM's easiest selling point. Compared to this past year, the incoming 7 have very little to compete with in that BE, TL and KL will be seniors. After these 3, there is not much else.

As for me, I am hoping and expect RM to sign only 2 guys during the early/Fall signing period. Believe these 2 signings will be "the best athletes available" who can fill a need for RM. I'm hoping they are good shooting 2 and another big/mobile 5. After that, I think RM will sign a few transfers and/or jucos leaving us waiting another 10 months before next year's class is finalized. If I am correct, I presume most will be upset and complain that RM did not do a good job.

Any thoughts as to both what you realistically hope for and what RM will eventually sign?

[billiken_roy]

to be honest right now i am more concerned that he basically has no staff and there is not even a leak of information (at least last year we knew biancardi was coming as soon as the school year started) as to any replacements for the needed two coaches and director of basketball operations.

[mcglotherirvin]

Please explain how he "basically has no staff." We have an ex-head coach in Porter Moser and we have Alex Jensen. We lost a video guy and the second and third assistants. Video guy could be replaced by anyone. We don't need a second and third assistant. My guess is that Jensen will simply be promoted. He may just be looking for one more. I can't imagine it being a problem filling any of these spots if RM wants to fill them. Remember that he's got a big budget for assistants and can sell his resume to any young guy who wants a start.

to be honest right now i am more concerned that he basically has no staff and there is not even a leak of information (at least last year we knew biancardi was coming as soon as the school year started) as to any replacements for the needed two coaches and director of basketball operations.

[Band Legend]

Please explain how he "basically has no staff." We have an ex-head coach in Porter Moser and we have Alex Jensen. We lost a video guy and the second and third assistants. Video guy could be replaced by anyone. We don't need a second and third assistant. My guess is that Jensen will simply be promoted. He may just be looking for one more. I can't imagine it being a problem filling any of these spots if RM wants to fill them. Remember that he's got a big budget for assistants and can sell his resume to any young guy who wants a start.

I think that there is some validity to the concept that RM has assistants picked out but they haven't been signed to contracts to free them from some of the recruiting rules they would be bound by as official assistants. It also is not unprecedented for a high school coach to come on as a final assistant if he can deliver a player. I don't think assistants not being signed is urgent until after the first semester starts.

[moytoy12]

We don't need a second and third assistant. My guess is that Jensen will simply be promoted.

A bit shortsighted since that 2nd and/or 3rd assistant might have been recruiting our last '08 recruits and/or some of our top '09 priorities.

[billiken_roy]

even if jensen truly is going to be the second asst, to assume he will walk in and immediately be the equal of biancardi or thorpe is pretty naive imo.

plus, moving jensen from his current position to an asst's position still leaves an open vacancy. someone has to be doing that work even if it is preceived to be of less importance.

so you are down at least one bird dog asst, and the other is relatively new, a director of basketball operations an inside grad asst/head manager/team liason (whatever they want to call jensen's previous duties). no matter how you slice it, a lot of official work is either not being done, or being done unofficially by an unnamed future employee, or by rickma himself. imo, that paints a very disorganized and disjointed picture.

there is a reason that there is relatively nothing going on recruitingwise. last month was understandable (quiet period) but if you all remember, last july was a flurry of recruiting success with what seemed like non stop visits and reported interest. no way anyone can deny we are seeing almost nothing comparably.

[brianstl]

even if jensen truly is going to be the second asst, to assume he will walk in and immediately be the equal of biancardi or thorpe is pretty naive imo.

plus, moving jensen from his current position to an asst's position still leaves an open vacancy. someone has to be doing that work even if it is preceived to be of less importance.

so you are down at least one bird dog asst, and the other is relatively new, a director of basketball operations an inside grad asst/head manager/team liason (whatever they want to call jensen's previous duties). no matter how you slice it, a lot of official work is either not being done, or being done unofficially by an unnamed future employee, or by rickma himself. imo, that paints a very disorganized and disjointed picture.

there is a reason that there is relatively nothing going on recruitingwise. last month was understandable (quiet period) but if you all remember, last july was a flurry of recruiting success with what seemed like non stop visits and reported interest. no way anyone can deny we are seeing almost nothing comparably.

Neither are some other shcools around the area. The fact that it is a weaker class this year in the area and the lack of avalible minutes for a couple of years are hurting us I think. SIU is in the same boat as us right now when it comes to '09 kids. Let's see who ends up getting hired and see who they might bring with them before we panic. In most ways it makes little sense to hire somebody now and put the NCAA restrictions on them.

[slu72]

even if jensen truly is going to be the second asst, to assume he will walk in and immediately be the equal of biancardi or thorpe is pretty naive imo.

plus, moving jensen from his current position to an asst's position still leaves an open vacancy. someone has to be doing that work even if it is preceived to be of less importance.

so you are down at least one bird dog asst, and the other is relatively new, a director of basketball operations an inside grad asst/head manager/team liason (whatever they want to call jensen's previous duties). no matter how you slice it, a lot of official work is either not being done, or being done unofficially by an unnamed future employee, or by rickma himself. imo, that paints a very disorganized and disjointed picture.

there is a reason that there is relatively nothing going on recruitingwise. last month was understandable (quiet period) but if you all remember, last july was a flurry of recruiting success with what seemed like non stop visits and reported interest. no way anyone can deny we are seeing almost nothing comparably.

B'roy's handwringing, Rich........