Overhype and a terrible product

[foolish fan]

Wow, after looking at that schedule I bet Mr. Chaifetz is excited. Are you serious, we pay a narcissitic, ego-maniac, two-faced coach to continue his tradition winning seasons, by putting this out there? Well if the shoe fits, Biondi is no different. Those two guys need to go away. The latest is chartered flights for men, yes at SLU where budgets are still what they were in the 80's for everyone but mediocre hoops and terrible womens teams, what about women are we chartering them too, that would be a great expenditure. How do they justify this with this terrible product and schedule and keep ticket holders dangling along with false promises. I hope UMSL wins. What a facade! I wonder what the track coach feels like without a track? Chris May is a great politican and slick talker who cannot deliver here, why else would he take this job, being so desparate to get out of Colorado or just feeding his ego to be an AD and than move on. Figure it out people, this is about May, Majerus and Biondi striking gold off this supposed venture, but ain't happening with LB in charge, he needs the glory and will screw it up-the worst narcisstic human known to man. Wow, I hope we get 16-18 wins this year with our watered down mess and then what is next year going to be, more of the same. Majerus will not make it if any of his demands are not met so May runs around to please him while everything else continues, I stress continues, to suffer or remain the same.

[kevinfootes]

Wow, after looking at that schedule I bet Mr. Chaifetz is excited. Are you serious, we pay a narcissitic, ego-maniac, two-faced coach to continue his tradition winning seasons, by putting this out there? Well if the shoe fits, Biondi is no different. Those two guys need to go away. The latest is chartered flights for men, yes at SLU where budgets are still what they were in the 80's for everyone but mediocre hoops and terrible womens teams, what about women are we chartering them too, that would be a great expenditure. How do they justify this with this terrible product and schedule and keep ticket holders dangling along with false promises. I hope UMSL wins. What a facade! I wonder what the track coach feels like without a track? Chris May is a great politican and slick talker who cannot deliver here, why else would he take this job, being so desparate to get out of Colorado or just feeding his ego to be an AD and than move on. Figure it out people, this is about May, Majerus and Biondi striking gold off this supposed venture, but ain't happening with LB in charge, he needs the glory and will screw it up-the worst narcisstic human known to man. Wow, I hope we get 16-18 wins this year with our watered down mess and then what is next year going to be, more of the same. Majerus will not make it if any of his demands are not met so May runs around to please him while everything else continues, I stress continues, to suffer or remain the same.

Wow. I think it's pretty hard to blame May for this schedule. How long has he been around? If he were a great politician I think he'd probably be at a BCS school already.

Here is something I DO find interesting...

For the past few years on here we've had some posters telling us that SLU absolutely needed a new arena (not just a new practice facility like they did at Marquette and would have cost maybe 20-25% of the price and could have been completed a couple of years sooner). The reasons they gave for needing the new arena always included the following:

1. It will help recruiting

2. It will help with scheduling

3. It will generate student support

So far, #1 looks promising. This class has a great deal of potential, and time will tell.

For #3, we don't know yet. I'm sure the turnout will be big early on, and you really can't fall off the floor in this case. If 200 students show up for each game it will be miles ahead of what's been happening the past few years.

#2 is the tricky one for me. The same people who posted on this board that SLU needed its own building to attract better opponents are now telling us that SLU isn't good enough to get home dates with good opponents and won't be for several years. This seems like an excuse to me. As I've mentioned in other posts, Grawer got some pretty decent home games (including Georgia Tech...I'll never forget losing by 3 points and Hudson missing 3 dunks). The old Kiel was a SMALLER building than the new arena and SLU was in a worse conference.

As I've also mentioned, I'm not expecting Kentucky and Duke to come to SLU this year. However, this schedule is pretty much a marketing nightmare. One would hope that with several years to plan for this season SOMEONE could have somehow gotten a "name" team in addition to BC. You can still pay a few patsies to come in.

[slu72]

Wow. I think it's pretty hard to blame May for this schedule. How long has he been around? If he were a great politician I think he'd probably be at a BCS school already.

Here is something I DO find interesting...

For the past few years on here we've had some posters telling us that SLU absolutely needed a new arena (not just a new practice facility like they did at Marquette and would have cost maybe 20-25% of the price and could have been completed a couple of years sooner). The reasons they gave for needing the new arena always included the following:

1. It will help recruiting

2. It will help with scheduling

3. It will generate student support

So far, #1 looks promising. This class has a great deal of potential, and time will tell.

For #3, we don't know yet. I'm sure the turnout will be big early on, and you really can't fall off the floor in this case. If 200 students show up for each game it will be miles ahead of what's been happening the past few years.

#2 is the tricky one for me. The same people who posted on this board that SLU needed its own building to attract better opponents are now telling us that SLU isn't good enough to get home dates with good opponents and won't be for several years. This seems like an excuse to me. As I've mentioned in other posts, Grawer got some pretty decent home games (including Georgia Tech...I'll never forget losing by 3 points and Hudson missing 3 dunks). The old Kiel was a SMALLER building than the new arena and SLU was in a worse conference.

As I've also mentioned, I'm not expecting Kentucky and Duke to come to SLU this year. However, this schedule is pretty much a marketing nightmare. One would hope that with several years to plan for this season SOMEONE could have somehow gotten a "name" team in addition to BC. You can still pay a few patsies to come in.

This schedule is no doubt a bummer. I can't remember a lousier one. However, what good would have it done to have upgraded it to include 2 or 3 top or even mid range BCS'ers? I think we have to give RM the benefit of the doubt here. He's trying to rush along a team of promising frosh. I can't see where getting their heads beat in every home game is going to help them. I'd be interested to know what Ball State's schedule looked like in RM's second year there when he went like 30-2 after coming off his first season at slightly above .500. Also, keep in mind, this isn't totally RM's fault. What UB left him with was not the type of team Fr. Biondi envisioned entering the new arena. Hence, that's why he's now interim AD at Loras College.

[billiken_roy]

Wow. I think it's pretty hard to blame May for this schedule. How long has he been around? If he were a great politician I think he'd probably be at a BCS school already.

Here is something I DO find interesting...

For the past few years on here we've had some posters telling us that SLU absolutely needed a new arena (not just a new practice facility like they did at Marquette and would have cost maybe 20-25% of the price and could have been completed a couple of years sooner). The reasons they gave for needing the new arena always included the following:

1. It will help recruiting

2. It will help with scheduling

3. It will generate student support

So far, #1 looks promising. This class has a great deal of potential, and time will tell.

For #3, we don't know yet. I'm sure the turnout will be big early on, and you really can't fall off the floor in this case. If 200 students show up for each game it will be miles ahead of what's been happening the past few years.

#2 is the tricky one for me. The same people who posted on this board that SLU needed its own building to attract better opponents are now telling us that SLU isn't good enough to get home dates with good opponents and won't be for several years. This seems like an excuse to me. As I've mentioned in other posts, Grawer got some pretty decent home games (including Georgia Tech...I'll never forget losing by 3 points and Hudson missing 3 dunks). The old Kiel was a SMALLER building than the new arena and SLU was in a worse conference.

As I've also mentioned, I'm not expecting Kentucky and Duke to come to SLU this year. However, this schedule is pretty much a marketing nightmare. One would hope that with several years to plan for this season SOMEONE could have somehow gotten a "name" team in addition to BC. You can still pay a few patsies to come in.

great post footes!

[davidnark]

You are upset because the non-revenue generating women's team doesn't get to charter flights. That is laughable. So which players dad are you?

[Box and Won]

So which players dad are you?

I was thinking that Metz had come back...again.

[brianstl]

I was thinking that Metz had come back...again.

That is not Metz. He post under a different name and he wouldn't take a shot at Rickma.

[Kahok]

Being able to schedule super home games will come in time, No big name schools, at this point want to play in St Louis except if they are recruiting. This is a place were they can come and get beat and at this stage it does not look good on there resume. When the Bills return to the top 20 on a regular basis it will be much easier to schedule, by then TV will want those games because of RM. So just remain patient and it will happen.

[Pistol]

That is not Metz. He post under a different name and he wouldn't take a shot at Rickma.

Definitely not him. His IP addresses have been blocked (which is why he used me yesterday). Plus, he injects his signature style into every post. It's pretty obvious when it is him.

[ACE]

Wow, after looking at that schedule I bet Mr. Chaifetz is excited. Are you serious, we pay a narcissitic, ego-maniac, two-faced coach to continue his tradition winning seasons, by putting this out there? Well if the shoe fits, Biondi is no different. Those two guys need to go away. The latest is chartered flights for men, yes at SLU where budgets are still what they were in the 80's for everyone but mediocre hoops and terrible womens teams, what about women are we chartering them too, that would be a great expenditure. How do they justify this with this terrible product and schedule and keep ticket holders dangling along with false promises. I hope UMSL wins. What a facade! I wonder what the track coach feels like without a track? Chris May is a great politican and slick talker who cannot deliver here, why else would he take this job, being so desparate to get out of Colorado or just feeding his ego to be an AD and than move on. Figure it out people, this is about May, Majerus and Biondi striking gold off this supposed venture, but ain't happening with LB in charge, he needs the glory and will screw it up-the worst narcisstic human known to man. Wow, I hope we get 16-18 wins this year with our watered down mess and then what is next year going to be, more of the same. Majerus will not make it if any of his demands are not met so May runs around to please him while everything else continues, I stress continues, to suffer or remain the same.

Yep, that's what one would expect from "foolish fan"

[billiken_roy]

Being able to schedule super home games will come in time, No big name schools, at this point want to play in St Louis except if they are recruiting. This is a place were they can come and get beat and at this stage it does not look good on there resume. When the Bills return to the top 20 on a regular basis it will be much easier to schedule, by then TV will want those games because of RM. So just remain patient and it will happen.

so why is this year different than any other year in the last ten? and again, not as much about big name schools (however the absense of on big game is also irking) but just decent 75-150 rpi like teams.

[mcglotherirvin]

pure speculation, but i think a big part of the problem is that we haven't been very strong for a while and we now have a coach that other teams simply don't want to play against. majerus has said multiple times that bill self laughs at him when he talks about scheduling a game with KS. i think its probably similar with many other top notch programs. until RM gets us back in the tourney with a decent RPI, it is a no-win situation for a big program to come in here these days.

so why is this year different than any other year in the last ten? and again, not as much about big name schools (however the absense of on big game is also irking) but just decent 75-150 rpi like teams.

[billiken_roy]

pure speculation, but i think a big part of the problem is that we haven't been very strong for a while and we now have a coach that other teams simply don't want to play against. majerus has said multiple times that bill self laughs at him when he talks about scheduling a game with KS. i think its probably similar with many other top notch programs. until RM gets us back in the tourney with a decent RPI, it is a no-win situation for a big program to come in here these days.

mac as i pointed out yesterday, we are currently in a ten year period where we have had a winning record 9 out of 10 years. you have to go back to the early 60's to find a similar run.

i agree that is mediocre, but the point is we havent been horrible. whereas we have had years where the bottom has occurred much more frequently.

you focused on the "big game". fine take that out of the equation. just give me a bradley and an indiana state (just examples) instead of two of the six buy games. one surely believes that type of a trade off could have happened.

folks that keep bringing up the ncaa thing, i also dont get. it would be different if we were a regular ncaa participant year after year and then quit qualifying say 4 or 5 years ago. but that isnt the case. 4 times in a million years doesnt seem like the yard stick to explain why no one will supposedly play us now. and besides, go back to grawer years. he was getting a better schedule and at that time we were in an even worse conference and had zero ncaa appearances to refer to.

this b.s. that we just arent good enough is b.s. we arent great, but we are far from buy team status.

[courtside]

Wow, after looking at that schedule I bet Mr. Chaifetz is excited. Are you serious, we pay a narcissitic, ego-maniac, two-faced coach to continue his tradition winning seasons, by putting this out there? Well if the shoe fits, Biondi is no different. Those two guys need to go away. The latest is chartered flights for men, yes at SLU where budgets are still what they were in the 80's for everyone but mediocre hoops and terrible womens teams, what about women are we chartering them too, that would be a great expenditure. How do they justify this with this terrible product and schedule and keep ticket holders dangling along with false promises. I hope UMSL wins. What a facade! I wonder what the track coach feels like without a track? Chris May is a great politican and slick talker who cannot deliver here, why else would he take this job, being so desparate to get out of Colorado or just feeding his ego to be an AD and than move on. Figure it out people, this is about May, Majerus and Biondi striking gold off this supposed venture, but ain't happening with LB in charge, he needs the glory and will screw it up-the worst narcisstic human known to man. Wow, I hope we get 16-18 wins this year with our watered down mess and then what is next year going to be, more of the same. Majerus will not make it if any of his demands are not met so May runs around to please him while everything else continues, I stress continues, to suffer or remain the same.

Haven't seen this before from someone's 2nd post. I have a quick minute, so I will play along.

1) Why do you care about the coach's ego size? Is there a D-1 coach out there without a big ego? Soderberg included. Trust me the guys who appear to be "nice" guys, your Coach K's and Roy Williams' of the world have HUGE egos. You are living in dream land if you do not think so.

2) Yes, gasp, 2008, charter flights for men's basketball teams. Welcome to a long time ago.

3) Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner. Ticket prices, ticket sales, marketing. This is where SLU fails, and I mean fails big time, and this has been going on a long time. SLU has zero business charging the ticket prices they do for men's hoops, and not even close. The "event" isn't an elite level event for those elite level prices. You will get no disagreement from me there. But this isn't a new phenomenon at SLU. SLU has been charing comparable prices to top programs and SLU is far from a top program. Chris May just started his job. And Rick Majerus has been at SLU one season. This isn't about May or Majerus. Larry Biondi has a long tenure at SLU and people can debate him all they like. That'd be more realistic and fair.

SLU has to win basketball games, make the NCAA's on a consistent basis before it gains any leverage in several different areas.

If you do not like the schedule, the team, the coach, the program, don't go to the games. That'd be the best message you can send it that's how you feel.

[FromDaEastSide]

I'd be interested to know what Ball State's schedule looked like in RM's second year there when he went like 30-2 after coming off his first season at slightly above .500.

1988-89 - Coach: Rick Majerus

(29-3); MAC: 14-2 (1st)

LEADING SCORER: Curtis Kidd (14.0)

LEADING REBOUNDER: Paris McCurdy (8.5)

11/26 Minnesota (A) W 63-57

11/29 Cardinal Stritch (H) W 95-53

12/2 U.S. International (H)^ W 85-66

12/3 Florida A&M (H)^ W 76-52

12/7 Indiana State (H) W 80-56

12/10 Purdue (H) W 70-56

12/13 Valparaiso (A) W 63-56

12/21 Fla. International (A) W 89-66

12/22 Northwestern (23) W 77-71

12/28 SW Texas State (H) W 75-59

1/4 Western Michigan (H)* W 65-63

1/7 Ohio (A)* L 71-57

1/11 Central Michigan (H)* W 77-56

1/14 Bowling Green (A)* W 79-73

1/18 Toledo (H)* L 49-46

1/21 Butler (A) W 54-44

1/25 Kent (H)* W 78-62

1/28 Eastern Michigan (A)* W 68-66

2/1 Miami University (A)* W 66-51

2/4 Ohio (H)* W 80-70

2/8 Central Michigan (A)* W 66-65

2/11 Bowling Green (H)* W 64-51

2/15 Toledo (A)* W 74-69

2/22 Kent (A)* W 73-61

2/25 Eastern Michigan (H)* W 76-63

3/1 Miami University (H)* W 78-60

3/4 Western Michigan (A)* W 92-79

3/10 Ohio (17)$ W 62-46

3/11 Eastern Michigan (17)$ W 77-76

3/12 Kent (17)$ W 67-65

3/16 Pittsburgh (24)% W 68-64

3/18 Illinois (24)% L 72-60

His team has Purdue come into Muncie and won, they also won at Minnesota that year.

[Malibubill]

Just a thought - but might this schedule is damage control. RM's reputation took a big hit last season. He took on a team that was not his team. He had no time to recruit his players. Things didn't go up to the level people expected with RM as the coach - but that arguably is unfair because it was not really 'his' team. Nevertheless, his reputation took a hit. RM and SLU cannot afford another season where the on-court results do not match the expectations created by RM's reputation. Even though we have a team made up primarily of freshmen (or at least our success will depend on how they play), we need to have a good record or people will begin to wonder if RM was away from the game too long and has lost it. Now I know that some/many of you on this board already think that - but frankly our opinions do not matter. What matters are the opinions of the kids we are recruiting and those who advise them. They tend to look more at straight record than who you played that year. If we have another 'bad' year, RM's reputation may take a hit that it will not recover from and we will continue to wallow as a program with a weak reputation. We need to change the reputation of the program. Right now our reputation is tied to RM's reputation. If we have a good record this year, people will think RM still has it and it will make it easier to recruit more of the athletes like those in this year's class. If we have a poor season record wise, it will be a lot harder to keep that pipeline coming - and we may have to start all over again with another coach a few years down the road. While some of you may want that, I would prefer to build on RM's success, not start all over.

The goal is the long term success of the program, not the composition of one season's schedule. This is a means to an end, and we should accept it for what it is. You guys are getting lost in the trees - you might want to step back and look at the forest.

Patience - he is trying to build a program, not get the best schedule he could this year.

[slufanskip]

I think we all get that we don't want to play a schedule that our freshman can't handle or one that will give us a poor record. It doesn't have to be really tough or really bad, there is some middle ground that could have been had. I don't think anyone is complaining that we aren't going straight from our game at Duke to UNC. There are too many really bad teams on this schedule, some of them could have and imo should have been replaced with teams with rpi's in the 100-150 or even 175 range. We could still have a decent but not great schedule all the while winning some games.

[Malibubill]

We don't want to just win some games. RM - and SLU - need a good record to ensure that people do not begin to think RM has lost it. To improve the program we need better players. To get better players, we need a better program. It is a chicken and egg problem - which comes first? SLU has tried to break out of the catch-22 by building a new arena with state of the art facilitities and by hiring a big name coach that they hope will be able to recruit good players despite the program's overall poor reputation. The problem is if recruits begin to question the coach's ability, they will stop coming. If they stop coming, the program is not established enough to overcome it. We will be mired in mediocrity yet again.

I prefer a weaker schedule that not only gives the freshman a chance to get their feet under them but that gives RM and SLU a chance to win 20 or 20+ games. If that happens, particularly if we are playing better at the end of the season, there will be confidence in RM and excitement about next year that we can build on. There are enough tough non-conference games on this schedule, most of them just happen to be out of town. I'd rather those games be at home next year when our freshmen will have the experience to be more competitive in them, particularly in our arena, and they will be supported by another group of good recruits.

After all the years this program has struggled, I'm surprised people are not willing to show more patience to our best hope (not our only hope) of breaking that cycle. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I, for one, am fine with the schedule - as long as get results.

[slufanskip]

We don't want to just win some games. RM - and SLU - need a good record to ensure that people do not begin to think RM has lost it. To improve the program we need better players. To get better players, we need a better program. It is a chicken and egg problem - which comes first? SLU has tried to break out of the catch-22 by building a new arena with state of the art facilitities and by hiring a big name coach that they hope will be able to recruit good players despite the program's overall poor reputation. The problem is if recruits begin to question the coach's ability, they will stop coming. If they stop coming, the program is not established enough to overcome it. We will be mired in mediocrity yet again.

I prefer a weaker schedule that not only gives the freshman a chance to get their feet under them but that gives RM and SLU a chance to win 20 or 20+ games. If that happens, particularly if we are playing better at the end of the season, there will be confidence in RM and excitement about next year that we can build on. There are enough tough non-conference games on this schedule, most of them just happen to be out of town. I'd rather those games be at home next year when our freshmen will have the experience to be more competitive in them, particularly in our arena, and they will be supported by another group of good recruits.

After all the years this program has struggled, I'm surprised people are not willing to show more patience to our best hope (not our only hope) of breaking that cycle. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I, for one, am fine with the schedule - as long as get results.

I get your line of thinking, I just disagree with it.

First, I don't think we have to play a schedule with this many really poor RPI teams on it to win 20 games.

Next, I think you are selling recruits and recruiters short. It's the job of the recruiters to sell the kids on what we have going on at SLU, which is imo more than a 20-10 or a 15-15 record.

Having patience and liking the schedule aren't exclusive. I don't like the schedule. I believe we can get results and recruits while challenging ourselves more than this schedule does, but I will support the Bills and realize it may take time to get the program where we all want it to be.

[bonwich]

Not only that, but looking at the precedent of his Ball State season, he had a game with Purdue, which had won the Big Ten the year previous, and he played in-state teams Indiana State and Valpo. Now, it's very possible that the Purdue game was a two- or multi-year home and home. Nonetheless, that, I believe, is the type of schedule we all expected this year.

[lefty]

1988-89 - Coach: Rick Majerus

(29-3); MAC: 14-2 (1st)

LEADING SCORER: Curtis Kidd (14.0)

LEADING REBOUNDER: Paris McCurdy (8.5)

11/26 Minnesota (A) W 63-57

11/29 Cardinal Stritch (H) W 95-53

12/2 U.S. International (H)^ W 85-66

12/3 Florida A&M (H)^ W 76-52

12/7 Indiana State (H) W 80-56

12/10 Purdue (H) W 70-56

12/13 Valparaiso (A) W 63-56

12/21 Fla. International (A) W 89-66

12/22 Northwestern (23) W 77-71

12/28 SW Texas State (H) W 75-59

1/4 Western Michigan (H)* W 65-63

1/7 Ohio (A)* L 71-57

1/11 Central Michigan (H)* W 77-56

1/14 Bowling Green (A)* W 79-73

1/18 Toledo (H)* L 49-46

1/21 Butler (A) W 54-44

1/25 Kent (H)* W 78-62

1/28 Eastern Michigan (A)* W 68-66

2/1 Miami University (A)* W 66-51

2/4 Ohio (H)* W 80-70

2/8 Central Michigan (A)* W 66-65

2/11 Bowling Green (H)* W 64-51

2/15 Toledo (A)* W 74-69

2/22 Kent (A)* W 73-61

2/25 Eastern Michigan (H)* W 76-63

3/1 Miami University (H)* W 78-60

3/4 Western Michigan (A)* W 92-79

3/10 Ohio (17)$ W 62-46

3/11 Eastern Michigan (17)$ W 77-76

3/12 Kent (17)$ W 67-65

3/16 Pittsburgh (24)% W 68-64

3/18 Illinois (24)% L 72-60

His team has Purdue come into Muncie and won, they also won at Minnesota that year.

[WVBilliken]

I have no problem with this schedule. We play the A-10 teams of course and have some good games with BC, DePaul and Nebraska. When we play Nebraska, watch Cookie Miller, he's about 5'5" and extremely quick.

Those of you bitching about the schedule need to remember that we are a team of 7 freshman and 3 seniors. Why destroy their confidence of our frosh by throwing them into games that they cannot possibly win. Build them up and help make them successful by the time the A10 season starts.

Some of the posters are expectiing too much too soon. Aftter TL and KL Brad recruited NOTHING. We have a big void in the junior and sophomore classes. Rick did the right thing. Let the kids win this year then build up the schedule next year. Some posters are very unrealistic in their expectation. Rick is doing the right thing with this schedule.

[billiken_roy]

I have no problem with this schedule. We play the A-10 teams of course and have some good games with BC, DePaul and Nebraska. When we play Nebraska, watch Cookie Miller, he's about 5'5" and extremely quick.

Those of you bitching about the schedule need to remember that we are a team of 7 freshman and 3 seniors. Why destroy their confidence of our frosh by throwing them into games that they cannot possibly win. Build them up and help make them successful by the time the A10 season starts.

Some of the posters are expectiing too much too soon. Aftter TL and KL Brad recruited NOTHING. We have a big void in the junior and sophomore classes. Rick did the right thing. Let the kids win this year then build up the schedule next year. Some posters are very unrealistic in their expectation. Rick is doing the right thing with this schedule.

if the likes of say indiana state or a bradley like team in a home game would destroy our team's confidence then we dont have much of a team. personally i have more confidence in our team than that.

most arent demanding top 25 teams just not six 250+ rpi teams.

[Taj79]

I have long advocated a true home court but it was not because of WHO we could schedule, but rather that we would be in control of our own destiny more times than not. I know that stance was questioned by long-time board posters to include Bonowich. What I wanted was a home court pit that wasn't half empty on even the good nights, where our kids can get in and shoot around and become accustomed to the sightlines ala Stockton and Morrison at Gonzaga, where we wouldn't be fifth fiddle behind the Blues, the Steamers, the Ice Capades, Motley Crue and others as we were at the Kiel/Savvis/ScottTrade, one that would allow us to control one more thing that allowed us to win all we could at home, building confidence, and translate over time into something better. You guys living in the ten=second sound bite world are just not going to be happy.

And let me again predict here that even getting the 'Fetz won't mean more over th elong run in terms of top teams coming to St. Louis. Top teams don't go to Spokane. They don't go to Dayton. The don't go to Omaha. They don't go to Tulsa or Carbondale or Charleston or Lewisburg, Pa. Yes, they do go to homes of the Big Ten and homes of the ACC but its only because its a money event set up by ESPN, CBS or some other big wig outfit that doesn't hurt them in the long run even if they lose. Or its a payback to a recruit or two (Hansborough to St. Louis). Or its a recruiting pundit ---- Duke to the city to play St. Johns.

At best, we can look forward to maybe, maybe low rung BCS teams coming here over time. Nebraska out of the Big Twelve. Minnesota or Northwestern or Penn State out of the Big Ten. Seton Hall or Providence out of the Big East. The latest bottom dwellers from such conferences is best at most. The little or mid-whatever guy is the guy these teams won't go to --- or will in a two-for-one and our one will include an attempt to move it to Savvis or the dome, mark my words. We need to do exactly what the others do in those instances, the best we can but winning EVERY single home game we have. Then we win more on the road, building off the confidence built at home. And then, if we don't win the tourney at the end of the year, we still might NOT go to the dance. Its a fact --- look at Umass, Rhode Island and even Dayton from last year.

It happens all the time. Schedule is only one component and given that this is year one in the Majerus program --- yes it is, don't for a moment doubt it --- given the promise of his first ever class here, why would you want to throw them to the wolves and potentially damage their fragile psyches already. One bad year and the mantra is the same --- well, you're only a SLU Basketball player. If you were any good, you would have went to a real basketball school anyway.

Schedule is a crap shoot. It takes a couple of years to line things up. Three years ago, you get in good with Florida and Ohio State. So you set up tow marquee games for the next two years. They meet for the national title AND all their studs leave for the NBA. They come to play you and the bloom is off tht rose, is it not?

What if the newcomers are invalids? You can't win without players and no one --- NONE OF US --- knows what it is we have. Hell, they all might not want to play for an egomanical HOF and all transfer next year as well.

[slufanskip]

Has anyone else noticed a reading comprehension problem on this thread?