Tip Off Club Meeting

[Taj79]

I don't understand the griping on this board about who we are recruiting, who we are not recruiting, and how we (the cyberspace patrol) are kept out of the information loop on this matter? Why would I want to tip my hand to anyone outside my trusted inner circle? Why would I want to let know who my targets are and possibly increase the competition for those targets? Why would I want to say --- to UConn or Utah in the one case --- hey, its you versus me so you go tell the kid how you kick our arse in certain areas and he should therefore sign with you? Targets are targets but c'mon, who's going to tell every Joe Blow what their respective strategy is or is not? I wouldn't.

I know we all would like to know but I also recognize why it might not be the best thing to tell us. I am sure that the big boys do it ----- I am sure someone at Kansas let that one guy in Kansas City know all about their interest in the Rush family and that guy did what he could to make the Rush-to-Lawrence pipeline hold up. But he only got one out of three last I recall. And didn't he get into some trouble or something over it/ Somethng with the one that went to UCLA? I don't really recall but the issue of tampering or doing something illegal by a "booster" is something all program would have to be cognizant of. I think.

I can understand some coach saying, for example, that there is a huge class of good kids available in say the St. Louis metro area and we are targeting them all. I am sure that happened with Suggs, Griffey, Brandenburg, John, Thompson, Roundtree and so on. I mean, that would be a no-brainer for anyone in the coaching fraternity and an admirable goal. But obviously targeting them all doesn't mean you'll get any of them. It may even be unrealistic to target any single one of them. Should Fontbonne target them? UMSL? SLU? Mizzou? Wash U? And if you target them and get none, is that a total failure? How many of us shot for an A but settled, or even were happy, with a B? And if you reveal your wish list and don't make it, does that constitute a total failure? I am not in a position to say but it seems to me that in today's instant and total information world, some things still need to be safeguarded and protected.

I don't ever expect to have any substance in any of these areas ever. I think the big names will be obvious ---- Douglas, Gray, White, Carawell, Upchurch, Woods, Hughes, Griffey, Stipanovich, Miles, Ellis, Suggs and so on. But they will almost always be wishful thinking for us unless Majerus starts winning and the Fetz starts rocking and the NCAA dance bids gets more regular. The big names have always gone elsewhere with rare exceptions. I expect that to continue for a while. Maybe the next time a class like the recent arises in St. Louis ---- which is like once every ten years or so ---- our track record will have improved to where we are a desirable destination for them. Ain't gonna happen in one year. Didn't happen with Grawer. Didn't happen with Spoon. And those were arguable the 'glory years.'

I'd like to play poker with you guys if you're giving hands away up front.

[slu72 fan]

I may have missed it, but Jensen indicated that PE has a herniated disc and is questionable for the start of practice. He indicated that KM would be starting at the point and backed up by KL or possibly RC. As to the question of RC being a shooting guard, Jensen and BE both indicated that he had the best range on the team with his 3 point shot. It sounded to me as if he is definitely being considered a 2 and might have to play some 1, if he can prove that he has the ability.

The players were asked which of the new players had caught their eye, and both indicated KM, because of his ability to penetrate and hit the open player. BE indicated that KC was a surprise and would be a help to the team. Surprisingly nothing was said about any of the three taller players.

[billiken_roy]

BE indicated that KC was a surprise and would be a help to the team. Surprisingly nothing was said about any of the three taller players.

i have been a huge fan of the cassity recruitment as soon as it was known that rickma was taking the long car rides through southern illinois to follow him.

while he needs some strength training, the kid has amazing floor vision and basketball iq to go along with some nice ball skills couple that with being a little taller than what most of our guards have been in recent years and i think cassity might end up being very special. this seems to me to be the perfect example of rickma finding the needle in the haystack player that can develop into something special.

i doubt many of you ever saw doug collins in high school at benton, illinois, but cassity reminds me a lot of high school collins. if kyle progresses anywhere near the rocket assent that doug did in his illinois state days, whoaaaaa! rickma's reputations of making players with the right attitude makes this a great situation to watch play out over the next couple three years. cassity will have to wait his turn obviously with lisch, liddell and the more highly acclaimed mitchell and cotto already in line, but imo, dont give up on this kid.

[Cowboy]

very good post Taj - thanks for that

[GOSLU68]

i have been a huge fan of the cassity recruitment as soon as it was known that rickma was taking the long car rides through southern illinois to follow him.

while he needs some strength training, the kid has amazing floor vision and basketball iq to go along with some nice ball skills couple that with being a little taller than what most of our guards have been in recent years and i think cassity might end up being very special. this seems to me to be the perfect example of rickma finding the needle in the haystack player that can develop into something special.

i doubt many of you ever saw doug collins in high school at benton, illinois, but cassity reminds me a lot of high school collins. if kyle progresses anywhere near the rocket assent that doug did in his illinois state days, whoaaaaa! rickma's reputations of making players with the right attitude makes this a great situation to watch play out over the next couple three years. cassity will have to wait his turn obviously with lisch, liddell and the more highly acclaimed mitchell and cotto already in line, but imo, dont give up on this kid.

I saw some of these "local" kids play the allstar game at Chaifetz and the thing that impresses me with young men coming to college nowadays is

how the lines have blurred between what was once a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Could you imagine Grawer letting BH shoot the three last year? KC is not going to be a 1, 2, or 3 he may resemble a Scott Highmark a player with a nose for the ball who has speed and needs some strength training but

definitely will scramble for the ball instead of waiting to see if his team mate is going to get there before the competition. Chris Heinrich owned his

space, Anthony Bonner owned his space, if KC can get there first, he will own his space.

[3star_recruit]

i have been a huge fan of the cassity recruitment as soon as it was known that rickma was taking the long car rides through southern illinois to follow him.

Majerus has touted Cassity's "basketball IQ" a number of times on the radio while in the same breath mentioning that Femi John is a tough-minded kid who needs to lock himself in the gym to improve his shot. Keep that in mind when the inevitable "why isn't Femi playing" threads pop up on the board.

this seems to me to be the perfect example of rickma finding the needle in the haystack player that can develop into something special.

This is the perfect example of a guy who's going to play because of his ability to play in Rick's scheme. The needle in the haystack players that developed into something special under Rick were really big kids who could shoot the ball.