Steak Dinner

[Tonka]

I just got back from the Steak Dinner in St. Charles. I think it's great the Athletic Department puts this on. I am really just a men's basketball fan and don't follow a lot of the other sports, but it's nice hearing about the positive things about all the teams and we really have a lot to be proud about.

Doug Woolard was supposed to speak, but didn't show up till it was over, so not a lot to report on that end. Chris Sloan was with Coach Brad. Chris is from the area, so he probably felt at home. Bob Ramsey led the night and did all the introductions. Coach talked about recruiting and he is extremely high on this incoming recruiting class. He stated how he couldn't violate the NCAA's rules and talk about the recruits, but you just feel his excitment about this class coming in. He also talked about recruiting in general and the importance of recruiting here at home. He also said that that will really recruit hard at home, but they will go anywhere if they can't get the local recruits. He stressed that they will go anywhere in the world as we have seen already. Coach Brad also said the two words that I love hearing in a sentence - National Championship! I said it before, you have to have that vision and think like that to be successful. Coach knows that it may take time and you don't get there over night, but I love hearing him even say that. A lot of coaches don't think that way as bad as that sounds. Coach referred to National Championship when he was referring to the upcoming recruiting class and mentioned it in terms of work ethic and developing into hard working seniors like Chris Sloan. Someone asked about his recruiting in Chicago and asked if former player Q Dillard would be an asset in Chicago since now he coached there. Coach said has been in his office several times already talking and that Q has personal ties to just about every high school coach in Chicago.

As far as the conference goes, you know only a limited amount was said. Coach talked about having three options with staying in CUSA, the A10, and the MVC. He didn't say too much other than we haven't been given an invitation to the MVC or A10 as of yet - as we all know. Bob Ramsey asked him if we did go to the A10, would he make it a priority to recruit out east - he said he would and then got into the whole we will go anywhere we have to.

I talked to Bob Ramsey after and he said he doesn't see the A-10 rushing to make any decisions or extend any invitations too quickly. He basically was saying how they don't have to be in a hurry to do it.

Coach talked about the game Monday and like we've all said, believes we can fix the turnovers. Okay, I'm tired of typing. So, basically nothing enlightening or earth shaking to report. Not that all expected that though.

[thetorch]

It must be really brning Ramsey up that we aren't going to the MVC.

[cheeseman]

For some reason he seems to be hung up on that issue. I am not sure why because to be honest, I for one have become a little disenchanted with his lack of loyality to the SLU who pays him a paycheck and his continued lower expectations for the program as a whole. I really think we ought to consider entertaining the idea of bringing someone on who is more pro SLU.

[gister]

I re-read Tonka's post and I don't see where Ramsey said or implied anything in relation to the MVC. There was nothing in that summary to indicate a bias of any kind. I think some here are a little too sensitive. MVC talk should have been over by now.

[Basketbill]

I like ramsey's BBall broadcasts. I do not think that we need an announcer to be a homer on every issue that pretains to SLU. we need independent thought in this world, and Ramsey has not violated any trust. Some here are a little too sensitive to being slighted but so what.....repeat after me ...."We are all individuals who have independent thoughts and ideas, we can love Billiken Basketball and think independently ourselves" come on I can't hear you......

[big al]

Yes. I asked about recruiting in Chicago since I am a native of Illinois and follow High School B-Ball in the state...I would like to add that Brad indicated one of his assistants is quite familiar with the Chicago Public League coaches...Elgibility is somewhat of a problem at times...By the way, the steak was very good and since I am a Knight it was expecially meaningful to have it at the K/C Hall...Rich Coffman, event director, presented on his High School Full Court Classic to be held 01-31-2004 at the St Charles Family Arena starting at 12:00 Noon...There are some real nice teams from Illinois, Missouri, and other states...There will be 4 girls teams and 8 boys teams...Contact Rich Coffman at (618)830-3551 for more details...Prices are good and there is free parking.

[cheeseman]

Gister and Basketbill - my post had nothing to do with Steak Dinner remarks. It had to do with my overall impressions of his general behavior on the radio shows he is on. I do not think there is anything wrong with him talking the program up and expressing that the program can be a top basketball program - his comments tend to be more along the line of the program is doing pretty good and probably not far off of what it should expect to be. If you listen to him on the radio, he clearly has a bias to the MVC - which by the way pays him a check for doing their paid weekly summary on KFNS. When you listen to Tiger announcers or really anybody else who announces for a team they are clearly always putting a positive spin on everything - Bob does not always do that. I have no problem with him expressing his views but then he should not be surprised when those who pay him take him to task or others who are fans are disappointed in him. By the way, if he was that great of an announcer, he would get one of those jobs that he keeps trying for and the Cards would stop overlooking him. That being said, I am not unhappy with his announcing skills just that I wish he was more of a public supporter.

[Billiken Rich]

He's a homer where is counts, on the broadcasts. If he like MVC Soccer or MVC travel better, screw him. He'll go to the Fordham games whether he likes it or not. As long as his broadcasts aren't depressing, who cares? He can talk up the MVC on KFNS all day long. No one more than ten miles from the tower can here that ridiculous station anyway.

[BigMacSLU88]

I was a little dissapointed we had to sit through that presentation...The dinner was about SLU athletics not a high-school basketball tournament in the family arena!

[big al]

>Yes. I asked about recruiting in Chicago since I am a native

>of Illinois and follow High School B-Ball in the state...I

>would like to add that Brad indicated one of his assistants

>is quite familiar with the Chicago Public League

>coaches...Elgibility is somewhat of a problem at times...By

>the way, the steak was very good and since I am a Knight it

>was expecially meaningful to have it at the K/C Hall...Rich

>Coffman, event director, presented on his High School Full

>Court Classic to be held 01-31-2004 at the St Charles Family

>Arena starting at 12:00 Noon...There are some real nice

>teams from Illinois, Missouri, and other states...There will

>be 4 girls teams and 8 boys teams...Contact Rich Coffman at

>(618)830-3551 for more details...Prices are good and there

>is free parking.

[billiken_roy]

i agree with cheeseman. if he was a general broadcaster or show host, that nuetrality is one thing, but as "voice of the billikens" i expect a total over the top homer. mike kelly is one for the tigers. jack buck was one for the cards. al hrabosky is one for the cards. harry carey was one for whomever he was working for at the time. not a thing wrong with that. like i said, i think it is their job to be a total homer. he could still be mr fair and impartial on other topics that come up on the radio show, but once it comes to the billikens, the blue and white should come pouring out.

[billiken_roy]

any more details or is there a web site for the exact teams and matchups? a good high school shootout always excites me.

[davidnark]

I think it is even worse than Rammer not being a homer on his radio show. I think, at times, he goes out of his way to belittle the Billikens in order to prove to whomever--KFNS management? listeners? his mother?--that he is not a SLU homer.

[big al]

The Web Site: [email protected]

[thetorch]

That was my whole point. I listen with envy any time I hear Kelly or Sundvold talk about Tiger hoops. They constantly push the program, and they really don't need to. Ramsey is so lukewarm on everything, plus his obvious conflict of interest with the valley, it makes it hard for me to believe he is a real fan of SLU. He does go out of his way to not discuss SLU on his radio show, that is not what we need. Frank is the only true SLU homer, Earl as well. I would really like to see a credible area sportcaster just be an outright supporter of SLU, we don't have that with Ramsey.

[Basketbill]

I want to know what is going on in the game not what administrators want me to know about the game....if you want a total Homer, then the University needs to tell Bob he is the voice of the billikens, and nothing else and pay him appropriately.....you get what you pay for....We get a great announcer who is passionate about the game and says what he thinks... we do not emplaoy this man fulltime!!

[Tonka]

I think if guys knew Ramsey personally, I think you would be suprised at his devotion to SLU, as it is MUCH greater than you guys feel. If he doesn't convey that well, then I can see your point.

Torch, you really feel Frank is SLU guy? I never seem to get that impression. I think he likes Mizzou much better. At least, that's how it comes across to me.

[billiken_roy]

frank tries now that he has tiger tim on his show to be impartial towards missouri as well, but when it comes down to it, frank will always defend slu and to a greater and deeper degree than ramsey does.

[Tonka]

Maybe you are right. I think Frank just rubs me wrong for some reason and I think I hold a grudge aganist him from a couple years back when I thought his lack of coverage of SLU was crappy.

[billiken_roy]

boy i dont remember that. frank has been the leading media supporter of the billikens imo for as long as i can remember him doing the sports report. now he may have stayed somewhat quiet for awhile, but even then that was better than everyone else.

[Billiken Rich]

Tell me another st. louis media person who was there and not bradcasting the game

[Tonka]

I just always got the impression from that he liked SLU a lot, but seemed to give Mizzou priority on reporting. I also am friends with some people that hang out with him and they used to always say the same thing. Who knows.

[Tonka]

I know Frank's one kid is a huge Billiken fan as his wife told my friend that worked with her. I have seen Frank at several games with his family over the years.

[Basketbill]

nm

[billiken_roy]

i am good friends with a man that works at channel 5 with frank. he said frank is a hopeless billiken fanatic. all he talks about.