RM is right

[milwaukeebill]

sitting in class. kwamain usually sits across from me. not here today.

[Westy03]

sitting in class. kwamain usually sits across from me. not here today.

they have flights scheduled for today and tomorrow and if those get canceled I think they have a charter on saturday...

[STLfan]

ADDENDUM: WHY DID THE BIG EAST TAKE DEPAUL AND NOT CREIGHTON OR SIUC OR BRADLEY OR NORTHERN IOWA OR (INSERT GOOD MVC OR OVC TEAM HERE?)

Because it would add them a school in the city of Chicago (the nations third largest media market) that gets good fan support and it would help bridge the gap to Marquette.

If DePaul didn't exist then you would probably see one of Butler (Indianapolis), Creighton (Omaha), Dayton, or SLU in the Big East because no other team in the Chicago market makes sense.

[MB73]

we are more alike than you think! it is amazing we dont get along better.

Yep!

[STLfan]

as i have pointed out before, we are no more a "poor fit geographically" than the likes of marquette, louisville, south florida, texas el paso, arizona, washington, colorado, eastern carolina, texas, or penn state are in their respective conferences. this isnt 1930. transportation indeed is still an issue, but it shouldnt be the only deciding factor in what athletic conference a team should be in.

Take a look at a map of the Big East schools and then take a look at a map of the A10 schools and tell me that Marquette is a valid comparison. And comparing our situation to any school with BCS football is ridiculous. Enough money can fix anything and if we were in one of the Big 6 conferences it would be worth the odd fit. I don't think we make enough in the A10 or are on TV enough in the A10 to make such an obviously poor geographical fit worth while.

Big East - Notice all the schools near Marquette.

Atlantic 10 - Notice the lack of schools near us.

and of course if that great day ever happens that a new conference is born with like minded basketball only schools, there is no doubt going in with brothers dayton and xavier is going to take us a lot further in accomplishing that than indiana state and evansville.

Couldn't disagree more. Winning and having a successful program with good facilities, good fan support, and a large media market are going to put us in the best position to be included with the Big East bball schools should that ever happen. Not being in a conference with Dayton and Xavier.

The MVC is a strong enough league with enough name recognition around the country it's not like anyone is talking about stepping down to the Ohio Valley or the Sun Belt.

Also there is no guarantee that the Big East basketball schools are going to expand if they ever do break away or are kicked out. DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, St. Jon's, Seton Hall, and Villanova makes a solid eight team league.

Also I hate it when people use two of the worst teams in a league to try and make a point. That would be like saying we would be better off competing against Creighton and Wichita State instead of Fordham and La Salle. If you are going to use two of the top teams in the A10 then use two of the top teams from the Valley.

[billiken_roy]

Take a look at a map of the Big East schools and then take a look at a map of the A10 schools and tell me that Marquette is a valid comparison.

you are right. marquette has further to go to get to the outer most schools than slu does. i never realized it was that bad for marquette. they should get in the horizon as soon as possible. this big east thing is a loser for them.

[Bay Area Billiken]

What's really behind all the chest pounding and hair pulling on the board re: RM and his comments is fear. Fear we'll lose the momentum he appears to be building at SLU and end up taking two steps backward into the hinterlands of college hoops. Whether you like the man or not it's hard to argue with the results he's getting. That said, is the school, read Biondi, obligated to cater to his every whim and desire? RM's good arguments are the A-10 is hurting his player's academics. Commercial air to such faraway places is adding to their burdens, is very inconvenient, not to mention uncomfortable for guys who are 6'7" +. And really the bottom line here is what is best for the student athletes not for the HC and the administration. If future recruits, or even the current players, come to the conclusion that the school is ignoring the HC's pleas for their well being, they may well decide SLU is not in their best interests and decide to go somewhere else. What's ironic here is that five months before the Chey opened the powers that be decided the following, "we can't leave the fate of a state of the art comfy new arena in the hands of a mediocre coach, so let's get us the best HC available." Good thinking, since you don't want to see an $80mm facility half full every night. Voila into town rides RM on his clydesdale. He supposedly negotiates a Rolls Royce deal, higher pay for AC's, more $$ for recruiting, and, possibly, charter flights to accomodate the school's quirky conference affiliation. All the papers are signed, the presser's held, watch out world, here comes SLU basketball. Biondi knew he was taking a risk with RM, and vice versa I'd imagine. But the risks were taken and now is not the time to be bailing out since the reaping of the rewards seem so close. You hate to refute the old saying, " no one is irreplaceable", but it may not apply here. RM is. It would cause serious damage if he were to pack his bags and head home to Milwaukee after this season. Not saying he's going to, but these public tirades of his are coming at a very strange time. His team currently resides in 4th place and has a nice homestand coming up against the league's best. His focus should be on finding a way to win those games not questioning whether or not we belong in the A-10. There's nothing we can do today or tomorrow about the A-10. It's not like we're gonna drop out on Friday and start playing in the MVC on Saturday. This issue should be put on the back burner. But the charter issue can be addressed today, so let him have his way and for once back up the words "we want to be a top 50 program", with actions. Give him back his charter flights and work out the other stuff in April.

Agreed that this is a great post. As SLU fans, we are conditioned to fear. We have seen history repeat itself too many times. It is clear that Majerus is getting the job done.

Give Majerus back the chartered flights.

And then Majerus zips it until after the season.

Let the big decisions re program direction, conference affiliation, be decided behind closed doors, not in the media.

[SShoe]

What's really behind all the chest pounding and hair pulling on the board re: RM and his comments is fear. Fear we'll lose the momentum he appears to be building at SLU and end up taking two steps backward into the hinterlands of college hoops. Whether you like the man or not it's hard to argue with the results he's getting. That said, is the school, read Biondi, obligated to cater to his every whim and desire? RM's good arguments are the A-10 is hurting his player's academics. Commercial air to such faraway places is adding to their burdens, is very inconvenient, not to mention uncomfortable for guys who are 6'7" +. And really the bottom line here is what is best for the student athletes not for the HC and the administration. If future recruits, or even the current players, come to the conclusion that the school is ignoring the HC's pleas for their well being, they may well decide SLU is not in their best interests and decide to go somewhere else. What's ironic here is that five months before the Chey opened the powers that be decided the following, "we can't leave the fate of a state of the art comfy new arena in the hands of a mediocre coach, so let's get us the best HC available." Good thinking, since you don't want to see an $80mm facility half full every night. Voila into town rides RM on his clydesdale. He supposedly negotiates a Rolls Royce deal, higher pay for AC's, more $$ for recruiting, and, possibly, charter flights to accomodate the school's quirky conference affiliation. All the papers are signed, the presser's held, watch out world, here comes SLU basketball. Biondi knew he was taking a risk with RM, and vice versa I'd imagine. But the risks were taken and now is not the time to be bailing out since the reaping of the rewards seem so close. You hate to refute the old saying, " no one is irreplaceable", but it may not apply here. RM is. It would cause serious damage if he were to pack his bags and head home to Milwaukee after this season. Not saying he's going to, but these public tirades of his are coming at a very strange time. His team currently resides in 4th place and has a nice homestand coming up against the league's best. His focus should be on finding a way to win those games not questioning whether or not we belong in the A-10. There's nothing we can do today or tomorrow about the A-10. It's not like we're gonna drop out on Friday and start playing in the MVC on Saturday. This issue should be put on the back burner. But the charter issue can be addressed today, so let him have his way and for once back up the words "we want to be a top 50 program", with actions. Give him back his charter flights and work out the other stuff in April.

+10

Great post 72.

[kevinfootes]

What's really behind all the chest pounding and hair pulling on the board re: RM and his comments is fear. Fear we'll lose the momentum he appears to be building at SLU and end up taking two steps backward into the hinterlands of college hoops. Whether you like the man or not it's hard to argue with the results he's getting. That said, is the school, read Biondi, obligated to cater to his every whim and desire? RM's good arguments are the A-10 is hurting his player's academics. Commercial air to such faraway places is adding to their burdens, is very inconvenient, not to mention uncomfortable for guys who are 6'7" +. And really the bottom line here is what is best for the student athletes not for the HC and the administration. If future recruits, or even the current players, come to the conclusion that the school is ignoring the HC's pleas for their well being, they may well decide SLU is not in their best interests and decide to go somewhere else. What's ironic here is that five months before the Chey opened the powers that be decided the following, "we can't leave the fate of a state of the art comfy new arena in the hands of a mediocre coach, so let's get us the best HC available." Good thinking, since you don't want to see an $80mm facility half full every night. Voila into town rides RM on his clydesdale. He supposedly negotiates a Rolls Royce deal, higher pay for AC's, more $$ for recruiting, and, possibly, charter flights to accomodate the school's quirky conference affiliation. All the papers are signed, the presser's held, watch out world, here comes SLU basketball. Biondi knew he was taking a risk with RM, and vice versa I'd imagine. But the risks were taken and now is not the time to be bailing out since the reaping of the rewards seem so close. You hate to refute the old saying, " no one is irreplaceable", but it may not apply here. RM is. It would cause serious damage if he were to pack his bags and head home to Milwaukee after this season. Not saying he's going to, but these public tirades of his are coming at a very strange time. His team currently resides in 4th place and has a nice homestand coming up against the league's best. His focus should be on finding a way to win those games not questioning whether or not we belong in the A-10. There's nothing we can do today or tomorrow about the A-10. It's not like we're gonna drop out on Friday and start playing in the MVC on Saturday. This issue should be put on the back burner. But the charter issue can be addressed today, so let him have his way and for once back up the words "we want to be a top 50 program", with actions. Give him back his charter flights and work out the other stuff in April.

Or maybe recruits and current players won't know what conference they'll be in 2 years from now or will think the head coach is a malcontent who might leave at any time. How does that help the program? If I were recruiting against RM, this is the approach I would take. I actually think his focus IS on winning games against the league's best, but his talking has created a distraction for the team. I just don't think fighting a public battle is good for the program.