View from Afar

[billiken_roy]

I can MAYBE see KM getting suspended for the incident, but in no way did Willie deserve to get suspended for the incident. Maybe for other things, but not for this single incident. The most unfair part of all of this was not giving a separate trial. This would be a totally different season if we had Willie. KM would probably be playing Sunday because we would be a pretty solid team that isn't far from being the top team in the A-10. That's the part that upsets me the most.

and you know for a fact it was just for "this single incident". it wasnt a "this is the last straw" scenario?

i say this because it now sure seems it is his total body of work that is holding things up.

[slufan13]

This to me is a lame excuse. I remember in 2008 when UD lost Charles Little, Chris Wright to injury and Brian Roberts for 5 games and that team ended up going to the NIT Quarterfinals.

If a roster is truly stacked the replacements from the bench can stabilize it and at least turn in a respectable season. Our team lost two players, had all off-season to practice and come to play with a supposedly "deep roster" and what do we do? Crap on ourselves. The fact that this team may not even return to the CBI is a slap in the face to our supposed over-hyped depth. This team will be lucky to get 14-16 wins this season (including Rockhurst!).

What happens next year if Kwamain rolls his ankle and misses 3 games ... do we crumble?

Posters that are already stating next year's team will be loaded are insane. They are saying this now?? There are so many intangibles that go into a season. There will ALWAYS be an injury. Always! Stacked rosters can keep it going when they are out.

Let's just play out this string next year. And see where we stand around thanksgiving of next year before declaring anything.

my guess is that you'll be banned from this board by thanksgiving of next year.

[Billsrmajic]

brian you are right on the mark. i too have been awaiting the big majerus adjustments to the talent on the floor. both for our team and against our particular opponent each game. where is the big triangle and two surprise defense or the rotating defenses and offenses during the game? all that was the reason rickma was a genius at utah. it got him to a national championship game. yet all we have seen this year is hammering a square peg in a round hole.

we as fans deserve the game adjustments and strategy game to game that most coaches try to devise to bring their teams to a higher level. instead i can close my eyes and pretty much envision what's going on every possession.

Roy, are you kidding? "We as fans deserve the game adjustments and strategy game to game that most coaches try to devise to bring their teams to a higher level." Really? Do you think Rick is devising a winning game plan in his hotel room, then thinking to himself, "screw it, I'm going to put in a plan that won't work just to screw over SLU?" C'mon. The man lives basketball. Whatever disappointment you are feeling is multiplied by 100 for Rick. I'm sure he's dying with every Billiken loss.

As for your comment about the triangle and two against Arizona, why do you think that worked so well? First, it worked because Luke Olsen wasn't prepared for it because Rick is strictly a man coach. Second, it worked because Arizona shot like crap that day. If the three guys they weren't guarding man had hit their shots, Rick would have been out of that defense in five minutes. I do understand the frustration that is felt when it looks like a zone would work better than a man, but Rick firmly believes in man, teaches it really well, and has had success with it. I think he also realizes that next year he's going to want to play man, so why introduce a zone this year and then take it away. I'm sure he's realized that at this point his job is to prepare for 11-12 and 12-13.

For those of you who think the Bills would be better off without Rick, I would advise you to be careful what you wish for. Rick is a Hall of Fame coach, and he'll have this team looking like you want them to next year.

[slufan13]

and you know for a fact it was just for "this single incident". it wasnt a "this is the last straw" scenario?

i say this because it now sure seems it is his total body of work that is holding things up.

No obviously I don't know that for sure, but if it were a "last straw" scenario, it should have been dealt with in a separate hearing. If all the rumors about WR are true, he should be suspended, but he shouldn't be suspended strictly for that incident.

[Billsrmajic]

Last night when I couldn't watch the game and was just imagining Chris Wright and Chris Johnson dunking all over us... I thought to myself "Man, I wonder what it's like to have seniors on your team..."

Just given the nature of how RM's tried to do things here (bringing in huge classes, weeding out the tards, not going JUCO) coupled with bad luck due to career-ending injuries in JR and FJ and just some good ol' fashioned Chinese finger cuff action, NO ONE should be surprised that we're up ###### creek right now. Luckily, ###### creek runs over a cliff into a wonderful pool of blue kool-aid next year when we have horses again. IF we have all the players we think we're going to have, I guaran-godtamn-tee an NCAA appearance next year. And the year after.

Agreed

[billikendave]

Based upon the circumstances and what has happened to this year's team, my opinion is that blaming Majerus is barking up the wrong tree.

Who exactly would SLU ever get that is any better? Answer: No one. Majerus is a future Hall of Fame coach.

AGREED!!! The timing of the whole punishment screwed the team completely. The team has been built around KM and WR. They were gone days before practices start. They were down 3 total scholarship players (WR,KM and JB). If it was graduation/NBA related, Rickma could have recruited someone to fill the gap.

No one had huge expectations for two years ago when KM, WR etc were freshman because they were freshman. Not much is different. This is a replay of two years ago. Flashes, ups and downs, good wins with terrible losses. Its the nature of young teams.

The only difference between this year and two years ago is: expectations.

[BillyBilly]

my guess is that you'll be banned from this board by thanksgiving of next year.

Why because I have stated the truth since I have been on the board? Or is it because you guys can't take facts?

Everyone wanted to ban me because I predicted we would win 17 games without Rockhurst this year and make the CBI ... well ... I am pretty much right except for the CBI part, they won't make it.

Just because I state the truth, doesn't make me any less of a fan.

[brianstl]

AGREED!!! The timing of the whole punishment screwed the team completely. The team has been built around KM and WR. They were gone days before practices start. They were down 3 total scholarship players (WR,KM and JB). If it was graduation/NBA related, Rickma could have recruited someone to fill the gap.

No one had huge expectations for two years ago when KM, WR etc were freshman because they were freshman. Not much is different. This is a replay of two years ago. Flashes, ups and downs, good wins with terrible losses. Its the nature of young teams.

The only difference between this year and two years ago is: expectations.

There is another difference.

This team isn't as good as two years ago.

[waldo027]

It's not that surprising how bad we are without KM and WR. They're 2 of the top 15 players in the conference. It's the nature of basketball that 1 or 2 guys can have a huge impact on a team. If Lebron James were on any team in college, that team would be the favorites to win the national championship. He would be completely dominant on both ends.

And yes, we WILL be loaded, on paper, next year if they both are back and everyone else is a year older.

[Bobby Metzinger]

It's not that surprising how bad we are without KM and WR. They're 2 of the top 15 players in the conference. It's the nature of basketball that 1 or 2 guys can have a huge impact on a team. If Lebron James were on any team in college, that team would be the favorites to win the national championship. He would be completely dominant on both ends.

And yes, we WILL be loaded, on paper, next year if they both are back and everyone else is a year older.

I think everyone being a year older is a given, Waldo...

[billikendave]

There is another difference.

This team isn't as good as two years ago.

I would suggest the "let down" from losing KM and WR affects everyone -- coaches, AD, fans, and players. Losing the top two players in the way that it did right before the season starts hurts morale. Everyone -- coaches, players and fans -- knew that the season that they were expecting was gone. All momentum from last year's finish and CBI was gone. These are 18 - 20 year olds who thought that they had a good shot at an A10 title and NCAA tournament. Gone.

Also, if you feel the administration does not have your back and kicks off your friends and teammates, how does that affect motivation?

I am not saying that the team isn't trying. I'm not saying that they aren't giving effort. I'm not saying that they are tanking it.

However, when KM and WR were gone, there is no way you can tell me that the team didn't get its knees taken out. It is hard for pro-teams to recover from something like this -- let alone college.

Could Rickma do more to hold everyone together? I don't know. But I don't blame him for it right now.

[jbizzle09]

Ugh....while it is pretty tough being a Bills fan it is sometimes tougher coming to this board, especially after a loss. Always a bunch of Chicken Littles running around yelling 'The sky is falling! The sky is falling!' To add to that, then you get the regular posters who use this to once again unleash their venom towards Majerus. More, you also get the trollers who show up to instigate and agitate.

But, seriously, are we already dismissing JJ, MM, RL and DE as a whole because they aren't coming in and winning basketball games for us right now? Are we already saying they are overrated and busts because we are 5-9? They are freshmen who have been pressed into way more action, with more pressure on them, than they ever could have expected coming in. They have all shown signs of brilliance this season, with each of them having double-digit scoring games at some point. It is patently unfair to rip them for not being able to lead this team to more victories this season. Next season and the following, yes, it is fair game. But this season, I think we know it is not.

To make a somewhat crazy comparison, in 2002-03, North Carolina finished 6-10 in the ACC and 17-15 in the regular season relying heavily on 4 freshmen. The freshmen were Sean May, Rashard McCants, Raymond Felton and David Noel. I am sure the UNC fans were really ticked that they missed the tourney, and Matt Doherty lost his job. However, those freshmen that he recruited ended up winning a national title 2 years later, with 3 of them becoming All-Americans. Now, I am not saying that our freshmen our of that quality. However, I think if 3 future All-Americans that would win a national title together as juniors had a losing conference record as freshmen, perhaps we can cut our freshmen some slack, at least for this season. They are a talented bunch and I think we will see good things from them in the coming seasons.

[slufanskip]

Ugh....while it is pretty tough being a Bills fan it is sometimes tougher coming to this board, especially after a loss. Always a bunch of Chicken Littles running around yelling 'The sky is falling! The sky is falling!' To add to that, then you get the regular posters who use this to once again unleash their venom towards Majerus. More, you also get the trollers who show up to instigate and agitate.

But, seriously, are we already dismissing JJ, MM, RL and DE as a whole because they aren't coming in and winning basketball games for us right now? Are we already saying they are overrated and busts because we are 5-9? They are freshmen who have been pressed into way more action, with more pressure on them, than they ever could have expected coming in. They have all shown signs of brilliance this season, with each of them having double-digit scoring games at some point. It is patently unfair to rip them for not being able to lead this team to more victories this season. Next season and the following, yes, it is fair game. But this season, I think we know it is not.

To make a somewhat crazy comparison, in 2002-03, North Carolina finished 6-10 in the ACC and 17-15 in the regular season relying heavily on 4 freshmen. The freshmen were Sean May, Rashard McCants, Raymond Felton and David Noel. I am sure the UNC fans were really ticked that they missed the tourney, and Matt Doherty lost his job. However, those freshmen that he recruited ended up winning a national title 2 years later, with 3 of them becoming All-Americans. Now, I am not saying that our freshmen our of that quality. However, I think if 3 future All-Americans that would win a national title together as juniors had a losing conference record as freshmen, perhaps we can cut our freshmen some slack, at least for this season. They are a talented bunch and I think we will see good things from them in the coming seasons.

We may not agree on Blyleven, we certainly do on this subject.

[showthebill]

i want to know the state of our recruiting when we have a guy on our team getting significant minutes (salecich) who contributes nothing. He is shooting 11% from three on the YEAR when he's supposed to be a shooting guard.

Basically if a guy can shoot 1/10 or 1/9 from 3 he's good enough to play on this team. That is just completely unacceptable from the coaching staff in every way.

[Bobby Metzinger]

i want to know the state of our recruiting when we have a guy on our team getting significant minutes (salecich) who contributes nothing. He is shooting 11% from three on the YEAR when he's supposed to be a shooting guard.

Basically if a guy can shoot 1/10 or 1/9 from 3 he's good enough to play on this team. That is just completely unacceptable from the coaching staff in every way.

I think you could find a better shooting guard and a better story at the Simon Rec with those numbers. Showthebill - I'm putting you on a committee to find this guy.

[One Man Dynasty]

Ugh....while it is pretty tough being a Bills fan it is sometimes tougher coming to this board, especially after a loss. Always a bunch of Chicken Littles running around yelling 'The sky is falling! The sky is falling!' To add to that, then you get the regular posters who use this to once again unleash their venom towards Majerus. More, you also get the trollers who show up to instigate and agitate.

But, seriously, are we already dismissing JJ, MM, RL and DE as a whole because they aren't coming in and winning basketball games for us right now? Are we already saying they are overrated and busts because we are 5-9? They are freshmen who have been pressed into way more action, with more pressure on them, than they ever could have expected coming in. They have all shown signs of brilliance this season, with each of them having double-digit scoring games at some point. It is patently unfair to rip them for not being able to lead this team to more victories this season. Next season and the following, yes, it is fair game. But this season, I think we know it is not.

To make a somewhat crazy comparison, in 2002-03, North Carolina finished 6-10 in the ACC and 17-15 in the regular season relying heavily on 4 freshmen. The freshmen were Sean May, Rashard McCants, Raymond Felton and David Noel. I am sure the UNC fans were really ticked that they missed the tourney, and Matt Doherty lost his job. However, those freshmen that he recruited ended up winning a national title 2 years later, with 3 of them becoming All-Americans. Now, I am not saying that our freshmen our of that quality. However, I think if 3 future All-Americans that would win a national title together as juniors had a losing conference record as freshmen, perhaps we can cut our freshmen some slack, at least for this season. They are a talented bunch and I think we will see good things from them in the coming seasons.

Very well said...first paragraph couldn't be more true

[3Jack]

The problem on this team isn't the freshman. It's the Sophmores and Juniors who are not good enough to beat them out so the freshman have to play.

[lawyerbilliken07]

i want to know the state of our recruiting when we have a guy on our team getting significant minutes (salecich) who contributes nothing. He is shooting 11% from three on the YEAR when he's supposed to be a shooting guard.

Basically if a guy can shoot 1/10 or 1/9 from 3 he's good enough to play on this team. That is just completely unacceptable from the coaching staff in every way.

I won't defend the shooting numbers. But he's gone from a defensive liability when he first arrived to, in my opinion, the best defensive guard on the team.

[Billikan]

TAJ---

How about a reality check?

Over the years you have been over the top critical of the team when we struggle and I believe it is because you never see or interact with the team.

This post is ridiculous in its ignorant simplicity--

Wake up! The fact is that a week before the season we unexpectedly lost our best and toughest guard who was a big time scorer and leader of the team. He was the guy who had the ball at crunch time and very often made big plays. He gets to the rim, scores and draws fouls. He was one of the best players in the league--a league with a bunch of good players. KM would have been a junior and by far our best and most experienced player. Yet right as the season is about to start we lose him unexpectedly. That alone would do significant damage to any team and it hurt us badly.

But then we get the haymaker--a week before the season we unexpectedly lose our best, most athletic and most experienced big man who was developing into an excellent low post scorer and dunker, an excellent rebounder in traffic and a great shot blocker. He was developing into one of the best big men in the league--a league with a bunch of quality big men. He would have been a junior and clearly-- head and shoulders above -- he is the best big man on the team. Just to lose him unexpectedly at the start of the season would be a major blow to any team but when you combine that loss with the loss of KM as outlined above--the losses have been devastating.

The result has been an entire team that is very inexperienced and most players are being asked to play roles and play minutes that were never intended when this team was put together. Even Cody is only two games past his freshman year in terms of time on the team. The obvious folks who were most significantly impacted were the frosh. After watching them for a few months there is no doubt in my mind that they all have the potential to be quality players and big contributors before they graduate. But they are very green and to expect them to play prime time roles and win games against big, talented, strong and experienced teams like Dayton is for most games unrealistic. They will get better and may win some games we thought they might lose but this is a process and a winner is built with experienced teams who play together. Look at ND as a perfect example. They have not been able to get to the big dance even though they have had some highly ranked recruits and an all american in LH. But this year with 5 senior starters playing a great bulk of the minutes they are finally breaking out.

If we have Willie and KM and Barnett and the current cast next year and we are still struggling then that is a whole new story but to go off on the entire team and the coach when the heart and soul was torn out of this team as they started practice is very unfair.

I took a friend who played college ball with me to the game last night. He had not been to a Bills game for more than 10 years. As he watched us miss shot after shot and fall way behind he said he was very impressed with the fact that the players never quit playing hard and husstled their butts off the entire game. He said in the second half that he was going to buy some season tickets for next year because he was so impressed with the team, the attitude and the facility.

I then ran into another long time fan and he said the same thing but he was terribly frustrated with the fact that this could have been a good team if we had Willie and KM. But then he looked at me and smiled and said--I can remember when things were much worse and we did not recruit hardly any good players--now we have a bunch of green but talented players who will grow and mature into nice players.

No one is a bigger fan than me--no one! No one lives and dies the Bills more than I do. I am frustrated and upset but I will not rip the players or the coach for a situation that is beyond their control. They are all busting their butts and trying hard. If they shoot the 3 ball better they will win some games. My view is that we all need to support them in this time of trouble rather than sit on our asses and type crap on a message board just so we can prove that we can be as mean as any human being alive.

[Billikan]

TAJ---

How about a reality check?

Over the years you have been over the top critical of the team when we struggle and I believe it is because you never see or interact with the team.

This post is ridiculous in its ignorant simplicity--

Wake up! The fact is that a week before the season we unexpectedly lost our best and toughest guard who was a big time scorer and leader of the team. He was the guy who had the ball at crunch time and very often made big plays. He gets to the rim, scores and draws fouls. He was one of the best players in the league--a league with a bunch of good players. KM would have been a junior and by far our best and most experienced player. Yet right as the season is about to start we lose him unexpectedly. That alone would do significant damage to any team and it hurt us badly.

But then we get the haymaker--a week before the season we unexpectedly lose our best, most athletic and most experienced big man who was developing into an excellent low post scorer and dunker, an excellent rebounder in traffic and a great shot blocker. He was developing into one of the best big men in the league--a league with a bunch of quality big men. He would have been a junior and clearly-- head and shoulders above -- he is the best big man on the team. Just to lose him unexpectedly at the start of the season would be a major blow to any team but when you combine that loss with the loss of KM as outlined above--the losses have been devastating.

The result has been an entire team that is very inexperienced and most players are being asked to play roles and play minutes that were never intended when this team was put together. Even Cody is only two games past his freshman year in terms of time on the team. The obvious folks who were most significantly impacted were the frosh. After watching them for a few months there is no doubt in my mind that they all have the potential to be quality players and big contributors before they graduate. But they are very green and to expect them to play prime time roles and win games against big, talented, strong and experienced teams like Dayton is for most games unrealistic. They will get better and may win some games we thought they might lose but this is a process and a winner is built with experienced teams who play together. Look at ND as a perfect example. They have not been able to get to the big dance even though they have had some highly ranked recruits and an all american in LH. But this year with 5 senior starters playing a great bulk of the minutes they are finally breaking out.

If we have Willie and KM and Barnett and the current cast next year and we are still struggling then that is a whole new story but to go off on the entire team and the coach when the heart and soul was torn out of this team as they started practice is very unfair.

I took a friend who played college ball with me to the game last night. He had not been to a Bills game for more than 10 years. As he watched us miss shot after shot and fall way behind he said he was very impressed with the fact that the players never quit playing hard and husstled their butts off the entire game. He said in the second half that he was going to buy some season tickets for next year because he was so impressed with the team, the attitude and the facility.

I then ran into another long time fan and he said the same thing but he was terribly frustrated with the fact that this could have been a good team if we had Willie and KM. But then he looked at me and smiled and said--I can remember when things were much worse and we did not recruit hardly any good players--now we have a bunch of green but talented players who will grow and mature into nice players.

No one is a bigger fan than me--no one! No one lives and dies the Bills more than I do. I am frustrated and upset but I will not rip the players or the coach for a situation that is beyond their control. They are all busting their butts and trying hard. If they shoot the 3 ball better they will win some games. My view is that we all need to support them in this time of trouble rather than sit on our asses and type crap on a message board just so we can prove that we can be as mean as any human being alive.

[showthebill]

Billikan - ND has been to the NCAA 3 of the last 4 years

Lawyer Billiken - Our so-called best defender, salecich, has 6 steals. That is less than mccall, jordair, kyle, cody, and dwayne

And I've played in the Rec against guys who could definitely hit better then 11%... too bad Majerus will never respect a walk-on

[3Jack]

Notre Dame is an example of a team that lost it's leading scorer and it's point guard and still got better the next year. The former role players are stepping up. Xavier lost it's leading scorer and playmaker and it's leading rebounder and has come back and is respectable. Teams that are built with a solid foundation don't crumble like this. Sorry folks.

[Billikan]

Notre Dame is an example of a team that lost it's leading scorer and it's point guard and still got better the next year. The former role players are stepping up. Xavier lost it's leading scorer and playmaker and it's leading rebounder and has come back and is respectable. Teams that are built with a solid foundation don't crumble like this. Sorry folks.

You are another idiot troll and I am sick of all of you non fans--You completely missed my point--The key players at ND are SENIORS and they play most of the minutes of every game. No one expected Luke to return and they had time to build a team without him--some say they are better without him. The point guard you talk about was a senior and they never expected him back and they had Hansborough ready to take over as a senior.

[White Pelican]

Notre Dame is an example of a team that lost it's leading scorer and it's point guard and still got better the next year. The former role players are stepping up. Xavier lost it's leading scorer and playmaker and it's leading rebounder and has come back and is respectable. Teams that are built with a solid foundation don't crumble like this. Sorry folks.

What do you suggest? Should we get Sodie back? Who do YOU think will come in here and do better?

[Westy03]

Notre Dame is an example of a team that lost it's leading scorer and it's point guard and still got better the next year. The former role players are stepping up. Xavier lost it's leading scorer and playmaker and it's leading rebounder and has come back and is respectable. Teams that are built with a solid foundation don't crumble like this. Sorry folks.

They expected to lose those players due to graduation therefore were able to build a foundation for this season. Did those teams lose those players a day before the season started? I think we have a solid foundation of young players that are going to be damn good when Willie Kwamain Kyle and Brian graduate, which was the staffs plan. You cant prepare to lose your two best players 2 days before the season, especially a team like SLU