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Swopshire, O'Rear, Tyus, Suggs


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Is it too soon to legitimately claim all four of these St. Louis-area recruits have been major collegiate busts?

I know we giggle when a guy like Willie Reed claims he is NBA material after his sophomore season, but Alex Tyus is no more an NBA caliber player than Darko, averaging about 9 PPG during his time in Gainesville. No agent would touch that.

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All four would have started at slu.

As to tyus, what were david lee's florida stats like?

Nothing that would standout really, but you can't build a team around Tyus like the Knicks tried to do with David Lee.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/florida/david-lee

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Nothing that would standout really, but you can't build a team around Tyus like the Knicks tried to do with David Lee.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/florida/david-lee

i wouldnt have thought anyone would build a team around lee after his time at florida was over either. david lee's success in the nba seemed pretty far fetched while he was in college.

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i wouldnt have thought anyone would build a team around lee after his time at florida was over either. david lee's success in the nba seemed pretty far fetched while he was in college.

I would say better coaching, but it's a crap shoot between Isaiah Thomas and Billy D.

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Lucas O'Rear had a nice career at NoIowa. Servicable mid-major player. Keeper at SLU? Sure. Bust? On a scale of 1 to 100 with 100 being Larry Hughes, I'd give O'Rear somewhere around the 60s.

Swopshire hasn't done much at Louisville that makes me stand up and notice. Keeper at SLU? Sure. Bust? Right now I'd say yes. A score around 10 to 20.

Suggs is in the same boat to me as Swopeshire. Keeper? Sure. Bust? Given the ocnsiderable hype I was exposed to, I'd say yes but will cut some slack because I don't see the West Coast as much as I do the East and Midwest. Bust? Leaning towards yes but a score of around 40 from what I see in the roster stats.

Tyus? I see Tyus enough being here on the East Coast. Keeper? Sure but beggars (SLU) can't be too choosey, can we? Bust? No way. I'd give him a 70 -- better than O'Rear but not as high as a program changer like Hughes.

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Taj, I like your assessment. Do you think Tyus has had to carry more of a load at UF than say Corey Brewer or Joakim Noah, just because his supporting cast hasn't been all that great? I think the SEC is losing the grip it once had as maybe the third best conference in basketball after the Big East and Big XII. The Pac-10 has all but disappeared from the college basketball radar.

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I'm not a fan of the word 'bust'...it's awfully hard to qualify.

We as SLU fans can't really toss out the B-word when Suggs > Salecich, Tyus > Eckerle, and O'Rear...well O'Rear < Conklin but it's not like one couldn't guard the other.

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I'm not a fan of the word 'bust'...it's awfully hard to qualify.

We as SLU fans can't really toss out the B-word when Suggs > Salecich, Tyus > Eckerle, and O'Rear...well O'Rear < Conklin but it's not like one couldn't guard the other.

Well when they spurn the opportunity to be "The Man" at a school like SLU to ride the coattails of other recruits to the NCAA tournament, I think there are some people who enjoy flipping on SportsCenter to see those players struggling for baskets and even playing time when they could possibly be dominating this conference.

I would really like to know what those guys thought was wrong with SLU. It's a great university with loyal fans and they could build a great tradition here.

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Is it too soon to legitimately claim all four of these St. Louis-area recruits have been major collegiate busts?

I know we giggle when a guy like Willie Reed claims he is NBA material after his sophomore season, but Alex Tyus is no more an NBA caliber player than Darko, averaging about 9 PPG during his time in Gainesville. No agent would touch that.

Is it too soon to call your re-appearance on this forum a huge bust?

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Well when they spurn the opportunity to be "The Man" at a school like SLU to ride the coattails of other recruits to the NCAA tournament, I think there are some people who enjoy flipping on SportsCenter to see those players struggling for baskets and even playing time when they could possibly be dominating this conference.

I would really like to know what those guys thought was wrong with SLU. It's a great university with loyal fans and they could build a great tradition here.

Were you too good for Bradley?

Some kids will always want to go away to school, nothing wrong with it. Others prefer to stay closer to home. Nothing wrong with it. Some kids prefer to be a good player, solid player, role player, bench player, or barely on the team player elsewhere, especially some NCAA teams.

So, the point of this thread is to put down others to build yourself up?

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I was merely pointing out that yes, while SLU his swung and missed with local recruits, these recruits have also been misses at their respective schools. I just find it ironic.

What does Bradley have to do with it? Bradley never crossed my mind because I only pursued Jesuit universities after high school. I see nothing wrong with that.

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I was merely pointing out that yes, while SLU his swung and missed with local recruits, these recruits have also been misses at their respective schools. I just find it ironic.

What does Bradley have to do with it? Bradley never crossed my mind because I only pursued Jesuit universities after high school. I see nothing wrong with that.

And equally so, there's nothing wrong with kids who choose to go away to school. Or kids who follow a coach different places. Etc...

Can't have it both ways. And, it doesn't matter where kids come from to play ball. Some SLU passed on, some passed on SLU, some have gone to SLU, and that's how it's been and will be moving forward.

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And equally so, there's nothing wrong with kids who choose to go away to school. Or kids who follow a coach different places. Etc...

Can't have it both ways. And, it doesn't matter where kids come from to play ball. Some SLU passed on, some passed on SLU, some have gone to SLU, and that's how it's been and will be moving forward.

That being said, do you think that their careers wouldn't have flat-lined had they signed with SLU? It seems all the hype from the recruiting machine hasn't helped them much.

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That being said, do you think that their careers wouldn't have flat-lined had they signed with SLU? It seems all the hype from the recruiting machine hasn't helped them much.

Says who? Let's take a random example...Hmm...okay...Suggs.

He gets to play for a top two Pac 10 team, multiple NCAA tourneys, etc...probably having the time of his life. He likes his coach and school, etc...I'd say he's doing just fine.

Your theory is that if a kid from St. Louis goes away to school to play basketball at a league or program perceived to be higher or better than SLU, if that kid doesn't have great statistical success compared to his team or league or peers, that somehow this kid would have been better off at SLU. I don't agree with this.

Neither you, nor I are that kid. Not every kid wants to stay home to go to school, and, you are one of them.

I also, separately don't play the what if game.

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Is it too soon to legitimately claim all four of these St. Louis-area recruits have been major collegiate busts?

I know we giggle when a guy like Willie Reed claims he is NBA material after his sophomore season, but Alex Tyus is no more an NBA caliber player than Darko, averaging about 9 PPG during his time in Gainesville. No agent would touch that.

I am not sure I would call Alex Tyus a bust. The kid averaged 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore, 11.8 points and 6.9 rebounds as a junior, and this year is down, but still averaging 8.7 points and 5 rebounds while starting every game for the Gators. The kid has started every game over the past three seasons. I would say he has had a pretty solid career.

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Swopshire was Louisville's leading returning scorer and rebounder this year. He was expected to be a team leader on a top 25 team. He was injured in preseason and is out for the year. I would not classify him as a bust.

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Swopshire was Louisville's leading returning scorer and rebounder this year. He was expected to be a team leader on a top 25 team. He was injured in preseason and is out for the year. I would not classify him as a bust.

Interesting Big Josh H was left out of this discussion. He's having a really good SR year at KY. Looks like it was a good choice for JH afterall after being practice fodder for 2 years. UK Coeds, probably get himself a thorobred on SR night, and earning praise from JC himself. He was a huge miss for us, but you can't fault him for wanting to go BIG TIME. And it doesn't get much bigger time than KY. Really, though, the whiff on JH can be chalked up to you know who and not RM.

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Interesting Big Josh H was left out of this discussion. He's having a really good SR year at KY. Looks like it was a good choice for JH afterall after being practice fodder for 2 years. UK Coeds, probably get himself a thorobred on SR night, and earning praise from JC himself. He was a huge miss for us, but you can't fault him for wanting to go BIG TIME. And it doesn't get much bigger time than KY. Really, though, the whiff on JH can be chalked up to you know who and not RM.

Also left out Griffey. He having any success w/ the Illini?

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You also can't immediately assume that staying at SLU would have meant much to them in comparison. Who's to say they would have excelled at SLU? Did Matt Baniak excel at SLU (AH - after Hughes)? Justin Tatum (AH)? Corey Frazier? Anthony Jones? Ted Mimlitz? Randy Bickel? Tyrone Caswell?

Sure, some did. Claggs. Bonner. Hmark. Douglas. Gray. Burden. And that got them what??

But to think these kids would have automatically done better is pure speculation and no one really knows. I believe each kid believes he is the next Jordan and with that as their foundation, they are going to pick the school and coach they believe is going to get them to their next level. The track record at SLU is horrible --- two NBA journeymen over the last 35 years. A program with no history of success. Coaches on a revolving door.

If I'm 16 or 17, and I'm good, and I want to see the world, and I'm a St. Louis-raised kid ..... see ya' later.

Frankly, I don't think a winning season or two by Majerus changes that overall outlook. It might start change, but we've seen our aberrations or two over time. It is a hard climb up a very slippery slope.

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Who's to say they would have excelled at SLU? Did Matt Baniak excel at SLU (AH - after Hughes)? Justin Tatum (AH)? Corey Frazier? Anthony Jones? Ted Mimlitz? Randy Bickel? Tyrone Caswell?

I don't think any of the kids you mentioned were held in the same regard coming out of high school as Suggs or Tyus.

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  • 1 month later...

Is it too soon to legitimately claim all four of these St. Louis-area recruits have been major collegiate busts?

I know we giggle when a guy like Willie Reed claims he is NBA material after his sophomore season, but Alex Tyus is no more an NBA caliber player than Darko, averaging about 9 PPG during his time in Gainesville. No agent would touch that.

Did you have a chance to catch the Florida/BYU game this evening? Alex Tyus came up big with 19 points and 17 rebounds leading the Gators to the Elite Eight.

It is good to see local kids like Alex Tyus, Josh Harrellson, and Jesse Perry starting for teams in the Sweet 16.

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