"This is just the beginning..."

[AlumniFan]

Tonight, after the game, Rammer and Earl Austin took a little time to reflect on the season and then turned their thoughts to next year. Earl Austin's comment, "this is just the beginning" really rang true tonight. We have a coach that can coach and for the first time in awhile has three really decent LOCAL recruits coming in. We return Reggie, Izik, and Frericks as seniors, plus Drejaj, all of whom have proven they can play. With Clarke and Vouyoukas getting more minutes at the end of the season and 7'1" Bryce Husak becoming eligible, we have more depth. And then, we have Liddell, Meyer and Polk plus a player TBD. On top of this, we have a coach who can COACH and, so far, has proven to be a pretty darn good recruiter. Finally, we are probably about 18 months from arguing about whether or not we got the best seats in our new on campus arena.

Don't get me wrong - I HATE, HATE to lose, but given what we accomplished versus expectations and given what we have to look forward to, I agree with Earl Austin, Jr. - this IS just the beginning...

[Schasz]

You won't get any argument from me on Brad as a HC. He has proven with limited talent that he knows what he is doing. While I don't necessarily think it will doom next season...the eligibility of Tommie is a key factor in how next year's team will take shape. Hopefully, IO will be more of a factor as he was MIA in many of the games this year.

[SLURadioBoy]

I agree with you AlumniFan. It looks likes Brad's teams are going to get more and more athletic every year and that's all we need with his coaching abilities. Plus if he keeps improving our record every year with local athletes, our popularity will keep growing and we'll get more fans. I'm very excited to see what Polk, Meyer, and Liddell (hopefully) will bring to our team next year. I'm always an optimistic fan, but it really does look like things are going to get much better for SLU in the near future and we'll be a "tourney" team again.

"Praises we sing, to you our alma mater,

Praise to the white and blue.

Our hymn shall ring, in tribute strong to you,

We hail Saint Louis U."

Official Billikens.com sponsor of Andrew Latimer

[tseugnekillib]

I trust Earl Austin's bball judgement and if he feels good about SLU's future that is great to hear. The fact that our three quality incoming recruits are local means little to me. I just want quality recruits and a steady diet of them. I don't care where they come from, just find them and develope them, please.

[billiken_roy]

this is the first year in a few years that i can honestly say that i think we will definitely have a better team next year. what brad has accomplished is very good. there were a enough holes to go around to make for a lot of excuses why not. instead, brad succeeded above a lot of expectations.

losing tough gutsy players like chris sloan and josh fisher is tough. but bringing in known pure athletes like tommie liddell and duane polk and a pure basketball player like luke meyer is exciting as hell. the future looks bright! now let's hope our returnees have a very good summer and do what has to be done off the court to grow into expanded roles.

[bauman]

I agree that quality recruits is more important than local recruits, BUT I believe the point is that quality LOCAL recruits is the best of all worlds.

The incoming class reminds me of the two highpoint era of the last 20 or so years, 1) the MD, RG and AB time period, and the SH, EC and HW years. (I know H was from Vegas) Both of these periods were characterized by good records, lots of local media interest and excitement in the local fan base. The constant in those two eras and next years class potential is -- Very Good Local Players. Everything feeds off the other, good players (local), good media and good attendance with lots of noise at the games.

As an example, KFNS spent a lot of time talking positively about the Bills and their potential on todays shows and always mentioned the three local recruits in the discussions. Also, we got a lot of good press in local newspaper articles about Vashon, ESL and Borgia.

The future looks bright, lets hope we can repeat the excitement of those 2 earlier timeframes!

[Billikan]

As I have read the posts the past two days I am struck by the almost unbridled optimism and positive view of our beloved Billikens.

In the middle of the year, after some of our losses it was depressing to read all of the negative posts--some directed at Coach Brad.

Now the bandwagon is filling up and the positive vibes are here. I think the last two games did a lot for our local publicity. The last second shot by Drejaj was being talked about by everybody in town and playing Notre Dame is always a way to generate publicity.

Looking forward, the key to next year will be chemistry. if tommie is eligible then we will have a lot of players to work into the mix. Tommie and Polk will play a lot and so will Anthony and Reggie. Meyer will probably see time at the three with Tommie. But then we also have Darren Clarke. How much those six play and are rotated will be the most difficult challange for the coaches. Then we have JJ, Ian, IO, Tom, Bryce, and the new guy. Six more guys that will need to be worked in a coherent way in the rotation.

As opposed to this year, I think we may see a 9 or 10 man rotation, almost like Texas. Brad has demonstrated a willingness to change the linup to make for better matchups and to play people who are playing well but anyone who wants to play better be ready to defend. I cannot wait to get to West Pine for those early practices!!!

[jjray]

Billikan, you are the inside reporter for the board on early practices next season. We expect daily reports! Skip work, school, family whatever to get us those reports!

[Schasz]

Yes sir, and your out of town Billiken fans will be waiting to read what we hope are glowing reports on how the '04-'05 team is taking shape. I honestly think that we could have a realistic chance for the Big Dance next year. I know that will be Coach Soderberg's goal going into the season.

[aj_arete]

by we finally found a coach who can COACH. I think Romar, Spoonhour and Grawer are all very good tacticians, who teach good fundamentals. The difference is that it looks like Soderberg has a special eye in identifying that diamond in the rough. Plus, it looks like Soderberg will be able to benefit from a highly touted local class that might rival Highmark/Claggett/Winfield.

[AlumniFan]

...you didn't read my post accurately. I will give you $1,000,000 if you can identify where I said anything about "finally" we have a coach who can coach. I never said "finally" which, if I did, would imply that Romar, Spoon, etc. could not coach. Please take the time to read the posts before you respond because it can lead others to think that the original poster said something that he/she did not.

**************************************************************

I think our program is on the verge of something special. I'm not looking for a final four appearance next year, but I am expecting continued yearly improvement, an elevated reputation for the program locally and beyond, an electric on campus atmosphere in 2005, and a long-term relationship with UB. I just think that the stars are beginning to align and I expect that our saying of it being hard to be a Billiken fan may just become a thing of the past.

I remember people laughing at the ambitious plans of a guy named Biondi about 10 or 15 years ago. Guess they're not laughing anymore.

"This is just the beginning" Earl Austin, Jr. March 22, 2004

[Basketbill]

My recollection is that everyyear over the past few years we have been left wondering who would be the pest players, who would rebound, who would score etc.....Unfortunately there were not many candidates in those years. Next Year however, RB wll certainly do as well if not better, A healthy frericks may well average double digits, Izik will still be a viable threat either of the bench or in the strating rotation.

What is different this year is the talent of the newcomers, even if all three of them just give us as much as Drejaj gave in his first year, we will be a better team. We will lack leadership initially, but every team misses that at first. Unlike the SH, EC years, this trio coming in have a much better cast to play with.....Its Gonna be fun.....(perhaps, that ought to be the new slogan)

[SLUNATE]

I agree with the spirit of this thread.

Let's land Litsch!

does anyone have any idea who our last scholarship is going to? wasn't there some talk of a juco transfer?

[aj_arete]

for coach mean, then? Don't get it because I think all three of our previous coaches maximized the talent that they acquired. The difference is I think the timing is perfect for Brad right now with this highly acclaimed St. Louis class.

If you ask me, I think Brad's ability to evaluate talent is what separates him from Romar, Spoon and Grawer. That includes finding a Brandon Morris, who never suited up for SLU, but had a very good year at UW-GB despite having ordinary JUCO statistics.

[gister]

KFNS comments--------Interesingly it was Mike Claiborne and Rammer. Rammer made the same compairison to the early 90's recruits except he compared the incoming class to Highmark, Clagget, and Winfield.

[billiken_roy]

while losing chris and josh is a lot of leadership. i think the return of drejaj, frericks and bryant is quite the trio of already proven leaders. no we are sitting pretty good. the only thing we dont necessarily have an answer for is the defensive stopper roles that sloan and josh always stepped up for. drejaj will undoubtedly try to fill the guard stopper, but one has to admit that the thought of any of our current billiken bigs trying to cover the likes of withers or carney isnt a pleasant thought. someone has to step up for that role.

[3star_recruit]

As long as he is here, Coach Brad will always be the leader of his team and since the point guard is the extension of the coach, the point guard will be the leader on the floor. As it should be.