Big cheer for our fans

[JMM28]

Agree with Roy. Even HS teams do it before the game. When did Dayton do theirs? X? And the list goes on.

As to RM saying a few words, that is something I shall never live to see or hear. How can such an educated man mumble and say "you know" as much as he does? Most 5th graders can speak better than he does. If it must be done after the game then the fans should be told ahead of time and not mid-game by our announcer who has to constantly make corrections. At best it was a vague announcement today. Why not call a horse a horse instead of saying it might be a horse.

Really?! Is this discussion happening? Did someone compare this to HS basketball? Should everyone get a participation trophy too?!

Most programs do the exact same thing.

[courtside]

Very very common for teams to honor Seniors immediately AFTER the final home game. ...pretty shocked at this thread. Are SLU fans in such a rush to beat the traffic? Many schools do a nice video presentation of each player and each player walks out with their families and each player speaks, even walk ons at many places, as well of course as the coach, and even school President and/or AD at some places. It is more common in my experience to see this done after the final home game, win or lose for the home team.

[jbizzle09]

Very very common for teams to honor Seniors immediately AFTER the final home game. ...pretty shocked at this thread. Are SLU fans in such a rush to beat the traffic? Many schools do a nice video presentation of each player and each player walks out with their families and each player speaks, even walk ons at many places, as well of course as the coach, and even school President and/or AD at some places. It is more common in my experience to see this done after the final home game, win or lose for the home team.

I agree. Pretty shocked that we have this many people bitching about this. Seems to me to just be a reason to pile onto Majerus for the simple reason of hating on him. As the season is at an end, seems like some people are trying to get in their own personal potshots on Majerus. Roy, I am looking at you. Many threads recently have included personal asides by you taking unnecessary shots at Majerus.

I understand that you are the most prolific poster on this board. Many times you make very astute and reasonable posts about actual basketball. But I bet if someone were to do an analysis of the content of your posts these past 4 years they would find that a majority of them had something to do with our coach. It is damn near pathological! We get it...you hate Majerus, or rickma as you prefer.

As for everyone else, what the hell is wrong with honoring the students after the game? You are not under any time limit once the game is over. They can take as much time to honor them as they want and us fans who actually don't mind staying for a bit after can appreciate what the player(s) and the coach have to say. (By the way, Majerus had some VERY nice things to say about Eckerle.) From my own personal observations, many SLU fans tend to get there right before or even after tipoff and leave 10 minutes before the final buzzer. Those fans are missing the ceremony either way.

[Cowboy]

Five minutes is a long time to have eckerle walk his parents to midcourt while a lengthy presentation is read and chris may presents him with his momento. Could easily do 3 - 4 players in that time plus probably run a quick video as well.

Then in classic charlie spoonhour style late in the game grab the mike and tell the crowd immediately after the game rickma has something he wants to say and then say a few kind words about paul.

Instead sounds like we f'd it up as badly as we did two years ago. That is terrible. No surprise no banquet again either. Sigh

-roy what did you think of Paul's comments during the ceremony?

[billiken_roy]

Jbizzel, I have been consistent on my opinions and beliefs for the 30+ years I have been a fan. And I have been complimentary to rickma when deserved in my view. I have backed his on floor work and results. I from the begiinning have said rickma as our coach meant our program was finally going to get budget concessions that hopefully will now be givens when future coaches are our head coach.

Unfortunately I think he is a dispicable and self center selfish person and not the person to set our program up long term. While rickma will win, I think long term he has done more to set our program back than forward when you consider his attention to all things off court which have regressed in his four years. While some boosters have embraced his time at slu I believe more have not and I don't think he has won over many new converts.

There is no reason our coach can't be a basketball coach and an ambassador for the school. There is no reason we can't win without running off 3 student athletes per year. Some coaches actually mentor and coach up ALL their players instead of chosing favorites and damn the rest. Personally I am tired of being mentioned as one of the youngest teams every year.

I can go on but I understand most have heard it enough. But bizzle you called me out so you asked for it.

Cowboy in my above post I said, "it sounds like we f'd it up...." obviously I wasn't there. I posted two weeks ago I was going on vacation. Ironically for well over 20 years my priorities and interests would never had let me go to florida till the billiken season was over. I can assure you I was very happy I was in the stands yesterday watching the braves and mets at the wide world of sports complex. The billikens continue to become less important to me

[Box and Won]

The fan who was presented with the autographed basketball early in the game went over to the student section to have Willie sign it. Very cool.

[cheeseman]

After reading the thread, I have changed my initial mind about the ceremony being held after the game. I was not crazy about the idea not because it was necessarily a bad one but that I know that some of the fans are very rude and would leave - heck some leave during the last couple of minutes of a very close game just to beat the traffic which makes no sense to me but it takes all kinds. The one thing that bugs the heck out of me is when the play in going on people want to walk in front of you to get to their seat or stand up and carry on a conversation with who they are with about if they want dippin dots or whatever but I digress. Now having read through the thread, I think the problem is not the school's but the fans - fans should be ashamed that they can not stay around for 10 minutes longer to honor the seniors after all they don't mind complaining if a kid does not spend extra hours all year in the gym on their own time trying to get better. As far as some saying that they have always thought this way or another way about a particular thing/practice so that makes something new wrong? - well, things change and we all need to be more open minded about them. By the way when they did if they did it before the game the same problem would exist - many of our fans do not arrive until after the first couple of minutes of the game anyway - no accounting for rude behavior.

[AlumniFan]

This has become a board where even the SLIGHTEST criticism, regardless of who it is directed at, sets off certain people. Many of the people here who are now reacting to the criticism of the senior day at the end of the game have, in the past, been critical of other aspects of this program. Does that mean you too are against Majerus????

I happen to know the Eckerle's personally and I just felt bad, after all Paul has done for the team, that about 75% of the fans and about half the students left before he was honored. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAJERUS. I think some of you are obsessed with the guy and over-react to any criticism, often imagining that the criticism is directed at him.

By the way, there are at least a few people in the Athletic Department and/or other areas of the school that feel the same way about honoring the seniors after the game and none of them were criticizing Majerus, they just did not think it made sense.

[billiken89]

everyone stop your bitchin. most programs do it after the game, keep the guys in the zone before the game...especially a big one like X

did paul deserve a little bit more after all he has done for the program? yeah sure it would have been nice if more fans had stuck around. all that matters though is that pretty much his entire family was there, his friends, his girlfriend, his teammates, his coaches, and some great fans. he knows how much he is appreciated.

[moytoy12]

Was it widely announced that PE would be honored after the game? Is it possible that the fans didn't know there would be a celebration for Paul?

Otherwise, the bitching and complaining in this thread is tired.

[TheOldie]

I guess that Duke is a HS team

[bonwich]

<sigh>

Again: That was a nice number of fans who stuck around, especially given the year we've had.

In any event, you could view it as a calculated risk. Had we won, it would have turned into storming the court without actually going out there. And with all the Blue Kool-Aid I've drunk in 45 years of going to games, I have confidence we're going to win our Senior Night games for the next many years.

(It seems like it used to happen before the game, but my memory is faltering, and I'm even younger than Roy and AlumniFan. )

[AlumniFan]

Was it widely announced that PE would be honored after the game? Is it possible that the fans didn't know there would be a celebration for Paul?

Otherwise, the bitching and complaining in this thread is tired.

They made several announcements, at the beginning, during, and at the end of the game, asking fans to stay after the game to honor the seniors.

[jbizzle09]

Jbizzel, I have been consistent on my opinions and beliefs for the 30+ years I have been a fan. And I have been complimentary to rickma when deserved in my view. I have backed his on floor work and results. I from the begiinning have said rickma as our coach meant our program was finally going to get budget concessions that hopefully will now be givens when future coaches are our head coach.

Unfortunately I think he is a dispicable and self center selfish person and not the person to set our program up long term. While rickma will win, I think long term he has done more to set our program back than forward when you consider his attention to all things off court which have regressed in his four years. While some boosters have embraced his time at slu I believe more have not and I don't think he has won over many new converts.

There is no reason our coach can't be a basketball coach and an ambassador for the school. There is no reason we can't win without running off 3 student athletes per year. Some coaches actually mentor and coach up ALL their players instead of chosing favorites and damn the rest. Personally I am tired of being mentioned as one of the youngest teams every year.

I can go on but I understand most have heard it enough. But bizzle you called me out so you asked for it.

Cowboy in my above post I said, "it sounds like we f'd it up...." obviously I wasn't there. I posted two weeks ago I was going on vacation. Ironically for well over 20 years my priorities and interests would never had let me go to florida till the billiken season was over. I can assure you I was very happy I was in the stands yesterday watching the braves and mets at the wide world of sports complex. The billikens continue to become less important to me

So let me get this straight...you weren't even at the game nor witnessed the ceremony for Paul, are actually in Florida watching spring training games, yet feel the need to come onto this message board and criticize Majerus for how it was handled? Wow, your hatred for rickma truly knows no bounds, huh?

That is some major league chutzpah!

[billiken_roy]

Thanks

[AlumniFan]

(It seems like it used to happen before the game, but my memory is faltering, and I'm even younger than Roy and AlumniFan. )

Ha ha, your memory is faltering alright...I think you missed counting a few birthdays, but that can be forgiven at your advanced age... I'm pretty sure I am the youngster out of this group!

[Cowboy]

-i thought Paul's comments were heartfelt and his appreciation for the students, fans, coaches, players and staff was great, he was in what i imagine to be an uncomfortable spot as he is trying to figure out if he can stay around while in med school but no one mentioned that and not sure how you would

-honoring the mgr who i guess did not have his scholly taken from him for missing a game to puruse graduate opportunities was cool

-good idea to have RM's comments recorded and those were good

-there was at least one mention of the ceremony during the game and the game day article in the post was about this probably being Paul's last game at home so could there have been more notice? sure, and one other spot is the email about the game--was there notice, sure

-i agree with cheese, the timing is not the problem, in our current state we could have a ceremony or anything at any time and people would not be in their seats for it, but on the otherhand i am glad they are at the game--perhaps we will notice a change has taken place when the loudest cheers and getting people out of their seats is for game related emotion as opposed to the ball toss

-could another prong in Rick's reasoning for a post game ceremony be 5 minutes is not enough to honor the dedication it takes to be in the program?

-good job wearing white

-we are now 0-2 with the postgame ceremony and we are 2-0 pissing on dayton's ceremony

-big number of senior band members, thanks, hope Dr Mike is recruiting to replace you folks

-good luck senior saintsaitions as they move on, you gals were great

[billiken_roy]

Cowboy that is a great post. Thank you

[Taj79]

Our fans arrive late and leave early. They stand and debate dippin' dots versus having the frozen milk product on a stick while the game runs up the court past them. They're more worried about beating traffic and getting to Mardi Gras. Some are basking in the sun in Florida instead of the glow of the Chaifetz krieg lights.

Meanwhile, kids in Chapel Hill and Durham are living in tents dressed in various shades of blue warpaint living for two hours of mayhem on the last Saturday of the season.

We really don't know what major college basketball (or other college sports) are all about or really know how to support them, do we?

[slufanskip]

After reading the thread, I have changed my initial mind about the ceremony being held after the game. I was not crazy about the idea not because it was necessarily a bad one but that I know that some of the fans are very rude and would leave - heck some leave during the last couple of minutes of a very close game just to beat the traffic which makes no sense to me but it takes all kinds. The one thing that bugs the heck out of me is when the play in going on people want to walk in front of you to get to their seat or stand up and carry on a conversation with who they are with about if they want dippin dots or whatever but I digress. Now having read through the thread, I think the problem is not the school's but the fans - fans should be ashamed that they can not stay around for 10 minutes longer to honor the seniors after all they don't mind complaining if a kid does not spend extra hours all year in the gym on their own time trying to get better. As far as some saying that they have always thought this way or another way about a particular thing/practice so that makes something new wrong? - well, things change and we all need to be more open minded about them. By the way when they did if they did it before the game the same problem would exist - many of our fans do not arrive until after the first couple of minutes of the game anyway - no accounting for rude behavior.

I don't even have to read the rest of this thread, you have stated my feelings perfectly. Shame on the fans that can't stay 10-20 extra minutes to honor our seniors.

[moytoy12]

They made several announcements, at the beginning, during, and at the end of the game, asking fans to stay after the game to honor the seniors.

Got it, thanks Afan.

[AlumniFan]

Our fans arrive late and leave early. They stand and debate dippin' dots versus having the frozen milk product on a stick while the game runs up the court past them. They're more worried about beating traffic and getting to Mardi Gras. Some are basking in the sun in Florida instead of the glow of the Chaifetz krieg lights.

Meanwhile, kids in Chapel Hill and Durham are living in tents dressed in various shades of blue warpaint living for two hours of mayhem on the last Saturday of the season.

We really don't know what major college basketball (or other college sports) are all about or really know how to support them, do we?

Are we the exception or the rule? Our attendance is definitely not up to Duke, KU, North Carolina, or Kentucky standards, but out of ~330 D1 teams we ranked 73rd - that is not too shabby, especially for a team that isn't exactly an NCAA tournament mainstay. I think the Spoon era, where we were top 10 in attendance and the school and the city REALLY got behind the team, is evidence of the potential that is there - we just have to win.

Also, if we want the dollars to support the program in its current state, we are going to have to tolerate older fans who are not going to be as loud as we would like them to be. And to be fair, around me, there are some older fans (60+) who are very loud and some younger fans (<40) who sit on their butts the entire game and say very little. Additionally, the students barely fill the student section as is so it's not like the older fans are taking seats from students.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

I have been going to games for 30 years and supporting this team in a lot of other ways including financially. You are an idiotic dumbass.

+1

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

I actually thought they were much better than usual. Saying that people who bought their tickets before mid-october got scammed is just plain ignorant. Chain emails asking you to help the deposed king of Zambia and multi level marketing firms are scams.

Agreed, we weren't scammed. Just bad timing they suspended the players the night before the season started, 6 mo after it happened, and after they received their season ticket revenue....bad coincidence

[kshoe]

Agreed, we weren't scammed. Just bad timing they suspended the players the night before the season started, 6 mo after it happened, and after they received their season ticket revenue....bad coincidence

Right, and to further perpetuate the scam, the AD put the players on billboards and even printed tickets with them on it knowing the entire time the suspension was coming...