Returning players - What I have heard

[Quality Is Job 1]

for some strange reason I thought David King had played briefly in the NBA. WRONG!!! Only 3 Billikens have played in nba since 1981. Larry, Anthony, and David Burns. very sad

You forgot Melvin Robinson.

[brianstl]

You forgot Melvin Robinson.

That's ok...... So did Melvin.

[Major Majerus]

That's ok...... So did Melvin.

Extra practices plus foreign trip = flying out of the starting gate; conference champs and

NCAA - nobody will want to play us. Everyone will be better; they've had a summer to work on the coach's menu. Drink up on the cool-aid - it's time to believe.

[For-DaLove]

Extra practices plus foreign trip = flying out of the starting gate; conference champs and

NCAA - nobody will want to play us. Everyone will be better; they've had a summer to work on the coach's menu. Drink up on the cool-aid - it's time to believe.

Hell yeah.

[OC]

I heard that, this offseason, Paul Eckerle became trilingual.

[slu72]

To Captain Buzzkill: aka TajMahal79

I understand where you're coming from, Cap BK. Too many years of "wait until you see Vashon Newborne, the guy's a vocal leader and a stud in pickup games at WP!" followed by "why is the stud riding the pine?" But we are talking about a different breed of cat here. We're talking about a guy who was all Freshman A-10 and a 2nd team A-10 his soph year. We're also talking about a guy that could have easily have told SLU to f off after being caned,, not canned, for one night of consensual sex with a friend of a big donor. I'm counting my blessings, and that of SLU, that KM isn't wearing the maroon and gold of the Minnesota Gophers this season. Bottom line is KM had the cujones to take his undeserved punishment like a man, got his butt back to SLU after a semester of exile, helped the youg'uns in practice, and will be wearing Billiken blue and white for 2 more years. KM seems to be a driven young man who's ready to make a lot of people forget about that unfortunate May night. So, stop pi**ing in our blue kool aid. If none of our preseason great expectations come to fruition this year, at least we will have had these past few months of grandiose dreams of greatness to come. Hell, it won't be the first time Billiken fans have looked down at the water from a high vantage point and considered making that final leap because of unfulfilled expectations.

[Taj79]

I have always been of the belief that the offensive man SHOULD be better than the defender, even if athletic ability is equal. Doesn't the offensive guy know where he's going? And with the advantages given the offensive player i.e. crossover dribble, teammates setting picks, a HOF genius designing plays, etc., even a defender able to react and close a gap, should still be a percentage point or two behind the 100% offensive player, in my book. KM could always beat his man and then it becomes the help defender's responsibility to slack off and provide the Willie-esque goalies play on the back line. At THAT point, our other players have to be abe to finish --- whether its Conk cutting and laying it in or Ellis or Loe standing on the perimeter ready to catch-and-shoot. This is where the extra pass comes into play and who's open then? Cassity, Barnett, McCall. Cassity is likely to reset the offense but the other two have to knock them down.

Will it all work? Don't know but right now I believe so. It has just been 9 out of ten times that summer preseason hope glory has faded when rubber meets the road. I prefer to wait-n-see.

Kshoe --- there is absolutely NOTHING that will make me abdicate this stance as far as summer news is concerned. Even if a report says what you say about KM, I'd still temper it. For two reasons ---- one, busting KC or JJ in a summer practice is not Juan Fernandez, Tu Holloway, or Chris Johnson. Two --- and the pressure to perform in June is not the same as in January or February when its th bright lights and big stage of an NCAA matchup. While this news is okay and expected, I'd rather hear news like all the guys are on campus and are ELIGIBLE over trying to extrapolate what an added six inch vertical means down the stretch.

To slu72: different breed of cat? Nice call from Charleston, SC. I can't help but wonder how this all would have panned out if KM, instead of nailing this chick and tossing her to the rest of the wolves in that apartment, who have kanoodled the rest of the night away with her and then walked her back to her apartment feignign gentlemanly concern. It likely would have defused the "gift" a transferring freshmen left this program, waylayed her opportunity to run crying to a sitting ambulance crew, and the rest of the problems created in a "wham, bam, thank you ma'am, show yourself the door" situation. Just a thought ..... As for his cujones, nice word play for one but even if he does transfer, the one-year sit out rule goes into effect on his enrollment at the next school, meaning he sits out from January to December, losing three semesters, not just the usual two. Did that factor come into play? I don't know but think about that too. I'm tired of living on grandiose dreams. You can (evidently) do that for me.

One of the things I like about the Bills is they ALWAYS seem to play defense so that end of the court, I'll likely be happy with. KM is back, so there's another positive. But we are still inadequate on the interior and I've seen way too many kids lose their confidence and their stroke in this program which scares me considering the whole season is contingent on this jump shooting team knocking down their shots to open the rest of the floor up.

Transfers: I saw Salescich coming in January. I said so to Steve sitting next to him at the Smith Center in DC. I felt Jett was a possibility and still see it as possible for next year; on the flip side, I also heard he may not be eligible for this coming season as a lot hinges on summer school for him as I type this. Feel free to dispell that one. I also saw Remekun transferring, but with Reed hitting the road, the circumstances changed. He remains our SECOND interior option even right now, so maybe he sees more time here. Maybe Glaze and Manning replace him, who knows. Its not like it will take all that much to replace Cory's contributions from last year. i hope he blossoms into a Pops Mensa-Bonsu-type player. I can live with that ---- providing the shooters knock them down. I'd still like Conk to be our Bobby Brannen. My fourth transfer --- I was worried about McCall. Coudl a kid from the Chicago Public Schools make it in the classroom at SLU? Looks like I was wrong and he did.

Transfers typically happen with first- and second-year players and even if Jett and McCall are okay now, I still think that possibility exists for next year. Will it happen? I don't know and I hope not. But transfers and Rick go hand-in-hand and the standards are set. Plus players leave when coaches leave. Not talking abot Majerus here but that's not always out of the realm, but Moser did leave.

I find it funny now that with HTB, a lot of our recruits are also ebing pursued by Loyola and Tennessee. Hmmmmmm.

I am upbeat on the coming year. Years of heartbreak and raging expectations have made me slow to jump into the pool at the first inclinations.

[P.B.]

We will probably be the 3 or 4 seed in the midwest regional so after our first 2 wins we will be playing in St Louis so there is no doubt that Conklin will go for 27 and 11 and Kwamain wont miss a shot so we will be in the final 4 without a doubt

[drkelsey55]

My kind of fan!!!

We will probably be the 3 or 4 seed in the midwest regional so after our first 2 wins we will be playing in St Louis so there is no doubt that Conklin will go for 27 and 11 and Kwamain wont miss a shot so we will be in the final 4 without a doubt

My kind of fan! Yeah!!

[Taj79]

I am going to venture the guess that our intimate connections over at the NCAA are going to get us right into the big Dance mix like they always do, cementing us with games in our home town of St. Louis. Because, well, that always happens .... just liek Duke and North Carolina get to play in Carolina and Atlanta most of the time. And we are Duke, are we not?

The closest city we MIGHT see with an "S" in its name is "Spokane."

[Taj79]

As an addendum to mm transfer shortcomings, I will admit that when I made these prognostications, they were based on a proven track record, that being Rick's well-known perchant for runnng off guys who didn't pan out or whatever you want to call it. What I did not know nor did I factor into thr equation was the recently-discussed issue of progress records or whatever they were called --- the one where schools were not punished providing the kids leaving the program were doing so in good standing. I now seem to recall that SLU has reached the bottom of this particular ladder rung --- that any more kids leaving and we run the risk of incurring penalties against the program. Could that have factored into no further kids transferring out? Did the athletic/academic adminsistration step in and say "no more?" Wasn't there a radio program where Rick called a certain guy out and now that guy "has significantly improved his vertical and added strength" or something like that.

Spin occurs everywhere.

[For-DaLove]

As an addendum to mm transfer shortcomings, I will admit that when I made these prognostications, they were based on a proven track record, that being Rick's well-known perchant for runnng off guys who didn't pan out or whatever you want to call it. What I did not know nor did I factor into thr equation was the recently-discussed issue of progress records or whatever they were called --- the one where schools were not punished providing the kids leaving the program were doing so in good standing. I now seem to recall that SLU has reached the bottom of this particular ladder rung --- that any more kids leaving and we run the risk of incurring penalties against the program. Could that have factored into no further kids transferring out? Did the athletic/academic adminsistration step in and say "no more?" Wasn't there a radio program where Rick called a certain guy out and now that guy "has significantly improved his vertical and added strength" or something like that.

Spin occurs everywhere.

Or could it be that Rick actually has the pieces he's wanted all along and doesn't need to kick more kids out the door?

At least know about the situation around the person you speculate about before making outlandish statements. Public criticism doesn't equate to someone transferring out of the program.

[kshoe]

As an addendum to mm transfer shortcomings, I will admit that when I made these prognostications, they were based on a proven track record, that being Rick's well-known perchant for runnng off guys who didn't pan out or whatever you want to call it. What I did not know nor did I factor into thr equation was the recently-discussed issue of progress records or whatever they were called --- the one where schools were not punished providing the kids leaving the program were doing so in good standing. I now seem to recall that SLU has reached the bottom of this particular ladder rung --- that any more kids leaving and we run the risk of incurring penalties against the program. Could that have factored into no further kids transferring out? Did the athletic/academic adminsistration step in and say "no more?" Wasn't there a radio program where Rick called a certain guy out and now that guy "has significantly improved his vertical and added strength" or something like that.

Spin occurs everywhere.

Pretty lame Taj. The APR reports have been out there for years and everyone that can count knew that we were getting close to the line. When you go out of your way to make controversial statements and brag to no end when the most obvious of them (Salecich leaving) comes true, you shouldn't make up additional factors as to why your other predictions didn't pan out.

[billiken_roy]

imo, rickma indeed insinuated the day of reckoning had come for remeken at season end. and then we never heard another word about it.

it would not surprise me at all that while he may have been told of his academic progress track, majerus never paid attention to it and had every intention of his continued roster churning. and i could see Saint Louis University telling Rickma, "Whoa, Saint Louis University is not going to be lumped into the programs that are not at least meeting the NCAA minimum level. knock off the transfers out."

i believe Taj has a very credible explanation.

[drkelsey55]

Gee you agree with someone that cast RickMa in a bad light, what a surprise!

[kshoe]

imo, rickma indeed insinuated the day of reckoning had come for remeken at season end. and then we never heard another word about it.

it would not surprise me at all that while he may have been told of his academic progress track, majerus never paid attention to it and had every intention of his continued roster churning. and i could see Saint Louis University telling Rickma, "Whoa, Saint Louis University is not going to be lumped into the programs that are not at least meeting the NCAA minimum level. knock off the transfers out."

i believe Taj has a very credible explanation.

The APR report is known well in advance. Up to a year so. Put another way, the school likely knows right now whether it is going to drop below the magic 925 number when next year's report comes out.

So the theory of Majerus only being notified AFTER he spouted off about Remeken that there were APR rammifications of him leaving the program doesn't make sense to me. He knew in advance.

Rather, a much more plausible theory is that Majerus knows that he needs CR to be a major player for him and tried to motivate him through the public. Its not as if we have an unlimited amount of big men or that Majerus has never motivated people through the media before. Its standard practice for RM.

A lot of us never liked Taj doing his constant predictions about transfers. They were disrespectful to the existing players and then when he is wrong he basically claims that he didn't have all the info so its OK that he was wrong. Give me a break.

[billiken_roy]

it's no surprise to me that kshoe cant read. work on it kshoe. there are classes at your local community college that can help you achieve results.

[kshoe]

it's no surprise to me that kshoe cant read. work on it kshoe. there are classes at your local community college that can help you achieve results.

Stay classy Roy

[gbs]

Roy:

Would the character played by this legendary coach, in the video above, be your ideal D-I coach? At least he'd be a good ambassador for the school!

[cheeseman]

Whenever transfer talk starts up it always ends badly. Bad for the kid who is caught in the rumor mill, bad for the fans who hate to see their program in possible turmoil when there is nothing to it, bad for the coach who has to deal with all the whispers and inferences of possible bad behavior or poor attitudes of his players, and bad for future recruiting because of all the nasty things other coaches say about why kids transfer when sometimes it simply is the kid realizes he made a mistake and would like a do over. A perfect example of this is the kid we recruited who ended up going to IL - TG. This spring the board was awash with the fact mind you that the kid was transferring and would we want him now after he spurned us. I talked with a someone very close to the kid the other day and he told me that the story about him transferring was just that a story made up by internet geeks. The kid never asked for his release and always planned to return. Because of all this nonsense, I wish we would stop talking about transfers until it becomes a fact. Those who continue to raise this junk up are quite honestly gossipy little children. Sorry but if the shoe fits wear it.

[For-DaLove]

Whenever transfer talk starts up it always ends badly. Bad for the kid who is caught in the rumor mill, bad for the fans who hate to see their program in possible turmoil when there is nothing to it, bad for the coach who has to deal with all the whispers and inferences of possible bad behavior or poor attitudes of his players, and bad for future recruiting because of all the nasty things other coaches say about why kids transfer when sometimes it simply is the kid realizes he made a mistake and would like a do over. A perfect example of this is the kid we recruited who ended up going to IL - TG. This spring the board was awash with the fact mind you that the kid was transferring and would we want him now after he spurned us. I talked with a someone very close to the kid the other day and he told me that the story about him transferring was just that a story made up by internet geeks. The kid never asked for his release and always planned to return. Because of all this nonsense, I wish we would stop talking about transfers until it becomes a fact. Those who continue to raise this junk up are quite honestly gossipy little children. Sorry but if the shoe fits wear it.

+1

[davidnark]

The misleading info needs to stop. Majerus never said or even implied that CR was going to leave or be asked to transfer. I heard all of the interviews at issue. What Majerus said was that CR didn't progress as much as they would have liked and that when he had his postseason meeting with Corey--the same meeting Majerus holds with each player--he was going to talk with Corey about improving his commitment to developing. In fact, the comments could have just as easily been interpreted as the coach having a proactive interest in the player.

[Clock_Tower]

The misleading info needs to stop. Majerus never said or even implied that CR was going to leave or be asked to transfer. I heard all of the interviews at issue. What Majerus said was that CR didn't progress as much as they would have liked and that when he had his postseason meeting with Corey--the same meeting Majerus holds with each player--he was going to talk with Corey about improving his commitment to developing. In fact, the comments could have just as easily been interpreted as the coach having a proactive interest in the player.

Easy to say it has to stop, after the fact, but RM and other D1 coaches are also partially to blame when they continue recruiting, and remind us that they are still recruiting even when it appears that all scholarships are full. If I recall correctly, RM announced the addition of KC and RC BEFORE the 4 scholarships kids were released. Earlier this Spring, WR was in school and going to classes/home basketball games talking about his return and CS was a model citizen on the team and in the classroom and yet RM was actively recruiting with no apparent openings. Sure, RM had to keep recruiting in case WR did not come back, in case of an unexpected transfer, in case of injury.... Still, this behavior of RM, together with his past actions here at SLU and at Utah, sure signal talk that someone might be transferring. In the end, there was a transfer as CS did transfer. Also, no doubt that WR's departure may have impacted what CR did or did not do.

As to other coaches, believe Calipari had 16 players on the Kentucky team prior to making cuts like they do in the NFL.

[For-DaLove]

Easy to say it has to stop, after the fact, but RM and other D1 coaches are also partially to blame when they continue recruiting, and remind us that they are still recruiting even when it appears that all scholarships are full. If I recall correctly, RM announced the addition of KC and RC BEFORE the 4 scholarships kids were released. Earlier this Spring, WR was in school and going to classes/home basketball games talking about his return and CS was a model citizen on the team and in the classroom and yet RM was actively recruiting with no apparent openings. Sure, RM had to keep recruiting in case WR did not come back, in case of an unexpected transfer, in case of injury.... Still, this behavior of RM, together with his past actions here at SLU and at Utah, sure signal talk that someone might be transferring. In the end, there was a transfer as CS did transfer. Also, no doubt that WR's departure may have impacted what CR did or did not do.

As to other coaches, believe Calipari had 16 players on the Kentucky team prior to making cuts like they do in the NFL.

Unbelievable. Would you rather him not be recruiting at all times and then when a scholarship does free up for whatever reason we don't have any options?

[jbizzle09]

I have always been of the belief that the offensive man SHOULD be better than the defender, even if athletic ability is equal. Doesn't the offensive guy know where he's going? And with the advantages given the offensive player i.e. crossover dribble, teammates setting picks, a HOF genius designing plays, etc., even a defender able to react and close a gap, should still be a percentage point or two behind the 100% offensive player, in my book. KM could always beat his man and then it becomes the help defender's responsibility to slack off and provide the Willie-esque goalies play on the back line. At THAT point, our other players have to be abe to finish --- whether its Conk cutting and laying it in or Ellis or Loe standing on the perimeter ready to catch-and-shoot. This is where the extra pass comes into play and who's open then? Cassity, Barnett, McCall. Cassity is likely to reset the offense but the other two have to knock them down.

Will it all work? Don't know but right now I believe so. It has just been 9 out of ten times that summer preseason hope glory has faded when rubber meets the road. I prefer to wait-n-see.

Kshoe --- there is absolutely NOTHING that will make me abdicate this stance as far as summer news is concerned. Even if a report says what you say about KM, I'd still temper it. For two reasons ---- one, busting KC or JJ in a summer practice is not Juan Fernandez, Tu Holloway, or Chris Johnson. Two --- and the pressure to perform in June is not the same as in January or February when its th bright lights and big stage of an NCAA matchup. While this news is okay and expected, I'd rather hear news like all the guys are on campus and are ELIGIBLE over trying to extrapolate what an added six inch vertical means down the stretch.

To slu72: different breed of cat? Nice call from Charleston, SC. I can't help but wonder how this all would have panned out if KM, instead of nailing this chick and tossing her to the rest of the wolves in that apartment, who have kanoodled the rest of the night away with her and then walked her back to her apartment feignign gentlemanly concern. It likely would have defused the "gift" a transferring freshmen left this program, waylayed her opportunity to run crying to a sitting ambulance crew, and the rest of the problems created in a "wham, bam, thank you ma'am, show yourself the door" situation. Just a thought ..... As for his cujones, nice word play for one but even if he does transfer, the one-year sit out rule goes into effect on his enrollment at the next school, meaning he sits out from January to December, losing three semesters, not just the usual two. Did that factor come into play? I don't know but think about that too. I'm tired of living on grandiose dreams. You can (evidently) do that for me.

One of the things I like about the Bills is they ALWAYS seem to play defense so that end of the court, I'll likely be happy with. KM is back, so there's another positive. But we are still inadequate on the interior and I've seen way too many kids lose their confidence and their stroke in this program which scares me considering the whole season is contingent on this jump shooting team knocking down their shots to open the rest of the floor up.

Transfers: I saw Salescich coming in January. I said so to Steve sitting next to him at the Smith Center in DC. I felt Jett was a possibility and still see it as possible for next year; on the flip side, I also heard he may not be eligible for this coming season as a lot hinges on summer school for him as I type this. Feel free to dispell that one. I also saw Remekun transferring, but with Reed hitting the road, the circumstances changed. He remains our SECOND interior option even right now, so maybe he sees more time here. Maybe Glaze and Manning replace him, who knows. Its not like it will take all that much to replace Cory's contributions from last year. i hope he blossoms into a Pops Mensa-Bonsu-type player. I can live with that ---- providing the shooters knock them down. I'd still like Conk to be our Bobby Brannen. My fourth transfer --- I was worried about McCall. Coudl a kid from the Chicago Public Schools make it in the classroom at SLU? Looks like I was wrong and he did.

Transfers typically happen with first- and second-year players and even if Jett and McCall are okay now, I still think that possibility exists for next year. Will it happen? I don't know and I hope not. But transfers and Rick go hand-in-hand and the standards are set. Plus players leave when coaches leave. Not talking abot Majerus here but that's not always out of the realm, but Moser did leave.

I find it funny now that with HTB, a lot of our recruits are also ebing pursued by Loyola and Tennessee. Hmmmmmm.

I am upbeat on the coming year. Years of heartbreak and raging expectations have made me slow to jump into the pool at the first inclinations.

Uggggghhhhhhh.

To see more of Taj's silliness when it comes to discussing potential transfers, feel free to check out the link below to a thread from April, shortly after Christian transferred:

April Thread

In his post on that thread, Taj declared that there were still some other 'shoe-dropping dates' when we could see some transfers occur. One of those dates he declared as being the since-cancelled Australian trip, thus implying that CE could be transferring. He also reiterated that CR could transfer because RM called him out on radio. I just find it funny that CE has now made a trip home to Australia to visit his family and is currently back in St. Louis. So now, with 3 of his 4 dates having passed with nary a transfer, it is time to start backtracking and making excuses why the transfers didn't come (i.e. APR, WR dropping out, etc.)

I agree with Nark. The unfounded speculation on transfers really does need to stop. The fact is, you litter a message board with enough talk of transfers and players' names, that ends up showing up on web searches and causing further speculation and rumors elsewhere, thus creating a snowball effect. Somebody made an excellent point with TG at Illinois and how it created discussion on this board.