Majerus Rant

[BBall Fan]

i have no idea where you all are coming up with this "lack of effort". i think that is totally unfounded and just unfair.

I have not commented much on KC in the past and will not in the future but I feel the need to throw my 2 cents in. I agree Roy, I do not see where the "lack of effort" comes from. If there is 1 thing I know I get from KC every night is supreme effort. It may not be good enough at times, but I would never question the effort. RM has 500 wins to his credit and the fact that Kyle was getting 30 minutes a night was good enough for me that the kid is talented. The fact that he will not shoot the ball frustrates the hell out of me. It also frustrates me that he is 6'3" and should be more aggressive offensively. The most frustrating part is that we have all seen him do both things successfully. We have all seen him hit threes at a high percentage. We have all seen him get to the basket and finish. He is a very good athlete that shoots the ball well. I sit at every game rooting my ass off for Kyle and Cory to get pissed and show us what they are capable of more than once or twice per season. I appreciate the style Kyle plays and the type of facilitator he can be but his spot requires more than he is getting done. I cannot speak for anyone but myself but it really seems to me that we are all rooting for Kyle as an individual to help this team because we really like him. He and Conk are what the true student athlete is and we want them to be our stars. These kids are truely role models. We all get disappointed when they do not perform to the level we know they can. I would love to see Kyle go 0-15 from the floor trying to carry this team than pass on an open 3 because KM or CE may get a better shot. All that said, I will continue to root my ass off for Kyle and Cory every time they step on the floor because I am convinced that both have the ability.

My only comment on RM calling out players ie. BC, is that he went after the most mentally tough player on the team to get to the rest of the guys. Conk is the leader on this team. He is the man that everything runs through. It has become pretty clear that he is the only one up to the challenge every night and he has to bring the rest of the team to that level of toughness if we are going to make any noise this year. RM knows what he is doing. it isn't his first rodeo and will not be his last attempt at motivation. He attacks BC but benches MM this year and CE last year. Different ways to handle different players and different situations.

[RiseAndGrind]

I get that you are sick of the questioning of KC and his effort, but what are you hoping to accomplish by having us name other players that we think are 'underachieving'? It seems in an effort to stop the constant criticism of KC, you are just advocating for people on this board to be more negative towards the rest of our players instead. I would also state it is tough to have a lot of underachievers on a team that is currently 16-5 and has already won 4 more games than they did all of last year, with 9 more regular season games to go.

So calling KC out for "underachieving" is cool, but then it isn't necessary to call out other players because it won't accomplish anything? Huh?

Look, there are several people that are currently underachieving on this team. Yes, the team is 16-5. It could very well be 18-3 if some people would play up to their potential. And sorry I'm not excited that the team "has already won 4 more games than they did all of last year." Last year was f'n terrible.

[BBall Fan]

Busted. This is the dumbest and most inaccurate post of 2012. No one "forced" KC to do anything. KC voluntarily accepted the SLU basketball scholarship and then had the spotlight shown up him last - his Junior year after extensively playing the 2 prior years - due to suspensions and injuries. If you were to follow the program closely and be objective, you would realize that KC had trouble handling the pressure here at SLU since his Freshman year. KC has always been protected b/c he could add certain intangibles: passing skills, floor vision, limited mistakes... For these reasons, KC has always been a favorite of RM. RM has protected him, groomed him and has given him every opportunity to succeed. In return, KC has not performed.

KC "isn't that type of player" is nothing more than an excuse you and others have invented and have repeated, ad nauseum, that I have no doubt you truly believe it. I'd ask that you provide me with the authority you claim that RM recruited KC to be this role player and that it is, and now remains, unfair to have any type of scoring expectations for this 4th year Senior but I know you cannot. Wake up. What type of player is KC? I have never heard of a "role" playing 2 guard who gets 25 minutes per game and yet is afraid to shoot and who disappears in big games. Certainly not such a player on a Tourney team.

It's simple. Good players step up when the opportunity presents. Speaking of unfair, it can be said that CS unfairly shouldered the scoring pressure his Freshman year instead of KC, the Sophomore. Remember, as a Freshman, KC did not have such pressure as we had KL and TL, along with KM, taking that pressure off KC. Also, last year as a Junior, we watched KC unload the ball like a hot potato to Freshmen MM and JJ with less than 5 seconds on the shot clock. Funny, I don't recall you or any of the KC apologists standing up for CS, JJ or MM. Get a clue or stop posting such dribble.

KC has been a huge disappointment this year. End of story. Still, the season is not over, we still need KC and others to contribute and we cannot and should not give up on anyone. And yes, we also have other players who also need to step up their games -- RL, DE, MM and JJ. Frankly they are playing like Sophomores -- good one day but not the next. Highes followed by lows. Flashes of brilliance but then stupid mistakes. Promising but then frustrating. Last year, our Frosh, without KM and WR, relied upon KC, CS, CR and CE. Then halfway through the season, our Frosh realized this was their team and they themselves needed to step up their games. This year, I have long thought that JJ and MM have not understood their roles with the return of KM and with the continued presence of KC in the lineup. KM's 4 points were certainly disappointing but a bad game does not mean we give up on him. As to JJ and MM, the future is now. Make room on the bench for KC.

As to others who should get some blame? Sure, our Junior class needs to perform better. KM and CE have carried this team at times this year but not yesterday. CR remains a bust. But for athletic ability we usually don't see here at SLU, we would have written off CR years ago. Maybe he can still help this year and next. We'll see.

well said clock

[RiseAndGrind]

It's simple. Good players step up when the opportunity presents. Speaking of unfair, it can be said that CS unfairly shouldered the scoring pressure his Freshman year instead of KC, the Sophomore. Remember, as a Freshman, KC did not have such pressure as we had KL and TL, along with KM, taking that pressure off KC. Also, last year as a Junior, we watched KC unload the ball like a hot potato to Freshmen MM and JJ with less than 5 seconds on the shot clock. Funny, I don't recall you or any of the KC apologists standing up for CS, JJ or MM. Get a clue or stop posting such dribble.

No one stepped up yesterday or during any other loss this season. That's the problem with this team, players consistently fail to show up in big games. It is a team wide problem - not a single person's problem. Give me a break.

With that said: the Billikens are awesome and it is going to be even more awesome watching them in the tournament. Let's go Bills.

[MB73]

Those who continually take pot shots at Cassity should stop it. Some of you make me sick. Try to show some class.

You do not know how to measure effort. Some of it is personal style, some players are more fluid, others pump their legs faster, etc.

Either way, some of your trashy finger pointing and singling out of KC is disgraceful, some Billiken fans you are. Pitiful.

Observations are OK, fine, but not some of the brutal cr*p that a lot of you direct at Cassity day in and day out the last 2 years.

I think there are several players who have clearly underperfomred, but I have the maturity and class to refrain from trashing them on this board. Try it.

If it wasn't for the Conklin Miracle, we would be in deep doo-doo.

Again, there are several who have disapointed big time, and the new players have not been a factor at all... they had been touted to be so. We are 4-3 in the Atlantic-10, tied for 5th or 6th in a wide open race.

Get of KC's back, he is not the problem..

[billikenfan05]

Those who continually take pot shots at Cassity should stop it. Some of you make me sick. Try to show some class.

You do not know how to measure effort. Some of it is personal style, some players are more fluid, others pump their legs faster, etc.

Either way, some of your trashy finger pointing and singling out of KC is disgraceful, some Billiken fans you are. Pitiful.

Observations are OK, fine, but not some of the brutal cr*p that a lot of you direct at Cassity day in and day out the last 2 years.

I think there are several players who have clearly underperfomred, but I have the maturity and class to refrain from trashing them on this board. Try it.

If it wasn't for the Conklin Miracle, we would be in deep doo-doo.

Again, there are several who have disapointed big time, and the new players have not been a factor at all... they had been touted to be so. We are 4-3 in the Atlantic-10, tied for 5th or 6th in a wide open race.

Get of KC's back, he is not the problem..

Agree on everything except your "Conklin miracle" thing. It was not a miracle, Conklin is just finally playing at 100% health.

[Quality Is Job 1]

My only comment on RM calling out players ie. BC, is that he went after the most mentally tough player on the team to get to the rest of the guys. Conk is the leader on this team. He is the man that everything runs through. It has become pretty clear that he is the only one up to the challenge every night and he has to bring the rest of the team to that level of toughness if we are going to make any noise this year. RM knows what he is doing. it isn't his first rodeo and will not be his last attempt at motivation. He attacks BC but benches MM this year and CE last year. Different ways to handle different players and different situations.

This is why I started the thread saying Conk should convene a players-only team meeting, which every respondent seemed to say, "Pooh," about.

[David King]

No one stepped up yesterday or during any other loss this season. That's the problem with this team, players consistently fail to show up in big games. It is a team wide problem - not a single person's problem.

Agreed. All of the games lost so far, for the most part, were a result of a breakdown in team defense for long stretches during the game. Coach Majerus said it himself in his post game rant:

" All you have to do is get your nose in the chest and defend," he said. "I don't care if we didn't shoot well. You can always defend"

and,

" Forget about the missed free throws of the turnovers. All that stuff is bull (expletive). We didn't come out and play. They exceeded us in intensity level and they won."

If this team give up 45 points in a half to a UMAss, or 49 points to a Loyola Marymount, they're going to lose. It's not going to matter if KC increases his output to 8 or 10 points/game.

[billiken_roy]

Agreed. All of the games lost so far, for the most part, were a result of a breakdown in team defense for long stretches during the game. Coach Majerus said it himself in his post game rant:

" All you have to do is get your nose in the chest and defend," he said. "I don't care if we didn't shoot well. You can always defend"

and,

" Forget about the missed free throws of the turnovers. All that stuff is bull (expletive). We didn't come out and play. They exceeded us in intensity level and they won."

If this team give up 45 points in a half to a UMAss, or 49 points to a Loyola Marymount, they're going to lose. It's not going to matter if KC increases his output to 8 or 10 points/game.

well eliminate cassity from your rant, he didnt play long enough to be included in "long stretches" talk.

[David King]

I'd say Coach Majerus is limiting Kyle's minutes more for bad defense than bad offense.

[Taj79]

@eastsidejoe: I am in no position of authority to judge any of these kids but I said in the other thread on Mitchell that I expected more from Mitchell, McCall, Barnett and Remekun. I believe Jett and Conklin have exceeded expectations to date. Ellis, Loe and Evans are where I thought they would be. Manning and Glaze have had no opportunity to show me anything, which also disappoints me. I was hoping to see some glimpse of something, anything by now.

The issue with this team remains the same: when we are hitting threes and opening the middle and playing defense and rebounding, we can bveat anyone (Xavier/Oklahoma/Washington, etc); when we ar enot, we don't havea go-to athlete to pick us up off the mat and our road play is questionable to say the least.

[Clock_Tower]

We have two (2) different discussions going on here. The UMass game was not a good game. For those that really haven't read the box score, read it. This was a team loss just like the win over X was a team win. Look at the X win and you will see that nearly all of our guys stepped up. As per the UMass box score below, KC played on 12 minutes so it is not only hard to pin this loss on him but also unfair to those who might try. Further, put me in the camp that is frustrated with the results achieved by KC but not with not with his effort. Frankly, I don't see any effort problem on this team. Instead, it is obvious that DE, CE. RL, KM and MM must do better and that JJ must hit his FT's. Each, though, has had some really good games this year (read the X box score) and most have carried our team to the 16 victories that some seem to take for granted. I am still satisfied with the overall play of these guys and this team and therefore I am not going to panic over this recent loss. In the UMass game, though, KC played only 12 minutes and CR played only 2 minutes. KC is a Senior having started and/or played significant minutes each year as a Billiken. Much more is rightfully expected of him than to be a non-factor for his 12 minutes. If the coach is going to restrict his minutes, then he needs to acknowledge that he receives the message sent to him by RM and to respond by fighting back like he is mad as hell and that he wants his playing time back during the 12 minutes he did play. It's what we haven't seen with KC that was, is and remains the problem. To play even more timid and passively is truly disappointing to me and does not bode well for this team. As to CR, he is now a Junior so the excuses of him being young for his age, still learning the system, that he needs more strength/muscle, etc. are tiring.

Dwayne Evans 28 2 12 1 4 2 4 5 7 12 2 3 1 3 0 7 Cody Ellis 27 3 10 2 7 1 1 1 4 5 1 3 0 2 0 9 Rob Loe 17 2 4 2 4 0 0 2 2 4 0 1 0 2 0 6 Kwamain Mitchell 36 2 9 0 4 0 0 1 0 1 2 5 2 2 0 4 Kyle Cassity 12 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jordair Jett 23 6 8 0 0 1 5 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 0 13 Mike McCall 21 1 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 2 Brian Conklin 34 7 16 0 1 3 7 4 4 8 0 2 0 3 0 17 Cory Remekun 2 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 TEAM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 TEAM TOTALS 200 23 67 5 24 8 19 18 19 37 11 18 7 15 0 59 PERCENTAGES FG: 34.3% 3PT: 20.8% FT: 42.1% TOTAL TO: 15

Massachusetts

Read more: http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=lee-stlouis&page=cbask/scores/final/boxscore.aspx?GAMEID=56295#ixzz1kx5FezUH

[MusicCityBilliken]

We have two (2) different discussions going on here. The UMass game was not a good game. For those that really haven't read the box score, read it. This was a team loss just like the win over X was a team win. Look at the X win and you will see that nearly all of our guys stepped up. As per the UMass box score below, KC played on 12 minutes so it is not only hard to pin this loss on him but also unfair to those who might try. Further, put me in the camp that is frustrated with the results achieved by KC but not with not with his effort. Frankly, I don't see any effort problem on this team. Instead, it is obvious that DE, CE. RL, KM and MM must do better and that JJ must hit his FT's. Each, though, has had some really good games this year (read the X box score) and most have carried our team to the 16 victories that some seem to take for granted. I am still satisfied with the overall play of these guys and this team and therefore I am not going to panic over this recent loss. In the UMass game, though, KC played only 12 minutes and CR played only 2 minutes. KC is a Senior having started and/or played significant minutes each year as a Billiken. Much more is rightfully expected of him than to be a non-factor for his 12 minutes. If the coach is going to restrict his minutes, then he needs to acknowledge that he receives the message sent to him by RM and to respond by fighting back like he is mad as hell and that he wants his playing time back during the 12 minutes he did play. It's what we haven't seen with KC that was, is and remains the problem. To play even more timid and passively is truly disappointing to me and does not bode well for this team. As to CR, he is now a Junior so the excuses of him being young for his age, still learning the system, that he needs more strength/muscle, etc. are tiring.

Dwayne Evans 28 2 12 1 4 2 4 5 7 12 2 3 1 3 0 7 Cody Ellis 27 3 10 2 7 1 1 1 4 5 1 3 0 2 0 9 Rob Loe 17 2 4 2 4 0 0 2 2 4 0 1 0 2 0 6 Kwamain Mitchell 36 2 9 0 4 0 0 1 0 1 2 5 2 2 0 4 Kyle Cassity 12 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jordair Jett 23 6 8 0 0 1 5 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 0 13 Mike McCall 21 1 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 2 Brian Conklin 34 7 16 0 1 3 7 4 4 8 0 2 0 3 0 17 Cory Remekun 2 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 TEAM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 TEAM TOTALS 200 23 67 5 24 8 19 18 19 37 11 18 7 15 0 59 PERCENTAGES FG: 34.3% 3PT: 20.8% FT: 42.1% TOTAL TO: 15

Massachusetts

Read more: http://64.246.64.33/...5#ixzz1kx5FezUH

Actually we played a pretty good second 1/2. Unfortunate part was we shot 40% at the FT line for the game. At crunch time we were only down by 4, remember, at the end we had to foul and we had to start chucking shots. Leading to 12pt loss. If we would have raised our FT % to a modest 60%, we would have won the game. My opinion, if this would have been home or a neutral floor, different outcome.

Oh well, it was not, so just WIN!

[ACE]

Majerus is scheduled to be on 590 at around noon.

[David King]

Actually we played a pretty good second 1/2. Unfortunate part was we shot 40% at the FT line for the game. At crunch time we were only down by 4, remember, at the end we had to foul and we had to start chucking shots. Leading to 12pt loss. If we would have raised our FT % to a modest 60%, we would have won the game. My opinion, if this would have been home or a neutral floor, different outcome.

My opinion is the same as Coach Majerus'. If we play the same defense in the 1st half as in the 2nd half, SLU wins. The other stuff doesn't matter.

[billiken_roy]

My opinion is the same as Coach Majerus'. If we play the same defense in the 1st half as in the 2nd half, SLU wins. The other stuff doesn't matter.

you know that majerus did include 1st half defense or lack thereof in his rant, and specifically called out conklin's defense on putney. i noticed that second half he had evans guarding putney instead of conklin. just curious why he waited until halftime to make that adjustment? why did he continue to play conklin in the first half if conklin was hurting the team so much?

my point is that rant was total b.s. he is as much to blame for that loss saturday as any of the individual players. expecting conklin on a high ankle sprain to cover the very athletic putney was borderline unrealistic. and the first half efforts of putney and williams bottom line was the game.

but let's make sure he can distance himself from responsibility of the game. it's been that way for five years. all the glory none of the doom.

[ACE]

you know that majerus did include 1st half defense or lack thereof in his rant, and specifically called out conklin's defense on putney. i noticed that second half he had evans guarding putney instead of conklin. just curious why he waited until halftime to make that adjustment? why did he continue to play conklin in the first half if conklin was hurting the team so much?

my point is that rant was total b.s. he is as much to blame for that loss saturday as any of the individual players. expecting conklin on a high ankle sprain to cover the very athletic putney was borderline unrealistic. and the first half efforts of putney and williams bottom line was the game.

but let's make sure he can distance himself from responsibility of the game. it's been that way for five years. all the glory none of the doom.

Did you even read what he said? RM often takes the blame. You are WAY off on this one. Once again, a roy bashing of RM is always just one loss away.

[mccarthyirish7]

my point is that rant was total b.s. he is as much to blame for that loss saturday as any of the individual players. expecting conklin on a high ankle sprain to cover the very athletic putney was borderline unrealistic. and the first half efforts of putney and williams bottom line was the game.

Disagree. The rant serves a purpose, and Majerus knows that. He knows people will print it. He knows his players will read it. An important part of a coaches job is motivation. He is clearly trying to motivate his players to play to their potential. He knows they have it. Sh!t, we know they have it too - we've seen it several times this year. He's going to push his players to play the way their intended to play....and he knows the time is now. The rant was well placed....

[moytoy12]

you know that majerus did include 1st half defense or lack thereof in his rant, and specifically called out conklin's defense on putney. i noticed that second half he had evans guarding putney instead of conklin. just curious why he waited until halftime to make that adjustment? why did he continue to play conklin in the first half if conklin was hurting the team so much?

my point is that rant was total b.s. he is as much to blame for that loss saturday as any of the individual players. expecting conklin on a high ankle sprain to cover the very athletic putney was borderline unrealistic. and the first half efforts of putney and williams bottom line was the game.

but let's make sure he can distance himself from responsibility of the game. it's been that way for five years. all the glory none of the doom.

I'm not going into the whole "it's been that way for five years", but I do agree with your criticisms of RM's UMASS game management. In the first half, DE and JJ should have been on Putney in the first half. Also, in the 1st half, it was obvious that KM couldn't stay with Williams, I would have tried JJ (when not guarding Putney) or MM. KM did do a better job on Williams in the 2nd half.

[billiken_roy]

Did you even read what he said? RM often takes the blame. You are WAY off on this one. Once again, a roy bashing of RM is always just one loss away.

no doubt Ace, when he returns to his public bashing ways i will always call him out.

his "self blame" was weak. i especially liked his faux i should have put in the walkons. imo that only highlighted that it wasnt his fault but those playing were letting him down to the point he should have let the walkons in. whatever. i defend rickma on his basketball knowledge and coaching, but the man might have the worst people skills in the world. it seems to me he knows nothing about motivating only intimidation. if you think that is the way to run an organization, i am glad i dont work for you.

[MusicCityBilliken]

but let's make sure he can distance himself from responsibility of the game. it's been that way for five years. all the glory none of the doom.

1st of all he lauds the players a lot. 2nd, what good does it do if he takes the blame? I played HS football, basketball and track and I don't ever remember any coach I had taking the blame for a loss but I remember plenty of times being verbally beaten up both as a team and individually. Just part of playing sports. He needs to get into the players head and get them mentally psyched. That is his job. He must have given them a major chew-out during 1/2 time and it almost payed off. Hopefully his tirade works and the players will be ready for the Dayton and Bona.

[Clock_Tower]

Roy. Believe you're off base on this one. As pointed out, RM did take blame and yet you act like he didn't. IMO, RM took more than his share of blame for not having the team more mentally prepared for the first half. Our same players executed and played much better (both defense and offense) in the second half. Had we played, as a team, in the second half like we did in the first half, we would have won by double digits.

As to RM, coaches can only prepare, motivate and put players in position to succeed. We were NOT down by 19 or 20 at halftime b/c RM was, as you suggest, slow to make an obvious adjustment of putting DE on Putney. Neither BC nor DE nor any other Billiken guarded Putney or anyone else alone. Instead, our help-side defense was often slow to react or just not there. BC did not even start the game and no way did RM expect Putney to have such a first half. 65% is just not normal and few teams will win on the road, especially in conference, when the home team hits 65%. We also had 15 turnovers (believe 9 or 10 in the first half) and that cannot be blamed on RM.

As also pointed out, KM did a better job on Williams in the second half. Same personnel and coaching scheme but different desire and execution. RM is not to blame for KM's defense in the first half.

[ACE]

no doubt Ace, when he returns to his public bashing ways i will always call him out.

his "self blame" was weak. i especially liked his faux i should have put in the walkons. imo that only highlighted that it wasnt his fault but those playing were letting him down to the point he should have let the walkons in. whatever. i defend rickma on his basketball knowledge and coaching, but the man might have the worst people skills in the world. it seems to me he knows nothing about motivating only intimidation. if you think that is the way to run an organization, i am glad i dont work for you.

The self-anointed conscience of Billiken fans is "calling out" the coach. Great. Everybody else seems to recognize that many of his comments were clearly designed to be motivational, but not roy... who is either clueless or willfully ignorant.

[jbizzle09]

To be honest, I think this board has reached hyperventilation mode at this point, and I look at myself as a prime example of this. Seriously, I can't believe how worked up we all get about this. This season should be one to enjoy, yet after a loss, we all can't help ourselves. We look to point fingers, tear into one another, rip on players and coaches, etc. It becomes very unenjoyable. And I fall into the trap, just like most others.

I want to enjoy watching the games, not looking for things to dislike or point fingers at. Yet, here I am, throwing a critical eye at KC and trying to disect his personality at this moment. It seems like I went from just making observations about skill level to now trying to talk about somebody's life. And I realize how sad and wrong that is. I crossed a line that probably should never be crossed, at least with college level athletes. Or, at the very least, not making those thoughts public knowledge on a forum.

I think, in many ways, that most of us are so desperate for a great season, a memorable season, a season where we finally make noise and get to the NCAA tournament, that we find ourselves going overboard after every loss. We just can't help ourselves. As Taj79 said memorably in another thread, this board has no even keel. But, I don't want to contribute anymore to the board's over-the-top reactions and craziness during what should be a very enjoyable ride. These players and coaches deserve our support during a fine season like this. I think that is what I am going to try to do from now on.

[billiken_roy]

what goes on in the lockerroom and the huddle i have absolutely no problem with. but the media is another story.

as to him taking the blame, i say it was weak. what he said was followed up with ridiculous statements, i.e. i should have played the walkons if i had any balls. yeah whatever.

you all can defend him all you want, but i dont like the way he attacked conklin specifically and the way he inferred other players.