student reaction??

[TheA_Bomb]

SLU was my first choice: I was offered full rides to Wash U, Drury and SLU (ROTC + matching scholarships). I've loved and followed Auburn my whole life but chose SLU. I love the atmosphere there but SLU offered better scholarships and a Jesuit education. I still cheer for Auburn but if SLU ever played them in anything I would be the loudest SLU fan.

I have a special dislike for all SLU students who support other school's athletics over SLU teams. I am issuing a Fatwah that they be treated as infidels and we should confiscate all their goats and women.

[kappy96]

SLU wasn't my first choice which looking back is kind of ironic since my ACT score wouldn't get me in now. I grew up an Illini fan but upon stepping foot on campus and joining a fraternity that had a tradition of sitting in the front row of the student section wearing our letters I was consumed by all things Billikens. I was a big sports fan and rooting my school gave me a sense of pride that I could share with my buddies. We made it an event, from skipping class so we could to drive to the Arena to get as many tickets possible with multiple student IDs to sitting in FoPa before the game for a few pre game cocktails, it was something we looked forward to and were passionate about. Point is I stepped into an environment as a freshman where going to a game was expected, fun and something I didn't want to miss. It helped that Spoonball took off the next year but RM has this team set for a similar launch to national relevance.

I think my example is relevant because there really are no game day traditions (tailgating, student

section, camping out for tickets, etc.) that transcends the program that incoming students are exposed to and can rally behind. The Slunatics are doing a good job and growing (and hopefully will continue to do

so). The "white out" was cool and free pizza is a good promo but they aren't sustainable.

Tradition takes time and the school and team are in a great position to capitalize on the success and start something that can be long lasting.

I hope it happens.

[AlumniFan]

The more I think about this the more annoyed I get. Not only was SLU my first choice, but I was accepted to several other schools including schools that were out of town and had more of a national reputation.

I think that between SLU, Wash U, and MU, the latter two are more second choice schools for two reasons: Wash U, which is a phenomenal school, often is a second choice for very gifted students who don't make it into the Ivies; MU is often a second (or last) choice for financial reasons since it is in state and far less expensive than private schools or out of state schools. I know that there are many students whose parents went to MU and for them they would never even consider anywhere else, but there are also a lot for whom finances dictate where they will go

What is sad is that regardless of the reason, it seems our students are far too concerned about looking cool by being negative and cynical about SLU basketball.

[AlumniFan]

I resented for decades that SLU seemed content to reside in its quiet midwestern world. The University was wholly unrecognized on either coast as I tried to fight my way up the corporate ladder in the computer industry vs. competitors from nationally acclaimed top 20 business schools.

Having said this, I still value many of the associations that I made at the University, But I think that a University has a duty to support its graduates with an effort to maintain a national reputation in at least selected areas.

This is one big reason the administration wanted to be in the A10 - to give us more national exposure, especially on the East Coast.

[kappy96]

Making multiple runs in the NCAA tournament will help with national exposures more than most anything...see Gonzaga, Xavier and Butler.

[bonwich]

SLU students who support other school's athletics over SLU teams.

Their goats = their women.

Fixed it.

[Taj79]

I came to town from Pennsylvania, choosing Saint Louis over Marquette and then Gannon College in Erie, PA. I'm pretty sure the weather played a serious role in my choice too.

What I always got from SLU was two things: 1) the majority of students were commuter kids who went back to their West/South/North county home sas soon as class was over and never interacted with the school at all, and 2) in dating a local girl from St. Elizabeth's Academy, there seemed to be an exisiting snobbery between those preponderance of private Catholic High School kids that did the commuting. Lizzies didn't hang with St. Joe's chicks, DeSmetter didn't hang with SLUHies nor Viannies nor Chaminaders. Plus, she was so proud to tell me that she had to "work three jobs" to pay her way to SLU ---- on work-study at the Co-op, at a clothing store in South County Mall and at a KFC on Kingshighway/Oakland near SLUH. So there wa sno incentive to stay at the school past the needs and the allegiances were still toold high school days that should have been long gone and over.

The basketball team lived on Two Clemens but didn't interact much with the rest of us. They ate at Busch, us at Griese and Lewis and Maugerite. They were nice guys but you had to get to know them --- and in hindsight I understand why. It was not much of a community outside the floor you lived on.

[MusicCityBilliken]

I came to town from Pennsylvania, choosing Saint Louis over Marquette and then Gannon College in Erie, PA. I'm pretty sure the weather played a serious role in my choice too.

What I always got from SLU was two things: 1) the majority of students were commuter kids who went back to their West/South/North county home sas soon as class was over and never interacted with the school at all, and 2) in dating a local girl from St. Elizabeth's Academy, there seemed to be an exisiting snobbery between those preponderance of private Catholic High School kids that did the commuting. Lizzies didn't hang with St. Joe's chicks, DeSmetter didn't hang with SLUHies nor Viannies nor Chaminaders. Plus, she was so proud to tell me that she had to "work three jobs" to pay her way to SLU ---- on work-study at the Co-op, at a clothing store in South County Mall and at a KFC on Kingshighway/Oakland near SLUH. So there wa sno incentive to stay at the school past the needs and the allegiances were still toold high school days that should have been long gone and over.

The basketball team lived on Two Clemens but didn't interact much with the rest of us. They ate at Busch, us at Griese and Lewis and Maugerite. They were nice guys but you had to get to know them --- and in hindsight I understand why. It was not much of a community outside the floor you lived on.

The basketball team lived on Two Clemens but didn't interact much with the rest of us. They ate at Busch, us at Griese and Lewis and Maugerite. They were nice guys but you had to get to know them --- and in hindsight I understand why. It was not much of a community outside the floor you lived on.

That must have changed. I lived on 3 Gries my freshman year (70-1). Across the hall from me was Tom Fisher and Charlie Ries and down the hall was Steve Dangos and Bill Paradowski. They had lots of interaction. Often getting us tickets for away games. Never forgot the time when we brought Fisher for a intermural basketball game in which we killed the other floor, ended up having to forfeit that game . In addition to them we had a lot hockey players and Pat Leahy was few doors down but in Clemens.

[RiseAndGrind]

I picked SLU over WashU and Mizzou and a couple of out of state schools.

Never could understand why people didn't cheer for their school. Always pissed me off when people acted like they were forced to go to SLU.

[AlumniFan]

.

Never could understand why people didn't cheer for their school. Always pissed me off when people acted like they were forced to go to SLU.

According to NCAA Rules, I'm pretty sure you're allowed to punch them... ;-)

[SShoe]

Responding to Billiken05's not understanding why SLU kids hate SLU.

I've already been through this, but was called stupid for it.

SLU is a 2nd choice school and kids dont grow up watching SLU or hoping to go there for academics. Heck, up until maybe 10 years ago SLU wasn't even more then a commuter school.

Make SLU a national household name and we will finally start getting students who actually give a ######.

**NOTICE** I understand some people on this board interview kids for MLK Scholarship and would beg to differ. That is great, I would say ###### out the ass for a full scholarship to a University. You should listen to me in interviews, I love to tell them everything they want to hear even though I am really hoping Bain & Co. would give me an offer instead.

Ridiculous post.

I had a lot of friends who supported other teams over SLU but attended SLU because it was their first choice from an academic standpoint. Most of them grew up watching Mizzou, UC, Marquette, etc. and could care less about SLU's athletic programs until they arrived and were not going to change their "life-long" favorite team.

[Deutschkind]

I had a lot of friends who supported other teams over SLU but attended SLU because it was their first choice from an academic standpoint. Most of them grew up watching Mizzou, UC, Marquette, etc. and could care less about SLU's athletic programs until they arrived and were not going to change their "life-long" favorite team.

This is kind of me. I've been a Wisconsin fan (as well as Packers, Brewers and Bucks) since the day I was born. Even though I'm not going to UW, I still cheer for them. The difference is, though, if SLU is ever lucky enough to play them, I will be the loudest fan in the building cheering for SLU

[ARon]

I also still think that some of the student indifference comes from the fact that most St. Louis kids don't give two $&!@s about basketball in general. I know I didn't at that age.

[sonoma bob]

I'm surprised to hear that ARon. What else is there to do in SL winters besides play basketball? The lakes don't freeze to skate on, snow gets slushy the next day, can't sled on it for very long. My home had a hoop on the garage and I shot at it EVERY DAY from age 10 to 20. On cold days I'd come back inside after about 10 minutes to warm up both me and the ball because it wouldn't bounce any more. Both my younger brothers did likewise as they got older too. I loved playing 2 on 1 against them.

[sonoma bob]

This is a great student reaction!

We all need to be more like him.

Go Bills. I will be at Humps later and will try and start the chant, if any of you are there, please join in.

Lets hear it for the little Will. Great first post !!!

[AMDG]

I also still think that some of the student indifference comes from the fact that most St. Louis kids don't give two $&!@s about basketball in general. I know I didn't at that age.

I agree

[ARon]

I'm surprised to hear that ARon. What else is there to do in SL winters besides play basketball? The lakes don't freeze to skate on, snow gets slushy the next day, can't sled on it for very long. My home had a hoop on the garage and I shot at it EVERY DAY from age 10 to 20. On cold days I'd come back inside after about 10 minutes to warm up both me and the ball because it wouldn't bounce any more. Both my younger brothers did likewise as they got older too. I loved playing 2 on 1 against them.

Glad you had that experience. My childhood features much more street hockey, pickup football etc. Brett Hull was in his prime then so maybe that is why.

I'm sure the lack of pro ball (even though I dislike the pro style game) in town also hurts.

[Clock_Tower]

Like it or not, the only revenue sport at SLU is men's basketball and while we have made the Tourney a handful of times over the years, SLU has not been a real factor in college basketball since the 1950's. Why would any normal kid choose SLU for basketball?

Because Grawer saved us from D2? Because of the back to back NIT runs he brought us in the late 1980's? Because Spoon got us to the Dance three (3)only to lose either first or second round? Because we won a miraculous Conf Tourney under Romar and got in that way? Now, a 10 year drought.

Once new students arrive on campus, getting 100 out of 8,000 of them to a game has been the norm. We have not reached the heights we all want for SLU yet, but we are on our way and headed in the right direction. Even Spoon couldn't string good recruiting classes one after the other. RM has and is. Certainly, we are all disappointed that BC and KC are all that is left of RM's first recruiting class (KM dropped back a year), but we have talent in each recruiting class and we aren't sitting around wishing "if only" Grawer could have added more depth to Bonner, Gray and Douglas (Upchurch), if only Spoon could have added more while he had H, Claggs and Highmark, if only Spoon could have followed up with a better class after Hughes, if only Romar could have got the West Coast pipeline going, if only Brad could have found someone to play with KL, TL and IV.

This year, our team brought out alot of new student fans and hopefully they will return next year when our team will be as good if not better (CE, KM and CR as Seniors) and then again the year after when DE, JJ, MM and RL are Seniors, etc. We finally have the beginnings of a basketball program - not just some good but sporatic basketball teams by a coach selling playing time to local kids attracted by the opportunity to come in, start for 4 years, rebuild the program AGAIN and be the big fish in the small pond.

[Adman]

Like it or not, the only revenue sport at SLU is men's basketball and while we have made the Tourney a handful of times over the years, SLU has not been a real factor in college basketball since the 1950's. Why would any normal kid choose SLU for basketball?

Because Grawer saved us from D2? Because of the back to back NIT runs he brought us in the late 1980's? Because Spoon got us to the Dance three (3)only to lose either first or second round? Because we won a miraculous Conf Tourney under Romar and got in that way? Now, a 10 year drought.

Once new students arrive on campus, getting 100 out of 8,000 of them to a game has been the norm. We have not reached the heights we all want for SLU yet, but we are on our way and headed in the right direction. Even Spoon couldn't string good recruiting classes one after the other. RM has and is. Certainly, we are all disappointed that BC and KC are all that is left of RM's first recruiting class (KM dropped back a year), but we have talent in each recruiting class and we aren't sitting around wishing "if only" Grawer could have added more depth to Bonner, Gray and Douglas (Upchurch), if only Spoon could have added more while he had H, Claggs and Highmark, if only Spoon could have followed up with a better class after Hughes, if only Romar could have got the West Coast pipeline going, if only Brad could have found someone to play with KL, TL and IV.

This year, our team brought out alot of new student fans and hopefully they will return next year when our team will be as good if not better (CE, KM and CR as Seniors) and then again the year after when DE, JJ, MM and RL are Seniors, etc. We finally have the beginnings of a basketball program - not just some good but sporatic basketball teams by a coach selling playing time to local kids attracted by the opportunity to come in, start for 4 years, rebuild the program AGAIN and be the big fish in the small pond.

Clock, this is one of the finest posts I've read on this board. Not only are we building a program but building a fan base. Both take time.

[kappy96]

Like it or not, the only revenue sport at SLU is men's basketball and while we have made the Tourney a handful of times over the years, SLU has not been a real factor in college basketball since the 1950's. Why would any normal kid choose SLU for basketball?

Because Grawer saved us from D2? Because of the back to back NIT runs he brought us in the late 1980's? Because Spoon got us to the Dance three (3)only to lose either first or second round? Because we won a miraculous Conf Tourney under Romar and got in that way? Now, a 10 year drought.

Once new students arrive on campus, getting 100 out of 8,000 of them to a game has been the norm. We have not reached the heights we all want for SLU yet, but we are on our way and headed in the right direction. Even Spoon couldn't string good recruiting classes one after the other. RM has and is. Certainly, we are all disappointed that BC and KC are all that is left of RM's first recruiting

class (KM dropped back a year), but we have talent in each recruiting class and we aren't sitting around wishing "if only" Grawer could have added more depth to Bonner, Gray and Douglas (Upchurch), if only Spoon could have added more while he had H, Claggs and Highmark, if only Spoon could have followed up with a better class after Hughes, if only Romar could have got the West Coast pipeline going, if only Brad could have found someone to play with KL, TL and IV.

This year, our team brought out alot of new student fans and hopefully they will return next year when our team will be as good if not

better (CE, KM and CR as Seniors) and then again the year after when DE, JJ, MM and RL are Seniors, etc. We finally have the

beginnings of a basketball program - not just some good but sporatic basketball teams by a coach selling playing time to local kids

attracted by the opportunity to come in, start for 4 years, rebuild the program AGAIN and be the big fish in the small pond.

Well said!

[maverick]

This is an interesting thread, as this is something I've often wondered about (and of course something I know the board has often discussed).

I am not a SLU alum, but my parents were and I grew up going to games and falling in love with the program (e.g. going to away games, conference tourneys when we could afford it, etc).

It's been a while since I was in college (late 1990s) but I remember then -- and it seems like this may still be the case, with the present year a possible exception -- that my friends at SLU were clueless about the team (even in Spoonball hey day, especially once he left).

My take then, and this is consistent with what several have posted, is that athletics (in general) wasn't as high a priority for the typical SLU student (who was, quite understandably, more focused on school work / community service / Faith life). To put it another way, I always got the sense that compared to schools with a rabid sports following, there were less sports fanatics.

(Indeed, I remember one conversation many moons ago where I tried to argue (as a good Catholic) that God could be found just as readily on the hardwood as He could on a mission trip. Perhaps I was over the top. But -- having experienced so many joys and sorrows with my father during games -- I really think that there's a spiritual element to the game.)

Okay, this post was much longer than I anticipated. Bottom line: I hope students, whatever their motivation, come out to support the Bills in the years to come!

[Clock_Tower]

Maverick. The students will come. In fact, all in all, I'd say the students did a good job coming out to the games this year. Sure, it would have been nice if more had come for certain games but student attendance has been good. Since the opening of Chaifetz 5 years ago (and Scottrade before that), student attendance is greatly improved. I guarantee you that there will be alot of high school Seniors/incoming Freshmen this Fall (and their Moms & Dads) watching in 2 weeks when SLU is playing in the NCAA Tourney. These kids will have seen our Bills on TV, will know RM is the coach and then will probably hear good things from fellow students this Fall ... All of this will translate into even better crowds this Fall. The days of 3,000 walk-up tickets and student apathy are over.