Not good news

[SIUSalukis]

http://mb11.theinsiders.com/fillinoisinsid...cID=21671.topic

Anyone hear this too? I hope it's not true for SLU's sake.

[billiken_roy]

read down a few strings and you will find a string started by 3 star that has an article from an all-star game in washington dc that tommie was the best player at and there were rumors galore about him heading to a prep school. the big ten thing translates to illinois, but it is my guess that there will be lots of tampering before this is all said and done. unless slu releases him though, liddell is a slu recruit regardless until the school year starts and he isnt enrolled. only then will his "recruitment" be up for grabs again.

[billiken_roy]

the illini apparently got a verbal from sg calvin brock this weekend. fine with me. the more sg's the illini get, the more it looks like kevin lisch wont be interested in joining the party there.

[3star_recruit]

If Tommie opts to go to prep school, he doesn't need to get a release from SLU.

http://www.national-letter.org/guidelines/nli_text.php

One-Year Absence. This NLI shall be null and void if I have not attended any institution (or attended an institution, including a junior college, not participating in the NLI Program) for at least one academic year after signing this NLI, provided my request for athletics financial aid for a subsequent fall term is not approved by the institution with which I signed. To receive this waiver, I must file with the appropriate conference commissioner a statement from the director of athletics at the institution named in this document that such financial aid will not be available to me for the requested fall term.

[billiken_roy]

as i said above, until he isnt enrolled in slu, no other college can mess with him. obviously if he is enrolled at a prep school come fall, he wont be enrolled at slu.

[Jalensdad2002]

As far as I know nothing has changed. Tommie is competing with an AAU team in Detroit. The roster is made up of some his former high school teammates and some kids from Detroit. He did play well in DC from all accounts and the Big 10 school inquiring about Liddell was not Illinois but in fact Michigan State. Izzo was unaware of his committment to SLU, as most are due to Liddell's low national profile.

One of his coaches is related to Bennie Lewis of East St Louis Lincoln fame and Tommie's first varsity coach. They are working with Liddell to improve on his catch and shooting as well as the mental part of his game. I don't see Liddell gaining admission to SLU at this point and even if he did I don't think his schooling up to this point has prepared him for SLU. A prep school seems to be his best option.

Now the bad news a few people have been denigrating SLU. For whatever reason they think he won't get the same recognition at SLU nationally as opposed to attending a major conference school. The military school is very much interested. They are new on the scene and should he attend Hargrave I can't help but think Liddell being wooed anew.

The good news is that he and Polk are very close and someone reported that Lisch and Liddell have been working out and everything I read about Lisch is that SLU is #1. I'm disappointed in Liddell academically he is a very bright kid but I think he is being fed some bad advice. I wont go into details but I'm optimistic he will honor his committment to SLU after attending prep school.

[billiken_roy]

reading your account tells me that izzo is a rat. you know as connected and bright as izzo is, he knows who everyone is and who is committed. what is the $nyder line, "i didnt know" the now standard response?

[kshoe]

since you are pretty much the only one with first-hand knowledge of Tommie's situation we always appreciate hearing from you. At least that way we really know whats going on and don't have to really on 3rd and 4th hand internet reports.

One follow-up, if Tommie has all but given up on attending SLU this fall do you think it will now be appropriate for SLU to use his scholarship if the right player became available or should we hold out hope for Tommie?

[tseugnekillib]

Thanks, Jalensdad for the update. Nothing you stated surprises me.

I'm always suspect when a kid passes up local, and other AAU teams in his home-state, to play for a team that is six or so drive hours away. TL cannot afford to be out of the classroom on Fridays to be participating in weekend tournaments across the country this Spring.

Michigan State claiming not to know that TL had signed with SLU is major bs!

I agree and posted weeks ago that TL could use a year of prep school to improve his academics prior to entering SLU. Unfortunately, after the events of this April, I think TL ever appearing in a SLU uniform is a distant long shot at best. For my nickel, it's time to move on.

[Jalensdad2002]

>reading your account tells me that izzo is a rat. you know

>as connected and bright as izzo is, he knows who everyone is

>and who is committed.

I don't know if I would call Izzo a rat. As far as I know prior to his game in DC Michigan State has had very little if at all contact with Liddell. He was playing with Team Detroit so maybe that is why Izzo inquired. Not to make any excuses but Izzo may have thought Tommie was a Detroit area player.

[Billiken Law]

>I don't know if I would call Izzo a rat. As far as I know

>prior to his game in DC Michigan State has had very little

>if at all contact with Liddell. He was playing with Team

>Detroit so maybe that is why Izzo inquired. Not to make any

>excuses but Izzo may have thought Tommie was a Detroit area

>player.

I know Izzo. He's anything but a rat. He is all about compliance and avoiding anything that might look fishy (in fact, he wouldn't let a player's brother, who was an NFL player, buy him a car because it might raise eyebrows). He even contacted Rick Rickert, when Rickert had eliminated MSU, and told Rickert that he hoped he'd play for Minnesota and the Big Ten. Also, MSU does not have any scholarships open for this year, so any recruiting they are doing is for the current junior class. If anything Izzo saw this stud playing for a Detroit team (isn't there a 350 mile distance limit for AAU teams???) and asked about him. When he was told Tommie had signed with SLU he backed away. Coaches can't know the status of every kid in the country and with Izzo, his assistants do most of the initial recruiting, Izzo is there to serve as the closer.

[Jalensdad2002]

I think after he failed to get the required ACT test on his 2nd attempt, most of us kind of expected this. I was the person who advised his parents to look at a prep school in lieu of a Juco. I felt he would gain from the year of being away from some of his hanger-ons. Too many people were patting him on the back and not enough people were making him take responsibility. SLU was not the only option for Tommie, but it was the best. He did not have to sign with SLU in the early signing period but he did. That should count for something. I also believe in the long run SLU will benefit from Tommie attending a prep school.

1.) Tommie will become a better student if he attends Hargrave. They have a proven history with poor student/athletes.

2.) Liddell will be facing top flight competition, something he did not always have at East Side. I don't believe a player of his caliber gets better my dominating inferior opponents.

3.)Hargrave Academy was named by HoopsUSA.com as one of its prep national champions after going 25-1. Liddell will be exposed to better coaching. Coaches who will not accept anything less than his best.

4.) Tommie Liddell goes to Hargrave and plays up to his potential, I believe he finishes 2005 as a top 10 prospect. Honors his committment to SLU. What does that say about Brad Soderberg and company on a national level. He not only begins to get the best from the St Louis area but possibly some of the best in the nation.

[tseugnekillib]

imo, Saint Izzo was told TL had signed, but was also told that he is headed for a prep school or a juco. Thus, in late August or in September, TL is again an open recruit. Thus, Michigan State's interest.

[willie]

When you say move on I hope your talking about this years scholarship. To give up on Tommie playing for SLU in the future would be stupid. You won him once you can win him again.

[Jalensdad2002]

Post:

>I'm always suspect when a kid passes up local, and other AAU

>teams in his home-state, to play for a team that is six or

>so drive hours away.

Response: The only reason he is playing for Team Detroit is that one of Team Detroit coaches is a former coach of Tommie. Many of the players on Team Detroit are his former teammates.

Post:

TL cannot afford to be out of the

>classroom on Fridays to be participating in weekend

>tournaments across the country this Spring.

Response:

He can if his school is on spring break.

>Post:

>Michigan State claiming not to know that TL had signed with

>SLU is major bs!

Response:

Not so fast, there were still a few prep sites like prepstar.com that did not mention Liddell signing with SLU. Instead of showing SLU it only stated Juco or Prep School. Despite his talent Tommie still has a relatively low profile nationally. Hargrave Academy would not have heard of Liddell had he not played in DC. I don't think one should berate Izzo, at Charlieweberbasketball.com, the tourney it which Tommie played, it stated that if you are signed, you cannot compete. I don't know if this was for the tourney that Liddell played in but it may have led to some confusion.

>Post:

>I agree and posted weeks ago that TL could use a year of

>prep school to improve his academics prior to entering SLU.

>Unfortunately, after the events of this April, I think TL

>ever appearing in a SLU uniform is a distant long shot at

>best. For my nickel, it's time to move on.

One can only hope Soderberg doesn't feel the same way. He signed with SLU in the early signing period. There wasn't a gun placed to his temple, there wasn't an illegal cash payout. There was simply the opportunity to play right away. Liddell has stated since his sophmore year of high school that his ultimate goal is to play in the NBA. You cannot do that by being a role player for some big school in your early years. In addition Soderberg gave his word that if Liddell signs he would not recruit a player that plays Tommie's position until Tommie's Sr year. There was not another Div I program making that kind of pitch. Please refrain from all this doom and gloom.

[billiken_roy]

i'll apologize when tommie is standing at the jump circle for the first game for the billikens and not the spartans.

[billiken_roy]

i have been saying it from the first hint of academic distress. nothing against tommie. i cant imagine the pressure he is feeling from his "advisors" and the contacts he is receiving from "big ten" level coaches that think they are above the rules. it would be hard for anyone to stand up to the negative recruiting and hold their ground when only a few people are telling you to stand by brad and the billikens. i cant blame tommie one bit.

i am holding out hope he scored his points on the recent test try. if not, call me a pessimist, but i tend to think it will be a tough re-sell when he has and will become a more sure thing coming out of prep school and the wolves are all dancing about.

[jjray]

Thanks for the insight Jalensdad.

>>I also believe in the long run SLU will benefit from Tommie attending a prep school.

1.) Tommie will become a better student if he attends Hargrave. They have a proven history with poor student/athletes.<<

Great point. It does SLU no good to have Tommie marginally qualify and then not be able to handle the acedemics required at SLU. Most JUCOs with a solid b-ball program will not improve a student acedemically. You made the right recommendation for prep school. Surely other schools will jump in on his recruiting next year; however, I still like our chances with Dwayne Polk lobbying TL on our behalf.

[willie]

Roy you may be a realist but that is one of the problems with our program. Too many people believe that we can't compete with the big boys. If Brad is ever going to achieve his goal of going to a final 4 we have to be able to sign the best local talent regardless of who's after them. I for one have faith in Brad and believe TL will be a Billiken

[Jalensdad2002]

>i'll apologize when tommie is standing at the jump circle

>for the first game for the billikens and not the spartans.

B-Roy you are far too intelligent for this post. Tell me someone is using your identity. Liddell and SLU are a done deal. Why would he attend a school such has Michigan State or Illinois for that matter. Those schools are beholden to the likes of Detroit and Chicago. It makes more since to attend a school like SLU who know your background and skills. Furthermore SLU would be almost obligated to have you succeed. School like U of I and Michigan State get players like Liddell on a yearly basis.

[billiken_roy]

jalensdad, as i said below, i dont belittle tommie, i attack the coaches and recruiters that seem to think they are above the rules and can "advise" whomever, whenever whatever. i cant expect tommie to hold up against the likes of a tom izzo. who comes off on the surface as a saint. i have never not liked izzo before, but as tseugnekillib stated, he is far too good at his job to NOT know who tommie liddell is. i just get tired of "i didnt know" as a plausible excuse by these guys and the ncaa rubber stamps that b.s.

i will love your assurance to come true. and until it isnt the case, i will continue to tell the world that tommie liddell is going to be a billiken. but i cant help fearing the worst as well.

[billiken_roy]

i hope you are right. and for the record, i have more confidence in brad soderberg to achieve on and off the court than any other billiken coach i have ever followed. if anyone can recruit the billiken messiah, it is brad soderberg.

[aj_arete]

Playing consistently with top-notch competition might be the impetus in driving Tommie Liddell's game to an even higher level.

I am a little worried about his recruitment opening up. With him staying a year so far away from home, I just hope he doesn't get used to being away and attend a higher profile school.

[tseugnekillib]

Jalensdad, thank you for being there for TL. Hopefully, the metro east area has numerous Jalendads for the many youth who are in need of adult guidance.

While, I haven't researched Hargrove Military Academy completely, I do easily recognize the name.

I would also hope TL's family is inquiring about the prep school that Gary Buchanon (Valley Park High School - Villanova) attended and the prep school that current Billiken, Reggie Bryant, attended.

imo, for one year, the academic side is more critical to TL than the prep school's elite basketball status. (tuition/scholarship money being equal)

Hopefully, after a year away from his family TL will want to return home and play for SLU. I still consider it a long-shot as so many factors will become involved.

Question.....did TL take the ACT test on April 3 ?

[ACE]

>Playing consistently with top-notch competition might be the

>impetus in driving Tommie Liddell's game to an even higher

>level.

>

>I am a little worried about his recruitment opening up.

>With him staying a year so far away from home, I just hope

>he doesn't get used to being away and attend a higher

>profile school.

I'm sure you'd hate to see that happen.