Biondi and the next HC

[slu72]

After reading BM's column, it emphasized the point that Fr. B and RM had some very major differences and lent credence to the fact he was never going to approve an extension for RM. I guess I was naive about this situation. Yes, it was clear they had differences, but I figured what was most important to Fr. B was performance, and RM was a performer. I was wrong, Fr. B doesn't want a performer, he wants a yes man.

This is going to make it difficult to draw any HC w/ promise to SLU. Everything else is in place to make SLU an attractive job for an up an comer, or even a successful HC at a good mid major. WSU was able to pull off such a coup when they got Marshall from Winthrop. And, with everything we've got going for us now, SLU's more attractive than WSU, with one major exception, the guy at the top.

Our only hope here is that Dr. C and his group stay connected to this program. I like the idea that Dr. C kind of views it as "his team" and not just as a proud alum or ardent fan. But as we've seen even a guy like Dr. C can't take Fr. B out of the process. I really thought after this year, RM's extension would be his decision. I was wrong, it was always going to be Bondi's.

I really think we may be headed toward another bout of mediocrity, unless the light goes off in Fr. B's head. When you hear things from Volfan like, he doesn't think athletics plays a role in building up a school's image, you have to figure our next HC, whether it's Crews or someone else, ain't gonna have us leaping over the moon with joy. Scary times for SLU hoops.

[Malibubill]

Sorry, but these types of posting cannot go unchallenged. You have absolutely no facts to support most of what you assert, it is pure speculation; and even more galling, you fail to even mention the athletic director's role in all of this. Your statement "even a guy like Dr. C can't take Fr. B out of the process. I really thought after this year, RM's extension would be his decision" pretty much sums it up for me. You have no idea how a university is governed. Dr. C, is a donor. He is not an administrator. He is not a faculty member. Under absolutely no circumstances should a group of alums ever have final say on how a university should be run and who should be hired/fired. Input - yes; control, no. This board should stick to what it thinks it knows, basketball, and not take on issue that it knows very little about - running a university. I'm not trying to defend Fr. Biondi, I agree he has more than his share of issues when it comes to how he governs SLU, but I teach in a university setting and trust me, the challenges and politics of working in such a situation are much more complicated and challenging than any of these e-mails even begin to address. A true fan and supporter of SLU and its athletics has faith in its administrators - including Chris May, notably absent from your e-mail - and does not assume the worst and start bashing the university before the facts are known.

[kmbilliken]

Sorry, but these types of posting cannot go unchallenged. You have absolutely no facts to support most of what you assert, it is pure speculation; and even more galling, you fail to even mention the athletic director's role in all of this. Your statement "even a guy like Dr. C can't take Fr. B out of the process. I really thought after this year, RM's extension would be his decision" pretty much sums it up for me. You have no idea how a university is governed. Dr. C, is a donor. He is not an administrator. He is not a faculty member. Under absolutely no circumstances should a group of alums ever have final say on how a university should be run and who should be hired/fired. Input - yes; control, no. This board should stick to what it thinks it knows, basketball, and not take on issue that it knows very little about - running a university. I'm not trying to defend Fr. Biondi, I agree he has more than his share of issues when it comes to how he governs SLU, but I teach in a university setting and trust me, the challenges and politics of working in such a situation are much more complicated and challenging than any of these e-mails even begin to address. A true fan and supporter of SLU and its athletics has faith in its administrators - including Chris May, notably absent from your e-mail - and does not assume the worst and start bashing the university before the facts are known.

You forget the "Golden Rule". He who has the gold, makes the rules. Donating large sums of money will get you influence in major decisions. How much influence depends on how much money you're willing to throw around.

[slu72]

Ok, you want proof of Fr. B's dictatorial ways? Where's Cheryl. Levin today? Didn't she resign or immediately find a new job after Fr. B fired Soderberg over her objections? That doesn't sound like delegation to me. But I've never worked in a university (nirvanna) organization, so maybe it's normal for the overlord to disregard/disrespect his underlings experience and training and blatantly pull the rug out from underneath them.

Granted this next point is circumstantial or supposition, but why doesn't C. May offer RM a much deserved extension after last season for leading the Bills back to the dance and putting them in a position for what is expected to be at the least two more successive trips? Am I to assume past performance coupled with a future brighter outlook for your respective departments doesn't come into play in Academia? Or, could it be as Bernie suggests, Fr. B just doesn't like to be challenged by any underling, even though that individual has met or exceeded his goals? No not hard evidence, but the rumors of a rift between RM and Fr. B have been rampant since the charter flight issue.

As for donors having no say in how a University is managed is very naive on your part. If you've got the cash, you've got clout and you've got some say in how things get done. That's true of business, politics, and, yes, Universities, especially in Athletics. Who do you think ponies up all the cash for some of the outrageous amounts paid to coaches today? And if you think they're just leaving that up to the AD's without any input, you're sadly mistaken.

In the Billikens hire of Majerus, it was reported that RM met with Dr. C and possibly another donor about coaching at SLU. No, I don't know for sure they then took this to Fr. B, but I'd be shocked to learn that Fr. B and a po'd AD came up with his name, eg Levin says to Fr. B, "well, how about Rick Majerus?" Fr. B's response: "Rick who?"

[brianstl]

I have issues with Biondi, but his history of hiring coaches for the basketball team isn't one of them. He has hired four coaches and three of them were excellent hires.

[Tonka]

Sorry, but these types of posting cannot go unchallenged. You have absolutely no facts to support most of what you assert, it is pure speculation; and even more galling, you fail to even mention the athletic director's role in all of this. Your statement "even a guy like Dr. C can't take Fr. B out of the process. I really thought after this year, RM's extension would be his decision" pretty much sums it up for me. You have no idea how a university is governed. Dr. C, is a donor. He is not an administrator. He is not a faculty member. Under absolutely no circumstances should a group of alums ever have final say on how a university should be run and who should be hired/fired. Input - yes; control, no. This board should stick to what it thinks it knows, basketball, and not take on issue that it knows very little about - running a university. I'm not trying to defend Fr. Biondi, I agree he has more than his share of issues when it comes to how he governs SLU, but I teach in a university setting and trust me, the challenges and politics of working in such a situation are much more complicated and challenging than any of these e-mails even begin to address. A true fan and supporter of SLU and its athletics has faith in its administrators - including Chris May, notably absent from your e-mail - and does not assume the worst and start bashing the university before the facts are known.

I get what you are saying somewhat, but I think you drastically underestimate the power of a big donor. We can argue words like influence vs. control, but in college sports big donors have always influenced decisions so greatly that they got exactly what they wanted.

John Cook clearly more than influenced the decisions regarding the "situation".

[MB73]

After reading BM's column, it emphasized the point that Fr. B and RM had some very major differences and lent credence to the fact he was never going to approve an extension for RM. I guess I was naive about this situation. Yes, it was clear they had differences, but I figured what was most important to Fr. B was performance, and RM was a performer. I was wrong, Fr. B doesn't want a performer, he wants a yes man.

This is going to make it difficult to draw any HC w/ promise to SLU. Everything else is in place to make SLU an attractive job for an up an comer, or even a successful HC at a good mid major. WSU was able to pull off such a coup when they got Marshall from Winthrop. And, with everything we've got going for us now, SLU's more attractive than WSU, with one major exception, the guy at the top.

Our only hope here is that Dr. C and his group stay connected to this program. I like the idea that Dr. C kind of views it as "his team" and not just as a proud alum or ardent fan. But as we've seen even a guy like Dr. C can't take Fr. B out of the process. I really thought after this year, RM's extension would be his decision. I was wrong, it was always going to be Bondi's.

I really think we may be headed toward another bout of mediocrity, unless the light goes off in Fr. B's head. When you hear things from Volfan like, he doesn't think athletics plays a role in building up a school's image, you have to figure our next HC, whether it's Crews or someone else, ain't gonna have us leaping over the moon with joy. Scary times for SLU hoops.

Agree with this post.

Also, I say that any worthwhile potential coach will know that Biondi is difficult to deal with... and many will not be interested.

Furthermore, if we get a good up and coming golden boy, like Romar, if he does well, he will go to a Big 6 BCS type school in 3-4 yrs anyway. If he does poorly, well, we do poorly.

Getting Majerus was a once in a lifetime fluke, great aging workaholic savvy veteran wanted to do one more "gig", Jesuit school, reasonably close to his mom, didnt want to be in Big 6 school, alumni paid his 7 figure salary; we were very fortunate.

Perhaps all of this momentum can be seized and we keep it going, but it will be difficult.

[Taj79]

Like larry72 I have heard some of the rumor and talk that he verbalized in starting this thread. I am slower to post it because, well, I don't know facts. There is too much unknown here to make a comment. Believing what you read in the paper because its inthe paper is dangerous. Bernie appears to be out a friend that made Bernie feel really important and connected. It would not be outside human nature to attack the person responsbile for that loss if that's the way you feel and you have the means to do it. Didn't someone recently say May spoke somewhere and passed on the (now) illusion that Majerus was locked up or extended in some way?

I will say this, I dramtically enjoyed Columbus this past March. I know larry72 did, jbizz, kshoe, Willie and sshoe and some of the others i met there. I met Dr. C and thoroughly enjoyed it. We beat Memphis and gave State all they could handle. Meg was overwhelmed with the support and we all made believers of the fans of others schools that were there. I believe (still) we will be back this year once again. The future, however, is quite clouded past that.

Welcome to being a fan of Billiken basketball. This seems the norm, eh?

[cheeseman]

I have issues with Biondi, but his history of hiring coaches for the basketball team isn't one of them. He has hired four coaches and three of them were excellent hires.

Sorry, Biondi took over sometime in the late 70's I think - I could be off a little bit - anyway, he has hired every coach we have had since then and there has been some real losers in that pool. When he gets the idea to do something on the cheap then he always screws up the hire. I have no evidence that Biondi was not going to let RM continue coaching and I have none to the opposite - this like if I ask you " How long have you been beating your wife?" any answer you give will never erase the inference.

[TheOldie]

Biondi's "pool". Grawer, Spoonhauer, Romar, Sodie, RM. Don't see a bad hire in the group each had strengths and weaknesses. After being on board for a time, Each appeared to have experienced interpersonal problems with the good father (except possibly for Romar).

[Malibubill]

"Granted this next point is circumstantial or supposition, ...."

So you are speculating without factual basis. In private conversations between administrators and other alums present in Anaheim last year we were given the exact opposite impression - that while the University would not officially comment on RM's contract because that is private and confidential information, we should not worry about it. Taj79 posts above that Chris May gave similar representations recently to another group. Maybe, just maybe, the University has known all along about RM's health concerns and in the interest of protecting his private information, his health issues, they declined to discuss his contract because it depended in large part on his health - something that he would want kept confidential. Isn't that just as plausible as your speculation?

Reading comprehension: You wrote: "As for donors having no say in how a University is managed is very naive on your part. If you've got the cash, you've got clout and you've got some say in how things get done." I wrote: " Input - yes; control, no." Where do I say donors have no say? I expressly acknowledged they have input, but input and control are two different things. And you endorsed the idea that donors should have final say. Sorry, that is not my idea of how a university should be run, and I think it would be a quick recipe for a university's demise. I'd never send my kids to such a school.

The University loses RM through no fault of its own, due to the sad news that he has serious health issues, and some of you use this as an opportunity to dump on the university. I guess some people look for any opportunity to criticize. Have at it.

[cheeseman]

Biondi's "pool". Grawer, Spoonhauer, Romar, Sodie, RM. Don't see a bad hire in the group each had strengths and weaknesses. After being on board for a time, Each appeared to have experienced interpersonal problems with the good father (except possibly for Romar).

Eckert, Albrecht, Coleman ( I think there was another one in there) - they were not good hires - I find it amazing that some how Soderberg has become a good hire. He was not a good hire - was he the worse thing since Hitler no but he was not a good hire.

[TheOldie]

Biondi has been president since 1987. Was not responsible for eckert albrecht or Coleman. Sodie was not a great hire but was not a "bad" hire given the limitations he endured ie facilities budget etc

[brianstl]

Sorry, Biondi took over sometime in the late 70's I think - I could be off a little bit - anyway, he has hired every coach we have had since then and there has been some real losers in that pool. When he gets the idea to do something on the cheap then he always screws up the hire. I have no evidence that Biondi was not going to let RM continue coaching and I have none to the opposite - this like if I ask you " How long have you been beating your wife?" any answer you give will never erase the inference.

Biondi took over in 87. His first hire was Spoon. He has an excellent track record hiring coaches.

[WestCoastBilliken]

The reality is none of us on this board know the true facts of the situation with RM and Biondi, but I do know that Bernie and Majerus were pretty good friends. I have zero doubt that RM wasn't shy in hinting to Bernie about Biondi. I would take Bernie's hints in that article as truth.

That being said, I for one will miss RM. He was exactly what this program needed. He breathed life into a dead mid major program. I know some people on this board weren't huge fans of him, but as a Billiken fan I will be forever grateful to him for the tremendous job he did on and off the court.

[slu72]

I have issues with Biondi, but his history of hiring coaches for the basketball team isn't one of them. He has hired four coaches and three of them were excellent hires.

Ok, and the 3 excellent hires were Spoon (Debbie Yow, did that and she was probably one person who would stand up to Fr. B and say it's him or I'm gone. Kudos to Fr. B for hiring her and listening to her.But once she left Spoon departed soon after because Biondi made him pay for an ice cream cone.). Romar (Woodard's suggestion but I might add he had input from Costas that this was a good hire and he never broke the bank for him. But where did it get us? One dance, w/ Spoon's players and then nada.). RM? I'm giving the credit to this hire to Dr. C, who had just donated $12mm that Fr. B desperately needed for the Fetz, when no one else in St. L was willing to pony up for the naming rights. Wonder why? I'm pretty sure Dr. C's cash gave him some say in the direction of the program and he said, RM will come, hire him.

[slu72]

Biondi's "pool". Grawer, Spoonhauer, Romar, Sodie, RM. Don't see a bad hire in the group each had strengths and weaknesses. After being on board for a time, Each appeared to have experienced interpersonal problems with the good father (except possibly for Romar).

I don't know about Grawer, but Sodie had interpersonal problems w/ no one. Until Dr. C said, c'mon, man, this guy is not the guy. I don't think Romar did either, but he never planned on being here long anyways.

[slu72]

The reality is none of us on this board know the true facts of the situation with RM and Biondi, but I do know that Bernie and Majerus were pretty good friends. I have zero doubt that RM wasn't shy in hinting to Bernie about Biondi. I would take Bernie's hints in that article as truth.

That being said, I for one will miss RM. He was exactly what this program needed. He breathed life into a dead mid major program. I know some people on this board weren't huge fans of him, but as a Billiken fan I will be forever grateful to him for the tremendous job he did on and off the court.

+1,000,000.

[cheeseman]

Biondi has been president since 1987. Was not responsible for eckert albrecht or Coleman. Sodie was not a great hire but was not a "bad" hire given the limitations he endured ie facilities budget etc

I stand corrected on the three listed above but not BS.

[Clock_Tower]

"Granted this next point is circumstantial or supposition, ...."

So you are speculating without factual basis. In private conversations between administrators and other alums present in Anaheim last year we were given the exact opposite impression - that while the University would not officially comment on RM's contract because that is private and confidential information, we should not worry about it. Taj79 posts above that Chris May gave similar representations recently to another group. Maybe, just maybe, the University has known all along about RM's health concerns and in the interest of protecting his private information, his health issues, they declined to discuss his contract because it depended in large part on his health - something that he would want kept confidential. Isn't that just as plausible as your speculation?

Reading comprehension: You wrote: "As for donors having no say in how a University is managed is very naive on your part. If you've got the cash, you've got clout and you've got some say in how things get done." I wrote: " Input - yes; control, no." Where do I say donors have no say? I expressly acknowledged they have input, but input and control are two different things. And you endorsed the idea that donors should have final say. Sorry, that is not my idea of how a university should be run, and I think it would be a quick recipe for a university's demise. I'd never send my kids to such a school.

The University loses RM through no fault of its own, due to the sad news that he has serious health issues, and some of you use this as an opportunity to dump on the university. I guess some people look for any opportunity to criticize. Have at it.

Now you are the one making up a bunch of bs. SLU/Fr. Biondi knew of RM's health and that's why SLU didn't extend it. A mutual decision? Get real.

Chris May was on local radio 1 1/2 years ago and made it clear, when asked about RM's contract/status, that RM was signed here at SLU "longterm," that he will coach SLU as long as he wants to and his contract situation was not an issue. I, and others, took this mean that there was either or written (or verbal) agreement that RM would coach as long as he wants. Due to health and other factors, RM was not looking to start over again elsewhere. No doubt there were problems/tension when Fr. Biondi pulled the chartered flights away, when RM responded by not doing the local radio show and then with the way The Situation was handled. Still, RM kept his mouth quiet, replaced WR, kept communication open with KM and brought him back and then enjoyed our breakout season last year (1 year delayed).

To make statements that RM would not have been brought back after this year fails to factor in popularity RM would have enjoyed not only after last year but after this year. It also fails to consider how Fr. Biondi would have reacted to our success this year, the national exposure we will create this year and the financial revenue we will generate this year. IMO, despite not being a fan of college sports and despite not liking the outspoken public comments of RM, Fr. Biondi would have allowed RM to continue coaching on one (1) year contract extensions. Fr. Biondi and RM need/needed each other and both would have kept quiet and allowed the status quo (RM coaching SLU).

[Malibubill]

Clocktower,

My apologies - I agree with you 100%. I'm just playing devil's advocate with those who seem to think SLU/Fr. Biondi was planning all along on not bringing him back. If there was any doubt (which I agree there was not if you believe Chris May and others), I think it would have been more likely due to concerns about his age and health than the administration's desire to get rid of him because he was a maverick. If Fr. Biondi had wanted to get rid of him, he would have just fired him as he did the recent dean of the law school. He is not one to wait until the end of a contact. Thanks for clarifying.

[P.B.]

Ok, you want proof of Fr. B's dictatorial ways? Where's Cheryl. Levin today? Didn't she resign or immediately find a new job after Fr. B fired Soderberg over her objections? That doesn't sound like delegation to me. But I've never worked in a university (nirvanna) organization, so maybe it's normal for the overlord to disregard/disrespect his underlings experience and training and blatantly pull the rug out from underneath them.

Granted this next point is circumstantial or supposition, but why doesn't C. May offer RM a much deserved extension after last season for leading the Bills back to the dance and putting them in a position for what is expected to be at the least two more successive trips? Am I to assume past performance coupled with a future brighter outlook for your respective departments doesn't come into play in Academia? Or, could it be as Bernie suggests, Fr. B just doesn't like to be challenged by any underling, even though that individual has met or exceeded his goals? No not hard evidence, but the rumors of a rift between RM and Fr. B have been rampant since the charter flight issue.

As for donors having no say in how a University is managed is very naive on your part. If you've got the cash, you've got clout and you've got some say in how things get done. That's true of business, politics, and, yes, Universities, especially in Athletics. Who do you think ponies up all the cash for some of the outrageous amounts paid to coaches today? And if you think they're just leaving that up to the AD's without any input, you're sadly mistaken.

In the Billikens hire of Majerus, it was reported that RM met with Dr. C and possibly another donor about coaching at SLU. No, I don't know for sure they then took this to Fr. B, but I'd be shocked to learn that Fr. B and a po'd AD came up with his name, eg Levin says to Fr. B, "well, how about Rick Majerus?" Fr. B's response: "Rick who?"

Who is Cheryl Levin?

I also agree I believe there was an agreement in place where a contract extension was not really needed.

This probably was in the works for a little time. Maybe Rick had no say in the Stanford decision and May was the one who backed out fearing a loss

[billikendave]

Biondi took over in 87. His first hire was Spoon. He has an excellent track record hiring coaches.

The oldie also wrote "Don't see a bad hire in the group each had strengths and weaknesses"

I have followed SLU since Grawer took over in 1982-1983. I'd consider this as the "modern SLU era." Rickma is the only "excellent" coach. Its not even close. Here are some facts about the program that I knew but time makes the good memories pop and the bad memories fade.

Since Spoon was hired, SLU has been 348-277 or 56% winning percentage. If you include Grawer, SLU is 4 games under 500 since +/-1982 in whatever conference they have been in (212-216). WIthout Grawer, they are 6 over .500. "Excellent" coaches don't win only 56% of the time.

Bashing Spoon is like challenging Whitey Herzog in this town but here are the numbers. Spoon was 122-90 overall but 6 games below 500 in conference (44-50). He had 4 winning seasons (23-6, 23-8, 16-14, 22-11) and three losing seasons (12-17, 11-18, and 15-16). Never won a conference or conference tournament. Recruiting (other than Larry Hughes) was mediocre and had great success because of Grawer's class Claggett and Highmark. If you want to count H Waldman, I'll give it to you. Left Justin Love and a couple solid players but not very deep team. Was never able to capitalize on success and sustain recruiting. Great X &Os guy. In a similar timeframe (1994-1999), Mike Deane at Marquette was 100-55 and 50-32 in conference and fired after his only losing season. I don't think many are claiming Mike Deane was an "excellent" coach.

Romar was 51 - 44 overall and 500 in conference (24-24). He has done fantasic at Washington but .500 is .500. Cupboard empty as no west coast guys signed on.

Brad was 80-74 and 42-38 in conference. He is who he was. Love the guy personally but a .500 coach. his tenure has been much discussed.

Fact remains. No conference championships since 1971 be it the MCC, Great Midwest, C-USA or A10. 1 conference tournament championship and that is belovedly called the "Miracle in Memphis." That says enough. 5 NCAA tournaments since 1981. Several NIT/CBI. No stability in AD - Joe Yates, Debbie Yow, Doug Woolard, Cheryl Levick and now Chris May. I know that I am missing a couple as Yates took over in 1988 and can't remember if there was someone between Yow and Woolard.

We have seen Marquette, Xavier, Georgetown, Gonzaga and Creighton all have more sustained success during the same timeframe.

Majerus was 95-69 and 8 games above 500 in conference. The major difference is he seems to have a loaded pipeline. Our depth is like nothing I have seen since I started following in the early 1980s. Truly a program building coach that SLU has never had. But he's gone.

Biondi has a chance to actually make an "excellent" hire. However, I think many are right to be suspect.

[brianstl]

You are confusing not hiring good coaches with not giving them the tools to succeed. He has hired good coaches, but until Majerus he didn't give them the tools to succeed and he even cut Majerus off at the knees at times.

[billiken_roy]

Billiken dave very good post which actually shows there hasnt been much difference between all biondi coaches when it comes down to the actual numbers. I will only throw out that spoon, romar and half of soderberg's stints came vs much better schedules due to the very strong cusa of those days.