Preseason polls

[SShoe]

While we're getting some pretty ridiculous preseason rankings, I agree with kshoe that our preseason ranking will be much lower in the AP and/or Coaches polls and we'll likely be just outside the top 25 to start the season. Just curious, where do people on this board think our ranking should fall?

I think Lindy's and Blue Ribbon are probably over-ranking us, but that doesn't mean there isn't an argument to be made for those spots. That being said, I think a top 25 ranking is certainly warranted, but I can also see where one of our resident worrywarts will come from when they say that the loss of Majerus will bring us back down to earth, etc.

So what are your expectations?

[kshoe]

We should be 20-25, we will be 25-30.

[billiken_roy]

While we're getting some pretty ridiculous preseason rankings, I agree with kshoe that our preseason ranking will be much lower in the AP and/or Coaches polls and we'll likely be just outside the top 25 to start the season. Just curious, where do people on this board think our ranking should fall? I think Lindy's and Blue Ribbon are probably over-ranking us, but that doesn't mean there isn't an argument to be made for those spots. That being said, I think a top 25 ranking is certainly warranted, but I can also see where one of our resident worrywarts will come from when they say that the loss of Majerus will bring us back down to earth, etc. So what are your expectations?

122nd

[slufanskip]

11-20. Upper classmen know what to do. BC though a great guy and tough player isn't as hard to replace as many believe

[SShoe]

122nd

Roy, once again you're allowing your hatred of all things Jim Crews to blind you from reality.

[billiken_roy]

i put the winkie on the statement sshoe.

even crews shouldnt be able to f this season up.

i believe if we win the preseason tourney and washington and go into conference with 1 or less losses we are top 10 all year long. if we go into conference with less than 4 losses and stay at the top of the conference we should be top 20 all year long.

that all said, if crews does upset the apple cart, it could seriously be disasterous for the program triggering a nasty domino effect. it remains true......."it is hard being a billiken fan".

[waldo027]

I voted for 11-20. Don't really care for the opinion polls. We won't miss a beat with RM. Players win games. Should be the best Billiken team in modern history.

[brianstl]

I think we actually be ranked in 20-25 range when the first preseason poll comes out. I think we should be in 11-20 range.

[jbizzle09]

I think we actually be ranked in 20-25 range when the first preseason poll comes out. I think we should be in 11-20 range.

That exactly how I feel and how I voted in this poll. SLU will probably be right at the bottom of the Top 25 in the first preseason poll.

[slufan13]

I could see us being ranked in one poll and out of the other. I think right on the top 25 fringe to start the season. Safely in for the rest of the season after beating Kansas

[slufan13]

Watched this today. Couldn't decide where it should go but felt it needed to be shared.

[SShoe]

i put the winkie on the statement sshoe.

even crews shouldnt be able to f this season up.

i believe if we win the preseason tourney and washington and go into conference with 1 or less losses we are top 10 all year long. if we go into conference with less than 4 losses and stay at the top of the conference we should be top 20 all year long.

that all said, if crews does upset the apple cart, it could seriously be disasterous for the program triggering a nasty domino effect. it remains true......."it is hard being a billiken fan".

I was just teasing. I probably should have put the winkie on my post, but I refuse to use smileys or emoticons.

[West Pine Jim]

The number 22 just appeared in my crystal ball.

[jimbofive]

Watched this today. Couldn't decide where it should go but felt it needed to be shared.

KWAMAIN IN THE MEMRAAAAANE. he'll score whenever he wants this year. HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE.

[SLUMedBilliken15]

KWAMAIN IN THE MEMRAAAAANE. he'll score whenever he wants this year. HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE.

speaking of kwamain:

CBBRumorCentral ESPN

Why Kwamain Mitchell figures to be the Billikens MVP in 2012-13... http://t.co/b97r7x1m

[Taj79]

I put down for votes but outside the top 25. Why? No reflection on the team or its talent (because its there) but I just don't think the coaches or media will all of a sudden jump up and change their way of doing things.

I was putting our schedule into my planner for the upcoming first half of 2012 and believe that the only way we crack the polls early is if we beat Washington and end up playing and beating Kansas. December does us no favors in terms of stashing some national pub away. Until we host New Mexico on New Year's Eve. I really believe that due to our irrelevance as a basketball program, we will need to pull a Murray State and run the table --- by the largest of margins --- all through December to get where we all believe we need to be. Stumble against Washington and we won't have any games of note to get to the Top 25 anyhow. Look how last year went --- fast start, blowing folk sout, and all it took was one minor stumble at Marymount and we never sniffed the polls again.

That's who we are. That being said, I think the Lindy and Blue Ribbon ranks just give credence to our beliefs ... that we should be very good this year. Still, we have to play the games. The Saints were Super Bowl champs, what, two years ago. Now, Herm Edwards says they lose at Green Bay on Sunday and they are out of the playoffs at 0-4. Doo-doo happens.

[SShoe]

I put down for votes but outside the top 25. Why? No reflection on the team or its talent (because its there) but I just don't think the coaches or media will all of a sudden jump up and change their way of doing things.

C'mon Taj, the question wasn't where do you think we will be ranked, it was where do you think we should be ranked. Basically, if you were a voter, what # would you place beside Saint Louis?

[slufanskip]

I put down for votes but outside the top 25. Why? No reflection on the team or its talent (because its there) but I just don't think the coaches or media will all of a sudden jump up and change their way of doing things.

I was putting our schedule into my planner for the upcoming first half of 2012 and believe that the only way we crack the polls early is if we beat Washington and end up playing and beating Kansas. December does us no favors in terms of stashing some national pub away. Until we host New Mexico on New Year's Eve. I really believe that due to our irrelevance as a basketball program, we will need to pull a Murray State and run the table --- by the largest of margins --- all through December to get where we all believe we need to be. Stumble against Washington and we won't have any games of note to get to the Top 25 anyhow. Look how last year went --- fast start, blowing folk sout, and all it took was one minor stumble at Marymount and we never sniffed the polls again.

That's who we are. That being said, I think the Lindy and Blue Ribbon ranks just give credence to our beliefs ... that we should be very good this year. Still, we have to play the games. The Saints were Super Bowl champs, what, two years ago. Now, Herm Edwards says they lose at Green Bay on Sunday and they are out of the playoffs at 0-4. Doo-doo happens.

Taj, I'd have never guessed you'd be sceptical

[Taj79]

@skip -- I'd be nothing if I wasn't skeptical. If I were sceptical, woudl I get to hold a scepter? Hmmm. 'Tis tempting ....

@sshoe --- okay then, where do I think we should be ranked? On the high end, maybe in the 21 to 25 range to start. Certainly not Top Ten. And I think 11 to 20 is a bit of a preseason stretch again for a program that hasn't been ranked but maybe twice in my history. Fortunately or uUnfortunately, the rankings only matter on the day after the final game., I'd settle for a top 16 at that point. All the rest just leads to good banter and discussion.

AP and USA Today just won't have us that high. Ever. If we made the Elite Eight, they'd rank us nine or ten just for spite. Final Four? We'd get ranked fifth maybe. I know folks will say "what about the publicity" tha t comes from bein gin there or mentioned on the scroll on ESPN nightly but I think we are quite hamstrung there this year as well because of our current "situation": namely either an unknown coaching situation for next year, an interim promoted despite being coaxed out of "retirement," or heading in a totally new direction then where we currently are and quite th emystery as we speak.

Only one thing would likely justify a high rank to those out there that do this for a living .....a 14 and 0 record on the turn of the new year. In my heart-of-hearts, the Bills are always #1. This year could very well be special, and you all know what I think it hinges on. I don't care if we're ranked or not. Last year there was one way to measure success -- the Dance. Mission accomplished. This year, it's the A10 title (regular season or tourney), the dance and the Sweet Sixteen. Next year? No clue -- too many variables and unknowns right now. So live for the now.

[Cowboy]

Next year? No clue -- too many variables and unknowns right now. So live for the now.

-AMEN

[slufan13]

Question for the fans older than me. When is the last time we have played a game against a ranked team when we have also been ranked?

[kshoe]

Question for the fans older than me. When is the last time we have played a game against a ranked team when we have also been ranked?

We were ranked for a good while in the 93-94 season and played in a very good Great Midwest conference. I'm sure Cinci was also ranked when we played them.

Prior to 93-94 you'd have to go back a looooong way.

[slufanskip]

@skip -- I'd be nothing if I wasn't skeptical. If I were sceptical, woudl I get to hold a scepter? Hmmm. 'Tis tempting ....

@sshoe --- okay then, where do I think we should be ranked? On the high end, maybe in the 21 to 25 range to start. Certainly not Top Ten. And I think 11 to 20 is a bit of a preseason stretch again for a program that hasn't been ranked but maybe twice in my history. Fortunately or uUnfortunately, the rankings only matter on the day after the final game., I'd settle for a top 16 at that point. All the rest just leads to good banter and discussion.

AP and USA Today just won't have us that high. Ever. If we made the Elite Eight, they'd rank us nine or ten just for spite. Final Four? We'd get ranked fifth maybe. I know folks will say "what about the publicity" tha t comes from bein gin there or mentioned on the scroll on ESPN nightly but I think we are quite hamstrung there this year as well because of our current "situation": namely either an unknown coaching situation for next year, an interim promoted despite being coaxed out of "retirement," or heading in a totally new direction then where we currently are and quite th emystery as we speak.

Only one thing would likely justify a high rank to those out there that do this for a living .....a 14 and 0 record on the turn of the new year. In my heart-of-hearts, the Bills are always #1. This year could very well be special, and you all know what I think it hinges on. I don't care if we're ranked or not. Last year there was one way to measure success -- the Dance. Mission accomplished. This year, it's the A10 title (regular season or tourney), the dance and the Sweet Sixteen. Next year? No clue -- too many variables and unknowns right now. So live for the now.

oops.

[SShoe]

@sshoe --- okay then, where do I think we should be ranked? On the high end, maybe in the 21 to 25 range to start. Certainly not Top Ten. And I think 11 to 20 is a bit of a preseason stretch again for a program that hasn't been ranked but maybe twice in my history. Fortunately or uUnfortunately, the rankings only matter on the day after the final game., I'd settle for a top 16 at that point. All the rest just leads to good banter and discussion.

That's pretty much the idea. It's been very slow on the board in the past few months (sans the weekend we found out about Rick's condition) and it seems like this is a good opportunity to get conversation started again.

I'm just curious as to how good others on this board think this team is/will be. Personally, I think there is a chance this team could approach the Top 10 as predicted by LIndy's and Blue Ribbon, but there's also the potential to underachieve expectations. I just want to know what are people's expectations.

[Clock_Tower]

That's pretty much the idea. It's been very slow on the board in the past few months (sans the weekend we found out about Rick's condition) and it seems like this is a good opportunity to get conversation started again.

I'm just curious as to how good others on this board think this team is/will be. Personally, I think there is a chance this team could approach the Top 10 as predicted by LIndy's and Blue Ribbon, but there's also the potential to underachieve expectations. I just want to know what are people's expectations.

IMO, there is no doubt we will be a good team - possibly even better than last year. I fully hope/expect KM to be ready from the day 1 and for the other guards to better know their roles from day 1. Last year, MM went from PG and one of the top scorers to finding his role. JJ also seemed to find his role/game as the year went on. And even though we don't have one (1) guy like KL shooting it from outside, we should be good, collectively, from the outside. As to the inside, again, we should be able to replace BC who was great for us last year but who did have some limitations. Good teams, though, have guys step up and replace their outgoing Seniors. Along these lines, I do see CE being both an improved player and more effective at the 4 (BC's position). I am hoping for just that amount of additional improvement from CR and hope/expect him to bring an attitude for this, his final season. (Possibly like Carlos MacCaulley did his SR year). And we are all hearing good reports about John Manning. Again, we should be good, collectively, on the interior.

At the same time, a ranking of 9 or 11 just seems way too high. Maybe with RM at the helm, but even then... Also, we benefitted greatly last year by our extra pre-season practices and Canadian road trip as well as the fact that we caught alot of team by surprise just coming off our losing record!! No such advantages this year.

Teams in the Top 10 (top 11), though, just seem to have a proven big and a reliable outside scorer. A "name" player and not just a system. Recognizing that there is not that much differnce between a team ranked #15 to #30 though, and that a win by the lesser ranked team in this range is, on paper, an upset but, in reality, probably is not, I'd say that our Bills are probably deserving of a rank between #20 and #25. Also b/c of our not that successful past, a ranking closer to #25 than #20 is probably justified and also that a loss by our Bills will probably drop us farther than it would some other better "name" school. Just my thoughts. Who knows but I can't wait!!