Holy Land rumor

[MB73]

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

.

kshoe pretty much nailed it.

THE most important thing is, get in this conference. That is the whole shebang. A huge upgrade from where we are now, and if we do not get in, we sink to a much lower level.

All or nothing.

THEN we will get the quality coach, the higher caliber recruits, etc.

We are in a strong position: major city / TV market, top notch arena, strong academics, recent basketball success / "on the upswing": there are no excuses for SLU being unsuccessful in getting in on this... but I still worry. I do not have the confidence in Biondi that some political-business motivated-hangers-on type posters do. I am not sure he even givesashit behind closed doors.

[billiken_roy]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Kshoe pretty much nailed it.

Most important thing is, get in this conference. That is the whole shebang. A huge upgrade from where we are now, and if we do not get in, we sink to a much lower level.

All or nothing.

THEN we will get the quality coach, the higher caliber recruits, etc.

We are in a strong position: major city/TV market, top notch arena, strong academics, recent basket ball success, no excuses for being unsuccessful in getting in on this... but I still worry. I do not have the confidence in Biondi that some political-business motivated-hangers-on type posters do. I am not sure he even givesashit behind closed doors.

my confidence is based a lot on biondi's always present level of greed and desire to win. not just succeed, but win. and time and time again when you look at his big picture, i.e. running a university, father biondi wins.

granted he seems to not care about sports once in awhile, granted he has hurt feelings and stepped on a lot of toes (my all time favorite teacher was lambasted hard by biondi and that p!ssed me off to no end) but biondi is no idiot. if he wants something, he seems to do whatever and anything it takes to make it happen. more times than not, he gets his way.

imo, it is no coincidence that our level of everything went up when biondi came to town and it is also no coincidence that while some believe it hasnt been enough (myself included to a degree) of an elevation in our athletic department, the arena, the increased (beit may not be enough yet) budgets the higher level of coaches and administration all have increased over time. biondi knows that higher profile athletics also coincides with student enrollment and is advertisement for prospective students. he has seen it for himself.

also, let's not forget that the urban setting of all the schools in the new conference is the exact target market for students that father biondi covets at saint louis university. if for no other reason, this is the grand reason father biondi cares. the holy grail of future student enrollment farm ground - philly, new york city, milwaukee, chicago, providence, cincy, indy, washington dc, etc. exactly what the good father covets.

i have said it before and i will say it again, NO ONE, wants this more than biondi. and NO ONE has more potential influence to make it happen than biondi.

mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here. while i dont agree with biondi going back on some promises (charter flights for one) i also dont agree with some of rickma's antics that put the school in difficult positions, and his propensity to act on a large scale above the given budget or outside the beliefs and wants of the university as a whole when it likely wasnt cleared in advance with the school. no where running a successful business does a manager not plan and present budget wants and needs or act outside of corporate policy or practice prior to taking it up the ladder. and running a basketball program is no different. it doesnt matter if rickma was right. it's the way it is done.

in most cases rickma ultimately got what he wanted, but any ceo would be on fire if an employee was constantly going around them or putting them up for judgement via the media when following the chain of command likely gave that employee what they needed anyway. thus big surprise, egos clashed, but that was to be expected with two giants like biondi and rickma. one thing i have learned in corporate america, (and our cherished university is really nothing more than a business and a part of corporate america that is why it is the success it is today) you have to comply with the chief until you are the chief.

that doesnt mean the chief is an idiot. if we dont get in this conference, i will be plenty upset with biondi. but until that day happens, he has my support. for what biondi has accomplished in nearly 30 years, he deserves that support on this matter.

[JettFlight5]

Roy = Fr. Biondi.

[billiken_roy]

no where near the tan.

[brianstl]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

It would give us a chance to land the Otto Poters of the world.

[eastsidejoe]

Sorry Roy, I feel that Biondi wants to always appear to be winning even when he isn't. Take the new Arena for instance. In my mind that is just another piece to the empire that he has built to go along with many bronze statues that he has on Campus. I do not feel that he gives a rats a** if we have a top 50 program or not. Ask the teachers if he is committed to a top 50 University when the top teachers leave in droves. Fr. B is all about appearences. Thank God for Dr. Chaifetz.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

Backhand is going to b*tch slap you at the next home game. Section 108.

[FromDaEastSide]

On top of what kshoe said above, the money that would come in would proabably allow us to get Charter flights:

Great article yesterday in the Indy Star from Butler beat writer: David Woods

Butler basketball team now has a better travel schedule

Days of six-hour bus rides to Youngstown, Ohio, are long gone for Butler basketball players. One measure of how the program has evolved is the number of charter flights taken by the Bulldogs.

What once was a rarity is now commonplace. The team chartered to Philadelphia for Wednesday's game at La Salle, and it will travel by charter to remaining Atlantic 10 road games.

Darnell Archey, a guard for the NCAA Sweet Sixteen team in 2003, said he saw a "huge difference" in how the team traveled when he returned to Butler in 2009 as coordinator of basketball operations.

"The great thing about a charter is, we pull our bus right up to the plane, we help unload the stuff onto the charter, and we take off five minutes later," Archey said. "We don't have to wait in terminals or go through security checkpoints. Our guys love it."

Convenience comes at a cost, though.

Depending on the destination and length of flights, charters can run from $20,000 to nearly $40,000. Butler schedules charters through Anthony Travel, the same company used by Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and about 30 other Division I schools. Tim Lindgren of Anthony Travel said the company acts as a liaison with travel brokers.

Butler once called on donors to help with fundraising so the team could fly by charter, but now the cost is budgeted. Butler coach Brad Stevens said the university recognized travel expense would increase when Butler left the Horizon League to join the Atlantic 10.

Stevens said the charters are "part of investing and doing it the right way."

Athletic director Barry Collier, who coached the Bulldogs from 1989-2000, recalls the team taking just two charter flights -- to Penn State and Marshall -- in those years. That number has steadily increased throughout the 2000s.

Butler's team took commercial flights two weeks ago to Philadelphia (St. Joseph's) and Dayton, but classes were not in session. Another convenience of charters is that the schedule can be amended, depending on when a practice gym becomes available. That is not possible with commercial flights.

Butler is chartering back from a Jan. 31 game at St. Louis. Instead of arriving on campus at 4 a.m. by bus or the next day via commercial flight, the team will be back by 1 a.m.

"It's a commitment that Butler has made to help us keep our students in class," Collier said. "There's also a fatigue factor we try to mitigate with more convenient, timely travel."

When the team travels by bus, Archey said, the motor coaches are more luxurious -- cushier seats, DirecTV and wireless Internet.

Paradoxically, even though they are in a more far-flung conference, Butler players will miss fewer classes in the Atlantic 10 than in the Horizon League. The Horizon's Thursday/Saturday format meant players missed classes Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday.

Senior center Andrew Smith said the Bulldogs "are lucky to have the opportunity" to charter.

"We know the guys over the past 15 years have made that a possibility for us," he said. "It really hasn't been what any of us have done."

Collier said charters have also become routine for teams in the NCAA tournament, especially with available seats shrinking in the airline industry. His Butler team traveled by commercial flights to an NCAA first-round game in Winston-Salem, N.C., against Florida in 2000.

[MB73]

broy wrote:

"mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here."

Roy, no way. Give me a break.

My opinion of Biondi is not based soley on this issue, though it irks me, Biondi is given a gift with Majerus choosing SLU, and goes tyrant on him.

Anyway, there is much more to it, my opinon is based on his body of work as it relates to sports. Behind closed doors he is a different person as it relates to athletics. And you know it. You have spoken to knowedgeable, infulential alumni / insiders, and so have I... so many verifed stories and examples and incidents. Everything in public is "rah rah", but...

Another part of my concern is one way or the other, Biondi is on the way out... it might be a month, it might be a yr or two... why would he push hard at this stage of his career when he really never was an advocate? Maybe he will, but I am not so sure.

[kshoe]

That Butler article is so telling. Compare it to the debacle we had leaving Philly a week ago.

[ACE]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Kshoe pretty much nailed it.

Most important thing is, get in this conference. That is the whole shebang. A huge upgrade from where we are now, and if we do not get in, we sink to a much lower level.

All or nothing.

THEN we will get the quality coach, the higher caliber recruits, etc.

We are in a strong position: major city/TV market, top notch arena, strong academics, recent basket ball success, no excuses for being unsuccessful in getting in on this... but I still worry. I do not have the confidence in Biondi that some political-business motivated-hangers-on type posters do. I am not sure he even givesashit behind closed doors.

my confidence is based a lot on biondi's always present level of greed and desire to win. not just succeed, but win. and time and time again when you look at his big picture, i.e. running a university, father biondi wins.

granted he seems to not care about sports once in awhile, granted he has hurt feelings and stepped on a lot of toes (my all time favorite teacher was lambasted hard by biondi and that p!ssed me off to no end) but biondi is no idiot. if he wants something, he seems to do whatever and anything it takes to make it happen. more times than not, he gets his way.

imo, it is no coincidence that our level of everything went up when biondi came to town and it is also no coincidence that while some believe it hasnt been enough (myself included to a degree) of an elevation in our athletic department, the arena, the increased (beit may not be enough yet) budgets the higher level of coaches and administration all have increased over time. biondi knows that higher profile athletics also coincides with student enrollment and is advertisement for prospective students. he has seen it for himself.

also, let's not forget that the urban setting of all the schools in the new conference is the exact target market for students that father biondi covets at saint louis university. if for no other reason, this is the grand reason father biondi cares. the holy grail of future student enrollment farm ground - philly, new york city, milwaukee, chicago, providence, cincy, indy, washington dc, etc. exactly what the good father covets.

i have said it before and i will say it again, NO ONE, wants this more than biondi. and NO ONE has more potential influence to make it happen than biondi.

mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here. while i dont agree with biondi going back on some promises (charter flights for one) i also dont agree with some of rickma's antics that put the school in difficult positions, and his propensity to act on a large scale above the given budget or outside the beliefs and wants of the university as a whole when it likely wasnt cleared in advance with the school. no where running a successful business does a manager not plan and present budget wants and needs or act outside of corporate policy or practice prior to taking it up the ladder. and running a basketball program is no different. it doesnt matter if rickma was right. it's the way it is done.

in most cases rickma ultimately got what he wanted, but any ceo would be on fire if an employee was constantly going around them or putting them up for judgement via the media when following the chain of command likely gave that employee what they needed anyway. thus big surprise, egos clashed, but that was to be expected with two giants like biondi and rickma. one thing i have learned in corporate america, (and our cherished university is really nothing more than a business and a part of corporate america that is why it is the success it is today) you have to comply with the chief until you are the chief.

that doesnt mean the chief is an idiot. if we dont get in this conference, i will be plenty upset with biondi. but until that day happens, he has my support. for what biondi has accomplished in nearly 30 years, he deserves that support on this matter.

You make a lot of good points, but prior to RM, weren't you blaming the program's lack of success on the fact that the University (Biondi) were not dedicating enough resources to the program? It seems it hasn't been so much about Biondi deciding to lead the charge to commit more resources to the program, more a case of Dr. Chaifetz and to a lesser extent RM leading and nudging him to make basketball a bigger priority. You can quibble about how RM went about it, but it seems to me RM had the courage to fight for what you thought in the past was the good fight.

[billiken_roy]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I don't want this conference if we're not going to do it right. Need to dramatically increase the budget and hire a big time coach or we'll be on DePaul's level forever. I'd rather be the top team in the weakened A10 or MVC and make the tourney as a 8 or 9 seed every year than finish in the bottom 4 of a big conference every year with maybe a good 2 or 3 year stretch every so often.

This conference would:

- dramatically increase our revenues through a better t.v. deal, increased attendance, higher giving by boosters, etc. In turn it will allow us to spend more on top coaches, travel, recruiting, etc. We will do it right.

- Allow for recruiting top level players. We lose so many players to the big conferences and t.v. That disadvantage disappears with this conference. Sure, we'll still lose the elite local players to the Duke and Kentuckys of the world but we'll have as good a shot at a mid-level Big 10 or ACC caliber guy as any team.

- the schedule will be far more attractive in this conference.

- the myth of being in a small conference and dominating for a sustained time is just that a myth. You can count on one hand the number of programs nationwide that have been able to do that (Gonzaga, Butler, Xavier, maybe Creighton). One only needs to look at Carbondale to see how quickly it can blow up on you if you have a few bad years or hire a bad coach.

Being in the right conference may prove to be tough in 2014-2015 when we have graduated all our top players and are starting the existing freshman and sophomore classes, but that will just be a speed bump. With the resources we'll have to hire a new coach and recruit we won't be down for long.

Kshoe pretty much nailed it.

Most important thing is, get in this conference. That is the whole shebang. A huge upgrade from where we are now, and if we do not get in, we sink to a much lower level.

All or nothing.

THEN we will get the quality coach, the higher caliber recruits, etc.

We are in a strong position: major city/TV market, top notch arena, strong academics, recent basket ball success, no excuses for being unsuccessful in getting in on this... but I still worry. I do not have the confidence in Biondi that some political-business motivated-hangers-on type posters do. I am not sure he even givesashit behind closed doors.

my confidence is based a lot on biondi's always present level of greed and desire to win. not just succeed, but win. and time and time again when you look at his big picture, i.e. running a university, father biondi wins.

granted he seems to not care about sports once in awhile, granted he has hurt feelings and stepped on a lot of toes (my all time favorite teacher was lambasted hard by biondi and that p!ssed me off to no end) but biondi is no idiot. if he wants something, he seems to do whatever and anything it takes to make it happen. more times than not, he gets his way.

imo, it is no coincidence that our level of everything went up when biondi came to town and it is also no coincidence that while some believe it hasnt been enough (myself included to a degree) of an elevation in our athletic department, the arena, the increased (beit may not be enough yet) budgets the higher level of coaches and administration all have increased over time. biondi knows that higher profile athletics also coincides with student enrollment and is advertisement for prospective students. he has seen it for himself.

also, let's not forget that the urban setting of all the schools in the new conference is the exact target market for students that father biondi covets at saint louis university. if for no other reason, this is the grand reason father biondi cares. the holy grail of future student enrollment farm ground - philly, new york city, milwaukee, chicago, providence, cincy, indy, washington dc, etc. exactly what the good father covets.

i have said it before and i will say it again, NO ONE, wants this more than biondi. and NO ONE has more potential influence to make it happen than biondi.

mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here. while i dont agree with biondi going back on some promises (charter flights for one) i also dont agree with some of rickma's antics that put the school in difficult positions, and his propensity to act on a large scale above the given budget or outside the beliefs and wants of the university as a whole when it likely wasnt cleared in advance with the school. no where running a successful business does a manager not plan and present budget wants and needs or act outside of corporate policy or practice prior to taking it up the ladder. and running a basketball program is no different. it doesnt matter if rickma was right. it's the way it is done.

in most cases rickma ultimately got what he wanted, but any ceo would be on fire if an employee was constantly going around them or putting them up for judgement via the media when following the chain of command likely gave that employee what they needed anyway. thus big surprise, egos clashed, but that was to be expected with two giants like biondi and rickma. one thing i have learned in corporate america, (and our cherished university is really nothing more than a business and a part of corporate america that is why it is the success it is today) you have to comply with the chief until you are the chief.

that doesnt mean the chief is an idiot. if we dont get in this conference, i will be plenty upset with biondi. but until that day happens, he has my support. for what biondi has accomplished in nearly 30 years, he deserves that support on this matter.

You make a lot of good points, but prior to RM, weren't you blaming the program's lack of success on the fact that the University (Biondi) were not dedicating enough resources to the program? It seems it hasn't been so much about Biondi deciding to lead the charge to commit more resources to the program, more a case of Dr. Chaifetz and to a lesser extent RM leading and nudging him to make basketball a bigger priority. You can quibble about how RM went about it, but it seems to me RM had the courage to fight for what you thought in the past was the good fight.

"beit not enough yet"

[jbizzle09]

broy wrote:

"mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here."

Roy, no way. Give me a break.

My opinion of Biondi is not based soley on this issue, though it irks me, Biondi is given a gift with Majerus choosing SLU, and goes tyrant on him.

Anyway, there is much more to it, my opinon is based on his body of work as it relates to sports. Behind closed doors he is a different person as it relates to athletics. And you know it. You have spoken to knowedgeable, infulential alumni / insiders, and so have I... so many verifed stories and examples and incidents. Everything in public is "rah rah", but...

Another part of my concern is one way or the other, Biondi is on the way out... it might be a month, it might be a yr or two... why would he push hard at this stage of his career when he really never was an advocate? Maybe he will, but I am not so sure.

Legacy, Pure and simple. If, in his last months or years as President, he can secure SLU's position in this new conference, it will go a long way in securing his legacy at SLU. While one could point to some of the issues that have emerged on his watch the past year or so, getting SLU into this new conference will be seen as a huge positive that occurred under Biondi. Men like Biondi, who are in positions of power, are always worried about their legacy.

[MB73]

broy wrote:

"mb your hardon is all about the fact that biondi didnt just let rickma have free reign in his five years here."

Roy, no way. Give me a break.

My opinion of Biondi is not based soley on this issue, though it irks me, Biondi is given a gift with Majerus choosing SLU, and goes tyrant on him.

Anyway, there is much more to it, my opinon is based on his body of work as it relates to sports. Behind closed doors he is a different person as it relates to athletics. And you know it. You have spoken to knowedgeable, infulential alumni / insiders, and so have I... so many verifed stories and examples and incidents. Everything in public is "rah rah", but...

Another part of my concern is one way or the other, Biondi is on the way out... it might be a month, it might be a yr or two... why would he push hard at this stage of his career when he really never was an advocate? Maybe he will, but I am not so sure.

Legacy, Pure and simple. If, in his last months or years as President, he can secure SLU's position in this new conference, it will go a long way in securing his legacy at SLU. While one could point to some of the issues that have emerged on his watch the past year or so, getting SLU into this new conference will be seen as a huge positive that occurred under Biondi. Men like Biondi, who are in positions of power, are always worried about their legacy.

Sure, I am aware of the "legacy" argument, and it has merit.

But I am not so sure he will come through, we are SO well positioned for the new league, it is a once in a lifetime opportuntiy, I do not see how even an indifferent Biondi could blow this... but hey, he could mess this up "IMO".

[bonwich]

That Butler article is so telling. Compare it to the debacle we had leaving Philly a week ago.

Butler's team took commercial flights two weeks ago to Philadelphia (St. Joseph's) and Dayton, but classes were not in session.

I'm not saying we shouldn't fly charter, but it appears, in this instance, we followed the same path at Butler, which is arguably way ahead of us in earned prestige. (BTW, has anyone ever figured out exactly how much we do fly charter these days?)

[kshoe]

That Butler article is so telling. Compare it to the debacle we had leaving Philly a week ago.

Butler's team took commercial flights two weeks ago to Philadelphia (St. Joseph's) and Dayton, but classes were not in session.

I'm not saying we shouldn't fly charter, but it appears, in this instance, we followed the same path at Butler, which is arguably way ahead of us in earned prestige. (BTW, has anyone ever figured out exactly how much we do fly charter these days?)

Good point. I missed that one.

Didn't sound like we are going charter on this trip given Timmerman's story today

[willie]

Sorry Roy, I feel that Biondi wants to always appear to be winning even when he isn't. Take the new Arena for instance. In my mind that is just another piece to the empire that he has built to go along with many bronze statues that he has on Campus. I do not feel that he gives a rats a** if we have a top 50 program or not. Ask the teachers if he is committed to a top 50 University when the top teachers leave in droves. Fr. B is all about appearences. Thank God for Dr. Chaifetz.

Sorry but I don't give Biondi credit for the arena .He promised a top50 program when Grawer was coach. His idea of building an arena was to allow outsiders to raise the money and then he would build it. Thank God for the good Doc or we would still be waiting.

[billiken_roy]

Sorry Roy, I feel that Biondi wants to always appear to be winning even when he isn't. Take the new Arena for instance. In my mind that is just another piece to the empire that he has built to go along with many bronze statues that he has on Campus. I do not feel that he gives a rats a** if we have a top 50 program or not. Ask the teachers if he is committed to a top 50 University when the top teachers leave in droves. Fr. B is all about appearences. Thank God for Dr. Chaifetz.

Sorry but I don't give Biondi credit for the arena .He promised a top50 program when Grawer was coach. His idea of building an arena was to allow outsiders to raise the money and then he would build it. Thank God for the good Doc or we would still be waiting.

so chaifetz just up and built the arena and just gave it to saint louis university? no one asked him to make a donation? i.e. the best saint louis university fund raiser in history had nothing to do with it? and chaifetz donated 100% of the needed funds?

look, i agree chaifetz swooped in with the final needed check that made it happen. but there are a lot of other benefactors that did contribute and it was father biondi that found the good dr and brought him to the table.

[jonny karate]

Didnt mike shananhan get it up and rolling?

[willie]

Actually the story I read said Chaifetz called Biondi and said hey I want to do something for the University. Biondi said well I have this basketball thing. How about that. He'll yes a lot of people gave money but this was not a huge Biondi priority. Biondi did not go to an Andy Taylor type and say how about 10 million for this arena, he left it to Mike Shannahan who was only moderately successful getting a few million from his friends.

[Deutschkind]

That Butler article is so telling. Compare it to the debacle we had leaving Philly a week ago.

Butler's team took commercial flights two weeks ago to Philadelphia (St. Joseph's) and Dayton, but classes were not in session.

I'm not saying we shouldn't fly charter, but it appears, in this instance, we followed the same path at Butler, which is arguably way ahead of us in earned prestige. (BTW, has anyone ever figured out exactly how much we do fly charter these days?)

I thought it was twice a year

[White Pelican]

Regarding charters, Crews said on the postgame that the team would be taking a charter home from Olean. And he thanked those who made that possible.

[willie]

There is a group of donors going to the game on a charter and the team is coming back with them.

[RUBillsFan]

There is a group of donors going to the game on a charter and the team is coming back with them.

Chartering a plane to Olean, NY in January. The weather for Olean on Saturday is 20 degrees and snowing. Those are some very loyal donors. Thank you kind sirs.

[AlumniFan]

He'll yes a lot of people gave money but this was not a huge Biondi priority. Biondi did not go to an Andy Taylor type and say how about 10 million for this arena, he left it to Mike Shannahan who was only moderately successful getting a few million from his friends.

This account is factually incorrect.