The best Billiken coach in the last 25 years is...

[kwyjibo]

And without Rich's parents Rich would never have been born so maybe Mrs. Grawer . . .

But the question was who was the best coach, admittedly somewhat of a judgement call, but Rich was competing at a lower level and did that well only after a slow (and often embarassing) start. I loved Grawer's stress of fundamentals and he recruited St. Louis well. He was a good coach but SLU has had much more multifaceted and talented coaches since.

[Kahok]

I don't disagree we have had better coaches since he was let go. But look where the program was when he was hired. I never want to go back to where we were when he arrived. We now play a good schedule, we have a chance of winning almost every time we hit the floor. I will always believe that had not he began winning basketball games, we would be playing SIUE and Mckendree college. I believe that he had the greatest impact on this program of any of the coaches on the list.

[Taj79]

... that would be the answer to the question "Which Billiken coach had the greatest IMPACT on the program" and not as it is phrased at the top fo the thread where it says "best Billiken coach in the last 25 years."

I for one think that without Grawer, this discussion ain't happening because we are playing McKendree, Wash U, Rockhurst and others below the Division I level. But I don't think his bench coaching was as up to par as Spoon's seemed to be.

This comes back to my statement to brehms about the answer is dependent which aspect you want to review these things. Her call on Beane is one I would never have enough inside info on to agree or disagree with. But that perception is that reality.