To do list for 2013-14 Billikens

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

Sweet 16 or bust.

You always have had a losers mentality.

Final Four.

[willie]

Final Four my ass. National Champs.

[Billikenboy]

We have all the tools to get that championship this season. Why not!

[JettFlight5]

I think a lot of people believe that the successes of the basketball program were done in spite of Father Biondi.

[slu72]

I think a lot of people believe that the successes of the basketball program were done in spite of Father Biondi.

Ok, what ever this means.

[Billiken Rich]

Either Biondi is the all controlling anti-christ or he isn't. Pick one. I've been drinking because the Cardinals are tied now. Fuock beards. If you aren't Jason Motte you aren't poooooie!

[Clock_Tower]

Shouldn't a UNIVERSITY be spending its money on the academic programs before an arena? Call me crazy, but I still hold to the idea that SLU is a university with a basketball team, not a basketball team with an ancillary educational program.

Also you assume there was $80 million to spend 20 years ago. There wasn't. SLU was still aquiring land. TIFs weren't as widely used. Dr. C hadn't made his fortune yet.

Remember the original plan was for a $120 million 12-13,000 seat arena in what is now the Midtown Alley. The arena we got was a change of plans that happened for several reasons, one of which was that fundraising for it did not I as well as expected.

Okay, Crazy it is.

The answer is that it is not an either or question. Instead, it is possible to have to both academics and athletics. Further, a successful sports program actually can benefit the academics through increased exposure, PR, alumni relations and donations which increase both the quantity and quality of new students. Look around and ask yourself if any Top 100 (BTW, Fr. Biondi promised Top 50 and we not even Top 100 for many of these past 25 years) basketball program had worse practice and training facilities (weight room, training rooms, lounge, offices for coaches...) than SLU did prior to 2006. And don't just limit this to men's basketball in that a University is for all sports programs -- men's and women's -- so ask yourself if any Top 100 university had worse facilities for games as well (see Women's volleyball). If you are honest, I'd suggest the answer is none or very, very few. If so, does this mean that only SLU is committed to academics and that all of the universities (Top 100) are not committed to academics? Shouldn't SLU be far ahead (academically speaking) because only SLU did not waste its money on frivilous or non-essentials such as sports?

And BTW, there was discussion about an on-campus arena back in the mid-1990s and that these plans were put on hold so that Civic Progress (remember them?) and the Kiel Partners (alot of guys overlapped and belonged to both groups) could make the new Kiel a success (they wanted and needed SLU as a tenant) and that in return, Civic Progress promised to later donate and support plans for an on-campus facility. How much did Shanahan donate to Chaifetz? Unless I am mistaken, SLU upheld its part of this deal but Civic Progress/Kiel Partners never did. And BTW, universities can and do build sports arenas without TIFs. Also, while I do appreciate the donations of Dr. C, to say that an on-campus facility could not have been done these past 25 without him is just plain wrong. And even if you are right, where was the on-campus practice facility?