Billiken Bash Observations

[Taj79]

Mitchell had star power? I thought the coups of that first class were Thompson and Cotto.

I do not recall the Evans-Jett-McCall-Loe class being any more hyped than this one. Majerus first, and now Crews, don't seem to add any additional pressure to the kids bgy talkign expectations. Robey and Reynolds each played with top ranked teams and their exploits were not emphasized at all. Unless I missed something.

The only thing I've really heard about this class is that they must play and contribute, but that time will be earned in practice. Typical stuff. And some of that is from us. Everyoner seems mostly cautions, on a wait-n-see course.

Now, when FBJT gets here, tha';ll be hype. But again, not likely hype stirred by the coachign staff or Athletic Department.

[HusakAttack]

Jolly jokes awhile back are no longer funny. Kid is truth

Y'all shoulda listened to me from the start.

Get ready for back-to-back-to-back-to-back national titties with this playa

[brianstl]

Y'all shoulda listened to me from the start.

Get ready for back-to-back-to-back-to-back national titties with this playa

Need to break out the Jolly Roger flags.

[WVBilliken]

Mitchell had star power? I thought the coups of that first class were Thompson and Cotto.

I do not recall the Evans-Jett-McCall-Loe class being any more hyped than this one. Majerus first, and now Crews, don't seem to add any additional pressure to the kids bgy talkign expectations. Robey and Reynolds each played with top ranked teams and their exploits were not emphasized at all. Unless I missed something.

The only thing I've really heard about this class is that they must play and contribute, but that time will be earned in practice. Typical stuff. And some of that is from us. Everyoner seems mostly cautions, on a wait-n-see course.

Now, when FBJT gets here, tha';ll be hype. But again, not likely hype stirred by the coachign staff or Athletic Department.

Agree, this class, outside of Loe, is more hyped and ranked higher.

Loe was hyped given the high profile all-star games he played in (USA stars versus International stars). Was very excited by Loe. He was a real good player but never lived up to my hopes and expectations.

Of course, RM hyped his recruits much, much more than coach Crews. Crews is more low profile with his comments on recruits.

[SLU_Nick]

Rob Loe didnt live up to expectations? What did you expect of him? He was the best big man on the floor in all but MAYBE 2 games we played last year.

[WVBilliken]

Rob Loe didnt live up to expectations? What did you expect of him? He was the best big man on the floor in all but MAYBE 2 games we played last year.

Agree, Loe was a very good player, had a good career.

But back when SLU signed him I envisioned a double figure scorer by the time he was a junior based on the hype, all-star games, and international experience.

Rob never averaged more than 7 or 8 points a game and never became a dominate big man.

[slu72 fan]

I think your forgetting about Ash. While not a frosh, he enters highly recruited and is going to be our main man from the get go. The only recent comparison is Mr. Hughes, in term of high school accolades.

[ACE]

I think your forgetting about Ash. While not a frosh, he enters highly recruited and is going to be our main man from the get go. The only recent comparison is Mr. Hughes, in term of high school accolades.

I don't think there will be many guards in the A-10 with Ash's combination of size and athleticism. We'll see if that translates to production. Ash and Roby could be the type of big athletic 2/3s that Temple always seemed to have. We had a hard time matching up with those type of players.

[Clock_Tower]

I think your forgetting about Ash. While not a frosh, he enters highly recruited and is going to be our main man from the get go. The only recent comparison is Mr. Hughes, in term of high school accolades.

Now wait a second. Possibly Ash is already our best player; however, to date he has only averaged 2.9 points per game in college basketball - and that was in his second full year at Villanova. Yes, Villanova had good teams when Ash was there... and yes, Wright may pick on and sacrifice a kid each year, and yes, Ash may have been that guy... but Larry Hughes played only 1 year of college before going to the NBA, Larry Hughes put up substantially greater numbers than 2.9 ppg and Larry Hughes would have found time to shine on Villanova's teams which Ash played on and Larry would have averaged substantially more than 2.9 mpg. If Ash were really that highly recruited as Larry, then he would have been deemed a bust -- 2.9 ppg in his second year!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe that Ash will be a great player for us, I am glad he is a Billiken but until he scores 15 ppg, I am not going to put him up on a pedestal just yet.

[slu72 fan]

Now wait a second. Possibly Ash is already our best player; however, to date he has only averaged 2.9 points per game in college basketball - and that was in his second full year at Villanova. Yes, Villanova had good teams when Ash was there... and yes, Wright may pick on and sacrifice a kid each year, and yes, Ash may have been that guy... but Larry Hughes played only 1 year of college before going to the NBA, Larry Hughes put up substantially greater numbers than 2.9 ppg and Larry Hughes would have found time to shine on Villanova's teams which Ash played on and Larry would have averaged substantially more than 2.9 mpg. If Ash were really that highly recruited as Larry, then he would have been deemed a bust -- 2.9 ppg in his second year!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe that Ash will be a great player for us, I am glad he is a Billiken but until he scores 15 ppg, I am not going to put him up on a pedestal just yet.

[ACE]

Now wait a second. Possibly Ash is already our best player; however, to date he has only averaged 2.9 points per game in college basketball - and that was in his second full year at Villanova. Yes, Villanova had good teams when Ash was there... and yes, Wright may pick on and sacrifice a kid each year, and yes, Ash may have been that guy... but Larry Hughes played only 1 year of college before going to the NBA, Larry Hughes put up substantially greater numbers than 2.9 ppg and Larry Hughes would have found time to shine on Villanova's teams which Ash played on and Larry would have averaged substantially more than 2.9 mpg. If Ash were really that highly recruited as Larry, then he would have been deemed a bust -- 2.9 ppg in his second year!!

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe that Ash will be a great player for us, I am glad he is a Billiken but until he scores 15 ppg, I am not going to put him up on a pedestal just yet.

slu72fan can speak for himself, but I agree with what he said - based on "high school accolades" I think it is fair to say Ash is the most heralded since Hughes. http://www.vuhoops.com/2009/10/21/achraf-yacoubou-commits-to-villanova

That certainly doesn't mean Ash will come anywhere close to being as good as Larry or the best Billiken since Larry. And yes, if he produces what he did at Nova, he will be a bust. The good news is that he will have two years and plenty of opportunity to make his mark.

[slu72 fan]

I think Ash was regarded as high as LH out of high school. All I meant to indicate was that if you add Ash to our frosh class it's more highly regarded than the class that just graduated.

[billslasttermdropout]

[bonwich]

Need to break out the Jolly Roger flags.

Hmm. This has potential. Perhaps a Billiken-head-with-an-eyepatch-and-crossbones flag? Who's good at Photoshop?

[Duff Man]

Agree, Loe was a very good player, had a good career.

But back when SLU signed him I envisioned a double figure scorer by the time he was a junior based on the hype, all-star games, and international experience.

Rob never averaged more than 7 or 8 points a game and never became a dominate big man.

Rob averaged 10.3 PPG last year and pulled his own weight on a dominant defensive unit.

I guess it flew under some peoples radar, but Rob Loe's evolution on the defensive end of the floor from liability to asset was a major reason SLU was able to repeat as A10 champions. Jump to the 1:15 mark of this video

The younger Rob Loe doesn't make that play, much less get that call. As recently as the 2012-13 OOC, Loe just looked like he was playing defense in slow motion. I'm sure we all remember late night streaming the Washington game (with Detlef motherfuoking Schrempf on the call) - where Loe was metaphorically beaten to a bloody pulp by Aziz N'Diaye.

Over the last season and a half, Loe was vastly improved on the defensive side of the ball...last year Loe blocked 41 shots - which is the 10th best single season total (for the program) since '75-76, behind only Willie Reed (73), Kelvin Henderson (68, 42), Melvin Robinson (66, 51), Ian Vouyoukas (57, 55), and Abdur Rahiim Al Matiin (46, 44).

Loe may not have lived up to the Dirk Nowitzki wet dreams some may have had initially, but he developed into a complete player who had several cold blooded moments of brilliance. He was a major factor for the only 2 outright regular season conference titles the program has won in the last half century.

Also realize, if Loe had indeed been the 2nd coming of Dirk, he would not have stuck around 4 years.

[billikenfan05]

Rob averaged 10.3 PPG last year and pulled his own weight on a dominant defensive unit.

I guess it flew under some peoples radar, but Rob Loe's evolution on the defensive end of the floor from liability to asset was a major reason SLU was able to repeat as A10 champions. Jump to the 1:15 mark of this video

The younger Rob Loe doesn't make that play, much less get that call. As recently as the 2012-13 OOC, Loe just looked like he was playing defense in slow motion. I'm sure we all remember late night streaming the Washington game (with Detlef motherfuoking Schrempf on the call) - where Loe was metaphorically beaten to a bloody pulp by Aziz N'Diaye.

Over the last season and a half, Loe was vastly improved on the defensive side of the ball...last year Loe blocked 41 shots - which is the 10th best single season total (for the program) since '75-76, behind only Willie Reed (73), Kelvin Henderson (68, 42), Melvin Robinson (66, 51), Ian Vouyoukas (57, 55), and Abdur Rahiim Al Matiin (46, 44).

Loe may not have lived up to the Dirk Nowitzki wet dreams some may have had initially, but he developed into a complete player who had several cold blooded moments of brilliance. He was a major factor for the only 2 outright regular season conference titles the program has won in the last half century.

Also realize, if Loe had indeed been the 2nd coming of Dirk, he would not have stuck around 4 years.

Also realize that WVBilliken continues to make Nancy Gracelike accusations of which he has no basis.

[TheA_Bomb]

Hmm. This has potential. Perhaps a Billiken-head-with-an-eyepatch-and-crossbones flag? Who's good at Photoshop?

Like it but it needs some Billiken Ears then it'd be perfect.

[GOSLU68]

Too short a game: more athletic team especially after top five or six.

RA sitting like he was injured worries me most. Did he get operated on if not medical redshirt him don't waste another year.

Roby could be the next JJ but not sure he knows how to play plays. He and Lancona worry me that they are going to sit on sideline waiting for the ball.

If this team learns to play defense I think they will be better at it than last years team- right away? No but ultimately better bodies and speed. Hopefully Bartley and Gillman who are reedlike in body develop Willie Reed skills. They maybe projects. Willie was a real question mark as a freshman.

Second year in row the Microphone has not worked for the woman's coach. Someone could coach her and Crews. He is a little too nonchalant sometimes-to a point of losing control to a loud mouth fan. That may have been the oddest point of the day. They should track that guy down and let him work the crowd from the floor. Or hire him to replace Guy Phillips.

[Taj79]

One of the hardest things to do is compare players from different teams or over different careers -- numbers, as in ppg and rpg, don't tell the whole story. Rankings are purely subjective .... who's #1, # 2 and so on.

How do you rank the best Billiken centers of all time? Those you actually saw play? Same with power forwards. And how do you compare a true PF which is where Tatum or Baniak would go versus a softer PF like Ryan Luetchefeld? Does Cody get ranked as a PF? Same as Anthony Bonner? Different skill set.

I might be able to lump five guys as the "best Billiken (centers) of my time (1975-present)" and they might all be in there for different reasons. None was a true center defined in my formative years as Wilt/Russell/Reed/Unseld. Five best? Voyoukous, Loe, Heinrich, Henderson, and Reed. Loe was maybe a slow starter and a disappointment if you believed he was the next Dirk but what can you do? He came a tremendously long way --- not only from New Zealand but in basketball as well. He was a solid backline performer all through last year. No doubt about that.

[BigMouthBilliken]

[BigMouthBilliken]

[billikenfan05]

I hear mcbroom was recruiting at local homeless shelters.

[slufan13]

I hear mcbroom was recruiting at local homeless shelters.

Have you seen the video?

[stlhoops]

How did Ash only score double digits once while at Villanova (and it was again PENN)? At the scrimmage he was a man among boys. What happened at Villanova?

[Zink]

How did Ash only score double digits once while at Villanova (and it was again PENN)? At the scrimmage he was a man among boys. What happened at Villanova?

Reports from 'Nova fans seemed to indicate that Coach Wright chose him as his whipping boy from day one, as he does with every incoming class. He never got much floor time there, despite his talent - he did seem to perform well when given the chance. Let's also remember that 'Nova had a very talented back-court Ash's whole time there