The Bonnies from da' MD couch ----

[Taj79]

---excruciating. That's about it. No use beating the dead horse ......what offense do we run, who leads this team, can Crews coach, sub patterns, inbounds plays, attitudes, passion, fire, etc.

One plus: Austin Gillmann did pretty well in terms of growing up some in covering Ndoye. But Youssou Ndoye is not Jalil Okafor. Baby steps nonetheless. Other pluses: team defense, MC and even a little RA --- who can claim no further progress, however, unless he starts making shots.

One minus: I too saw MB try to discuss something with MY in the second half and get the cold shoulder. I also saw MY's blank expression on the bench late. The kid is gone mentally it appears. And as I said in the GDT, I am now so disenfranchised that I don't really see the negative if none of them comeback.

Chris May's halftime shill: selling the Blue Kool-Aid with flavor "youth." Don't buy it. These kids are now sophomores and it looks like we are headed backwards. But the shill means the same team with the same coach is likely all back next year sans transfers and some Spring additions that will be over-hyped as corrections for what is sorely lacking.

Fox Sports Midwest: I don't know how Robertson and Parris kept straight faces with that corporate plus up job last night. Not one time did anyone say that by February freshmen are no longer freshmen -- and we are in March by the way. I guess the free Ted Drewes was the pay off.

Alumni Fan: on the contrary, both BAB and I sat together at Fordham this year and pictures do exist to prove we are separate people. We harp the same stuff because we lived it back in the 70'sand 80's and we know the depths from which this program comes from. We both see that the man on the bench is still the same guy that was on the sidelines at Evansville about the same time as mentioned above. We know the SLU administration and their penchant for moving slower than a glacier. May's halftime interview tells us what the mindset is on North Grand,confirms that the thought process hasn't changed since Rose Hill, and we know that means business as usual. It guarantees that the "Fire Crews" thread is about a year too early. And with the bigger part of a five-year contract still to be paid out, SLU will make no bold move and acknowledge what wrong might have been done. While that is indeed true, we'll still be there in support but we will take the liberty to point things out and not swallow our Blue Kool-Aid as willingly as some. Rest easy knowing that you can repair to Napa Valley and ignore this for a while. And when you are out there, please take BAB to dinner and see if you can understand what the issues are.

[majerus mojo]

Agree with almost everything, but I would be most disheartened if DR left. Closest thing we have to a potential leader, and the only semblance of consistency this season.

[Cowboy]

-Frank had Hinson on yesterday and they said just because freshmen become sophomores doesn't mean they will be any better, very interesting comment

-is there any goodwill left, other than in the coffers of the ADept, from our previous 3 seasons?

-I have never wanted a Bills season to end prior to this one, I want this one to end to start the healing

[brianstl]

-Frank had Hinson on yesterday and they said just because freshmen become sophomores doesn't mean they will be any better, very interesting comment

-is there any goodwill left, other than in the coffers of the ADept, from our previous 3 seasons?

-I have never wanted a Bills season to end prior to this one, I want this one to end

I brought the Frank comment up in the GDT. He has been pounding that for a few days now. He is really starting to turn on the program. His show should be interesting.

[Cowboy]

-one more thing, if my memory serves, John Manning started 21 of 26 games according to the program last night but doesn't start on Senior Night

-okay, I know he has been hurt so I figure he isn't going to play but a cameo at the end

-then he is the first sub

-I really don't get that coaching move

-they did get it right at the end of the game, however

-it was good to see Grandy Glaze there last night

[SLU_Nick]

Agree with that. During the down years prior to RM, I could at least understand was Uncle Brad was trying to do. Our picks are so terrible that RM should be rolling over in his grave. Reggie doesnt even really set a screen, he just goes to the guard, gets set and then when the guard's defender approach's him he rolls before Bartley can even take the screen.

I honestly do not see any plan or foundation setting at all. It would not be a knee jerk reaction to can Crews. There has been no progress this season.

Our best chance at scoring is when we go streetball style in the fast break with Roby, or Ash.

These guys are honestly going through the motions and I just want to end the season.

No one let me predict more than 15 wins next season...

[thetorch]

Manning not starting has more to do with him not being out for warmups than anything else. He was stretching in the weight room while the rest of the team was in the layup line. Manning was hurt in the 2nd half as well, causing Jolly to play.

[slu72]

Agree with that. During the down years prior to RM, I could at least understand was Uncle Brad was trying to do. Our picks are so terrible that RM should be rolling over in his grave. Reggie doesnt even really set a screen, he just goes to the guard, gets set and then when the guard's defender approach's him he rolls before Bartley can even take the screen.

I honestly do not see any plan or foundation setting at all. It would not be a knee jerk reaction to can Crews. There has been no progress this season.

Our best chance at scoring is when we go streetball style in the fast break with Roby, or Ash.

These guys are honestly going through the motions and I just want to end the season.

No one let me predict more than 15 wins next season...[/quote

The picks and screens have bothered me all season. We do one of two things; the screener breaks it off too soon, or the ball handler leave about 2 feet between him and the screener which basically negates the screen. This should have been corrected about 25 games ago. Also, very few players are doing much moving w/o the ball. MC does all the time most of the others are just standing around watching the rock be passed around the perimeter or waiting for someone to drive. Bottom line, it is really painful watching us play offense. After 3 seasons of watching RMs precision and highly technical based offense ran to perfection only makes it heartbreaking to see the mish mash we're stuck with this year.

The only good thing to come out of this year is if you've been betting the opponent and giving the points. I started doing this at the Fordham game and it's been a cash cow. Hate to do it, as I've never really bet the Bills in the past, but this season it's like free money.

Why the animosity towards May? What else is he gonna say, we suck? Granted, it's akin to Obama's statements about Obama Care, but it's his job to spin it this way. However, it's hard to understand the announcers playing up the youth thing this late in the season and making comments like you never know what will happen in the tourney. Robertson used the 2000 Bills as an example and riding J. Love to the championship. Hello, will someone please name this team's version of J. Love.

[Bay Area Billiken]

The 2000 Billikens needed to win 4 games in Memphis in 4 days. SLU was a 9 seed. Once SLU won over highly ranked Cincinnati in Game 2, in the Act of God Game, we knew it was possible.

This year SLU would need to win 5 games in 5 days in Brooklyn. SLU will probably be the 14 Seed.

Well, we'll just take one at a time and go from there ...

[BILLIKENSRG]

Sadly the fake/stunt screens being used by the players is by design by the staff. Read is to be made by player; If defender is overly aggressive to jump the screen. Screener is instructed to break screen off mid screen and roll to the basket.

This is a bad base to build on for a young team. Offense will break down at a higher rate then just simply setting a solid screen and ball handler patiently using it.

[cheeseman]

The problem some have with May is that he had a chance to hire a good coach after the first year that RM was out but he went with the easy pick of Crews. At that time, we still had a loaded roster and a coach could have seen that he could use that year to win and build his recruiting base for the future. Many were concerned about just giving the job to Crews as he did given Crews past track record with coaching and recruiting but nobody wanted to hear it. Those who clamored for Crews and for Mays to hire him simply saw the glitter and not that it was not real. For those who say that RM hand picked Crews for the job knowing he was not well are probably right but I prefer to think that RM picked Crews because he knew he would be good for those kids that he recruited and won with but not necessarily for the long term health of the program per se. I was disappointed that May proceeded the way he did but now we are here and the real question is how do we move forward?

[slu72 fan]

The problem some have with May is that he had a chance to hire a good coach after the first year that RM was out but he went with the easy pick of Crews. At that time, we still had a loaded roster and a coach could have seen that he could use that year to win and build his recruiting base for the future. Many were concerned about just giving the job to Crews as he did given Crews past track record with coaching and recruiting but nobody wanted to hear it. Those who clamored for Crews and for Mays to hire him simply saw the glitter and not that it was not real. For those who say that RM hand picked Crews for the job knowing he was not well are probably right but I prefer to think that RM picked Crews because he knew he would be good for those kids that he recruited and won with but not necessarily for the long term health of the program per se. I was disappointed that May proceeded the way he did but now we are here and the real question is how do we move forward?

Right, CM was not going to hire the National Coach of the Year.

[brianstl]

The 2000 Billikens needed to win 4 games in Memphis in 4 days. SLU was a 9 seed. Once SLU won over highly ranked Cincinnati in Game 2, in the Act of God Game, we knew it was possible.

This year SLU would need to win 5 games in 5 days in Brooklyn. SLU will probably be the 14 Seed.

Well, we'll just take one at a time and go from there ...

That miracle team was actually a pretty good team before the "miracle". The schedule they played that year was insane. 21 games against teams that made the post season. 11 against NCAA teams and 10 against NIT teams. They went 6-5 against other NCAA tournament teams.

[MB73]

The problem some have with May is that he had a chance to hire a good coach after the first year that RM was out but he went with the easy pick of Crews. At that time, we still had a loaded roster and a coach could have seen that he could use that year to win and build his recruiting base for the future. Many were concerned about just giving the job to Crews as he did given Crews past track record with coaching and recruiting but nobody wanted to hear it. Those who clamored for Crews and for Mays to hire him simply saw the glitter and not that it was not real. For those who say that RM hand picked Crews for the job knowing he was not well are probably right but I prefer to think that RM picked Crews because he knew he would be good for those kids that he recruited and won with but not necessarily for the long term health of the program per se. I was disappointed that May proceeded the way he did but now we are here and the real question is how do we move forward?

You have no way of knowing this... why would you think we would get a better coach than Crews?

Getting Majerus was a pure luck, good fortune, Majerus wanted a sunset coaching job at a Jesuit school, non power conference, in the Midwest to be close to his ailing mother: we win!

I do not think there was anybody out there who would be better than Crews.

Tell me, you think we could have brought in, "who", instead of Crews?

Crews is solid, though there is obviously something wrong with this year's team chemistry of late, I assume a few players are not on board at all and thus we see this collapse with home blowout losses. I will say that this will be corrected over the off season one way or another and we will be a good team next year.

I laugh when people all pile on a man with his strong background, experience and success but do not wonder if a few 18 - 19 year old players might be out of line.

[brianstl]

I guess it is time to turn on the kids who are not getting paid instead of the good old boy who is making a large junk of money to lead this mess. Never mind the fact that Crews is responsible for bringing in 10 of the 13 guys on the roster.

[Bay Area Billiken]

That miracle team was actually a pretty good team before the "miracle". The schedule they played that year was insane. 21 games against teams that made the post season. 11 against NCAA teams and 10 against NIT teams. They went 6-5 against other NCAA tournament teams.

Agreed. No comparison.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I guess it is time to turn on the kids who are not getting paid instead of the good old boy who is making a large junk of money to lead this mess. Never mind the fact that Crews is responsible for bringing in 10 of the 13 guys on the roster.

This seems to be too much of the mindset, blame the players (Labor), give the coach (management) the pass. I'm not drinking that Blue Kool-Aid out here on the Left Coast.

[Bay Area Billiken]

You have no way of knowing this... why would you think we would get a better coach than Crews?

Getting Majerus was a pure luck, Majerus wanted a sunset coaching job at a Jesuit school, non power conference, in the midwest so as to be close to his ailing mother: we win!

I do not think there was anybody out there who would be better than Crews.

Tell me, you think we have brought in, "who"?

Crews is solid, though there is obviously something wrong with this year's team chemistry of late, I assume a few players are not on board at all and thus we see this collapse with home blowout losses. I will say that this will be corrected over the off season one way or another and we will be a good team next year.

I laugh when people all pile on a man with his background, experience and success but do not wonder if an 18 - 19 year old player or two might be out of line.

Crews is solid? Check his track record prior to coming to SLU: 353-349 in 24 years, 17 at Evansville (4 NCAA's, the last in '99), 7 at Army (no NCAA's). He did do a very good job for 1 3/4 seasons as a caretaker coach with Majerus' players. Last year's SLU team was 25-2, ranked 8th in the nation in one poll, 10th in the other, but hit the wall before the end of the regular season and finished 2-5.

But now he is on his own.

Some of us remember Crews from the old MCC days when he was at Evansville.

The issue this year is his steadfast sticking with an offense and a defense, when neither are working. What has resulted is the current mess.

.

[kwyjibo]

That miracle team was actually a pretty good team before the "miracle". The schedule they played that year was insane. 21 games against teams that made the post season. 11 against NCAA teams and 10 against NIT teams. They went 6-5 against other NCAA tournament teams.

As I was doing the bracketology in 2000 I can assure that SLU was in a fine position after they beat Cincy in 2000. They made themselves a lock by Sunday and would have been at large without beating DePaul. It was a great run, no doubt but they are already an at-large quality team.

[SLU_Nick]

2000 was before my time but my entire understanding of the Miracle in Memphis just shifted.

We were a projected at large team without winning the tourney?

That is not a miracle...

[joe_davola]

2000 was before my time but my entire understanding of the Miracle in Memphis just shifted.

We were a projected at large team without winning the tourney?

That is not a miracle...

All that needs to be said about that tournament: Heinrich Maneuver. This single move won us the tournament.

[Bay Area Billiken]

2000 was before my time but my entire understanding of the Miracle in Memphis just shifted.

We were a projected at large team without winning the tourney?

That is not a miracle...

We may have been IN according to the pre-DePaul game RPI, which was an NCAA Tournament worthy RPI. But we were assuredly NOT IN according to ESPN pundit and former Notre Dame Coach Digger Phelps. There was no security at all going into that DePaul game. I considered it a must win game.

As a 9th Place team in C-USA, I doubt SLU would have received an at large NCAA bid that year. I am inclined to believe Digger on that one.

The memories of NCAA snubs of Rich Grawer teams that went 25-10 in '87 and especially the '89 team that went 27-10, were still too fresh in my mind in 2000.

[Bay Area Billiken]

All that needs to be said about that tournament: Heinrich Maneuver. This single move won us the tournament.

Or as my late Uncle-in-Law termed it, an "Act of God."

[kwyjibo]

We may have been IN according to the pre-DePaul game RPI, which was an NCAA Tournament worthy RPI. But we were assuredly NOT IN according to ESPN pundit and former Notre Dame Coach Digger Phelps. There was no security at all going into that DePaul game. I considered it a must win game.

As a 9th Place team in C-USA, I doubt SLU would have received an at large NCAA bid that year. I am inclined to believe Digger on that one.

The memories of NCAA snubs of Rich Grawer teams that went 25-10 in '87 and especially the '89 team that went 27-10, were still too fresh in my mind in 2000.

I get that but you gotta remember that SLU already had an RPI in the 50's before they beat the #1 RPI team in the nation (that helped their profile and RPI). I do not remember the Semi's opponent but presumably that helped. DePaul was a 9 seed that year with a similar RPI. The most important fact was that they were a #9 seed. Teams that get into the tournament by sole virtue of winning the tournament are not #9 seeds. I should not have used the term lock (but 95% likely at least) above as their RPI was in the mid to high 40's on selection day but given that game was played ON selection day I am guessing they agreed both teams were in before tip-off but finalized the seed after SLU had won.

Digger was an idiot who knew nothing about the RPI in 2000 and barely understood it LONG after everyone else finally got it. More importantly, Digger and no ESPN commentator for that matter, are on the actual committee. Also, the PLACE/SEED in a conference is NOT a selection criteria (that argument is old, uninformed, and ignores that actual history of selection).

The 86-87 team was not close to being an at-large. They lost 9 games against a weak schedule including 7 in a weak MCC. The 89 team was a team that lost 9 games against a middling schedule (great at home, not so great on the road) and subsequent rankings put them in the 50's. They may have been close but I would hardly call it a snub.

[hsmith19]

2000 was before my time but my entire understanding of the Miracle in Memphis just shifted.

We were a projected at large team without winning the tourney?

That is not a miracle...

The real miracle was beating Cincinnati, not winning the tourney final.