Fall 2017 allegations against unnamed players (aka Situation 2)

[majerus mojo]

I echo everyone’s thoughts here regarding the way this is being handled, but it seems a little premature to be grabbing pitchforks for pestello 

[slufan13]

1 minute ago, majerus mojo said:

I echo everyone’s thoughts here regarding the way this is being handled, but it seems a little premature to be grabbing pitchforks for pestello 

So you're saying we shouldn't torch Dubourg?

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

4 hours ago, ACE said:

+1 Much easier in the case of an obvious troll, rather than constantly trying to tell all board users to put somebody on ignore.

Thank you. Someone with some sense

[majerus mojo]

15 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

So you're saying we shouldn't torch Dubourg?

Me waiting for this to end 

Me when I found out 60 days meant nothing

Me picturing Pestello 

[615Billiken]

I really don’t understand the desire to fire Pestello over this?

University presidents have so many more important things on their agenda than ensuring that your favorite basketball players are ready to play, or that if their guilty, a decision is announced to appease the fans. Pestello doesn’t care about you’all, he has a nationally ranked university to run. Appeasing a bunch of die hard Billiken basketball fans is not top of his agenda. 

You may disagree with other parts of his tenure. That’s fine. You’re not going to see eye to eye ideologically with everyone in the world. But wanting a university president fired because you don’t want your sports team being impacted is a sign of small minded people. Relax. This is a frustrating process. I wish a decision would have been made already.im frustrated with the slow investigation. I’m frustrated that players are being punished punished under the guise of no punishment. 

I also recognize that making sure my littlE Billiken basketball fandom is preserved is not a determining factor in keeping a university president hired. If it was, I probably wouldn’t want to attend that university for academic reasons.

[brianstl]

Let’s cut the crap about how small the basketball team is in the big picture of Pestello’s job.  The basketball program is the most visible part of SLU to the rest of the country and there is an $80 million building in testament to the program’s importance to SLU. For financial reasons and for public relations reasons this issue should be at the top of Pestello’s to do list right now.  The way this situation ultimately plays out will and should play a huge part in how the board views Pestello’s job performance.

[dlarry]

So basically after today's "announcement" we are in the exact same position as yesterday. 

Fan Freaking Tastic.

This is getting tiring. 

 

 

[joe_davola]

7 hours ago, Slu let the dogs out? said:

^^^Is this the troll who use to spend his entire life on the stltoday.com forums trolling people about soccer and SLU?

Yes. Huge loser.

[Old guy]

2 hours ago, Billy Ken said:

For the record I think Pestello seems like a good guy. But he is weak. University needs a strong leader that isn't afraid to do what is right and is smart, not needing to constantly make sure he's winning a student popularity contest. Just my two cents.

I disagree, based upon the way Pestello handled the occupation of SLU, which resulted in no damage, no injuries, with people that acted in a civilized way and developed a civilized dialogue. I think he is a much better president for SLU in this day and age than Biondi could ever have been. Biondi believed in being strong and stubborn and not give an inch to anyone. If he had been president of SLU at the time of the occupation, the campus might well have sustained significant damage, and become the backdrop for cops and protesters battling it out. If any such confrontations had happened, pictures of battles between cops and protesters would have been everywhere in the media, and the student enrollment would most likely have tanked. 

I think the key to Situation 2 is to be able to solve it without major racial confrontations, without protests, and without parents yanking their kids out of the University or keeping them from coming here. To do this ample time will be required to cover all the issues and act in a fair way to all parties involved. This is not an easy job to do, and it is a job that cannot be done by railroading people or taking quick action.

 

 

[HenryB]

31 minutes ago, Old guy said:

I disagree, based upon the way Pestello handled the occupation of SLU, which resulted in no damage, no injuries, with people that acted in a civilized way and developed a civilized dialogue. I think he is a much better president for SLU in this day and age than Biondi could ever have been. Biondi believed in being strong and stubborn and not give an inch to anyone. If he had been president of SLU at the time of the occupation, the campus might well have sustained significant damage, and become the backdrop for cops and protesters battling it out. If any such confrontations had happened, pictures of battles between cops and protesters would have been everywhere in the media, and the student enrollment would most likely have tanked. 

I think the key to Situation 2 is to be able to solve it without major racial confrontations, without protests, and without parents yanking their kids out of the University or keeping them from coming here. To do this ample time will be required to cover all the issues and act in a fair way to all parties involved. This is not an easy job to do, and it is a job that cannot be done by railroading people or taking quick action.

 

 

Actually, it is an easy thing to do.  It is already more than 2 months so let's forget the taking action too quickly talking point.  The administration knows exactly what the facts are.   What is clearly lacking, however, is the courage to do the right thing.  Instead of acting based on the evidence, the administration gives every indication that they are more interested in political consideration than fairness.  They are clearly willing to trample on the players involved as well as the team's fans to protect those political interests.  The administration’s refusal to address this issue honestly is deplorable.

[SLU_Lax]

1 hour ago, brianstl said:

Let’s cut the crap about how small the basketball team is in the big picture of Pestello’s job.  The basketball program is the most visible part of SLU to the rest of the country and there is an $80 million building in testament to the program’s importance to SLU. For financial reasons and for public relations reasons this issue should be at the top of Pestello’s to do list right now.  The way this situation ultimately plays out will and should play a huge part in how the board views Pestello’s job performance.

Again, I am getting to emotiona, but at what point should we expect the AD to recognize these concerns and effectively communicate them in an appropriately influential way to the President. Again, I am getting emotional about it and have no inside knowledge of what has happened.

[Billy Ken]

When AD said he "assumed" a statement was coming was a very poor choice of words. Unless that was his way of deflecting blame or ownership to the president. He came off as weak. I'm sorry but comparing Father B to Pestello is not a fair comparison. The university needs a young, energetic forward thinking leader. Something is off in my opinion, from his decision making process, handling of med school, clock tower, etc. He's a sociology professor, what has he done to show he has the basic fundamental business skills and aptitude to run a university like slu? Because he was at Dayton for 25 years? Again, he seems very nice, but I'd like smart over nice. He's nice. Also, I do not want Father B back, his time has passed but I'd take him back in a second over Pestello. 

[Old guy]

53 minutes ago, dlarry said:

So basically after today's "announcement" we are in the exact same position as yesterday.

I just do not understand what part of the roller  coaster concept people do not understand. You get some kind of news like this Rosenbloom statement that will be released in the near future. Immediately everybody gets all enthusiastic and thinks deliverance is coming. Rosenbloom acquires the standing of a messiah coming in to preach the way to get to paradise. Hossanah and all that. Then comes the let down, the much expected statement either does not come or says nothing except for vague platitudes. The same happened when the missing kids went to NY with the team, the same thing happened when someone posted a picture of a player with a SLU uniform on, and so on and so forth. 

Come on guys, this process is playing like a bad soap opera. Most likely many of you will go to the heights of hope and the depths of despair many times over and over again until this thing clears up in its own time. It should be entirely obvious to anyone and everyone that they are not in any great hurry to solve this mess. So they will do it when they do it. Stop dreaming of going to the dance this year, it is not going to happen.

Bili Ken, I am sure you are not alone pining for a return of Biondi, such is life. 

[BillIkenFan_Dan]

All I ask for is just a simple one liner announcement so I can knew what is going on this can satisfy both parties in letting us know what’s going on and if the investigation is still going on satisfies the people who think they are guilty and should be kicked out instead we sit in conspiracy filled days questioning the job of the slu administration will it kill us to just give an announcement I mean come on slu 

[brianstl]

I actually think Pestello did a good job on the Clock Tower thing.  He successfully tamped down what was a very explosive situation and really gave up nothing.

[LindellWest]

9 hours ago, Billy Ken said:

When AD said he "assumed" a statement was coming was a very poor choice of words. Unless that was his way of deflecting blame or ownership to the president. He came off as weak. I'm sorry but comparing Father B to Pestello is not a fair comparison. The university needs a young, energetic forward thinking leader. Something is off in my opinion, from his decision making process, handling of med school, clock tower, etc. He's a sociology professor, what has he done to show he has the basic fundamental business skills and aptitude to run a university like slu? Because he was at Dayton for 25 years? Again, he seems very nice, but I'd like smart over nice. He's nice. Also, I do not want Father B back, his time has passed but I'd take him back in a second over Pestello. 

Perfect time for a young charismatic Jesuit from a big east school. A leader with a social conscience in keeping with Jesuit tradition that appeals to that faction of university life yet commanding the respect and authority that a leading member of the Catholic clergy deserves, thus endearing himself to the more right leaning members of our community.  A leader to move the university to forward, contacts in the big east, and an understanding of the role and importance that basketball often plays in the culture and pride of a Catholic university. Something this city and the community can rally behind and find commonalities with there fellow man. But of course that is no small wishlist but Pestello isn't the guy 

[615Billiken]

10 hours ago, brianstl said:

Let’s cut the crap about how small the basketball team is in the big picture of Pestello’s job.  The basketball program is the most visible part of SLU to the rest of the country and there is an $80 million building in testament to the program’s importance to SLU. For financial reasons and for public relations reasons this issue should be at the top of Pestello’s to do list right now.  The way this situation ultimately plays out will and should play a huge part in how the board views Pestello’s job performance.

Yes, and $80 million building that sits half empty most of the time. We hear so much about how students just don't really care about SLU basketball, but now it's hugely important?

I would say that basketball has the potential to be a huge component of SLU's image, but isn't right now. That in itself is a problem that I wish would be fixed. SLU had record freshman enrollment with a crappy basketball team over the past few years. People recognize SLU for other things, not their athletics. Do I wish that would change? Absolutely.

[JMM28]

16 minutes ago, 615Billiken said:

Yes, and $80 million building that sits half empty most of the time. We hear so much about how students just don't really care about SLU basketball, but now it's hugely important?

I would say that basketball has the potential to be a huge component of SLU's image, but isn't right now. That in itself is a problem that I wish would be fixed. SLU had record freshman enrollment with a crappy basketball team over the past few years. People recognize SLU for other things, not their athletics. Do I wish that would change? Absolutely.

It isn’t about students. The basketball team is the national marketing of SLU. It is something that, when successful, can drive donations like nothing else. It re-engages alumni all across the country. 

A successful program can also lead to increased enrollment (back to marketing). 

@brianstl was spot on with his post. And that’s not just from a basketball fan. That’s reality. 

[Old guy]

Be what it may JMM, and I think you make some very good points in your post, but I believe sports are not a priority for the University as a whole. 

[RiseAndGrind]

17 minutes ago, JMM28 said:

It isn’t about students. The basketball team is the national marketing of SLU. It is something that, when successful, can drive donations like nothing else. It re-engages alumni all across the country. 

A successful program can also lead to increased enrollment (back to marketing). 

@brianstl was spot on with his post. And that’s not just from a basketball fan. That’s reality. 

Nothing related to the current situation, but you don’t spend $80+ million on an arena and then NOT make it a priority 

[Tilkowsky]

12 hours ago, 615Billiken said:

I really don’t understand the desire to fire Pestello over this?

University presidents have so many more important things on their agenda than ensuring that your favorite basketball players are ready to play, or that if their guilty, a decision is announced to appease the fans. Pestello doesn’t care about you’all, he has a nationally ranked university to run. Appeasing a bunch of die hard Billiken basketball fans is not top of his agenda. 

You may disagree with other parts of his tenure. That’s fine. You’re not going to see eye to eye ideologically with everyone in the world. But wanting a university president fired because you don’t want your sports team being impacted is a sign of small minded people. Relax. This is a frustrating process. I wish a decision would have been made already.im frustrated with the slow investigation. I’m frustrated that players are being punished punished under the guise of no punishment. 

I also recognize that making sure my littlE Billiken basketball fandom is preserved is not a determining factor in keeping a university president hired. If it was, I probably wouldn’t want to attend that university for academic reasons.

Excellent post.

 

[Tilkowsky]

15 hours ago, HenryB said:

Almost everything about this investigation is disturbing.  Clearly none of us has all the facts yet from what we do know it appears the scales have been tilted against the players from the start.  Clearly all involved made a poor decision yet the players are paying the brunt of the consequences, particularly so when considering that there seems to be a considerable likelihood that the initial accusations to the police were false.  Just wondering if the University is going to come down hard on that... I think we all know the answer to that. It doesn' take 2+ months to investigate this and everyone knows that.  The longer this charade continues the more it smells and lends credibility to those who suspect the administration is more interested in a politically correct solution rather than a fair, common sense ruling.  SLU should be ashamed.

You should be ashamed.

The players deserve to bear the brunt of the consequences.

They decided to do whatever they did to deserve an investigation.

If the players hadn't done what they did - there would have been no investigation.

What proof do you have that the scales have been tilted against the players?

Another poster just interested in basketball wins/losses. Doesn't care about SLU's integrity.

Maybe you need to be a University of Miami fan?

[billiken_roy]

25 minutes ago, Old guy said:

Be what it may JMM, and I think you make some very good points in your post, but I believe sports are not a priority for the University as a whole. 

And that's the problem

[HenryB]

Guess you have missed all my posts about everyone involved using poor judgment....you have a vendetta so you employ selective reading.   I do care greatly about the integrity of the university  - that is why it is imperative the administration stop this charade.  The facts have been known for many weeks yet the administration chooses to make others twist in the wind because they lack the guts to lead. Yes, it is shameful.

[billiken_roy]

6 minutes ago, Tilkowsky said:

You should be ashamed.

The players deserve to bear the brunt of the consequences.

They decided to do whatever they did to deserve an investigation.

If the players hadn't done what they did - there would have been no investigation.

What proof do you have that the scales have been tilted against the players?

Another poster just interested in basketball wins/losses. Doesn't care about SLU's integrity.

Maybe you need to be a University of Miami fan?

Or Notre Dame