Jim Crews coaching 1st graders

[bills16]

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/basketball/kindred-years-later-good-teammates-great-friends/article_747effef-8d19-5f78-91f4-8c3c429453b7.html

[Aquinas]

I thought Crews was, and is a man of good character.  He did a remarkable job of managing the good team he was given.  He unfortunately was a terrible recruiter, and blew the success and opportunity that he had here.  The contrast in the process of recruiting between Crews and Ford is night and day, or more like, amature  vs pro. When it comes to Crews, the Billikens have moved on, and I think it's time for us to move on. 

[slufanskip]

1 hour ago, bills16 said:

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/basketball/kindred-years-later-good-teammates-great-friends/article_747effef-8d19-5f78-91f4-8c3c429453b7.html

Water seeks it's own level

[billiken_roy]

2 hours ago, bills16 said:

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/basketball/kindred-years-later-good-teammates-great-friends/article_747effef-8d19-5f78-91f4-8c3c429453b7.html

talk about starting youngsters out on the wrong foot.......

i wonder if he's used the out of bounds play with this team where they throw the ball in the opponents face yet?

[wgstl]

1 hour ago, Aquinas said:

I thought Crews was, and is a man of good character.  He did a remarkable job of managing the good team he was given.  He unfortunately was a terrible recruiter, and blew the success and opportunity that he

Ehh, he was given a team that could practically self manage and make it to March madness.  I’m not gonna say he had no idea what he was doing x and o wise, but it was clear recruiting was his biggest weakness

[3star_recruit]

1 hour ago, Aquinas said:

I thought Crews was, and is a man of good character.  He did a remarkable job of managing the good team he was given.  He unfortunately was a terrible recruiter, and blew the success and opportunity that he had here.  The contrast in the process of recruiting between Crews and Ford is night and day, or more like, amature  vs pro. When it comes to Crews, the Billikens have moved on, and I think it's time for us to move on. 

When I look at what Yarbrough and Reynolds were able to accomplish elsewhere and how Roby was a leader on a more talented team, I'm not convinced the talent was that bad.  We had middle of the pack talent, albeit very young. And Crews did not connect with these guys on a personal level at all.  He's a relic of the 1980s mid-major culture where small-town kids would run through a wall to please their coach. 

You have to be more personable today to get your teams to gel.  Coach Ford took a less talented team than the one Crews had the year and had us playing better basketball by the end of the season.

[mdscott24]

2 hours ago, Aquinas said:

I thought Crews was, and is a man of good character.  He did a remarkable job of managing the good team he was given.  He unfortunately was a terrible recruiter, and blew the success and opportunity that he had here.  The contrast in the process of recruiting between Crews and Ford is night and day, or more like, amature  vs pro. When it comes to Crews, the Billikens have moved on, and I think it's time for us to move on. 

I agree. Let's move on from Crews.

[Cowboy]

35 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

When I look at what Yarbrough and Reynolds were able to accomplish elsewhere and how Roby was a leader on a more talented team, I'm not convinced the talent was that bad.  We had middle of the pack talent, albeit very young. And Crews did not connect with these guys on a personal level at all.  He's a relic of the 1980s mid-major culture where small-town kids would run through a wall to please their coach. 

You have to be more personable today to get your teams to gel.  Coach Ford took a less talented team than the one Crews had the year and had us playing better basketball by the end of the season.

-this line has me wondering, not sure what year you are referencing, so I put together the guys that averaged over 10 mpg for 2014-15, 2015-16 and last season, listed in order of ppg, let's compare

14-15-Milik, Ash, Crawford, McBroom, Roby, Bartley, Reynolds, Agbeko, Gillmann, Manning, Jolly

15-16-Ash, Crawford, Bishop, Reynolds, Milik, Agbeko, Roby, Hines, Bartley, Gillmann

18-19-Bess, Tramaine, Goodwin, French, Gordon, Foreman, Wiley, Thatch

-granted our depth last season was very shallow and some of these older guys might get some clock, but last year's team was less talented? I don't think so, less depth sure

[moytoy12]

11 minutes ago, Cowboy said:

-this line has me wondering, not sure what year you are referencing, so I put together the guys that averaged over 10 mpg for 2014-15, 2015-16 and last season, listed in order of ppg, let's compare

14-15-Milik, Ash, Crawford, McBroom, Roby, Bartley, Reynolds, Agbeko, Gillmann, Manning, Jolly

15-16-Ash, Crawford, Bishop, Reynolds, Milik, Agbeko, Roby, Hines, Bartley, Gillmann

18-19-Bess, Tramaine, Goodwin, French, Gordon, Foreman, Wiley, Thatch

-granted our depth last season was very shallow and some of these older guys might get some clock, but last year's team was less talented? I don't think so, less depth sure

I think 3_Star is talking about 15-16 v. 16-17. 

[3star_recruit]

37 minutes ago, moytoy12 said:

I think 3_Star is talking about 15-16 v. 16-17. 

Correct.  Should have typed "the year before".  Yarbrough, Reynolds and Bartley all left before Ford coached his first season.  Yarbrough became an all-conference player in the Valley, Reynolds eventually became a starter at Oklahoma and yet we were a better team by the following spring.  Replacing Crews with Ford more than made up for the loss in talent.

[RiseAndGrind]

1 hour ago, 3star_recruit said:

When I look at what Yarbrough and Reynolds were able to accomplish elsewhere and how Roby was a leader on a more talented team, I'm not convinced the talent was that bad.  We had middle of the pack talent, albeit very young. And Crews did not connect with these guys on a personal level at all.  He's a relic of the 1980s mid-major culture where small-town kids would run through a wall to please their coach. 

You have to be more personable today to get your teams to gel.  Coach Ford took a less talented team than the one Crews had the year and had us playing better basketball by the end of the season.

I can’t like this enough 

[philliken]

Honestly, I wish everyone would take it easy on Crews.  I've always felt we owe him a 'thank you' instead of the treatment we give.  No, he was obviously not even close to the best thing for this team; but let's remember, he came here as a favor.

He was happily retired when Rickma reached out (they were friends mind you) asking him to unretire to be an assistant coach.  If memory serves me correct, he told Rickma 'no thanks'; and only after a second phone call asking for his help, did he agree.

Then, after Rick departed this world too early, I think he took over out of obligation for his school and his friend.  Things went down from there.  I don't fault the guy.  Majerus wanted him, that was good enough for me.  Even if those tournament teams he led were 'self-managed', he still had to keep them together and gelling.

Oh and let's not forget, he was voted National Coach of the Year.  Crews is gone, let time heal this wound and move on.  Again, my personal opinion.  You're entitled to yours whether we agree or not.

[billiken_roy]

5 minutes ago, philliken said:

Honestly, I wish everyone would take it easy on Crews.  I've always felt we owe him a 'thank you' instead of the treatment we give.  No, he was obviously not even close to the best thing for this team; but let's remember, he came here as a favor.

He was happily retired when Rickma reached out (they were friends mind you) asking him to unretire to be an assistant coach.  If memory serves me correct, he told Rickma 'no thanks'; and only after a second phone call asking for his help, did he agree.

Then, after Rick departed this world too early, I think he took over out of obligation for his school and his friend.  Things went down from there.  I don't fault the guy.  Majerus wanted him, that was good enough for me.  Even if those tournament teams he led were 'self-managed', he still had to keep them together and gelling.

Oh and let's not forget, he was voted National Coach of the Year.  Crews is gone, let time heal this wound and move on.  Again, my personal opinion.  You're entitled to yours whether we agree or not.

he got a paycheck

[VeniceMenace]

14 minutes ago, philliken said:

Honestly, I wish everyone would take it easy on Crews.  I've always felt we owe him a 'thank you' instead of the treatment we give.  No, he was obviously not even close to the best thing for this team; but let's remember, he came here as a favor.

He was happily retired when Rickma reached out (they were friends mind you) asking him to unretire to be an assistant coach.  If memory serves me correct, he told Rickma 'no thanks'; and only after a second phone call asking for his help, did he agree.

Then, after Rick departed this world too early, I think he took over out of obligation for his school and his friend.  Things went down from there.  I don't fault the guy.  Majerus wanted him, that was good enough for me.  Even if those tournament teams he led were 'self-managed', he still had to keep them together and gelling.

Oh and let's not forget, he was voted National Coach of the Year.  Crews is gone, let time heal this wound and move on.  Again, my personal opinion.  You're entitled to yours whether we agree or not.

Nice he committed to stay here out of the goodness of his heart, surely the $850,000 annual payment has been donated back?

[Billiken Rich]

From the article: Advice on how to live a mediocre life from Jim's Mom.....

"When I was a little bit younger than you guys ...," he added, looking toward the players. "... my mom told me, 'Just get lost in the middle of a lot of good people. Wherever that pack of people goes — and I don't know where it's going to go — you'll be fine.'"

I do agree that Crews wasn't a bad guy while he was here and I'd have most likely taken the money too.  It would've been better for all concerned If he'd have retired "on top" after the first tourney run.  He had to know pretty quick that this ship was sinking based on his lack of recruiting.....

 

[Pistol]

[3star_recruit]

10 minutes ago, Billiken Rich said:

From the article: Advice on how to live a mediocre life from Jim's Mom.....

"When I was a little bit younger than you guys ...," he added, looking toward the players. "... my mom told me, 'Just get lost in the middle of a lot of good people. Wherever that pack of people goes — and I don't know where it's going to go — you'll be fine.'"

I do agree that Crews wasn't a bad guy while he was here and I'd have most likely taken the money too.  It would've been better for all concerned If he'd have retired "on top" after the first tourney run.  He had to know pretty quick that this ship was sinking based on his lack of recruiting.....

 

This is actually pretty good advice if you don't know early in life what you want to do. If nothing else, it helps you build a strong network you can leverage when do figure out what you want to do.

[Box and Won]

4 hours ago, wgstl said:

Ehh, he was given a team that could practically self manage and make it to March madness.  I’m not gonna say he had no idea what he was doing x and o wise, but it was clear recruiting was his biggest weakness

He took something I love and damn near killed it.  I'm not in any hurry to turn the other cheek.

[DeSmetBilliken]

1 hour ago, philliken said:

Honestly, I wish everyone would take it easy on Crews.  I've always felt we owe him a 'thank you' instead of the treatment we give.  No, he was obviously not even close to the best thing for this team; but let's remember, he came here as a favor.

He was happily retired when Rickma reached out (they were friends mind you) asking him to unretire to be an assistant coach.  If memory serves me correct, he told Rickma 'no thanks'; and only after a second phone call asking for his help, did he agree.

Then, after Rick departed this world too early, I think he took over out of obligation for his school and his friend.  Things went down from there.  I don't fault the guy.  Majerus wanted him, that was good enough for me.  Even if those tournament teams he led were 'self-managed', he still had to keep them together and gelling.

Oh and let's not forget, he was voted National Coach of the Year.  Crews is gone, let time heal this wound and move on.  Again, my personal opinion.  You're entitled to yours whether we agree or not.

I am thankful to him for the 2012-13 season. The team may have coached itself on the court that year, but I’m confident that he did something to help those kids cope with the loss of Majerus. 

With that said, you can have gratitude to him for that part of his tenure, while also not being willing to forget about the abomination that was his tenure as coach for his last 2 years. That guy had a team ranked in the Top 10, and 1-2 years later they might not have been in the Top 200. For most of my life, I look forward to every SLU game. In his last year, I viewed going to games as a chore and sometimes didn’t care enough to watch road games. It was absolutely terrible, and I’m not over it yet. 

Making the NCAAs last season was so special to me because it meant that Jim Crews hadn’t actually killed our program, as I had once feared.

[Sheltiedave]

Crews didn’t kill the program, but with his lackluster efforts, he rented a hearse and drove the recruits to the mortuary.

[DirtyRican]

I coached 3rd grade last season, moving up to 4th this fall....pretty pumped.

[willie]

7 minutes ago, DirtyRican said:

I coached 3rd grade last season, moving up to 4th this fall....pretty pumped.

Don't forget to run the picket fence. 

[Brighton]

3 hours ago, Box and Won said:

He took something I love and damn near killed it.  I'm not in any hurry to turn the other cheek.

You could say he cost the school a chance to get into the Big East.

[billikenfan05]

Jim crews killed the Billiken basketball program by hiring platt 

[billiken_roy]

It definitely didnt help.