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Greatest Top 50 College Basketball Coach


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24 minutes ago, Clock_Tower said:

+1

Another bad. non-basketball AD:  Jim Baken

Joe Yates was a low life but Baken was the worst. All he did was play golf. Baken was hired over the Mizoo Guy John Katlec , who probably would have been a decent choice. 

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The only thing I remember about Jim Baken was he allowed the score keepers to wear other schools's clothing - Often saw a guy down there with his Missouri sweatshirt on all the time.   Joe Yates had his own issues but to call him a low life is a bit strong.  Yes I know the whole story but life is just a bit more complicated then how it often seems.

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1 hour ago, Clock_Tower said:

They tried to implement a points system but had incomplete, poor prior records and data and made huge/wrong assumptions relying upon whatever ticket holders told them

I do vaguely remember this I think. Is this while we were still at the Enterprise Center?

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It was in the move from old Kiel to the Arena. Sight lines were bad and people chose seats for many reasons other than  the closest to the court.  A few rows up for perspective and better viewing, Aisle seats, front row of second level...  doubling of seats was also allowed and feelings were hurt as better and choice seats given to “newer” families (many who then doubled their seats and pushed the longtime families up higher)...  alot of complaints made, the AD and staff then tried to meet w every family, admissions made that the AD did not keep records and data all those years and a real effort to correct these mistakes before moving into the the new Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade

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10 hours ago, SLU_Lax said:

I do vaguely remember this I think. Is this while we were still at the Enterprise Center?

old checkerdome/arena

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His name is spelled Bakken.

I know, everyone makes mistakes. Here  is how his webpage at the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame is shown:

 JIM BAKKEN

Football

Born: November 2, 1940, Madison, Wisconsin
Position: First Base
Played For: St. Louis Cardinals (1962-1978)

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5 hours ago, Clock_Tower said:

It was in the move from old Kiel to the Arena. Sight lines were bad and people chose seats for many reasons other than  the closest to the court.  A few rows up for perspective and better viewing, Aisle seats, front row of second level...  doubling of seats was also allowed and feelings were hurt as better and choice seats given to “newer” families (many who then doubled their seats and pushed the longtime families up higher)...  alot of complaints made, the AD and staff then tried to meet w every family, admissions made that the AD did not keep records and data all those years and a real effort to correct these mistakes before moving into the the new Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade

When I first arrived at SLU in '69 we were playing at the Arena. I think this went on for two seasons. Then for the 71-72 season they moved back to Kiel, much more enjoyable venue and we also had a really good team that finished in a 3 way tie for the old Valley championship. Are you saying sometime after this they moved back to the Arena? If so, I can't figure out why. Even when we got over 10,000 at the Arena it seemed empty. Trust me the only time we got plus 10k was when we played a Marquette, Notre Dame, Louisville, Memphis, or UC. Keil would shake, rattle, and roll when it filled up with 10,000 ( I think that was the max capacity). Tar Heel can back me up on this.

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When they were at the arena for The  Highmark/Claggett/Waldman years, they practically sold the sucker out.

Spoon was a marketing genius. From 1994 through 2001, we were a top 25 D1 program in attendance every year, ranked 24, 7, 7, 18, 6, 15, 16, and 23. Success puts butts in the seats.

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31 minutes ago, slu72 said:

When I first arrived at SLU in '69 we were playing at the Arena. I think this went on for two seasons. Then for the 71-72 season they moved back to Kiel, much more enjoyable venue and we also had a really good team that finished in a 3 way tie for the old Valley championship. Are you saying sometime after this they moved back to the Arena? If so, I can't figure out why. Even when we got over 10,000 at the Arena it seemed empty. Trust me the only time we got plus 10k was when we played a Marquette, Notre Dame, Louisville, Memphis, or UC. Keil would shake, rattle, and roll when it filled up with 10,000 ( I think that was the max capacity). Tar Heel can back me up on this.

we were at the arena in my days 77-82 metro conference.   switched back to kiel a couple of years later.   then back to arena late 80's when they tore down kiel to build the current kiel savis enterprise or whatever it is called these days.  

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20 minutes ago, Sheltiedave said:

When they were at the arena for The  Highmark/Claggett/Waldman years, they practically sold the sucker out.

Spoon was a marketing genius. From 1994 through 2001, we were a top 25 D1 program in attendance every year, ranked 24, 7, 7, 18, 6, 15, 16, and 23. Success puts butts in the seats.

didnt hurt that the big red left town and a lot of sports dollars in the st louis area begging to be taken.

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39 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

didnt hurt that the big red left town and a lot of sports dollars in the st louis area begging to be taken.

I agree with this in concept, but the actual facts don't line up as well with the narrative.  The football Cardinals left St. Louis in 1987 and the Rams arrived in 1995.  If this was a primary factor, you'd have seen attendance spike much earlier and perhaps fade quickly when the Rams arrived.  That wasn't the case as mentioned above the attendance spike was 1994 - 2001.  Further evidence is that we haven't seen attendance spike with the Rams gone again.

The 1990s attendance spike had a lot more to do with

  • SLU making the NCAAs for the first time in decades in 1994
  • Novelty of Kiel Center
  • Spoon
  • Having teams that were fun / entertaining to watch
  • Larry Hughes
  • Playing in a gigantic arena with plenty of cheap tickets available
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3 hours ago, slu72 said:

When I first arrived at SLU in '69 we were playing at the Arena. I think this went on for two seasons. Then for the 71-72 season they moved back to Kiel, much more enjoyable venue and we also had a really good team that finished in a 3 way tie for the old Valley championship. Are you saying sometime after this they moved back to the Arena? If so, I can't figure out why. Even when we got over 10,000 at the Arena it seemed empty. Trust me the only time we got plus 10k was when we played a Marquette, Notre Dame, Louisville, Memphis, or UC. Keil would shake, rattle, and roll when it filled up with 10,000 ( I think that was the max capacity). Tar Heel can back me up on this.

Your right on those early 70s yrs. Most games it was pretty empty. Maybe 4-5000 a game.

One game I recall a huge crowd was the season finale with Bradley. It was the year we had that 3 way tie in the MVC. The announced crowd was 14,000+. I recall sending the clipping to a friend back East. 

 

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42 minutes ago, tarheelbilliken said:

Your right on those early 70s yrs. Most games it was pretty empty. Maybe 4-5000 a game.

One game I recall a huge crowd was the season finale with Bradley. It was the year we had that 3 way tie in the MVC. The announced crowd was 14,000+. I recall sending the clipping to a friend back East. 

 

That had to be in the Keil, Tarheel. Probably the most exciting game I'd been to at SLU was a late Feb 72 game against Louisville at the Kiel. Place was SRO and we beat them. That was the game that pulled us into the three way tie w/Memphis and UL. I also think, but may be wrong, either Memphis or UL took UCLA to the final 2 that year. Great year for Bills hoops. Thing about Kiel u were close to the game. Same at the Fetz, 

 

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27 minutes ago, tarheelbilliken said:

Larry, this was the 70-1 season. We had the 3 way tie with Louisville & Drake. Harry was a soph and it was Irving's senior season. 

I still cry about that loss in the play-off game at Bradley against Louisville. 

Heart breaker. You sure it wasn't 71-72? Harry was a Jr. Jimmy the Jet a SR. I maybe wrong. Loved watching the Jet play. He should be a hall of farmer. He could break down a D. 

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31 minutes ago, tarheelbilliken said:

Larry, this was the 70-1 season. We had the 3 way tie with Louisville & Drake. Harry was a soph and it was Irving's senior season. 

I still cry about that loss in the play-off game at Bradley against Louisville. 

By the way, Heel, the 3 way tie was Memphis, UL, and us. Of that I'm sure. 

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