jjray Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 I was one of the people bemoaning the lack of minutes for JJ midway through last season when the bench was shortened. If JJ still doesn't get it, god help him. We need what he can bring to the table but must agree that coach can't change his standards based upon athletic ability. Either the kid holds up his end of the bargain or he sits (or is shown the door). The stuff that goes on at Cincy drives me crazy. SLU has to win with discipline, determination, team game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 a perfect illustration of what coach soderberg expects from inside. running and jumping isnt priority one. he is looking for heart and dedication first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Were back to Deiner then again Roy. Ross was smart did what the coach wanted and had no talent or athleticism at all. I hope we do not see his like playing in a Billiken uniform again. Obvoisly JJ wasn't any better if he's not getting it to this point..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Rich, I'll have to throw a flag with that comment. I hope we have three players in Billiken year EVERY year with the skills, knowledge, and hard work that RV exemplified - just not that much time on the floor. The skilled players need to know they must work just as hard as those with less ability. If they don't, then we see the less skilled player eating minutes on the floor- but giving all they have. No matter how well we recruit over the next few years, we need players that work their butts off in practice, in the off-season, and developing their talents. JJ has let down the entire team by not busting ass as the hard work starts up again, so Brad decided to catch his attention. There is no way JJ should not be slated for 20 minutes a game, so this tells me we are looking at 5 mpg out of him at this point. Dissapointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 tseugnekillib's point was to answer all the critics that couldnt fathom why ross played and justin sat last year. it was not a comment defending if ross was a talented player, but rather of our choices, was his playing time the best. i concur with tseugnekillib that we now have a clearer belief that justin has not provided the mentality and discipline needed to play college basketball and ross did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 I don't understand how you could have thought 20 mpg and how now you can talk about 5 mpg for JJ. He didn't show the heart and desire last year so why would anyone expect that to change? 5 mpg is only possible if he earns his way back. I would have to believe that the road back for JJ will be a lot tougher than the road JJ needed to be on to just stay on the team and in everyone's good graces. As to the above poster's comment about Brad keeping a short leash-not true until you prove that you are not man enough to keep yourself on track and out of trouble. Brad treats the players like adults until they act like kids. We will be fine with TF, IV, IO, BH, and VN manning the 4-5 spots if JJ is not back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 SLUmn, the twenty mpg was a guess at available time for the 3/4 sub pattern that Brad likes to run, and which JJ would have no problem filling IF he got his act together over the summer. He hasn't, and now Brad is forced to do a preemptive excision of a cancerous malaise. The 5 mpg revision is probably THE BEST that JJ might be able to pull off at this point, if he is lucky and busts butt. At the major DivI level, major minutes of play time require some major work, which JJ just isn't too keen on at this point in his life. The positive flip side is others on the team can witness first hand what they have to do to get rewarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 I hope we never again have a scholarship athlete the likes of Varner, Deiner, or JJ for that matter. We need to upgrade if we want to be a tournament team year in and year out. Varner would be an excellent find as a walk on but was a dissapointment as a scholarship athlete as is JJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 That does explain why. Ross had all the intangibles needed to play power forward except size, strength, and speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 I personally loved Ross, he was the leader of the team. He provided the team with maturity, discipline and encouragement. Why shouldn't a walk on caliber type player get a scholarship when u have these supposed "deserving athletes" getting scholarships who don't appreciate them, can't stay out of trouble and think they're the "shizzz nit"? (Am I allowed to say that?, not talking about JJ persay but players in general)Let's not mention academics. I tell u, and this is no put down on SLU but scholarships should only be rewarded to those who work hard. Those Who want to win, who has the heart, who has the potential to be A GREAT player in their sport, who is concerned about their grades, who wants to succeed and one who has a back up plan just in case Basketball doesn't pan out for them in the long run. It shouldn't be based on fame, or skills alone. They're other traits to be considered and I feel that Ross possessed those traits. Kids today think everything is a GIVEN, its not. U either work your tail off or get the heck out....., nothing is easy. We forget that these kids are young, what messages would we send to prepare them for life after college, if we don't enforce the necessary traits to be successful in our society. If we just give them everything with out them deserving it, they will grow to expect it. We need more Ross Varners in uniforms, sure Ross wasn't the best player, but he knew how to play the game. (the game of basketball, political game with coaches and athletic staff, teamwork game, academic game)Eventually the players we obtain with just the skills, intangibles and all of that type of game, will have the mental game to go with it by the time they graduate. (just like Ross) They will have acquired not only Basketball success but success as a man and prepared for life after college. U all know I'm an advocate for the UNDER DOG. Reg played that role many a years and he's still playing it. Why should good players, with good academics, and no drama in their lives be denied an opportunity at success, because some think the grass is greener on the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 ...even with the black slang version of the S-word. Hear, hear, Marlo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Agree with everything you said. I'd only add that there enough Chris Sloans and Anthony Drejajs out there that marginal athletes like Ross should never get a scholarship from SLU. Drake and SEMO, yeah -- SLU, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 You said it better than I did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 actually, we should have known there was risk if justin was let go of his scholarship as easily as he was and there was no reported competition for his services. i mean how often is a 6'8" athletic power forward out there? let's just hope justin realizes what he is throwing away and gets it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 unless we are talking about duke or the detroit pistons, actually ross had the height and strength of a typical division one college power forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 I must not be watching as many Missouri Valley games as you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 This is exactly how I feel about our team and how we should deal with our student athletes. Thanks for stating it so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 Sorry, I am just catching up on this post. I was particularly concerned by the comment that Tom F. may have showed up not in shape. With his history (not showing up in shape last year) that could take away any chance he has of playing at the level we need him to this year. I think his experience in the post will be hard to replace this year. Anyone have a report on his asthma condition? Also, I understand a lot of what you are saying about JJ. One thing I have to say about him is my son is very disappointed about the news. At the summer camps JJ worked with the kids and was their favorite. He was great at making them feel equal to their idols. It is a shame JJ is disappointing so many young Billikens fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 Tom returned to school out of shape because of his shoulder injury, but Coach Thorpe has been working with him, and I believe he'll be in great shape by the time practice starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 eallstun, welcome to the board. at least i think welcome is in order, i dont remember you posting before. my daughter had jj as her coach at brad's shooting campm at althoff this summer. she too said how much fun jj was and how his enthusiasm and eagerness to play basketball made the camp time and all the drills go by so fast. she was very upset to hear he had been kicked off the team. jj is obviously a bright young man with a great personality when he wants to be. i am hoping he finally realizes his future is passing him by and he is about to get kicked off the train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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