Around the A10 20-21 season

[Taj79]

Thanks Captain Obvious.  What you been doing these last 14 days or so .... developing that in-depth analysis.  

[wgstl]

 

What a post from a Lasalle fan. 

This being said, instead of adding anyone, why cant we just drop Fordham and Lasalle.  

[AnkielBreakers]

25 minutes ago, wgstl said:

 

What a post from a Lasalle fan. 

This being said, instead of adding anyone, why cant we just drop Fordham and Lasalle.  

I am guessing everyone in the conference would agree. Maybe drop George Mason as well. Then, maybe we could look to add new quality.

[wgstl]

4 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

I am guessing everyone in the conference would agree. Maybe drop George Mason as well. Then, maybe we could look to add new quality.

im indifferent about GM.  In the last 5 years they've averaged that 9/10 spot, so at least top 10. 

If you eliminate Fordham and LaSalle,  our conference NET this season goes from 9th place to 7th place. Most years I think that would get us closer to 3 bids than 1. 

[Compton]

45 minutes ago, wgstl said:

 

What a post from a Lasalle fan. 

This being said, instead of adding anyone, why cant we just drop Fordham and Lasalle.  

I get the poster's frustration with LaSalle not being competitive in the A10, but that rationale and those proposals make zero sense. No reason to reinvent the wheel when numerous examples of the exact conference profile they're looking to build already exist, whether that's the CAA, MAAC, America East or Patriot. Maybe leave with Fordham as a package deal to move one of those conferences from 10 to 12 members (although the MAAC currently has 11, a perfect fit!), but there's no need (or interest in) an insurrection.

[billiken_roy]

imo the way to do it is pretty simple.   the conference makes a declaration they want to improve their national standing and have decided to do so every program has to reach certain levels of improvements such as facilities, budget size number of sports, etc.   my guess is the standards could be set that would force the likes of fordham to either finally step up or to say "Hello Patriot League".   

[Fan Guy]

20 minutes ago, Compton said:

I get the poster's frustration with LaSalle not being competitive in the A10, but that rationale and those proposals make zero sense. No reason to reinvent the wheel when numerous examples of the exact conference profile they're looking to build already exist, whether that's the CAA, MAAC, America East or Patriot. Maybe leave with Fordham as a package deal to move one of those conferences from 10 to 12 members (although the MAAC currently has 11, a perfect fit!), but there's no need (or interest in) an insurrection.

Isn’t Fordham already in the Patriot League for football?

[HoosierPal]

How many hundred times have we discussed this?

[wgstl]

 

 

 

[SLUMedBilliken15]

1 hour ago, wgstl said:

 

 

This being said, instead of adding anyone, why cant we just drop Fordham and Lasalle.  

Lasalle was the most recent A10 team to reach the sweet 16 and Fordham has the best media market. 

I agree that both of these teams are currently horrid, but I doubt the A10 will drop them anytime soon.

[wgstl]

Just now, SLUMedBilliken15 said:

Lasalle was the most recent A10 team to reach the sweet 16 and Fordham has the best media market. 

I agree that both of these teams are currently horrid, but I doubt the A10 drops them.

They have the best media market but erase that by making the conference so bad, we cant get extra bids 

[Littlebill]

Just now, wgstl said:

They have the best media market but erase that by making the conference so bad, we cant get extra bids 

Let's add Manhattan, Boston U and Chicago State while we're at it

[Clock_Tower]

2 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Thanks Captain Obvious.  What you been doing these last 14 days or so .... developing that in-depth analysis.  

Funny.  Would be nice to read a positive comment or two from you about our team's players rather than the glowing ones you post of the other A10 teams.  I respect your knowledge of the other teams and such info is appreciated, but not sure you realize how negative you have been about our own team.

You said you were done with JGood.   Nothing good from you about French.  Alot of blame upon Coach Ford.  Blame due to not making the NCAA but 1 time during their careers.

Will just agree to disagree.   We were an NCAA Tourney last year and this year too, but for the COVID.  St. Bona is not a better team than us and I would much prefer Coach Ford over Mark Schmidt.  We don't need a new coach or a program overhaul of talent - just good health this year and some new pieces to the puzzle next year.  Maybe you and others call COVID an excuse this year.  So be it.   Again, agree to disagree.   My 19 year old son was in perfect physical shape before getting COVID last Fall.   He lost taste and smell, had normal sore throat and cough, slept 22 hours two (2) days in a row and soon otherwise recovered.  Young kids recover quickly -- and thankfully he did too - though he continued to be winded going up stairs for 2 months afterwards.   No big deal for him -- but I suspect it was/is a big deal for French and the others.  Thankfully, I have no first had knowledge - though several in my office and friends and family tested positive and all have talked about both the short term recovery and the longer term recovery. 

Bad luck, possibly self-inflicted as per the other thread ...  but the effects of COVID are real -- and I suggest are not an excuse.

[slufanskip]

36 minutes ago, wgstl said:

They have the best media market but erase that by making the conference so bad, we cant get extra bids 

The media market to me seems a non factor. If you took the top 20 sources for Sports info in NYC would any of them devote more than 1% of their time or space to Fordham? What do they draw in attendance? 17

[brianstl]

6 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

The media market to me seems a non factor. If you took the top 20 sources for Sports info in NYC would any of them devote more than 1% of their time or space to Fordham? What do they draw in attendance? 17

Fordham is important to the other A10 members because the fundraising opportunities that games in NYC gives those members with alumni based in NYC.

[Compton]

16 minutes ago, brianstl said:

Fordham is important to the other A10 members because the fundraising opportunities that games in NYC gives those members with alumni based in NYC.

This is a case for keeping the A10 tournament at Barclays, where a good number of alumni show up (including some heavy hitters) and May and Pestello have events and networking. But the average regular season game at Rose Hill gets maybe 40 or 50 away alums (or at least it feels that way), most of whom are relatively recent grads (e.g. not cutting big checks).

In my experience at Rose Hill the away fans are proportional to the overall fans. In other words, there aren't many of them. 

[Taj79]

@Clock Tower —- not only Cpt. Obvious but reading impaired and logic impaired.  I blast you for taking 14 days to post that in-depth piece of analysis and you come back with some disconnected gibberish tying my A10 analysis into glowing reports on all teams but ours.  I EXPECT Billiken fans to know their team.  I don’t bother to report on what Cpt. Obvious seems to want.

I did say I was done with both players.  There.  I said it again.  Maybe they’ll go out in the Not In Tournament Tournament and look good.  Won’t matter.  It’s not The Dance and that is the banner of success.  Nothing else measures up.

Also, we were not a NCAA tourney team this year or last.  Did we play in either tournament?  No.  I don’t know how you count but that’s how I count.  Play and in.  Not and out.  Seems simple to even Cpt. Obvious types.  Mangle that however you want.

I don’t recall calling COVID an excuse but for Dayton 1.0 and La Salle.  Look around the country, almost all teams affected by COVID have come back weaker —— Baylor, Michigan State, many others.  But I only write off the first two games back.  Then the rest fail elsewhere.  I have long said we are better than the Bonnies and think Schmidt a tedious, sideline wanderer who I want nothing to do with.  Yet you seem to credit me otherwise.  Again, reading comprehension.  And you still don’t get matchup issues between teams.  Sit down and shut up.

I have no clue what your son and kids recovering have in this discussion.  On one hand your kid got it and recovered with no (?) problems.  So kids recover?  But then you say for French and others it was a big deal.  Then comes “but I have no firsthand knowledge. The effects of COVID are real and no excuse.”  So COVID is real and not an excuse.”  WTF are you trying to say?

I have long said Perkins is a scoring machine.  Collins is the best pure passer since H Waldman.  French and Goodwin are warriors.  Gibson Jimerson is a shooter.  But all are weak and exploitable from a scouting perspective.  I also EXPECT Billiken fans to know that too.  I calls them as I sees them.  You don’t like it, don’t read my stuff.  

[thetorch]

6 hours ago, brianstl said:

Fordham is important to the other A10 members because the fundraising opportunities that games in NYC gives those members with alumni based in NYC.

Can't thay all do this at the conference tournament in Brooklyn?

[slu72 fan]

Does anyone live in NYC any longer? I thought everyone had moved to Florida. How about trying to get a Florida school?  ( blue font )

[Taj79]

As for around the A10, I think I called that Dave Paulsen fire back in the preseason.  

FACT CHECK:  this thread, page 16, fifth post from top:  December 27:  "This will be Paulsen's final year at Mason."

This is right up there with my Jordair Jett-to-transfer item a few years back.

[Clock_Tower]

3 hours ago, Taj79 said:

@Clock Tower —- not only Cpt. Obvious but reading impaired and logic impaired.  I blast you for taking 14 days to post that in-depth piece of analysis and you come back with some disconnected gibberish tying my A10 analysis into glowing reports on all teams but ours.  I EXPECT Billiken fans to know their team.  I don’t bother to report on what Cpt. Obvious seems to want.

I did say I was done with both players.  There.  I said it again.  Maybe they’ll go out in the Not In Tournament Tournament and look good.  Won’t matter.  It’s not The Dance and that is the banner of success.  Nothing else measures up.

Also, we were not a NCAA tourney team this year or last.  Did we play in either tournament?  No.  I don’t know how you count but that’s how I count.  Play and in.  Not and out.  Seems simple to even Cpt. Obvious types.  Mangle that however you want.

I don’t recall calling COVID an excuse but for Dayton 1.0 and La Salle.  Look around the country, almost all teams affected by COVID have come back weaker —— Baylor, Michigan State, many others.  But I only write off the first two games back.  Then the rest fail elsewhere.  I have long said we are better than the Bonnies and think Schmidt a tedious, sideline wanderer who I want nothing to do with.  Yet you seem to credit me otherwise.  Again, reading comprehension.  And you still don’t get matchup issues between teams.  Sit down and shut up.

I have no clue what your son and kids recovering have in this discussion.  On one hand your kid got it and recovered with no (?) problems.  So kids recover?  But then you say for French and others it was a big deal.  Then comes “but I have no firsthand knowledge. The effects of COVID are real and no excuse.”  So COVID is real and not an excuse.”  WTF are you trying to say?

I have long said Perkins is a scoring machine.  Collins is the best pure passer since H Walkman.  French and Goodwin are warriors.  Gibson Jimerson is a shooter.  But all are weak and exploitable from a scouting perspective.  I also EXPECT Billiken fans to know that too.  I calls them as I sees them.  You don’t like it, don’t read my stuff.  

No reading impaired issues here.  Too many important things in my life to not respond sooner to your post. But please explain how waiting, as you say, 14 days nullifies your wild and rosy predictions of a bad St Joe team?   Ok. I will hang up and listen. Cannot wait to hear. 100 points put up on them in a conference game doesn’t appear like a team which defends either. 
And I am glad you learned about matchups from reading 3Star - one of our better posters BTW  I learn things from him too, such as Hargrove’s weaknesses as a high school player - but not what you learned -  that matchups are important. I learned that at age 10.  So if that was your new insight, look in the mirror Captain Obvious. 
As to my son, friends and family who have gone through Covid, let me better explain. Yes, they recovered. Yes they are no longer contagious. Yes, they returned to school and work. Yes they regained their taste and smell. Yes, they looked and acted the same coming out of quarantine- and thankfully came out of quarantine and did not die- but they continued to get winded walking up steps for long periods of time. This past Spring, after another hockey season and then rugby practice starting with a 2 mile run to warm up, my son was in as good of shape or better than Team  Blue. And yet he and others experienced  breathing issues going up stairs for months and others who have more recently tested positive are still experiencing this symptom. 
If true, ask yourself if Team Blue got winded playing high-level D1 basketball day in and day out? And on day two of the A10 tournament against a team that they throttled two weeks earlier.  Even to Captain Obvious, it did not look like they played as they did prior to Covid. I am glad you gave Team Blue 2 games to return to normal. To me, that says it all. Where did 2 games come from?  Do you have a medical degree we are not aware of?  I am not a medical doctor and I don’t pretend to be be one or have superior medical knowledge. Just a MBM, but to me, when I see a whole team not play well, I look for possible reasons. 
I guess we react differently. I am glad you called JGood and French warriors in the past, but when they physically didn’t perform like they did in the past,  or with more rest, I dont write them off, say I am done with them and post snotty comments about them dancing only 1 year. Same with Coach Ford. Yes I have some concerns with next year’s lineup, but I believe we are going in the right direction. I guess we disagree there too.  You see, I believe we were an NCAA team last year like Dayton was an NCAA team. Covid robbed us of this last year and I suggest again this year.  Guess we agree to disagree but I believe the team Coach Ford put together was an NCAA caliber team this year too. Did we make it ?  No. But for Covid, I say we make it. But for a 30 day shutdown, the Richmond fiasco and the A10 shaving off 2 games to play most of our Tournament with the Valley, I say we make it.  Again. Agree to disagree. 
I am just thankful to have had college basketball simply played again. I recognize that many of the traditional powerhouse teams did not make the Dance this year. Coincidence? The disparity of teams throughout the country as to the number of games played, their relative healths, how their schools and conferences have reacted, how their areas reacted and were affected by Covid is massive. This year has been unusual. I would be ecstatic if our team were dancing but this is not a normal year and while I will not put an asterisk on this season because we are not dancing, I also believe that team and player evaluations, if they are credible, should have Covid factored into them. Apparently you and I disagree on this as well. 

[Taj79]

@Clock Tower --- how can you say I made rosy predictions on a St. Joe's team.  I said their three point shooting could present matchup problems for a team (SLU) that many were indicating has/had trouble defending the three?  I said this as they went 3 and 0 down the stretch of the A10 season.  I noted their 'starting center' led their team with 140 three attempts.  I pointed out early on that they play 5 out and every one of them will shoot from deep.  Not once did I rave on their defense.  They (and Umass) play to outscore you.  Umass did that to them in the tournament by shooting astronomically well from range.  They lost their legs what with three games in four days.  Seems simple to me and I am still glad we didn't have to see them.  Umass' problem is the space between their collective ears.  They quit when faced with adversity.  I think Tre Mitchell's transfer speaks volumes to that.  

I'm glad your son is fine.  I have no point of reference how his condition mimics that of high level Division I athletes.  The discussion is a non-starter. 

My giving Team Blue two games is only based on what I have heard the pundits say and the examples demonstrated at Baylor, Michigan State, Richmond and Davidson and others.  Richmond and Davidson?  Yes.  They may have learned from us and scheduled a DIII opponent first when coming back from their COVID pauses.  We, on the other hand, went right back out and played two DI teams that were playing while we sat.  After those two, we went out and beat the Bonnies, Rhode Island, Fordham and La Salle.  I thought we were back as most of us likely did.  Of course, the only road win was at a putrid Fordham team (who plays much better defense than St. Joes by the way).  What's your take on losing Dayton 2.0 and then to a Bones-less VCU team?  Then we beat Richmond and Umass twice before tossing up that Bonnie stinker.  I personally think it is interesting that we lost physical games to these three.  Matchups?  Maybe?  Coaches that had the physicality and wherewithall to counter Bully Ball?  Reverting to a walk-up game instead of running with a full (albeit scarred) bench?  If you want to respond to that question(s) I'm all ears awaiting your in-depth analysis of such.

You can believe what you want on NCAA-caliber team and here's a shocker --- I agree with you.  But the bottom line is no tournament appearances.  I believe we are a tournament team next year too.  Not to put too much pressure on anyone.

COVID was an even playing field.  Every team in the country had to deal with it in one way or another.  With all that being even, we didn't make it.  We put our destiny, no matter our talent, into the hands of a bunch of suits sitting in a conference room in Indianapolis.  Belief is individual and you can go wherever you want with it.  The results are what they are.  

[CBFan]

23 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@Clock Tower --- how can you say I made rosy predictions on a St. Joe's team.  I said their three point shooting could present matchup problems for a team (SLU) that many were indicating has/had trouble defending the three?  I said this as they went 3 and 0 down the stretch of the A10 season.  I noted their 'starting center' led their team with 140 three attempts.  I pointed out early on that they play 5 out and every one of them will shoot from deep.  Not once did I rave on their defense.  They (and Umass) play to outscore you.  Umass did that to them in the tournament by shooting astronomically well from range.  They lost their legs what with three games in four days.  Seems simple to me and I am still glad we didn't have to see them.  Umass' problem is the space between their collective ears.  They quit when faced with adversity.  I think Tre Mitchell's transfer speaks volumes to that.  

I'm glad your son is fine.  I have no point of reference how his condition mimics that of high level Division I athletes.  The discussion is a non-starter. 

My giving Team Blue two games is only based on what I have heard the pundits say and the examples demonstrated at Baylor, Michigan State, Richmond and Davidson and others.  Richmond and Davidson?  Yes.  They may have learned from us and scheduled a DIII opponent first when coming back from their COVID pauses.  We, on the other hand, went right back out and played two DI teams that were playing while we sat.  After those two, we went out and beat the Bonnies, Rhode Island, Fordham and La Salle.  I thought we were back as most of us likely did.  Of course, the only road win was at a putrid Fordham team (who plays much better defense than St. Joes by the way).  What's your take on losing Dayton 2.0 and then to a Bones-less VCU team?  Then we beat Richmond and Umass twice before tossing up that Bonnie stinker.  I personally think it is interesting that we lost physical games to these three.  Matchups?  Maybe?  Coaches that had the physicality and wherewithall to counter Bully Ball?  Reverting to a walk-up game instead of running with a full (albeit scarred) bench?  If you want to respond to that question(s) I'm all ears awaiting your in-depth analysis of such.

You can believe what you want on NCAA-caliber team and here's a shocker --- I agree with you.  But the bottom line is no tournament appearances.  I believe we are a tournament team next year too.  Not to put too much pressure on anyone.

COVID was an even playing field.  Every team in the country had to deal with it in one way or another.  With all that being even, we didn't make it.  We put our destiny, no matter our talent, into the hands of a bunch of suits sitting in a conference room in Indianapolis.  Belief is individual and you can go wherever you want with it.  The results are what they are.  

I cannot disagree with your points, I love the Billikens but I am honest about the results.

They should have played a practice game before taking on Dayton.

The 2 blow out losses to Dayton and the Bonnies cost SLU the NCAA tournament.

The loss to LaSalle hurt as well.

To be a NCAA tournament team they had to beat Dayton once and beat a boneless VCU team and they did not.

I have no argument with the selection committee not selecting the Billikens.

I hope you watch the NIT.  French and Goodwin got SLU to the NCAA tournament with a wonderful A10 sweep.  Last season I believe if they made it to the A10 tournament championship SLU would have gotten selected.  Those two players accomplished a lot and I look forward to to seeing them play on Saturday.

[Cowboy]

2 hours ago, CBFan said:

I cannot disagree with your points, I love the Billikens but I am honest about the results.

They should have played a practice game before taking on Dayton.

The 2 blow out losses to Dayton and the Bonnies cost SLU the NCAA tournament.

The loss to LaSalle hurt as well.

To be a NCAA tournament team they had to beat Dayton once and beat a boneless VCU team and they did not.

I have no argument with the selection committee not selecting the Billikens.

I hope you watch the NIT.  French and Goodwin got SLU to the NCAA tournament with a wonderful A10 sweep.  Last season I believe if they made it to the A10 tournament championship SLU would have gotten selected.  Those two players accomplished a lot and I look forward to to seeing them play on Saturday.

-this is too rational a take for this Board

[Taj79]

I will watch the NIT.  Do you consider this prepping for next year?  If so, who do you play?