New Assistant Coach

[billikenfan05]

35 minutes ago, Crewsorlose said:

Revenue sports drive everything. I doubt Mens' Soccer breaks even. There's one revenue sport. We're paying the coach a ton of money. The team massively underachieved, with people thinking it would be ranked in the #20-40 range and ending up around 95th.

Ford can't convince players to stay, and he can't convince the better transfers to come here. He ran off the perfect combo guard (Jacobs) for this team. This season he buried TJ, put the shortest possible leash on Parker, saw another promising big transfer out, and yelled like a maniac on the sidelines. It's fine when you're 30. Not so fine past 50. 

Chris May's responded in the most tone-deaf manner possible. Two assistants have hightailed out of town. He has a good nucleus of guards and wings. Can he find an asst. coach that can help him see the game better? Can he tone down maniac behavior? Can he develop a culture of defense and toughness? That was his brand, but after watching this team, I'm wondering how much of it was built on the unique talents of Marcus Smart and J-Good. 

This is a really great post. I think, however, that there is an incredible amount of nuance to a discussion about Athletic Department Success, Chris May and the Culture within the AD(on a macro level, not individual team culture) and Men's Basketball.

The Non-Revenue Sports are at the highest point they've been collectively in the history of Billiken Athletics. That is an achievement that Chris May should be lauded for.

Men's Basketball: I 100% agree with you that how Chris May's tenure here is viewed will live or die on the results of the Men's Basketball program, and rightfully so. It will be impossible to continue the success/improvement in Soccer, WBB, and Baseball if Men's Basketball continues on this road of underperformance.

[kmbilliken]

Momo wasn’t a promising big. He was big. 

[HoosierPal]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:04 AM, SLUMedBilliken15 said:

Are you really going to complain about the direction of the ENTIRE athletic department???? I'd rethink your position here...

#1) Men's soccer has the number 1 recruiting class in the nation and recently made a run in the NCAA tournament.

#2) Women's soccer has won the A-10 and made the tournament 4 straight years and has been playing their best soccer ever.

#3) Women's basketball made their FIRST ever NCAA tournament appearance due to what seems to be a genius hire by the athletic director.

#4) Even baseball is currently in first place in the A-10.

#5) Men's basketball did not meet expectations last season, but they were by no means bad. They beat Memphis and Providence. [#5 is the only one you could even argue with]

Come on people!!!! Use your brains!

 

On 4/22/2023 at 10:09 AM, HoosierPal said:

#6) Track and Field athletes have set 16 new school records in the past year.

#7) The O'Loughlin Family Champion Center is under construction

#8) The women's softball team is currently in second place in the A10. 

[slu72]

On 4/22/2023 at 5:10 PM, kmbilliken said:

Momo wasn’t a promising big. He was big. 

Might he have been referring to Traore? He had some pretty good numbers at Long Beach. The one that bugs me though is seeing Vice decommit. My gut tells me we’re gonna regret losing this guy. 

[SLU_Nick]

15 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

#8) The women's softball team is currently in second place in the A10. 

All non revenue sports could go winless if it meant mens bball made it to the round of 32. 

[billikenfan05]

1 hour ago, SLU_Nick said:

All non revenue sports could go winless if it meant mens bball made it to the round of 32. 

I'm gonna need a Men's Basketball Final 4 run for that. Soccer is our best shot at a Natty, and I think we'll get there within the decade.

[slufan13]

So who's the coach? 

[JMM28]

https://twitter.com/TheCP_Hoops/status/1650255980498698243?s=20

Nunez "in the mix" for a spot as an assistant at Manhattan. 

[cgeldmacher]

Since we now have two spots open, I would really like to see Conklin get one of the spots.  He could coach up our bigs, something we could have used last season.  He also could be a great resource for possibly pulling recruits from Australia or New Zealand.  I don't think he'd have to actually fly back and forth to accomplish this, as the connections he has made during his time down under should be enough to be able to bird dog us some talent from that corner of the world.  If there is someone we really want and have a chance at, a flight would probably be worth it to see the kid play in person and then seal the deal.

[brianstl]

59 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

Since we now have two spots open, I would really like to see Conklin get one of the spots.  He could coach up our bigs, something we could have used last season.  He also could be a great resource for possibly pulling recruits from Australia or New Zealand.  I don't think he'd have to actually fly back and forth to accomplish this, as the connections he has made during his time down under should be enough to be able to bird dog us some talent from that corner of the world.  If there is someone we really want and have a chance at, a flight would probably be worth it to see the kid play in person and then seal the deal.

Conklin is playing in Portugal right now.

[thetorch]

1 hour ago, cgeldmacher said:

Since we now have two spots open, I would really like to see Conklin get one of the spots.  He could coach up our bigs, something we could have used last season.  He also could be a great resource for possibly pulling recruits from Australia or New Zealand.  I don't think he'd have to actually fly back and forth to accomplish this, as the connections he has made during his time down under should be enough to be able to bird dog us some talent from that corner of the world.  If there is someone we really want and have a chance at, a flight would probably be worth it to see the kid play in person and then seal the deal.

Conklin was booted out of the Australian League.  He would have much better connections in Europe or possibly Puerto Rico.  Hiring him now is extremely doubtful as he is still finishing up his season.

[GOSLU68]

1 hour ago, brianstl said:

Conklin is playing in Portugal right now.

34 years old still playing and won two different league MVP awards; contract terminated after he played in 17 games for huge pay increase as team was not winning or putting fans in seats. Not the first big money guy to get the boot. If you read interviews from Germanhoops.com he has played with great players around the world.

credits Majerus for his “Conklin summer” and his experience of four years at SLU and winning against many perrenial NCAA tournament tradition teams would be a big plus for our current recruiting

[johnbj14]

3 minutes ago, GOSLU68 said:

34 years old still playing and won two different league MVP awards; contract terminated after he played in 17 games for huge pay increase as team was not winning or putting fans in seats. Not the first big money guy to get the boot. If you read interviews from Germanhoops.com he has played with great players around the world.

credits Majerus for his “Conklin summer” and his experience of four years at SLU and winning against many perrenial NCAA tournament tradition teams would be a big plus for our current recruiting

Disagree with the last statement. No offense to Conk, but HS recruits have no clue who he is. These guys were in pre-school when he was a college player, and he wasn’t a massive national name. Legendary Billiken, but not someone a ton of kids will immediately know. 

[HoosierPal]

26 minutes ago, johnbj14 said:

Disagree with the last statement. No offense to Conk, but HS recruits have no clue who he is. These guys were in pre-school when he was a college player, and he wasn’t a massive national name. Legendary Billiken, but not someone a ton of kids will immediately know. 

Agree with your statement, and we are not in a position to give an Assistant Coach job to someone with no coaching experience.  Director of Player Development or Director of Basketball Operations would be fine.

[HoosierPal]

14 hours ago, SLU_Nick said:

All non revenue sports could go winless if it meant mens bball made it to the round of 32. 

There are 437 students at SLU who take part in collegiate sports under the Athletic Department umbrella.  You are interested in 15 of them that play men's basketball.  Your lack of empathy for the other 412 is disappointing.

[VeniceMenace]

1 hour ago, johnbj14 said:

Disagree with the last statement. No offense to Conk, but HS recruits have no clue who he is. These guys were in pre-school when he was a college player, and he wasn’t a massive national name. Legendary Billiken, but not someone a ton of kids will immediately know. 

Well that blows away the logic behind my nomination for assistant coach, Rasheed Shabazz. 

[Fraz]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

There are 437 students at SLU who take part in collegiate sports under the Athletic Department umbrella.  You are interested in 15 of them that play men's basketball.  Your lack of empathy for the other 412 is disappointing.

I mean if you had to choose between a 2nd weekend Men’s basketball team and all the other sports what would you pick?

[Wendelprof]

Easy - all the other sports.

[billikenfan05]

12 hours ago, johnbj14 said:

Disagree with the last statement. No offense to Conk, but HS recruits have no clue who he is. These guys were in pre-school when he was a college player, and he wasn’t a massive national name. Legendary Billiken, but not someone a ton of kids will immediately know. 

I agree here. I think GOSLU68 has gone down a really nostalgic romanticized path of posts lately. We have to remember that Billiken greats may be the center of our world but they certainly are not the center of anyone elses. That being said I would love to see Conklin in an entry level position, Nunez's player dev role comes to mind. He can bring a true warrior mentality that would be an upgrade to the programs culture. He would bring nothing to recruiting, unfortunately.

[Littlebill]

11 hours ago, Fraz said:

I mean if you had to choose between a 2nd weekend Men’s basketball team and all the other sports what would you pick?

Easy - second weekend basketball

 

....but I'm not an alum so take that fwiw

[gabriel]

Moved to transfer thread

[RUBillsFan]

While everyone is waxing nostalgic about brining in former players for a some role on the staff, there is a non-Conklin former SLU player who arguably had a better SLU career, was much more successful / beloved in Australia, is currently in a coaching role, and who I'd prefer over Conklin.  That being said, I'd doubt it is a possibility.

 

 

[HoosierPal]

13 hours ago, Fraz said:

I mean if you had to choose between a 2nd weekend Men’s basketball team and all the other sports what would you pick?

I'm not sure what you are suggesting here.  Do you want to sacrifice 412 student athletes for a weekend on ESPN highlights?  Terminate all sports except men's basketball?  (Title IX wouldn't allow it.)

I assume you have never played sports or been on a team.  There is more to life than one extra basketball game.

[Fraz]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

I'm not sure what you are suggesting here.  Do you want to sacrifice 412 student athletes for a weekend on ESPN highlights?  Terminate all sports except men's basketball?  (Title IX wouldn't allow it.)

I assume you have never played sports or been on a team.  There is more to life than one extra basketball game.

Simply asked for your thoughts.  Appreciate the condescending response though.

I’m sure plenty here would rather have NCAA caliber mens basketball over a field hockey program 

[TheA_Bomb]

Jamal Walker could get an upgrade and move on from Grand Canyon as long as we're talking former players