SLU'S MALAISE

[slu72]

is player development. I posted a couple of years ago how guys come to SLU and don't seem to get any better. In fact some can be said to have regressed. Examples: Baniak, Heinrich, and Tatum. Their games never seemed to improve in their 4 years (2 for JT). Now this years team, TF-regressed, IV-same, DC-getting less minutes than last year, AD-yeah he's still spunky and gutsy, but his shot seems to have gone missing since his freshman year, save for the Iowa NIT game, JJ-still the same old athletic head case he was last year. I remember reading about the Kent State run a few years ago. It was all about the not to highly touted players they had just getting better every year. This is what college, both academics and athletics, is all about, getting better every year. Interesting to note though that our leaders MO, Marque, and Josh all seemed to make great progress while they were here. But you've got to have overall improvement to reach the upper levels of this sport.

[Box and Won]

I agree, although I think it's too early to say that DC has regressed. He's been injured and really never had a chance to play much before the Gonzaga game. I hope that we see more of him - it seems like he's never been left in a game long enough to get into a rhythm.

I also didn't think that JJ looked all that bad out there against Gonzaga.

[willie]

I don't disagree with your thought process but I do disagree with your choice of Heinrich. I thought Heinrich showed tremendous inprovement. I might not be able to prove that in ppg. but Heinrich became a pretty good over- all player and a very good defender.

[SLUWX]

I regressed during my years at SLU, as well. My brainpower coming in was much greater than when I left.

Something tells me my problem was Humphrey's, though.

Mmmmmmm....Humphrey's...

[former_d1]

I thought the samething willie. He new how to set a pick and use his body by the time he left slu.

Thanks for those tickets last too.

[StLouBlue]

I would say this is something Brad has shown he has the ability to do. I would say Sloan, Fisher & Hunt as improved a lot in their careers at SLU & will chalk part of the reason for that to Brad. I would also put IO in the category of improved. While we have had a very rough start to the season, I this is still too early to know who has or will improve this season.

[slufanskip]

As much as I like UB ... I have questioned his subsitution pattern since he has been here. Sometimes it seems that the worst thing you can do is hit 2 or 3 shots in a row .... next thing you know you are getting a breather.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

[3star_recruit]

A system where only 25% of your scholarship players shows improvement isn't a very successful system.

[SLUAvtr]

I agree with SLUWX, Humphrey's definitely has it's advantages......I mean disadvantages.....I mean.....see? That you JB? Regression has hit me too. Anywho, I think we've seen our fair share of players who've improved and gone down hill. Yes, some of our players this year look like Brad just went to some street corner and paid some guy to "act" like he could play ball, but look how many have this year and years past. Granted our days of Perry, Sloan, Deiner, Heinrich are gone, all of whom definitely got better through their careers, IO seems to have spruced up his game (slightly), Polk, who I think has shown the most improvement out of anybody and he's only a Freshman. I think it's unfair to say that we don't have improving players, because some really are, even if the wins aren't coming. That's a whole different story, but oh well.

Let's hope these guys can get us one tonight! GO BILLS!

"It's a 106 miles to Chicago...we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.....HIT IT!"

Blues Brothers