cheeseman Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Today on Rammer and Randolph's show, they had a guest who wrote sports articles for the RFT and teaches media at Webster U. The discussion got around to the Bills and both the guest and Randolph agreed that Brad should be giving much bigger minutes to JJ and DC and IV and deducting them from RB and IO. The rationale was that given how the year has played out, winning games is secondary and preparing the players who will be there next year should be the number one goal now. Rammer did not agree or disagree but he kept making them explain why and actually they did a good job of supporting their positions. Rammer finally said - OK - I understand what you are saying and it is logical. Some of us have been saying this for sometime and I agree that Brad needs to explain to the IO and RB that it is not about them but about the team and its future. That being said, the guest also explained that RB loosing minutes is not because he has not produced but because in his opinion RB is not going to the next level - NBA - and so his getting his 14-18 pts per game is not going to impact him or the program for either of their futures. He said IO simply is bringing nothing to the table that is helpful for the team and its future and that he had his time to show if he was going to develop into something special and simply has not done so. He was not knocking IO but saying that IO's minutes have not helped the team win so lets look to the future. Interesting discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 i continue to believe that january should be play your best month. win whatever we can. if that means izik, reggie and tom play as much as possible, so be it. if it means we play 4 from the fresh/soph team at a time do that. but play to win. now come february, if it is still as ugly and there is no hope, then play the kids. one month of kidtime is sufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 jay jr has never given the billikens an even break and has always feasted on opportunities to belittle them. f him and anything he says. he is one of the laziest sports "analysts" in the city and how he keeps a job and has any credibility away from golf is beyond me. i would venture that 300 of the registered posters on this forum could do his job better than him provided it wasnt about golf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUAvtr Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 I agree with Roy. Our season has pretty much started over fresh now with conference play. Let's play the hell out of who can score for us to at least give us a shot at postseason play, then worry about who gets what minutes and when, though we should still give our younger guys some minutes to get ready, but the main bulk should still be with our main guys. "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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Was it Mike Seely? I enjoy his writing, and he is very knowledgeable when it comes to b-ball. I've heard him discuss the Billikens on KMOX with Bernie, and he knows his stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 No - Tom something or other was his name. Roy, I understand how you feel about Randolph but really he has toned his comments down since joing Rammer. His comments today were not demeaning but rather thought out - now I know he does not work very hard but then that does not make his opinion, when logical, anymore wrong. I inadvertently left TF off - he was also someone they thought should get less minutes. The conference argument does have some merit but realistically, we are not going to win our conference - I would rather be in a position to show a strong showing with the kids growing and using that to build off for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 i know we arent going to win the conference. however, imo, if we bench reggie,izik and frericks, we wont win another game the rest of the year. i would like to make the tourney and go to memphis one last time. anyone can logically defend both sides of an argument. but pray tell, when did jr take the pro-billiken side of anything lately if ever. i am sure he is taking great joy in the way this season has went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUAvtr Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Thanks Roy, my sentiments exactly! "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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Roy, I did not say Randolph was pro Billiken - what I did say was that he has toned his words down and what he said today was not with malice but simply agreeing with the guest's position which by the way was also not an attack but an opinion that was well stated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 It seems to me that today our conference record is 0-0, seeding in the conference tournament is dependent upon our conference record not our overall record. If this team plays like it did the first 11 games this year, it won't matter, but IF they play like they palyed against IOWA, they will win some games, who knows what happens in the tourney. Last time we had a freshman point gaurd Perry's year, we won the conference tourney. I know Perry went down in the Louisville game and Redden became the starter, but the point is a team can mature.....I would not pull the plug on RB's minutes now. TF has an injury so we will see more of JJ and IV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 I would love for us to do well in the conference and tourney but lets not forget that it was the young players who contributed against Iowa. So to use the Iowa game as a reason not to play the young players makes no sense. TF is hurt so he is a moot point. RB was hurt and is ready to play. Haven't others on this board talked about how RB gets tired playing huge minutes - maybe him playing 20 minutes a game is better if he can all out rather than trying to pace himself to play over 30. IO - has shown some good play but once again, he can do what he does playing 20 minutes or so rather than 35 and disappearing for long periods of the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Well U all know I don't agree with that assessment..even if Reg "doesn't make the NBA" there are other options and just because he's a senior doesn't mean u drop him..the NBA wants players to go to college and are even considering an age limit for to enforce it, now analyst are encouraging coaches to leave them hanging if they're not going to the NBA...why would a player ever consider coming to college if they're trying to make it to the next level (NBA) based on the comments of the guest it's useless, especially if doing their time in college and substantially contributing to the team whether they're winning or losing would cause them to be pushed aside or overlooked by the coaching staff? Plus the coaches aren't just there to win games and to help players get into the NBA r they? The coaches should be working with the players in achieving their goals after college regardless, be it a coaching job, NBA, overseas, graduate school whatever.. To say stifle your best player because in someone's OPINION he's not going to the NBA is Bull...But it happens...Reg will be fine never the less...and believe me he has plenty of options and the NBA is still one of them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Just to back that up..Chris Sloan was a very good player..ultimately Coach didn't just toss him to the side, because he wasn't going to the next level, he now is on the coaching staff...Coach helped in that area.. That's what coaches do...his minutes wasn't cut because they didn't win..he had a huge supporting cast last year, experienced players..this year is different..I'm glad coach didn't just decide to push him to the side...where's the reward in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Who said Reg gets tired after 20 mins?? he's been playing more minutes than that the past few years?? Did I miss something?? Anyway..at this point..I'm getting tired of this talk about the new players and giving them more time, If they've earned it sure, if they haven't then they don't get time either..play the people who are contributing the most and not one person can say that Reg hasn't contributed, not one can say he deserves to sit because of his playing. I don't agree with it, but I'm the minority..so cool..Reg will shine in 2 mins, if that's all he's given and u can see the difference in games that he doesn't play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 brehms, other than the iowa game, which in truth seems like a dream it was so out of character compared to the rest of our games, reggie has been the best player on the floor imo. that said, there is no denying that reggie hasnt been the reggie we expected this year. however, it is my belief that without the seniors and especially reg, we have no chance of winning a game this year. cheeseman, your point about the iowa game, actually when we were controlling the game was when izik and drejaj were playing their best. i wouldnt give too much over credit to the kids. when izik and drejaj disappeared the last 5 minutes the kids couldnt step up to hold the game. now that isnt the kids fault. why did izik and drejaj pull a jeckle hyde the last 5 minutes? but still, if we had ended the game at the point the billikens were still leading, izik and drejaj were the best players on the floor at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUAvtr Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Brehms, you're not the only one of the few who support Reggie's minutes. I for one want him playing the most minutes he can muster. Sure he has his off days, but he's still, imo, the TRUE leader of this team. I know he can single-handedly take complete charge if truly needed, and we've seen that before. Everyone else, give him and our guys a chance to get to the LAST EVER C-USA tourney for God's sake!!!! We have a clean slate to start from to get into the tourney, let's at least take advantage of that! I most CERTAINLY want to go to Memphis one last time....last time I was there was a BLAST!!! "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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 RB was out because of health reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Yeah, I don't think there is anyway we can sit Reggie. He's the teams leading scorer and the only person on this squad who can hit three's. Sure we're not looking very good right now, but I'm not about to roll over before the first game of the conference. It's a long shot, but the season is not over. Hell, even if we just win a few in a row, that would build up some fan fair...which is something we are sorely missing this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 I wonder if the analyst visit this site? They should Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 jay jr visits here. he has ripped me on the air before without me even calling into his worthless show. i.e. he wouldnt know who i was if he didnt lurk here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 I'm sorry but I think this entire post is ridiculous ... You play every game until the season is over to win ... regardless of your record. Anything less and I would seriously consider quitting supporting the Bills. I would personally talk to Brad and Cheryl and let them know how I feel, which IMO would include firing Brad. A student athelete has a committment to give his/her best for the coach and school, the coach and school have an equal committment to give their best to the student. To do what this post or the people on the radio suggest is the same as quitting or throwing a game. If the kids give you the best opportunity to win then by all means play them ... if not then you cannot. If I was one of the kids and I saw this happenning ... I would probably put in for a transfer ... I'd be wondering what would happen to me when I was a Sr and the best player on the team and the team was having a bad year. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehms13 Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 Exactly...the guest that apparently said this wasn't mentioned by name and I wondered if the analyst themselves have thought about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 6, 2005 Author Share Posted January 6, 2005 I think tonight's game did give us a little bit of a view of what was being talked about. I still believe that working the younger players in more is in the long run in the team's best interest. I agree that RB has been our best consistent scorer and had we had him in Iowa - who knows maybe we win. Roy, you make a good point about Iowa and IO and AD but clearly several of the younger players did contribute in Iowa - the last 5 minutes were critical and they could not deliver as you say but if they had not delivered when they played in the previous 35 minutes then we would not have been at that point. They did not deliver perhaps because they had never been in that situation in their college careers. I only passed on the information that was being talked about today on the radio and raised the issue of playing the younger players more as a tie to other posts that have been made in the past. It has been noted on this board before that perhaps some of our players are not at their best at the end of the game because they have to play so many minutes at such a high physical level throughout the game. Many have suggested that Brad have a longer bench to prevent this from happening and to keep fresh legs on the court. I believe that seniors should be treated with respect but remember last year when people where asking why Varner got so many minutes - all situations must be kept in the proper context. By the way IO had a great game tonight and provided good senior leadership - RB also played well. Earning playing time in practice is what all the others have to do - the seniors earn their playing time by providing leadership during the games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 I know you were just passing along what you heard ... and I think some of the younger guys need to play more also ... but only because it gives us the best chance to win ... but anyone who tries to tell me we are a better team with IO and RB playing less than 30 minutes each ... I have to assume they have no clue. My take was that they were suggesting playing the kids more this year for the future ... regardless of how that affects that particular game. I still say playing anything but the players that give you the best chance to win each game is the same as quitting or throwing the game. Now if there is 10 minutes left and we are down 25 ... get the kids in and experience ... but you have to start each game expecting to win and doing everything you can to make the win happen. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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