Taj79 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 ... sucks but I said sometime ago that with the influx of all the new players, it would be more important to build confidence and camraderie before trying to take these guys as a team into a real battle. While it may look like we have a "veteran" team with four returning players starting, its a team of strangers that will need time to jell. Looks like Frericks is going to get monster minutes and there seems to be a lot invested in Bryant. The whole IO thing still scares me .... I don't like the fact that he's getting mop-up minutes against the likes of SSU. I was under the impression he was a main contributor this year. The Greek kid is another .... a 10 game suspension followed by an indoctrination period for major college ball will be a monumental task to undertake. NC T&A (obviously I liked that) will be another blow out which will put us at 3 and 0 going into our first real test ... a road game at West Virginia. Maybe I'll drive up for that one. Its about 2 1/2 hours from here. I can't wait for the next alias joey fluegel comes home in .... he ain't staying away not with 'Zona on the horizon. Mark my words. Use of the term "our billikens" is a dead giveaway. Bills over Arizona. Hey .. its my birthday ... I can wish can't I? Who to sponsor, who to sponsor? The list is endless: Craig Shaver, Abdur Raheem Al-Mateen. Curtis Hughes. Poppa Johnny Parker. ##### Missavage. Mark Alcorn (another DeSmet by the way). Willie Becton. Bob Mueller. Kevin Williams. Tony Brown. Darryl Anderson. Redditt Hudson. Rick Plate. LaTodd Johnson. Andre Craig. Carvin Norman. Luther Burden. Eric Bickel. Tony Manuel. Travis Tadysak. I can't narrow it down ... they all bring back memories ... mostly bad ones at that. Willie D. Horne. Lamont Turner. Kelvin Henderson. Melvin Robinson. John Duff. McGlother Irvin. Willie Whittenberg. Jimmy Glass. Carl Johnson. Would it be worth it to sponsor "almost" Billikens ... those who woulda-shoulda-coulda resurrected the program had they come our way? Jahidi. LaPhonso. Darius. Or stayed out way? The Legend. This is a trip down memopry lane that further emphasizes just how hard one has to work to be a Billiken Fan. Bring on NC T&A! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Ahhh, the good old days. This is from 1982 -- you were in, what, your fifth sophomore year then, Taj? (By the way, Missavage's younger brother played for the unforgettable Blackburn College squad that almost upset the Bills in the West Pine Gym in 1984.) MISSAVAGE HAS LEARNED TO PERSEVERE By Jerry Stack Of the Post-Dispatch Staff copyright 1982 St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 'Savage . . . Savage. ' The chant goes up every so often at St. Louis University's home basketball games. 'Savage . . . Savage. ' The chant comes from the group of die-hard students who always seem to be at the Billikens' home games. 'Savage . . . Savage. ' The chant is for ##### Missavage, a reserve forward on the Billikens' team. Missavage's fans keep asking for their man to get into the games. 'Savage . . . Savage. ' The chant goes up late. It rarely is answered. ##### Missavage, crowd favorite, has played in just 10 of the Bills' 22 games so far in his senior season. They've mainly been cameo appearances. As a junior, Missavage appeared in just seven games, scoring but five points. As a sophomore, the cameo roles totaled 11, the points two. His most playing time came as a freshman, when he appeared in 21 games and scored 40 points. Thus it was that ##### Missavage wore a smile of satisfaction after Monday night's game against Memphis State. He had played 15 minutes, 13 in the second half when the Billikens gave Memphis State fits for a while before losing, 82-64. After his first shot had gone in-and- out-and-in-and-out, Missavage scored his first points of the season, swishing two jumpers from 20 feet. 'I feel great, 'Missavage said afterward. 'I'm really pumped up. It's more than I've played in three years. ' There is a good chance Missavage will be rewarded with more than token playing time tonight when the Billikens (6-16) greet Louisville's Cardinals (14- 8) in an 8 o'clock game at the Checkerdome. 'After (Monday night), I'd say so, 'Bills Coach Ron Ekker said. 'He earned the opportunity to play more. ' Although only four regular-season games remain, such an opportunity is better late than not at all. Not playing has not been easy. 'But I can't say I've had anything to complain about, 'Missavage said. In his four years at St. Louis U., ##### Missavage has been a study in perseverance. Missavage's years -- and those of teammate Bob Mueller -- coincide with Ekker's coaching tenure. Ekker was hired in the summer of 1978, long after the recruiting season was over. Missavage, Mueller and Willie Horne (who left the university two years later) were the only players Ekker brought in. And now, four years, 37 victories and 66 losses later, Missavage and Mueller will be graduating as Ekker is resigning. Neither Missavage nor Mueller has any regrets. After high school, Missavage was set to play for Southwest Missouri State and Mueller for Canisius before Ekker persuaded them to come to St. Louis U. Both Missavage and Mueller say they would do it all over again. 'I made my decision then and tried to make the best of it, 'Mueller said. Mueller, a standout at Cleveland High, started nearly all of the Bills' games last season, and, though his playing time has dropped off considerably this season (13 minutes a game), he has had his moments in the spotlight. For Missavage, the spotlight has gone dark ever since his senior year at McCluer North, when the sharp- shooting forward led his team to a 28-1 record. The only outward change in Missavage is the weight ( 'a lot, 'he says) he has added over the years. His shooting touch and his attitude have stayed the same. Missavage had the option of quitting the team, yet retaining his scholarship this season. Quitting seemingly would have been an easy thing to do, knowing he would again be sitting at the far end of the bench. Not so, says Missavage. 'I have pride, 'he said. 'I couldn't NOT have played. ' Ekker admires such dedication. 'I think you've got to hand it to anyone who does that, 'Ekker said. 'Somewhere down the line, it will pay off. ' For Missavage, the payoff will be in accounting. For Mueller, in public relations and marketing. 'You know, we're going to be the first two seniors to graduate from here in a long time, 'Missavage said. 'The first since Mark Rohde, 'added Mueller. Rohde graduated three years ago. 'There's so much more here than just basketball, 'Missavage said. 'What bothers me is that everybody keeps saying bad things about the university. There are a lot of good things here. 'There are the people, the guys I live with in the dorm. 'Look at the improvements they've made on campus, the plaza they've built. They've made it look like a campus almost. 'It'll be a lot better for the people coming in. ' Although there has been a lack of commitment and continuity (the new head coach will be the sixth in 14 years), Missavage and Mueller see hope for a program that has suffered through nine consecutive losing seasons. 'It can be turned around, 'Mueller said. 'But, 'said Missavage, 'it's got to be done slow, done with people who'll be here four years. ' Missavage offers some more advice. 'Make the players live in the dorms, 'he said. 'Only 'Fresh' (Lionell Hampton) and I live in the dorms. ' Mueller agreed. 'Look at how many people ##### has coming out for him to the games, 'Mueller said. 'If all the players lived in the dorms, right there you've got a core of fans. ' 'What they need is someone who cares . . . from the president of the university to the last fan, 'said Missavage. 'I'm hoping to stay around and try to talk others in St. Louis into staying here. You're home, but you're not at home. ' Missavage cares -- even if his contributions don't show up in the box score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 What a great article. Joe, if you have anymore great material in the archives, feel free to share it with the rest of us. I loved the following quote: "Look at the improvements they've made on campus, the plaza they've built. They've made it look like a campus almost." Are those guys still in town? I hope they get down to the university every now and then to see how drastically things have changed. The post should re-print that article the week the new on-campus arena opens. Perspective is one of the great virtues in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluzer Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Why the ##### instead of using Missavage's first name? Also, for those of you who have been following the program for a while can you tell me why Missavage didn't get more playing time. I would assume talent level versus conflict with the coach, but I do remember that he was quite a player on a really good high school team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Bob Mueller comes to every game. He sits about 3 rows deep across from the Billiken bench. He usually has a couple of kids with him. If I remember he once sang the national anthem. They should bring him back for an encore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Majerus Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 The #### is Sign Guy's attempt to censor profanity. In this case, the poster spelled Dee I Cee Kay - I had a post some time ago talking about D. Bennett and got the same result. Missavage, if he's the guy I'm thinking about, was a good recruit for that squad, but suffered injury after injury. He COULD play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Apparently, Missavage's first name is "D i c k," which the bad word filter replaces. Steve had, at one time, removed the shortened form of "Richard" from the list, but in the move, he may have replaced the default list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 It's not the sign guy's attempt to omit profanity. It's built into the program, but he can change it, once he's made aware of it. He changed it before, and I'm sure he'll do it again, once he knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Your right, I forgot about that little feature.. It should be changed now. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentFLBilliken Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Dick Boushka Dick Vitale Dick Clark Dick Van Patton Dick the Bruiser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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