slu72 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Gordo's column on the game was really harsh. It's last line a lot unsettling. "Big changes may be on the way, bigger than Brad Soderberg was planning." In summation the column Gordo writes this is the time of year teams step up. The Billikens stepped down....big time. After GW loses, they know there's a dance invite at the end of the rainbow. But they just cashed it in. But it was that last line that was really disturbing. What changes could he be talking about? Possibilities: >Am sure the rumors of TL's transfer will probably start again after this fiasco. >UB's job security after next year. SLU's got a new arena planned. You ain't gonna fill 5,000 seats playing that kind of ball. >Loss of possible recruits. The recent SI poll showed kids like to play up tempo with a little freedom granted to make mistakes. Am sure you guys can come up with a whole lot more. There is one thing that has bothered me since the end of the regular season. You look at the games where this team was forced to push it, UNC, Charlotte, 2nd Dayton game, Zaga to some extent...these were games we scored over 70 (except for Zaga). We won one of them and were very close in the others. Now granted you might say we didn't play good D, but we played good O and kept it close. Point being the ability to score points is there, but these tended to be up tempo games dictated to us by our opponents. We showed we had the stuff to play this type of game, yet UB doesn't like it and orders them to play Bennett ball. I don't think Bennet ball fits TL and KL's personalities. We may have bigger problems than we thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradFan Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Seems to me like Gordo was just over-reacting to a bad loss and maybe trying to stir the pot. In fact, Gordo just wrote AFTER the Dayton loss: "Overall, our final impression of the Billikens wasn’t bad. Even in defeat, we saw some things that bode well for the long term. We know Soderberg will coach up the kids at the defensive end. At the offensive end, the right players are asserting themselves the right way. The growth continues." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 What did Gordo mean in his last sentence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted March 10, 2006 Author Share Posted March 10, 2006 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 I don't think he knows much and is at best speculating. What I take from the last line is that Gordon might be of the opinion that the kids Soderberg has are not the level he needs. I don't know how you can say that at least about the big three but maybe the spare parts are not it. I think we'd all agree to that. So I am guessing he is questioning if Brad understands all that he needs. If he needs to retool the whole team, that's another rebuilding project that I dont' have the patience for right now. Drejaj was so four-years-ago and one would expect that we might be a little better off now then we were then. But you jsut can't say. I like where we are now but of course I'm not satisfied. The heat on Brad's seat went up yesterday going into next season. Again, someone said we are a year to a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule. I think its a positive but coming off the last three games, it hard to see the forest for the trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorB Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 It sounds to me like Gordo is just blowing smoke. I say, if you know something, then let's have it. If you mean something by "big changes," then spit it out. As a rhetorician, I find that last line both infuriating and cowardly. I think we are a few players away from our goal of being a top 25 type of team. I think we have done about what I expected--I predicted 17-13 at beginning of season. I think the last 2 games were very disappointing--but it is tournament time and few teams will advance much if freshmen form the nucleus. But the win at Charlotte, and the comeback against Dayton, were very exciting and I guess we will need to be satisfied with that--for now. For me, the "big changes" are about weightlifting, shooting an hour or 2 a day free throws and 3-pointers, maturing, filling out, developing athletic (and academic) toughness and stamina, and so forth. And snagging a couple more Division I big guys. Two weeks ago I was touting Brad as A10 coach of the year, and I still think there is a case to be made for that. We were picked by the coaches to finish below Duquesne, in case anyone has forgotten that memorable fact. I stick by Coach B, and stick by his coaching. Patience is not a high priority in our microwave, cell-phone culture. Go Bills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 The sentence - big changes on the way, bigger than Brad was planning - I read it as Brad has to make some major changes in what he is doing. His game planning and use of personnel. I agree the parts he has are not going to work. Despite all the "love" for Luke he is not an answer and never will be. Danny Brown either has to be allowed to play or offered other options - if he chooses to stay knowing the circumstances then that is his decision. I am not sure what Gordo meant about loss of recruits but Brad does have to figure something out about pushing up the offensive schemes. As far as Tommie is concerned, the rumors will start again - but my guess is he will be back particularily if Brad gets some decent JUCCO players to help out next year. As far as Brad's situation goes after next year - who knows, he has to continue to make progress - a repeat of this year is not good enough results. They probably lost their NIT bid with these 3 losses, but to expect them to get to the NIT after last year's debacle was really asking too much. What is ashame is that they actually could have pulled it off - win over Dayton and Richmond and it was in the bag. So what does Brad have to do next year - he can win 18 games, pick up a couple of tough wins and show a strong showing in the A10. That will get him to the NIT and maybe with a little luck the NCAA. The sad thing is how the year ended on such a down note. As I have said before, without another shooter on the floor with Kevin - AD for a senior disappeared the last 3 games, so much for senior leadership - the word is out on how to stop SLU - clamp down on Kevin and sag on IV and the rest takes care of itself, Tommie has no one to pass to and when he slashes he gets gobbled up by the trees sagging on Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradFan Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 It isn't surprising that the losses came with teams realizing KL had to be stopped, and you take your chances with AD and the rest. One key to next year is TL fixes his jumper this offseason. If he has that threat, it will change the way defenses look at us. Another key..one or two of DB, LM, DM, Stemler (?) become a reliable three-point threat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 SLU is not two players away from being a top 25 team Doc. Pass me that Kool-Aid. Unless those two kids are flat out superstars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsboys Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 >SLU is not two players away from being a top 25 team Doc. >Pass me that Kool-Aid. > >Unless those two kids are flat out superstars. Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Depends on who those 2 players are don't you think. If we had a 4 who could play solid D, rebound and get 8-10 ppg along with a 3 who can shoot the 3 and defend some ... I don't think we are that far away and might be in the 15-30 range. The question is ... can we get those guys. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorB Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 REALLY!?? Doesn't it depend on who the 2 guys are?? What if it were JJ Redick and Adam Morrison? Would Redick and Morrison help us into the top 25? I suppose you must mean we have no chance of getting guys like Redick, but we got Liddell and Lisch, so why not dream? or, in the A10, would Steve Smith and Mardy Collins help us beat St. Joe's, win the tournament, and go to the NCAAs??? (and maybe knock off a 7 or 8 seed?) anyway you conveniently changed my "few players" to "2 players." Pass the Kool-aid. I will keep up the faith! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moytoy12 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Self-appointed rhetorician? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Self "styled." At least thats the way they used to describe tin pot dictators and the like........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 >SLU is not two players away from being a top 25 team Doc. >Pass me that Kool-Aid. > >Unless those two kids are flat out superstars. Wow, pulling my own quote. That's a first. I didn't say it to be a bleep, doc. I think people need to be positive, enthusiastic, glass full, but also in reality. SLU right now is far from that level. They would need to very elite level players. You said they were two players away....I said they need to be superstars...i.e. great players...you come back and mentione superstar players, further ilustrating my point. I am all for SLU doing well, but I will not go overboard positive or negative. Some of the current SLU players are not talented enough ...even with 4 years of improving, to make much of an impact, and that's a fact. SLU needs to recruit to REPLACE some players. Others obviously are fine. I have said on more than one occasion that Soderberg will get next year and the year after to make NCAA(and that wouldn't even mean they are a top 25 team). SLU is improved this year, and will improve next year if only because the Frosh will be Sophs....SLU needs to recruit one or two more kids in the Liddell Lisch caliber...not position, but caliber, quality...in 07-08 or SLU will not sustain the momentum of one good class. Or else SLU will not be a top 25 caliber team. I do actually like the recent irritability of some respected posters, and the lack of continued patience. I am all for accountability doc. If no one holds SLU's athletic dept and administration accountable for a winning hoops program, they won't have one, and won't feel the pressure to have one. St. Louis in general has long been a town stereotyped as a place where good guys go to try hard....well...at some point St. Louis needs to be more than the little engine that could. That includes SLU hoops. SLU SHOULD have a solid hoops program. SLU SHOULD be drawing many more fans than the East Coast big city schools, based on location and dollar competition. This isn't happening overnight. SLU has had to make up for decades of apathy. I am positive for initial steps, a new arena etc...but it takes more than just a few initial steps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moytoy12 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Ah...I see. Well, it's obvious i'll never be styled a rhetorician, by myself or otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 And you'll be a better man (assumption on my part) for it.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Doc, My bad, saying two players vs a few...saying two actually helps you. How many players is few? Two, three, four... Sure one could say if SLU recruited multiple superstars they would get a lot better. The point was SLU is not close to being a top 25 team right now. It would take an infusion of talent in multiple areas to get them there. Possible, sure. ...over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.