Indiana Seen At SWIC Gym

[BlueStorm]

As I was leaving class and walking by the gym I saw 2 Indiana assistants and Head Coach Kelvin Sampson walking in. I would have to guess that they were there to see LS. I am not sure why they were there but that would be the logical choice. How many times will he have to come in to offer(will he need 5-7 looks), if he even does offer. But where does that put us on LS's list?

To set the record straight SLUBLUE I am not LS's mom, but I do have a class with him and the reason I get so mad at SLU's recruiting is because I have been a season ticket holder for the past 4 years (all be it they are not the best seats) since I graduated from SLU. So I may not spend as much as you supporting the program, but I still spend my hard earned money on them to see them play and would like to see a winner put on the court.

It is just frustrating watching the various players both successes and failures leave the area and go play at SIUC, Bradley, Florida, Purdue, Northern Iowa, Missouri and the list goes on. These players could all stay close and make SLU into a great program, one that all kids in the area would want to go to. So I guess that's why I push so hard about the LS situation, after seeing him play many times I just don't want another good one to "get away" to some foreign invader (a college outside this area...Translated for ROY).

[Sheltiedave]

Bluestorm, the frickin ball is in Lance's court. He has a schollie offer in hand, and SLU was the FIRST to offer. He will be getting a solid 20-30 minutes a game. He needs to decide, not SLU.

You are failing in logic here. JUCO AA and some really late recruiting efforts from significant programs means he is a player tagged as filling a new hole, NOT a team maker. He would be a team maker at SLU, but not the essential bruising PF, our critical need.

Virtually all JUCO recruiting is wrapped up at the end of early signing period, which is how lance's situation is playing out. Quit whining.

[BlueStorm]

Not whining just informing. I hope he is in SLU BLUE next year. Would be fun to watch another good local player excell. I agree the ball is in his court now!!! But he does still have to visit SLU correct, lets just hope they put their best foot forward.

[p diddy]

I'm just as frustrated at some of slu's area recruiting as others on this board, BUT in this case, the ball is in lance's court. the bottom line is that the offer has been made and we have the most to offer and that is a chance to step in immediately and be an impact player on a team that has a good chance to go to the postseason. he would be a big missing piece.

lance is getting hit up by some big-timers, but he has to think as well. he cannot afford to make a mistake in his choice. remember, he has already been at the division I level and the juco level. if he makes the wrong choice (doesn't get enough playing time, doesn't like demanding coach, etc..), then he is stuck as far as division I goes. He just cannot up and transfer.

he has to make that decision count. the bottom line. he has a chance to step in a be a 30+ minute player at slu on a team that has a big center that commands double and triple teams regularly as well as a big slashing guard that draws defenses like flies with his penetration, plus he rebounds as well as any guard in the country.

that means he will have open looks galore with his perimeter shooting, plus the chance to score inside with his little baby hook against single coverage. He has a chance to start, be an immediate impact player on a potential tournament team and do it in his backyard in front of friends and family on a nightly basis with a bunch of players who like him are from this neck of the woods.

If these are the things that LS is looking for in his next destination, the choice is easy from where I sit. If not, god bless him.

last year, SLU went head to head with charlotte for a juco power forward named courtney williams, who is about 6-9 and 230. he had a chance to step in and play about 35 minutes a game at PF for the Billikens. instead, he listened to everyone in his ear about how bad slu was and how great charlotte was and how he was going to be a stud. Instead of looking at where he would fit in and how much he would play, CW went for the hype, let others influence his decision and chose charlotte. guess what, they had an AA named withers at his position, plus four other big guys. CW played about eight minutes a game and had several DNP's on his resume. By the way, the billikens won at charlotte and I don't think CW played that much.

these are things to think about when you are a juco and are making that decision.

at some point, common sense has to come into play.

bad boyz for life

[willie]

Ditty that was a great post. Lets just hope this young man sees the big picture and not the bright lights. I would hope that Brad laid out the picture you just painted.

[dewey33]

I also agree....

Its great to see the guys we are in on have the so-called big boys interested in them....sort of a "credibility by association"

Not every kid needs to be a "hidden gem" or a "project"

Illinois was very bummed they did not steal Kevin away from us and we all know that Tommie was in demand once he started getting it done in the classroom at prep school.

If Lance can figure out this is a great situation for him, it would be unfortunate. SLU gives him a chance to be a key guy who fills a team need and will get attention being a local guy. His family can also get to most of his games easily...

[Quality Is Job 1]

If Lance can't figure out this is a great situation for him, it would be unfortunate. SLU gives him a chance to be a key guy who fills a team need and will get attention being a local guy. His family can also get to most of his games easily...

[dewey33]

yeah...my bad

I figured it out after I posted it, but I thought it might sneak under the radar....

[DoctorB]

ps-- with the announcement yesterday of Vaden transfering from IU to UAB (to follow Davis)-- it makes sense that Indiana would want to fill in for him with a long, lean, athletic shooter on the wing.

[WVBilliken]

It can't hurt our recruiting knowing that NBA scouts will surely be on hand at many of our games checking out IV. They can't help but notice other players on the floor at the same time. Nice exposure for a recruit.

[TheA_Bomb]

If you are a SLU graduate why do you have a class with Stemler at SWIC?

[Curios]

>

> I'm just as frustrated at some of slu's area recruiting as

>others on this board, BUT in this case, the ball is in

>lance's court. the bottom line is that the offer has been

>made and we have the most to offer and that is a chance to

>step in immediately and be an impact player on a team that

>has a good chance to go to the postseason. he would be a big

>missing piece.

> lance is getting hit up by some big-timers, but he has to

>think as well. he cannot afford to make a mistake in his

>choice. remember, he has already been at the division I

>level and the juco level. if he makes the wrong choice

>(doesn't get enough playing time, doesn't like demanding

>coach, etc..), then he is stuck as far as division I goes.

>He just cannot up and transfer.

> he has to make that decision count. the bottom line. he

>has a chance to step in a be a 30+ minute player at slu on a

>team that has a big center that commands double and triple

>teams regularly as well as a big slashing guard that draws

>defenses like flies with his penetration, plus he rebounds

>as well as any guard in the country.

> that means he will have open looks galore with his

>perimeter shooting, plus the chance to score inside with his

>little baby hook against single coverage. He has a chance to

>start, be an immediate impact player on a potential

>tournament team and do it in his backyard in front of

>friends and family on a nightly basis with a bunch of

>players who like him are from this neck of the woods.

> If these are the things that LS is looking for in his next

>destination, the choice is easy from where I sit. If not,

>god bless him.

> last year, SLU went head to head with charlotte for a juco

>power forward named courtney williams, who is about 6-9 and

>230. he had a chance to step in and play about 35 minutes a

>game at PF for the Billikens. instead, he listened to

>everyone in his ear about how bad slu was and how great

>charlotte was and how he was going to be a stud. Instead of

>looking at where he would fit in and how much he would play,

>CW went for the hype, let others influence his decision and

>chose charlotte. guess what, they had an AA named withers at

>his position, plus four other big guys. CW played about

>eight minutes a game and had several DNP's on his resume. By

>the way, the billikens won at charlotte and I don't think CW

>played that much.

> these are things to think about when you are a juco and

>are making that decision.

> at some point, common sense has to come into play.

>

>

>bad boyz for life

I know this is way off topic...in some ways. However, how do you all feel about SLU going to the A10 instead of the MVC? I think many of the arguments you are making for LS going to SLU are very similar to what a person would make for the match with SLU and the MVC - you can fit in with local guys, you can compete (which is probably not true, but still a reasonable argument), you are wanted, and so forth. Instead, it seems that LS is waiting for a "bigger pond"...similar to what SLU did.

[VTIME]

>If you are a SLU graduate why do you have a class with

>Stemler at SWIC?

....scratching........my........head.......................

....clarification...............please.....................

[p diddy]

you imply that slu cannot compete with local guys. I want you to show us evidence that this is true.

I also want you to show us evidence that slu has benifited from passing up key local guys. I also mean in-state guys as well in this.

since we won ten games and finished third in the A-10 and bigger crowds starting showing up at the games, I cannot be too upset with the new move.

at the time we joined the A-10, they put two teams in the elite eight of the ncaa tournament. they had the No. 1 in the country, the national player of the year and the national coach of the year. the league had put numerous teams in the elite eight, sweet 16 and one in the final four in a ten-year span. The national basketball association also has several former A-10 players who are standouts.

the league has been in a down cycle for the past two years, but that happens all the time in college basketball. the valley and colonial were up this year while the a-10, mountain west and wac were a little down. last year, the big 10 was the toast of the country with three teams in the elite eight and two in the final four. this year, none of their six teams made it out of the first weekend of the tournament.

I attended the temple game where more than 13,000 people showed up. I was at the xavier game where nearly 10,000 people showed up on Super Bowl Sunday. I missed the Umass game, but my friends who were at the game said that the family arena was nearly full to capacity. That's nearly 10,000 right there.

those fans weren't there to see marcus camby, mark macon or james posey. there were there to see TL, KL and IV do their thing.

bad boyz for life

bad boyz for life

[Curios]

you imply that slu cannot compete with local guys. I want you to show us evidence that this is true.

I also want you to show us evidence that slu has benifited from passing up key local guys. I also mean in-state guys as well in this.

This part makes no sense to me. I absolutely believe that SLU could be nationally competitive if they got all the St Louis kids. Similarly, DePaul would be one of the top three teams in the country if they got all the Chicago kids they wanted....but it is obviously not going to happen, if for no other reason that kids often want to go away.

I am not sure how competitive SLU would be in the MVC. No doubt, not in the top six this year, but perhaps competitive in the long run. The question was more that it seems SLU made a decision regarding the MVC/A10 that is very similar to what Stemler is facing now - "Gee, there is nothing wrong with SLU, but there may be a higher profile place for me." That is not necessarily the same as "the best place for me." I think that LS would fit in well at SLU and be productive and happy. I also think that SLU in the MVC would have resulted in great rivalries and large crowds - there would probably be 5000 SIU fans and 3000 MSU fans show up for those games alone.

[moytoy12]

No doubt, not in the top 6?

SLU beat SIUC, right? SIUC was in the top 6, right?

based on the limited evidence in front of us, your conjecture is pretty silly. Obviously, it's impossible to accurately extrapolate from this one game, but your statements that it is probably not true that SLU could compete in the MVC and that SLU would no doubt not be in the top 6 this past year are laughable.

[Billiken Law]

they played SIU right after SIU got back from Alaska - perfect timing. Those trips take a lot out of teams (Army hung close with UCONN right after UConn got back from Hawaii, look at the result of the first game back for all teams that did the Alaska and Hawaii trips, many close games or losses). If they played them later in the season on in Carbondale would SLU have won?

Plus, one or two match-ups doesn't prove one team is better than the other and would finish ahead of them in the standings. Though they finished behind SLU in the standings, were Dayton and Richmond better teams than the Bills? Was Marquette better than UConn, Minnesota better than Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan State, Purdue better than Wisconsin, Washington State better than Washington, Nevada better than Kansas, etc...

[ACE]

>they played SIU right after SIU got back from Alaska -

>perfect timing. Those trips take a lot out of teams (Army

>hung close with UCONN right after UConn got back from

>Hawaii, look at the result of the first game back for all

>teams that did the Alaska and Hawaii trips, many close games

>or losses). If they played them later in the season on in

>Carbondale would SLU have won?

>

>Plus, one or two match-ups doesn't prove one team is better

>than the other and would finish ahead of them in the

>standings. Though they finished behind SLU in the

>standings, were Dayton and Richmond better teams than the

>Bills? Was Marquette better than UConn, Minnesota better

>than Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan State, Purdue

>better than Wisconsin, Washington State better than

>Washington, Nevada better than Kansas, etc...

I know you will go out of your way to jab SLU, but get your facts straight. SIU just got back from Alaska, but SLU just got back from Hawaii. Try another angle, like coming back from Alaska is so much more difficult than coming back from Hawaii.

[Star Wisher]

Please go get a SLU media guide and tell me how many of the all time largeste attendance games are versus SIU or Missouri State. (hint: none) Since we have played one or the other or both almost every year, one would think that if you are right, they would be amongst that list?

[moytoy12]

I said:

"Obviously, it's impossible to accurately extrapolate from this one game."

You said:

"Plus, one or two match-ups doesn't prove one team is better than the other and would finish ahead of them in the standings."

I accounted for this being merely one game. My point is SLU would be competitive in the MVC and to conclude that they would "no doubt" not finish in the top 6 and probably not be competitive is laughable.

[Billiken Rich]

I know there'd be a least one less person going to the games if SLU were in the MVC

[Curios]

>No doubt, not in the top 6?

>

>SLU beat SIUC, right? SIUC was in the top 6, right?

>

>based on the limited evidence in front of us, your

>conjecture is pretty silly. Obviously, it's impossible to

>accurately extrapolate from this one game, but your

>statements that it is probably not true that SLU could

>compete in the MVC and that SLU would no doubt not be in the

>top 6 this past year are laughable.

Yes, no doubt not in the top 6 last year. Over the last ten games, all against SIU and MSU, SLU is 4-6 having lost every road game. I think from that you can say they are "competitive." In fact, it seems like a great match and a good fit.

I did not mean for this to get so far away from the Lance Stemler discussion. It seemed that people were pointing out the SLU had much to offer and LS could do quite well at SLU. My point was that argument is very much like the argument for SLU to join the MVC. SLU fans seem to think that is a bad idea - that SLU can do much better. I believe that is the same feeling that LS has - nothing wrong with SLU, but there is a larger stage for me. In fact, SLU would have fit very nicely in the MVC and LS would likely fit very nicely at SLU.

[moytoy12]

You say, no doubt, not in the top 6 last year and then you bring up the last 10 games against MVC teams over the past couple of years (I presume, since SLU didn't play 10 games against MVC teams last year). You are mixing apples and oranges.

I understand the thrust of your analogy, however, some of your ancillary points are weakly supported, if supported at all.

[Box and Won]

That's true, Star Wisher. We usually see a little spike in attendance for SIU and Missouri State, but it's hardly in the 3-5k range.

[p diddy]

Curios,

I've heard earl austin speak on this point of attendance in the past on the radio, so I thought I would look this up. he says he wants the arena filled with billiken fans.

If you look at some of the all-time largest crowds in Billiken history, you will see that:

20,154 people showed up for the SLU-Austin Peay game on Dec. 28, 1994.

19,966 showed up for SLU's game against powerful Alcorn State on Feb. 16, 1995. Alcorn freakin' State.

20,930 people attended SLU's game against a last-place Dayton team in the GMC on Feb. 25, 1995.

19,437 people attended the SLU-Marquette game on Jan. 30, 1999. MU wasn't a national power at the time.

20,137 attended the SLU-DePaul game on Feb. 15, 1998

I can also remember going to games when slu had big crowds for the likes of samford, Bradley, UMKC and Bethune-Cookman

Naturally, several other huge crowds turned out to see the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville, Mizzou, Illinois and other national powers.

But the main point is:

look at the size of those five crowds I listed and look at who the opposition was for that night. Those huge crowds turned out to see THE BILLIKENS. They didn't give a damn who they were playing. They came to see highmark, claggett, waldman, hughes, etc.. They guys in white and blue.

When the Billikens put out a good product that wins, the people come to the games in droves. They flock. Especially when local kids are leading the way. The evidence is there. When the product sags, so does attendance. If the coaches would look at this, there jobs would be so much easier. The old kiel was full and used to rock in the grawer days when bonner, douglass and gray were in in the house.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, you could see a visible spike in attendance this year because of Liddell, Lisch, Vouyoukas and a turnaround from last year's 9-21 year. As I said, SLU drew 13,000 for temple, 10,000 for Xavier and the family arena was near capacity for the two games there. This was after the past few years when there were barely more than three or four thousand people in the savvis center. the worm is starting to turn again, BS just has to keep it going.

Who cares how many fans from opposing school show up at the game. I sure as hell don't. The local freshman have created new interest in the program that hasn't been there since Hughes left. If the team improves next year, you will see even bigger crowds next year.

SLU could be in the A10, MVC, Mountain West or Western Athletic Conference or any other league, it would not matter. If young local talent comes to SLU and the bills win, the crowds come because that's who they want to see.

Dayton and Xavier get sellouts every night and they were the farthest western schools in the a10 before SLU joined.

bad boyz for life