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1. Catholics vs. the World - A purposed Catholic Conference is a joke. Our Billikens do not need Too be involved in a conference that supports religious segregation and bigotry. Regardless whether it is true or not, that is the way the media sees it (see Mike DeCoursy's article in this week's Sporting News), that is the way it would be seen by potential recruits and the media. Form a Midwest Conference, leave those eastern schools Too fend for themselves. so it goes.....

2. Blues vs Billikens - Ticket prices for the Blues have been slashed for the upper end seats. Our Billikens need Too do the same. $5.00 for adults, children under 48" get in free. It is Division 1 College Basketball for chrise sakes. If you can prove you are homeless, you get in free. (Will Triangle put the Too Mansion up for sale?)

3. Infractions Committee screws up - It was totally within the jurisdiction of the NCAA Infraction Committee Too impose a finanacial penalty against the the University of Michigan - they did not. It would have been a way Too pay back some of that money that was reaped by UM for all of those T-shirt sales while they were in the national spotlight. Hit it where it hurts, the pocketbook. Eventhough UM can't participate in next year's tournament, they can still stuff their coffers with other Big 10 teams that do make post season in shared post season revenue.

4. Softball is not Softball - Anyone watching the NCAA Womens Softball Tournament in Okla City this weekend? Jesus, that is hardball and defense. These gals can play. The St. Louis area has excellent high school players and coaching - this is something SLU should look inToo more than mens baseball. The top notched area women players might stay home. The women student population at SLU would support a softball team many more times than anyone supports the mens baseball team.

5. Back Seat - Well Debbie Yow and the University of Maryland had another team in an NCAA Final Four this weekend - what Final Four will our Billikens ever reach? Someone needs Too start asking questions, especially in the soccer program, this should be a point of continued pride.

6. Over the Pond - look for the majority (over 50%) of NBA drafted players coming from the European ranks. NBA general managers have finally realized that these players are team oriented and play defense, and by the way, they can score. The NBA will soon turn inToo the NHL with all the European players. It will be a turnabout, US early out college players will be making money playing in Europe and European players will be making the big bucks playing in the NBA.

7. Tear Your Heart Out - How many Billikens fans will do just that when Randy Pulley wins the "Newcomer Of the Year Award" in the Big 12 next year. Of course Triangle may be going out on a limb but no more than someone saying that Chris Braun had NBA talent.

8. American Idol - Not Too be outdone, the "Billiken Idol" next year will be Reggie Bryant - forget IO and AD - it wil be RB, he will be "the man"

9. Final Four Prediction - Duke, Kentucky, Missouri, Arizona

so it goes........

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Branding the "Catholic Conference" as a joke, and inferring such conference would spawn bigotry and seperatism is nonsensical. Since when is it odd or violative of social norms for like schools to band together? Isn't similarity of ideals, values, academic goals, etc. the standard for schools banding together in conference affiliations? Also, from everything I've seen reported, the conference is not intended to be solely Catholic. I would argue it's more beneficial for SLU to play Georgetown, Seton Hall, Villanova, et al. than it is to play Houston, ECU, whichever Florida school is in the CUSA. True, these Eastern programs have been down the past couple of years, but they do have more name recognition than those listed from the CUSA.

By the way, SLU has a women's softball team. I believe the school has been elevating the status of this particular sport (i.e., devoting more resources).

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Too, your posts get more and more ridiculous as time goes on. Segregation and bigotry? Gimme a break. Every NCAA conference is formed with some sort of commonplace in mind. Is the Big East geographically racist because they only have schools from the east? There are acedemic and religious similarities in they proposed "Catholic Conference" that could only benefit the schools involved. I doubt ESPN will boycott these games if the conference was every formed.

And do some research before you bash SLU athletics. We already have a softball team. And why in the world would you claim that softball would have a better a fanbase than baseball?? What women's sport generates more money than a men's?? Maybe UT/UCONN women's basketball, other than that i doubt many more. To propose that we should devote more money to softball than baseball is ludicrous. And as far as the students attending softball games, i doubt it will ever happen.

Randy Pulley, Newcomer of the Year...Missouri in the final four....you gotta let me try whatever it is your smoking....

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Hey Too, does the WCC (7 Catholic Schools, 1 very conservative Protestant school) promote religious intolerance and bigotry? Give me a freakin' break! I'm a Protestant attending my 2nd Jesuit university and have experienced none of what you seem to be claiming Catholic universities are promoting. I eat dinner with a group of Jesuits in training frequently and they don't care that I am a Protestant - that's not the Jesuit way.

As for your Pulley prediction, I am sure you hated him when he was at SLU but I am sure he'll do well now that he won't have to deal with any pressure of actually doing academic work.

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I have been reading for a while and post infrequently ... until now I never understood what the problem with too was. I even thought he occasionally had good info. ie.. game reports.

I apologize for being so slow to catch on NOW I GET IT

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On this board, Too's hostility toward SLU is only thinly veiled.

I've exposed him on other boards where his anti-SLU rants come through loud and clear.

He has an agenda and it's not what is best for Billiken basketball.

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Whoa Nelly I will play along...

#1 There has been exactly ZERO Catholic Senate Chaplains in the United States of America in the past 100 plus years. As recent as two years ago, a friend of mine, a Catholic priest was a lock, shoe-in to finally break the stranglehold...but was by-passed shockingly by someone with a far less resume and experience. It was nothing short of anti-Catholic bias, 100 years plus. Was it bias, yes. Was it fair? no. Was he pissed? Yes. Do not let some ruin it for all. This goes for any religion. Most people get it. Some don't and perhaps never will. Anybody can pull out examples of any religion. SLU for this forum purposes is like most of its peers, tolerant, open, etc...

#2 Blues, $80 for a decent seat...ouch...and I love pucks too. Hockey's troubles continue...what is more sad is the Anaheim/NJ final, trap nation. Yawn, ruining hockeys interst to casual non-fans.

#4 Why can't SLU baseball be successful??? Give it a chance. If Wichita State SMSU, Mizzou, OU, OK St ebraska etc...can compete in the same crappy Midwest Spring weather...go for it. And if anybody on here chooses to watch softball over baseball, ...well than I would have to politely "not get that." Would you rather see wrestling than baseball, ? no way Jose. I hope SLU build s the baseball program, along with soccer and hoops.

#5 Get over Debbie Yow, ...she has succeeded tremendously at Marlyand. Much more opportunity to succeed there in all sports. SLU soccer? memo to you...the best youth soccer in the country is NOT played in STL anymore. Hello dinasours, sticks in the mud. It is played in California...then Texas....STL area falls into the category of very good youth soccer, limited depth and population. They are better than average market. Top players come from everywhere. It is like college tennis or something, every team you play has a tough #1 player, everywhere. America has caught up. Elite players are everywhere. SLU fell behind the times when Joe Clarke did not have a full time assistant coach in the 90's...laughable. Danny Donnigan is great for SLU, and has a full time assistant in Mike Sorber, former national teamer. Two years ago, SLU got a crappy NCAA draw, and lost 1-0 in rain storm quarters at Stanford. And last year lost two a great Maryland squad in NCAA's. This year is Donnigan's best recruiting class yet. The program is in great hands. Expecting the final four every year is out of touch with modern times and reality. For years the top local kids wanted to go away to school(some stayed home). So you have to recruit in other markets heavily. Donnigan, former Milwaukee Wave professional player for example...has used his ties to obtain the Wisconsin HS player of year several times...Joe Hammes, Nick Walls, others...and this year's WI player of year Peplinski. Donnigan smartly tried to get into the hotbed of Dallas soccer with 4 kids last year. California next? He has two national team youth studs coming this year who were full time training in Florida who should start immediately. SLU soccer is not going to be an issue.

#6 European hoopsters play defense? comical...lol...funny. I like the unselfish team play, but let's leave it at that.

#7 relax

#8 don't watch American Idol, don't plan to, no interest.

#9 too early

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Should Triangle be surprised at these comments - no - not really. You all have missed the total point. Is there a "Protestant Conference" is there a "Jewish Conference"? Conference "names" based on religious affiliations or ethnic affliliations or whatevers whould be stupid and doomed Too failure not Too mention politically incorrect. The media has aleady picked up on this "name". A new league has Too be based upon diversity and not be labeled with a religious name. so it goes...

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?????????????????????

No one has named the league yet, it does not exist. Do you really think they will name it the catholic and everyone not in it is going to hell league? I don't think so.

In every city in america there are HS conferences based on religious affiliations. Is everyone in an uproar because catholic hs are in their own conference? I don't see people clamoring to let Haz Central or Parkway North into the Archdioscean league. C'mon Too this argument has no merit.

I would really like to see you address why Randy Pulley is the second coming of Bob Cousy in a tiger uniform but as a billiken you claimed he could not get a starting spot at UMSL?

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The media has named it as such and everyone has talked about it as such on the internet - where have you been? SLU is a huge part of the St. Louis Metro Area Community, and in case you haven't noticed, this is now a very diversified ethnic and religious area, especially in the surrounding campus area. The city of St. Louis (not outlining areas) is commited Too an ethnic and religious utopia, SLU has the same responsibility. You have Too understand the social environment of an urban university and how they project themselves nationally. How would you like this quote from Father Biondi - "Yes, we want all students Too apply and be accepted Too Saint Louis University, no matter what their nationality, ethnic, race or religion - and yes we compete in an athletic conference that is totally made up of Catholic schools." It just doesn't relate, it just doen't vibe. You need that balance. CUSA was and still is a great idea - the United States of America - diversified views of education and athletics spread out over different types of universities. SLU is at a crossroads now, and our future sucess isn't in uniting with a bunch of east coast catholic schools, we will be worse off than now in regonition. Believe you me, it won't be them joining us, it will be us joining them - they (eastern catholic universities) would have all the power. Athletics have nothing Too do with religion, SLU athletics have nothing Too do with religion - why are people talking about a "Catholic Conference". so it goes.....

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Who thinks too wants us to stay in the crappy CUSA because he knows the new CATHOLIC conference would be powerful enough to compete and win against the other power conferences namely the Big 12? Too is deathly afraid that the new conference will put SLU on equal footing with his tigers.

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Obviously no one has named the new conference if it were to happen the Catholic conference and of course no one will. Don't be stupid. As for perception .. High School players all over the east coast go to Catholic High Schools ...even if they are not Catholic .. I wonder if Lebron is catholic.

What it will be is like minded schools with common academic and athletic values coming together ... and if Charlotte is in .. they are not catholic .. but the rest of the schools will probably require them to say 5 Hail Mary's. before every game.

The media will not openly refer to it as the catholic conference as that would not be politically correct ... and who in the media would intentionally say something that is not politically correct.

This affiliation would be great for SLU. There will be other non east coast schools ... and of course the east coast schools would probably try to establish power ... but in CUSA the football schools are taking over ... also we are trying to compete with the likes of Cinci, Louisville, and Memphis in CUSA. It is not because of their basketball prowress that this is unfair ..but because of the academic inequalities of the athaletes they recruit. In the proposed new conference ... that won't be the case. I don't believe the new conference would ever compete equally on a whole with the Big 12 or SEC .. but it can at least become the equal of what CUSA is now ..maybe more.

All in all it would just be a better fit for SLU.

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I for one almost always find myself posting disagreements with Too ... but have no desire for him to leave the board or feel that he is my enemy. Every plot needs an antagonist and, at least, our antagonist is witty and makes an effort to debate as opposed to pure rant.

As to the topic of this thread, the "Catholic Conference", I can agree only with the broad theoretical concept espoused by Too but find it a very impractical suggestion. If I understand Too's argument correctly, it is that by playing in a conference almost exclusively full of Catholic schools (but including Charlotte which is not Catholic nor private) and that the media may call it "the Catholic league", SLU is not being inclusive enough ... that potential students and players may find offensive or at least be turned off by it.

Rebuttal:

(a) The league will not be called the "catholic league" and it will include at least one non-Catholic member (Charlotte). Certainly Izik Ohannon knew that SLU was a Catholic institution when he ventured from Israel to join us. Why would he do that? Because he made a basketball decision--i.e., SLU was the best b-ball program for him and the rest was secondary. Why do so many young African-Americans who are not Catholic attend catholic primary and high schools and play for their teams? Because their parents have determined that it offers them the best available educational value.

(B) It is in the interest of SLU to compete with like-minded institutions that are, hopefully, in some reasonable geographic proximity to St. Louis--the best rivalries shall be fostered against the Marquettes, DePaul, Xaviers of the world (we would love to add ND to that list if they were to join the league).

© The vast majority of the boosters of SLU basketball are in fact "catholic". No question about it. The money people who support SLU B-Ball are going to be energized by such a league.

(d) Finally and most importantly, what is the alternative to joining such a league? It's horendous--i.e., go back to the Valley or stay with a sinking CUSA.

Bottom line: It is a fine and noble goal to mix with all different types (this is a road I have taken in my own personal life) but there just is no other real option for SLU. The B-ball program is the engine that pulls the entire athletic department along and we must play in the best conference available, regardless of religious affiliation. Honestly, if SLU got invited to play in the all-Muslim league upon the disembolment of CUSA and it was loaded with recent NCAA tourney teams, I'd be all for it.

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the reason c-usa is a "sinking ship" is because of the totally unorganized and ill-advised direction of mike slive imo. how the sec could see fit to make him captain of their ship is beyond me. the league starts out as a basketball focus and then somewhere shortly after the origination they decide they are a football conference that needs quantity not quality members. had to be an afterthought or else slu, marquette, depaul and charlotte would have never been included.

then look at the conference set-up. first we have the red, white and blue divisions. cute, but not practical. ditch that. then american and national divisions. better, but now we have hurt memphis feelings by not letting them play the 5 best teams in the conference twice a year in basketball. so now we are throwing them all together, however, because the conference has overexpanded, it isnt reasonable to play everyone twice, so somehow each year 4 teams will be picked by each school to play twice (i have a mental picture of pitino and calipari in their basement getting drunk and making out the conference schedule).

yeah it looks real bad, but in the same sense, there is still merrit in trying to fix it too. but damned if i would wait till the last second. either be the agressor and go out and get the needed schools to improve the situation or get the merger/mix with the big east started to shake it out basketball/football.

it can be done. we got one of the best school presidents in the country that knows how to make it happen. go shock the world again father biondi.

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