Quality Is Job 1 Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Following is an e-letter I sent to a number of media outlets. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] From: Terrance Hicks Subject: What is SLU doing to optimize its conference position? Greetings: The conference realignment challenge stemming from the ACC's raiding the Big East of Miami and Virginia Tech is the most crucial piece of the puzzle for Saint Louis University's basketball program. It's bigger than how the Billikens perform during the 2003-04 season, bigger than the recruits SLU signs in 2004 and 2005, bigger than who the head coach is, and bigger than the university's decision to build an on-campus arena for basketball. If SLU is ever to be a Top 25 to Top 40 program, with the possibility of making the NCAA Final Four and winning the National Championship, then it will have to be a member of one of the best seven or eight basketball conferences. A number of possibilities have come to light. The best scenario sees the Conference USA football schools merging with the Big East football schools to form one all-sports conference and the Big East non-football schools merging with the C-USA non-football schools to form a non-football conference. The worst scenario sees the Big East raiding C-USA of Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and DePaul and some schools leaving C-USA for the Western Athletic Conference, leaving SLU searching for a conference, most likely a mid-major conference like Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, or Horizon. While I don't dislike those conferences, they do not offer teams a feasible opportunity to go the the Final Four. What I would like to see, is some interviewing of SLU president Father Lawrence Biondi and/or athletic Director Doug Woolard or some discussion with them to find out how resolved they are to put SLU in the best possible conference position and what their vision is. My hope is that the SLU administration is being proactive on SLU's behalf and is not just along for the ride. St. Louis needs to know, especially for the sake of SLU's recruiting players for the next two or three years. It disturbs me that Andy Katz writes so ominously of Brad Soderberg's feelings of uncertainty. The coach and the fans need a public affirmation from the university administration. Thank you, Terrance Hicks St. Louis, Missouri I wanted to incude Demetrious Johnson and Kevin Pulley of Sportswave and Charlie Tuna, but I had no way of getting their e-mail addresses. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Good e-mail Terrance. Let us know what you receive in reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Good email. When you mentioned Katz, you could have also pointed out that at least Katz is interviewing our coach which is more than the local media appears to be doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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