BLIKNS Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Seen on the Post`s website that over 5,000 were on hand for an exibtion game against Notre Dame,an exibition and still 5,000?Pretty good.I still think with all the speculation about a possible BE/C-USA merger,soccer helps the Bills.With soccer being stronger on the coasts,maybe having one of the elite soccer programs could help the Bills with the eastern schools.Anyone think so,or is soccer a non-issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 St. Louis could get 5,000 at a curling match if ND was involved. CUSA is not a terrible soccer conference, but some of the big east teams are not much better. Tough game last night, the Bills inexperience really showed. I thought we got robbed on a no call in front of the ND net, should've been a penalty kick. It will take time for this team to play at its highest level, fortunately the group should be peaking as soon as the NCAAs come around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Yeah, I was there. I actually think that SLU outplayed ND in the first half, they just couldn't put the ball in the net. ND clearly did outplay us in the second half, which is when they scored their two goals. I'm not sure about the no-call in the box, but I thought that one of the ND goals(can't remember which one) shouldn't have counted because they gained possession on what I thought was an obstruction foul. Anyway, hats off of Notre Dame. They have a good team and so does SLU, we just are a little bit inexperienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheA_Bomb Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I am not discouraged by this game. I only read the synopsis but it is still early in the season and I don't think SLU had all of their top players. Does anyone know if DiRaimondo and Graizer were there? According to this article it seems that they were playing for the U17 National team in Finland. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...0to%20pay%20off If they weren't there and they are two of our young stars that bodes well for this team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I read about Freddy Adu this weekend maybe in the Post and I believe he is still playing for the u-17 so I don't think they are back yet, but it should over shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 >>I am not discouraged by this game. I only read the synopsis but it is still early in the season and I don't think SLU had all of their top players. Does anyone know if DiRaimondo and Graizer were there? According to this article it seems that they were playing for the U17 National team in Finland.<< I watched the first half of the game on cable and DiRaimondo and Graizer were not there. The best player on the field for SLU was the freshman mid-fielder Will John--strong on the ball, nice moves, fast. The next best player was Vedad Ibisevic; however, every time he got the ball on a run there were 3 ND defenders in his face. SLU just did not have enough talent up front but the two stars from the U17 team should help tremendously. I would expect John to be moved to forward when they return. Our only experienced players are on defense and it was solid in the first half. With all the new players, it is going to take Donigan some time to blend the parts together ... but I expect us to have another strong team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 The opening post had a line that said "I still think with all the speculation about a possible BE/C-USA merger,soccer helps the Bills.With soccer being stronger on the coasts,maybe having one of the elite soccer programs could help the Bills with the eastern schools.Anyone think so,or is soccer a non-issue?" I would offer that seeing as a huge revenue source is the cause of all this ruckus to begin with(BCS football with championship games, multi-million dollar payoffs, TV audiences, etc.), soccer means absolutely nothing outside the world of those who play it. Frankly, I lump soccer in there with lacrosse ..... which, by the way,is huge in my part of the country but nowhere else. Soccer may have a bigger pull overall, but in the grand scheme of the current nomadic collegiate landscape .... zero, zilch, nada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Vedad is one of our better players, but he hasn't learned to use the rest of the team, as in "pass". That should come in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I was at the game ... I thought the first half was played pretty evenly ... maybe a slight advantage to us. I always sit at about the 18 yard line of the side the Bills attack. I have officiated soccer up to and including the college level in the past. The linesman made two offsides calls in the 1st half that were in error... both were right in front of me and the linesman was out of position ( the one on the the home side of the field was running behind the entire 1st half )one took a breakaway from us. Will John is going to be outstanding ... he needs to push forward a little more and attack when given space ... he has unbeleivable ball skills for a true freshman and is very quick ... I don't think he has great vision ( or he hasn't shown it yet ) he will be a better player upfront right now. He is also a little soft in his passing and got many intercepted. Next to Brad Davis he is the best freshman I have seen at SLU. He is going to be a force during his career Vedad ...as previously stated, needs to learn he is not alone on the field. He attacks regardless of the situation, just lowering his head and charging forward ... even in 1 on 3 situations. He has missed alot of 1 on 1 opportunities in the 2 games I have seen. He reminds me a bit of Jackie Jewsbury in his freshman year. If he has a career like Jackie did we will be doing well. We seem to rely on the long ball too much ... but missing John D should help that. I watched 3 of the U17 games on TV and he is a possesion midfielder who is strong on the ball. Not flashy like Brad Davis but solid like Mike Sorber. I think he will help us alot. Grazier didn't play much in the U17 games so I don't know much about him ... but if he is on the team he has to be very good. We will be a better team later in the year ... how good we will have to wait and see. The next 2-3 years may bring us our much needed national championship. So far the Freshman class I have seen is outstanding ... now add 2 of the top 20 incoming freshman in the country. We have a lot to be excited about GO BILLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobo Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Hopefully, the Bills will gel sooner than later. Their first 4 games are away and all opponents - execpt Akron - are nationally ranked. It sounds like this team has not had much time together. Another week together could be very productive. Go Bills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 >Vedad is one of our better players, but he hasn't learned to >use the rest of the team, as in "pass". That should come in >time. Gister, as you say, I saw him try to dribble through 2 or 3 defenders on numerous occasions; however, near the end of the first half he made a very niffty give across the box for a one-timer to somebody (Pusateri maybe). I think he will learn that, although he could dribble through the opposing team in the STL Public High League, he ain't in the PHL anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcbill Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 i made the trek. mass at the college church. a walk through of the new busch center. a beautiful night on a beautiful campus and billiken soccer. will john will be the man before he graduates. couple him with our under/17s and we should be outstanding later in the season. notre dame is a top 10 program and it was a very competitive match. soccer will not influence conference realignment but i believe notre dame will determine what becomes of the big east. i hope they abandon the football schools and throw in with the bball schools and pair up with us,depaul, marquette and charlotte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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