thetorch Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Tonight on the kMOX Billiken Bob spelled out his 10 selfish reasons for joining the Valley 1. The A-10 is too far to travel. 2. Soccer, Soccer, Soccer Soccer is great in the MVC. 3. With me on the road so much Sports talk in St. Louis will fall apart. Where would listeners go to hear about the 3 stooges and western movies on sports talk radio. 4. I would miss Mike Claiborne. 5. The MVC is my employer, if SLU joined the MVC I could become THE VOICE of the MVC. 6. There are no Missouri Independent Tire Dealers in Rhode Island. 7. I like to take buses to games (only if their tires are from IDT of course). On the bus I get my own seat. When we fly I always have to sit next to Earl and he never lets me have the window seat. 8. Have you ever been to Carbondale in January? Nuff said. 9. Have you ever been to Terre Haute in February? It is even better than Carbondale in January. 10. Drake's coach is a Dr. So when I say WHOA DOCTOR during a game against Drake it will actually mean something. Seriously this has gotten out of hand. Why is our announcer, The Voice Of The Billikens, advocating that SLU join the MVC? There has been no interest from either side, Thank God, of this happening, so why is it all Billiken Bob will talk about? Is this the way the Voice of the Billikens should be representing the university? First the worst team in Billiken history comment now this, who wants to start the campaign to get rid of this joker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUNATE Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 alright....I'm an MVC fan and a Bob Ramsey fan.... that said that was a hilarious post keep flaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentFLBilliken Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Bob Ramsey is a great radio announcer. He is so much better on play-by-play than Frankie C that it is laughable. I am perhaps in the minority but I love a homer announcer as long as he is honest in his analysis. Bob does a great job of being excited about SLU but also acknowledging the performances of opposing players. His opinion of which conference SLU should be in is misguided but ultimately irrelevent. Athletic departments dont build new multi-million dollar arenas so they can compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. If we went into the valley, I think the West Pine Gym would be just fine. We'd have complete control over the dates there. The other part of the equation is Woolard. From all I hear, he considers himself and up-an-coming administrator. He has a very good resume so far at SLU for fundraising, facility improvements, etc. There is no way he wants on his watch that he downgraded SLU to the Valley. Its not going to happen Nate. Sorry. Its a little sad that SLU alums and announcers care more about better road trips than overall viability and health of the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUNATE Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 ok...don't misrepresent my intent...I don't want SLU to regress, just so i can drive to an away game. I really think they'd excel in the Valley. Instead of getting pasted in a bigger conference year in and year out, why not dominate a smaller, but up and coming conference. I think that would put us in a better position to eventually align with a power conference of some sort, and isn't that what you want? Again, this is a difference of opinion, and I think that's good. I'm not some closet MU fan who wants to screw the Bills, I really think they would do well in the Valley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Yes they would .... but they can also do well in the A-10 which is a much better conference. Big time recruits don't want to play in the valley, they want to go to a major conference. How would it be easier to step up from the valley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I assume Rammer is currently on the MVC payroll as he usually does some MVC post-season tournament games and I believe he is now doing some cable tv work for the Valley football group. Consequently, I don't think Rammer is in a position to say too many negative things about the Valley versus the A-10 or Big East. There is also the strong possibility that because of Rammer's young family, it would be more convenient for him to drive the Carbondale, Evansville, Terre Haute, Bloomington, Peoria, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Springfield, Wichita road circuit rather than fly the A-10's Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston road circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentFLBilliken Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Just for fun... here is the mileage chart for the conferences in question MO VALLEY Bradley (Peoria) 146 Wichita St 392 Creighton (Omaha) 353 SMS (Springfield) 194 SIU-Carbondale 82 NIU (Cedar Falls) 293 Ill State (Normal)145 Drake (DesMoines) 273 Evansville 149 ISU (Terre Haute) 160 ATLANTIC TEN St Joes/Temple/LaSalle (Philly) 810 Rhode Island (Kingston) 1032 UMASS (Amherst) 962 ST Bonaventure (Olean, NY) 663 Fordham (NYC) 871 Xavier 308 Dayton 331 Richmond 700 GWU (DC) 709 Duquesne (Pittsburgh) 557 CUSA TCU 569 SMiss 506 Tulane 686 USF 861 UAB 400 Charlotte 564 Cincy 308 Marquette 328 DePaul 262 Louisville 248 Memphis 243 ECU 735 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 lets face it a four or six hour bus ride is equivalent to a two hour charted plane flight. moreover look at the dollars, and SLU has to think of the future.....ie what happens when the big east decides, to change its format again. No brainer, if A-1o asks we go.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 He is essentially publicly suggesting that SLU downgrade it athletic affiliations for the convenience of his travel schedule. If I were a member of the AD's office, I would be p!$$ed off. Maybe its time for the AD's office to make some public statements to quash the ridiculous media, radio show, and message board MVC talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p diddy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 i heard earl on the same kmox show with rammer and bernie and he advocated the move to the atlantic 10 because of its stature as one of the top 10 leagues in the country. he said although the valley is a high=quality league, it could be perceived as a step back for slu because of the league's mid-major status. he also mentioned that while slu has been in the great midwest or c-usa, they have been able to have home-and-home nonconference series with schools such as arizona, kansas, illinois, ucla, georgia tech, umass, iowa state and other national powers on a 1 to 1 basis. those would be tougher to come by as a member of a mid-major conference. the big boys aren't in a hurry to go to creighton, carbondale or springfield to risk a loss. speaking in terms of basketball, he said the a-10 is the way to go. bad boyz for life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I agree ...at the very least DW needs to put him in his place and get him to restate his opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Earl is classy and knowledgeable. I am glad to hear that he doesn't provide "expert" opinion regarding conference affiliation based on his personal travel schedule. If Ramsey doesn't want to travel to the northeast to cover SLU games, then he should be fired. There are many other broadcasters who would love to broadcast SLU games regardless of the travel. His attitude is getting real old real fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 nonesense like "getting pasted in a bigger conference". i remember when the billikens agreed to go to the great midwest. there were quotes in the paper proclaiming it was such a mistake, or that the billikens wouldnt win a game in the conference. my my, by the end of the conference run, we were top 25 ranked, and taking cincy to the last second of the conference championship. two ncaa runs. on to conference usa. the media insisted we were again going to get buried. the added top teams like louisville along with the top teams from the great midwest would surely banish poor slu to the annual basement. my my, again two trips to the ncaa's we actually win the conference usa championship once, and the team continuously has competed in the upper half of the conference. in fact last season (which to remind everyone according to bob ramsey was the worst billiken team in 20 years) the billikens finished 4th overall ahead of the likes of cincy, depaul, and charlotte. to insist we cant compete in the a-10 is just ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 however you need to consider the ease of getting to those mvc cities. hell, for all i know a jet cant even land in peoria and cedar falls. so if it becomes a series of bus trips vs jet plane rides, is it easier travel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 send an e-mail to slu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 that is because earl is a knowledgeable fan. ramsey is showing his overall ignorance imo. either that, or he truly doesnt believe slu can compete. remember ramsey believed last year's team was the worst slu team in 20 years. that is the kind of confidence he has in our billikens. i tend to agree with nark, maybe it is time for bob ramsey to move on to the mvc permanently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I love Ramsey the play by play guy. I despise Ramsey the talk show host.He's opinonated to a fault. His act with Claiborne is poor at best. If I was Doug I would certainly dress him down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillikenButch Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I don't think so. The AD's Office will keep all options open until then. Don't demand a response that they cannot give now. Let those with lower expectations for SLU spout off, and then let Fr. Biondi's vision for the University suprise them once again. I did not hear Ramsey, but it seems his comments are tongue in cheek. That said he should be reminded of his role as a spokesperson for SLU. Losing him IMO would be a disservice to the program. Now if he chooses to degrade the program contunually, SLU needs to ask him to make a choice about his commitment. I love his passion for the game and his insight into Billiken history. He was not alone in his early season assessment of the team last year. I, and I am sure he, is glad he was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluer Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I agree. Something needs to be said to him. Maybe that's the issue, i.e. Ramsey wants to be cut into the conference discussion loop and this is his way of drawing Doug's attention. Whatever the reason, his statements are a bad mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 i guarantee you that a good team spokesman would never make statements like ramsey has now made on at least two occasions with his "worst team in 20 years" and now his "mvc or bust" statement. i agree with nark. while i enjoy listening to his exciting and passionate call of the billikens, i now have to wonder how geniune his passion is. he openly dissed the team last year during the season, and now he is showing his lack of confidence in the program again. he needs to be fired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted September 26, 2003 Author Share Posted September 26, 2003 What do you mean by getting pasted?????? We have never been pasted ina conference. We haven't dominated a conference, but we are not geting pasted. We have always been in the upper half of CUSA, usually the upper 3rd. We could do even better than that in the A-10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 i assume torch is directing his pasting question towards our new friend nate from kfns. i didnt say it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I have never been a big fan of Bob Ramsey. He is like most St. Louis media--he loves a winner and he bashes anyone who does not think like he does. He is so opinionated on his radio show that it is ridiculous. As a Billiken announcer he is fine on a game where we are winning and playing well but it is just plain torture to listen to him complain if the Bills are not playing well. Earl Austin has a much better feel for the game and the difficulties in playing against good athletes, even if they play for a lesser team. I think one of the problems may be that BR does not really understand basketball and he views it like a fan from afar-- one who loves dunks and does not really want to appreciate the beauty of a solid screen or great help defense. The fact that he is now advocating the MV confirims what I already believed--He is not really a big Bills fan--he just like the idea that he is the announcer on D1 basketball. He is also naive. the "trips" to the MV cities would be long. Our firm has offices in a number of those cities and it is very difficult to fly to any of them and the prices for flying to places like wichita are much higher than a Southwest flight to BWI. As a ling time fan I agree with the administration 100%. Go A-10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Bob Ramsey has always had small ideas about SLU - he often talks about how SLU should strive to be top 50 or 60 and that anything else would be unrealistic. I have to admit, he has been somewhat hard to understand as to why he has taken such a ambivilant approach towards SLU BB over the last year or so. Maybe he is concerned that if SLU gets to big time that he may be dumped who knows. I do think that both he and Frank really do not like the travel and quite naturally, playing in the MVC rather thant he A-10 would cut down on that. Fortunately, they are not making the decision nor should their own personal needs really be allowed to come out in their discussions. I think most of the media have simply grown use to SLU fans just taking it that they do need a reminder that we want big time BB and whatever it takes to have it even if it means impacting them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 This is a bunch of crap I'm hearing about these guys not liking the travel. What do they expect?? They chose this profession, and if they didn't think traveling was part of it, then they were very much misguided. Is another hundred or two miles really going to matter that much in travel arrangements...no. So you have to be on a plane for an extra 15-30 minutes...big deal. You will get to go to much more interesting cities, with much better programs. If they can't take the traveling, get the heck out of announcing and employ somebody who actually wants the job. I'd take it in a heartbeat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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