1-0 NU over SLU

[moytoy12]

Goal for Northwestern with about 20min gone by in the 1st half.

[Box and Won]

What a crappy game.

[moytoy12]

Not a good start to the weekend...

...after the results last night, i'm pretty disappointed. But i'll defer to courtside, so i'm disappointed in a loss to NU...

[Lobo]

and it ended 1-0.

Everything was favorble for SLU and they just didn't do it.

In my opinion it is time for Coach D. to be replaced and soon. We need a coach who can organize, lead and motivate talent.

That's my belief and I'm sticking to it.

[Billsboys]

>and it ended 1-0.

>Everything was favorble for SLU and they just didn't do it.

>

>In my opinion it is time for Coach D. to be replaced and

>soon. We need a coach who can organize, lead and motivate

>talent.

>

>That's my belief and I'm sticking to it.

Doubt it! Cheryl likes Dan and Sorber has no chance!

[slufanskip]

A game we completely dominated 14-5 on shots and probably the same margin in possession. Time and time again we miss very good opportunities, either by extremely poor shots, very bad first touches, you name it we can do it upfront except score goals.

I am so dissapointed ...

I don't know if I'd say DD needs to go ... but at this moment I'm leaning strongly that way.

I can't remember a team being given a gifr like we were this year from the soccer gods ... and we passed in on to Northwestern.

I am thoroughly discusted

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[Bluecrewwebmaster]

Saw this one coming! Everytime the stars align and it looks like things are going "our way", this board gets all excited about the possibilities, and our Bills go out and lay an egg!

[bluecrewfinance]

Don't blame Donigan for this one...his preparation helped the team put up 14 shots; the gameplan allowed the Bills to be dominant in important parts of the game. The coaches, however, aren't taking shots.

[thetorch]

Donnigan gets another year for his A-10 title and NCAA appearance. Obviously though this guy does not have the coaching chops to get us an NCAA title. SLU should be holding its soccer program to a higher standard.

[Billikenbooster]

Friend of mine told me the NU goal was scored by a St Louisan, from Chaminade, no less. Any truth to this?

mhg

[SLUBALLS]

Just some color on the game:

SLU came out playing great and then Sweetin goes down after going in for a 50/50 ball where he kicked the ball at the same time as the NU player. Ream came in and I think he did a great job in the middle. SLU played well and the second half was just crazy with how hard we were pressing for a tieing goal

NU's goal.....jesus. SLU is tranistioning into the NU half and immediately either Matteson or Dado tries to play an elevated ball diagonally to I think Johnny D. Ball goes about 5 yards and hits the ref in the back and the ball falls to a NU player. Four passes later and David Roth (St. Louis kid) hits a brutal knuckling ball into the upper left hand corner from about 18-20 out. SKip and I had a great view of this shot. It would have taken an amazing save to get this one.

SLU shot and shot and shot and shot and......nothing. Dado had a moment where SLU was pressing hard and a cross came in,Dado elevated and hit it with a bicycle kick, but it went just over the cross bar. Would have been a huge momentum turner if he puts it in.

SLU did not play poorly. Look we don't have a top-notch finisher period. Haven't had one for two to three years. This was supposed to be the year Vedad and Will were still out there as seniors. We haven't had two plaeyrs like them since they left.

I'm not ready to give up on DD. He got us back in the tourney and we competed well this year. Like Bluecrew said, he can't put the ball in the net. The team he's putting out there and the tactics they are employing are creating opportunities. If those opportunities weren't being created, I'd be more inclined to question DD. Casey Spiess, while a great, great utility player and someone you need on your team, he is not a guy who's gonna lead a team to the promise-land. Again, no rip on Spiess because he plays with a lot of heart, grit, and everything you need to support your great players on the field. We're simply lacking on those great, game-changing players.

What we have coming back: Two studs in back ( Calum and Viv), effective wings (Hayes and Dado), good middle (Ream, Sweetin, and Grazier), tested sophomore goalie ( kaufmann). Holes will be in the back and up front. Need a killer forward recruit and a solid back.

[slufanskip]

I don't know about DD. I have always been in his corner. Every player on the team was brought in by him and he can't seem to put it all together. Maybe I'm just overly dissapointed. It takes us 15 shots to score a goal, not just today all year ... and last year. I don't see the player on our roster who is going to change that. I also don't think we play a style that fits our team ... maybe another time I will go into more depth ... just not tonight.

THis is SLU ... we need to be challenging for National Championships.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[courtside]

On a cold and blustery, but sunny late Novemeber afternoon, winds gusting, the game would be played one half in light and the other in darkness under the lights....strolled in with the same confidence of the short sleeves of Brian Grazier and Alex Matteson on such a chilly day. Seemed a storybook kind of day, which it turned out to be in a way.

Just before kickoff, that little hush and here we go...I leaned to the person seated next to me and whispered, "God Almighty, we better score first,...don't care if is in regulation, OT or PK's...We better score first." ...Because I knew going in, this year's team was 12-0 when scoring first. And 1-4-1 when they didn't. The only win over hapless St. Bonnies. I knew...And away we go...

Less than 5 minutes into the freakin game, down goes 1st team all conference midfielder, speedy offensive, tiny dynamo, Eric Sweetin, down like he was shot by a sniper. Perhaps I jinxed him and his family at Vito's the night before. Should have stayed away from Eric. Seemed like a harmelss 50-50 ball...but if you don't go in balance forward 100%, you can break your leg. Even Donigan thought it was nothing, and didn't come out right away. Eric spent the rest of the game in a walking cast on the sidlines. Versatile Tim Ream filled in well at midfield, but it wasn't one of Timmy's best days, which is still solid.

SLU came out well prepared, and played well. NU was fired up too behind their surprisingly boisterous cheering section and lots of purple and white pom pons. SLU seemingly was starting to control the action created opportunities. My one concern, which I vocalized out loud at the time, was SPACE....too much of it...for the team dressed in all black like they were the Grim Reaper or something. On counter attacks, Northwestern was given WAAAAY too much space in 1st half from SLU's 40 yd line to 25 yd line. This cost them dearly, on fluke counter...David Roth, yes a St. Louisan, yes first team all Big Ten junior, yes the best player by a lot on Northwestern's solid team had time to perhaps sit down and read a couple of pages of the famous soccer book "Fever Pitch" before being approached. In regular speed Timmy Ream gave too much space is what I am saying. And Roth in front of a gazillion family and friends chanting and cheering him on, hit a mythical laser, that dipped, no spin, going left to right on your tv screen visual, under the top left crossbar, 20 minutes in, and shocked everyone within miles of Hermann Stadium. It was like the movie Victory where Pele does the bicycle kick, and they replay it in slow motion until the German dude stand up and applauds. And regular time starts again.

Immediately my first thought, was wow, it was a flat out THIRTY TWO yard bomb. Wow!. Shot of his college lifetime. But he is in fact a terrific player. My second thought was, why was SLU's keeper Kaufmann not more ready for it. He was caught off line, back pedaling, and did get a finger tip on it. Would have been a terrific save, but isn't that why we are here? And why he was off his line I don't know. Thought he could and should have done more on it, but make no mistake on the shot. He was nowhere near the box, it was far, 32 yards out.

Uh oh...12-0 1-4-1, over and over in my head. Not this time. SLU poured on the pressure. I counted 4 high quality chances for Alex Matteson, two for John DiRaimondo and Casey Speiss, my goodness, alone in a room with the keeper ready to undress him, and shot right at him, ...anywhere else and it is 1-1. That one was disturbing. SLU DOMINATED with chances for about the next 15 minutes, then finished frustrated last 5 minutes of first half in ordinary fashion. Terrific passing and chances by Alex Matteson in 1st half. But he really had a lot of chances in this game, and he laid an egg, period. His 2nd half play was very disappointing an uninspriring. Perhaps if had jawed less with the officials and actually played a full 90, I wouldn't pick on him.

NU had a few counters here and there to make it interesting, and to make me nervous about Kaufmann twice more, but that was it folks, the question was WHEN would SLU tie it.

2nd half. Brian Grazier. Let me just say I would take 11 Brain Graziers and play anybody anywhere and see how I'd do. Man of the match...if you aren't counting the sneaky, talented, smart David Roth of NU. Casey Speiss. nobody likes him more than me, Florissant kid fro DeSmet...he was all set 4 years ago to attend Quincy U, D-2 ball when he got the call last minute from SLU. He has played and played, left back, right back, left mid right mid, forward, everywhere, ...with 100% hustle, speed, and that Flo Town nastiness that only another kid from there understands. But Casey's first touch at forward, is not good enough for this stage. His speed and effort and ability to win head balls, and find loose change in the box and knock in are why he plays there.

Many tremendous build ups, mostly wide, good spacing throughout from SLU. But never enough in the middle until some flashes later in 2nd half. Some terrific chances. Hemzagic's bicycle over the bar would have brought the non-existent roof down. I was hoping he would have slided deeper on the terrifc cross, and headed, or chested and volleyed. Matteson was flicking and tapping when SLU needed more shots on the keeper and non-pretty whacks on goal to force NU's shaky keeper to not give rebounds.

The goal never came, looked up into the press box as seconds ticked down, and Levick's hands were holding up her face for about the last 20 min of the game, and they stood glued there til the end.

Angus had a terrific game at right back. I have been hard on him for costing SLU the UIC and SMU goals and games. But he had terrific season and recovered well, really nice two way stuff. Viviano, solid, but his head needs to be in the game for full 90. Guffey has had better games. Benne's run with 8 minutes left where he tackled the NU midfelder was one to remember and one to think where was this physicality for SLU earlier. He was solid. Grazier was terrifc, but wished he moved up sooner and more often into the attack when SLU was desperate. Timmy Ream will be a good one at SLU. Filled in at d mid and did okay. Dado is the biggest enigma on team for me. Maybe my expectations are too high. Had some very good flashes, but he needs to make better decions after beating the first guy. Johnny D, wow, just didn't have it today...had flashes. Is it possible his first two years were better than his last two?

SLU was the better team, make zero mistake about it. Northwestern packed it and held on. Early on some nice things from NU. But they flat out stole one, and they knew it. They celebrated as if they won the College Cup right there.

Too many long balls for SLU for my taste, but when you are down and desperate, it happens. As has been discussed forever, SLU lacks a creative attacking midfielder...Matteson is a poor man's Jackie Jewsbury or Brad Davis. And more so, SLU needs a stud finisher or two. They have nothing in this dept. Yes what if Vedad Ibisevic, Will John and Tim Ward would not have gone pro early, with the other nices pieces...wow couldn't even imagine. And SLU has failed to overcome those unexpected losses....Took Donigan a few years to adjust. And SLU got back in the dance. They need a couple more return trips in a row to get DD off of the hot seat. They must make it next year. Winning the league outright is positive, winning those tough road games when you don't ahve your best players or stuff. That is what SLU did this year as opposed to last two years.

And people please, look around, there is good soccer everywhere, long gone are the days where losing in 2nd round of NCAA is a bad year for SLU, or job worthy. The competition is waaaaay tougher now than even ten years ago. That is just the way it is. Much harder to win now, with all that parity.

For next season, SLU will need a transfer or Frosh scorer or two. They must find someone. Only kid in STL area...let me repeat that the ONLY kid GOOD ENOUGH in all of St. Louis, that means there is just one imo good enough to play forward for SLU next year, is a questionable attitude at best player, a terrific talent, headed to IU. A shut down defender who would start immediately is headed to SMU. Other than that, very few kids good enough out of area to play for SLU next year, a few yes, but none at forward that I have seen, defenders and defensive midfielders sure. There is a junior however, and he is great and a beast of a forward. We shall see.

If Grazier indeeds decides to come back, then that will help. SLU will be in decent shape. Need some folks who can score.

No DD can't score for them, but he is responsible for who is recruited to play up top.

Game plan etc...all fine. SLU just needs better forwards who have better first touches, who hold ball better, who can score, who can take pressure off of defense to not have to be perfect.

DD will be back and should for next year, and SLU will be expected to dominate the A-10 reg season AND conf tourney. And to again get a few signature non-conference wins against nation's best. 1-2 players from a Final Four team, and that is good enough to keep your job. They lost, but they played hard, dominated the game with a gazillion chances.

It was like a basketball game when your team is down 1 point, 2 minutes left, is in the front court and shoots and shoots and gets rebound after rebound and seconds tick down and last shot goes off the rim. A sick feeling. A long off-season of what ifs.

Yep, a storybook kind of day, just for the wrong kid on the wrong team, Daid Roth returning home.

[bluecrewfinance]

as an addendum, Mo Benne had what seemed like the best distribution, pressure and possession game of his career here. He shook off whatever albatross was slowing him in the rest of the season and played an impressive game at the left back.

[SLUBALLS]

Very good read courtside.

[slufanskip]

Courtside ... nice post. written like a newspaper article, very well done.

Now my opinions which agree with courtside in some areas and disagree in others.

I'll start with DD ... imo it's time to make a change. I like DD, as a matter of fact, I like him alot. With that said, I don't think he is the guy to bring SLU back to perenial contender status. I understand there is more parity anf SLU will never dominate like we did, but right now we are not even a blip on the radar and haven't been for 3 years. We were seeded 11th overall which was a gift. We are not one of the top 11 teams in the country. My reasons to change. We don't keep enough of the top tier of local talent. No Stl isn't the dominant area that it used to be, but lets not underate it either. Per capita it is still one of the top areas of the country. The 2 top players in the area this year are supposedly going elsewhere. He has no offensive strategy, and I've been saying this for 2 years ... we don't have the type team to continue to push the ball long down the wings and center it. Doesn't work for us, but we continue to play that type of soccer. We have no transition from the backline to the midfield going forward. We knock it around a bit on the back line and then send it long, which are balls we rarely win. I can't even tell you the last time I've seen us possess a ball in the midfield and push a through ball on the ground. It just doesn't happen even though our personel seems to fit that style of game better.

I'm not that sold on what we have returning. We have good players but no game changers. Brian G is good but he is more of a control type player who seems to lack the vision to create an offensive attack. He wins and settles the ball to retain possession, but just doesn't seem to see the possibilities to go forward. Tim Ream who I am very high on is the best we have on the team for an attacking midfielder and I believe could turn into that guy. Imo ... he seems to have a feel for what to do with the ball at his feet. I hope we don't make him a defensive midfielder. Sweet is a fiesty, get in your craw type player he can get in a crowd and come away with the ball, but he is soft on his passes, he frequently turns the ball over after winning it. I think that Courtside will disagree and I know sluballs does ... but imo Dado is better suited for the middle ... he likes to go at the goal and is the strongest player we have on the ball. He has great moves with the ball at his feet and can beat almost anyone 1 on 1 ... he just always seems to try and beat 1 guy to many. I am not however sold on his shot as I haven't seen him just rare back and hit many. He seems to want to beat people on the dribble and can do it ... but on the wing he has too far to carry the ball. In the middle maybe he beats the 1st or 2nd guy and then lets it fly at the goal ... if he doesn't do it there ... I'm not sure what to do with a guy with his skill level that seems to want to play in his own little box.

We have 2 very good players returning on the back line. Also what happened to Brandon Gasparovic (sp). Was he just beat out by Viv or was he hurt this year. Besides those three we don't have much returning back there which is why I'm afraid Tim R will get slid to the back line. We need to bring in at least 1 immediate starter quality player on the back line, possibly 2 and some depth to go along with that.

I'm unimpressed with Kaufman as a keeper, I don't think he is bad, he's just not elite. I disagree that he had any chance to make the save on Roth's shot. But he seemed to get caught out of position a few times. He is small for a keeper and not incredibly athletic. He is also seems to be indecisive on when to come out and when to stay home. He hesitates ... in a keep, right or wrong once you go you go. It's worse to get caught in no mans land than it is to come out hard at the wrong time.

Back to DD ... when I ask myself can DD take us to the final four, win a national championship and make anything outside the sweet 16 a bad year ... my answer is ... he hasn't shown me anything to make me even remotely think he can. We will continue to get good players we are Stl's only big time school and there is an abundance of good players coming from here. I'm not interested in being a good soccer team. I want to be elite. I want to be challenging for the final 4 every year. I want to be dissapointed in any 1st or 2nd round loss in the tourney. It can and should be done here.

I'm dissapointed in this loss ... but only because the peices fell so right for us to walk into the final four ... Home field all the way due to the 2 seeds above us losing. It was a gift from the soccer gods and we turned it down. Realistically we went out about where our talent said we should. we shouldn't have been a 3rd seed in the 1st place. We are probably around the 20-30 th best team in the country and that is our best team in 3 years ... sorry DD it's not good enough.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[brianstl]

Well stated Skip.

[slufanskip]

One thing I will say is that what I write is only my opinion. I am probably more than fairly knowledgeable about the game ... but so are courtside and sluballs ... and they disagree with me.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[courtside]

Let me try look at your points Skip, and perhaps a few other opinions and personal observations. I think we agree far more than you think.

Okay...let's see...let me start with the players, that is easiest for me. I have seen Brian G for SLU and outside of SLU, I know Brian has the vision, but he is content on playing his position which he does well. No one on the team played harder or more intelligently than him yesterday. He plays with controlled reckless abandon if there is such a thing. He marks tighter than tight and wins those balls. Excellent passer and distribuotr of the ball, calm but plays with pace. I am so happy for him after the horrible knee injury. He has gifted skills with ball, not just a grinder or d mid. He has elite skills on the ball, and those are not easy to come by.

Timmy Ream I have been high on all year. Needs to fill out a bit and add more strength on the ball, he is so talented that he gets away with such a finess game. He routinely in high school and club ball played forward, attacking mid, d mid and left back...His versatility is uncommon and a big asset.

Eric Sweetin, seriously how many of us can say they would be tht good for being so small? Terrific on ball skills, can finish and create, but his size does have challenges, he gets hurt easily and often, he is too soft on passes, dead on there.

I would personally much prefer Dado in the middle. We do agree there. He is not a natural wing player. He was so highly touted, I had expected more from his first two years. I think though club ball is different...playing at Mehlville he was the whole team, no discipline etc...it makes a difference sometimes.

SLU has had much better keepers in past, and they need a stud back there. Maybe he wouldn't have saved that ball, but he was caught out of position yet again, ...he did this later in game and almost burned him again.

About DD. Skip I went to so many road and home games Johnny D's frosh year...that loaded group. That young team was as good as any in the country. DD brought in those kids. So I know he is capable of going to a Final Four. Too much first hand experience. He was caught with his pants down when the kids went pro. And hasn't fully recovered. This was a good class this year, his best since. He needs a class like it every year.

As for local kids, I see a lot of kids play, not just in the Lou either. Louisville club teams were dominating some youth national titles...Freakin Louisville, and UK had a nice team this year...horses and hoops country. It is nowhere near as easy as even 10-15 years ago. SLU was the big boy and kids just went there....until all of these other schools started developing soccer too. Now you get kids wanting a different type campus environment, different life experience, etc..makes it tougher to keep all the locals. DD has gotten his share over the years. And some don't pan out, Gasporovic struggled. Dado underachieving.

I would let DD come back next year. I think he and everyone knows the goal for SLU is to be a consistent contender, meaning making tourney every year and advancing deep at least some of the time.

Any type of replacement needs substantial head coaching experience and success. Gotta have somebody in mind.

While I am not pleased with just making the NCAA's....I also will not let uneducated people come on here and think it is still 1970. It isn't. Keeping top talent at home helps, and also getting finds elsewhere. I do think the problem is finishers. And it is tough to hide that weakness. It has been a few years since Will John and Vedad Ibisevic turned pro early, and people are getting restless. I have criticized and praised DD when each is warranted. Merely winning conference and not the A-10 tourney is not good enough. SLU beat IU, tied ND etc...and outplayed SMU. Those are top 10 teams this year. So I credit the positives too.

I do think DD needed this year's results to save his job, and I think he did just enough to save his job. He will need BETTER results next year and signs of future promise too, to keep it again next year. He may very well get fired next week. I won't lose sleep over it. I just hope if that happened, there is a replacement in mind. DD had success recruiting, and in the NCAA's. He hasn't adjusted to early unexpected losses to pros, and he imo is running out of excuses and time for that. SLU doesn't even have a practice field for Men's soccer, for those who chime in about facilities. Yes you heard me correctly. I dare those people to do their homework and visit some schools, they'd be surprised.

SLU needs a couple of forwards, fill in on back line, and keeper. I will wait to see what kind of class comes in for next year.

[courtside]

Also, thx for the kind words from Skip and Balls. The reason I post on SLU soccer other than loving the game of soccer, is that it is a small little minority here where the need for it is greater than some other hoops post. I do post hoops and love hoops as well as I do other sports...but feel more of a need is there for me to discuss soccer here. Soccer is playing chess while standing on the table and running for 90 minutes straight. I also know what it is like for out of towners to not be present and want more descriptive info to better understand what happened. Like bad radio announcers for any sport. Nothing is more annoying. So I prefer to describe small little things as well that many take for granted. Who knows? Maybe I am the only one who is interested, don't know? But maybe there is someone out there interested.

[bonwich]

I only got to this thread a few minutes ago but I have to add: That game summary was professional-quality and in a style that's been missing from lots of sports pages for many years now. Great stuff.

[slufanskip]

You are right we aren't that far apart. As I have said I have been a big DD fan. I agree if a change is made we have to have someone we feel is better in mind. I wouldn't change just to change. It is easy to take a step backwards while changing coaches. Someone has mentioned Sorber ... he is on the staff now, so I'm not sure about that. I don't have enough info to comment.

Regarding Brian G. I have said since he got here that I wanted to see him in more of an attacking role. I have said it on here numerous times. My opinion is based upon the fact that I have never seen him assume the role ... so my question would be if he can do it and we need it so desperately ... why hasn't it happened. Tim R easily could have filled the defensive mid role and Brian G could have been an attacking mid. If you feel he could have done it and in fact he could have ... leads me back to questioning DD.

As for Sweet. His size is what it is and I don't want I guy good for his size. He can create all he wants, but he doesn't deliver the ball. I don't think he is even close to an all conf performer in a better conference. I love his hustle and grit. I love the way he can go into a crowd and come out with the ball. I just don't love what he does with it after ... which imo is frequently give it right back. I think I am in the minority with my opinion on sweet ... so be it.

We agree on Kaufman 100%. There was a long ball played to the head of a Northwestern player in the 2nd half. The guy tried to push it by Kauf with his head and Kauf made the save. I think if the guy had realized Kauf came out and stopped he would have went over top for an easy goal. I think his being out of position comes from being indecisive.

What is the field north of the main field used for?

My main ***** about DD is I don't think he plays a style that suits the team he puts on the field. It's not just this game ... it's been for a couple of years. That is it in a nutshell. I won't be upset if he gets another year, but I will be surprised if anything really changes.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Official Sponser of the Stemmler and Ahearn could and would have helped club.

[courtside]

Brian is more valuable at D mid. He has been pretty much playing d mid only for years. I am not the coach. I don't know. I know I like Brian G there, makes me sleep well at night.

I agree on Sweetin. He was MO state high school player and offensive player of year, sick numbers at Rockhurst.

I am assuming you are talking about the small green space next to the school building. That isn't exactly a full length soccer field or anything of high quality.

Fair enough on style.

Skip I will be posting this in another thread too....but since 1980, SLU made the quarters or better in Joey Clarke's first of 14 seasons...everyone insert their obligatory with the other guy's players in coach's first year comments here. He also made the semis once. That is it in 14 years, two times as far as DD. Bob Warming made the Final Four in his first year at SLU with Joey's players...again insert same comment here, and he also made quarters one other time.

Skip look at it, since 1980. WOW. That is almost 30 years. Old timers need to get past the 1970's. Philadelphia Textile is no longer a power. Most youngsters do not know what Bronze Boot means in their lifetimes. More than 32 teams actually play nationally now. These comments aren't meant for you as much as others reality challenged. During all of these decades, record number of schools are adding quality men's D-1 programs. It is tougher now than ever.

DD went quarters, 3rd round, quarters, miss, miss, and 2nd round. So far based on that, and based on losing superb recruits to pros early...he bounced back from it and righted ship. Now he needs to show consitency and mix in years of deep runs imo....and that would be fair.

Now playing style etc...that is entirely different. Objectively based on results....as Nick Bakay says, the numbers never lie.

I am hoping you change your mind. SLU might have been making the NCAA's all those years, and decades, but they did squat in the dance, two times quarters or better til Warming arrived. He did it twice, once as first year coach, and DD has done it twice and threw in a 2nd and 3rd rounder. Not bad Skip, not bad. I am as disappointed as anyone on here over the loss, but I will be fair and objective both ways.

I feel it is the movie Hoosiers and I am the old lady, mother of Barbara Hershey in the movie at the town meeting after Chitwood speaks, and she says "I think we should have a re-vote." Coach stays.

[courtside]

>I only got to this thread a few minutes ago but I have to

>add: That game summary was professional-quality and in a

>style that's been missing from lots of sports pages for many

>years now. Great stuff.

Thanks Joe, made my day. I am in fact a closet writer...grew up wanting to be a pitcher and ss for the Cards, if not any pro athlete would do,.... to get to travel and play sports and get paid, ridiculous. When that didn't work out as planned, almost jumped into sports journalism, always regretted getting talked out of it a long time ago...so I write stuff 99% for myself for fun. Couldn't imagine getting paid to travel to cool places across the globe to write about stuff I would watch anyway, or even just write period. I know the grind etc..low pay etc..negatives... but I was a liberal arts kid. Everything else didn't interest me so much. Thanks again for the kind remarks. I guess we all are secretly looking for validation somehow. Cheers.

[SLUBALLS]

You two are completely out-posting me here. I can't add a simple worthwhile comment as your discussion as been dead-on the issues, needs, frustrations, and positives that is SLU soccer. Its refreshing to read these posts when there are too many on this board who have the same myopic view of the world as the kids' parents who yell and scream at the their 9 year old kids on the sidelines. I see it every single Sat and Sun out at SLYSA. And don't even get me started on some of the coaches out there who do a disservice to coaching, ranting about a missed call by a 15 year old referee.

I'll get off my soapbox. Good posts you guys. Hard to argue with rational thoughts, regardless of if either point to the same conclusion or not.