It's sad to see the career end for 7 seniors. For 5 of them, they were freshmen in 2005-06 when the team went 4-22. Then their sophomore year, they made it to the SLIAC championship game and were the most improved team in NCAA Division III. They can certainly say they left the EC program in better shape than they found it. Thanks guys!



This big turn around came the year they joined the SLIAC. Their four wins the year before all came aganist SLIAC teams. Draw your own conclusions.

I have not seen enough games this year to be really up on the All Conference team selections, so I will defer to you experts.

I will say that I think Coach  McKinney should be coach of the year. I was stunned when I looked on the SLIAC website and saw that Coach McKinney has never been selected Coach of the Year. How can this be. I counted 23 different selections (there were several years where co coaches were named) and not once for Coach McKinney. Doesn't seem right to me. This might not be the best year to campaign for such an honor, if FC does not win the tournment this will be conisdered an underachieving bunch. Expectations were very high going into season.  But if they do win, the torunament (and I think they have enough talent to be the first SLIAC team to win a tournament game) then I would say co coaches with Westmister. Just my thoughts, but I can't believe a coach who has been around since the inception of the SLIAC shouldn't at least once in 20 years be so honored.

Guess I made the wrong choice yesterday. Hadn't seen Greenville of Prin yet, so made the trip across the river. Very uneventful. Sounds like all the excitement was at FU.


Looking into my crystal ball, I no longer see FU as the lock for the regular season or the AQ. I now see Maryville with a late season charge finishing at 12-4, with a log jam of a four way tie at second with FU, Webster, Greenville and Westminister.  Who stays home from the tournament? This could be a very fun month!

I have watched Maryville's last two games and I am impressed. They do not have the talent of Fontbonne, but they can beat them. I don't think Westminster does. Give them credit for getting a lot out of the talent they have, but they are just not that good to slug it out 40 minutes with Fontbonne. They have pulled several out of the fire and that tends to even out as the year goes on. Webster is well coached, but I think in the end Fontbonne has too many horses for them this year.

Fontbonne should win the regualr season crown, but that was said many times over the last 20+ years, and they have only won the conference twice. I think this is their best team ever. It is good to see them getting some minutes out of the bench recently. I have felt that has hurt them in the past years because they do tend to play some kids 40 minutes a night and they get hurt or worn down as the year wears on.

This is the best Fontbonne team I have ever seen, at least the first five. If they will just give a bit of emphasis to defense, I think they have the best chance I have seen to get the SLIAC's first post season victory. Defense in the past has hurt them when the step outside the SLIAC. In conference, they can just out score people. When they play better teams outside the SLIAC, that will not get it done. Now is the time for the coaches to at least give some emphasis to defense.

Anyway, impressed with Maryville, but still think it is Fontbonne's to lose.

My point is that outside of the SLIAC, most SLIAC teams struggle. Inside the conference it is a dog fight each and every year and I love watching the drama unfold each year.

I think it is great that the schools in the SLIAC are all very competitive with each other. Even Prin has its moments. I do think the money at some schools like Wash U is improtant to there success. Bigger budget, more assistant coaches = better recruiting.  Principia is a bit misleading because according to their web site, they accept no federal aid for their students; Pell Grants, ect.....so they have to have a big endowment to survive. I would say their athletic budget is more in line with a Maryville or Webster than a Wash U.

I am a SLIAC fan. I just don't believe in BS for the sake of BS. Let's call it like it is.

Once again I will stick to my original statement that Fontbonne is the best team in the conference by far. Most years over the past 20, they have had the best players. Several years ago they struggled and they didn't have as good of players. I am sure there are reasons, but the talent was down in 05 and 06. Now the talent is back up and so is Fontbonne. If that offends someone (FC) I am sorry. Just the way I see it.

I am pulling for the Griffins tonight because I want to see the Tournament in STL and not Fulton. Selfish, I know, but true. If Fontbonne wins tonihgt, I predict they will tie West. with three conf losses and the Tournament will be at Fontbonne as they will win the league by tie breaker. If the Bluejays win toningt, it is good as a done deal, trn in Fulton and I am too old to travel that far. Go Griffins.

Out the door to Maryville. Hope someone keeps us updated with scores from Fulton.

I am just giving an honest opinion, so don't take it personal. I love the SLIAC. Conference games are as exciting as any DI venue, if you ask me. And the kids are true student athletes playing for the right reasons. It is just outside of the league, SLIAC schools have a hard time competing. A lot has to do with money. My goodness, look at the endowments of some of the midwest DIII schools. and then look at the SLIAC member endowments. I think that tells a lot. Even on the DIII level, money talks. Let's just be glad that the SLIAC schools can compete so evenly amongst themsleves.

Sorry, dont remember a last word.

Next to FC News, I have watched more Fontbonne BB over the years than anyone. Remeber the days at Parks? Remember the name of the "gym" they played in? I am pulling for them this year. Look at my posts. However, as any fan, I have my right to an opinion about the teams performance. FC gives his.

Is it just me or is BLA starting to sound more and more like FC News everday. An alter ego?

Folks, lets get real. The SLIAC is the worst Div III conference in the Midwest. Think not? Name me one that is worse? This week alone, Greenville gets wiped out by a SIU-E that is not even a good DII calibar team this year. On the same night Prin gets beat by double digits by that well known powerhouse St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Name  me the biggest win in the history of the SLIAC. And not so and so played national power so and so close; or so and so beat so and so in an exhibition game. Fact: the SLIAC has NEVER won a post season game. Think about that. Fontbonne College had some good teams in the 90's but the only time they made the tournament they got beat by 40 in the first round.

The SLIAC is fun to watch, but a great conference? Give me a break.

Fontbonne has often had talent, but they play no defense and that always gets them beat in the big games outside the SLIAC. Fontbonne has more talent this year than I have seen in the conference in a long time; but they always shoot themselves in the foot. This year is a good example. Goofy sceduling, the trip to Hawaii to play a scrimage without three of your top players (and FC your rant about "not one penny" do the players have to pay for these trips was totaly false) and a non conference marathon right in the middle of two big conf games, propably cost them the chance to host the conf trn.

I still think Fontbonne will come out with the AQ and I still think they have a good chance to pick up the SLIAC's first post season win. Lets hope so because if they don't do it this year, it may never happen.

I still say this is the best Fontbonne team since the mid 90' teams of Mark Kronk, Darrell Haynes, Roy Woods, ect.......I have watched the SLIAC for a long time. Year in and year out Fontbonne almost always has the most talent. There are a few other from the old SLIAC days - Kevin Green and John Ries come to mind - from the early days and Henry Shannon, from more modern times, that could play with those named above. But all and all, give Fontbonne their due, they almost always have the most talent in the Conference. I think the only reason they have won only two regualr season crowns over the last 20+ years is that they never play any defense. The players know that defense has no say in PT. if you want to play at FU, you had better be jacking it up.


I still think it was a bad idea to play Grinnell on the date it was played. I have no problem with the rough stretch in Decemember; gets you ready for the conference. But FC, let's be real here and get off your well known spin on everything Fontbonne; the SLIAC is a one team qualifer conf and we are light years from having two SLIAC teams selected for the Big Dance. You have to win the AQ in the tournament to get in and you have to be in the top four to get into the SLIAC Tournament, let alone get a good seed. So why play that game when it was played? And I don't think anyone is buying the "we had to bring the show to the city" stuff. You don't put your self at a disavantage for a big conference game by wearing out your team in a meaningless non con game. It was a decison that was not well thought out and I bet if FU had to do it over, they would not play that game when it was played.


I still wouldn't vote against Fontbonne. i think they will still win the regualr season and the post season crowns and I really feel this is the year the SLIAC could accually get a win in the TRN. But they had better get their act together pretty quick.

Fontbonne has the same problem they always have; no depth and they have no interest in playing any defense.

Lovette finally got to play some last night. I have never understood how he is used. Every time I have seen him play, he has looked like a world better. Wanta bet he never gets off the bench on Saturday? You can't play three kids 40 minutes a game and the other two 35 and think it will  not hurt you. There is some talent off the bench, you could see it aganist Grinnell. But then last night, they all sit and the same five play the whole game.

The officiating last night was fine. i didn't think that is a factor and FU needs to stay away from that angle.

Going to Hawaii without your whole club to play a scrimmage and then having a big conference game within 48 hours of the jet lagging trip back; was poor scheudling. Playing Grinnell in a non-conference game, with the style they play, smack in the middle of three tough conference game, was not smart. I think both of these factors are hurting Fontbonne right now, and both siturations could have been avoided.

I still Fontbonne is the best team in the SLIAC and will win the tournament. Are they a top 25 team as FC was preaching earlier in the year? No way. They may not even, right now, be a top team in the SLIAC, but I do think they have too much talent to not come out on top in the end.

Quote from: distantobserver on December 31, 2008, 05:11:52 PM
This is my first posting - however, I read the board alot.  I just want to put my 2 cents in concerning the FU trip.  TEAM is not only on the court but it is also something that needs to be "grown"  OFF the court.  yes, Hawaii is long way to go, however, if the young men really wanted to go it would happen - yes the fund raiser really does help and it is a matter of CHOICE those players did not go. 

I have witnessed first hand how FU benefits from a "group" trip...you know the saying  "what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii"   I especially think the trips are great for the freshmen.  I think that too much of the discussion is on that the players have to pay - this is DIII!  But there is nothing like getting to know your team mate when you and 2 other players share a hotel room!  BLA - honestly do you think that those games are not on their minds?  Perhaps your concentration was not soley on b-ball when you were playing...I know FU's is!

Get off FU and the trip - whatever they are doing seems to be working - they are producing some fine young people out of the university. 

Ok off my soap box.  I hope I have not offended anyone and wish everyone a Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing all the GREAT young men and women play some b-ball.  And of course I am counting on  - back to back to back!   

Quote from: distantobserver on December 31, 2008, 05:11:52 PM
This is my first posting - however, I read the board alot.  I just want to put my 2 cents in concerning the FU trip.  TEAM is not only on the court but it is also something that needs to be "grown"  OFF the court.  yes, Hawaii is long way to go, however, if the young men really wanted to go it would happen - yes the fund raiser really does help and it is a matter of CHOICE those players did not go. 

I have witnessed first hand how FU benefits from a "group" trip...you know the saying  "what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii"   I especially think the trips are great for the freshmen.  I think that too much of the discussion is on that the players have to pay - this is DIII!  But there is nothing like getting to know your team mate when you and 2 other players share a hotel room!  BLA - honestly do you think that those games are not on their minds?  Perhaps your concentration was not soley on b-ball when you were playing...I know FU's is!


Looks like Denny has another new screen name!

Get off FU and the trip - whatever they are doing seems to be working - they are producing some fine young people out of the university. 

Ok off my soap box.  I hope I have not offended anyone and wish everyone a Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing all the GREAT young men and women play some b-ball.  And of course I am counting on  - back to back to back!