MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

This article about the new SID at Eureka is on the conference website: http://www.sliac.org/headlines/2008-09/eureka_moore_072109.htm

Some striking similarities to the former incumbent in that post -- first name, undergraduate college, age.

Hopefully he will be willing to share his insights on EC hoops as was his predecessor.

[fcnews]

Come on Hopefan put your glasses on. FU website clearly shows the Grinnell game on 2/1. Tweener. For a tweener rebuilding year. I don't think there is much difference between Mo Bapt or Wm Penn or another team out of that conference.

Schedule discussion has been an ongoing topic for the past three years. In the end has it made any difference?

Wash U, Elmhurst and the Rose Hulman game should be a solid test.

[hopefan]

hooooahhhhhh   once again, my advanced stage of senility shows  -  I didn't look down the schedule far enough  -  missed both the Grinnell game and the Lincoln Christian game!!!!   (FC, you didn't mentioned I missed that matchup with LCC!!! ) 

Unfortunately the Grinnell game is a MONDAY night - ugh  -  in February  -  virtually impossible to get to.....   was hoping a Saturday!  In reality, tough scheduling for the team - Saturday at Eureka, Monday at Grinnell, Wednesday back in St. Louis vs Westminster.  Surprised a trip like that would be amidst the conference schedule. Kudos to Coach Mac for taking it on though - his competitve juices are flowing - a turn around after last years massacre would be welcomed.

How did our D1 transfer look during the summer league?

[fcnews]

Which one? The one from SLUH or the one from Ark.-Pine Bluff?

[Wydown Blvd.]

both...howd they look?

[hopefan]

dang FC  -  it's no fun when you hold back info like that, dangling the carrot.... 

[fcnews]

Sorry Hopefan. My first day of classes rule.

Nice visit yesterday for Coach McKinney. The entire Lisch family joined Daniel on the FU campus yesterday. Books and a visit of his dorm room. By the time they reached the athletic office, Kevin Lisch was sporting a Fontbonne Athletics T-shirt, that he purchased at the bookstore. He told Coach he'd pack it with him when he leaves for Austrailia in two weeks. Kevin signed a 7 month contract to play pro ball down under.

The SLIAC faithful will enjoy watching this youngman play. He is as fundementally sound as any player coming into FU. He is physically mature and just plays the game the right way.

This should be a very intense and competitive preseason for the Griffins. You have several guys who have waited their turn, while supporting this past senior group. Frank Scheetz, Rapp, Riva and Melloway all are hungry. Freddie Fleming has been compared to Chris Forrest, in the way he plays. I won't hang that label on him. Forrest is a Freakishly good shooter. It should be quite the dog fight. It may take FU till after Christmas break to settle in to their true rotation.

[y_jack_lok]

fc, you didn't mention Josh Branch in your post above. Is it a given that he will be starting at guard?

[fcnews]

Yjak - He has been a starter for three years. I'd say he and Forrest are penciled in. All other spots appear to be wide open for competition. I will predict that this will be one of the best defensive teams FU has put on the floor in awhile.

[fcnews]

Wydown - Lisch did not play in the summer league. He trained with his brother all summer. The Pine Bluff kid is what I call a first day of classes topic. When he attends classes to start the semester, then we'll discuss him. It was just a bone I tossed to Hopefan.

[hopefan]

a shame the Lisch family couldn't have talked 6'11" Brett Thompson into joining him at Fontbonne - I see in today's paper that he has left SLU also, but has decided to attend Lindenwood. 

The Lindenwood situation is interesting to me - I've neve been interested in NAIA ball in the area before, looking at many of the schools as 'bandits' (cause they got kids who would have been good in the SLIAC by offering a little money), but it's going to be hard not to root for Lindenwood and former Billikin Coach Brad Sodeburg - I really though a lot of the way he handled things at SLU - the raw deal he got at SLU and the non communicative personna of Coach Majerus has really turned me off to SLU Hoops.

[Titan Q]

The Lindenwood situation is interesting to me - I've neve been interested in NAIA ball in the area before, looking at many of the schools as 'bandits' (cause they got kids who would have been good in the SLIAC by offering a little money),

How does an institution having scholarships to offer make it a "bandit" school?

[hopefan]

TQ
they 'steal' players from D3 schools by offering athletic funds  -  come on TQ, my comment was not made looking for trouble.....   My preference and dedication to D3 has always been due to the non scholarship theory - the level playing field, so to speak.  My use of the word bandit was not meant in a disparaging unethical implication, rather than to say that the $ they can offer can sway kids in their direction.   I would love to see local NAIA schools become D3.

[fcnews]

It also would of been real easy for Lisch to wind up at Lindenwood. Coach Soderberg recruited and coached Daniel's brother Kevin.

Lindenwood is a different animal. It amazes me how many teams they field. Just yesterday. I was surfing channels and got some National Skeet Championship. In one Semi was two Lindenwood guys. LU hat and LU shirt. I can't think of a sport they don't participate in. Talk has been that they are considering going DI independent. I don't see how. Who are all their sports going to compete against.

Also, This maybe old news, Legend Coach Stathan, step down as A.D. but will remain coaching at McKendree. Talk is they also may be looking at DII.

The one that got away. I saw were Wash U has posted their incoming class. The big post player from Gibault H.S. was recruited hard by FU asst. John Thomas. John was a HS legend that came out of Gibault. The kid made a great academic decision. He was that smart and FU does not have engineering (I believe that's his field). He will be a great player for the Bears

[fcnews]

Hopefan - A couple replies to your comment about FU's schedule.

1.) Staying home for a tourney with one D3 school, Like Webster's or a trip to the Windy City. Hmmm. Easy choice.

2.) Some of Cal Tech's opponents the past few years. 09 - Amherst and Lawerence. 08 - North Central. 07- Williams and Wisc. Lutheran. 06- Puget Sound and Trinty Tx. Cal Tech seems to be a popular opponent when teams head west.

3.) I don't understand your reasoning in staying home and playing In-Region Il. or IN. schools. Strength of schedule??? With the owp and oowp of the 14 SLIAC games, a SLIAC team will never be ranked High in this category.

You play shouted the praise of WU's scheduling for years. They have played good schedules. But, in the end did it make that much difference.

@ Elmhurst, @ Grinnell, @ Whittier and Home for Wash U and Rose Hulman. Seems to be 5 good D3 tests.