I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

(02-21-2020 02:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

So sad. Majerus was one of the best. SLU was in a tough spot though after he stepped down due to health reasons; they either promoted the most experienced assistant (and former head coach) in Crews - who was not successful previously as a head coach - in order to keep the current collection of recruits/players together (who did end up going to back-to-back tournaments; OR they completely turn over the staff, likely losing said skilled players that Majerus brought in, and go into a long rebuild. No matter what, there was a near-term/long-term cost with whatever decision they made - and they needed to build a consistent winner to improve their candidacy. They bet on the present, hoping it would positively impact the future (obviously, it didn't go well for Crews).

Them investing and paying Ford is a clear sign of how they view their program. Will Ford be poached by another bigger program? Possibly. But the investment in proven winners like Majerus and Ford in the past decade show what type of program they wish to be - which should be telling IMO.

(02-21-2020 03:05 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  

(02-21-2020 02:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

So sad. Majerus was one of the best. SLU was in a tough spot though after he stepped down due to health reasons; they either promoted the most experienced assistant (and former head coach) in Crews - who was not successful previously as a head coach - in order to keep the current collection of recruits/players together (who did end up going to back-to-back tournaments; OR they completely turn over the staff, likely losing said skilled players that Majerus brought in, and go into a long rebuild. No matter what, there was a near-term/long-term cost with whatever decision they made - and they needed to build a consistent winner to improve their candidacy. They bet on the present, hoping it would positively impact the future (obviously, it didn't go well for Crews).

Them investing and paying Ford is a clear sign of how they view their program. Will Ford be poached by another bigger program? Possibly. But the investment in proven winners like Majerus and Ford in the past decade show what type of program they wish to be - which should be telling IMO.

yeah darned if they do and darned if they don't there.

(02-21-2020 02:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

I would think you and GW11 are correct on that one. SLU and Memphis shared a league as far back as 1968 in the Missouri Valley. It is a major to high-major men's hoops program that has a very solid history and would be well-suited for the Big East.

Fun fact: Rick Majerus lived in a hotel a good bit of his adult life (or at least that's what I remember). He also often referred to Memphis as "Memphis State," at which I always kind of chuckled. A damn fine coach who seemed like a good decent man.

(02-21-2020 04:56 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(02-21-2020 02:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

I would think you and GW11 are correct on that one. SLU and Memphis shared a league as far back as 1968 in the Missouri Valley. It is a major to high-major men's hoops program that has a very solid history and would be well-suited for the Big East.

Fun fact: Rick Majerus lived in a hotel a good bit of his adult life (or at least that's what I remember). He also often referred to Memphis as "Memphis State," at which I always kind of chuckled. A damn fine coach who seemed like a good decent man.

Shoot in this day and age, he'd be great.

(02-21-2020 04:56 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(02-21-2020 02:03 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I've said all along, and GW11 will say it- if Rick Majerus had been healthy when the Big East split, SLU would have been in the Big East right then and there..... But with Majerus just having passed away, the Big East couldn't gamble on them at that point.

I would think you and GW11 are correct on that one. SLU and Memphis shared a league as far back as 1968 in the Missouri Valley. It is a major to high-major men's hoops program that has a very solid history and would be well-suited for the Big East.

Fun fact: Rick Majerus lived in a hotel a good bit of his adult life (or at least that's what I remember). He also often referred to Memphis as "Memphis State," at which I always kind of chuckled. A damn fine coach who seemed like a good decent man.

Rick said he loved living in hotels because he got fresh towels and sheets every morning and a chocolate mint on his pillow every night.

He wasn't wrong...

The st. louis market would've helped for sure and having rick majerus, but the st louis basketball program has not been very good. the big east made the right choices

think it's pretty clear right now that only 7 teams are going to be in the postseason this year... Given that the NIT is on merit now and not just if you are at .500- tough to see Georgetown, St John's, or DePaul do well enough to qualify for the NIT now.