Congrats to Rick Majerus

[BigSky]

on receiving a verbal commitment today from Brett Thompson, a very good player from Vienna IL who plays for the Illinois Warriors. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

A player we were actively involved in for some time.

Brett Thompson - Vienna, IL - Alabama, Indiana, Iowa State, Notre Dame, Purdue, St. Louis, Georgia, Illinois, Marquette, Michigan State, Northwestern

[BigSky]

He had a Final Four four some time of Indiana, Iowa St, Alabama, and SLU.  He was recruited hard by Soderberg and Porter Moser when Moser was at Illinois St.  He had always liked SLU.     

[Harrison]

We struggle to recruit big men and he steps right in and takes one we were interested in......This will be my standard reply on all things concerning rick Majerus...a simple cut and paste. ........originally posted during the possible Crean to UK period.

It is my sincere belief that the MU program would take off under Majerus, now we would not have the song and dance marketing program that seems to be all encompassing but I strongly beleive the recruiting and the on the court performance would have shot straight up.  Majerus' cache with recruits and AAU and HS coaches is very high not only due to his ESPN work but due to his amazing job at Utah.  Additionally, he is 100 times the coach Crean is not necessarily knocking Crean, Majerus is 100 x a better coach than many and I feel x's and O's is truly Crean's weakest point.  Bottom line is if Majerus can take Utah to 10 NCAA's with all the dificulties of recruiting and winning in Utah he could do even better in Milwaukee.  Majerus achieved much more success in Utah than Crean has in Milwaukee under extraordinarily more difficult circumstances.

[augoman]

  Majerus achieved much more success in Utah than Crean has in Milwaukee under extraordinarily more difficult circumstances.

Again..., well said, Harrison.

[4everwarriors]

Many coaches are 100 times better than TC.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Thompson is nothing special.

After his time ended, you'd pine for Mike Kinsella.

[Harrison]

Could be but Scout has him at 4 stars and he was recruited by a bevy of local High Majors.  Majerus stepped in and got him in two weeks.  Crean has signed one player of this ranking over 6'7" in 7 years.
 
Therefore, I must add.....
It is my sincere belief that the MU program would take off under Majerus, now we would not have the song and dance marketing program that seems to be all encompassing but I strongly beleive the recruiting and the on the court performance would have shot straight up.  Majerus' cache with recruits and AAU and HS coaches is very high not only due to his ESPN work but due to his amazing job at Utah.  Additionally, he is 100 times the coach Crean is not necessarily knocking Crean, Majerus is 100 x a better coach than many and I feel x's and O's is truly Crean's weakest point.  Bottom line is if Majerus can take Utah to 10 NCAA's with all the dificulties of recruiting and winning in Utah he could do even better in Milwaukee.  Majerus achieved much more success in Utah, than Crean has in Milwaukee, under extraordinarily more difficult circumstances.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Then again, if Majerus were coach MU wouldn't get the invaluable PR they currently get when Crean shows up after games in the Brewers lockerroom.

[The Lens]

PRN, you would have loved Coach Crean's segment on Time Warner's Dennis Krause show.  DK asked him if he has talked to Tom Izzo (implying since the NCAA game).  TC responds..."oh yeah, we talked that night and the night before, you know I cannot tell you how bad Jerel wanted to play in that game"

Excuse me, what in the world does Jerel not playing have to do with Izzo-Crean talking?  Making excuses...maybe?

And then DK asked if the NCAA Tourney success was over emphasized in fans minds, but before he let TC answer he reminded Coach Crean that it can be a double edge sword (see much acclaim, spring 2003).

There was also an implied comparison to the 2007 Dallas Mavericks and the 2007 Marquette team.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

PRN, you would have loved Coach Crean's segment on Time Warner's Dennis Krause show.  DK asked him if he has talked to Tom Izzo (implying since the NCAA game).  TC responds..."oh yeah, we talked that night and the night before, you know I cannot tell you how bad Jerel wanted to play in that game"

Excuse me, what in the world does Jerel not playing have to do with Izzo-Crean talking?  Making excuses...maybe?

And then DK asked if the NCAA Tourney success was over emphasized in fans minds, but before he let TC answer he reminded Coach Crean that it can be a double edge sword (see much acclaim, spring 2003).

There was also an implied comparison to the 2007 Dallas Mavericks and the 2007 Marquette team.

Was it their intention to create the implication or was that just your perspective of it being implied? Or, is that implication too far-fetched?

As for rankings of the recruit as your assertion he is a soon-to-be star remember that Kinsella was considered a JUCO All-American by some publications.

Rankings are so dumb. Who would you rather have: highly rated Greg Stiemsma at 6'11'' or lowly rated Ousmane Barro at 6'9''?

[The Lens]

PRN, you would have loved Coach Crean's segment on Time Warner's Dennis Krause show.  DK asked him if he has talked to Tom Izzo (implying since the NCAA game).  TC responds..."oh yeah, we talked that night and the night before, you know I cannot tell you how bad Jerel wanted to play in that game"

Excuse me, what in the world does Jerel not playing have to do with Izzo-Crean talking?  Making excuses...maybe?

And then DK asked if the NCAA Tourney success was over emphasized in fans minds, but before he let TC answer he reminded Coach Crean that it can be a double edge sword (see much acclaim, spring 2003).

There was also an implied comparison to the 2007 Dallas Mavericks and the 2007 Marquette team.

Was it their intention to create the implication or was that just your perspective of it being implied? Or, is that implication too far-fetched?

Coach was talking about how great season don't always = great post seasons.  Personally, I would compare the Badgers-Mavs both dominant reg season teams.  MU had a good regular season but it wasn't special like the Mavs (65+ wins).

[augoman]

Then again, if Majerus were coach MU wouldn't get the invaluable PR they currently get when Crean shows up after games in the Brewers lockerroom.

PRN, you're confusing TC's huge, personal pr w/ MU's occaisional pr...

[BigSky]

This has turned into the most laughable thread ever on this board.  

I din't know there were this many trolls here.  

Let's run down the topics.

Majerus signed a good player.  He's a 6'10 kid with good frame, not skinny, but still needs to get stronger to play inside.  Already a very good perimeter player...not Novak like because he isnot as good of a shooter...however he can put it on the floor better at this stage than Novak at same time, is bigger/stronger....just for an idea...not comparing the two....too say he is nothing special is a cheap shot.  He'll be a very good player there.

However, to flame Crean is also a ridiculous cheap shot.  This kid always wanted to go to SLU.  And that didn't change when Soderberg was coach, nor when he left, ...and Porter Moser, Majerus' assistant was previously recruiting Thompson at Illinois St.  When Moser lost his job, he went and worked out individually with Thompson.  Rick met the kid, he didn't take any other visits and signed.  Good job by Rick, set up by Soderberg and Moser.  

The Krause show...Crean knows and understands people want to see deeper NCAA runs and said he was as disappointed as anyone with that.  

The Crean flaming is laughable here.  He's done well to this point as MU head coach on and off the floor.  Anybody who says differently has an agenda.  If going forward he doesn't win games here and there in NCAA's and make a run every few years  or so....then that wouldn't be acceptable.  To this point he has done very well in many areas.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

  Majerus achieved much more success in Utah than Crean has in Milwaukee under extraordinarily more difficult circumstances.

Again..., well said, Harrison.

True, including a 29% graduation rate at Utah, NCAA violations, etc....he definitely accomplished more.   I'd love to hear the "extraoridinary difficult circumstances"....he was at the flagship school in the state of Utah which has huge built in advantages, a larger athletic budget, a football program, an easier conference, etc, etc....

[ChicosBailBonds]

This has turned into the most laughable thread ever on this board.  

I din't know there were this many trolls here.  

Let's run down the topics.

Majerus signed a good player.  He's a 6'10 kid with good frame, not skinny, but still needs to get stronger to play inside.  Already a very good perimeter player...not Novak like because he isnot as good of a shooter...however he can put it on the floor better at this stage than Novak at same time, is bigger/stronger....just for an idea...not comparing the two....too say he is nothing special is a cheap shot.  He'll be a very good player there.

However, to flame Crean is also a ridiculous cheap shot.  This kid always wanted to go to SLU.  And that didn't change when Soderberg was coach, nor when he left, ...and Porter Moser, Majerus' assistant was previously recruiting Thompson at Illinois St.  When Moser lost his job, he went and worked out individually with Thompson.  Rick met the kid, he didn't take any other visits and signed.  Good job by Rick, set up by Soderberg and Moser.  

The Krause show...Crean knows and understands people want to see deeper NCAA runs and said he was as disappointed as anyone with that.  

The Crean flaming is laughable here.  He's done well to this point as MU head coach on and off the floor.  Anybody who says differently has an agenda.  If going forward he doesn't win games here and there in NCAA's and make a run every few years  or so....then that wouldn't be acceptable.  To this point he has done very well in many areas.  

BigSky, don't you know Crean doesn't go across the street to Turners to have a beer with some fans so he's therefore a leper.

Here we have Crean who already landed a 4 star recruit for 2008 and these guys are whining over a 4 star recruit that Majerus picked up in which SLU had been recruiting him hard for a long time.  You're not going to get everyone, never will. 

It's never good enough...oh, and did I mention he doesn't go to Turners to have a beer after the games.   

Part of me wonders if we pull a Nebraska...go to the NCAAs 7 straight years, fire the coach and get a hot "great coach" from Butler who hasn't returned them there in 6 years now.  It would serve some fans right.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

You can be damn sure Crean would be in Turners if there was a moderately well-known individual in there who was willing to give him the time of day. And it would somehow be mentioned in our next ESPN telecast.

Sideline reporter: "I spoke with Coach Crean before the game and he mentioned a conversation he had at a local watering hole with former Bucks guard Junior Bridgeman. He said Bridgeman shared some wonderful insights into Don Nelson's coaching style while the two urinated beside each other in the men's room."

Color commentator: "He's got an unbelievable thirst for knowledge."

Ugh.

[BigSky]

You can be damn sure Crean would be in Turners if there was a moderately well-known individual in there who was willing to give him the time of day. And it would somehow be mentioned in our next ESPN telecast.

Sideline reporter: "I spoke with Coach Crean before the game and he mentioned a conversation he had at a local watering hole with former Bucks guard Junior Bridgeman. He said Bridgeman shared some wonderful insights into Don Nelson's coaching style while the two urinated beside each other in the men's room."

Color commentator: "He's got an unbelievable thirst for knowledge."

Ugh.

Let's take your hypothetical.  True or untrue.  Who gives a rip?  Why does that bother you so much?  I couldn't care less about it.  If you want a nice guy, who doesn't spend time with anyone, try Soderberg, here he's available.  If you want a guy to throw back beers with at Turners and Frat parties, try Mike Deane. 

Nothing in your post has anything to do with being a college basketball coach.  So who cares?

[MUDPT]

Didn't Majerus's NCAA violations stem from him buying Keith Van Horn food after Keith's father passed away?  If I remember correctly, the violations were pretty lame.

[BigSky]

Didn't Majerus's NCAA violations stem from him buying Keith Van Horn food after Keith's father passed away?  If I remember correctly, the violations were pretty lame.

First, because I forgot to mention previously....it is pretty pathetic(not your post) that I drop some props to an MU guy...and it turns into Crean vs Majerus...two good friends.  Pretty funny.  Anyway...

Rick's violations....are known in large part for buying Van Horn dinner when his dad died...however they were more than that.  Rick's problem was morality.  He had good morals, which sometimes comflicted with the rules.  He frequently used a billionaire booster's "guest" house for team parties etc...cookouts etc...type thing....the frequency was the issue...it was frequent.  Also, as a reward sometimes, in small amounts, Majerus would give kid $10 for a pizza or something...very small amounts to get a burger etc...but again, the frequency was the issue.  And there was a question as to hosting a recruit, you were only allowed one kid on your team to show recruit around, and there were more than one that did so on an occasion.   

The rule has changed over the years but the rule stated then that you could have a kid over for dinner but not take them out to eat.  The rule then changed at that time where you could take out to eat but had to itemize bill each time. 

The reason any of this came to light was because of disgruntled fired ski team coach...yes ski team coach who had no hoops interaction.  He threatend a law suit saying...you fire me when Majerus is doing this etc...so Utah self-reported to NCAA.  NCAA accepted Utah's self-discipline which included losing one scholarship for two seasons, and NCAA added a third season.  No other penalities were handed down...free to play on tv, in NCAA etc....If no disgruntled ski coach, nothing likely happens to Utah.

A wake up call to be more aware of rules and adhere to them more strictly, because they apply to everyone.

Hopefuly Rick and Tom Crean continue their successes and friendship for years to come.  Not a coincidence that crean was one of first to speak out in positive way regarding Rick's hire at SLU.  ...but it looks like Rick won't be hanging out at MU practices for a while.    

[ChicosBailBonds]

Rick and Tom are friends.  I admire Rick tremendously, but Rick isn't a saint either as many past players and journalists have recorded....similar to other coaches.  Some very scathing articles written a few weeks ago....goest with the territory. They all have people that don't care for them, usually disgruntled players or some alum that didn't get enough loving or beer tabs picked at the local watering hole.

I just found it funny that some people on this board rip on Huggins all the time for graduation rates, but want to dub Rick a Saint when his graduation rates have been paltry.

Here we have a coach currently in charge of our program (which some people do not care for...fine) who graduates at a very high rate, goes to the NCAAs, has attendance at the 2nd or 3rd highest in MU history, and zero NCAA violations.

He's pretty much delivering on everything the administration asked him to deliver on

Don't break the rules
Graduate the kids
Don't have your kids on the police blotter
Win a lot games
Go to the post season
Put MU back on the map


I have no doubt there are other coaches that can do SOME of those things, maybe even MOST of those things.   There are not, however, a whole lot of coaches out there that have done ALL OF THOSE THINGS.  There are some, but not that many.

I wish Rick all the success in the world.  Brilliant mind, good guy, MU graduate.  Would have been easily in my top 2 or 3 replacements if Crean left.  Would love to have him, but we have a good one right now who is executing on the goals given to him.  Goals that Rick and others have shown they have not met at their respective institutions in the past.  So let's cut the canonization crap.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Big Sky--

Your opinion of my calling Thompson "nothing special" as a cheap shot is well taken. It's just my opinion that Thompson won't be the next Fazekas. Hell, he may not even be the next Greg Stiemsma (in terms of us moaning that we missed on him). MU fans will watch him be a fine player for a mid-level A-10 program. I don't see him transforming the team or anything of the like and, thus, why I think he won't be anything special.

Crean's love affair with guards scares me but I'd rather he take his chances with a special player like Shumpert or a deadeye skill kid like Kenyi then settle for a player simply because of his height. Of course, if TC landed that height this board would be no fun because Harrison, 4ever, and PRN would all spontaneously combust due to their synchronous orgasms upon hearing the news. Boo.

[BigSky]

Rick and Tom are friends.  I admire Rick tremendously, but Rick isn't a saint either as many past players and journalists have recorded....similar to other coaches.  Some very scathing articles written a few weeks ago....goest with the territory. They all have people that don't care for them, usually disgruntled players or some alum that didn't get enough loving or beer tabs picked at the local watering hole.

I just found it funny that some people on this board rip on Huggins all the time for graduation rates, but want to dub Rick a Saint when his graduation rates have been paltry.

Here we have a coach currently in charge of our program (which some people do not care for...fine) who graduates at a very high rate, goes to the NCAAs, has attendance at the 2nd or 3rd highest in MU history, and zero NCAA violations.

He's pretty much delivering on everything the administration asked him to deliver on

Don't break the rules
Graduate the kids
Don't have your kids on the police blotter
Win a lot games
Go to the post season
Put MU back on the map


I have no doubt there are other coaches that can do SOME of those things, maybe even MOST of those things.   There are not, however, a whole lot of coaches out there that have done ALL OF THOSE THINGS.  There are some, but not that many.

I wish Rick all the success in the world.  Brilliant mind, good guy, MU graduate.  Would have been easily in my top 2 or 3 replacements if Crean left.  Would love to have him, but we have a good one right now who is executing on the goals given to him.  Goals that Rick and others have shown they have not met at their respective institutions in the past.  So let's cut the canonization crap.

The rules of graduation rates have changed tremendously since those statistics.  Both Majerus and Crean have had a lot of transfers over the years.  Majerus has had Rhodes scholars, and led the country at a time in Academic All-Americans.  He also had to deal with players who take Mormon Missions, also affecting those rates.  Not exactly Bob Huggins like...the only pieces I have seen from journalists are from the same two journailists who are friends with each other, one for Fox Sports and one with Sal Lake paper, formerly L.A. Feature writer.  Any other piece has referenced one of those two people. 

[BigSky]

Big Sky--

Your opinion of my calling Thompson "nothing special" as a cheap shot is well taken. It's just my opinion that Thompson won't be the next Fazekas. Hell, he may not even be the next Greg Stiemsma (in terms of us moaning that we missed on him). MU fans will watch him be a fine player for a mid-level A-10 program. I don't see him transforming the team or anything of the like and, thus, why I think he won't be anything special.

Crean's love affair with guards scares me but I'd rather he take his chances with a special player like Shumpert or a deadeye skill kid like Kenyi then settle for a player simply because of his height. Of course, if TC landed that height this board would be no fun because Harrison, 4ever, and PRN would all spontaneously combust due to their synchronous orgasms upon hearing the news. Boo.

Thompson was good enough for Alabama, Notre Dame, Indiana, Iowa St, and many others. 

To call him a mid-major level player is misinformed.  Again, I post that Majerus got a nice player....what does that have to do with MU's team?  The fact is, Thompson is a good player and good recruits, the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 thought so.  SLU isn't exactly going to be a mid-level A10 program under Majerus.  lol.  No bias in your statement there.  Had Lisch not gotten hurt, they would been in the top 3 as they were last season. 

No need to hate because someone else got a good recruit.  Sheesh.  All I posted was good for Rick.  Have you seen Thompson playthis Spring so far?...I have, and Majerus will do a lot of good things with him.  His skill-set is very different from Fazekas, not that anyone compared him to a college All-American...nothing like comparing a high school junior to a college All-American...that's pretty fair. 

[The Lens]

This has turned into the most laughable thread ever on this board.  

I din't know there were this many trolls here.  

Let's run down the topics.

Majerus signed a good player.  He's a 6'10 kid with good frame, not skinny, but still needs to get stronger to play inside.  Already a very good perimeter player...not Novak like because he isnot as good of a shooter...however he can put it on the floor better at this stage than Novak at same time, is bigger/stronger....just for an idea...not comparing the two....too say he is nothing special is a cheap shot.  He'll be a very good player there.

However, to flame Crean is also a ridiculous cheap shot.  This kid always wanted to go to SLU.  And that didn't change when Soderberg was coach, nor when he left, ...and Porter Moser, Majerus' assistant was previously recruiting Thompson at Illinois St.  When Moser lost his job, he went and worked out individually with Thompson.  Rick met the kid, he didn't take any other visits and signed.  Good job by Rick, set up by Soderberg and Moser.  

The Krause show...Crean knows and understands people want to see deeper NCAA runs and said he was as disappointed as anyone with that.  

The Crean flaming is laughable here.  He's done well to this point as MU head coach on and off the floor.  Anybody who says differently has an agenda.  If going forward he doesn't win games here and there in NCAA's and make a run every few years  or so....then that wouldn't be acceptable.  To this point he has done very well in many areas.  

BigSky, don't you know Crean doesn't go across the street to Turners to have a beer with some fans so he's therefore a leper.

Here we have Crean who already landed a 4 star recruit for 2008 and these guys are whining over a 4 star recruit that Majerus picked up in which SLU had been recruiting him hard for a long time.  You're not going to get everyone, never will. 

It's never good enough...oh, and did I mention he doesn't go to Turners to have a beer after the games.   

Part of me wonders if we pull a Nebraska...go to the NCAAs 7 straight years, fire the coach and get a hot "great coach" from Butler who hasn't returned them there in 6 years now.  It would serve some fans right.

Call me when we get to 7 straight Dances...I'm waiting for 3 straight.  And no one wants anyone fired.  I have a ton of respect for Coach Crean's work ethic, game prep, player's behavior off the court.  I simply pointed out his 'schtick on the DK Show.  There's a great deal of coach speak there.  Personally I didn't see how a question regarding Coach Izzo was related to Jerel not playing in the MSU game.  At least he didn't name drop Tony La Russa this time.  Wonder why?