2004 SLU Billikens Official Thread

Discussion in 'College & Amateur Soccer' started by soccertom, Aug 6, 2003.

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  1. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    first half fouls

    SLU 11, 2 yellows

    maryland 1

    WTF is that? anybody watching this on TV?
     
  2. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    The SLU radio broadcast announcers have been very critical of the Referee.
     
  3. afgrijselijkheid

    Dec 29, 2002
    mokum
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    what station? kmox?
     
  4. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
  5. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    "Top 10 Reasons Why SLU Lost"

    # 10 The slippery Maryland field.

    # 9 The Linesmen sucked. Learn the offside rule.

    # 8 SLU Player Ryan Wileman had the FLU.

    # 7 Apparently Maryland Player Ken Bertz is allowed a vicious 2 handed shove of Will John to the turf without being shown the Red Card or at the very least Yellow Card.

    # 6 A phantom Penalty Kick Awarded to Maryland.

    # 5 SLU yellow cards to Wickart, McGee, Ibesivic.

    # 4 11 first half Fouls against SLU and 1 Foul against Maryland.

    # 3 The referee failed to award a first half penalty shot to SLU.

    # 2 Top SLU defender Andy Pusateri was hospitalized all week with a bad virus and couldn't play much in the game.

    # 1 The Referee sucked.
     
  6. fidlerre

    fidlerre Moderator
    Staff Member

    Oct 10, 2000
    Central Ohio
    ST, tough luck in the game today.

    i was hoping to meet ya next weekend.

    hopefully it doesn't ruin your day!
     
  7. sakana

    sakana BigSoccer Supporter

    May 23, 2003
    USA
    Club:
    OGC Nice
    Nat'l Team:
    Colombia
    #11 Maryland was better? Possibly?
     
  8. gsterp

    gsterp Member+

    Jul 16, 2003
    College Park
    #10- both teams were playing on it, both were falling. Maryland adjusted at halftime, St Louis didn't.

    #9- the linesmen were actually pretty good. They kept calling fouls that the center somehow missed.

    #8- Abe Thompson has been out for forever with a bad foot, stuff happens.

    #7- He really should have been carded. But so should John for coming in 2 seconds late and clipping his ankle.

    #6- Yep, it was phantom. And we didn't make it

    #5- Not our fault your guys bitch to the ref constantly. Ibisevic deserved his red too. See my other post about him

    #4- Can't help that you guys were hacking us all half

    #3- For what???

    #2- that probably hurt you guys, since your defense couldn't get the ball out of the defensive third without just booting it.

    #1- Completely agree. He was awful. Didn't take control of the game and it showed that the players knew they could get away with anything.

    Just wondering, has Vedad been a complete punk all year?
     
  9. JGSLU37

    JGSLU37 New Member

    Nov 25, 2003
    St. Louis, MO
    Yeah, pretty much, but don't remember seeing or hearing about him clubbing anyone with his cast, which if that happened is inexcusable. Basically he plays with a lot of emotion, and if things don't go his way he complains.

    The first half yellow card he received was his eighth yellow of the season. Had SLU advanced, Vedad would have been suspended for the semifinal match.

    By the way, congrats to the Terps on their win today.
     
  10. STLsockerFan

    STLsockerFan New Member

    Nov 4, 2003
    Vedad up to his usual antics. He is not strong enough mentally. Nor does he move enough to get open. As well as dribbling way to much instead of making easy passes. It sounds like Maryland dominated the game. You have to give credit to them for coming back. They are most likely the better team anyway.
     
  11. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    The SLU radio Broadcaster Bill McDermott indicated that John DiRaimondo had been fouled in the Penalty Area and in most certainly is a Penalty Kick. The Referee subsequently awarded SLU a Throw-In. :confused:
     
  12. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    I didn't see the game. I'm only reacting to the SLU radio broadcast announcers who commented several times about the one way foul calling. I fully understand that the Road Team will often be called for more fouls usually @ a 2 to 1 ratio but not @ an 11 to 1 ratio. 11 times more fouls in the first half?? The radio announcers during the first half run of play called about 5 or 6 fouls against Maryland only to quickly correct themselves and say no foul called by the referee. Early in the second half I remember them saying the Maryland Team was finally called for their second foul after 14 had been called against SLU....

    Bottom line is Maryland wins and good luck to them!
     
  13. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    Much of the time yes!
     
  14. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    Thanks fid!
     
  15. McGinty

    McGinty Member

    SKC/STL
    Aug 29, 2001
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    This sucks. I was hoping to see SLU play again, this time on TV.

    Vedad is the second most aggravating player I've ever seen play (Onandi Lowe being #1). I watch him constantly complain, try to dribble through the entire defense, and only pass the ball if it is a cheeky back heel. Then he ends up scoring, and then you feel you should live with the problem.

    I have a question about Grazier. Will he play a more offensive role next year?
     
  16. jstats

    jstats Member

    Aug 31, 2001
    Oakville, MO (south
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    DOH

    Well that stank yesterday. I'm just curious.......what was the field like before the game started???? Obviously the conditions played a role in the loss, but I am wondering if the drainage system at Maryland is anything at all like the system we have at SLU or if it's not quite as good. There is one other thing I was confused by I must admit. SLU was already in Maryland on Friday. I assume that the refs are local (atleast within a couple of hours). What was the reason for putting off the game a whole day if you have both teams in the area??? I never heard a decent reason for this. If it was to "bring in non-local refs" well that apparently backfired. If you have both teams there and the refs are local waiting an entire day makes no sense. I mean apparently the field conditions could not have become much worse than they were in the second half so I guess I'm just a lil lost on this whole issue.
     
  17. kami

    kami Member

    Nov 27, 2001
    Saint Louis
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    There are no moral victories. Either you win and enjoy the glory or you lose and try again another day. With that said, I am sorely disappointed with the end of SLU's season. We SLU fans can blame all kinds of things (field, refs, etc) but it came down to the fact that our defense allowed three goals on three straight corner kicks. That is unacceptable when your offense has given you a two goal lead. A two goal lead is a gift and also a curse in games like the one on Sunday but it is also presents a time when veteran players (ie SLU defense) step up. I realize Pusateri wasn't in there, but seriously, four goals in 11 minutes is unbelievable.

    And one other thing, if Vedad continues to act like a crybaby punk ass every game, the fans at SLU will turn on him. You can't take Brian McBride's place in the record books or the hearts of SLU fans without showing some class. How many people talk about Matt McKeon these days? If they ever do, his exploits are always followed by the fact that he was a pr!ck. Grow up Vedad.

    Otherwise, what a freakin year for SLU. The talent lived up to expectations and then some. I am sorely excited for next year...well at least I will be after I am convinced we've put our defensive responsibilities in good hands. This team was a joy to watch at Hermann and held their own against ranked teams game in and game out. Donigan is a hell of a coach and I wish him luck with recruiting for next year.

    Good luck to Maryland.
     
  18. jstats

    jstats Member

    Aug 31, 2001
    Oakville, MO (south
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Very true Kami. We did blow a lead and that is horrible. I'm not using the field as an excuse for the loss because as previously said Maryland did have to play on that field also. I just am curious how bad it was. According to what I heard the radio, the announcers made it sound like tanks had just rolled right through the field on the way to defend Washington. That being said however......when you reach a stage like the quarterfinals of the national tourament, you should have a quality field to play on. As I said, I don't know the drainage quality of their pitch, but there has to come a point, where if your field can't handle the weather you can expect in that region then maybe you should find another site to play your games at. Maybe the field at Herman would be just as bad, I don't know, but then again I would have a major problem with us hosting a game where the field was not up to standards. If anybody from the Maryland area could put me up to speed with the conditions, I would appreciate it.

    Onto Vedad. As everybody said early during the year "These guys are freshmen and only 18". What you all noticed all year long is true without a doubt. However you are expecting him to behave like a guy midway through his pro career. Let's be consistent here. Everybody has a bad day out there and I'm not excusing what might have happened out on the field. All I'm really saying is give the kid a chance. Now if he's behaving the same way in another two or three years we might have another McKeon on our hands and I for one won't be pleased with that. Just remember, as y'all said "he's just a freshman". Soccer players like fine wines improve with age. With another solid recruiting class I expect us to make the final 4 this next year and possibly bring home the National Championship.
     
  19. gsterp

    gsterp Member+

    Jul 16, 2003
    College Park
    There were some divots coming up due to the snow and rain that had been coming down for 3 consecutive days, but otherwise it really wasn't all that bad. After halftime Maryland wasn't falling nearly as much, as I suspect they switched to longer cleats, or I would at lest assume they did.

    They pushed back the game because the university was closed on Saturday, and therefore no events could take place on campus. There were also some really messed up roads in the area, although it wasn't too bad around campus.

    I actually thought the wind was a bigger factor than the slick field. Balls played toward the north goal (where Maryland attacked first half) were just sitting in the air or getting pushed back rather than flying true.

    You say that people should cut Vedad a break because he's 18 and a freshman. It seems to me though that you guys have tons of other 18 year olds that knew how to behave themselves and take a loss like a man. And it also sounds like this isn't necessarily a isolated incident for Vedad. If he does go pro and tries to pull some of his stunts up there, someone is going to give him a very physical reminder that that stuff won't fly in the big leagues.

    The foul total was partly so lopsided because overall possession was very stilted toward Maryland. If you're holding the ball 2/3 of the time or more (and that's probably not too much of an exaggeration), you are going to get fouled a lot more than you foul. The ref also let a ton of stuff go both ways and kept the cards in his pocket which didn't help things at all.

    soccertom, I think I might remember what play youre talking about for the supposed penalty. DiRaimondo had his back to goal IIRC, and I wanna say it was Goodson who cleared the ball away from him and got a piece of JDiR on the follow through. It would've been a questionable call in the midfield, but no way a ref calls that in the box.

    That said, if you guys can structure your defense better and get some more foot skill so they can pass their way out, you'll be scary very soon.
     
  20. soccertom

    soccertom New Member

    Jun 2, 1999
    Hmmm... I know Matt and have always considered him a heck of a nice guy. Sure he @ times had a surly on field disposition but I considered that an admirable trait of his fierce will to win. By and large Matt had always served SLU quite well on and off the field of play hence him being awarded the 1995 MAC Player of the Year Award.
     
  21. jscott23

    jscott23 Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Jan 24, 2003
    Poway, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Many moons ago I played my HS and college soccer in the StL area. It is good to see that it is still a classy soccer town, with fans who can congratulate the victor and call one of their own a punk when it is deserved. Good luck to Maryland, but hats off to SLU for a good run, again!
     
  22. lastword

    lastword New Member

    Sep 20, 2003
    College Park, MD
    I agree with jscott

    I agree with my good friend jscott regarding the class demonstrated by the SLU fans that do not condone Vedad's behavior.
     
  23. kami

    kami Member

    Nov 27, 2001
    Saint Louis
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Tom, a pledge brother of mine was the starting stopper for SLU a few years ago and I asked him once about playing with McKeon. He simply said he was an a$$hole...on the field. That combined with his attitude problems in his brief stint with the nat'l team and various other things pople said that watched him, led me to compare Vedad to McKeon.
    McKeon was a great player, but I don't want Vedad to be a great player and leave this institution with people always needing to bring up that they hated his on the field demeanor. That's all.
     
  24. jstats

    jstats Member

    Aug 31, 2001
    Oakville, MO (south
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes cleats do make a ton of difference, and at this level there really is no excuse for not having regular and bad weather cleats.
    Ahh........so the cancellation was more of a University decision and not a "soccer decision" if you will.
    Onto Vedad. I still haven't seen the incident that happened, and I'm not giving him a free ride for his actions. I was merely repeating the "only a freshman" line because that's what I heard all year about why we wouldn't be this good of a team. Now I've seen all but one home game this year, and I can comment what I've seen. Vedad does chirp a lot at refs, and he has gotten a shove in here and there after a hard foul. But I haven't seen him take a shot at someone's face with the cast. I am predicting that he will become a better player and his behavior will improve. I do not condone this behavior at all, and if this becomes more of a pattern I'll be deeply disappointed. I guess really what I'm saying is he had a bad day and reacted poorly (especially this time). I do agree that he better not go pro now, because as long as people like Etchverry are still around it could be very dangerous for him.
    I do want to also congratulate Maryland on the win and I hope they do win the national title (especially cause it looks good for us if we do go out to the champs.) Best of luck to the Terps and fear not SLU fans!!!!! WE SHALL RETURN!!!!!
     
  25. STLsockerFan

    STLsockerFan New Member

    Nov 4, 2003
    You have to give Maryland credit for keeping tight check on Vedad. His name was barely mentioned by the annoucers during the game. He needs to put the team first and stop acting like an idiot. Why should everyone else on the team have to put up with his antics. The guy is not mentally tough and it is very easy to get him off his game by messing with his head. None of his stuff will fly in MLS. Those guys would eat him alive. Vedad has to become more active and must cut out the BS. Overall SLU had a great year, beating a lot of quality teams.

    On the stlsoccer.net board there are rumors of Vilmer & Wynn transferring. Anyone heard anything about this. Any other rumors of anyone else leaving?
     

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