It looks like DePaul has a pretty good recruiting class (#15 on 247) with Romeo Weems (#50), Markese Jacobs (#95), and Oscar Lopez (#275).

I'd view this class as negative news. The longer DePaul stays at the bottom of the Big East, the better it is for Loyola.

I actually view it as a positive. Jacobs staying home is potentially great for Chicago college basketball. He's the first top 100 type to stay local in a long while (it's also worth noting the initial Kansas commitment also really boosted his rankings stock...). I'm sure Jacobs saw someone like Williamson staying local and thought about starting his own legacy in Chicago. I want us to be the best of a good bunch; and I think it would benefit everyone to have Chicago be a hotbed destination for high level recruits.

On the flip side it'll be interesting to again, see if this commitment sticks (Terrence Shannon already backed out as did Tyger Campbell last year). Plus who knows if Dave Leitao sticks around after this season following 3 consecutive 9th/10th place finishes.

On top of all of this DePaul is involved in the FBI investigation for Brian Bowen. Rick Pitino believed they offered 200k to get him. Plus Bowens father stated he was paid $2000 weekly by current Former La Lumiere head coach and current DePaul Assistent Shane Heirman when Bowen was in high school (at the time of payment Heirman was Bowen's high school coach).

https://usatodayhss.com/2018/brian-bowe ... -to-school

I also take it as a good thing... I would love to see Chicago evolve into the hot spot for college recruits to want to play! I want to see Loyola turn into the best college program in an amazing college basketball city.

Agreed. In the short term it might be a challenge to the notoriety and adulation the team got last year, but long term it's good. The fact that we're going to play in the Palestra this year in Philly should underscore the benefits of creating a healthy and vibrant college basketball scene, with rivalries and active press coverage. Philly has Temple, LaSalle, Penn, St. Joes, Drexel, and Villanova. The reason that's considered an awesome array of college basketball choices is because the media in Philly treated that as an awesome array of college basketball.

In Chicago, the sports media likes to pick on who is down-- whenever they got a chance-- and pumped up the big boys as brilliant and fantastic and doing great things that the lousy local teams didn't do-- even when it turned out that the reason the big boys were that good was bogus grades and greased palms. Knee-jerk cynicism and judgmental extremes often pretends to be good analysis.

I'm still very happy about OUR recruiting class for the year. If DePaul can get things back on track too, I say good for them. The problem for them is, with the conference they are in, it's a much tougher road to restore themselves to relevance than we had. As long as we can sustain our winning ways, we are going to be an attractive option for local high school talent, regardless of where DePaul is at. Regardless of whether they have a "higher rated" or "more talented" recruiting class than us this year, or subsequent years, we are still in far better position to keep winning, and more importantly, make the tournament.

I'm all about DePaul getting some talent into their program and getting out of the cellar. God knows we've been to where they have been as fans -- and it blows. I just hope we can both start making noise to the point where the rest of the city demands to see a Ramblers-Blue Demons match-up.

Agreed with this 100%. If all the teams can maintain a high level there will be a much higher demand for a "Battle for Chicago" type tourney.

Agreed

LU IS NOW THE BEST TEAM in ILL --We did it on the CLEAN--Two of our competitors ILL ST and DEPEWL have problems, Hence if they succeed theyget an asterisk for each
We must play Redbirds BUT not so in DEPEWLS case-- IF they are found to be clean--play them--If not do not !!