that is true for them I guess but the team did know Kirby was leaving and we didn't honor him on senior day. But it doesnt matter since we now believe clay is leaning toward staying.

I love Mo (I remember when we found out he was coming in...before he got here me and my friends were over the moon about having two former P5 guys on the team) but Mo and Clayton arent equivalent. I just feel like if we knew Clayton was leaving we'd have done something for him.

Let’s think this through... you’re Clayton Custer... you grew up in Midwest Missouri. You’re smart and you’re a business major. You end up in Chicago, the third largest city in the country, home to tons of huge corporations and corporate headquarters. You end up at a school where you break a 33-year disappointment streak and win a trophy that’s named after THE Larry Bird. This is a trophy that you’ll be able to keep in your office as a talking piece to every client that ever walks in your door. You literally have the opportunity to create the worlds most awesome bookends for your office if you stay for another year. Also, You are currently connected in a city who has thousands of prominent area alumni who are overjoyed that you put their school on the map by finally making an NCAA tournament. Who wouldn’t want to hire you?

You know you’re good enough to compete in the MVC and you know that you’re not good enough to play in the NBA. If you are thinking about you’re long-term future, do you really think it’s in your best interest to go play a year in Tallahassee at Florida State or Clemson, South Carolina? Why take a chance to be a “point guard” in Columbus, Ohio when you have the chance to be a “legend” in Chicago?

As far as I’m concerned, Custer has a year of eligibility left, and until we hear otherwise, I fully expect him back. I just hope he has the foresight to see how well he can do in this city after his playing days are done if he stays.

No offense TR, but given your heartfelt paean to Chicago, it raises the question in my mind...What the hell are you doing in Toledo of all places?

Good point .

1) I’m in Houston now....originally from Saint John’s Jesuit high school.
2) I didn’t have a Larry Bird player of the year trophy when I graduated and the only thing I contributed to loyola when I left was my tuition and a couple thousand dollars at Bruno’s.
3) couldn’t get a scholarship to Loyola’s law school (see Bruno’s reference in point 2).

Still love the ramblers and Chicago though! If the opportunities would hdve been there for me I would have stayed in a heartbeat!

FWIW, after the Illinois St. senior night game, I asked Custer if he was grad transferring and he said "no way man." Also, a handful on Richardson's family members we met down it STL thought there is no way that Custer is grad transferring. Also confirmed that Krutwig loves Loyola and isn't thinking about transferring up.

We should, however, be slight concerned about Porter. There are some jobs opening up that might give him a look and $1M+ pay raise (e.g., UConn, Pitt). There is a chance that Iowa and some other jobs near the Midwest open up. I think we should be even more concerned about Mullins and/or Valentine leaving, but such is life.

Money talks, sometimes loudly, no question. But I think it’s going to take a huge jump in salary over what we would/could offer him (which I assume is going to be more than he currently makes). Listening to him talk, you can tell how appreciative he is of how patient Loyola was with him. High major fan bases and donors won’t be nearly as patient. Hell, some Illinois fans are already saying they want Underwood gone...in year 1!

We have some really strong, young assistants. It will hurt when they leave, but I remember people saying the same things when people like Gates and Dildy left. Ultimately it's a great thing for us if Porter is known for developing coaches as much as players.

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Just five months ago, a lot of people in our own league thought Moser was among the worst coaches in the MVC, about on par with Paul Lusk (who was fired last week). And I'll also remind folks that until this season, Moser had gone 10 years of coaching at two different schools without a winning or break-even season in conference.

Although we are all proud and happy and/or amazed by how far the PROGRAM (not just recruiting, or sideline coaching, or player development, or student attendance, or graduation rate, or any one small part-- but the whole program) has come, there aren't going to be as many big programs as we think lining up to steal him away from us. The hot properties in the coaching area are Steve Forbes at East Tennessee State, and Joe Dooley at Florida Gulf Coast. Those guys will probably not be there next year. And there are many other younger coaches that are eager to move and get a big payday, and there are going to be some veteran coaches who are on the market (Crean, Dakich, Stallings, etc.).

But if Moser follows up this year with another top 3 season and another conference title in the next couple years, they will definitely be after him. We happen to be a really good match for the intangibles for Moser (Chicago, Jesuit school, level of the league), but we're going to have to at least double his salary (and seriously bump the salaries for assistants) if he follows up with more great seasons. Doubling his current salary would put him near the top pay of MVC coaches, and remember, we're in a more expensive metro area than most MVC schools.

I must respectfully disagree with your post JCT. Those in the valley that are AD's and coach's have always held Porter in high regard. I don't think you can fully appreciate the turnaround into MVC champs and the perfect storm of the scandal engulfing college hoops without believing he will get serious looks.

I also believe he will stay at Loyola because he firmly believes that Loyola basketball can fill a void in Chicago.

That being said -- AD's look at him this way: Turned around UALR, was on his way to ISU turnaround and got screwed, now took over a disaster at Loyola - moved up a level to MVC (bus league to Charter league) and won the thing in his 5th year (granted without Wichita St).

He is the perfect age for one more turnaround at a major school.

I just hope he stays!!

Both FGCU and East Tenn St were already good jobs when the current coach's were put in place (teams previous had strong success, including the sweet 16 FGCU run that ended up with Andy going to USC). Loyola was different. It was not a program that was running well. He turned it and for any AD in need of a turnaround, that says a lot.