Hear ye! Hear ye!

I've got the same news resources as you do.

Google and Google news are nice tools. So are sites such as rivals.com and scout.com. But call me old fashioned when I say I appreciate a good tip via a phone call ... or even an e-mail. Nothing in the snail mail inbox though. Mailman must be late.

Message boards are nice. At times, they are what is good about the fandom of college sports. Passionate people who want to see their team win by any means necessary. Dr. Harold Bardo once told me the best things about fans is that they know how to coach, recruit, shoot, pass, dribble and defend. And that's why we should listen to them.

It's true. It's very true, in fact.

I saw Lamar Owen play two years at SIU and admired his playing style ... to the point where I was disheartened when Chris Lowery inserted freshman Matt Shaw into his starting spot. It was one of many times Lowery proved to me why he is the coach and I am the guy asking coach questions.

I also fell in love with Tyrone Green's play in his two years as a Saluki. Not as much as, say, my mentor Jeff (yes, TBDS' NBA writer), but you I appreciated the fact that Green could play the kind of demanding man-to-man defense SIU has become known for.

That's why I want John Freeman to be that guy for SIU. Not because some guy on some message board wrote it. Because I saw how good that kind of player was to this program. I watched courtside and in press row as Osiris Eldridge, Shy Ely, Theoren Wilson and others picked apart the Saluki defense and thought to myself Tony Young would never let that happen ... and guys like Tyrone Green and Lamar Owen would have at least softened the blow. It's no surprise to me that others share my feelings.

As for Teague, Jr., well, look. Here's an thought: Go to C-Lo and ask him his top priority for his program and he'll probably say graduate his kids before winning. Winning has become expected for this program, so last season's 13-18 mark was a downer ... especially for yours truly who was spoiled by MVC titles and NCAA appearances his freshman, sophomore and junior years (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07) and expected more as he fell in love with the Carbondale community to the point where I stayed five years.

So, when I say my first concern is if a kid is academically eligible ... it's probably the top concern of the staff and the university. And it should be the top priority to its fans. Because seriously, no matter how skilled a kid is, how much is 6'8" 290 worth sitting at the end of the bench?

Like UNC head coach Roy Williams once said: "When I recruit a kid I think will be one and done, I tell him you've got to do the things in the class room. I can't have you sitting around campus all spring semester after the season's over. I never heard back from that kid."

The point here is that I know you're out there and you know that I'm here. We're on a level playing field ... except you probably have much more free time on your hands than a 22-year-old kid balancing a full-credit load, a full-time job, editing the stories of two rookie reporters who he is trying to prime to be just like him, graduation, etc.

I love my job at the DE more than anything (even my BlackBerry). I love working for the DE more than anyone ever should. I've paid my way to travel to cover the team to Indianapolis, New York City and all around the Missouri Valley Conference ... including St. Louis. I'm in your boat ... I love this school and I love the Salukis.

So, if I happen to view the similar view points as you ... it's probably because at least 51 percent of me bleeds Saluki Maroon (the other 49 percent is Carolina blue). Maybe you should be honored we share the same mindset ... isn't that old saying "great minds think alike?"

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Verbal committments could spark Saluki signing class [Daily Egyptian]
The DE article about Teague! [Saluki Talk]