40 Minutes Of "P.U."

[quote="kevin n kamper" post=363752]Doc, you are correct on all accounts. Six assists in a game is a disgrace and there is no question that Lamb should have been denied the ball alot sooner including the final play.

However it is difficult to blame a new coach entirely for the failing of his players Saturday. The coach did not miss all those shots 12 of them including heron missing a key two late in the game. Heron also should have been on top of lamb on the last play and got there late.

I have to credit the effort of the team to stage that last minute comback and I do like the the energy of the team. The clock management at the end made the comback possible.I know we are going to lose alot of games this year but the key to this season is to establish a positive philosophy and tone so that we are able to recruit players.

Lets give our new coach a shot. If we get down on him now, this program will never survive. I htink we could have someting special here if we give it a shot. Rome was not built in a day and it will take time to recover from the Mullin years.[/quote]

....and the Lavin years...and the Norm years...and the Jarvis years..... lol
 
I just came back to take a look after Saturday’s loss. Wow just wow. I think most people realized coming into the season that this is going to be an up and down year, if we’re lucky. The current HC is a mere 4 games into his tenure. He has been here for what six months? Color me crazy but I was not expecting much. I’m excited that we have what looks like a competitive team. The new Coach managed to keep two kids, our best kids, from walking out the door. Try to envision the season without those two. We all will critique and get frustrated as we “experience” the ups and downs. It’s just part of it.

But, how about we keep some perspective, win or lose. We have a Coach who seems to work his tail off and needs some support. Local coaches already respect the guy. We also have a new AD who is professional. You may have problem here or there but the Program is in good hands for the first time in a long time. I just think we need to be realistic and give it a chance before calling it a failure.
 
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Even “master tactician” Mike Dunlap is 31-57 at Loyola Marymount after last few years. Talent wins ballgames fellas. It will take some time.
 
For the record, I agree with much of Doc’s analysis. Just think that since this was our first game against tough comp, with an almost completely new roster and with Dunn playing his first game, and with our 2 best players providing little leadership on the court, that CMA deserves a pass on this one. If Heron and Fig play like they’re capable of playing, then we would have looked like a completely different team. A well coached team.
 
[quote="kevin n kamper" post=363752]

Lets give our new coach a shot. If we get down on him now, this program will never survive. I htink we could have someting special here if we give it a shot. Rome was not built in a day and it will take time to recover from the Mullin years.[/quote]

+100

Not pointing to any poster in particular but you can already tell there are some chomping at the bit to prove their point one way or another about the coach they’ve already decided CMA is or isn’t. In reality one season, let alone one game, isn’t gonna be enough for us to know if he will or won’t get it done. But anyone who’s eager to prove he’s the wrong guy already is either petty, bitter, or completely oblivious to how college basketball works.
 
[quote="Amaseinyourface" post=363758][quote="kevin n kamper" post=363752]

Lets give our new coach a shot. If we get down on him now, this program will never survive. I htink we could have someting special here if we give it a shot. Rome was not built in a day and it will take time to recover from the Mullin years.[/quote]

+100

Not pointing to any poster in particular but you can already tell there are some chomping at the bit to prove their point one way or another about the coach they’ve already decided CMA is or isn’t. In reality one season, let alone one game, isn’t gonna be enough for us to know if he will or won’t get it done. But anyone who’s eager to prove he’s the wrong guy already is either petty, bitter, or completely oblivious to how college basketball works.[/quote]

Let’s be honest. Since Louie retired we have had a long history of disastrous hires. Our Program has been in a bad place, for a long time. Totally get and have lived the frustration. I supported every one of them. Some don’t seem to understand the damage that has been done. SJU isn’t exactly a premiere location in the eyes of recruits or coaches. John Wooden wasn’t walking through the door. However, we have hired a guy with almost 400 wins. Yet, I am suppose to listen to someone on a message board that the guy isn’t a good “tactician” after 4 WHOLE games. How is that fair or giving the new coach a chance?
 
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Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.
 
[quote="Knight" post=363761]Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.[/quote]

I think this is going to be an issue all year.

They may get a bit better with hard work, but most of our misses appeared to be front-rimmed, indicating that a foul shot is likely out of range, for most of our guys.
 
[quote="SJU61982" post=363762][quote="Knight" post=363761]Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.[/quote]

I think this is going to be an issue all year.

They may get a bit better with hard work, but most of our misses appeared to be front-rimmed, indicating that a foul shot is likely out of range, for most of our guys.[/quote]

Free throw shooting is something that can be improved in season.
 
[quote="Knight" post=363764][quote="SJU61982" post=363762][quote="Knight" post=363761]Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.[/quote]

I think this is going to be an issue all year.

They may get a bit better with hard work, but most of our misses appeared to be front-rimmed, indicating that a foul shot is likely out of range, for most of our guys.[/quote]

Free throw shooting is something that can be improved in season.[/quote]

Yes, but only incrementally. Upping your percentage by something like 15-20 points, is usually done in the offseason.
 
[quote="Amaseinyourface" post=363758][quote="kevin n kamper" post=363752]

Lets give our new coach a shot. If we get down on him now, this program will never survive. I htink we could have someting special here if we give it a shot. Rome was not built in a day and it will take time to recover from the Mullin years.[/quote]

+100

Not pointing to any poster in particular but you can already tell there are some chomping at the bit to prove their point one way or another about the coach they’ve already decided CMA is or isn’t. In reality one season, let alone one game, isn’t gonna be enough for us to know if he will or won’t get it done. But anyone who’s eager to prove he’s the wrong guy already is either petty, bitter, or completely oblivious to how college basketball works.[/quote]

It would be valid to be skeptical of a new coach if he had a terrible record, odd behavior or something of substance that would raise red flags like......having no record, never having coached a girls little league, inexperienced staff, etc. In this case most of the bitter posts will come from supposed supporters who still smart over being dead wrong about the preceding staff that put us into another rebuilding situation.
 
This season, I rooting for CMA to keep his plus .500 record in tack. Anything above .500 is a bonus.
 
How seriously can I take an endless critique that doesn't even get a key fact correct? Lamb was not the player fouled. Once again SJU hit the reset button after last season. Some of us who were rooting so hard for Mullin to succeed last year were not "Mullin homers" but just folks who didn't want to sit through rebuild 4.0. But we are where we are and we have to sit through it.

Maybe Anderson is the guy who can turn it around. Maybe not. He has done well every other place he has coached, his career began in 2002. Compare his record since 2002 to SJUs and it's not a fair fight. And Anderson inherited an NCAA infraction mess at Missouri that was every bit as bad as anything that SJU endured.

I do know the optics around the coaching is miles ahead of the past regime and believe me I wanted the Mullin experiment to work. For the first time in years I've seen some of the dance team routines as it is no longer fascinating to watch the SJU bench wondering exactly what is going on over there.

Baby steps.
 
[quote="SJU61982" post=363765][quote="Knight" post=363764][quote="SJU61982" post=363762][quote="Knight" post=363761]Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.[/quote]

I think this is going to be an issue all year.

They may get a bit better with hard work, but most of our misses appeared to be front-rimmed, indicating that a foul shot is likely out of range, for most of our guys.[/quote]

Free throw shooting is something that can be improved in season.[/quote]

Yes, but only incrementally. Upping your percentage by something like 15-20 points, is usually done in the offseason.[/quote]

When your sample size is all of 4 games, yea we can improve during the season.
 
[quote="IDRAFT" post=363771]How seriously can I take an endless critique that doesn't even get a key fact correct? Lamb was not the player fouled. Once again SJU hit the reset button after last season. Some of us who were rooting so hard for Mullin to succeed last year were not "Mullin homers" but just folks who didn't want to sit through rebuild 4.0. But we are where we are and we have to sit through it.

Maybe Anderson is the guy who can turn it around. Maybe not. He has done well every other place he has coached, his career began in 2002. Compare his record since 2002 to SJUs and it's not a fair fight. And Anderson inherited an NCAA infraction mess at Missouri that was every bit as bad as anything that SJU endured.

I do know the optics around the coaching is miles ahead of the past regime and believe me I wanted the Mullin experiment to work. For the first time in years I've seen some of the dance team routines as it is no longer fascinating to watch the SJU bench wondering exactly what is going on over there.

Baby steps.[/quote]

I would just add that for some I keep hearing I am a “Mullin guy” or a “Lavin guy” etc. These “camps” are ridiculous. Personally most of us are “St. John’s guys”. I pulled for all the coaches to do well including Jarvis and Roberts and Mahoney and Lavin and Mullin. I get some may have had some insight as to what these guys were and weren’t doing but I pulled for all of them to succeed. For whatever reason, the primary being they didn’t win enough, Mike Anderson is our HC and we should support him and give him a chance to see if he can fix what has been pretty much a mess for 25 years.
 
[quote="Amaseinyourface" post=363772][quote="SJU61982" post=363765][quote="Knight" post=363764][quote="SJU61982" post=363762][quote="Knight" post=363761]Regardless of the overall play, we missed 12 free throws. Miss only 9 and we win the game.[/quote]

I think this is going to be an issue all year.

They may get a bit better with hard work, but most of our misses appeared to be front-rimmed, indicating that a foul shot is likely out of range, for most of our guys.[/quote]

Free throw shooting is something that can be improved in season.[/quote]

Yes, but only incrementally. Upping your percentage by something like 15-20 points, is usually done in the offseason.[/quote]

When your sample size is all of 4 games, yea we can improve during the season.[/quote]

Agree that it's a small sample, but Saturday was actually our best FT shooting game since Mercer, from a percentage standpoint, so early indicators are that foul shooting will be a problem.
 
[quote="mjmaherjr" post=363726]CMA didnt sit on the scorers table so if anyone was worried about me I'm all good :)[/quote]

He did not tie his shoe laces either.
 
I am thrilled that we were lucky enough to get Coach MA. I told my son in the second half that it is great to have a coach as good as Tom Becker(Vermont Coach). My son said is he really? and I said he is but more experienced. I also love the aggressive style of defense. There have been more open three point shooters than I would like at times but am hoping that will get better with time.

A few observations on the team so far -
- Champagnaie is impressive and has a ton of confidence in his game. He was taking it at Lamb in the first half and while he had moderate success, he is a Freshman who has played four games. His game will definitely translate to a higher level even if there are some growing pains. His three point shot will also start to fall.
- Roberts is fun to watch. He is a very different type of player than Julian so you can't really compare them. He is doing a great job at shot blocking and a very good job following shots. He is also rebounding better than expected.I things shot blocking will immediately translate to higher levels but probably with more fouls. His scoring and rebounding may take a little longer but for a player who is effectively a Freshman I am impressed.
- Earlington plays very hard and has more ability than I expected. I see him more as an energy player at this point. He will get less minutes once Steere is available. He still looks more to me like a solid mid major player but hope he is willing to hang around as a role player.
-Caraher - Like others I would like to see more of him. We obviously need shooters and while I don't believe he is as good a 3 point shooter as is being portrayed he is a better player than I expected. He can hold his own on the court. That said we need him as an outside shooter and would like to see him get more shots off to see how much he should play. Like Earlington he looks more like the solid mid major player that he was before he got here. Hopes he just keeps shooting every day in practice.
- Williams - He is a great athlete who is very quick on the court. He is a good defender in this system but he has little on the offensive end and don't think it's only the injury. He will make the occasional spectacular play because he is an outstanding athlete but is not a good shooter and is small to be an effective slasher with his skill set. I still hope he can get better and can reduce the turnovers as he is a very good defensive sub.
Dunn - too early to judge but wow is he quick. Despite the huge 3 that is not his strength or is being a pure point guard. Looks good on defense and will help by attacking the basket but probably not more than a good mid major guard.
Heron - As Monte said probably the same player he has been his last three seasons. He will be hot and cold. Has looked to pass a little more which is great but unfortunately the player he usually passes is to is not a good shooter(not his fault). We need more of his A games than his C games. Fingers crossed.
Figgy - He is the guy that needs to step up and be our Anthony Lamb in big games. He missed a bunch of floaters against Vermont but that was unusual. A very talented player who will be our team MVP.
Sears and Rutherford are role players. I would not expect to see a lot of minutes out of either particularly Sears once Steere is eligible.

I would put theater/under on Big East wins at 5. It will be a fight to be .500 or above this year but think MA is very close.
 
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Doc, IMO, I think your posts tend to run into trouble because it has a certain pomposity and know-it-all aura to 'em. Even your exit post had a grandiose delivery (I wasn't aware we had to "appreciate" someone's post). Whether you're aware of it or not; I'm not sure. But it comes off that way to me, and based on some of the responses you've received, it seems others think that way as well. I've also spoken to a couple of posters offline in the past, and they also view it the same way.

You are who you are, and no one is trying to change how you go about things. But I promise you that you're gonna continue to rub some folks the wrong way by your style and delivery.
 
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[quote="Knight" post=363769]This season, I rooting for CMA to keep his plus .500 record in tack. Anything above .500 is a bonus.[/quote]

There is no way to predict wins and losses until Steere is part of the rotation. If he is serviceable inside the arc and Heron gets control of his game we can beat any Big East team from what I've seen thus far. I expect 8 conference wins and hope to spoil the party in the Big East tournament. CMA has only missed a post season appearance 5 times in the past 17 years but only once in the last 6 years. That record was in a Power 5 conference and not a mid major where his team was only one of 2 teams even remotely qualified for post season.
 
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