A Message from Director of Athletics Mike Cragg

SJU85

SJU85

Well-known member
2023 $upporter 2022 $upporter
I just received the following by email.

Alternate text
Dear St. John’s Season Ticket Holders & Red White Club Members,

As we approach the final games of the regular season and the BIG EAST Tournament, I want to take this opportunity to thank you again for your loyal investment in and support of the St. John’s Athletics Department, which serves 340-plus student-athletes and 17 intercollegiate sports programs. We could not be successful in any sport without you and the actions of thousands of others.

On behalf of our department, I also want to directly provide you a current update on St. John’s Basketball. To be sure, we continue to have high aspirations for our men’s basketball program both on and off the court. We expect to compete for BIG EAST championships annually, while representing our University at the highest levels. Obviously, the program has not met our high expectations this season, to date.

Our promise to you, our most passionate fans and alums, is that we will continue to find ways to expand our efforts to support the players and coaches on their journey in this ever-changing college basketball landscape. There is nothing easy about the BIG EAST, one of the premier basketball conferences in the country, and it takes everyone on board to have the best chance possible. We will continue to create that positive environment in the very best way.

We have a veteran coach who is experienced in navigating the ups and downs of a college basketball season. Our desire and expectations are that Coach Mike Anderson will find ways to build up this year’s team in the remaining weeks and have them playing their best basketball in late February and March. We have not given up! There is more basketball to play this season and many opportunities to pick up quality wins. We have three more home games and then the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Our athletic administration is deeply engaged with the men’s basketball program on a daily basis. At the end of the season, we will also fully evaluate the performance and leadership of the program, as we do for all of our 17 Division I programs, to provide a comprehensive assessment to our university leadership. It is always our intent to improve results in all that we do.

We are in the business of supporting our student-athletes and giving them the best possible experience as they represent St. John’s. We know they need that support, and we will cheer them on - louder and more positive than ever. I ask that you please join us, starting Saturday at noon against Providence for Johnnies Day at MSG.

Overall, we all remain optimistic and hopeful that the men’s basketball program will build from its lessons to this point of the season, as there is still a lot of basketball to be played. We have talented players with an experienced coaching staff who are all capable of competing with the top teams in the BIG EAST.

Again, and most importantly, thank you for all of your support and please know that we appreciate your devotion to St. John’s University!

Best Always,
6234c825d45a3.png
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
 
Standard pro forma email message.

Expresses support for team and staff while making it clear they are going to "evaluate" the leadership after the season.

SJU85 said:
I just received the following by email.

​
​
Alternate text

​
​
Dear St. John’s Season Ticket Holders & Red White Club Members,

As we approach the final games of the regular season and the BIG EAST Tournament, I want to take this opportunity to thank you again for your loyal investment in and support of the St. John’s Athletics Department, which serves 340-plus student-athletes and 17 intercollegiate sports programs. We could not be successful in any sport without you and the actions of thousands of others.

On behalf of our department, I also want to directly provide you a current update on St. John’s Basketball. To be sure, we continue to have high aspirations for our men’s basketball program both on and off the court. We expect to compete for BIG EAST championships annually, while representing our University at the highest levels. Obviously, the program has not met our high expectations this season, to date.

Our promise to you, our most passionate fans and alums, is that we will continue to find ways to expand our efforts to support the players and coaches on their journey in this ever-changing college basketball landscape. There is nothing easy about the BIG EAST, one of the premier basketball conferences in the country, and it takes everyone on board to have the best chance possible. We will continue to create that positive environment in the very best way.

We have a veteran coach who is experienced in navigating the ups and downs of a college basketball season. Our desire and expectations are that Coach Mike Anderson will find ways to build up this year’s team in the remaining weeks and have them playing their best basketball in late February and March. We have not given up! There is more basketball to play this season and many opportunities to pick up quality wins. We have three more home games and then the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Our athletic administration is deeply engaged with the men’s basketball program on a daily basis. At the end of the season, we will also fully evaluate the performance and leadership of the program, as we do for all of our 17 Division I programs, to provide a comprehensive assessment to our university leadership. It is always our intent to improve results in all that we do.

We are in the business of supporting our student-athletes and giving them the best possible experience as they represent St. John’s. We know they need that support, and we will cheer them on - louder and more positive than ever. I ask that you please join us, starting Saturday at noon against Providence for Johnnies Day at MSG.

Overall, we all remain optimistic and hopeful that the men’s basketball program will build from its lessons to this point of the season, as there is still a lot of basketball to be played. We have talented players with an experienced coaching staff who are all capable of competing with the top teams in the BIG EAST.

Again, and most importantly, thank you for all of your support and please know that we appreciate your devotion to St. John’s University!

Best Always,

​
​
6234c825d45a3.png

​
​
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
Click to expand...
 
I got it too. Shrug. Can't kill him - he's trying to placate an angry bunch while not being able to really do anything about it at this time. In about a month we find out how much "It is always our intent to improve results in all that we do" is true.
 
Cragg and SJU have enormous respect for Anderson and his family and they are going to handle his departure with class. He is not going to bad mouth or be overtly negative about team or staff while season is still alive. Nor should we expect him to be.

But clearly not only does he give no assurances to staff past this season he specifically says they are going to evaluate leadership after season. That is a clear hint that a change is coming.
 
Empty words when they may have the chance to pursue a clear grand slam hire but choose not to. Not blaming that on Cragg as I know he doesn't have the power to override some of the braindead members on the BOT that hold true power.
 
MugCostanza said:
Empty words when they may have the chance to pursue a clear grand slam hire but choose not to. Not blaming that on Cragg as I know he doesn't have the power to override some of the braindead members on the BOT that hold true power.
Click to expand...
Hopefully that pursuit is going on behind the scenes and they will be able to pull the trigger at season's end. They are not making a coaching change before the end of the season.
 
ronm said:
Hopefully that pursuit is going on behind the scenes and they will be able to pull the trigger at season's end. They are not making a coaching change before the end of the season.
Click to expand...
Yep, not expecting a change mid-season and as frustrating as the season has been CMA hasn't embarrassed the school off the court and has worked hard so he deserves to finish the season. I'm referring to the fact people in the know seem to be of the belief that the school won't get on "board" with a certain candidate when it is time to make a hire.
 
fordham96 said:
Cragg and SJU have enormous respect for Anderson and his family and they are going to handle his departure with class. He is not going to bad mouth or be overtly negative about team or staff while season is still alive. Nor should we expect him to be.

But clearly not only does he give no assurances to staff past this season he specifically says they are going to evaluate leadership after season. That is a clear hint that a change is coming.
Click to expand...
I see it the same way, Cragg has developed a tight relationship w Mike and his wife over the years. He’s all class and will handle the situation gracefully.

More so the program is not going to add insult to injury w a public firing weeks before BET media and schools converge. He’s stabilized too much over his 5 years to be publicly humiliated. The self acceptance is already spelled out, giving local rival programs and media further ammunition will be eaten up at any chance that they can get.
 
Last edited:
Astoria STH said:
I see it the same way, Cragg has developed a tight relationship w Mike and his wife over the years. He’s all class and will handle the situation gracefully.

More so the program is not going to add insult to injury w a public firing weeks before BET media and schools converge. He’s stabilized too much over his for 5 years to be publicly humiliated. The self acceptance is already spelled out, giving local rival programs and media further ammunition will be eaten up at any chance that they can get.
Click to expand...
Let the rivals and press speculate but there is no reason to eat at your own wound and let the kids face the BET press without protection.
 
I still can't comprehend how CMA got a contract extension without ever getting into a post season tournament at St John's
I would like to know who came up with that brilliant idea?
 
Last edited:
He must be getting flooded with emails and he sees all the social media and message board posts.
 
MarkRedman said:
I still can't comprehend how CMA got a contract extension without ever getting into a post season tournament at St John's
I would like to know who came up with that brilliant idea?
Click to expand...
For all intents and purposes he did get them in the NIT. SJU would have been an NIT team in 2021 but they and others declined an NIT bid because of the travel to Texas due to COVID moving the Tourney there.

It is a bit unfair to say he did not make a tourney when they clearly would have been an NIT team that year based on their overall resume. Seton Hall declined a bid as well.
 
Eric said:
He must be getting flooded with emails and he sees all the social media and message board posts.
Click to expand...
That is correct.

Look if he wanted to be cold and throw red meat to the fans he could've said this: "Like many of you I have been terribly disappointed with this basketball season. We have very high expectations for our program and when they are not met I feel the pain as much as you do. Make no mistake we will make the necessary changes to make sure we put the type of product on the court next season and in the future that we can all be proud of."

If he were the late George Steinbrenner and this was the Yankees then that is what you can expect...LOL But not Mike Cragg. He is not going to sandbag his coach and the team even if he knows that he is likely to make a change at season's end.
 
Last edited:
fordham96 said:
That is correct.

Look if he wanted to be cold and throw red meat to the fans he could've said this: "Like many of you I have been terribly disappointed with this basketball season. We have very high expectations for our program and when they are not met I feel the pain as much as you do. Make no mistake we will make the necessary changes to make sure we put the type of product on the court next season and in the future that we can all be proud of."

If he were the late George Steinbrenner and this was the Yankees then that is what you can expect...LOL But not Mike Cragg. He is not going to sandbag his coach and the team even iof he knows that he is likely to make a change at season's end.
Click to expand...
If he were the late George Steinbrenner in his hey day, Anderson would have been fired already!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top