Adios Tariq

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[quote="Jack Williams" post=280341]I am concerned about what Tariq had to say about why he is leaving the program.

Yes, he said the team failed to accomplish what they wanted to accomplish. They didn't win enough. So I understand the comments were made while looking in the rear-view.

However, I am concerned Tariq decided to leave because maybe he knows Shamorie does not plan on returning, in which case I don't blame him, because we will struggle and be in the basement of the Big East without Shamorie next season.

Time will tell[/quote]

Shamorie Ponds is working on making a pro club somewhere, anywhere. Mullin and Matt are justifiably desperate for guards, even sit-out guards. Most of the players ended the season very disappointed. A few of us said there was no excuse losing 11 straight games because of one 5'11 guard. The coaching of the remaining talent was below average as was the game prep. The Duke and Villanova games were Shamorie Ponds highlight shows but as a team the thin bench wore everyone out. That was due to the recruiting failures of 2017. We are seeing the same mediocre recruiting in 2018.

Ironically, when Owens said "We didn’t meet those expectations, and we had talent", it reminded me of that UCLA player that said something similar but also inferred they didn't have a coach and that contributed to underachieving.
When that player made that statement Steve Lavin had been to 6 sweet 16's. When Owens made his statement we had 3 straight losing seasons. I guess for Owens it was an easy decision. Mullin blackballing Yakwe made it easy for him to leave. I sense recruits we've been on for three years are moving on. There seems to be a problem with relationship building that this staff is having a hard time mastering.
 
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Don't agree with your take on Ponds. Don't believe he is leaving to be a second round pick, which is at best what he would be when you consider this draft, current projections and everyone that has already declared.
 
[quote="Jack Williams" post=280341]I am concerned about what Tariq had to say about why he is leaving the program.

Yes, he said the team failed to accomplish what they wanted to accomplish. They didn't win enough. So I understand the comments were made while looking in the rear-view.

However, I am concerned Tariq decided to leave because maybe he knows Shamorie does not plan on returning, in which case I don't blame him, because we will struggle and be in the basement of the Big East without Shamorie next season.

Time will tell[/quote]
Regardless of Sharomie's decision, disappointed in Tariq's statement. Am deeply upset that Tariq won't be returning, but not happy with the wording of his 'goodbye' statement. That said, this coaching staff better get its butt in gear.
 
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Two steps forward, two steps back.
We are, St. John's!
 
Assuming Owens still needs to earn credits this semester and in the summer to graduate.

What happens if he fails? No way he can walk back the comments and play here. I suppose in this scenario he would sit out the Fall semester. It is bound to happen with the grad transfers in the hundreds these days.
 
[quote="Rob" post=280365]Don't agree with your take on Ponds. Don't believe he is leaving to be a second round pick, which is at best what he would be when you consider this draft, current projections and everyone that has already declared.[/quote]

I said he was working hard to make a pro club. Sorry if you don' think so. If he were to leave it would not be necessarily for the NBA. He has the talent to be a star in the top clubs overseas. The NBA will always be there since he is so young.
The staff better put another talented player on his team to make it worth staying. Just saying.
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=280374][quote="Rob" post=280365]Don't agree with your take on Ponds. Don't believe he is leaving to be a second round pick, which is at best what he would be when you consider this draft, current projections and everyone that has already declared.[/quote]

I said he was working hard to make a pro club. Sorry if you don' think so. If he were to leave it would not be necessarily for the NBA. He has the talent to be a star in the top clubs overseas. The NBA will always be there since he is so young.
The staff better put another talented player on his team to make it worth staying. Just saying.[/quote]

I've already gone on record for people to not exactly pencil in Ponds for next season. I said the same about Tariq Owens, and look what happened.

Ponds is likely to return, but I suggest fans be careful. Marcus Derrickson said he would return after Georgetown's loss to us in the Big East Tournament, but decided to forego his last season of eligibility (supposedly, will sign with an agent). It's something for us to watch.
 
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I don’t think the Tariq statement was bad. Mullin needs a wake up call. He gets all the credit in the world for keeping things together but he needs a serious change in staff and start recruiting the way he said he would in his opening speech when he got hired
 
[quote="mjmaherjr" post=280379]I don’t think the Tariq statement was bad. Mullin needs a wake up call. He gets all the credit in the world for keeping things together but he needs a serious change in staff and start recruiting the way he said he would in his opening speech when he got hired[/quote]

In his first season he was everywhere with both Matt and Slice. He still is seen at high school games but not very much. The problem, imo, is he's a lousy salesman with little fire in his belly and not a closer.
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=280382][quote="mjmaherjr" post=280379]I don’t think the Tariq statement was bad. Mullin needs a wake up call. He gets all the credit in the world for keeping things together but he needs a serious change in staff and start recruiting the way he said he would in his opening speech when he got hired[/quote]

In his first season he was everywhere with both Matt and Slice. He still is seen at high school games but not very much. The problem, imo, is he's a lousy salesman with little fire in his belly and not a closer.[/quote]


Or is it his family moved back to California after year 1 and some of
his desire, commitment or whatever changed with his family life?
 
[quote="Moon Mullen" post=280385][quote="Class of 72" post=280382][quote="mjmaherjr" post=280379]I don’t think the Tariq statement was bad. Mullin needs a wake up call. He gets all the credit in the world for keeping things together but he needs a serious change in staff and start recruiting the way he said he would in his opening speech when he got hired[/quote]

In his first season he was everywhere with both Matt and Slice. He still is seen at high school games but not very much. The problem, imo, is he's a lousy salesman with little fire in his belly and not a closer.[/quote]


Or is it his family moved back to California after year 1 and some of
his desire, commitment or whatever changed with his family life?[/quote]

If that's the case then he should just walk away. Fans complained about the last carpet baggers from California and now we have three more of them with this crew. At least the last crew brought their spouses to the city.
Sometimes you sense that even the players don't think these guys are serious and long term.
 
Regardless of what any of us thinks and what might or might not be true even though it's not meant to be mean spirited at all just my opinion but lets leave family out of this. I hated when people did it to Lavin and even after he left I might have speculated at to a possible cause in his downturn but I wasn't right then for mentioning it and it's a topic we might all be better off staying away from. The bottom line is Lavin and Mullin got paid to coach. Whatever affects them or doesn't affect them doesn't matter as long as you collect a paycheck
 
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[quote="richard A Steinfeld" post=280302][quote="Chicago Days" post=280298][quote="L J S A" post=280279][quote="Ray Morgan" post=280272]If the staff can't sign a grad transfer of equal or superior ability to Owens, then they are not the staff I hoped they would be.[/quote]

The problem is that he's probably near the top of grad big men.[/quote]

Maybe, but I gladly take the trade of getting Femi for losing Tariq.
But staff has to close the deal, or we've taken a big hit.[/quote] That’s what gets me nervous, closing the deal.[/quote]

Absolutely RAS. I’m nervous as hell—because I sense nada Grad Bigs we have even a ‘shot at’ beyond Femi. Thinking Trey Porter out of reach for us. Hope I’m wrong, but I’d be ecstatic getting Femi on board and then 1-2 quality sit-out transfers.
 
[quote="redken" post=280368][quote="Jack Williams" post=280341]I am concerned about what Tariq had to say about why he is leaving the program.

Yes, he said the team failed to accomplish what they wanted to accomplish. They didn't win enough. So I understand the comments were made while looking in the rear-view.

However, I am concerned Tariq decided to leave because maybe he knows Shamorie does not plan on returning, in which case I don't blame him, because we will struggle and be in the basement of the Big East without Shamorie next season.

Time will tell[/quote]
Regardless of Sharomie's decision, disappointed in Tariq's statement. Am deeply upset that Tariq won't be returning, but not happy with the wording of his 'goodbye' statement. That said, this coaching staff better get its butt in gear.[/quote]

You nailed it, Red. Many here were ready to welcome the guy back—and he gives us short shrift on his run to TT.
Bracing for bad news on Shamorie but praying he returns.
Wish I had faith that Mullin & Co was all over the recruiting picture and ready with Plans A through D—but doubting there’s much except an ad hoc agenda—names scratched on the back of an envelope—in Matt’s hands.
Sad.
Let’s go Johnnies.
 
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Jack Williams wrote: However, I am concerned Tariq decided to leave because maybe he knows Shamorie does not plan on returning, in which case I don't blame him, because we will struggle and be in the basement of the Big East without Shamorie next season.

Maybe I'm being delusional, but I have feeling from things they said throughout the year that Ponds, Simon & Clark believe in staff. Don't think Shamorie will leave unless he no longer believes that staying will do him any good with his main goal of getting drafted by NBA (i.e. exposure on a winning team, development of game by staff etc.). However, belief only goes so far.In that regard, it is critical that Mullin & company get out and get a meaningful big asap; otherwise Ponds may lose hope and decide he is better off with a year overseas to develop his game. If that happens, program may look like it did in the Norm/post Jarvis days. What did we all do to get sentenced to being die-hard Johnny fans?
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=280397]Jack Williams wrote: However, I am concerned Tariq decided to leave because maybe he knows Shamorie does not plan on returning, in which case I don't blame him, because we will struggle and be in the basement of the Big East without Shamorie next season.

Maybe I'm being delusional, but I have feeling from things they said throughout the year that Ponds, Simon & Clark believe in staff. Don't think Shamorie will leave unless he no longer believes that staying will do him any good with his main goal of getting drafted by NBA (i.e. exposure on a winning team, development of game by staff etc.). However, belief only goes so far.In that regard, it is critical that Mullin & company get out and get a meaningful big asap; otherwise Ponds may lose hope and decide he is better off with a year overseas to develop his game. If that happens, program may look like it did in the Norm/post Jarvis days. What did we all do to get sentenced to being die-hard Johnny fans?[/quote]

I believe that original Norm Roberts team had Darryl Hill (who was terrific before his knee injury) and Lamont Hamilton, who was a good low-post player. Check the stats on both... After Ponds, they would be the two best players on the team right now.

That team had no depth because of Jarvis' lazy recruiting his final two years, but it has two great building blocks.
 
[quote="Knight" post=280370]Two steps forward, two steps back.
We are, St. John's![/quote]

Not trying to be difficult, but where are the 2 steps forward?
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=280377][quote="Class of 72" post=280374][quote="Rob" post=280365]Don't agree with your take on Ponds. Don't believe he is leaving to be a second round pick, which is at best what he would be when you consider this draft, current projections and everyone that has already declared.[/quote]

I said he was working hard to make a pro club. Sorry if you don' think so. If he were to leave it would not be necessarily for the NBA. He has the talent to be a star in the top clubs overseas. The NBA will always be there since he is so young.
The staff better put another talented player on his team to make it worth staying. Just saying.[/quote]

I've already gone on record for people to not exactly pencil in Ponds for next season. I said the same about Tariq Owens, and look what happened.

Ponds is likely to return, but I suggest fans be careful. Marcus Derrickson said he would return after Georgetown's loss to us in the Big East Tournament, but decided to forego his last season of eligibility (supposedly, will sign with an agent). It's something for us to watch.[/quote]

Totally agree.
 
[quote="Moon Mullen" post=280385][quote="Class of 72" post=280382][quote="mjmaherjr" post=280379]I don’t think the Tariq statement was bad. Mullin needs a wake up call. He gets all the credit in the world for keeping things together but he needs a serious change in staff and start recruiting the way he said he would in his opening speech when he got hired[/quote]

In his first season he was everywhere with both Matt and Slice. He still is seen at high school games but not very much. The problem, imo, is he's a lousy salesman with little fire in his belly and not a closer.[/quote]


Or is it his family moved back to California after year 1 and some of
his desire, commitment or whatever changed with his family life?[/quote]

If that's the case, then get out. We'll be better for it.
 
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