Anderson - is he really the guy ?

[SJU Double Alumn]

 

1)Nobody holds him to that season. In other words nobody said Mullin was unfit because he went 1-17.   That's total crap.  Nearly every Mullin detractor has pointed to his conference record over time.
2)The idea that the previous coach is to blame is nonsense, part of roster issue is because kids de-committed because of the coaching change.  Why is that Lavin's fault?  It is not Mullin's fault either but you are acting like Lavin intentionally got fired.  That was a price you paid for that move.  Whoever was the coach would've probably been on a 2 yr rebuild of the roster.  Even if Lavin was retained.  So what.   The point is correctly stated that Mullin was left with 3 guys who were not even close to being Big East players, and that's as bad as it could possibly had gotten.
3)Mullin's problems ran much deeper, he simply did not want to put in the work to be a HC.  Period.  That became painfully obvious when all they wanted to do was play the transfer market.  That had nothing to do with a thin roster his first year.  Sorry, no period here. I hope the next time you have a very close relative suffering from a terminal illness that your boss doesn't expect you to put in the enormous effort it takes to coach a college basketball team.   Admittedly, Mullin did not understand when he took the job that running a college program is a 12 month job.   He didn't expect that he'd have a problem requiring him to split his family and in hindsight should have flown them here for the summer, but given the nature of the problem, that likely was not a suitable answer.   Ironically, by the time he left here, those problems had all recently been resolved permanently.
4)In retrospect the move to make in 2015 was to hire Danny Hurley.   Hurley got $4 million from UCONN.   Even if we paid him $2 million, he'd have been gone by now and still at UCONN.   PERIOD.   For the record half of UCONN's fans on their board are calling for him to be fired.    

All of that is not to say that changing coaches was a bad idea.  Mullin's tenure was not successful enough to be retained, but I do feel that with a few changes, he could have been very successful and a real AD could have helped. 

 

1- You don't need to look at Mullin's first season to see that his hiring was a ridiculous mistake more about the press conference than intelligently bringing in the best coach, and that his tenure was abysmal. 
2- What recruits did Mullin have ready to come in after his 4th season? He also left the next coach a bad situation.
3- Everyone deals with personal issues. You either can do your job or you can't. Was Mullin working all hours and making a year-round effort at any point that he was the coach?
4- Hurley was one of several coaches that we could have pursued, as well as the option of retaining Lavin (who was doing great here until he himself had to make a cancer recovery that limited his activities but you don't seem to be defending Lavin much based on that).

No AD would have made any difference to the authority Mullin had to make the decisions that were made.

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

 However your point ties in so correctly with Beast’s position that if Mullin had a proper AD , Slice contract never would have occurred, Slice would not be replaced by Mitch, Mullin would have been held accountable and would have been on campus irrespective of his wife being in California and his brother’s terminal illness. 

This is utter nonsense. No AD was going to order Mullin around and Mullin would just say Yes Sir, whatever you say Sir, I'll just do whatever you want Mr. AD.  Not happening. Slice was getting his contract, Mitch was his replacement, and Mullin would spend no more time on campus regardless of who was the AD.

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

  

But in summary, had Mullin had a clean slate in terms of full bore effort, if he had a staff of experienced assistants, and if he had a competent leader as AD,  his potential for success would have increased considerably in my opinion.

What are you talking about? Mullin brought in exactly who he wanted for his staff. Slice was his guy. Mitch was his guy. He had everyone he wanted and St. John's ponied up the money to pay them. 
Enough with the AD excuse making. Mullin was running his show, no AD would have made any difference.

 

[Knight]

If at season’s end there is another mass exodus, then I would say CMA is not the man for this job.  Let’s hope we’re dancing in March/April.

 

[mjmaherjr]

I think the fact that my parents made me go to school sick and that my father didnt take a sick day for 40 years maybe fried my brain or just I'm old school because as long as I collect a paycheck for me at least no excuses for not working and doing your job. Heck I'm commission based so personally I feel like I have an obligation to my clients to work. Not that I won't take a sick day now and then because I need to but no matter how sick anyone in my family is I'm still working as much as possible but that's just me.

Now traveling is something entirely different but even on vacation I'm still always available to clients. Heck we were riding camels in the sahara desert in morocco and one of my clients called me while I was on the camel in a vastness of sand dunes.

 

[JohnnyFan]

Beast.....with all due respect, I sense a personal relationship or personal experience with Mullin may be driving your assessment of his time here.  As you likely notice, most of us have a hard time accepting the long list of excuses.

In the end, Chris (who had no coaching experience) chose to assemble a largely inexperienced staff.  We all saw evidence of poor preparation and lackluster in-game coaching.  We also all saw a lack of participation in recruiting (even when he just had to show up on campus to meet a certain transfer who went to DePaul and embarrassed us in the paint).

Chris Mullin was the best player in the history of our program and that will likely never change.  It just so happens, he was also one of the worst coaches in the history of our program.  I am a fan of Chris, wish him the best, and don't like hearing about anyone losing family.  I just think he is not a basketball coach and that is why it didn't work.

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Mullin ‘s team beating Number 1 Duke and Number 4 Villanova in the same week and actually playing in the NCA A , even in a play in game gets him some credit , more than what is shown on this site .  Ok , maybe it was Number 4 Duke and Number 1 Nova .  Regardless , we haven’t had Victories like that since the Dwight Hardy game against Pitt in the Lavin era .   By the way , the Pitt loss is a bad , bad one that can’t be brushed away . Even without Champ.  The 2 glaring losses to Indiana and Kansas , with Champ were blown opportunities .  

Everyone needs to stop with considering this play-in game as some kind of achievement. It is a PLAY IN game- you play to get in the tournament. It means mostly nothing if you don't actually get in to the tournament.         Ok , I think many of us would be happy to get a Play In Game again this season , the way it looks now .   CMA hasn’t yet .     And , you forgot to credit Mullin with the Wins over Nova and Duke , when
they were number 1 and 4 in
the same week . 
 

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Mullin ‘s team beating Number 1 Duke and Number 4 Villanova in the same week and actually playing in the NCA A , even in a play in game gets him some credit , more than what is shown on this site .  Ok , maybe it was Number 4 Duke and Number 1 Nova .  Regardless , we haven’t had Victories like that since the Dwight Hardy game against Pitt in the Lavin era .   By the way , the Pitt loss is a bad , bad one that can’t be brushed away . Even without Champ.  The 2 glaring losses to Indiana and Kansas , with Champ were blown opportunities .  

Everyone needs to stop with considering this play-in game as some kind of achievement. It is a PLAY IN game- you play to get in the tournament. It means mostly nothing if you don't actually get in to the tournament.         Ok , I think many of us would be happy to get a Play In Game again this season , the way it looks now .   CMA hasn’t yet .     And , you forgot to credit Mullin with the Wins over Nova and Duke , when
they were number 1 and 4 in
the same week . 
 

 

[ronm]

Mullin ‘s team beating Number 1 Duke and Number 4 Villanova in the same week and actually playing in the NCA A , even in a play in game gets him some credit , more than what is shown on this site .  Ok , maybe it was Number 4 Duke and Number 1 Nova .  Regardless , we haven’t had Victories like that since the Dwight Hardy game against Pitt in the Lavin era .   By the way , the Pitt loss is a bad , bad one that can’t be brushed away . Even without Champ.  The 2 glaring losses to Indiana and Kansas , with Champ were blown opportunities .  

Everyone needs to stop with considering this play-in game as some kind of achievement. It is a PLAY IN game- you play to get in the tournament. It means mostly nothing if you don't actually get in to the tournament.         Ok , I think many of us would be happy to get a Play In Game again this season , the way it looks now .   CMA hasn’t yet .     And , you forgot to credit Mullin with the Wins over Nova and Duke , when
they were number 1 and 4 in
the same week . 

Let's not forget both Nova & Duke had key players out for those games.

 

 

[beast of the east]

Beast.....with all due respect, I sense a personal relationship or personal experience with Mullin may be driving your assessment of his time here.  As you likely notice, most of us have a hard time accepting the long list of excuses.

In the end, Chris (who had no coaching experience) chose to assemble a largely inexperienced staff.  We all saw evidence of poor preparation and lackluster in-game coaching.  We also all saw a lack of participation in recruiting (even when he just had to show up on campus to meet a certain transfer who went to DePaul and embarrassed us in the paint).

Chris Mullin was the best player in the history of our program and that will likely never change.  It just so happens, he was also one of the worst coaches in the history of our program.  I am a fan of Chris, wish him the best, and don't like hearing about anyone losing family.  I just think he is not a basketball coach and that is why it didn't work.

 

Johnny, I respect what you are saying and agree with nearly everything except that some very notable folks around the program believe that as a novice coach he didn't have the support infrastructure around him that could have avoided some 9f his errors. I appreciate that you aren't demonizing him, which I can say that some here have. He was the last guy who should have had a Richmond at his side, be short one assistant for 3 years, and not have a competent AD till the newly hired Cragg.

I agree fully that he didn't have coaching in his blood.

 

[Roamer]

Stop with the Mullin praises and excuses.  He was a great player but a crappy coach and did not work hard at wanting to coach.  I'll take CMA over him any day but if you still ask me Lavin should have never been fired.      

 

[mjmaherjr]

I'd have kept Lavin as someone else here had mentioned given him a short leash a couple years to right the ship then move on if he didnt. But that's all in the past now. Just hope for the best with CMA at least he knows what the job entails

 

[otis]

Let me ask the people engaged in the debate regarding Chris Mullin’s coaching performance: does it really matter ?

it is what it is.  Mullin was terminated as St. John’s Coach in 2019.  Time to move on.

It seems that every thread on Redmen.com turns into a discussion of past events which confirms the wisdom of the Irish proverb “Old men talk about the past, young men talk about the future”.

Let’s try to talk about the present and future.

thanks.

 

[mjmaherjr]

Let me ask the people engaged in the debate regarding Chris Mullin’s coaching performance: does it really matter ?

it is what it is.  Mullin was terminated as St. John’s Coach in 2019.  Time to move on.

It seems that every thread on Redmen.com turns into a discussion of past events which confirms the wisdom of the Irish proverb “Old men talk about the past, young men talk about the future”.

Let’s try to talk about the present and future.

thanks.

Well said. In the future I hope Mullin is never hired as our coach again. Hey Depaul did it

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Mullin ‘s team beating Number 1 Duke and Number 4 Villanova in the same week and actually playing in the NCA A , even in a play in game gets him some credit , more than what is shown on this site .  Ok , maybe it was Number 4 Duke and Number 1 Nova .  Regardless , we haven’t had Victories like that since the Dwight Hardy game against Pitt in the Lavin era .   By the way , the Pitt loss is a bad , bad one that can’t be brushed away . Even without Champ.  The 2 glaring losses to Indiana and Kansas , with Champ were blown opportunities .  

Everyone needs to stop with considering this play-in game as some kind of achievement. It is a PLAY IN game- you play to get in the tournament. It means mostly nothing if you don't actually get in to the tournament.         Ok , I think many of us would be happy to get a Play In Game again this season , the way it looks now .   CMA hasn’t yet .     And , you forgot to credit Mullin with the Wins over Nova and Duke , when
they were number 1 and 4 in
the same week . 

 

I don’t think fans will be happy with a lost play in game or consider that a successful season. 

 

[bamafan]

At this juncture I'd take a play in game if we win it (and then maybe upset the 5 seed as there are many 12-5 upsets).

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

 

Johnny, I respect what you are saying and agree with nearly everything except that some very notable folks around the program believe that as a novice coach he didn't have the support infrastructure around him that could have avoided some 9f his errors. I appreciate that you aren't demonizing him, which I can say that some here have. He was the last guy who should have had a Richmond at his side, be short one assistant for 3 years, and not have a competent AD till the newly hired Cragg.

I agree fully that he didn't have coaching in his blood.

I haven’t seen one person in this discussion “demonizing” Mullin. We have noted his many errors as coach and pointed out how poor a decision it was to hire him. And that he is to blame, not the AD or anyone else. None of that is a personal insult to Mullin. It is criticism of his job performance, that’s all. 

 

[19854ever]

Well all those unhappy with the Mullin hire they should blame Bobby Gempesaw and Joseph Olivia .

 For some reason or another Joe Olivia is revered beyond belief by the BOT enough so to alienate Mike Repole(maybe our wealthiest alum).

We complain ad nausea on here about fundraising, facilities, coaching hires , well Mike was going to address all of those things but instead the school holds into account more what Joe Olivia thinks. 

 

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Well all those unhappy with the Mullin hire they should blame Bobby Gempesaw and Joseph Olivia .

 For some reason or another Joe Olivia is revered beyond belief by the BOT enough so to alienate Mike Repole(maybe our wealthiest alum).

We complain ad nausea on here about fundraising, facilities, coaching hires , well Mike was going to address all of those things but instead the school holds into account more what Joe Olivia thinks. 


 

This is more nonsense. Repole wasn't donating millions. He hasn't done near as much for St. John's as some people here think, and nothing indicates that he was going to be donating those millions. People need to stop with this Repole worship.

St. John's should absolutely not be a school that fires its people based on a wealthy alumn throwing his money around. I would never support St. John's doing something like that.

 

[monte]

Well all those unhappy with the Mullin hire they should blame Bobby Gempesaw and Joseph Olivia .

 For some reason or another Joe Olivia is revered beyond belief by the BOT enough so to alienate Mike Repole(maybe our wealthiest alum).

We complain ad nausea on here about fundraising, facilities, coaching hires , well Mike was going to address all of those things but instead the school holds into account more what Joe Olivia thinks. 



 

This is more nonsense. Repole wasn't donating millions. He hasn't done near as much for St. John's as some people here think, and nothing indicates that he was going to be donating those millions. People need to stop with this Repole worship.

St. John's should absolutely not be a school that fires its people based on a wealthy alumn throwing his money around. I would never support St. John's doing something like that.

Is everything that you disagree with "nonsense!!!!!" ?