Anderson - is he really the guy ?

[GardenCity62]

I have been a redmen.com member for about ten years and it appears to me the 25 or so years of futility is finally catching up to the program based on the recent posts.Both Lavin and Mullin were given much more leeway than Anderson. I can’t comment on the coaches prior to them. The Prov loss wouldn’t even make the list of worst 100 losses in the last 25 years. Losing to the 16 rated team at their arena is not a disgrace yet that loss has caused a major reaction.
It just seems to the fan base that their is little or no effort by SJU to right the ship after years of futility. The board and potential donors can’t agree, facilities get older and teams like Seton Hall with Williard with worse facilities look like UCLA and Wooden to SJU fans.
It just looks hopeless at this point and SJU should at least publish some plan  of improving the product rather than just leave Anderson out to dry.

 

[RedStormNC]

Looks like the overall university 5 yr plan is to be presented to the board in May


[URL]https://www.stjohns.edu/about/five-year-plan-st-johns-future[/URL]

I see Cragg is on a committee for Developing and Maximizing Institutional Resources.Human, Financial, and Our Physical Presence

The last committee about amplifying the St. John's brand seems like basketball should have a touchpoint for that overall initiative. I see one of the other athletic dept members is a chair of that sub team.


 

 

[NCJohnnie]

Cragg & Shanley both come from successful programs and CMA was by far the best hire we had available when we realized Mullin wasn't working after Lavin wasn't working after Norm wasn't working.  Let's have some patience and see how it works out after 5 years or so; Lord knows it's time to do that. The other approach has not worked for sure. 
 

 

[bamafan]

Make- what do you think is reason Wusu is being lead guard more than Posh?

I think for starters our perimeter scoring needed a boost and Posh off the ball is a little bit better of a scorer than Wusu. %s might say different but if need be Posh has a better chance of “getting his” IMO.

Wusu does not have the handle you would hope for from a pg, but posh is rather loose himself. I would give Wusu the slight edge as a passer but if someone said it was Posh I’d hear them out. Posh does a great job making passes in tight spots but he doesn’t often drive and kick to guys on the perimeter. Wusu’s size gives him that ability and he’s got a little more touch in terms of pick and roll passes and leading guys to the basket. Both of them turn it over a bit too much.

I’d also say that some of it is Posh’s preference. Last year he often gave the ball up early and played off the ball with Dunn. He did the same his senior year playing with Wusu in HS. He also loves crashing the glass, hard to do that from the top of the key.

We wouldn't need a 5'10 inch point guard crashing the glass if we had a legitimate front court.

 

[monte]

I have been a redmen.com member for about ten years and it appears to me the 25 or so years of futility is finally catching up to the program based on the recent posts.Both Lavin and Mullin were given much more leeway than Anderson. I can’t comment on the coaches prior to them. The Prov loss wouldn’t even make the list of worst 100 losses in the last 25 years. Losing to the 16 rated team at their arena is not a disgrace yet that loss has caused a major reaction.
It just seems to the fan base that their is little or no effort by SJU to right the ship after years of futility. The board and potential donors can’t agree, facilities get older and teams like Seton Hall with Williard with worse facilities look like UCLA and Wooden to SJU fans.
It just looks hopeless at this point and SJU should at least publish some plan  of improving the product rather than just leave Anderson out to dry.

That has been one of my biggest grips Enright: without some sort of a plan it's completely unfair to ask your fan base to "have patience"  "Oh, and don't forget to buy your season tickets and donate!". Nope, sorry, I ain't buying it. Not after 20+ years of this. 

 

[19854ever]

Well Bama,

Soriano the pride of Fordham basketball  was hyped as the answer for our front court problems.

So far that has worked out wonderfully.

 

[beast of the east]

Looks like the overall university 5 yr plan is to be presented to the board in May


[URL]https://www.stjohns.edu/about/five-year-plan-st-johns-future[/URL]

I see Cragg is on a committee for Developing and Maximizing Institutional Resources.Human, Financial, and Our Physical Presence

The last committee about amplifying the St. John's brand seems like basketball should have a touchpoint for that overall initiative. I see one of the other athletic dept members is a chair of that sub team.




 

This is why there is reason to be optimistic. It's really a waste of time to debate how to become a first rate basketball program. It's akin to thinking a used car lot in Lindenhurst can be as good as a luxury new car dealership. Where do you think the best salesmen work? Where do you think that people with money shop? Why do you think those places who sell the best cars in the world also have beautiful showrooms and great service areas. A mercedes dealer on L.I has a service department with a putting green, conference room for patrons, a beauty shop, and serves warm fresh baked cookies and lattes.

We are fortunate that we have a university president who knows a winning basketball program needs much more than a $3 million coach, and that facilities mean far more than seat backs though it may be part of a bigger plan.

By giving cragg a seat at the table in the university comprehensive plan. We finally have a president and AD in synch above pulling our athletics into the 21st century with a major investment. Cragg works tirelessly on all fronts and with an underfunded department is involved at almost every level.

Consider we have NEVER had a university president who had success somewhere else changing the trajectory of a school. We've never had an AD who came from a world class athletic department.

It's all going to happen. I'm really confident about that. Anyone smart enough to donate big dollars doesn'piss money away. It's not about the right to choose a coach, it's the belief that we are on the right track. If we have a comprehensive strategic plan approved by the board by this summer, I am confident that athletic facilities will take high priority.

It all starts will leaders who have vision and who are capable if developing a plan and then executing it.   

We did the best we could in hiring CMA.     However, we finally have leadership that sees the big picture and know how to get us there.

 

[rehobie]

There has been much talk about the facilities and how difficult it is to recruit because of this.  I would suggest we annually have a top baseball team and are able to recruit  while playing in a cold weather area.

 

[monte]

There has been much talk about the facilities and how difficult it is to recruit because of this.  I would suggest we annually have a top baseball team and are able to recruit  while playing in a cold weather area.

Stop that Rehobie, you're making way to much sense. Can't have that here. 

 

[beast of the east]

There has been much talk about the facilities and how difficult it is to recruit because of this.  I would suggest we annually have a top baseball team and are able to recruit  while playing in a cold weather area.

Our fencing team has done really well historically. Soccer also.

Baseball is a different animal than basketball. It is non revenue producing and players get partial scholarships, not full. Typically half or less. There are no tv contracts, no ticket revenue, etc. Ed Blankemeyer for 25 years was the best coach in the big east and produced a number of mlb players. However, no one except a very ardent follower could name one big time recruit , no less the roster. Coaches get paid a small fraction of what a basketball coach makes.

For the record, sju went 19-21 last season, 10-16 in the Big East. Are you clamoring for Mike Hamptons head? Do you even follow that team? I don't.

 

[paultzman]

I believe much of fan upset recently is a result of so much disappointment over the years and feeling concerned to date with the performance of a team with two All BE level kids and a HC who was COY in 21 season. On one hand, it seems fair to think this group could be a top tier BE team, but also fair to balk at the assumption that our off season losses and additions was a wash or betterment.

Imo, we have looked mediocre and unimpressive in most games, so it is natural to worry how that will translate in BE play. Fans also realize that next year will likely offer less hope for relevance and success with the loss of a star and who knows who else. My frustration at the moment does not mean we don’t have more leadership competence at the presidential, athletic director and hopefully the head coach levels.

I think after five years of CMA being at the helm, we’ll have a better idea of his impact and ability to get the program to a more consistent, competitive level. As many have noted, this is a well paid job here, but not a dream job. I also think we need better facilities and the President knows that better than anyone. However, Seton Hall does not have state of art facilities, plays in a less than fantastic arena and has a lot of the same recruiting challenges we face, but clearly the program competes well every year, gets solid recruits and transfers. They may never win a national championship, but SH hoops is something to be proud of. That would be good enough for me and hopefully this regime can get on track with that in the next several years. It took Kevin W time, so we’ll see if Mike can do same.


 

 

[beast of the east]

It's my understanding that Seton hall's facilities are far superior to ours.   They do have a coach who I believe bends or breaks the rules and that counts.

I think on Saturday we played reasonably well for 3/4 of the game.  Their best player took over, ours was horrible and that was that.  Atypical game for Champ.

 

[jerseyshorejohnny]

I believe much of fan upset recently is a result of so much disappointment over the years and feeling concerned to date with the performance of a team with two All BE level kids and a HC who was COY in 21 season. On one hand, it seems fair to think this group could be a top tier BE team, but also fair to balk at the assumption that our off season losses and additions was a wash or betterment.

Imo, we have looked mediocre and unimpressive in most games, so it is natural to worry how that will translate in BE play. Fans also realize that next year will likely offer less hope for relevance and success with the loss of a star and who knows who else. My frustration at the moment does not mean we don’t have more leadership competence at the presidential, athletic director and hopefully the head coach levels.

I think after five years of CMA being at the helm, we’ll have a better idea of his impact and ability to get the program to a more consistent, competitive level. As many have noted, this is a well paid job here, but not a dream job. I also think we need better facilities and the President knows that better than anyone. However, Seton Hall does not have state of art facilities, plays in a less than fantastic arena and has a lot of the same recruiting challenges we face, but clearly the program competes well every year, gets solid recruits and transfers. They may never win a national championship, but SH hoops is something to be proud of. That would be good enough for me and hopefully this regime can get on track with that in the next several years. It took Kevin W time, so we’ll see if Mike can do same.


Fyi... Seton Hall New Practice Facility....

[URL]https://www.app.com/story/spor...ll-rolling-new-practice-facility/8849316002/.[/URL]


Willard to Maryland ???????????

[URL]https://twitter.com/tyler_calvaruso/status/1480370471300444165?s[/URL]=20



 

 

[MainMan]

Bottom line is the transfers have been at best woefully inconsistent and mostly downright bad. 

I'm hoping for the "click" that we all hope will come like it did last year. But so far, not seeing it. 
 

 

[monte]

I believe much of fan upset recently is a result of so much disappointment over the years and feeling concerned to date with the performance of a team with two All BE level kids and a HC who was COY in 21 season. On one hand, it seems fair to think this group could be a top tier BE team, but also fair to balk at the assumption that our off season losses and additions was a wash or betterment.

Imo, we have looked mediocre and unimpressive in most games, so it is natural to worry how that will translate in BE play. Fans also realize that next year will likely offer less hope for relevance and success with the loss of a star and who knows who else. My frustration at the moment does not mean we don’t have more leadership competence at the presidential, athletic director and hopefully the head coach levels.

I think after five years of CMA being at the helm, we’ll have a better idea of his impact and ability to get the program to a more consistent, competitive level. As many have noted, this is a well paid job here, but not a dream job. I also think we need better facilities and the President knows that better than anyone. However, Seton Hall does not have state of art facilities, plays in a less than fantastic arena and has a lot of the same recruiting challenges we face, but clearly the program competes well every year, gets solid recruits and transfers. They may never win a national championship, but SH hoops is something to be proud of. That would be good enough for me and hopefully this regime can get on track with that in the next several years. It took Kevin W time, so we’ll see if Mike can do same.



 

All fair points Paultz, but I just want to add that Willard did not have much of  track record before arriving at SH. 2 bad years at Iona, a mid major,  and 1 decent year. To some degree, SH rolled the dice with him and I'll assume they got him on the cheap because of that. Also, Willard had SH in the top 25 his 2nd year there. Granted sustained success didn't come till his 5th year. OTOH, CMA came here with substantial track record at high D1 schools and the moniker of  "home run hire". Expectations were different.  Historically our program has consistently been superior to SH's. It is arguably the most identifiable aspect of our school. I highly doubt that if Mike Maher were sauntering through the Amalfi coast wearing a Seton Hall sweashirt, people would be stopping him to ask how the basketball team is doing. As they've done to him many times when he' worn his SJU jersey.   I would stop short of calling our program historically "great", but I would say that prior to 2000, we definitely had similar sustained success to what Willard has achieved at SH. I know that Coach K and Jay Wright are often used as examples of coaches who struggled early but eventually achieved success, but those 2, like Willard, were young and came from mid majors. Again, different then CMA. We all really have no choice to wait and see how this all plays out, and hope for the best. My gut tells me it's not going to end well, and as much as I hope that my gut is wrong(I also wish my gut was a lot smaller), I don't think it will be. 

 

[fordham96]

I think this sentiment is fair I do believe the SHU analogy is not 100% fair though.

I believe we should expect a little more here at SJU.  I think the fact that SJU targeted Bobby Hurley (in retrospect I am glad that fell thru), could've had Rick Pitino if they wanted him bad enough tells me this is not such a bad job.  

I don't think it should take 6 years to be an NCAA team at SJU (that is what it took Willard at SHU).  

I am not giving up on Coach Anderson yet nor am I giving up on this year, but eventually the results will have to show.

Paultzman post=450041
I believe much of fan upset recently is a result of so much disappointment over the years and feeling concerned to date with the performance of a team with two All BE level kids and a HC who was COY in 21 season. On one hand, it seems fair to think this group could be a top tier BE team, but also fair to balk at the assumption that our off season losses and additions was a wash or betterment.

Imo, we have looked mediocre and unimpressive in most games, so it is natural to worry how that will translate in BE play. Fans also realize that next year will likely offer less hope for relevance and success with the loss of a star and who knows who else. My frustration at the moment does not mean we don’t have more leadership competence at the presidential, athletic director and hopefully the head coach levels.

I think after five years of CMA being at the helm, we’ll have a better idea of his impact and ability to get the program to a more consistent, competitive level. As many have noted, this is a well paid job here, but not a dream job. I also think we need better facilities and the President knows that better than anyone. However, Seton Hall does not have state of art facilities, plays in a less than fantastic arena and has a lot of the same recruiting challenges we face, but clearly the program competes well every year, gets solid recruits and transfers. They may never win a national championship, but SH hoops is something to be proud of. That would be good enough for me and hopefully this regime can get on track with that in the next several years. It took Kevin W time, so we’ll see if Mike can do same.
 

 

[Alumni Hall]

I love all these posters that think Seton Hall’s both on campus and the Prudential Centers facilities are equal to or below ours !  Have these guys ever set foot into downstairs Walsh Gym or the team complex at the Rock to compare? OR even in the Taffner area, I would bet 100% NOT… SO PLEASE STOP with that incorrect view.​​​​​​…how are they comparing or maybe they don’t know what recruits look for comparison, let’s not compare the Carnesecca Court vs Walsh…let’s compare the weight rooms, sports medicine, team locker rooms, player lounges, refueling stations, training table area, all of the areas where we have the worst in the Big East, things the recruits see on their official visit with their parents. This is where they tell potential players “this is where we will make you into a NBA player” , and then they compare that to other schools. We don’t even have a dedicated trophy room or area that shows all of our college accomplishments. (God only knows what ever happened to all our old trophies. Most were thrown away when they made the move from Carnesecca offices to Taffner) They do a good job placing wall stickers and wraps in the hallways, but every school does that too.

‘’In Cragg we Trust” let’s hope the BOT lets him do his job like he can. He knows facilities and what it takes to get those 4/5 star guys!

quick story, when Taffner was completed and open for the first time, word was out among the BE schools about it. When the visiting teams came to practice there, usually the night before, the coaches and team administrators and support staff always asked for a tour of Taffner. You should have seen their faces at the end of the visit when their usual comment was” this is all you got with all that money? Why are all the rooms so small, who designed it this way? The practice court is ok, but the support areas were ignored. Who builds a facility with one bathroom? How come the coaches share offices? No video room? You share this building with all the other 16 sports too? “ I don’t think Louisville and Villanova and Syracuse and the rest were too worried about us overtaking them in the Big East arms race!

 

[monte]

I love all these posters that think Seton Hall’s both on campus and the Prudential Centers facilities are equal to or below ours !  Have these guys ever set foot into downstairs Walsh Gym or the team complex at the Rock to compare? I would bet 100% NOT…how are they comparing or maybe they don’t know what recruits look for comparison, let’s not compare the Carnesecca Court vs Walsh…let’s compare the weight rooms, sports medicine, team locker rooms, player lounges, refueling stations, training table area, all of the areas where we have the worst in the Big East, things the recruits see on their official visit with their parents. This is where they tell potential players “this is where we will make you into a NBA player” , and then they compare that to other schools. We don’t even have a dedicated trophy room or area that shows all of our college accomplishments. They do a good job placing wall stickers and wraps in the hallways, but every school does that too.

‘’In Cragg we Trust” let’s hope the BOT lets him do his job like he can. He knows facilities and what it takes to get those 4/5 star guys!

quick story, when Taffner was completed and open for the first time, word was out among the BE schools about it. When the visiting teams came to practice there, usually the night before, the coaches and team administrators and support staff always asked for a tour of Taffner. You should have seen their faces at the end of the visit when their usual comment was” this is all you got with all that money? Why are all the rooms so small, who designed it this way? The practice court is ok, but the support areas were ignored. Who builds a facility with one bathroom? How come the coaches share offices? No video room? You share this building with all the other 16 sports too? “ I don’t think Louisville and Villanova and Syracuse and the rest were too worried about us overtaking them in the Big East arms race!

After reading this, I'm even more impressed with the recruiting accomplishments of Lav, Mullin and Norm 

 

[danfog]

he isj  a good coach and a very good man.  However the job is recruiting .   A very big name coach with a great reputation is the only way to turn the stagnant situation around.  Pitino will get big east caliber players we need to win.   

 

 

[room112]

I love all these posters that think Seton Hall’s both on campus and the Prudential Centers facilities are equal to or below ours !  Have these guys ever set foot into downstairs Walsh Gym or the team complex at the Rock to compare? I would bet 100% NOT…how are they comparing or maybe they don’t know what recruits look for comparison, let’s not compare the Carnesecca Court vs Walsh…let’s compare the weight rooms, sports medicine, team locker rooms, player lounges, refueling stations, training table area, all of the areas where we have the worst in the Big East, things the recruits see on their official visit with their parents. This is where they tell potential players “this is where we will make you into a NBA player” , and then they compare that to other schools. We don’t even have a dedicated trophy room or area that shows all of our college accomplishments. They do a good job placing wall stickers and wraps in the hallways, but every school does that too.

‘’In Cragg we Trust” let’s hope the BOT lets him do his job like he can. He knows facilities and what it takes to get those 4/5 star guys!

quick story, when Taffner was completed and open for the first time, word was out among the BE schools about it. When the visiting teams came to practice there, usually the night before, the coaches and team administrators and support staff always asked for a tour of Taffner. You should have seen their faces at the end of the visit when their usual comment was” this is all you got with all that money? Why are all the rooms so small, who designed it this way? The practice court is ok, but the support areas were ignored. Who builds a facility with one bathroom? How come the coaches share offices? No video room? You share this building with all the other 16 sports too? “ I don’t think Louisville and Villanova and Syracuse and the rest were too worried about us overtaking them in the Big East arms race!

I have admittedly not been to most of the campuses of the teams in the Big East. But I have seen that Seton Hall has their own dedicated and branded locker rooms inside the Prudential Center, which is pretty cool. Obviously I've been back to UConn and seen their dedicated facilities for both of the men's and women's teams. I've kept harping on this for years. How are we realistically supposed to win any recruiting battles against these other schools? What is the recruiting pitch? "Come here and be the King of NY!!" and "You get to play in MSG!" simply don't hold even close to the same merit they did even two decades ago.

I don't mean this as an excuse for Anderson or to let him off of the hook. Him and his staff are known to be tireless workers, and I'm sure they are just as frustrated, putting in all of the work recruiting and not getting results. Out of curiosity, what were his recruiting classes like at Arkansas? Must have had a lot more resources to pitch there.