Anderson - is he really the guy ?

[RedStormNC]

Replies from Mike Cragg.   I thanked him for this first reply below reply to the rant I sent, told him to crush Hall on Monday and if he gets the facilities done they can build a statue of him too

He wrote back a second time and said he loves the passion but no statues needed.  Just $25 million and he's working to get it done.

Appreciate his reply.  

Here is the first one in full.

Dear.   

"Appreciate your support and your passion for your alma mater. Trust me - we need it more than ever by finding ways to support our student-athletes, coaches, and staff on the good days and tough ones. Everyone wants the same thing - to win as many games as possible. Our kids want the same - they are clearly learning and giving it their best. That's college. Which I love. We'll be back at it working hard today. 


Happy to go in much detail on how we are where we are … but the bottom line is this is a work in progress and we all knew coming in the monumental work ahead in building a basketball program to sustain success in a hyper competitive Big East conference. We are up for the challenge and hope you are with us. Would be much appreciated and I promise a lot of fun in the journey. But never easy. 

Stay proud - we have amazing young men and a committed coaching staff to building this up. And we have University leadership knowing we have not invested in our basketball program for nearly 20 years while all of our competition have been in a facilities arms race. We are going to change that too. That is key to recruiting - having modern amenities in support of their day to day living on campus at St. John's. Stay tuned. 

Sustainable good days are ahead. But it may not be tomorrow ... keep with us.

Thanks for reading ... 

Go Johnnies!

Mike


Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
#ExpectToWin

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Reply from Mike Cragg.   I thanked him for this reply to the rant, told him to crush Hall on Monday and if he gets the facilities done they can build a statue of him too

He wrote back again and said he loves the passion but  no statues needed.  Just $25 million and he's working to get it done.

Appreciate his reply.  

Here is the first one in full.

Dear.   

"Appreciate your support and your passion for your alma mater. Trust me - we need it more than ever by finding ways to support our student-athletes, coaches, and staff on the good days and tough ones. Everyone wants the same thing - to win as many games as possible. Our kids want the same - they are clearly learning and giving it their best. That's college. Which I love. We'll be back at it working hard today. 


Happy to go in much detail on how we are where we are … but the bottom line is this is a work in progress and we all knew coming in the monumental work ahead in building a basketball program to sustain success in a hyper competitive Big East conference. We are up for the challenge and hope you are with us. Would be much appreciated and I promise a lot of fun in the journey. But never easy. 

Stay proud - we have amazing young men and a committed coaching staff to building this up. And we have University leadership knowing we have not invested in our basketball program for nearly 20 years while all of our competition have been in a facilities arms race. We are going to change that too. That is key to recruiting - having modern amenities in support of their day to day living on campus at St. John's. Stay tuned. 

Sustainable good days are ahead. But it may not be tomorrow ... keep with us.

Thanks for reading ... 

Go Johnnies!

Mike


Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
St. John’s University
#ExpectToWin

That is about as good of a response as he can give right now. What else can he really say?

 

[RedStormNC]

I thanked him for putting up with the rant and told him to enjoy the day

and also semi jokingly told Mike that if he became the bridge builder to get Mike Repole back in the fold and get him and the board to put egos to the side and he'd win the Nobel Peace Prize too.

He replied a third time and thanked and said

"Now that would be worthy of a statue will take higher powers than mine. But you never know …"

 

[redmannorth]

I thanked him for putting up with the rant and told him to enjoy the day

and also semi jokingly told Mike that if he became the bridge builder to get Mike Repole back in the fold and get him and the board to put egos to the side and he'd win the Nobel Peace Prize too.

He replied a third time and thanked and said

"Now that would be worthy of a statue will take higher powers than mine. But you never know …"

I still believe we are very lucky to have Mike Cragg as AD and i really appreciate that he takes time to respond to all emails, it speaks volumes about the person that he is, even when many of us write to him following our frustration on the hardwood. He still responds in a well thought out and diplomatic manner. 

 

[beast of the east]

I thanked him for putting up with the rant and told him to enjoy the day

and also semi jokingly told Mike that if he became the bridge builder to get Mike Repole back in the fold and get him and the board to put egos to the side and he'd win the Nobel Peace Prize too.

He replied a third time and thanked and said

"Now that would be worthy of a statue will take higher powers than mine. But you never know …"

I still believe we are very lucky to have Mike Cragg as AD and i really appreciate that he takes time to respond to all emails, it speaks volumes about the person that he is, even when many of us write to him following our frustration on the hardwood. He still responds in a well thought out and diplomatic manner. 

Mike is really a dynamo, building a community and following on many fronts.    He is clearly the best AD we've had since at least Kaiser, although I liked Ed Manetta a lot also.    Not surprisingly, likely because of Mike, Ed is very engaged with the athletic department and serves on a key committee.   His company also sponsors athletic department events.   If he doesn't get frustrated here at the difficulty in raising funds and putting fans in the seats, I think he will be here to see through his strategic plan.   I am concerned that a major program would hire him out from under us.

 

[PharmDJohnnie11]

Besides the masochists, who for reasons unbeknownst to me voluntarily follow whatever team Anderson coaches, is there anyone who actually still thinks Anderson really is the guy?

Speaking of which, I haven’t seen any posts from Making Plays  — I think that’s his handle — in a while.

He’s currently scoping out the MEAC school basketball forums for Anderson’s next stop. 

 

[monte]

Besides the masochists, who for reasons unbeknownst to me voluntarily follow whatever team Anderson coaches, is there anyone who actually still thinks Anderson really is the guy?

Speaking of which, I haven’t seen any posts from Making Plays  — I think that’s his handle — in a while.

He’s currently scoping out the MEAC school basketball forums for Anderson’s next stop. 

lol 

 

[GardenCity62]

It was nice of Cragg to publish his thoughts concerning SJU basketball but it was strictly a public relations move to warn the  shrinking fan base that the remainder of this season, no we are not going to finish fourth, will be bad and next season will be brutal no matter who coaches. SJU may be the only big east program that is actually getting worse.
Anderson must be happy to hear that he will be able to tell the SJU players who enter the transfer portal at the end of this season that new facilities may be coming in a few years.
Cragg wrote twenty years of doing nothing by university leadership, he should have said forty. And while the president and Cragg are new how many of the old guard are still in place as a reward for their fine work and the slide of SJU basketball to irrelevance. I attended my first SJU game in 1953 and I’m now giving up.

 

[beast of the east]

It was nice of Cragg to publish his thoughts concerning SJU basketball but it was strictly a public relations move to warn the  shrinking fan base that the remainder of this season, no we are not going to finish fourth, will be bad and next season will be brutal no matter who coaches. SJU may be the only big east program that is actually getting worse.
Anderson must be happy to hear that he will be able to tell the SJU players who enter the transfer portal at the end of this season that new facilities may be coming in a few years.
Cragg wrote twenty years of doing nothing by university leadership, he should have said forty. And while the president and Cragg are new how many of the old guard are still in place as a reward for their fine work and the slide of SJU basketball to irrelevance. I attended my first SJU game in 1953 and I’m now giving up.

First off, it wasn't published. It is a private email that may or may not included a byline explaining it shouldn't be shared.

How does a new a.d. correct what hasn't been done for 40 years except to map out a plan to correct it. If you have been on campus since 1982 did you ever raise this issue?

Sorry, something is being done and you are still griping. An a.d. takes the time to write 3 emails to a fan an you're still griping. 

If you really want to help, include st. John's in your estate planning.

 

 

[Mullins Revenge]

Can anyone explain why Coburn gave us good minutes and knocked down a 3 in the 1st half yesterday, and then never saw the court in the 2nd half?  This coach is so in love w/ Wusu and Mathis its bizarre.  

 

[sjc88]

My problem is, I like Mike Anderson. I think he is a good person and a good representative of the University.

But here’s the bigger problem. Where’s the accountability? Yesterday, after the game, he stated that the team is “not as far along” as it should be. The obvious question is why not? Who needs to make that happen? Him? The Assistant Coaches? Who? During the game St. John’s players threw the ball up numerous times at the basket with zero chance of going in! They are not shots. They’re the equivalent of a turnover. Even the guy announcing the game mentioned this. Yet, if this upset Anderson I couldn’t tell. The same players remained in the game and in the rotation. I could target other areas like the non existent interior defense including the repeated failure to take away the baseline. How many times can we give up wide open 3s? We did this right before the half, coming out of a timeout (!). Who got lost? Surely the coaches talked about switching off a quick screen? 

Maybe this is happening and I just don’t see it. However, the same mistakes are happening over and over again. Improvements? Lessons learned? If anything the team is regressing.

 

[beast of the east]

My problem is, I like Mike Anderson. I think he is a good person and a good representative of the University.

But here’s the bigger problem. Where’s the accountability? Yesterday, after the game, he stated that the team is “not as far along” as it should be. The obvious question is why not? Who needs to make that happen? Him? The Assistant Coaches? Who? During the game St. John’s players threw the ball up numerous times at the basket with zero chance of going in! They are not shots. They’re the equivalent of a turnover. Even the guy announcing the game mentioned this. Yet, if this upset Anderson I couldn’t tell. The same players remained in the game and in the rotation. I could target other areas like the non existent interior defense including the repeated failure to take away the baseline. How many times can we give up wide open 3s? We did this right before the half, coming out of a timeout (!). Who got lost? Surely the coaches talked about switching off a quick screen? 

Maybe this is happening and I just don’t see it. However, the same mistakes are happening over and over again. Improvements? Lessons learned? If anything the team is regressing.

I think Anderson dresses far too well and is showing off his wealth. He brings his wife to games. Do you bring your wife to work? This is garbage. Finally why is he so damned polite and well mannered? Doesn't he want to win or is he just cashing a check.

I really wish he would throw some chairs, toss a few expletives to the press and throw his players under the bus. Then I'd be sure this is bothering him.

 

[bamafan]

My problem is, I like Mike Anderson. I think he is a good person and a good representative of the University.

But here’s the bigger problem. Where’s the accountability? Yesterday, after the game, he stated that the team is “not as far along” as it should be. The obvious question is why not? Who needs to make that happen? Him? The Assistant Coaches? Who? During the game St. John’s players threw the ball up numerous times at the basket with zero chance of going in! They are not shots. They’re the equivalent of a turnover. Even the guy announcing the game mentioned this. Yet, if this upset Anderson I couldn’t tell. The same players remained in the game and in the rotation. I could target other areas like the non existent interior defense including the repeated failure to take away the baseline. How many times can we give up wide open 3s? We did this right before the half, coming out of a timeout (!). Who got lost? Surely the coaches talked about switching off a quick screen? 

Maybe this is happening and I just don’t see it. However, the same mistakes are happening over and over again. Improvements? Lessons learned? If anything the team is regressing.

I think Anderson dresses far too well and is showing off his wealth. He brings his wife to games. Do you bring your wife to work? This is garbage. Finally why is he so damned polite and well mannered? Doesn't he want to win or is he just cashing a check.

I really wish he would throw some chairs, toss a few expletives to the press and throw his players under the bus. Then I'd be sure this is bothering him.

Whatever would we do without the Defender of the Shield patrolling the board and chastising anyone who dares show frustration at the state of the program. I thank you and pay tribute to you Beast.

 

[redmannorth]

Dear Enright
with the greatest of respect I don’t think your posts is fair. Cragg did not sugar coat things but acknowledged there is a lot of work to be done in multiple areas. I don’t know about you but I greatly appreciate the truth, and that was the response he gave. I say to myself that he took time out from his weekend, and I am sure he too was pissed as hell at the outcome of yesterdays game , to respond to an alumni whom he knew was writing out of frustration. He wrote a well reasoned response in a timely manner , not a bs response. I know I have written to him too at times and always received a response which pacified me. He is a very intelligent gentleman. I also greatly appreciate many of the initiatives he has undertaken in which all fans in physical proximity to campus, as well as those ´living  far away like myself , can partake in events. As an example there was a game at home last season where fans could not attend due to the pandemic but fans were asked to purchase seats, sections, etc to give the appearance that ÇA would be full. Given that I have not been able to drive down to a game in over 2 years, currently 3, I purchased an entire section in an attempt to support the program. Mike Cragg arranged to have a zoom chat with Coach Paul Presley for certain donors. The chat was most enjoyable and we all had a lot of laughs. 
to my recollection nothing similar has ever been done and once again I take my hat off to AD Cragg. As Beast said he is building relationships. 

 

[beast of the east]

My problem is, I like Mike Anderson. I think he is a good person and a good representative of the University.

But here’s the bigger problem. Where’s the accountability? Yesterday, after the game, he stated that the team is “not as far along” as it should be. The obvious question is why not? Who needs to make that happen? Him? The Assistant Coaches? Who? During the game St. John’s players threw the ball up numerous times at the basket with zero chance of going in! They are not shots. They’re the equivalent of a turnover. Even the guy announcing the game mentioned this. Yet, if this upset Anderson I couldn’t tell. The same players remained in the game and in the rotation. I could target other areas like the non existent interior defense including the repeated failure to take away the baseline. How many times can we give up wide open 3s? We did this right before the half, coming out of a timeout (!). Who got lost? Surely the coaches talked about switching off a quick screen? 

Maybe this is happening and I just don’t see it. However, the same mistakes are happening over and over again. Improvements? Lessons learned? If anything the team is regressing.

I think Anderson dresses far too well and is showing off his wealth. He brings his wife to games. Do you bring your wife to work? This is garbage. Finally why is he so damned polite and well mannered? Doesn't he want to win or is he just cashing a check.

I really wish he would throw some chairs, toss a few expletives to the press and throw his players under the bus. Then I'd be sure this is bothering him.

Whatever would we do without the Defender of the Shield patrolling the board and chastising anyone who dares show frustration at the state of the program. I thank you and pay tribute to you Beast.

I appreciate your support. I'm a pharmacist. Just trying to dole out medicine to the whiners in between covid vaccines.

 

[monte]

I have a number issues with trusting what Cragg is saying about our program being headed in the right direction.

For starters, when CMA was hired, we were being sold on the fact that he was a "home run hire", when in fact he did nothing in his time at Arkansas, and has done nothing in his time here, to support that moniker. IMO and that of many other fans, he was a "safe hire",  after a disastrous and embarrassing coaching search. Now, we can debate whether there were better options when he was hired, and/or whether he will achieve some level of success here, but I do not believe that he's the right man to return our program to the level of success that most of us expect. At best, he's a decent placeholder. And maybe that's what Cragg wants from him.  

Second, after 20+ years of futility, our fan base deserves more then "we're working on a plan" and "we expect to win a national championship". This ain't Durham. New Yorkers ain't that trusting and we ain't big on blind faith. You got a plan for returning our program to a level of sustained success and to eventually create a national title contender, you had better lay it out. Otherwise  it' just sounds like lip service IMO.

Lastly, if the school is turning away donors like Mike Repole, for whatever reason, then they best be lining up other wealthy donors at the same time. Asking our fan base to buy more tickets and make more donations, as though that's the difference between whether or not we have a successful program, is absurd. It's like a filmmaker asking people to pay to watch his crappy films, so that he has enough money to make better films. 

Again, this ain't Durham. We may not have a Duke education, but we have NY smarts. 2 old NY sayings come to mind
"Talk is cheap"
"Put up or shut up"

 

 

[ctstorm]

I have a number issues with trusting what Cragg is saying about our program being headed in the right direction.

For starters, when CMA was hired, we were being sold on the fact that he was a "home run hire", when in fact he did nothing in his time at Arkansas, and has done nothing in his time here, to support that moniker. IMO and that of many other fans, he was a "safe hire",  after a disastrous and embarrassing coaching search. Now, we can debate whether there were better options when he was hired, and/or whether he will achieve some level of success here, but I do not believe that he's the right man to return our program to the level of success that most of us expect. At best, he's a decent placeholder. And maybe that's what Cragg wants from him.  

Second, after 20+ years of futility, our fan base deserves more then "we're working on a plan" and "we expect to win a national championship". This ain't Durham. New Yorkers ain't that trusting and we ain't big on blind faith. You got a plan for returning our program to a level of sustained success and to eventually create a national title contender, you had better lay it out. Otherwise  it' just sounds like lip service IMO.

Lastly, if the school is turning away donors like Mike Repole, for whatever reason, then they best be lining up other wealthy donors at the same time. Asking our fan base to buy more tickets and make more donations, as though that's the difference between whether or not we have a successful program, is absurd. It's like a filmmaker asking people to pay to watch his crappy films, so that he has enough money to make better films. 

Again, this ain't Durham. We may not have a Duke education, but we have NY smarts. 2 old NY sayings come to mind
"Talk is cheap"
"Put up or shut up"


 

I don't know Cragg at all and I am sure he is a decent, knowledgeable man and a hard worker, but "we're working on a plan" and "we expect to win a national championship" is AD pablum for the public.

 

[monte]

Dear Enright
with the greatest of respect I don’t think your posts is fair. Cragg did not sugar coat things but acknowledged there is a lot of work to be done in multiple areas. I don’t know about you but I greatly appreciate the truth, and that was the response he gave. I say to myself that he took time out from his weekend, and I am sure he too was pissed as hell at the outcome of yesterdays game , to respond to an alumni whom he knew was writing out of frustration. He wrote a well reasoned response in a timely manner , not a bs response. I know I have written to him too at times and always received a response which pacified me. He is a very intelligent gentleman. I also greatly appreciate many of the initiatives he has undertaken in which all fans in physical proximity to campus, as well as those ´living  far away like myself , can partake in events. As an example there was a game at home last season where fans could not attend due to the pandemic but fans were asked to purchase seats, sections, etc to give the appearance that ÇA would be full. Given that I have not been able to drive down to a game in over 2 years, currently 3, I purchased an entire section in an attempt to support the program. Mike Cragg arranged to have a zoom chat with Coach Paul Presley for certain donors. The chat was most enjoyable and we all had a lot of laughs. 
to my recollection nothing similar has ever been done and once again I take my hat off to AD Cragg. As Beast said he is building relationships. 

Thanks for your 1st hand perspective RMN, and your generosity towards the school. I too think that Cragg is a good man, and a smart man, and what he does for the school off the court is admirable. But that should not be a substitute for success on the court.(I know that's not what you're saying). To the best of my knowledge, he was brought here in large part to help right the basketball program, amongst other things. I know Rome wasn't built in a day, but I am waiting to see the first signs of progress on the court, then I'll feel better about us being headed in the right direction. 

 

[MarkRedman]

My problem is, I like Mike Anderson. I think he is a good person and a good representative of the University.

But here’s the bigger problem. Where’s the accountability? Yesterday, after the game, he stated that the team is “not as far along” as it should be. The obvious question is why not? Who needs to make that happen? Him? The Assistant Coaches? Who? During the game St. John’s players threw the ball up numerous times at the basket with zero chance of going in! They are not shots. They’re the equivalent of a turnover. Even the guy announcing the game mentioned this. Yet, if this upset Anderson I couldn’t tell. The same players remained in the game and in the rotation. I could target other areas like the non existent interior defense including the repeated failure to take away the baseline. How many times can we give up wide open 3s? We did this right before the half, coming out of a timeout (!). Who got lost? Surely the coaches talked about switching off a quick screen? 

Maybe this is happening and I just don’t see it. However, the same mistakes are happening over and over again. Improvements? Lessons learned? If anything the team is regressing.

I think Anderson dresses far too well and is showing off his wealth. He brings his wife to games. Do you bring your wife to work? This is garbage. Finally why is he so damned polite and well mannered? Doesn't he want to win or is he just cashing a check.

I really wish he would throw some chairs, toss a few expletives to the press and throw his players under the bus. Then I'd be sure this is bothering him.



Bobby Knight is available - do you want him?
Sounds like he'd be a great fit for your job description (LOL)
 

 

[RedStormNC]

Monte's opinion on this whole topic is closest to my own.

Admittedly, I knowingly sent a childish rant to Cragg and pretty much expected the reply Cragg ended up sending (and Beast, there was no byline not to share) which was longer than expected but the answer i expected. I dont blame Cragg.  He's fine. I shared it as thought it was of value to the posters here.

I donate to both school and athletics...for years at varying levels. At same time, I don't have the resources to donate huge $ that I know are needed. I wish I could give more, if I had it (and wasn't paying for my own child's college).

I know the plans are working their way through a broader university process.  Do I have 100% confidence all of this will get the thumbs up from board ? Not at all. 

I appreciate beasts insights, and push from alums to donate.  But even if every living alum donated even just $100, it wouldn't even cover what Cragg needs just for basketball.

I love the vision, but will only feel good once their is a plan to get there that seems real vs. aspirational.  Its hard to keep donating to athletics and its not done much. I feel much better donating to contribute to academic areas to contribute a scholarship etc.