Apology

Stevo · Feb 12, 2014

Regardless of what anyone's predictions for us were, no apologies are in order. I have been a blind supporter (almost to a fault) of the program for the last two decades. Just about every critique was warranted and fairly accurate. I really do not get the apology. I am very much looking forward to what we have in front of us and where we are. The kids have done a geat job of late and Lavin and Staff have made some noticable adjustments they absolutely had to make. But make zero bones about it. some of the stuff that when on for the first 17 games were remarkable for any knowledgeable sports fans. Stuff that flew in the face of convention. And asking for any posters to apologize for any of that is naive.

Couner to the above paragraph, I like Steve Lavin, with his shortcomings. And I like the team. And while we still have an uphill climb in front of us, no doubt, I am very much enjoying where they are right now and the prospect of where they are going. Any critique is not reflective of my 100% hearthfelt support for the University and Coach and the Squad. Good luck fellas on Thur. If I was not traveling I would be in Newark. Get me the win. I will be there Sunday night vs Gtown.

SJUISBACK · Feb 12, 2014

Hey fire, With everyone returning from a 2nd round team, plus the additions of Sanchez (a supposedly nba prospect and a 5* PG recruit. Even Lavin himself said that they have a chance to do something special this season.
WTF wasn`t thinking NCAA? Then they go 0-5 to start the B.E. season, and alot of people were like wtf is going on.

So just because they are playing like everyone envisioned right now, it doesn`t change the fact that they played like crap in early-mid January. What everyone just supposed to shut their traps and deal with them playing bad ball? Nah it doesn`t work like that.

Anyway it looks like that`s in the past, and we`re on top of the world now, lets keep a great thing going @ SHU and kick their ass, them smack up G-Town for a change

Stevo · Feb 12, 2014

beast of the east · Feb 12, 2014

Look the goal of any season when you have some talent is the NCAAs. Preseason, weren't we picked for 5th in conference? isn't it clear that 5th will be short of an NCAA bid? So the, if 5th is more accurate than our expectations, have we expected them to overachieve based on some false hope? Or was the pre-season coaches poll off? Just wondering.

beast of the east · Feb 12, 2014

I thought you were not posting until after the game?

SJUISBACK · Feb 12, 2014

I wasn`t until I seen fire killing people because they were frustrated with the 0-5 start, like fire knew that they were gonna go on this hot streak.
I feel strongly about something then I`m gonna post.

Just hope SJU wins Thursday night, or I`ll be kicking myself in the ass for posting

Jack Williams · Feb 12, 2014

1. Your posts from a couple of weeks ago did you indicate you predicted a hot streak

2. Please learn to use the '. Didn't you ever learn to use the the character I used in the word "didn't"?

TonyinFairfield · Feb 12, 2014

Fire was not "killing" people because they were frustrated with the 0-5 start. We ALL were frustrated with that, as I'm sure the players were. The over-reaction was ridiculous. Starting a "Fire Lavin" thread? Starting a "Fire Lavin" chant at a game? That goes beyond frustration.

I'll take what the program has accomplished with Lavin over where we were with Norm any day. But that doesn't mean I won't get frustrated with some of the things Lavin does. For example, if he starts Phil again tomorrow night, yes, I will get frustrated with that.

And if we lose tomorrow night, you should invoke a voluntary ban on this site until we win again! :ngrin:

firestorm · Feb 12, 2014

I'm in full agreement that this season has -- to date -- fallen short of how most of us expected it to go.

Point is, we go through crazy swings with every hot or cold streak. Just as TRab pointed out that we should avoid renaming a building after Lavin because of a hot streak in February, I figure we don't need to run the guy out of town in mid-January.

We're going to lose another game or two. We'll win a few more. I'll wait to see what the ledger reads in March before passing final judgement on the season or Lavin.

beast of the east · Feb 12, 2014

Not sure why, and its to no fan's discredit to be one way or another, but some of us were patient, and some very frustrated. My wife has always admonished me not to ever give up on any of my children, no matter what the situation was. She'd tell me they aren't finished products yet, and as critical as I'd want to be, I'd have to agree with a better voice of reason. So maybe for me it carried over a little bit to teams I follow. I understand the other reaction, but I just couldn't agree with it.

mjmaherjr · Feb 12, 2014

With the talent tthat Lavin has assembled on this roster whose fault is that if we were predicted to finish 5th in a watered down Big East.

That's why I dont agree with posts defending any coach when you keep losing and people say well we were underdogs so people werent expecting us to win.

Jay Wrights 3rd year with that class of his with Sumpter etc was the breakthrough year. This year should have been the same. Hopefully it still will be

But these kids are old enough and were ranked high enough that this year is the year because I dont want to start hearing about only making the ncaas every 4th year because kids are young etc

redfazed · Feb 12, 2014

Kieran Darcy of ESPN put it best at the beginning of the season:

“We've now reached year four. The deck is full. No more excuses.

To put things in some perspective, Kentucky, the preseason top-ranked team in the country, has nine players who made ESPN's Top 100 as high school seniors. Michigan State, ranked No. 2, has eight of them.

St. John's is close behind with six -- three juniors (D'Angelo Harrison, Sir'Dominic Pointer, Jamal Branch), two sophomores (Jakarr Sampson, Chris Obekpa) and one freshman (Rysheed Jordan).”

“To be frank, barring major injuries, anything less than an NCAA tournament bid would be a disaster.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/colleges/post/_/id/6216/st-johns-preview-sweet-16-or-bust

firestorm · Feb 12, 2014

That's fair. Did we get the NCAA bid? Oh yeah, we don't know yet...

We've seen that this team can hang with the Wisconsins, Syracuses and Villanovas. I'd be a lot happier if those were all wins, but maybe Lavin was right about getting the team to play its best ball come February.

To my surprise after the 0-5 start, the tournament is still a possibility. A couple of wins and a decent run in the tournament might be achievable.

I'm not canonizing Lavin, but I will wait to see how the season plays out before accepting the "disaster" label.

paultzman · Feb 12, 2014

How many analogies do you have in your arsenal?

westchesterjoe · Feb 12, 2014

The 0-5 start was a problem but, still has to be recognized as our record and accounted for. Despite being picked 5th in pre-season, I think most posters, fans, media, etc felt a NCAA Tourney bid was the target objective.
And, that should still be the measuring stick for this team. Short of that is disappointing.

BUT, the resurgence has placed the target back as attainable.

I think anymore than 1 loss before the BE tourney would limit our NCAA bid. Tough games remaining are SH away, Xavier Home, Nova away, Marquette away. Butler Home, DePaul home should be wins.

LET'S GO REDMEM!

sookjo · Feb 12, 2014

What we seem to fail to understand is that this team had no other players to learn from. It's difficult enough to learn to play offense and defense when you are purely an athlete but it's even harder when no one on the court can help you out because everyone is in the same boat. It even took a talented player like Jordan a half season to adjust but he had a lot of help on the court from the other players.

I expect going forward that it will take less than a season for any new player coming in to fit in and be productive because he will learn from seeing it in action and not just hearing about it from the coaches.

The foundation has been set, I expect Balamou and Jones to step right in next year without missing a beat.

Marillac · Feb 12, 2014

Anything less than the NCAAs this year is a failure. Three years is plenty of time to buld a winning basketball team.

fuchsia · Feb 12, 2014

Let them be bored. If you never experienced a Fordham/Manhattan and NYU/St. John's MSG doubleheader with the respective student bodies parading in to the old Garden, you never saw New York college basketball at its peak.

lawmanfan · Feb 12, 2014

The players had not other PLAYERS to learn from??? Well, I guess that's a reasonable excuse, as long as you don't expect the coaching staff to actually teach them anything.

jr49 · Feb 12, 2014

Players gatta play, and it's been a hard 40 plus a lot of good stuff the kids have been giving.
Sookjo, It's my opinion you have just written a most elegant and precise recap of the teams maturation process.

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