Around the Big East 19/20

[quote="SJUFAN2" post=391267][quote="IDRAFT" post=391262][quote="SJUFAN2" post=391260][quote="Mean Gene" post=391245][quote="Phil G" post=391243]I hear ya with Mahoney
I understood- not good hire I’m sure Louie had input[/quote]

There way no way in hell that Mahoney wasn’t getting the job after Louie retired.[/quote]

That's true. But it doesn't change the fact that it was a bad hire.
North Carolina made the same mistake by giving the job to long time assistant Bill Gutheridge when Dean Smith finally retired and they had the advantage of having seen how it worked out for us, yet still did it.

Its hard not to give the #2 guy who has been loyal for a long time his "shot".[/quote]

True. Craig Esherick was another case.[/quote]

I'd forgotten about Esherick.

I wonder if its ever worked out? Can anyone recall a school losing a HOF level head coach, then turning over the reigns to a long time assistant who was over 50 and who went on to great success?[/quote]

I don't think Jud Heathcote would be considered a HOF coach (but a championship is not bad), but elevating Asst Coach Tom Izzo was a fairly good move I would say.
 
[quote="IDRAFT" post=391262][quote="SJUFAN2" post=391260][quote="Mean Gene" post=391245][quote="Phil G" post=391243]I hear ya with Mahoney
I understood- not good hire I’m sure Louie had input[/quote]

There way no way in hell that Mahoney wasn’t getting the job after Louie retired.[/quote]

That's true. But it doesn't change the fact that it was a bad hire.
North Carolina made the same mistake by giving the job to long time assistant Bill Gutheridge when Dean Smith finally retired and they had the advantage of having seen how it worked out for us, yet still did it.

Its hard not to give the #2 guy who has been loyal for a long time his "shot".[/quote]

True. Craig Esherick was another case.[/quote]

Remember one thing.

Dean Smith retired in October, just before the season started. John Thompson left mid season. Those teams really had no choice but to hire the assistants.

Also, Guthridge went to the Final Four twice in his three seasons, so he didn't do too bad at UNC (although the 2000 team was an 8 seed, so they just got hot at the right time). It was Doherty who set that program back.
 
Last edited:
[quote="SJU61982" post=391310][quote="IDRAFT" post=391262][quote="SJUFAN2" post=391260][quote="Mean Gene" post=391245][quote="Phil G" post=391243]I hear ya with Mahoney
I understood- not good hire I’m sure Louie had input[/quote]

There way no way in hell that Mahoney wasn’t getting the job after Louie retired.[/quote]

That's true. But it doesn't change the fact that it was a bad hire.
North Carolina made the same mistake by giving the job to long time assistant Bill Gutheridge when Dean Smith finally retired and they had the advantage of having seen how it worked out for us, yet still did it.

Its hard not to give the #2 guy who has been loyal for a long time his "shot".[/quote]

True. Craig Esherick was another case.[/quote]

Remember one thing.

Dean Smith retired in October, just before the season started. John Thompson left mid season. Those teams really had no choice but to hire the assistants.

Also, Guthridge went to the Final Four twice in his three seasons, so he didn't do too bad at UNC (although the 2000 team was an 8 seed, so they just got hot at the right time). It was Doherty who set that program back.[/quote]

Gutheridge was a hire as a personal favor to Dean because of his loyal service to Dean Smith. It was only going to be for a few years and then the expectation was that Roy would leave Kansas and come back home. Except of course in 2000 Roy stunned everyone by turning down the UNC job and staying at Kansas leaving UNC to scramble. In fact the story is that Gutheridge before he took the job in 97 has a conversation with Roy to assure him that the job was going to be his in short order. In other words I believe Roy thought he was getting the job IMMEDIATELY after Dean Smith retired.
 
Mahoney was hired because for about eighty years the powers to be at SJU felt that almost anyone could be a successful coach with the NYC recruiting base.When Frank McGuire left SJU was a top five program and his assistant was moved up. When Looie left for the Nets a total unknown was hired.
They moved up to mid major coaches later on but never seriously considered a candidate with major college experience until they agreed to pay the big bucks for Lavin. Mahoney started out with the Felipe and Zendon recruiting class but as his coaching record at Manhattan indicated he was not the man for the job but he came cheap.
It's just another what if at SJU if they had brought in a coach with success at the major level with that recruiting class.
 
[quote="SJU61982" post=391310][quote="IDRAFT" post=391262][quote="SJUFAN2" post=391260][quote="Mean Gene" post=391245][quote="Phil G" post=391243]I hear ya with Mahoney
I understood- not good hire I’m sure Louie had input[/quote]

There way no way in hell that Mahoney wasn’t getting the job after Louie retired.[/quote]

That's true. But it doesn't change the fact that it was a bad hire.
North Carolina made the same mistake by giving the job to long time assistant Bill Gutheridge when Dean Smith finally retired and they had the advantage of having seen how it worked out for us, yet still did it.

Its hard not to give the #2 guy who has been loyal for a long time his "shot".[/quote]

True. Craig Esherick was another case.[/quote]

Remember one thing.

Dean Smith retired in October, just before the season started. John Thompson left mid season. Those teams really had no choice but to hire the assistants.

Also, Guthridge went to the Final Four twice in his three seasons, so he didn't do too bad at UNC (although the 2000 team was an 8 seed, so they just got hot at the right time). It was Doherty who set that program back.[/quote]

Dissing Coach Gut and Deano in the process. Doh!
 
Kameron Jones, 2021 6-foot-3 guard out of Cordova (Tenn.) Evangelical Christian, committed to Steve Wojciechowski over a scholarship offer from Florida, and interest from Florida State, Virginia Tech, Arkansas and Memphis.
 
John Fanta

UConn head coach Dan Hurley says rising sophomore big man Akok Akok's recovery from his torn Achilles has gone according to plan and he's been impressed with his progress. No firm timetable, but his return is still trending at the moment towards January.
 
I'm sure most already know, but UConn is officially a member as of midnight last night.

I'm glad to see them return. I enjoy facing big brands with passionate fan bases, and they are certainly one of the biggest. Over the past few years we have lost our 2 biggest OOC rivals in Duke and Syracuse. Playing UConn 2X a year will be a solid replacement.

Is St. John's planning to play them at MSG? There were some rumors months ago about CA. IMO CA would be a bad decision. For one, it gives them bulletin board material and that's unnecessary. Let's beat them at MSG the same way we beat Duke, Nova, Cuse, etc. It also means thousands of St. John's fans wouldn't be able to attend as MSG should typically be packed (COVID aside). Playing them at MSG would also be great for TV. Imagine if those big MSG wins had the backdrop of our high school-looking CA instead. No thanks!
 
Last edited:
[quote="Adam" post=391677]I'm sure most already know, but UConn is officially a member as of midnight last night.

I'm glad to see them return. I enjoy facing big brands with passionate fan bases, and they are certainly one of the biggest. Over the past few years we have lost our 2 biggest OOC rivals in Duke and Syracuse. Playing UConn 2X a year will be a solid replacement.

Is St. John's planning to play them at MSG? There were some rumors months ago about CA. IMO CA would be a bad decision. For one, it gives them bulletin board material and that's unnecessary. Let's beat them at MSG the same way we beat Duke, Nova, Cuse, etc. It also means thousands of St. John's fans wouldn't be able to attend as MSG should typically be packed (COVID aside). Playing them at MSG would also be great for TV. Imagine if those big MSG wins had the backdrop of our high school-looking CA instead. No thanks![/quote]

I think we should ask if cuse is interested in coming back to the BE................:p
 
[quote="Adam" post=391677]I'm sure most already know, but UConn is officially a member as of midnight last night.

I'm glad to see them return. I enjoy facing big brands with passionate fan bases, and they are certainly one of the biggest. Over the past few years we have lost our 2 biggest OOC rivals in Duke and Syracuse. Playing UConn 2X a year will be a solid replacement.

Is St. John's planning to play them at MSG? There were some rumors months ago about CA. IMO CA would be a bad decision. For one, it gives them bulletin board material and that's unnecessary. Let's beat them at MSG the same way we beat Duke, Nova, Cuse, etc. It also means thousands of St. John's fans wouldn't be able to attend as MSG should typically be packed (COVID aside). Playing them at MSG would also be great for TV. Imagine if those big MSG wins had the backdrop of our high school-looking CA instead. No thanks![/quote]

I pull for BE teams. I will NOT be pulling for UCONN in any capacity. I hope they finish dead last every year.
 
As soon as it became official, Yukon fans started a Twitter war with St. John's fans. Their fans are truly obnoxious.
 
[quote="Delaware" post=391694]As soon as it became official, Yukon fans started a Twitter war with St. John's fans. Their fans are truly obnoxious.[/quote]

Can't be any more obnoxious than when they come piling off their buses at MSG already lathered up on PBRs.
 
Paultzman wrote: Rivals old and new: Mike Anderson has St. John’s stabilized and ready to wage Garden battles with UConn men

www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basket...zspc6dr7q-story.html

Enjoyable read. Thanks for posting. Only BIG East associated teams I really hate are UCONN & Cuse. Will be nice to have one of them back to root against and take great joy in beating..
 
UConn seems pretty excited to be back in the Big East. Already got two email blasts. The first went out on midnight the day they joined.

Unfortunately I can already see the arrogance from the fans. Acting like they are going to come back in and own the conference. The Big East has truly felt like a family of schools since we broke away, but this might change things a bit.

[attachment=1491]Midnight_email.jpg[/attachment]
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top