Back to the Drawing Board.......

The problem is not whether Mullin needs help with game strategy but why does it take two years to happen. Since he doesn't want to recruit and wants to spend time on the other coast why wouldn't he want an ass't to help in that area? Is it stubbornness , loyalty or just what?
SJU still acts like it is 1985 and the only hope is Cragg and don't forget he will probably butt heads with Looie as well as Mullin and maybe nothing gets done.
 
I'll just say this:

If Mullin returns without a new staff, he will have a LOT of pressure on him. Hopefully he realizes this.

It is good that we ultimately made the NCAA, but the final month to the season was extremely disheartening. Our record may have improved, but we no longer seem like a team "on the rise". That'd especially be true if a few players leave.

It'd suck to see the fans completely turn on Mullin. He needs to do something to earn some trust back. Give us reason to think that next year won't be more of the same.
 
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[quote="Adam" post=333432]I'll just say this:

If Mullin returns without a new staff, he will have a LOT of pressure on him. Hopefully he realizes this.

It is good that we ultimately made the NCAA, but the final month to the season was extremely disheartening. Our record may have improved, but we no longer seem like a team "on the rise". That'd especially be true if a few players leave.

It'd suck to see the fans completely turn on Mullin. He needs to do something to earn some trust back. Give us reason to think that next year won't be more of the same.[/quote]

Agree and well said. He's likely making an already insanely challenging job harder than it needs to be. Were Matt A to explore other options would only make it that much more so.
 
[quote="SJU1512" post=333434][quote="Adam" post=333432]I'll just say this:

If Mullin returns without a new staff, he will have a LOT of pressure on him. Hopefully he realizes this.

It is good that we ultimately made the NCAA, but the final month to the season was extremely disheartening. Our record may have improved, but we no longer seem like a team "on the rise". That'd especially be true if a few players leave.

It'd suck to see the fans completely turn on Mullin. He needs to do something to earn some trust back. Give us reason to think that next year won't be more of the same.[/quote]

Agree and well said. He's likely making an already insanely challenging job harder than it needs to be. Were Matt A to explore other options would only make it that much more so.[/quote]

Yep. They say in business "never hire your friends". Matt was a fine hire since he had some experience, but Mitch and GSJ didn't and it shows.
 
[quote="IDRAFT" post=333510]https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1108867792055336960?s=20[/quote]

This quote gives me hope that things will change even if Chris comes back.

I have said a thousand times, the goal when Lavin was fired was not to be a middle of the pack maybe back door NCAA team. Or worse yet to claim that because you went from 1-17 to 8-10 that is an improvement in 4 years therefore we should be happy.

The goal was and is to compete for BE titles with Nova on a yearly basis. Period. Why so many people believe we should settle for less is astounding. More importantly I would have more sympathy for this staff even with the current results if I thought they were constructed right and putting in a maximum effort. It is clear they are behind the curve on both
 
[quote="IDRAFT" post=333510]https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1108867792055336960?s=20[/quote]
To get us to a championship level? That's going to be one hell of a marathon bull session!
 
[quote="bamafan" post=333526][quote="IDRAFT" post=333510]https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1108867792055336960?s=20[/quote]
To get us to a championship level? That's going to be one hell of a marathon bull session![/quote]

For sure, a herculean effort would be required to even come close to such a goal--but it's great that 'that' is his vision.
This is the most positive comment I've heard today in the mix of all the other 'news'--mostly problematic and depressing.
Re-establishes the trust I've got in Mike Cragg that he sees the issues and has a plan.
 
[quote="IDRAFT" post=333510]https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1108867792055336960?s=20[/quote]

As a St. John's fan my expectations aren't even close to being a "championship level" team. Honestly if they were competitive year in and year out, and made the NCAA tournament semi-consistently I would be fine with that.

What I do expect is the head coach to give as much effort as the rest of the coaches in the country. Our coach just seems to be here to collect a fat paycheck. Yesterday's game was so telling when Bobby Hurley was standing up and engaged with team the whole game while Mullin sat in his seat and just chatted with Coach Mitch the entire game.

There is no effort and no plan by this coaching staff. As an alumni and season ticket holder who spends his hard earned cash to watch this team play it's just a slap in the face. I hope Mr. Cragg recognizes this and acts accordingly because I know I'm not the only non-delusional fan who is fed up.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=333532]https://twitter.com/mearlington/status/1108894363705315328?s=21[/quote]

Is this good news or bad?
God knows we need some continuity but should we believe the cynical tweet that the kid is gone or take the dad's comment to be genuine?
What's it all about Alfie?
Let's hope.
 
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[quote="fordham96" post=333265][quote="ZanMan" post=333262][quote="Mike Zaun" post=333241]Progress objectively, yes. But this is where nuance comes in. Anyone can schedule a butter soft OOC that Vitale and may other major pundits made fun of. If we scheduled like SHU for OOC we wouldn't even be close to the NCAA's. We won on talent alone because the discrepancy was so large. Once we started playing real teams we quickly went into a tailspin. Once again, zero excuses for not getting big men here when Farleigh Dickinson has a few. This team hasn't passed the eye test in all 4 years, not sure why it would suddenly in year 5 with another rebuild. That's not a moot point, it's logic.[/quote]

You can use all the logic that you want. What is moot is that firing a school legend who has made progress each season and just "danced" will not happen. Attendance was up in a major way this season and we were on the back pages. We are relevant again. We will need to see how it pans out next year...we have no other choice.

On the other hand, if Coach is not enjoying this and steps away, that is different. I just don't think he is ready to do that.

To be continued...[/quote]

Don't disagree with the "firing legend" point. They boxed themselves in a corner.

Stop with the relevant nonsense.. That is a crock, they are not relevant. Going 8-10 and finishing 7th and losing by 32 in the BE Tourney is not relevant. Losing 4x to Providence and DePaul is NOT being relevant. Getting to 8-10 as your best 4 year record is NOT BETTER than the previous staff going 10-8 last 2 years. Getting in as the last at large and getting whipped by a mediocre ASU team in a play-in game is not relevant.

Whiffing on every major local recruit is not evidence you are relevant. It is evidence no one cares. Ask Mike Vaccaro of the NY POST if he thinks SJU is relevant. He just wrote a piece saying SJU in retrospect didn't belong in the NCAA Tourney. Read this board. These are the people who go to the games. Ask them if SJU is "relevant."[/quote]
I consider myself a die hard fan and season ticket holder for the past 44 years. I do not think this season was “acceptable” progress. No excuse for having no size and bench in year 4. I feel badly for Shamorie.

I do not think that this style of play will work. I support CM and know he has faced more important family challenges recently. However, if he isn’t already feeling pressure to do more, he probably should. It’s not an easy job.
 
[quote="fordham96" post=333523]The goal was and is to compete for BE titles with Nova on a yearly basis. Period. Why so many people believe we should settle for less is astounding. More importantly I would have more sympathy for this staff even with the current results if I thought they were constructed right and putting in a maximum effort. It is clear they are behind the curve on both[/quote]

Exactly! I also don't understand why several folks are settling for less. I said it yesterday.... Once I commit myself to start settling for mid-tier or mediocre play, then that'll be the day I no longer intently watch the St. John's basketball program. No one said we had to be a blue blood program. But dammit, we should be able to competently compete with 'Nova. 'Nova wasn't 'Nova 10-15 years ago.

Any other talk is simply a defeatist attitude and lowering of the bar. Some fans are pissing their pants in joy because we simply made the dance this year. The season was a success because we participated in the play-in game. We're not freakin' Iowa Tech or Walla Walla Washington A&I.

If this was between Mullin's first and third seasons, then I'd understand. But not this particular season. I wonder if some consider this season a "success" because they simply don't know better or it's a way for 'em to "protect" Mullin.
 
I'd settle for just below Nova; i.e. be competitive with Hall, PC, Gtown etc. and make the dance 3/4 of every 5 years. We're a ways from that right now.
 
Zach article

We have a lot of work to do’: St. John’s AD gearing up for

futurettps://www.nypost.com/2019/03/22/we-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-st-johns-ad-gearing-up-for-future/amp/
 
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[quote="capmaker" post=333585]https://nypost.com/2019/03/21/st-johns-invite-to-ncaa-tourney-raises-question-of-bowing-to-tv/[/quote]

Someone might want to try and disagree with me and good luck.
But Phil Muschnick is the most miserable human being alive.
 
[quote="Moose" post=333601][quote="capmaker" post=333585]https://nypost.com/2019/03/21/st-johns-invite-to-ncaa-tourney-raises-question-of-bowing-to-tv/[/quote]

Someone might want to try and disagree with me and good luck.
But Phil Muschnick is the most miserable human being alive.[/quote]

I have never been a fan of his. I don't know if he is the most miserable, but he sure as hell near the top.
 
I had more conversations about St. John's basketball this year than the last two years combined. I am not talking about on this site or with St. John's fans/supporters. I am talking about fans of other schools, the casual observer, the die hard college fan with no particular allegiance but loves the sport, the basketball junkie, the pro fan who only pays attention to who is really good and a potential lottery pick and the March Madness fan.

All that means relevancy. There was a buzz about this team this year and we were relevant. The thing about being relevant is, there is no time limit. It can be for a short period or for a long one Unfortunately, the buzz died down with our performance over the last few weeks. This is NYC and you only as relevant as the next best thing unless you are able to be consistent and sustain it. You go on a run (expected or unexpected) and they will lift you up and carry you. Keep the buzz alive and you have the news talking about you not just giving the scores, more press, more people having an interest and then maybe you start capturing the local kids eyes who see what it was like and how it could (should) be again. That is what staying relevant does.

This time last year (before we had Figueroa or Heron) we were saying we needed to be at least an NCAA bubble team. Most would have been happy at that result feeling we were moving in the right direction but that was coupled with the high expectation that we would be able to pull in some combination of prep blue chippers from Precious Achuwa, Scottie Lewis, Brian Antoine and Jalen Gaffney. But even with the loss of Owens, when we added Figueroa and Heron and the latter being eligible to play this year, along with what we hoped would be and at least serviceable big man in Keita and Dixon provided us a deeper bench, our thinking (I know mine) was top two BE and sweet Sixteen or busts. So yeah, I am disappointed and of course now waiting for the bad news to drop because as you know for last two decades, "Its always something."
 
[quote="Moose" post=333601][quote="capmaker" post=333585]https://nypost.com/2019/03/21/st-johns-invite-to-ncaa-tourney-raises-question-of-bowing-to-tv/[/quote]

Someone might want to try and disagree with me and good luck.
But Phil Muschnick is the most miserable human being alive.[/quote]

Jay-Z agrees with you.
 
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