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

This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.
 
[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]

Moose, you mislead us. He's a troll, an annoying anal abscess. Human being, not.
 
[quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Good post Mike.
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=333555][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.[/quote]

Agree with most of what you’re saying, especially about not settling for mediocrity. Which is exactly how I would label this season: mediocre. Yes there was improvement, but it was far from what I would consider a successful season. Of course, everyone creates their own threshold for what they deem “successful”. Some fans would be content with a consistent NIT level program, with an occasional appearance in the big dance. Not me, or you. While I’m very disappointed in what I’ve seen from the coaching staff to date, I’m not ready to throw in the towel on Chris just yet. I’ll give him one more year before passing full judgement.
 
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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]

I said this all along - the only thing I did predict correctly!


Even within a national epidemic of badly diminished standards, St. John’s, 8-10 in the Big East, didn’t have a particularly good season. Yet Sunday, it was the last pick for the NCAA Tournament play-in game, a Wednesday loss to Arizona State in Dayton.

And that carried the smell of sell, mistrust, the stench of selecting a team from the nation’s No. 1 TV market to play in prime time to meet the wants and approval of those whose tens of millions of dollars annually subsidize the Tournament, CBS and Turner TV.
 
[quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.
 
[quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.[/quote]

It’s easy to just say this and believe it, but the harsh reality is every program in the big east not named DePaul has been better than St. John’s for the past 2 decades. We can’t just snap our fingers and be a top 3 big east program because the conference is less daunting than it once was.

Xavier, Butler, and creighton were added because they were very successful programs the last 25 years. We have not been. For us to jump them we need to string together some really good seasons.

Is mullin the guy that’s gonna bring that kind of consistency? I’d say no.
 
[quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]
Sense in two weeks or so the roster fallout beyond the obvious, Ponds, will prove challenging and merit filling more spots than what is being forecasted by some posters. I am not suggesting disaster, but penciling in starters, etc is premature imo.
 
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[quote="Paultzman" post=333675][quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]
Sense in two weeks or so the roster fallout beyond the obious, Ponds, will prove very challenging and merit filling more spots than what is being suggested by some posters.[/quote]

Coaching staff?
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=333675][quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]
Sense in two weeks or so the roster fallout beyond the obvious, Ponds, will prove very challenging and merit filling more spots than what is being suggested by some posters.[/quote]

No idea whats going on behind the scenes, but I hope Mullin is working hard on retaining all the players. I really think some new assistants may be needed, but it'd be a shame for the players to transfer before that happens.
 
Hopefully we can retain Mack,Figgy and Simon.What does Ponds will prove challenging mean? I figure he’s gone and will be hard to replace. We are St Johns.
 
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[quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]

Ewing was an assistant coach in the NBA for at least 10 years and he filled in as head coach for a short time. That is a world of difference over Mullin's experience.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=333675]
Sense in two weeks or so the roster fallout beyond the obvious, Ponds, will prove very challenging and merit filling more spots than what is being suggested by some posters.[/quote]

I'm not an insider, and the one or two I know haven't told me anything regarding roster, but I'm actually expecting major fallout/mass exodus/near catastrophe. Cragg may actually be pushed into action.

This is all from a gut that has failed me in the past, though, so posters should just skip if they don't like message and I won't be able to defend it anyway.
 
[quote="Adam" post=333678]

No idea whats going on behind the scenes, but I hope Mullin is working hard on retaining all the players. I really think some new assistants may be needed, but it'd be a shame for the players to transfer before that happens.[/quote]

Unfortunately, I don't think he's a beggar or ass kisser or politicker. Which in most walks of life is very commendable, but needed in the recruiting/re-recruiting game. And if the one guy on staff who is those things has one foot out door . . .
 
[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]

You nailed it Moose. The guy has made his career dissing on the obvious and pissing on the good.
 
3. Where does Chris Mullin stand?
Mullin has two seasons left on his original contract and said Wednesday that he plans to return. Many schools have traditionally extended coaches in his position so high school recruits feel security. Athletic director Mike Cragg said, “I don’t think it’s necessary in this era with the college culture so fluid,” but he added that he and Mullin will evaluate what the program needs in the coming days.

Full article & some other questions

[URL]https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/st-johns/st-john-s-postmortems-1.28786038[/URL]
 
[quote="P Simmons" post=333680][quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]

Ewing was an assistant coach in the NBA for at least 10 years and he filled in as head coach for a short time. That is a world of difference over Mullin's experience.[/quote]

I believe it was more like 15 years of assistant coaching experience. If you compare Georgetown huddles there is a world of difference. Ewing actually coaches in the huddle!
 
[quote="ron " post=333693][quote="P Simmons" post=333680][quote="kred" post=333643][quote="RedmanMike" post=333622]This new incarnation of the Big East is set up for St. John's to be in the top tier of the league. There is NO reason why we shouldn't be a top three Big East team on a regular basis. (The same goes for Georgetown as well, BTW.) That is the goal.

If our goal was to go 21-12 or so and be a middle of the pack Big East team and sweat our way into the Dance, then we should have kept Lavin. Those were the teams he put on the floor. Lavin's teams weren't bad - in fact, they had some real talent - but I never felt like Lavin would ever put a team on the floor that would win 25-27 games and be a threat to win the Big East and make a real run in the Dance.

We hired Mullin because we wanted better than that - we took a chance that he was the guy to get us to a new level. He still may do that, although a candid assessment so far might indicate otherwise.

I don't think I'm a Mullin lover or hater. I am 52, and my high school years overlapped with Mullin's career at St. John's - so I'm one of those guys who loved Mullin and the Johnnies when I was playing HS basketball on Long Island. They were the kings of the city in those days, and going to see a St. John's game was a huge deal to me.

I also don't think we will necessarily be bad next year. I remember that after Jarvis' third season (which was a losing season, BTW), Omar Cook left for the NBA. I thought we were going to be just God awful. Yet Marcus Hatten showed up from Tallahasse JUCO, and he was better than any of us ever imagined. He had the best two-year career of anyone in St. John's history not named Walter Berry. We made the NCAAs with him the next year, in what was unquestionably Jarvis' best coaching job.

So maybe Cam Mack is the real deal. (He's rated as highly as any JUCO we've ever had that's also not named Walter Berry.) What if we see this? - Mack is a legit BE caliber PG, Heron stays, is the focal point of the offense and has an All-BE level season, Figueroa plays his usual good all-around game, Williams takes a step forward, and Steere gives us a genuine inside presence and toughness. That scenario is as likely IMHO as the doomsday scenario many are painting for next year.

Is that a team that is going to win 25 games and make a run at the Big East title? No. But it could be a team that is a pleasant surprise and that is in the mix for 20 or so wins and a possible ticket to the Dance.

Is that where I want to be year after year? No. But its also probably not a team that gets a coach fired either.[/quote]

Too many ifs. Look at G'Town. With their superstar ( no experience, HOF ) coach they put together the best newcomers in the league which amounted to 3 new starters, several good rotational players, and a recruiting class including the transfer 7'2" center . And apparently they are in good with several big recruits. That's how you build a program, while we're trying to keep the Titanic afloat.[/quote]

Ewing was an assistant coach in the NBA for at least 10 years and he filled in as head coach for a short time. That is a world of difference over Mullin's experience.[/quote]

I believe it was more like 15 years of assistant coaching experience. If you compare Georgetown huddles there is a world of difference. Ewing actually coaches in the huddle![/quote]

There is no reason to believe that Ewing has proven to be a better college coach just yet. They struggled this year and were an NIT team. They are recruiting well, which is good for the Big East, but being an NBA assistant doesn't qualify you to coach college either. In essence they made a similar hire - a legendary name in their program to take the reigns of a struggling basketball franchise.

Bottom line - if Mulling left and Ewing was available, he wouldn't be one of our top 20 candidates.

That being said, I think the future of bball at Georgetown is looking good.
 
The season had its moments of triumph but also far too many intervals of defeat and underachievement.
I rank the season minimally successful.
Now, it seems we face major uncertainty in both likely player departures beyond Clark and Ponds and very possibly major Staff departures—some cheered, and if Matt leaves—dreaded.
Mullin will return and I sense Cragg will work with Chris and move him to make needed changes to the Staff.
Judging by Paultz’s recent comments, only the Hoop Gods know what the roster will look like after imminent departures.
But it seems the ‘new’ Staff will face major challenges in constructing a competitive roster for next season in the off-season.
It’ll be what it’ll be and we’ll root like crazy for the team next season—however constructed.
Here’s hoping for the best.
 
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