Chasing Ghosts

[quote="Joe Ambrosino " post=350025]We passed on Jerry (point guard for Lapchick’s last NIT champion team)Houston’s kid too, who went to West Point and still holds the all time NCAA record for ppg ( Louie didn’t think he could play at the college level)[/quote]
Ditto Rick Barry.
 
[quote="RedmanMike" post=350020]How about losing out on Dr. J to UMass?[/quote]

This season I was at the Barclays Center for the doubleheader vs VCU. Dr J is sitting a few rows ahead of my son an I. Now my son knows of but of course at 23 years old never saw him play. I of course am trying to hide in my mid 50s that oh my God that's Doctor J! I think his son plays for Temple playing in the prelim or Cal I can’t remember.

Anyway the game ends and he is walking up the empty aisle. I tried to hide and didn’t want to bother him. I must’ve had my mouth drop open as he passed and he sticks his head in front of my son and says “hey boys how you doing”. I could do nothing but laugh and just said “hi Doc”. I don't think my son realized what a huge star he was (and is) to people of a certain age. It was a cool moment at a Johnnies game.
 
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[quote="Chicago Days" post=350026][quote="Spocky Ramone" post=350024][quote="mjmaherjr" post=350018][quote="NCJohnnie" post=349983]Thanks, Fordham. Is this a television series or just a series of digital stories? I couldn't tell.[/quote] its a horror movie[/quote]
Nightmare on Utopia Parkway[/quote]


Maybe, were in the early days of the 'opening credits' to a great 'comeback' revival feature film?
Ya just never know.[/quote]

I hope you’re right, but history indicates Groundhog’s Day
 
[quote="Spocky Ramone" post=350032][quote="Chicago Days" post=350026][quote="Spocky Ramone" post=350024][quote="mjmaherjr" post=350018][quote="NCJohnnie" post=349983]Thanks, Fordham. Is this a television series or just a series of digital stories? I couldn't tell.[/quote] its a horror movie[/quote]
Nightmare on Utopia Parkway[/quote]


Maybe, were in the early days of the 'opening credits' to a great 'comeback' revival feature film?
Ya just never know.[/quote]

I hope you’re right, but history indicates Groundhog’s Day[/quote]

Ha. I certainly 'get' the 'glass half-empty' view.
A different 'vibe' seems to be in the air,but you're right, expecting history to repeat itself is well, 'normal'.
We shall see.
 
mjmaherjr wrote:
NCJohnnie wrote: Thanks, Fordham. Is this a television series or just a series of digital stories? I couldn't tell.

its a horror movie

Yes that's exactly what describes the SJU fan experience historically - you know something bad's about to happen, but you watch anyway!
 
I get it's human nature, but seems to me if one continues to expect the worst, i.e., not do 'something' about what's occurred, that's virtually a guarantee for the same-same to continue.
'This' time, the coaching change seems totally different 'in kind' not merely 'degree'.
So, to me, the vibes to at least hope for 'better days' are valid and 'in the air'.
As always, we'll root like all heck for 'better times' ahead.

Thought the above said something like, thanks to the CMA hire we have a good shot for better days to be ahead and not have to expect the past to continue, via ‘Groundhog Day’,
Guess I flubbed the message.
 
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Chicago Days wrote: get it's human nature, but seems to me if one continues to expect the worst, i.e., not do 'something' about what's occurred, that's virtually a guarantee for the same-same to continue.
'This' time, the coaching change seems totally different 'in kind' not merely 'degree'.
So, to me, the vibes to at least hope for 'better days' are valid and 'in the air'.
As always, we'll root like all heck for 'better times' ahead.

Not sure anyone is expecting the worst, just acknowledging the recent history (point of Chasing Ghosts story) which is not pretty. I was as big an advocate for MA's hire as anyone and I'm very encouraged by what I've seen to date. Just want to be careful about being overly optimistic during the honeymoon. I believe things will get better under MA but only time will tell.
 
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[quote="MarkRedman" post=350011]I used to love to see Coach cross his arms in an "X" formation to signal for "The Bush", a 1-3-1 half court trap. I also miss the days when you could sit in CA and watch the team practice. I learned an awful lot observing practices through the years that I utilized when I coached years later.[/quote]




Our court was not available one week so Looie allowed my team to practice at Flushing Armory.after their workout. Looie ran the whole practice while Lapchick sat at the end of the court.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=350052]Chicago Days wrote: get it's human nature, but seems to me if one continues to expect the worst, i.e., not do 'something' about what's occurred, that's virtually a guarantee for the same-same to continue.
'This' time, the coaching change seems totally different 'in kind' not merely 'degree'.
So, to me, the vibes to at least hope for 'better days' are valid and 'in the air'.
As always, we'll root like all heck for 'better times' ahead.

Not sure anyone is expecting the worst, just acknowledging the recent history (point of Chasing Ghosts story) which is not pretty. I was as big an advocate for MA's hire as anyone and I'm very encouraged by what I've seen to date. Just want to be careful about being overly optimistic during the honeymoon. I believe things will get better under MA but only time will tell.[/quote]
I’m like you in my feelings. At this point I’m optimistic, however I’ll truly believe when the season begins and a) everyone is here that is supposed to be here, and b) nobody announces an immediate transfer.
 
It will be interesting to see what the writers discuss wrt SJU for the category of what might have been or what could've happened scenarios?

So for example the obvious one for UMASS is what if Calipari never left for the Nets? Most obviously believe he still would have left soon after for a bigger college or another pro job.

With UNLV the question is what if they were able to keep Lon Kruger instead of him leaving for Oklahoma in 2011? Or what if Chris Beard, who they hired in 2016, had not decided a few weeks later to leave UNLV and go to Texas Tech before he ever ran a practice or coached a game (Tubby Smith had left TT for Memphis).

I can think of a couple wrt SJU. What if they didn’t fire Fran in 1998? What if they fired Fran and hired McKillop instead of Jarvis? What if Jarvis left in 2000 for the Wizards and SJU hired Jay Wright? What if SJU hired Danny Hurley and not Mullin in 2015?
 
Regarding all of those what ifs regarding St. John's, Fordham, I think we would have been a lot better off.
 
I’m sure there are tons of times when one or another of our coaches rejected a player that would have been a disaster or recruited a kid who turned into a Kenny Mcintyre or a Mallk Sealy or an Alan Seiden
 
The Jarvis/Wright scenario is the biggest "what if". Fran's departure was unfortunate because he was really building something, but he would have had continued to success and jumped to a Power 5 school. There were plenty of good options we could have had at that time, whether it be Mckillop or who we ultimately landed in Jarvis. And train was already moving in the right direction.

When Jarvis flirted with the Wiz, we were cooking as a program. From what we now know about Wright, he would have continued to recruit our backyard and the NJ area on a pretty high level and done well on the court. He would have loved being in NY, living in Long Island, coaching in the NY media market and, frankly, I think he'd still be here.


[quote="fordham96" post=350084]It will be interesting to see what the writers discuss wrt SJU for the category of what might have been or what could've happened scenarios?

So for example the obvious one for UMASS is what if Calipari never left for the Nets? Most obviously believe he still would have left soon after for a bigger college or another pro job.

With UNLV the question is what if they were able to keep Lon Kruger instead of him leaving for Oklahoma in 2011? Or what if Chris Beard, who they hired in 2016, had not decided a few weeks later to leave UNLV and go to Texas Tech before he ever ran a practice or coached a game (Tubby Smith had left TT for Memphis).

I can think of a couple wrt SJU. What if they didn’t fire Fran in 1998? What if they fired Fran and hired McKillop instead of Jarvis? What if Jarvis left in 2000 for the Wizards and SJU hired Jay Wright? What if SJU hired Danny Hurley and not Mullin in 2015?[/quote]
 
[quote="Rob" post=350255]The Jarvis/Wright scenario is the biggest "what if". Fran's departure was unfortunate because he was really building something, but he would have had continued to success and jumped to a Power 5 school. There were plenty of good options we could have had at that time, whether it be Mckillop or who we ultimately landed in Jarvis. And train was already moving in the right direction.

When Jarvis flirted with the Wiz, we were cooking as a program. From what we now know about Wright, he would have continued to recruit our backyard and the NJ area on a pretty high level and done well on the court. He would have loved being in NY, living in Long Island, coaching in the NY media market and, frankly, I think he'd still be here.


[quote="fordham96" post=350084]It will be interesting to see what the writers discuss wrt SJU for the category of what might have been or what could've happened scenarios?

So for example the obvious one for UMASS is what if Calipari never left for the Nets? Most obviously believe he still would have left soon after for a bigger college or another pro job.

With UNLV the question is what if they were able to keep Lon Kruger instead of him leaving for Oklahoma in 2011? Or what if Chris Beard, who they hired in 2016, had not decided a few weeks later to leave UNLV and go to Texas Tech before he ever ran a practice or coached a game (Tubby Smith had left TT for Memphis).

I can think of a couple wrt SJU. What if they didn’t fire Fran in 1998? What if they fired Fran and hired McKillop instead of Jarvis? What if Jarvis left in 2000 for the Wizards and SJU hired Jay Wright? What if SJU hired Danny Hurley and not Mullin in 2015?[/quote][/quote]

Ah damn, Rob. Why'd you have to say that? Lol.
'Chasing Ghosts', indeed.
Let's hope that 'this time', six coaches post-Louie, that 'this time' is Lucky # 7.
 
Here is story on St. John's.

www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26801278/chasing-ghosts-st-john-revisit-glory
 
Interesting that Alkins said part of why he didn't want to play here is having that pressure to "save" a hometown program. I understand it, but at the same time I'm glad he didn't come here then. Not saying he's a bad person, but it takes a special type of local player to want to play with us. You have to be ready for the challenge and have tough skin. I agree with the article that it doesn't matter about recruiting NYC anymore. It's all national now. If we can keep 1 top NYC kid home every 5 years then great, but it usually doesn't happen so we must look national.

One thing I find interesting is that they act like recruiting NYC doesn't matter, then they kind of brow beat MA for not being from the area. Then they say SJ should be like PC even though many expect MA has the ability to get us at the PC level as his floor hopefully. What does this mean? They seem biased against SJ and talk out of both sides about the program. Let's hope that a non-sexy name head coach with legit experience winning will be what we need and by the time he retires the job will be seen as way better than it was when he took it.
 
One disagreement I have was at the beginning of the article where the point was made that Lavin started out on fire on the recruiting trail and during his second year that was derailed by his health problems. The fact of the matter is while Lavin gave up bench coaching he said he was happy to be able to concentrate on recruiting and other coaches were even actually complaining that he was gaining an unfair advantage by this set up. For whatever reasons recruiting did fall off after a great start.
 
[quote="bamafan" post=350374]One disagreement I have was at the beginning of the article where the point was made that Lavin started out on fire on the recruiting trail and during his second year that was derailed by his health problems. The fact of the matter is while Lavin gave up bench coaching he said he was happy to be able to concentrate on recruiting and other coaches were even actually complaining that he was gaining an unfair advantage by this set up. For whatever reasons recruiting did fall off after a great start.[/quote]

Lavin was going thru some personal issues at the end of his tenure.

The other thing is as they state winning 2 out of 3 NC's like Nova has is not realistic. Of course 10 years ago that would not have been realistic for NOVA either. But as jobs go they are probably a little behind Georgetown in terms of history and expectations. Certainly AHEAD of Providence and SHU. So there is little excuse there.

How about next week's topic. North Carolina? Really? What is the question? How Roy Williams EXCEEDED what Dean Smith did?
 
I question Frans comment about not really wanting the SJ job, big step up from Manhattan.
 
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