Cluess

[quote="MCNPA" post=339575][quote="Chicago Days" post=339572][quote="MCNPA" post=339570][quote="Chicago Days" post=339561]All this buzz lends more credence to the view that Hurley is staying at ASU.
I would root for any coach we hire to have great success with us, and if its Scheyer 'okay'.
But I'd find it surprising that Cragg couldn't have found a more experienced and solid HC whose skills and record he liked more than betting the ranch on an unproved candidate even with the shared Duke experience and the Duke pedigree.
I would hope that, if Scheyer is the guy, Cragg also brings in Borman and Hsu with him and maybe a former HC to be an AC (Pecora, Grasso), but that last notion is probably a stretch.
Well, here we go into the realm of who the heck knows.[/quote]

Cluess has a college coaching record of 294-131. That’s only college. 14 league championships, several coach of the year awards. He’s got plenty of experience and a ton more than Scheyer. Like I said, he’s not the seemingly sexiest pick but I’d be fine with it. He’s been Overlooked because the level of the league, yet Willard got offered big money at V-Tech and his resume’ was nothing when he took over the Hall.

We made the mistake passing over McKillop several times and if we had hired him back then, he’d probably still be winning. If we can’t get Hurley to come here, and I think Hurley has a lot of upside, Cluess has a good track record and with good recruiters and some more focus on defense, could be very successful for a long time. I’d still prefer a younger coach like Hurley though who I think could land top notch talent here at SJU.[/quote]

Oh I agree MCNPA. If it's not Hurley and no other 'Plan A' guy is 'close', I prefer Cluess as well.
And according to that piece Paultz shared, that may be the case.
Gawd, so much speculation.
Funny.[/quote]

It is funny. I have my concerns about Cluess too, but most are probably unfounded to be honest. We’ve made plenty of “sexy” hires in the past who didn’t have the coaching chops. Cluess isn’t going to be unprepared. Not in the least. This coaching stuff hasn’t been in his blood at every level. Sometimes the boring pick works out better. What we’ve been doing isn’t working. Cooley isn’t the exciting pick at Providence but he’s tough every year. Beilein wasn’t an exciting pick
Before he took the Michigan job. Howland was a nobody at Northern Arizona. The list goes on. Truth be told I’m just happy right now looking forward to a change from Mullin who really wasn’t prepared to be a coach.[/quote]

Yes, the guy would work his chops off to succeed at St. John's. He'd recruit, develop players, and I think he'll win here. If he brought Grasso and other solid AC's are added, that'd make any transition easier to handle.
 
Tim Cluess is a basketball coach. He is not a celebrity. This would be a nuts and bolt hire. At the end of the day, the guy has won at every stop. Also don't underestimate his hunger...even at 60 I think he wants to prove he can win at a major conference level. This is his dream job so I expect the hustle to be there.

I don't expect the majority of fans to love it...but you have to respect it. We need to get back to basics. Lavin and Mullin were celebrity hires, not true x's and o's guys like Cluess.
 
[quote="L J S A" post=339582]He would have been a better choice four years ago. Not sold on it now.[/quote]

60 is the new 50, LJSA.
And if not Hurley (and it looks like 'not'), he may be the best 'other' choice at this time...which we have 'none' to waste btw. Lol.
 
I wasn't a Cluess proponent when this started out, but agree he is a pretty safe pick if we can't get Hurley. Someone like Scheyer may turn out to be a wonderful coach down the line but could also bomb initially. Cluess won't bomb and could be a solid coach for us for 10 years. I don't see how Cragg can afford a super risky pick like Scheyer with his first and possibly biggest decision in his new job. Can definitely support Cluess if he is the choice.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=339590]I wasn't a Cluess proponent when this started out, but agree he is a pretty safe pick if we can't get Hurley. Someone like Scheyer may turn out to be a wonderful coach down the line but could also bomb initially. Cluess won't bomb and could be a solid coach for us for 10 years. I don't see how Cragg can afford a super risky pick like Scheyer with his first and possibly biggest decision in his new job. Can definitely support Cluess if he is the choice.[/quote]
Good points, I’m evolving. :)
 
[quote="John Mar" post=339586]I can't wait for the first mistake and the back of the Post to say "CLU-L-ESS"[/quote]

And remember how Joe Torre worked out for the Yankees when the Daily News headline after he was hired was, “Clueless Joe!”

[attachment=847]334FE4F1-2C63-4B10-81C4-6899F60081A3.jpeg[/attachment]
 
People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.
 
No disrespect to Scheyer, but you can't hire him over Tim Cluess. As for Grasso, he's a head coach. Would he really take a step back to associate? Even if we paid him more? I can't see that.
 
[quote="Moose" post=339595]People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.[/quote]

My dumbass thought he was still Cluess' right hand man. My bad
 
I personally know the Cluess family his brother Hank was my baseball coach and my son played against Tim's son in HS, Tim is really good guy spoke with him many times and i think would be a welcome addition to our program, im all for it!
 
[quote="SeattleJohnny" post=339597][quote="Moose" post=339595]People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.[/quote]

My dumbass thought he was still Cluess' right hand man. My bad[/quote]

All good.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=339581][quote="Sju grad 13" post=339574]Cluess is so hard to figure out.

One one hand he’s 0-6 in the NCAA tournament, but on the other hand he’s played those games as a 16th seed which is brutal.

You may think if he has some Big East players a la a Heron, a Williams, a Figueroa or a Steere he could do some damage with that. But he may get exposed going against the Villanova’s or Marquette’s of the world.


Tough to figure out[/quote]

I think Cluess will be prepared to succeed at the BEC level. A solid staff could facilitate any 'transition' hiccups. The guy has great creds 'developing players'...does that stop with 3* & 4* players--the kind of guys we recruit?
I think Clues would prove out.
Probably the job he's wanted his entire career.
He would not let that slip from his grasp.[/quote]

I don't know about that. He once told me has just loves to coach basketball and it really didn't matter where. I believe him.
He told me he didn't care if it was holy trinity hs (freshman coach), st Mary's, Suffolk cc, post, or even our town CYO or intramural. He's the real deal as a coach - this is the one thing in life he wants to do, and his teams gave always won
 
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Moose wrote: People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.

Maybe Grasso can succeed Cluess 8-10 years from now after a successful run at Bryant :)
 
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I've watched a few of his interviews, he seems like a pretty good guy. Nice intelligent answers to every question.

If Hurley doesn't work, and Pitino isn't practical, then I'd be good with Cluess.
 
[quote="Moose" post=339595]People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.[/quote]

Why not, though? Grasso is still young. Why not leave Bryant at this point to rejoin his mentor at a high major school in NYC, successfully help turn SJU around in the largest media capital on the planet, and hone his resume for a bigger leap elsewhere in a few years?
Maybe 'longer' odds but not a crazy notion.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=339588][quote="L J S A" post=339582]He would have been a better choice four years ago. Not sold on it now.[/quote]

60 is the new 50, LJSA.
And if not Hurley (and it looks like 'not'), he may be the best 'other' choice at this time...which we have 'none' to waste btw. Lol.[/quote]

Age isn't an issue with me at all. The process will be slower with him because he's not a sexy enough name to fill all the holes we'll soon have headed into next season. Plus the whole "no defense" thing is out there.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=339603][quote="Moose" post=339595]People think Grasso would come as assistant? He's a head coach. Just finished first year.[/quote]

Why not, though? Grasso is still young. Why not leave Bryant at this point to rejoin his mentor at a high major school in NYC, successfully help turn SJU around in the largest media capital on the planet, and hone his resume for a bigger leap elsewhere in a few years?
Maybe 'longer' odds but not a crazy notion.[/quote]

Pretty crazy to me. You work hard to become a HC. That's the ultimate. Sure it's been done probably by someone. But it would be a bad look.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=339600][quote="Chicago Days" post=339581][quote="Sju grad 13" post=339574]Cluess is so hard to figure out.

One one hand he’s 0-6 in the NCAA tournament, but on the other hand he’s played those games as a 16th seed which is brutal.

You may think if he has some Big East players a la a Heron, a Williams, a Figueroa or a Steere he could do some damage with that. But he may get exposed going against the Villanova’s or Marquette’s of the world.


Tough to figure out[/quote]

I think Cluess will be prepared to succeed at the BEC level. A solid staff could facilitate any 'transition' hiccups. The guy has great creds 'developing players'...does that stop with 3* & 4* players--the kind of guys we recruit?
I think Clues would prove out.
Probably the job he's wanted his entire career.
He would not let that slip from his grasp.[/quote]

I don't know about that. He once told me has just loves to coach basketball and it really didn't matter where. I believe him.
He told me he didn't care if it was holy trinity hs (freshman coach), st Mary's, Suffolk cc, post, or even our town CYO or intramural. He's the real deal as a coach - this is the one thing in life he wants to do, and his teams gave always won[/quote]

I wasn’t on board either but I’ve changed my tune. I think he’s a very safe hire and is that pure coach we’ve been looking for. Likeable guy, good personality, passion for coaching. We have gotten so many wrong because they were guys that really didn’t want to be here or they were really flawed in certain aspects either recruiting-wise or coaching-wise. I’d be happy with Cluess. He must hire some big time recruiters as assistants though, like Hsu, Borman or whomever. We could do a lot worse. If anybody deserves a shot, he does.

As far as age goes, Jay Wright is almost 60 too, yet nowhere near done. 60 is fine for a coach these days.
 
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