As I watched the cinci game tonite I saw some very lackadaisacal play on defense. So much so that at times, the cinci players seemed to have a pathway to the basket. THIS IS NOT THE ST JOHNS WAY. This team can turn this season around. I think one solution is someone needs to talk to Harkless and tell him to take over the games with Harrison. Harkless needs to take 25 shots a game.
Did they give up?
- Thread starter dee
- Start date
Absolutfan
Member
It certainly looked like they did. Thought the same thing about the open lane. The Cinci players were driving to the basket like no one was guarding them at times. There is allot more wrong with this team tonite then Harkless not taking over. Many had their heads down and looked disinterested. Why would anyone who is not a season ticket holder pay 25 bucks to watch this horrific play?
Class of 72
Active member
YES! For the first time this season.
Cincy is a very good team but our guys played street ball tonight and they collectively needed to be sat down and chewed out but on this team you cannot do that because you are then down to the walk ons.
I hope the Moe Harkless NBA nonsense ends after this game! You guys have given Moe the evil eye! If the last three games were attended by Bobre's NBA peeps I would love to hear their scouting reports. Moe needs to get better....for the college game.....not the NBA.
TRabinowitz
Member
No they didn't give up......thats because the effort and focus stunk from the opening tip!!!
i don't know if i would call it giving up. i'm sure there was distraction when a few hours before a game you find out a teammate is leaving the team. that would put anyone into a fog. now knowing that their are only 6 players not going to be as aggressive for fear of fouls. someone fouls out there is noone else there. also, have a feeling that the freshman are beginning to hit the wall. they are being asked to do the impossible, play 40 minutes a night, everynight. this a been the most trying experience for everyone, now is not the time to call these guys quitters cause that is what they will become. now is the time that this group that is left needs everyones support the most.
this is basketball, not life and death. as someone who spent most of his life in the game, now with a disease that takes simple abilities away.
five freshman playing a game, i'll let others judge. just a perspective.
this is basketball, not life and death. as someone who spent most of his life in the game, now with a disease that takes simple abilities away.
five freshman playing a game, i'll let others judge. just a perspective.
Ricky Smith
Member
Its not like its the first time a guy quit the team, theyve been thu that before
yes. Perhaps one of the worst efforts I have seen in 23 years of following this program. I went and took two work colleagues (Penn and St. Joes grads) to their first STJ game. I was embarrassed to say the least. From the opening tip until the walk ons came in, just a lost night playing with no heart.
I really think we need Lavin back on the bench ASAP. I am ok with a young squad like this losing ...but where was the fight they showed against WV, Duke and even Depaul last week?
Both LIU vs Stf teams played way better and harder than we did last night.
I really think we need Lavin back on the bench ASAP. I am ok with a young squad like this losing ...but where was the fight they showed against WV, Duke and even Depaul last week?
Both LIU vs Stf teams played way better and harder than we did last night.
I don't think they've given up. But I do agree with the poster who said they have hit a wall.
Not having Lavin on the bench has a lot more impact on this team than anyone ever imagined. And that makes sense, when you think about it. Imagine if you were heavily recruited by someone to come and work for him or her at another company. And this person has a stellar track record in business and has told you they would mentor you. And then just a few weeks after you start working for this person, he or she goes out on a medical leave for several months and you're not even sure if this person will be coming back.
I don't know about you, but if I were in that position, I'd still work hard, but my morale and motivation would definitely be adversely affected. I believe these kids are going through the very same thing. It's a shame because they all seem like a good bunch and I hope they realize that this adversity they are going through will only make them stronger and more cohesive as a team. IF they all stay together.
Not having Lavin on the bench has a lot more impact on this team than anyone ever imagined. And that makes sense, when you think about it. Imagine if you were heavily recruited by someone to come and work for him or her at another company. And this person has a stellar track record in business and has told you they would mentor you. And then just a few weeks after you start working for this person, he or she goes out on a medical leave for several months and you're not even sure if this person will be coming back.
I don't know about you, but if I were in that position, I'd still work hard, but my morale and motivation would definitely be adversely affected. I believe these kids are going through the very same thing. It's a shame because they all seem like a good bunch and I hope they realize that this adversity they are going through will only make them stronger and more cohesive as a team. IF they all stay together.
I saw the same poor attitude and lack of effort last night and couldn't understand it. After learning about Stith I realized it WAS about him. The team was in shock and disbelief. They were so distracted by this "punch in the gut" they couldn't focus on the game. Let's not forget that the newbies all respected and looked up to him. They even gave him the respected nickname "Pops". They loved their teammate and are grieving from this loss.
To me last night was more about a group of kids that expected to win again over Cincy just because they beat them on the road two weeks ago. They didn't understand that it's damn hard for any team to sweep a conference opponent...let alone a group of freshman. They know now.
The only quitting has come from most of our fanbase. It's absurd.
Sith quits and everyone tries hard to see the ship sinking instead of something positive. I've heard Branch is an absolute stud. Why is it more probable that something bad is going to happend then Lavin adding another recruit this week? Riddle me that?
Because, unfortunatly, most people gravitate to the negative. It's just human nature. Fortunatly there are people like you and me who see the glass as half full.
pose or direct
That is because they run around at times without any purpose or directiion It was bad defense Have to put some blame with Dunlap What else can you say looking at what happened Tired of Freshmen excuse We have to regroup and try something different. I was glad to see the walk ons getting some playing time should have happened in some of our other blowouts Perhaps they should get in during the games and give the players a needed break for a couple of mins These kids were just beat physically from lack of bench help.Still give them credit
It's hard to judge how the ups and downs of the season has affected this young team emotionally. They've been through a lot starting with three guys not qualifying, Lavin not coming back as soon as they anticipated, Lindsey quitting and now Stith. I think the unexpected loss of Stith hit these guys hard. Most of these guys are 18 or 19 year-olds and have come from winning basketball traditions. Everything including the game losses must have worn on them emotionally. I don't think they've hit the wall physically, they've hit the wall emotionally and it showed last night
FKASJU
Member
2x is a pattern. Anyone who thinks that that hasn't had a toll on the team is kidding themselves. Its hurting the team. Its demoralizing and has impacted their effort. Especially once they get down by double digits (again). We all know that Dunlap is a fantastic X and O guy. But there is reason no one has given him a shot to run a D-1 team on his own permanently. I really dont think the kids relate to him. He's too old school and too much of a dictator.
Please repsond with your red glasses and confirm that SJU is still the best team in the world and nothing is wrong.
Thanks,
Please repsond with your red glasses and confirm that SJU is still the best team in the world and nothing is wrong.
Thanks,
I don't own red glasses but please confirm where you got your ability to dissect so profoundly a group dynamic when you probably haven't shared a word of conversation with any of them. You guys react to the ebb and flow of a season like an FBI profiler studying a serial killer. These guys are going through a set of circumstances no other team has ever confronted and all you "fans" can do is wonder if they are quitters. They are anything but....Me, I saw a team that got a lot of great looks in the game that wouldn't go down; obviously we are not a great shooting team; when shots don't go down teams look bad. No one quit and there is nothing wrong with the program, except for the unusual circumstances left by Roberts and the unusual circumstances preventing Lavin from coaching.
If the games were free you might even have a point for a change. Unfortunately however, people are paying a lot of money for entertainment which, over the past couple of games, they haven't been getting. We just got destroyed by a team we beat earlier in the year on the road. It happens. What you don't usually see in BE games though is the unmolested layups on your home court etc. that we saw in abumdance last night. We couldn't stop the Little Sisters of the Poor in that game and you don't have to be an FBI profiler to see that there's something wrong with this picture. I see low morale, lack of effort, fatigue and disillusionment all at the same time. There have been too many positives to call them quitters however. That would be tantamount to calling Lavin a quitter. Clearly though, the madness has to stop soon before long term damage results. I remember the effect Willis Reed dragging his leg onto the court had and I really hope Lavin finds it within himself to put in an appearance before long. Beyond that we,ve got about as much to look forward to as we did under Norm Roberts at this point. The blind faith thing just doesn't cut it for me unless we can find a way to have our opponents buy in. Well, they aren't and neither is the team right now.
+ 1. This belies his basketball abilities but shows he was a respected member of the team. Because this happened only a few hours before gametime, they were not able to process the why's and wherefores of it. They were hit with a little of the " is the sky falling " mentality.
It is crucial the staff gets them to regroup and play a respectable game on Saturday. Not an easy task against G'Town ,coming off an overtime loss on the road against the # 2 team in the country.