If you are not embarrassed by this team and this coach now....you just do not know anything about basketball. This coach has done nothing except recruit. These players have no clue how to play defense or how to set up each other on offense. Just a total embarrassment to the St. John's program.
If you are not embarrassed by this team now...you
- Thread starter mantle369
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montyaloofah
Active member
Embarrassed, disappointed, and glad it's now over.
It's the most embarassing night at Alumni Hall/CA since I've been going to games starting with my freshman year in '63-4. There have been some bad games like when the Doctors of Dunk from Louisville and that Mike Malloy led Davidson team spanked us pretty badly but they were both top 5 ranked teams when it happened. That loss to St. Francis when they renamed the arena was bad for a different reason. I can never recall such a beat-down at CA by a mid major as last night. The best thing about last night was after Anderson hit another three late in the second half, someone behind me in the stands yelled out, "You shoulda come to St. John's". :dry:
Actually I think the loss to St. Francis was more embarrassing based on the circumstances that night, but in terms of effort (or lack their of), this was ten times worst.
I really didn't think we would do much in the NIT and am not surprised that we lost. I turned the game on and it was 16-2 St. Francis less than four minutes in. That was pretty much it for me. I would switch the game back on when a commercial would come on from the other games I was watching, and I witnessed four on one breaks (Branch was the only one that seemed to be getting back and he even prevented a lay-up with a great defensive play only to watch them regroup and hit a three) where the rest of the team basically walked back on defense and general apathy and lack of effort.
Sorry Mantle 369, I won't go as for as saying I am embarrassed by this team, as we've had worst both on and off the court, and yes, I do know a few things about basketball. Embarrassed (but not necessarily surprised) by the pathetic effort (or lack thereof) last night, absolutely. Disappointed in the season, damn right. Concerned about the future, damn straight. But to say I am embarrassed overall by the team, sorry I just can't get there.
I originally was against the hiring of Lavin because I had doubts about his ability to coach. I warmed up to the idea based on some thoughts of some other posters and people I knew and of course got behind him when hired. Based on his successful first year and his recruiting results that year, I definitely figured I was wrong. However, my initial fears and thoughts seem to have been spot on.
beast of the east
Active member
I sincerely hope you live long enough to see another NCAA bid by St. John's.
Losing to Cal-Irvine in the Laphick Tournament in 1995 should be be there as well. The worst part was that was the last year of the tournament, which meant SJU could never avenge the loss to the Anteaters.
And if you live another 100 years, I am sure you will have many more embarrassingly memorable moments.
I go back to '56. it is right up there with the worst, not because of the loss alone but because, we quit.
It's probably smarter to keep the coach on the job now but, it is the coach and his staff that are responsible for the way the kids play or, in this case, that they decide not to play. Coach must change the "suits" on the bench as well as his assessments of talent he recruits. Roberts kids competed till the end and beyond as did Lou's and the rest. The kids didn't embarrass me, they, except for a few, embarrassed themselves. It's the first time I've seen that with SJU in a game that really counted.
A reputation has been squandered.
It's probably smarter to keep the coach on the job now but, it is the coach and his staff that are responsible for the way the kids play or, in this case, that they decide not to play. Coach must change the "suits" on the bench as well as his assessments of talent he recruits. Roberts kids competed till the end and beyond as did Lou's and the rest. The kids didn't embarrass me, they, except for a few, embarrassed themselves. It's the first time I've seen that with SJU in a game that really counted.
A reputation has been squandered.
The Providence game that just happened was for me the 2nd worse loss ever since I became a fan ( 87 ). Now Providence game just got knocked down to #3 because this game was worse.
At this rate the Providence game won't even be in the top 10 all time losses soon
At this rate the Providence game won't even be in the top 10 all time losses soon
The loss wasn't as unexpected and the players didn't go to sleep but the St. Francis game when Alumni Hall was renamed to CA and there were almost as many ex-players in attendance as last night's total attendance was pretty bad.
It did make you wonder if Norm was a good choice.
It did make you wonder if Norm was a good choice.
beast of the east
Active member
You know, for those of us, and that includes almost everyone here who bleed St. John's red, as Bruce Beck proclaims, every most recent disappointment feels like the worst ever. I'm not as pained because I didn't expect so much after the team failed some litmus tests to close out conference play. Needless to say, I think we are overstating how painful this particular season was, and after a few weeks to lick our wounds, will look forward to another campaign with renewed hopes.
There's no doubt it always subsides. It's a game.
But for me it's not about the disappointment and failure that this season was. It's about the concern regarding where we are going as a program, moving forward, in terms of results. If I was more confident in that, I'd be over this season in about 5 seconds. But this season, which was supposed to be all about getting over the hump and getting back in the tourney (with many expecting us to win a few games!), ended up producing just as many questions as answers.
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
I'm already looking forward to next year. A last second loss, or the games lost on a bad call, hurt the most. When the refs jobbed us against Duke in, I believe, a sweet 16 game, really was tough. The game stolen from us at Depaul years ago was another one. Last night? Just another game where our "talent" stunk the joint up. It helped those that didn't figure it out realize that they didn't belong in the NCAA, or even the NIT.