Is This Start Better Than Any of Us Imagined?

room112

room112

Well-known member
2023 $upporter
I was reading the ESPN.com recap of our game and it had the following sentence:

The last time the Red Storm began a season 10-1 was the 1990-91. That team finished the season with a 23-9 record before losing to then-No. 2 Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

Having a lot of fun watching this season progress and keep waiting for us to slip up but we haven't. So it got me thinking, is there anyone who realistically could have seen the season going as well as it has so far?
 
I knew we could do this. I thought Gonzaga was the only game we couldn't win. And they proved to me we were capable of beating even them.

I can't wait for conference play. Nova is so beatable and if they stay undefeated we can get a huge win at home early January. If I had to guess I'd say we will go 12-6 in conference play. That's my prediction. I say we sweep Marquette, Creighton, DePaul, and play well against everyone else. It is hard to predict a record though, I have no idea how we are going to play against these conference teams.

It is nice to have a ranking, but we are far away from a bid. We play 3 very good teams to start conference play, if we start out 0-3 or 1-2 it is gonna be back to no ranking and probably start to flirt with being on the bubble. Need to play well in conference play. If the tourney was only based on non conf play TCU would be a 5 seed
 
I certainly didn't think the season would start like this.
I'm very happy for the team, they're doing a great job so far.
 
I was reading the ESPN.com recap of our game and it had the following sentence:

The last time the Red Storm began a season 10-1 was the 1990-91. That team finished the season with a 23-9 record before losing to then-No. 2 Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

Having a lot of fun watching this season progress and keep waiting for us to slip up but we haven't. So it got me thinking, is there anyone who realistically could have seen the season going as well as it has so far?
Click to expand...

Hi nice to meet you.
 
I was reading the ESPN.com recap of our game and it had the following sentence:

The last time the Red Storm began a season 10-1 was the 1990-91. That team finished the season with a 23-9 record before losing to then-No. 2 Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

Having a lot of fun watching this season progress and keep waiting for us to slip up but we haven't. So it got me thinking, is there anyone who realistically could have seen the season going as well as it has so far?
Click to expand...

Hi nice to meet you.
Click to expand...

Ha! Sorry I didn't read through the predictions thread. I bet you did not predict Pointer to play this well though :)
 
F espn. Every time SJU plays, I go to the "NY" page, and they NEVER link SJU articles. This is a ranked team for over two weeks. Yet, in the last month, "NY" page has had links to Cuse/LStech; Jamie Winston; etc.

I can't help but think it's NOT paranoid to think that ESPN is short drifting big east teams purposely as others have claimed before. Same goes for the main College Basketball page. A ranked team, but never listed in first set of articles.

I understand not everyone at ESPN is anti-Johnnies or anything, but sorry, this feels like "what they don't know won't hurt them" for a company so aligned with leagues not the Big East.

F espn. Word.

Go St. John's!
 
and that espn article is just Associated Press copy. as most St. John's game reports on that site are. i know they gave some shine to Lav recently, but I can't help but think ESPN sees a graden full of "acc" and will likely do little to feature its competition on Fox.
 
I was reading the ESPN.com recap of our game and it had the following sentence:

The last time the Red Storm began a season 10-1 was the 1990-91. That team finished the season with a 23-9 record before losing to then-No. 2 Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

Having a lot of fun watching this season progress and keep waiting for us to slip up but we haven't. So it got me thinking, is there anyone who realistically could have seen the season going as well as it has so far?
Click to expand...

Hi nice to meet you.
Click to expand...
oooo but marillac, even you took a big step back with the news of Thomas being out.

I on the other hand thought this team would be very good, but no, not top 15 entering BE play good.
 
I was reading the ESPN.com recap of our game and it had the following sentence:

The last time the Red Storm began a season 10-1 was the 1990-91. That team finished the season with a 23-9 record before losing to then-No. 2 Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

Having a lot of fun watching this season progress and keep waiting for us to slip up but we haven't. So it got me thinking, is there anyone who realistically could have seen the season going as well as it has so far?
Click to expand...

Hi nice to meet you.
Click to expand...
oooo but marillac, even you took a big step back with the news of Thomas being out.

I on the other hand thought this team would be very good, but no, not top 15 entering BE play good.
Click to expand...

Rankings before conference play are nice but DePaul is the only team we should clearly sweep. Every other Big East team will be a challenge on their home court. Don't break out the champagne just yet. Depth and outside shooting will remain an issue.
 
I am an optimist by nature but after losing Sampson, Sanchez and Gift off the front line from last year I was skeptical we could fill that void easily. Then with Thomas not able to qualify for school followed up by A. Delarosa being academically ineligible it was hard to see this team being a tournament type team. Additionally after the early season uneven showing against Franklin K. Pierce I was even more skeptical about the team's potential.

However starting with the second half of the Minnesota game up through today I have seen only positives. This team is getting better and better and nothing they accomplish will surprise me now. The sky is the limit and I, for one, will not doubt them again. Let us hope they stay healthy and then I believe success will follow.
 
After the Delarosa ,Thomas debacles, I wasn't expecting much. Thought the lack of size would kill us. Dom has done a great job at the 4 and Chris is really improving offensively. I'm still a bit worried about our overall offense, did not look good the last 2 games. But, I am ecstatic about our D. I am happy where we are and never expected a top 20 ranking at this time.
 
Have to admit that I didn't expect this. Still not sold, knowing the schedule was pretty light and almost all at home. The last 2 wins were against cross country travelers, never an easy task. Still worried that the lack of size and poor outside shooting will take its toll. Then again, the defense should be there most nights, and not every team likes to play defense or play against a strong one. I'm just hoping we don't turn back into a pumpkin before the grand ball.
 
After the Delarosa ,Thomas debacles, I wasn't expecting much. Thought the lack of size would kill us. Dom has done a great job at the 4 and Chris is really improving offensively. I'm still a bit worried about our overall offense, did not look good the last 2 games. But, I am ecstatic about our D. I am happy where we are and never expected a top 20 ranking at this time.
Click to expand...

This perfectly encapsulates my feelings as well.
Nice summary Steinfed.
 
I'm friends with Kieran who used to cover the Johnnies for ESPN NY. And I think their lack of coverage is for two reasons: (1) Frankly we have been mostly bad for the last 3 years, and I don't think they were getting the traffic. (2) Lavin or perhaps others in the AD could be little think skinned and were not happy with any negative coverage and banished him from the normal press row to higher seats. I think they just got fed up with that.

Having said that, I can't imagine they won't have someone covering the Seton Hall game because its 2 locals playing well. And if we go into the Nova game with 1 loss and they are undefeated, they are going to have to cover it because it will be a national story.
 
I
After the Delarosa ,Thomas debacles, I wasn't expecting much. Thought the lack of size would kill us. Dom has done a great job at the 4 and Chris is really improving offensively. I'm still a bit worried about our overall offense, did not look good the last 2 games. But, I am ecstatic about our D. I am happy where we are and never expected a top 20 ranking at this time.
Click to expand...


This perfectly encapsulates my feelings as well.
Nice summary Steinfed.
Click to expand...

Desso, wasn't it before the Thomas and Adonis ineligible news when you were not expecting much?
 
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/12/22/nbcsports-com-midseason-all-american-team/


I know its only one guys opinion, and likely distributed before last nights game, but still great to see harrison getting recognition on a national level. I love the kid, love how he plays,love his heart and love his commmitment to the program. I hope he continues to get such praise. Of course, that would likely mean that the team would continue to experience contonued success, which would make eveyone happy
 
Yes, this start is waaaay better than I would have imagined.

I expected 3 losses by now: Minn, Zags and 'Cuse and halfway through the Niagara game I was worried about them and SMC!

I thought our bench was too light, not realizing sometimes less is more. Thought we would be too reliant on D'Lo for points - but games last night disproved that.

Biggest surprise? Never guessed we could play with such focus as a unit on D. Stats don't lie: 31st in pts allowed, 11th in rebounds, 5th in blocks... all from a smallish team - just shows the effort.

Everyone has upped their game: PG4, Branch but especially CO and Sir'DP. I think we still have to see the best of Rysheed and his contribution in 2015 BE play can determine how far we go.

Like many others, I have second guessed Coach Lavin in the past; have to say he has done little wrong so far this campaign. He has a settled line-up with defined roles and game plans / set plays.

All that said, the first part of the season is just about behind us and the real climb starts New Years Eve vs. the Hall. I doubt we can maintain this level of play in the BE but 12 or 13 conf wins is very possible, which is a significant improvement over last year.

After this great start, it would be a darn shame if the Seniors do not get one more waltz at the Big Dance... especially since we may also be saying goodbye to CO and Rysheed.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah y'all.
 
I'm friends with Kieran who used to cover the Johnnies for ESPN NY. And I think their lack of coverage is for two reasons: (1) Frankly we have been mostly bad for the last 3 years, and I don't think they were getting the traffic. (2) Lavin or perhaps others in the AD could be little think skinned and were not happy with any negative coverage and banished him from the normal press row to higher seats. I think they just got fed up with that.

Having said that, I can't imagine they won't have someone covering the Seton Hall game because its 2 locals playing well. And if we go into the Nova game with 1 loss and they are undefeated, they are going to have to cover it because it will be a national story.
Click to expand...

ESPN is an ACC network and always has been. They have a huge tv contract with them, the majority of their announcers are acc graduates, and 90% of their upper management are Duke graduates.
 
I'm friends with Kieran who used to cover the Johnnies for ESPN NY. And I think their lack of coverage is for two reasons: (1) Frankly we have been mostly bad for the last 3 years, and I don't think they were getting the traffic. (2) Lavin or perhaps others in the AD could be little think skinned and were not happy with any negative coverage and banished him from the normal press row to higher seats. I think they just got fed up with that.

Having said that, I can't imagine they won't have someone covering the Seton Hall game because its 2 locals playing well. And if we go into the Nova game with 1 loss and they are undefeated, they are going to have to cover it because it will be a national story.
Click to expand...

ESPN is an ACC network and always has been. They have a huge tv contract with them, the majority of their announcers are acc graduates, and 90% of their upper management are Duke graduates.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we've been a ranked team for a few weeks and I still don't think ESPN is showing highlights of our games. I know they certainly don't have video highlights for us online. Such a shame.
 
I'm friends with Kieran who used to cover the Johnnies for ESPN NY. And I think their lack of coverage is for two reasons: (1) Frankly we have been mostly bad for the last 3 years, and I don't think they were getting the traffic. (2) Lavin or perhaps others in the AD could be little think skinned and were not happy with any negative coverage and banished him from the normal press row to higher seats. I think they just got fed up with that.

Having said that, I can't imagine they won't have someone covering the Seton Hall game because its 2 locals playing well. And if we go into the Nova game with 1 loss and they are undefeated, they are going to have to cover it because it will be a national story.
Click to expand...

ESPN is an ACC network and always has been. They have a huge tv contract with them, the majority of their announcers are acc graduates, and 90% of their upper management are Duke graduates.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we've been a ranked team for a few weeks and I still don't think ESPN is showing highlights of our games. I know they certainly don't have video highlights for us online. Such a shame.
Click to expand...

Didn't know ESPN still showed highlights. Especially of sports not called the NFL or NBA
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top