Isaiah Whitehead, SG (Seton Hall verbal)
- Thread starter Moose
- Start date
And what about the assistant coaches on Seton Hall's current staff? How are they supposed to feel about this? That's a horrible way to treat your staff by Willard. Basically one of them has already been informed they will be removed after the season, for when Tiny comes on the staff next season??? Where is the loyalty from Willard?
From all I have heard - Tiny crossed the line a long time ago. I was commenting on SHU not Tiny-though I realize it's now hard to separate the two. Also, having just read the NCAA rule about hiring H.S. coaches and the restrictions associated with it, the letter of the law is being followed (if one believes Tiny had nothing to do with IW's commitment- personally I don't)) but not the spirit of the law. So, I will back track and say shame on SHU and the NCAA (though I'm happy SHU got IW instead of a school from another conference-may be incongruous- just my personal prejudice speaking). NCAA should enforce the law or drop it.
I am happy that Lavin would not go that route- and the very public way that Tiny has aired Lavin's refusal is a public relations bonus for Lavin and SJU.
guinness77
Well-known member
It seemed appropriate given some of the nonsense flowing in this thread.
If anyone has a problem with us not getting this kid because we didn't offer his enabl...uh, I mean coach...a position on the staff, then I don't even know where to begin.
I want to win as much as the rest of you, but, the obsession over which school these kids pick is borderline maniacal. Its not just us, its the whole sport. I, frankly, have a hard time even caring at this point. The way this whole process works now, where money and position is king, is so screwed up that i think its going to ruin the very foundation of the college basketball world.
Wake me up when it's November. I just want to watch basketball.
NYCRedmen
Well-known member
"There could, though, be a test that Seton Hall didn't pass on Thursday. The eye test, the ethical eye test.
Seton Hall's method of convincing Whitehead to commit wasn't wrong in the technical sense, but in the logical sense. Where the Pirates are at fault is in its devaluation of what recruitment should be about - the choice of an amateur athlete, and nothing else. It felt more like a business transaction.
The public response once rumors circled about Whitehead's decision and the ensuing associative shuffling that could follow were vastly mixed. Some were appalled, even disappointed that college basketball could be influenced and manipulated by negotiations such as these. Others lauded the creativity and out-of-the-box thinking by Kevin Willard to land a talent in a way that many others before him have.
Among St. John's fans, the opinion was generally consistent. Yet, contrary to the usual emotions of losing out on a coveted local recruit, the response wasn't defined by anger or jealousy.
It was relief. It was thankfulness.
Thankfulness that St. John's didn't revert to this choice. Steve Lavin and his program had become winners in the eyes of its biggest supporters just hours after failing to close the deal. Perhaps it was just that - to the Johnnies, the recruitment of Whitehead ended when the process became a negotiation for a deal rather than a mutual agreement based on fit."
Sounds like SHU writer is not a fan of this article:
SOrangeJuice @SOrangeJuice 5h
Suggests SHU failed an, "ethical eye test." RT @rumbleSBN: Whitehead picks Seton Hall; did #sjubb emerge winners? http://sbn.to/19nqwVG
L J S A
Well-known member
Having Whitehead would have been nice, but we have five guys at the 1, 2, and 3 I like, so I'm not crying. The biggest disappointment for me is that I thought Lavn could parlay a Whitehead signing into two really good unsigned big men who hadn't mentioned us before.
I know shady stuff goes on in college, but I prefer our shadiness to stay below the surface. I think Seton Hall comes out looking bad. And if Whitehead stays a year and they don't do anything while he's there, then that makes it even worse. We'll be fine.
I know shady stuff goes on in college, but I prefer our shadiness to stay below the surface. I think Seton Hall comes out looking bad. And if Whitehead stays a year and they don't do anything while he's there, then that makes it even worse. We'll be fine.
Well lets hope we can land Rasheed then
“@AdamZagoria: Lavin, St. John's Move on After Whitehead Decisionhttp://zagsblog.com/articles/st-johns-moves-on-after-whitehead-decision/”
beast of the east
Active member
We all remember with angst the regrettable Mike Jarvis comment that he wouldn't deal with AAU coaches during the recruitment process. Why? Because AAU coaches were putting price tags on their players, asking for speaking engagements at coach's summer camps and other paid "positions". The connection was clear - pay me, and i'll deliver the player.
Walter Berry tells a hilarious story of his recruitment from San Jacinto. At one game where all the schools recruiting Berry were present, Berry heard a knock on his hotel room door. When he opened the door, no one was there, but there was a paper bag there. Berry went into his room, opened the bag, and there were thousands of dollars in the bag. He says he laid on the bed and gleefully tossed the bills in the air, joyfully thinking "I'm rich, I'm rich". A few minutes later the phone rings, and the person on the phone says he is calling from the NCAA. The voice says that if Berry ever wanted to play college ball, and possibly stay out of jail, that he immediately put the money back in the bag, and leave it outside the door, and when the school who left it there called, to tell them he wasn't interested. Berry complied.
When Berry eventually chose St. John's, much later he found out that the NCAA agent who called was Ron Rutledge. The school who sent the money? Villanova.
Dirty stuff in college basketball has been happening forever. Whitehead's high school coach is a dog, but that sort of thing has happened forever.
JSJ reported that in Missouri, they are erecting a statue for Norm Stewart, but I am aware that Stewart also offered a prominent player from NY's high school coach an assistant's position on his staff, presumably to land the player. Morton is a dog, but Willard is worse. But worse than that, that's how the recruiting game is played.
Walter Berry tells a hilarious story of his recruitment from San Jacinto. At one game where all the schools recruiting Berry were present, Berry heard a knock on his hotel room door. When he opened the door, no one was there, but there was a paper bag there. Berry went into his room, opened the bag, and there were thousands of dollars in the bag. He says he laid on the bed and gleefully tossed the bills in the air, joyfully thinking "I'm rich, I'm rich". A few minutes later the phone rings, and the person on the phone says he is calling from the NCAA. The voice says that if Berry ever wanted to play college ball, and possibly stay out of jail, that he immediately put the money back in the bag, and leave it outside the door, and when the school who left it there called, to tell them he wasn't interested. Berry complied.
When Berry eventually chose St. John's, much later he found out that the NCAA agent who called was Ron Rutledge. The school who sent the money? Villanova.
Dirty stuff in college basketball has been happening forever. Whitehead's high school coach is a dog, but that sort of thing has happened forever.
JSJ reported that in Missouri, they are erecting a statue for Norm Stewart, but I am aware that Stewart also offered a prominent player from NY's high school coach an assistant's position on his staff, presumably to land the player. Morton is a dog, but Willard is worse. But worse than that, that's how the recruiting game is played.
Most of us know this is a shady business. It can get rather grimy in certain situations.
There is a story that John Thompson, Jr. didn't allow a recruit to finish his official visit because he and his handler wanted compensation, if he committed. Several G'town fans have stated that recruit was Khalid El-Amin.
I, vividly recall UConn coming in very late (practically, out of nowhere) in his recruitment, and snagged him.
I also heard a story that G'town had someone to fund dividends to a 2008 recruit's church, in order to land him.
There were stories I heard during John Wall's recruitment that would give you a headache. We all know about shady deals taking place, whether it's in the gray area or clearly cross the line.
Most coaches who feel they are on solid ground wouldn't have gone the route Willard went yesterday. He's not only done it once.... He's done it three times during this year alone.
Willard did this because he is trying to jumpstart the Hall's program and.... and.... he's desperate. Most of us know why he did it, but the thing about this one is it was all out in the public. Not to mention, it was obvious what took place during the final hours of this recruitment.
It's one thing to do it, and have people assuming and insinuating. This was all out for anyone halfway following recruiting to see. It's legal, so it's all good.
Like I told a couple of folks yesterday.... I'm not sweating it, as I found the whole charade to be funny and sad. But it doesn't change my opinion of the situation.
We'll be fine. "The sun will rise again."
