Kudos to the Coaching Staff
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
CJ played 15 minutes at the end of the season against Nova and scored 2 points. Was anyone on this board lobbying for him to play more minutes after that game?
His playing time has little to do with last year's coach or this year's coach. Anyone coaching this team would be giving him 20 minutes.
And it's nice to see him make the most of his opportunity this season. He put in his time and effort to improve his game.
First off I am not a Kool Aid Drinker I just stated facts.
CJ needs to play the 4 and Dom also needed to play the 4. Playing them together took away from them being effective as CJ could not play the 5 and Dom could not play the 3 because of his limited shooting range.
Each game has 40 minutes for the 4 position. If Dom played 36 minutes that left 4 for CJ.
I also think CJ was playing on a bad knee last year.
CJ needs to play the 4 and Dom also needed to play the 4. Playing them together took away from them being effective as CJ could not play the 5 and Dom could not play the 3 because of his limited shooting range.
Each game has 40 minutes for the 4 position. If Dom played 36 minutes that left 4 for CJ.
I also think CJ was playing on a bad knee last year.
beast of the east
Active member
So far this season, CJ has been declared worthy of big time minutes even on last year's squad, Yakwe was compared to Walter Berry, Mussini an all Big East time of player, Sima already better the Obekpa, Balamou a very good player who may be tried at the point, Ron M. as someone we wish he had for 4 years, and Amar as very much improved. While the is a small hint of truth in some of this the fact is this team has gotten whipped by some very mediocre competition, which points to an overall shortage of talent. Lovett would have helped, but it's just incorrect to believe that his team would be dramatically better while he learned the college game. But hey, for the Lavin haters, every basket is an opportunity to point a finger at Lavin and praise Mullin. I love the coaching change to Mullin, but even to be fair, at this point in their careers, Lavin is the much better coach because Mullin is just learning. Unfortunately we will see more table sitting, gazing into the stands during timeouts. I've yet to hear Mullin say anything strategic during a timeout during a televised game as his comments to the team during timeouts tend to be more inspirational and motivational. But he is getting tons of help from Slice and St. Jean and coaching basketball isn't rocket science, but is a lot different than playing. Some of you will comment that this is Mullin bashing, but I think Mullin would want to be evaluated based on performance and not his HOF career - that alone is reason to bet on him long term.
beast of the east
Active member
A prominent local coach once told me that no basketball coach benches a guy he think could help him win without having a reason. Lavin surrounded himself with a pretty good staff, and listened to them as far as I know. I once asked Keady about how we would play Syracuse differently the next time we saw them, and he said to me, for one thing "so and so" (started at center) isn't going to play next time. CJ is getting a shot on an inferior team and making the most of it, and that's as far as this conversation should go.
The team would be much better with a point guard who could beat his man off the dribble and facilitate easy baskets for his teammates. The team would be much better with Mussini trying to get open to shoot the 3 as opposed to be being hounded and bumped with the ball in his hand. Would our record this season be better with Lovett learning the college game , yes it would be. By how many more wins I have no clue but the team and record would both be better.
Lavin was a head coach for 12 or 13 seasons but to me he appeared clueless, just clueless. I will take Mullin as a first year coach over Lavin and his cronies , as we were told by the UCLA fans, any day of the week. As you said this isn't rocket science but you know what some people just never get it in any field.
Please stop with the Lavin hater nonsense, the guy was a lazy con man who's next honest roll up your sleeves day of work will be his first. Sorry but that's the truth. As for Mullin, what nonsense, you judge his coaching by the handful of 20 second snippets during times out on TV? So we should not hate on Lavin for 5 years of crap (yes I know he made the tournament twice but he advanced the program not one bit) but you can judge Mullin on 10 games after inheriting an empty cupboard?
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
This may be a little off topic, but kudos to the coaching staff. Making lemonade from lemons, and setting us up for a nice 2016 and even better 2017 season. Restoring our local ties that were severed after Fran departed, and mining Europe for top notch talent.
beast of the east
Active member
Don't disagree with any of what you said, as some of it simply restates what I pointed out. A few weeks ago, I commented that Mussini was going to be for a very rough go. He's slower, has difficulty beating quicker, taller guards off the dribble and trying to shoot over them, and will begin to get hounded in a man since all he needs is some wide open room and he is deadly. Lovett (or any PG) will help alot, but I also feel that as this team gets much better over the next couple of years, he will be just a weapon, not THE weapon. He has to be relentless in terms of motion to pop off screens and run his man ragged, whenever he doesn't have the ball as PG. I'm simply not intoxicated by improved stat lines by anyone on a team that is likely to win 10-12 games.
I was (and am) the number 1 advocate of Mullin taking the reigns and had been as far back as the Norm hire, and was mocked for that on here. That's not to say he isn't a total neophyte here, and has a ton of things to learn. Lavin as a bench coach was no better than fair - that's a given - but right now if Mullin had no assistants, it would be embarrassing. Also, Mullin and his staff have recruited very well, but I would also be fair and say that when Lavin took over, it was speculated loudly that SJU's program was dead, and no top recruits would ever come here again. He proved that wrong, but didn't do enough (translate that to lazy if you want or just a string of failures) in terms of recruiting. Mullin quickly went to work, has had good success, and that is the main reason to point to a very bright future. But to be clear, most of the heavy lifting in terms of x's and o's bench coaching is coming from Slice and St. Jean - which I'm completely okay with as Mullin learns the ropes.
beast of the east
Active member
How can you say LAvin did not advance the program one bit? That's nonsense. We hadn't sniffed the NCAAs since Jarvis, and the program was so dead lots of people began murmuring that we should drop from the Big East. 5 years of crap? You mean Harkless, HArrison, Pointer, Obekpa, Jordan, Sampson, Greene, etc? Mussini, proclaimed here as a total Mullin player and accolades givent o Mullin was a Lavin recruit. LAvin's 4 star commit ended up at LSU. Don't get me wrong, Lavin deserved to get released, or at least reduced, but also you guys forget that on here, when the poll was taken, it was overwhelmingly voted that Lavin come back. Five years of crap, well, 4 since that's all he coached, just shows that some people around here have very short memories.
Gee, I thought you never got personal about Lavin - Lazy con man sounds pretty personal.
http://redmen.com/forum/4-redmentalk/43809-the-internet.html#164463
ok so far I love the recruiting job we are doing. We sealed some important recruits to ensure us that we will be competitive in years to come. As far as coaching coaching is concerned....besides the Cuse game, i haven't seen too much that I'm excited about. I know its a learning curve and we have a bunch of frosh, but i think a couple of those games were winnable . Time out usage, having players mentally prepared, focusing on some key deficiencies in practice might have swayed a win or two in our favor. I know losing is a learning experience, but winning is a growing experience. I don't want to be too critical of the coaching staff, i think we have the right personnel, I just think Mully needs to stop playing to crowd ( Louies reactions ), Id like to see some intensity ( ala St Jean ) and not sitting on scorers table like he is a spectator. Am i being too picky ? btw this is supposed to come across as a funny sarcastic post and not a whining diehard fan post........anyway....i like most on here just want some success with the program. I think we are heading there....PS- minus 7 on the game tonight...take the JOHNNIES!!!! With Balamou back, i think we are a different team. Go Johnnies!!
Considering the roster he left behind, I cannot agree that he advanced the program. I enjoyed the players he brought in and there were certainly some exciting moments. But, at the end of his reign, we were not better off. In fact we were in a hole. A hole created by putting all eggs in few baskets and electing not to recruit any further. What he took over with compared to what he left behind is undeniable.
Exciting moments.....yes. Advanced the program.....no.
beast of the east
Active member
Which is why he got fired. But had he stayed we would have had Sampson and probably Mussini. Jordan would have failed out and thats partially on Lavin, but since our country has abandoned the concept of self responsbility, blame Lavin for that. The bonehead CO prob would have stayed. Not a great roster for certain, but the program Mullin inherited was relevant - what Lavin started with wasn't.
Moose
Well-known member
Yea we would have had Sampson. Probably Mussini as long as Sheed was here. I heard from reliable people he was not coming if Sheed was here. Probably remove Sima. If Chris stayed he would have been suspended by now for sure. And who knows who else Lav would have had here. Oh ineligible Doughty.