Lavin loves where St. John's is going
- Thread starter MCNPA
- Start date
I still like what Baron Davis said about Lavin back in January:
" 'You can’t recruit against Lav,' Davis told SNY.tv. 'Lav is special. He’s the type of coach you want to play for.' "
I love that quote.
Consider everything that has happened this year:
1) recruits declared inelgible
2) big east practically falls apart
3) lavin recovery takes more time than expected
4) nurideen lindsey leaves the team.
5) Jakar Sampson decommits
6) Ricardo Gathers decommits
7) Darrick Wood decommits / grade issues
8 Malik Stith leaves the team
9 The teams plays shorthanded the entire year, with a very small front-court and primary ball handler who never played the position before.
I love the fact that Lavin is still positive on his recruiting right now. It's really quite stunning considering all the obstacles he has to overcome when talking to recruits.
The fact that Lavin recruited great at both UCLA and then again last year at St. John's speaks volumes. Lavin has proven that he gets it done. It doesn't really matter if the current class is "stellar" or 'good' or 'excellent' or whatever adjective you use.. it's also pretty irrelevant to me whether it happens this spring or not. If it happens next spring then that's fine too. He knows how to build a team. Lavin shows he wants to be here and it seems like he wants to be here a long time. What better city than New York to make your own little sand-box? Whether we are back in the NCAA tournament starting next year or the following isn't all that important, because when i look beyond next year it seems like we will be a regular in the NCAA tournament. The future is bright.
The program will be fine under his tutelage. Just have to give it time. I'm content to kick back and watch him work his magic.
" 'You can’t recruit against Lav,' Davis told SNY.tv. 'Lav is special. He’s the type of coach you want to play for.' "
I love that quote.
Consider everything that has happened this year:
1) recruits declared inelgible
2) big east practically falls apart
3) lavin recovery takes more time than expected
4) nurideen lindsey leaves the team.
5) Jakar Sampson decommits
6) Ricardo Gathers decommits
7) Darrick Wood decommits / grade issues
8 Malik Stith leaves the team
9 The teams plays shorthanded the entire year, with a very small front-court and primary ball handler who never played the position before.
I love the fact that Lavin is still positive on his recruiting right now. It's really quite stunning considering all the obstacles he has to overcome when talking to recruits.
The fact that Lavin recruited great at both UCLA and then again last year at St. John's speaks volumes. Lavin has proven that he gets it done. It doesn't really matter if the current class is "stellar" or 'good' or 'excellent' or whatever adjective you use.. it's also pretty irrelevant to me whether it happens this spring or not. If it happens next spring then that's fine too. He knows how to build a team. Lavin shows he wants to be here and it seems like he wants to be here a long time. What better city than New York to make your own little sand-box? Whether we are back in the NCAA tournament starting next year or the following isn't all that important, because when i look beyond next year it seems like we will be a regular in the NCAA tournament. The future is bright.
The program will be fine under his tutelage. Just have to give it time. I'm content to kick back and watch him work his magic.
I really don't know what this recruiting class holds. It might just be hyperbole, but I doubt Lavin would go that far out on a limb to fall flat on his face. I think he'll deliver us a nice class regardless. Tensions are certainly building only to have our leader make bold statements. Gotta love a guy like that regardless. Fwiw, my gut tells me Jakarr will still be part of this class. I don't think he's waiting around for anything but to be rid of his coach. He could have committed to KU or Providence at any time. Just a gut feeling here, and it's based on what I've heard about his coach from lots of places.
I hear you but you'd have to admit this 2012 class right now is the craziest as far as lack of real credible rumors as to years past. With as many guys we landed last year there really weren't any surprises other than Amir committing right after Dom or maybe Phil.
2012 is such a mystery. I'm not even concerned that much as long as our core comes back and we get some size
I hear you. I felt last year was more about a media and recruiting blitz to generate excitement and momentum. This year it looks more like behind-the-scenes and there are some logical reasons why when our final class takes shape.
It's also funny how the info is availble relative to the staff member heading up the recruitment of the particular player.
Stability.
I haven't posted on this board much this past season because, well, the bipolar postings tire me out sometimes.
I just remember how right so many of you were talkin' about how Norm left us in a bad spot with having a senior-class leaving.
We had five awesome freshies this year, and a solid Juco. I think some posters are right, a couple of years to balance things out. Lavin put together six wonderful recruits (and Polee was a great pickup too, and really wish he stuck around, would have been perfect for this mix of talent in my opinion), but he literally has to build from scratch. We're still another year or two away from having balance. No coach should have to recruit 9 players in a year the way Lavin did. But he did it anyway, and landed some stars in the process.
In two years, players like Dom, Greene, etc. will be juniors, still with us, mentoring whatever Moe or D'Lo players Lavin gets. It can and should become stable.
Lastly, all this talk about the recruiting class...great to have a Moe, D'Lo, etc. And you need such players.
But St. John's always needed players like Billy Singleton, Tyrone Grant, Charles Mineland, etc. I doubt any of these guys were necessarily on some "top 100" list, but they were crucial pieces. I was surprised at a graphic shown during the Rutgers game the other night (I think), where our highest recruit coming in was actually Sir'Dominic. You could argue that he was the least impressive of the pure freshmen this year (and I don't mean that as an insult or anything, but I don't think his game progressed that way Amir's and Greene's did, and Harrison too for that matter--but his game has such potential).
For all of the negative posters...I understand...and this board probably understands...for this has been one of the most paranoid cesspools I've ever encountered on the internet. But really, remember where this program was two years ago...a lousy coach, who would not be able to recruit anything other than MAAC caliber players most likely, and more CBI invites.
St. John's is in play. I think other coaches KNOW this, and many FEAR it. The monster may awake yet, just still stretchin' and fillin' up its tummy after a long long hibernation.
Cheers to this team this year. It was tough watching so many 20 point losses, but this group was so resilient. The game at Duke, finally getting the win over ND for a ranked opponent, the ability to string some decent wins together after quitting seemed a possibility, the progress of D'Lo (seriously, how can you NOT love this kid's heart, and I love how he mostly was able to channel his aggressiveness in ways that didn't lead to technicals and blowups). Amir and his DESIRE to come help this team halfway through the season. Branch taking the chance. Moe reminding us of what SJU is like when we have a real NYC star on hand. Moe playing with injuries. And lastly, the glimpses of what we saw last year in terms of cohesive play. There were times this team was nothing short of brilliant on the court. The experience earned may be invaluable.
I see glass half full right now.
Peace y'all.
I haven't posted on this board much this past season because, well, the bipolar postings tire me out sometimes.
I just remember how right so many of you were talkin' about how Norm left us in a bad spot with having a senior-class leaving.
We had five awesome freshies this year, and a solid Juco. I think some posters are right, a couple of years to balance things out. Lavin put together six wonderful recruits (and Polee was a great pickup too, and really wish he stuck around, would have been perfect for this mix of talent in my opinion), but he literally has to build from scratch. We're still another year or two away from having balance. No coach should have to recruit 9 players in a year the way Lavin did. But he did it anyway, and landed some stars in the process.
In two years, players like Dom, Greene, etc. will be juniors, still with us, mentoring whatever Moe or D'Lo players Lavin gets. It can and should become stable.
Lastly, all this talk about the recruiting class...great to have a Moe, D'Lo, etc. And you need such players.
But St. John's always needed players like Billy Singleton, Tyrone Grant, Charles Mineland, etc. I doubt any of these guys were necessarily on some "top 100" list, but they were crucial pieces. I was surprised at a graphic shown during the Rutgers game the other night (I think), where our highest recruit coming in was actually Sir'Dominic. You could argue that he was the least impressive of the pure freshmen this year (and I don't mean that as an insult or anything, but I don't think his game progressed that way Amir's and Greene's did, and Harrison too for that matter--but his game has such potential).
For all of the negative posters...I understand...and this board probably understands...for this has been one of the most paranoid cesspools I've ever encountered on the internet. But really, remember where this program was two years ago...a lousy coach, who would not be able to recruit anything other than MAAC caliber players most likely, and more CBI invites.
St. John's is in play. I think other coaches KNOW this, and many FEAR it. The monster may awake yet, just still stretchin' and fillin' up its tummy after a long long hibernation.
Cheers to this team this year. It was tough watching so many 20 point losses, but this group was so resilient. The game at Duke, finally getting the win over ND for a ranked opponent, the ability to string some decent wins together after quitting seemed a possibility, the progress of D'Lo (seriously, how can you NOT love this kid's heart, and I love how he mostly was able to channel his aggressiveness in ways that didn't lead to technicals and blowups). Amir and his DESIRE to come help this team halfway through the season. Branch taking the chance. Moe reminding us of what SJU is like when we have a real NYC star on hand. Moe playing with injuries. And lastly, the glimpses of what we saw last year in terms of cohesive play. There were times this team was nothing short of brilliant on the court. The experience earned may be invaluable.
I see glass half full right now.
Peace y'all.
I will add that I think some of our recruitment for 2012 has been a bit under-the-radar on purpose. Lots of people have tried to sabotage Lavin's recruiting this year with innuendo and rumors. It has worked in some instances and certainly has made it very difficult for Lavin. Lavin admitted as much today when interviewed in the skybox that these rumors are used in this manner in the high-stakes game of college bball. I think we haven't heard much, and quite a bit of that is to maybe keep some of the vultures away. When all is said and done, I think we'll have a fine class. I admit though, that I'm on the edge of my seat with this one. No idea who'll comprise ts class and we need a few guys.
Johnnies91
Member
Great post #inlavinwetrust
I may be wrong but I think he means the best class yet while at STJ. It's his third class here and if it beats last year then wow...just wow.
US Guard Wrote: Coach doesn't make a statement that next yrs recruiting class is the best he has ever had as a coach. So something big is coming unless I heard him wrong on the interview in the sky Box????
The actual quote from the sky box interview on yesterday's broadcast: "We are in position to sign a stellar recruiting class, could be one of the best of my career"
Clearly a very positive statement from the coach but he did not exactly say, that next yrs recruiting class is the best he has ever had as a coach.. I am very hopeful and reasonably confident that coach will bring in very good talent to add to our great group. However only time will tell how it will exactly play out.
The actual quote from the sky box interview on yesterday's broadcast: "We are in position to sign a stellar recruiting class, could be one of the best of my career"
Clearly a very positive statement from the coach but he did not exactly say, that next yrs recruiting class is the best he has ever had as a coach.. I am very hopeful and reasonably confident that coach will bring in very good talent to add to our great group. However only time will tell how it will exactly play out.
You bring up a good point about the staff being purposefully secretive regarding some of the recruits. That would certainly make sense.
I'm also with you -- have no idea what Lavin means when he sets the stakes so high for this year's class. Maybe he's generating more buzz for the program; but either way I have to think he has at least a few tricks up his sleave.
He might exaggerate to build buzz... but he wouldn't be saying this if he had nobody. So I gotta think we're in decent shape. Maybe not a class that is actually better, but it's gotta be significant for him to make those kind of remarks.