What's particularly obnoxious about the posters on that SH site is that a good number of them -- though thankfully not all -- promote the idea that Lavin & Co. are lining the pockets of recruits, and they regularly refer to us as "$JU" (get it?). Why else, they rationalize, would so many top recruits commit to St. John's and ignore the chance to play for a dynamic, inexperienced mid-majors coach & his second-tier staff amid the dim lights and barbed wire of beautiful downtown Newark?
Lenn Robbins is a clown
- Thread starter b.c.redman
- Start date
Class of 72
Active member
Thanks Fun for putting the NY Post article in perspective. I missed your therapeutic missives while this great site was down! Nice to see you back!
terrificboss
Member
Lenn was always pretty fair with us at SJU
However, I agree that was a cheap shot article
However, I agree that was a cheap shot article
Which makes Robbins more of a phony. As you know at your party that Robbins showed up at he made it clear he didn't like Norm ( and then days later we see a puff piece from him in the post ).
Was Newsman13 there also ? I forget. I just mention Newsie because well he works in the media I know a bunch of other BEB guys remember it also.
That was a fun party
TRabinowitz
Member
PMG, Robbins went on ESPN Radio during Norm's last season and said he thought Norm deserved another year to coach his seniors. The fact that he went to the BEB party and (apparently) said that Norm wasn't doing a great job in his opinion and then to go on and vouch for the guy the way he did makes it very apparent that he's a phony.
A few things... that article was ready to go and writen when we had that party. I think the game was on a weds and the story was appearing in that sunday's paper.
That night out was a good time and we should definitely try and do it again one game this year. We had a great mix of fans and even the King of the Jungle made an appearance if memory serves me correctly.
I will admit, I like Lenn Robbins but just because he never ripped Norm publically doesn't mean he was in the Norm Fan Club. The only local reporter who took Norm to task was Mike Vaccaro and there were a multitude of reasons behind why Mike wrote that article. So, if you rip Lenn, and its certianly your choice, you need to rip every aother .local reporter who remotely covered St. John's basketball during Norm's tenure.
There was also a few basketball people, and sadly, a few posters who thought Norm should have been able to coach his Seniors.
let me add...the article may have been written for sunday..but the post has a 7pm deadline (at least it did when i was there) for articles to be in the paper the following morning. there was plenty of time to change it.
i'm sure it was king of the bronx who brought a very pretty friend with him.
i'm not ripping lenn per se. he's a very enjoyable read. that's the point of why he does what he does. as you know, it was frustrating to read all the norm praises during the nadir of the st john's basketball program. i personally took mike vaccaro to task and we went back and forth. it was only after st john's did the unthinkable and hired a major league coaching staff that vaccaro jumped off the norm bandwagon.
had norm coached his seniors, they wouldn't have even sniffed the ncaa or nit tournaments. and those monster wins??? puleeeze!!!
and, yes, it was a great party at social...a great venue. hopefully, we can do it a couple of times during what shapes up to be an exciting season.
i'm sure it was king of the bronx who brought a very pretty friend with him.
i'm not ripping lenn per se. he's a very enjoyable read. that's the point of why he does what he does. as you know, it was frustrating to read all the norm praises during the nadir of the st john's basketball program. i personally took mike vaccaro to task and we went back and forth. it was only after st john's did the unthinkable and hired a major league coaching staff that vaccaro jumped off the norm bandwagon.
had norm coached his seniors, they wouldn't have even sniffed the ncaa or nit tournaments. and those monster wins??? puleeeze!!!
and, yes, it was a great party at social...a great venue. hopefully, we can do it a couple of times during what shapes up to be an exciting season.
This is really beating a dead horse. Robbins is a journalist who, like other beat journalists who cover a particular team, needs to be political in dealing with the powers to be in order to get inside coverage and inside information on that team (or teams) in order to do his job. And if that means going sometimes soft on a head coach whom he may or may not hold in the highest regard professionally (but hold high personally) so be it.
Bottom line: Lenn Robbins gives St. John's an enormous amount exposure of in one of the best sports pages (and worst newspapers) in the New York area. To me, he is unequivocally in our corner, and I have no problem taking the occasional bitter pill (especially if it's deserved) with all the sweetness he delivers. If you want nothing but "yes man" journalism, then just limit your reading to the redstormsports.com website.
Bottom line: Lenn Robbins gives St. John's an enormous amount exposure of in one of the best sports pages (and worst newspapers) in the New York area. To me, he is unequivocally in our corner, and I have no problem taking the occasional bitter pill (especially if it's deserved) with all the sweetness he delivers. If you want nothing but "yes man" journalism, then just limit your reading to the redstormsports.com website.
Newsie - Vaccarro called for St. John's to fire Norm Roberts before he was actually let go.
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/vaccaro/role_wednesday_whacks_and_joba_john_RHghUTOjponL1avF1V6s2I
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/vaccaro/role_wednesday_whacks_and_joba_john_RHghUTOjponL1avF1V6s2I
TRabinowitz
Member
Vaccaro is the ONLY writer in this area when editorializing that TRULY called for Norm's head. PMG is absolutely right in that aspect AND the fact that in addition to Robbins, no other writer in this area besides Vaccaro called for his head.
However, Robbins is really the only one of our beat writers that ever editorializes and gives their opinion. I really don't remember Roger Rubin ever editorializing or Zagoria ever doing it, so they really didn't give their opinion of him either way IMO. Brandon Tierney also editorialized on Norm and also basically said that Norm should be able to coach his Seniors. Tierney is also a kiss-ass. To me, both Robbins and Tierney weren't being honest with their true feelings in that situation, and that's really where I lose respect for them. They both seem like smart guys who would know better than to be an activist for a guy with so much failure to keep his job. That is my gripe with Robbins (and Tierney). That they're phonies and rear-end kissers.
However, Robbins is really the only one of our beat writers that ever editorializes and gives their opinion. I really don't remember Roger Rubin ever editorializing or Zagoria ever doing it, so they really didn't give their opinion of him either way IMO. Brandon Tierney also editorialized on Norm and also basically said that Norm should be able to coach his Seniors. Tierney is also a kiss-ass. To me, both Robbins and Tierney weren't being honest with their true feelings in that situation, and that's really where I lose respect for them. They both seem like smart guys who would know better than to be an activist for a guy with so much failure to keep his job. That is my gripe with Robbins (and Tierney). That they're phonies and rear-end kissers.
Adam the Bull on the FAN called for Roberts dismissal and recognized he was not the answer.
However, Mike Francesa, at the same station, said to retain Roberts primarily because who were they going to get that was better.
Mike sensed that all the big coaches would say nay, but he was wrong thankfully, about Lavin. Thank God.
However, Mike Francesa, at the same station, said to retain Roberts primarily because who were they going to get that was better.
Mike sensed that all the big coaches would say nay, but he was wrong thankfully, about Lavin. Thank God.
Vaccaro doesn't earn his living following St. John's, and, to a large extent, Robbins does. I like Vaccaro a lot, but to think he's somehow sticking out his neck by calling for Roberts' head is foolish. He has little to do with St. John's basketball, other than commenting on them when they happen to be making news; if he did, he probably -- if not undoubtedly -- wouldn't have been so boldly negative in his opinion of Norm. (And keep in mind: Robbins had developed a personal relationship with Roberts, something Vaccaro hadn't done.)
Back to the point: Norm Roberts is gone, Steve Lavin (thank God!) is here ... and Lenn Robbins is the guy who gives us more coverage than anyone else in the NYC area press. That's all that matters! And if Robbins questions Hicks' judgment in hanging out with Nevin Shapiro and the ill consequences thereof, or anything else for that matter, so be it. Whether or not you agree with his assessments, they're not subversive and not necessarily ill-conceived or unwarranted. Or would you prefer that he be more like one of those Lexington area yes-men who cover Calipari? I don't.