LJ in Transfer Portal?

[quote="redmen4life" post=388441][quote="billthetruth" post=388439][quote="cappy105" post=388438]LJ was a great player lets not fool ourselves. That being said, he screwed the program the way he handled this. We lost out on potentially good BE players. I also feel that he's been playing with this idea back and forth to get out of here for two years now. Again, don't want a player here if doesn't want to be here. Great player yes, parting words for him....peace! See ya!! Next![/quote]

LJ is a good not great player. The word "great" should not be used lightly.[/quote]

i know fans are pissed. but please stop minimizing his importance to this team.

LJ made plays when we needed them. he hit shots when we needed them. he hussled. he played hard.

is he an nba player? no. is he an all time johnnie great? maybe.

but st. john's is in ZERO position to lose a player like him.

WE ARE NOT GREAT. [/quote]

"All time" Johnnie great? Surely you jest?
He's not even "honorable mention" great as far as this programs history is concerned.
 
I dont begrudge LJ for transferring. What pisses me off is waiting till the end of May to inform staff.
 
Despite Cappy's misnomer labeling LJ 'great', he nailed it in that LJ handled this poorly and, by doing so, looks to have hurt the team's prospects for next season.
We'll see how it fleshes out--by how much--bur he has put SJU in a bad sitch this late...as of now.
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=388442][quote="redmen4life" post=388441][quote="billthetruth" post=388439][quote="cappy105" post=388438]LJ was a great player lets not fool ourselves. That being said, he screwed the program the way he handled this. We lost out on potentially good BE players. I also feel that he's been playing with this idea back and forth to get out of here for two years now. Again, don't want a player here if doesn't want to be here. Great player yes, parting words for him....peace! See ya!! Next![/quote]

LJ is a good not great player. The word "great" should not be used lightly.[/quote]

i know fans are pissed. but please stop minimizing his importance to this team.

LJ made plays when we needed them. he hit shots when we needed them. he hussled. he played hard.

is he an nba player? no. is he an all time johnnie great? maybe.

but st. john's is in ZERO position to lose a player like him.

WE ARE NOT GREAT.[/quote]

I didn't sense bill was minimizing Figueroa's importance to the team. You're arguing a point he never made.

He simply said, "Figueroa is a good player, not great." I agree with him. And, that isn't minimizing what he meant to our squad. This is coming from someone who wished LJ was coming back for his senior season.

I also do not lightly toss around the word, "great." IMO, Figueroa wasn't a "maybe" as far as Johnnies greats are concerned. Please! Not even close. Sorry.

No, we aren't "great," which is another point that wasn't mentioned or debated. But neither is Figueroa. He is (or was) a solid player for us.[/quote]

Thank you. I cant understand his response. I said zero about his importance to the team. All I said is he is a good not great player and I stand 1000% behind my original comment.

When I think great BE players: Ewing, Mullin, Allen, Coleman, and Iverson come to mind.

LJ is again a good, not great player...no knock on him. . .
. .
 
And do I wish he decided to come back: yes.
But we will survive and move forward.

Lets face it other than Nova and possibly Creighton, you can throw the 8 other teams in the same group. (not counting UConn as I have seen very little of their games the last few years)
They all have their pluses and minuses. Some of our competitors have lost players that will be very hard to initially replace (Powell, Howard, Marshall, and Alexander). I am hopeful CMA's style and system will push us into the top half of the Big East and out of the 1st night of the BE tournament. That would be progress in my book. Don't count me in the group that thinks we will be competing at the top of the league. I just want to keep seeing a solid foundation being built.
 
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[quote="billthetruth" post=388450][quote="MJDinkins" post=388442][quote="redmen4life" post=388441][quote="billthetruth" post=388439][quote="cappy105" post=388438]LJ was a great player lets not fool ourselves. That being said, he screwed the program the way he handled this. We lost out on potentially good BE players. I also feel that he's been playing with this idea back and forth to get out of here for two years now. Again, don't want a player here if doesn't want to be here. Great player yes, parting words for him....peace! See ya!! Next![/quote]

LJ is a good not great player. The word "great" should not be used lightly.[/quote]

i know fans are pissed. but please stop minimizing his importance to this team.

LJ made plays when we needed them. he hit shots when we needed them. he hussled. he played hard.

is he an nba player? no. is he an all time johnnie great? maybe.

but st. john's is in ZERO position to lose a player like him.

WE ARE NOT GREAT.[/quote]

I didn't sense bill was minimizing Figueroa's importance to the team. You're arguing a point he never made.

He simply said, "Figueroa is a good player, not great." I agree with him. And, that isn't minimizing what he meant to our squad. This is coming from someone who wished LJ was coming back for his senior season.

I also do not lightly toss around the word, "great." IMO, Figueroa wasn't a "maybe" as far as Johnnies greats are concerned. Please! Not even close. Sorry.

No, we aren't "great," which is another point that wasn't mentioned or debated. But neither is Figueroa. He is (or was) a solid player for us.[/quote]

Thank you. I cant understand his response. I said zero about his importance to the team. All I said is he is a good not great player and I stand 1000% behind my original comment.

When I think great BE players: Ewing, Mullin, Allen, Coleman, and Iverson come to mind.

LJ is again a good, not great player...no knock on him. . .
. .[/quote]

you're talking about all time historical greats.

we have to think about LJ in the context of our current team.

in the context of a duke, KY, KS team, is LJ a great player? No

In the context of all time greats, is LJ a great player? No

in the context of our CURRENT team, is LJ a great player? I would argue yes.

to me, by you saying he's just 'good' then it makes him no different than marcus, williams, julian, etc... he's better than them.

people also forget that he had to learn a new system, became the focal point, and really had no other offensive threats as compared to his first year with ponds, heron, simon, etc...

and next year, after having a full season with CMA, knowing the system, culture, and with a more developed, mature team, he could've had a proper break-out year... and that to me, is really the sad part.
 
LJs leaving means more shots and playing time for Duke, Champy, Cole and Greg Williams.

Am I the only one not seeing a problem here?
 
Maybe I missing something, but why is everyone so sure that LJ "screwed" CMA over? Who's to say that he hasn't kept CMA apprised all along the way, and that CMA was willing to go along with things in the hopes that LJ would decide to return, as he did last year? There was never any statement from LJ or the staff that he was definitely returning. The more time went on, the more promising it looked, but again it was never said that he was returning. It's entirely possible that CMA was well aware of this possibility, but wasn't going to say anything about it until it was a done deal, one way or the other.
 
I have to believe LJ is leaving because of playing time. Now don't get all excited about that comment. Let me explain - many times I was really surprised that coach took LJ and/or Heron out after only 4 minutes in the half. This while the opposition stayed with their starting five. Just had a gut feeling this had to bother them, I know it would have bothered me. That earlier in the game never made sense to me even though I knew CMA substituted freely. Unless LJ took a few wild floaters I just didn't understand why he would sit out lenghty minutes, especially since he was our best player.Just my gut feeling!
 
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How can LJ not be a great player if he's been considered one of the best transfers in the country the last two years? Mullin and Ewing were legendary, not simply great. Not all "great" players can carry a team. LJ will thrive being Robin if he joins a team with a Batman. Just as he did when Ponds was here.

I'm a little upset at the timing of the transfer, but I'm not going to flame the kid for doing what he thinks is best for him. It's in SJU and CMA's best interest to simply respect his decision and move forward.
 
I admit this is speculation Monte, but there's LJ's tweet that "it was the coach" and then buzzz about LJ loading up on courses to graduate and be a Grad Transfer. I don't know, just seems some mighty circumstantial stuff that he did mess us up leaving this late and that he planned it.
Also, I doubt CMA, having fused an unexpected winning season together, would allow LJ or any player to string him for a key roster spot along, unless CMA had reason to believe LJ was returning.
But, i agree, we do not know for sure.
 
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To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."
 
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He was good player for us and will be missed but he never even made all conference team so great would be a major over statement. IMHO
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=388462]To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. That's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."[/quote]

fine.

you don't think that next season, with full year under CMA, his system, culture, developed players like GW, ME, Julian, and the new crop of guys, that LJ really would've been the star on this team?
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=388462]To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."[/quote]

The difference between legendary and great is simply semantics?
 
The offseason started way too early, but in a normal year a fight over whether LJ is great would definitely signify the official start of the Redmen.com summer doldrums.

And for the record, LJ is a good college player.
 
[quote="redmen4life" post=388464][quote="MJDinkins" post=388462]To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. That's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."[/quote]

fine.

you don't think that next season, with full year under CMA, his system, culture, developed players like GW, ME, Julian, and the new crop of guys, that LJ really would've been the star on this team?[/quote]

I don't know. I try not to be speak in absolutes. Maybe, someone like Champagnie or a newcomer like Cole could be the supposed "go-to-guy" even with Figueroa in tow.

Regardless, that doesn't have anything to do with being "great."
 
[quote="AlexSTJ" post=388466][quote="MJDinkins" post=388462]To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."[/quote]

The difference between legendary and great is simply semantics?[/quote]

Yep.
 
[quote="redmen4life" post=388464][quote="MJDinkins" post=388462]To Redmen4life and AlexSTJ.... Legendary, historical, great.... Semantics. I don't use the word "great" lightly, and Figueroa isn't a great player. Sorry.

Those "legendary" and "historical" players were great players. Simple. Figueroa is a good player. That's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be "great."[/quote]

fine.

you don't think that next season, with full year under CMA, his system, culture, developed players like GW, ME, Julian, and the new crop of guys, that LJ really would've been the star on this team?[/quote]

I do not think he would of been a star. I think earlington is better, I think Champy is better and I think Cole is better then LJ.

LJ had his chance to shine and he dropped the ball. When the chips were down, guys like earlington were carrying us.

LJ had a bad year last year. Theres no denying that. Foul trouble, awful shot selection., bricking free throws in end of game situations etc. He was a total disappointment last year.

Its time for someone to tell it like it is.
 
[quote="Monte" post=388457]Maybe I missing something, but why is everyone so sure that LJ "screwed" CMA over? Who's to say that he hasn't kept CMA apprised all along the way, and that CMA was willing to go along with things in the hopes that LJ would decide to return, as he did last year? There was never any statement from LJ or the staff that he was definitely returning. The more time went on, the more promising it looked, but again it was never said that he was returning. It's entirely possible that CMA was well aware of this possibility, but wasn't going to say anything about it until it was a done deal, one way or the other.[/quote]

I am 1000% sure that back around May 10th there was a tweet from our favorite beat writer after he said Salnave was no longer on SJU radar because a scholarship didn't open up (notice never mentioning McGriff) but ALSO he mentioned that expectation was LJ was to return. I went back and looked (Yes I'm that bored) and I don't see that tweet. But I know I saw it then. So over the last 2 weeks things have changed. There is smoke to the extra course load fire. The word 'screwed' can be dissected all day long but something is off here because a kid was begging to come to SJU and we didn't have the room. Now all of a sudden we do and the kid is laughing. I'm pretty sure a buttoned up staff like this did their homework then and again 'expectations' were he was to return so they said sorry Ray. Now we're left holding the bag.
 
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