LoVett

As long as LoVett continues to need treatment for his knee, he’s not leaving the program.
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Exactly
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Unless he truly quit on the team which imo would justiy the staff pulling his treatment and telling to him to deal with it privately since he didn't listen to the team doctors anyway.
 
If what is in the NY Post today is true he should be gone. The team doctors said he was healthy and ready to go. Obviously his father made a decision that it is better to rest the knee so he can get paid at the end of the season. Which is fine. But he was not up front with his teammates and coaches. For his father to do this and not consult the school prior to making an announcement is another slap in the face. Also, if he stays on the bench he needs to tone down the dancing during warm ups extremely bad look.
 
Hopefully we are recruiting someone to fill his spot don't want to have any depth issues next year. Maybe call Jordan Tucker see if he's interested.
 
With his 22nd birthday coming up in March, ML has scored less then 600 points in college. I would expect him to continue to rehab his knee and head overseas.
 
Why does this not surprise me? The player turnover number with this program is ridiculous. Most schools worry about one and dones and an occasional transfer. St. John’s seems to lose up to 50% of every class because players just don’t stay. Needless to say, that isn’t a recipe for long term success.
Sorry to say, I can’t get excited over the class coming in next year. After they put in a couple of seasons with no discipline issues, no academic issues, and just act like they want to be here...I will be on board.
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Anticipate Matt doing a lot of hand holding, assuring with this class also. Hopefully they hang in there and hit campus in the Fall.
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In addition to that Paultz, which agree is key, hope staff is rock solid with Ponds and that Ponds plans to return, with idea that him being the clear feature, including more time at PG, in conjunction with a hopefully much more successful team season really improves his pro prospects.

If Ponds is not here next year, for whatever reason, it would almost be time to go back to the drawing board. Probably the difference between legitimate NCAA chance and another challenging season, barring a surprise impact addition in the spring. Big influence on not just next year but the direction/momentum of the program under this staff.
 

WE HAVE A REPLACEMENTWHO SHOULD BE BETTER WILLIAMS Again, he was good not but not that good. Williams has star potential. Big guard who his quick and guard big guards. 6 ft in our league is a handicap unless your super but even than you will get posted up Wish him luck, In his mind he is doing what is best for him. Yes, he could make money overseas so good for him. WE were not going anywhere this season even with ML in the line up. W e have bigger issues to address.
 
Why does this not surprise me? The player turnover number with this program is ridiculous. Most schools worry about one and dones and an occasional transfer. St. John’s seems to lose up to 50% of every class because players just don’t stay. Needless to say, that isn’t a recipe for long term success.
Sorry to say, I can’t get excited over the class coming in next year. After they put in a couple of seasons with no discipline issues, no academic issues, and just act like they want to be here...I will be on board.
Click to expand...

Anticipate Matt doing a lot of hand holding, assuring with this class also. Hopefully they hang in there and hit campus in the Fall.
Click to expand...

In addition to that Paultz, which agree is key, hope staff is rock solid with Ponds and that Ponds plans to return, with idea that him being the clear feature, including more time at PG, in conjunction with a hopefully much more successful team season really improves his pro prospects.

If Ponds is not here next year, for whatever reason, it would almost be time to go back to the drawing board. Probably the difference between legitimate NCAA chance and another challenging season, barring a surprise impact addition in the spring. Big influence on not just next year but the direction/momentum of the program under this staff.
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Very astute observation.
 
Why does this not surprise me? The player turnover number with this program is ridiculous. Most schools worry about one and dones and an occasional transfer. St. John’s seems to lose up to 50% of every class because players just don’t stay. Needless to say, that isn’t a recipe for long term success.
Sorry to say, I can’t get excited over the class coming in next year. After they put in a couple of seasons with no discipline issues, no academic issues, and just act like they want to be here...I will be on board.
Click to expand...

Anticipate Matt doing a lot of hand holding, assuring with this class also. Hopefully they hang in there and hit campus in the Fall.
Click to expand...

In addition to that Paultz, which agree is key, hope staff is rock solid with Ponds and that Ponds plans to return, with idea that him being the clear feature, including more time at PG, in conjunction with a hopefully much more successful team season really improves his pro prospects.

If Ponds is not here next year, for whatever reason, it would almost be time to go back to the drawing board. Probably the difference between legitimate NCAA chance and another challenging season, barring a surprise impact addition in the spring. Big influence on not just next year but the direction/momentum of the program under this staff.
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Very astute observation.
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Would also create perception of instability, whether there is or isn't, if the best recruit to join the program (by a pretty wide margin) leaves after 2 years without a clear pro path.

Hopefully staff starts process now. Really like the optionality of playing Simon on the ball, especially in transition where he is incredible. But in half court saw it as more tactical with Lovett out, and clearly great to still have as a mix and match, but think we should begin transition to Ponds as the primary PG now. Better for him and better for the team, I think.

Winning 4, 5, maybe even 6 games the rest of the way, minimizing blowouts, and being competitive in BET, with Ponds playing well at PG would go long way on multiple levels towards putting positive spin on season heading into offseason IMO.
 

I have a strong feeling that if we had beaten Creighton and Seton Hall, Lovett would have been back playing by now. Otherwise, the narrative would have been "He's not that important, he's replaceable."

But we didn't win those games, and so now the narrative is "If only we had that stud Lovett ---he would have made the difference." Why screw with that image if you're Lovett, you want to turn pro, and your team is in the basement. The whole thing stinks.
 
This reminds me of Lou's last season in 1992, when prior to the NCAAs, most of the team shaved their heads in a sign of unity and brotherhood.

But Rob Werdann and Terrence Mullin did not, presumably because they were looking forward to growing out their summer mullets.

This of course lead to discord in the locker room especially from Jason Buchanan who had shaved off his beloved burgeoning fro. What happened next? A disappointing first round exit at the hands of Tulane and ultimately Lou's early retirement.

Something to keep in mind.

 
This is one of the more absurd saga's we've seen, and that's saying something. Good riddance. We can miss the tournament with or without him, get a grad transfer PG with his open scholarship.




Hopefully the staff realizes Simon can't be the point guard next year nor Ponds for that matter. I have to think that Mikey Dixon will be the one. I agree we need a grad transfer as back up. As we know with our record anything can happen.
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I would hope the staff has already discussed the following questions:
1 Is Ponds definitely returning
2 Is Dixon good enough to play either back court position in the big east
;3 Is the back court recruit going to be eligible and can he contribute right off the bat
If any of these answers are not positive try to get a high school recruit or a grad transfer to fill the need
I use the word hope because I still can't figure out how SJU went into this season with last year's league worst rebounding team and adding only Clark to the front court who is more a perimeter player than banger even after having watching him practice all year.
Losing Wilson hurt but he wasn't the rebounding or defensive answer either. It' s beating a dead horse but it killed this year and I'd hate to see the same thing happen with the backcourt prior to next season.
 
I would hope the staff has already discussed the following questions:
1 Is Ponds definitely returning
2 Is Dixon good enough to play either back court position in the big east
;3 Is the back court recruit going to be eligible and can he contribute right off the bat
If any of these answers are not positive try to get a high school recruit or a grad transfer to fill the need
I use the word hope because I still can't figure out how SJU went into this season with last year's league worst rebounding team and adding only Clark to the front court who is more a perimeter player than banger even after having watching him practice all year.
Losing Wilson hurt but he wasn't the rebounding or defensive answer either. It' s beating a dead horse but it killed this year and I'd hate to see the same thing happen with the backcourt prior to next season.
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1. No sense asking him now, too much can change. They will meet with Ponds & his dad after the season to discuss what is best for him. This is normal protocol. Of course they will look at other options if they sense he is likely gone for whatever reason.

2. Dixon has been working on his PG skills, but always has been a combo guard. Having seen him a few times in my area, I believe he can be a solid BE player.

3. Williams is a good student, attends a private school and will be eligible in my opinion.

To me a huge issue is Matt working hard to do all he can to keep Williams, Brooks & Roberts committed in face of likely SJU struggle this year. Brooks looks like a solid four year true interior guy with strength we desperately need. Enough with undersized "athletes" please. Since Brooks does not sign until the Spring, he seems the guy to really "hand hold" so to speak. Regarding the other two recruits, yes they signed, but in these crazy times nothing is iron clad.
 
The Lovett exit makes no sense to me.

If Marcus wants to play professionally next year, and if he is injured for the season as he claims then that would seem to create a cloud over his value as a pro and thereby decrease his value .

Likewise if Marcus has been cleared to play as suggested but still refuses to join his teammates then, if true, that refusal would also seem to deminish his value to pro teams.

In a logical world Marco would want to play this semester, and do the very best he can do to prove his worth and showcase his talents to drive up his pro basketball value..

A year or so ago I posted a dated article about Providence College’s former star God Shamgod who left Providence with visions of NBA fame only to live a lonely vagabond life playing “professional” basketball in China. I do not wish Marco Lovett bad luck but I sincerely doubt he will enjoy fame and fortune in the NBA. I believe that Marcus’ future, as an undersized guard may resemble God Shamgod’s experience.
 
If what is in the NY Post today is true he should be gone. The team doctors said he was healthy and ready to go. Obviously his father made a decision that it is better to rest the knee so he can get paid at the end of the season. Which is fine. But he was not up front with his teammates and coaches. For his father to do this and not consult the school prior to making an announcement is another slap in the face. Also, if he stays on the bench he needs to tone down the dancing during warm ups extremely bad look.
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Trying to figure out what is in these kid's heads, or their families, is a very imprecise science. Logic doesn't always dictate, and perhaps Lovett doesn't want to play until he feels 100% capable of giving his best effort, since less than that could damage his marketability - really who knows.

It reminds me of a true story I heard several years ago. A long time ago, a Nassau County piblic HS basketball championship was broadcast on radio. Their best player, admittedly a little flaky, stayed home for the beginning so he could listen on radio to announcers speculating at length as to where he could be and how lost his team was without him. That's about the craziest thing I can think of, but rest assured, at SJU be prepared for craziness.
 
I'm holding fire until I hear the whole story. If he wants out, why is he cheering his teammates from the bench?
When it comes to injuries, I have been more cautious since I jumped all over J.R. Richard back in the day, when he played for the Houston Astros.
 
Playing to accommodate an injury can do other damage, Dizzy Dean's broken toe.
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Ralph Branca was one of the best young pitchers in MLB After being called a bum and much worse he tried to pitch through shoulder pain in 1953 to prove to fans just how good he was. It wrecked his career.

For those of you who don't know, perhaps the most famous homerun in MLB history - the Bobby Thompson shot heard round the world - happened as a result of the Giants cheating from mid season on to have an employee in the scoreboard with binoculars relaying signs to the bullpen, and in rapid sequence, to dugout and third base coach (manager Leo Durocher). Branca endured boos for 50 years without saying a word, untila book was published that detailed the cheating.
 
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