Mike Anderson - Former Coach

[monte]

I hear you on the problematic make-up of the team, however I am particularly intrigued with Stanley on the offensive end. I would like to see them both get a little more burn and look for their shot while out there. I think Stanley especially, if given an opportunity, could go on spurts (offensive rebounds, put-backs, blocks, mid range jumpers). Again, at this point, what do we have to lose.

I'm fine with a starting line up of Soriano, Stanley, Jones, Posh and Mathis. Stanley is the closest thing to a skilled PF that we have on our roster. We need size and Soriano needs help. So I'm good with that. Nyiwe, OTOH, makes me cringe when he touches the ball. Although to his credit, he hasn't done any damage in the short spurts that he's appeared. But with Nyiwe, I think the best we can hope for is that he doesn't hurt us, with Stanley I see the potential that he can actually help us.

 

[Boo Harvey]

Separate from a coaching change, which involves many moving pieces and is unlikely to happen immediately. I would suggest attempting the following adjustments:

Play AJ Storr
We have a deficit in perimeter shooting and Storr is probably the best perimeter shooter on this roster. His defense is admittedly below average, and at times poor, but as Mase has mentioned, it wouldn't be a significant drop-off from what the rest of the team is playing now. He is not growing from sitting on the bench and is seemingly losing patients with the process. This is a talented kid -get him out there and coach into his mistakes.

Short Leash on Bello
This uber talented PG can either help or hurt the team depending on how he chooses to "use his powers". He has the ability to create shots for others, but can also be a turnover machine. I believe his currency is playing time and when he gets reckless, he should sit.

More Stanley & Nywie
We have been out rebounded in our last three conference games and we also can't shoot from the outside (a brutal combination). Soriano's play has been the lone bright spot so let's accentuate the positive by giving him some help. Stanley and Nywie are bringing energy and two guys that are not hanging their head when things unravel. While playing Posh and Bello together, we often give up mismatches on defense and wind up with excess perimeter ball movement on offense. When playing Soriano with another big we could mitigate the mismatches and, in some cases, create mismatches in our favor. CMA has done this limitedly and it has been fairly successful in my opinion.

Time Out!
As many of you know, media timeouts come at four minute intervals (or at under 16, 12, 8 and 4 minutes remaining). I know we are all scratching our heads on why CMA hasn't called TO to stop the bleeding on these deep runs. But another reason to use them is to keep our pressure defense (which we are trying to play) fresh. Perhaps using our time outs to further segment the game (especially if they are not being used for strategy sessions) could help.

Just some ideas.......we certainly need to make some adjustments.

Stanley and Nyiwe are offensively challenged and neither rebounds particularly well. They both bring virtually nothing on the offensive end. The team is offensively challenged to begin with.

 

[monte]

I gotta say, the one good thing that's come out of this period of despair, is that it's created harmony and unity amongst our board members. Very little disagreeing or arguing at the moment. Nice to see.

 

[bamafan]

Thank you for the kind comment, RMN. You know that I feel the same way about you!!

I didn't mean to be harsh. I'm just a frustrated die hard fan who blew off some steam because I desperately want to see the program succeed and don't like the direction in which we appear to be heading. The all access telecast was eye opening, to say the least.

Hope to reconnect with you again soon, RMN. Please send me a PM should you be heading to my neck of the woods this winter!!!

Yes you were so harsh you offended my sensibilities but I went off in a corner had a good cry and am fine now.

 

[redmannorth]

Night , I agree but , would offer this idea , if Anderson does not resign / retire at Season End , Fire all his Coaches , Trainers., hanger ons and see what happens . Also , insist the AD and President have decision making authority over any BB staff hires . Most HC that are as experienced as CMA would find that intolerable and resign / retire . It’s a bit nasty and hope it doesn’t come to that but , the BB staff know , at this point , they are dead men walking . Even if CMA survives this year, many of them will be gone anyway . It’s like we can’t fire the HC but , will fire all his people . Usually the threat of doing that results in a negotiated exit .

Why would we fire Van Macon and Greg Vetrone if they are doing a good job and we are happy with them ? I don’t believe it would be nastily but rather very counter productive. JMHO.

 

[IDRAFT]

SJU had less turnover than almost any school in the country this year. If anything this team should have an advantage early in the season due to this.

 

[MJDinkins]

I said last season that his scheme is outdated and he won't adjust. Time to move on.

 

[redmannorth]

I said last season that his scheme is outdated and he won't adjust. Time to move on.

You absolutely did but said you would give him the opportunity this season which you also did.

 

[Larry Wright]

Team looks disorganized, teams go on game changing long runs against us, run virtually no offense, that all access thing wouldn’t have been worse if you grabbed some guy out of the stands to coach, players now saying what looked obvious, they quit. Last thing the final straw. This going to be a disaster and he should be let go right after the season.
Norm teams didn’t quit. Anderson worst coach we have had.

 

[Johnny Rapper]

FWIW I'm not at all convinced that Cragg and Shanley are anywhere close to making a coaching change. I think they'll see how the rest of the season plays out. Unless we have a disastrous season, not a bad season, they bring CMA back for another year. IMO a bad season would be an 7th-8th place finish in conference and a borderline NIT team. Anything better then that, including an NIT bid, and for sure he's back. Anything worse and they consider a change. That's just my feeling.

If that’s the case and Anderson does not make the tourney and is retained then that sends a clear message to fans and alumni that Shanley and Cragg don’t give a crappola about the basketball program and what it means to all of its followers.

Should Anderson once again underachieve and is retained and people continue to support such a pathetic move by the school’s administration, they these people deserve the continued humiliation that will no doubt continue. And then ask yourself, why was Lavin and Mullin who both made the Dance within 4 years let go (and rightfully so) and Mike Anderson retained? Pretty obvious if you ask me, just ask Mr. Cragg.

I however believe that Shanley and Cragg are not that stupid no matter how much of another positive (BS) spin the coaching staff puts on a failed season. Then again, I thought that Anderson was a good hire initially so what do I know.

 

[redmannorth]

JR Shanley and Cragg might care more than anyone on this forum but the funds to buy out his contract may just not be available. If CMA is retained after this season without a big turnaround I know I would attribute same to the lack of funds as I believe they both care immensely.
Lavin and Mullin were each let go for different reasons , but the one thing that CMA has going for him that the other two did not is that he has never stopped working and has run a clean tight program. The same could not be said about the other two.

 

[Knight]

Night , I agree but , would offer this idea , if Anderson does not resign / retire at Season End , Fire all his Coaches , Trainers., hanger ons and see what happens . Also , insist the AD and President have decision making authority over any BB staff hires . Most HC that are as experienced as CMA would find that intolerable and resign / retire . It’s a bit nasty and hope it doesn’t come to that but , the BB staff know , at this point , they are dead men walking . Even if CMA survives this year, many of them will be gone anyway . It’s like we can’t fire the HC but , will fire all his people . Usually the threat of doing that results in a negotiated exit .

Will he walk away from his golden goose?

 

[Johnny Rapper]

MA has fed the school and fans a line of BS from the get go. From the first press conference of coming here to win a National Championship, to the the 40 minutes of hell, the team coming together by February, the great defense they will play, and the multitude of excuses for his team’s failures including playing the acclimating “new players” card. About the only honest thing I’ve heard him say was “the loss (Seton Hall) is on me as I didn’t prepare the team”.

If the season continues to tank and the president won’t make a move cause of an expensive buy out then Mike Cragg should be fired immediately as it’s his stupidity with an extended contract that led to that.

 

[otis]

.
Lavin and Mullin were each let go for different reasons

I am not sure that Mullin was fired.

If I recall correctly Mullin unexpectedly quit on April 9, 2019 after the expiration of year 4 of his 5 year contract when Cragg refused his request for an extension. Anderson was hired on April 19, 2019.

 

[redmannorth]

I am not sure that Mullin was fired.

If I recall correctly Mullin unexpectedly quit on April 9, 2019 after the expiration of year 4 of his 5 year contract when Cragg refused his request for an extension. Anderson was hired on April 19, 2019.

Which is why I said let go. I never said he or Lavin were fired.
He certainly was not renewed or extended.

 

[Johnny Rapper]

I am not sure that Mullin was fired.

If I recall correctly Mullin unexpectedly quit on April 9, 2019 after the expiration of year 4 of his 5 year contract when Cragg refused his request for an extension. Anderson was hired on April 19, 2019.

Technically Mullin was not fired but he was put in a position to have to quit (with a deal) as he was now being told how to run his program and what assistants he should consider parting with.

 

[Red Drum]

Who cares about why Mullin isn’t longer coach? Stop posting for the sake of getting your names here.

 

[monte]

If that’s the case and Anderson does not make the tourney and is retained then that sends a clear message to fans and alumni that Shanley and Cragg don’t give a crappola about the basketball program and what it means to all of its followers.

Should Anderson once again underachieve and is retained and people continue to support such a pathetic move by the school’s administration, they these people deserve the continued humiliation that will no doubt continue. And then ask yourself, why was Lavin and Mullin who both made the Dance within 4 years let go (and rightfully so) and Mike Anderson retained? Pretty obvious if you ask me, just ask Mr. Cragg.

I however believe that Shanley and Cragg are not that stupid no matter how much of another positive (BS) spin the coaching staff puts on a failed season. Then again, I thought that Anderson was a good hire initially so what do I know.

Im as frustrated as anyone JR, but the fact that Shanley and Cragg aren't looking to make a change as quickly as we would like, doesn't mean that they don't care about the program or are willing to accept failure. They don't live and die with the program the way we do, but as administrators they have to know how important a successful basketball program is to the school. Having said that, I do think that they are willing to tolerate consistent mediocrity from the program if it means that it comes without any headaches. So, IMO, they are hoping and praying that CMA can at the very least put a mediocre product on the court before the end of season so that they can avoid having to make a coaching change.

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Why would we fire Van Macon and Greg Vetrone if they are doing a good job and we are happy with them ? I don’t believe it would be nastily but rather very counter productive. JMHO.

Yes , of course , nether deserve to be fired but , I only suggested it as a tactic to leverage CMA into a Retirement / Resignation at Season end . If you can the entire staff , which is commonly used tacitly , the HC usually looks to exit himself as he has been stripped of staff. And , a new Coach is going to want his own Assistants not Macon or Vetrone . No offense to them . Think of it as them getting caught up in a house cleaning . It has nothing to do with the job they are doing . Perhaps I didn’t explain that properly ..

 

[redmannorth]

Yes , of course , nether deserve to be fired but , I only suggested it as a tactic to leverage CMA into a Retirement / Resignation at Season end . If you can the entire staff , which is commonly used tacitly , the HC usually looks to exit himself as he has been stripped of staff. And , a new Coach is going to want his own Assistants not Macon or Vetrone . No offense to them . Think of it as them getting caught up in a house cleaning . It has nothing to do with the job they are doing . Perhaps I didn’t explain that properly ..

Ok, thank you for the clarification.