Mike Cragg Message

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St. John’s fans, alums, season ticket members and followers,

There is no doubt you are like me – disappointed, heartbroken, and angry - after watching the NCAA Tournament selection show last night. But also like me, I hope you are more determined than ever to help St. John’s and are ready to double down on the exciting future of our men’s basketball program. Not being selected as one of the top 36 at-large teams and with the highly rated BIG EAST receiving only three bids to the NCAA Tournament is beyond my comprehension. It certainly underrepresents the best of our conference but we will move forward together.

My heart aches for this tremendous group of young men who brought us all pride, renewed passion, and a revived love for St. John’s Basketball in 2023-24. My biggest thanks and gratitude go to Jordan Dingle, Nahiem Alleyne, Daniss Jenkins, Chris Ledlum, Joel Soriano, Sean Conway, Glenn Taylor, Jr., Sadiku Ibine Ayo, Cruz Davis, RJ Luis, Jr., Zuby Ejiofor, Drissa Traore, Simeon Wilcher and Brady Dunlap! This is an amazing group on and off the court who gave their all every day and always wore the Red & White with pride.

Furthermore, a salute to our entire coaching staff and support team who poured everything into this season since arriving on campus last Spring. They helped inspire and motivate everyone around them on a daily basis. I know they are also hurting today and our hearts go out to them.

Most importantly, my full credit, praise, and thankfulness goes to our Hall of Fame Coach Rick Pitino for his teaching, leadership, and work ethic. It has been a joy to see his profound spirit and energy captivate all the team members and our entire St. John’s community. His passion and determination to build the St. John’s Basketball program and elevate the entire University is contagious. I’m looking forward to seeing it grow even bigger in 2024-25.

This excitement leads me to thanking each of you for being on our team and getting involved in record numbers! Season ticket membership and total ticket sales were way up. Also, your engagement with the University through participation in events and following on social media was terrific. You continue to provide our daily inspiration to get better and to double down on our efforts for next season! We are not going to be satisfied until we have every available ticket sold and donor participation ranks among the highest in the BIG EAST. We can do it!

To be clear, I could not be more excited for our future together. We need your assistance and leadership in buying more tickets, adding to your Red-White Club giving, encouraging your alumni friends to buy tickets, and with everyone coming to more games. I can also assure you that St. John’s remains committed to doing its part to support the basketball program with many upgrades in and around Carnesecca Arena, along with a game-changing new basketball practice facility.

Although today is tough for many of us, there is so much to be thankful for and I am glad you are on our team!

Let's Go Johnnies!
6234c825d45a3.png
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
5fb446e8c65ae.jpg
FacebookTwitterInstagramTikTok
St. John’s University | redstormsports@stjohns.edu
8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica New York 11439

You are receiving this email because your email address was used for a ticket purchase or you signed up via our website. To unsubscribe from all email communications or update preferences, go here .
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Alternate text
6234c88093a78.png
St. John’s fans, alums, season ticket members and followers,

There is no doubt you are like me – disappointed, heartbroken, and angry - after watching the NCAA Tournament selection show last night. But also like me, I hope you are more determined than ever to help St. John’s and are ready to double down on the exciting future of our men’s basketball program. Not being selected as one of the top 36 at-large teams and with the highly rated BIG EAST receiving only three bids to the NCAA Tournament is beyond my comprehension. It certainly underrepresents the best of our conference but we will move forward together.

My heart aches for this tremendous group of young men who brought us all pride, renewed passion, and a revived love for St. John’s Basketball in 2023-24. My biggest thanks and gratitude go to Jordan Dingle, Nahiem Alleyne, Daniss Jenkins, Chris Ledlum, Joel Soriano, Sean Conway, Glenn Taylor, Jr., Sadiku Ibine Ayo, Cruz Davis, RJ Luis, Jr., Zuby Ejiofor, Drissa Traore, Simeon Wilcher and Brady Dunlap! This is an amazing group on and off the court who gave their all every day and always wore the Red & White with pride.

Furthermore, a salute to our entire coaching staff and support team who poured everything into this season since arriving on campus last Spring. They helped inspire and motivate everyone around them on a daily basis. I know they are also hurting today and our hearts go out to them.

Most importantly, my full credit, praise, and thankfulness goes to our Hall of Fame Coach Rick Pitino for his teaching, leadership, and work ethic. It has been a joy to see his profound spirit and energy captivate all the team members and our entire St. John’s community. His passion and determination to build the St. John’s Basketball program and elevate the entire University is contagious. I’m looking forward to seeing it grow even bigger in 2024-25.

This excitement leads me to thanking each of you for being on our team and getting involved in record numbers! Season ticket membership and total ticket sales were way up. Also, your engagement with the University through participation in events and following on social media was terrific. You continue to provide our daily inspiration to get better and to double down on our efforts for next season! We are not going to be satisfied until we have every available ticket sold and donor participation ranks among the highest in the BIG EAST. We can do it!

To be clear, I could not be more excited for our future together. We need your assistance and leadership in buying more tickets, adding to your Red-White Club giving, encouraging your alumni friends to buy tickets, and with everyone coming to more games. I can also assure you that St. John’s remains committed to doing its part to support the basketball program with many upgrades in and around Carnesecca Arena, along with a game-changing new basketball practice facility.

Although today is tough for many of us, there is so much to be thankful for and I am glad you are on our team!

Let's Go Johnnies!
6234c825d45a3.png
Mike Cragg
Director of Athletics
5fb446e8c65ae.jpg
FacebookTwitterInstagramTikTok
St. John’s University | redstormsports@stjohns.edu
8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica New York 11439

You are receiving this email because your email address was used for a ticket purchase or you signed up via our website. To unsubscribe from all email communications or update preferences, go here .
aHhOQi9mbVNUUEV6cjF6ZWJibXFEZnh0Z2lBVWlOMnU4a3RWMFBnWGxDWnNhTkNacWpxWGN0eEYrTDNFYnc5RmpmdndReXlxWUwvUUM5Uk1WekZMOXpsTjRDR3NYVmo3bWwvcVp5QVlaRlcrQ3F0cnN3VEVnRGtaeUxZUklUOHBSSmlWZUVNTmFUOUlFd3ZvcmVJd1ZoQ0NVaVhuY0NTQ0N2YmlYMWlPWForZXdKeVIvakY2ZGc9PQS2
Everyone got this message except IDRAFT :)
 
honestly the ncaa selection chair should not be in charge of a conference. It should be voted on, maybe like a former ncaa player or coach. Not some suit who thinks virginia is better because they might bring in more money. Everyone I spoke to today at work said we got screwed. I mean Not just us but the entire big east. I think the NCAA tournament field should be voted in by an outside source. Hell even let fans vote. Behind closed doors money obviously won. But watch out we all know what happens when coach gets Pissed. I still say the big east should demand an investigation if that is possible.. I say let there be microphones and video for the public what goes on in during those meetings but actual voting closed . I demand justice!
 
“We need your assistance and leadership in buying more tickets, adding to your Red-White Club giving….”

Really, Cragg? The fan base has just had a crushing disappointment and you’re hitting them up?

He’s an idiot. The day Pitino walked in the door was the luckiest day in his life.
 
“We need your assistance and leadership in buying more tickets, adding to your Red-White Club giving….”

Really, Cragg? The fan base has just had a crushing disappointment and you’re hitting them up?

He’s an idiot. The day Pitino walked in the door was the luckiest day in his life.
Trust me, Cragg is at least as pissed as all of us, and probably a lot more. Outraged is more like it.

The base is very disappointed, yes. Crushing? I'd leave that for the players. The rest of us got up the next morning and life goes on.

What you are probably unaware of is that you are the reason (folks who react like you) why Rick said that coaching at St John's is much more difficult than he thought it would been.

Athletic fund raising has been flat compared to Pre-Rick and he is by far the highest paid coach we've hired. The school just announced plans for a brand new basketball practice facility and renovation of Taffner as a student health center which in total will approach $100 million. The NIL raise next season will be in the $3 million dollar range.

If fans and alumni don't support this none of it happens, and Rick goes back to playing golf in his backyard.

What Rick was doing in part was calling out people who react like you because he had tremendous $$ support from fans and alums at Louisville and UK.

Be careful who you call an idiot, because it's a bad look for you. Cragg is doing a very good job, managing nearly 20 d1 sports, and is often physically present to watch all our teams play. The new facility plan began with Cragg. Fixing the CA problem is on his plate.

Did you expect a scorched earth tirade that would accomish nothing and be beneath his position? There are things going on in the background involving.ALL Big East schools to insure this doesn’t happen again and joint meetings began within 12 hours of not getting the bid.

Of course you didn't stop to consider all this and are ignorant of some of these facts or your post is just idiotic. If i were you I'd just plead ignorant.
 
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