Most Challenging College Basketball Job (ESPN)

[SJU85]

The Most Challenging Basketball Job In Every State

http://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=19741386&type=Story&imagesPrint=off

New York:

St. John's Red Storm
"The prep school circuit complicates the recruitment of the New York City hoops scene. The "play at home" concept is no longer a luxury St. John's enjoys. That's not the only reason Chris Mullin faces an uphill battle at St. John's. He's also playing in the Big East, the pound-for-pound titan in college basketball."

 

[redmannorth]

The Most Challenging Basketball Job In Every State

http://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=19741386&type=Story&imagesPrint=off

New York:

St. John's Red Storm
"The prep school circuit complicates the recruitment of the New York City hoops scene. The "play at home" concept is no longer a luxury St. John's enjoys. That's not the only reason Chris Mullin faces an uphill battle at St. John's. He's also playing in the Big East, the pound-for-pound titan in college basketball."

SJU 85 as you are aware it has never been an easy job, for a multitude of reasons. Before the mad rush for prep schools the majority of the kids wanted to leave for greener pastures. Now that many of them leave high school for greener pastures in Mass, New Hampshire , Maine etc there will be those that will not like the greener pastures and yearn to return to the big city. This staff is smart and understand that we will not be able to keep every top kid in the city, which we never have , and are filling out the roster with high ranking transfers , jucos etc which is an excellent formula until we can be a consistent 20 win team and attract more than 1 4* recruit per recruiting class.
Now if only Luther would commit for us all would be perfect.

 

[Class of 72]

The reasons that St. John's has had lackluster years since the retirement of Lou Carnesecca can be attributed to
A. Bad (very bad) hires. Every coach has been been unceremoniously fired.
B. The lack of having a long term marquee name coach put doubt in many recruits.
C. Our record of losing and lack of post season success turns many recuits off.
If Mullin is not in it for the very long haul nothing will change. The most critical season is coming up.

 

[Knight]

The reasons that St. John's has had lackluster years since the retirement of Lou Carnesecca can be attributed to
A. Bad (very bad) hires. Every coach has been been unceremoniously fired.
B. The lack of having a long term marquee name coach put doubt in many recruits.
C. Our record of losing and lack of post season success turns many recuits off.
If Mullin is not in it for the very long haul nothing will change. The most critical season is coming up.

I think you could add "the unwillingness to spend money to improve facilities" until recent years.

 

[SJU85]

The reasons that St. John's has had lackluster years since the retirement of Lou Carnesecca can be attributed to
A. Bad (very bad) hires. Every coach has been been unceremoniously fired.
B. The lack of having a long term marquee name coach put doubt in many recruits.
C. Our record of losing and lack of post season success turns many recuits off.
If Mullin is not in it for the very long haul nothing will change. The most critical season is coming up.

I think you could add "the unwillingness to spend money to improve facilities" until recent years.

You can also add the dramatic fall off of overall talent in the PSAL and CHSAA which still has good players but neither is anywhere as close in terms of the number of quality players as they have had in the past. A reason for that is also another area that has hurt us in recruiting in so many star players leaving for prep school and at younger ages than in the past and those kids deciding they didn't want to come back. Which can also be a catch 22 because a reason they might not have wanted to come back was due to the State of our basketball team.

It is definitely not a bad job, but don't kid yourself in thinking it's not a tough job. Can someone succeed in it, yes, the right person definitely can, which we haven't had in awhile until now.