NY Daily News Interview With Lavin

DN: What is St. John’s basketball now and what is your vision for it?

LAVIN: St. John’s is once again an attractive destination for the elite prospects. We are a program on the rise — demonstrated by the steady and measurable progress we have made from year to year.

Our objective is to compete with the upper tier of the Big East. Competing well in Big East play will position us to earn NCAA Tournament berths on a frequent basis. Participating in March Madness on a regular basis increases the probabilities of our team making tourney runs. Success in March is the ultimate objective from a pure basketball perspective. My parents definitely instilled in me a strong sense for the value of an education. As a result, my No. 1 responsibility is to participate in positioning our graduates for sustainable success in life after basketball.


ummmmmmm. ok... :huh: :huh:
 
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
 
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
Click to expand...

Ok. So let's take this opinion of Lavin and accept it for a second. We all are aware that Lavin's success at UCLA, save for his final miserable season, would have made him the most successful St. John's coach in our history. No one ever had multiple runs so deep into the NCAA tournament. But that wasn't enough for UCLA fans, who tasted and have a blood lust for championships. And yes, that would be taking into account the fact that he's not a brilliant game coach.

So Lavin recruited better there, no question. But he was recruiting for a program with an elite history, not for a program struggling to recover from a mostly bad 20 year stretch. So presuming Lavin is working as hard as before to recruit, the school itself is an impediment to recruiting. Norm found that out, and Lavin is experiencing the same thing.

Now we can say that Fraschilla recruited well here, and that's true. But Fraschilla inherited a program that was on a slide for only a few years under Mahoney, not a program that was in the dumper for a long time. For the record, Fraschilla's success was anecdotally too short to predict year in year out recruiting success, even if it appears he was on the right path (except for trouble keeping his pants up and honoring his contract)

So going forward, whether Lavin stays or not, hiring a guy from a big program who recruited well there, might not be enough. Do we look to guy who built big time (not mid major) programs out of little to nothing, of which there are only a handful over 25 years (see Calhoun), or is just about any coach we hire a risk?
 
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
Click to expand...

Ok. So let's take this opinion of Lavin and accept it for a second. We all are aware that Lavin's success at UCLA, save for his final miserable season, would have made him the most successful St. John's coach in our history. No one ever had multiple runs so deep into the NCAA tournament. But that wasn't enough for UCLA fans, who tasted and have a blood lust for championships. And yes, that would be taking into account the fact that he's not a brilliant game coach.

So Lavin recruited better there, no question. But he was recruiting for a program with an elite history, not for a program struggling to recover from a mostly bad 20 year stretch. So presuming Lavin is working as hard as before to recruit, the school itself is an impediment to recruiting. Norm found that out, and Lavin is experiencing the same thing.

Now we can say that Fraschilla recruited well here, and that's true. But Fraschilla inherited a program that was on a slide for only a few years under Mahoney, not a program that was in the dumper for a long time. For the record, Fraschilla's success was anecdotally too short to predict year in year out recruiting success, even if it appears he was on the right path (except for trouble keeping his pants up and honoring his contract)

So going forward, whether Lavin stays or not, hiring a guy from a big program who recruited well there, might not be enough. Do we look to guy who built big time (not mid major) programs out of little to nothing, of which there are only a handful over 25 years (see Calhoun), or is just about any coach we hire a risk?
Click to expand...

Beast i dont even know if an established coach like a Calhoun would come here or we would be lucky enough to get a Larry Brown the way SMU did.

The best thing to do would have the AD do his homework and get the mid major guy who is gonna keep enough local kids home and who can also coach.

To me its Massielo (who SJU would never touch) or Danny Hurley.

Both would be good hires. Hurley has rebuilt URI and they will compete for an NCAA bid this season. We all know his father's track record in HS basketball. It would be an excellent hire and he will work his ass off he wont spend all of his time hanging out in the Village like the current coach. Overall he has a great upside and you cannot argue with his pedigree so I would have to put his atop the list.

I also would like to point out that Mahoney was not an atrocious recruiter, but he was a bad game coach which was his undoing. He did sign Felipe Zendon, James Scott and Roshown (who transferred) but it was his X's and O's and never having a real PG that led to his demise.

mkras also mentioned Bruce Pearl, who i think would also be tremendous here but i doubt he would leave Auburn, the SEC and all that football $$$$ to come here. If for some reason he did come here i would be on board with that 100%!

Also i would think Cluess' name will be mentioned...success at Iona...went to SJU....well respected in the area.

Whoever it is i just dont wanna be back here AGAIN in five years having this same discussion...naming candidates....and saying we are gonna suck for the next few years.....its really been way too long for this fan base.....we deserve much better than what we have been given the last 13 years.
 
P
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
Click to expand...

Puff piece right up Lav's alley.
 
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
Click to expand...

Ok. So let's take this opinion of Lavin and accept it for a second. We all are aware that Lavin's success at UCLA, save for his final miserable season, would have made him the most successful St. John's coach in our history. No one ever had multiple runs so deep into the NCAA tournament. But that wasn't enough for UCLA fans, who tasted and have a blood lust for championships. And yes, that would be taking into account the fact that he's not a brilliant game coach.

So Lavin recruited better there, no question. But he was recruiting for a program with an elite history, not for a program struggling to recover from a mostly bad 20 year stretch. So presuming Lavin is working as hard as before to recruit, the school itself is an impediment to recruiting. Norm found that out, and Lavin is experiencing the same thing.

Now we can say that Fraschilla recruited well here, and that's true. But Fraschilla inherited a program that was on a slide for only a few years under Mahoney, not a program that was in the dumper for a long time. For the record, Fraschilla's success was anecdotally too short to predict year in year out recruiting success, even if it appears he was on the right path (except for trouble keeping his pants up and honoring his contract)

So going forward, whether Lavin stays or not, hiring a guy from a big program who recruited well there, might not be enough. Do we look to guy who built big time (not mid major) programs out of little to nothing, of which there are only a handful over 25 years (see Calhoun), or is just about any coach we hire a risk?
Click to expand...

Of course any coach we hire is going to be a risk. Why would any established coach come here? I realize we are all die hard fans (or haters) on this board but we are what we are; not attractive to elite recruits and therefore, why would we be attractive to an elite coach? Lavin was a risk, like Roberts was a risk; Jarvis seemed more of a sure thing and he was, well, Jarvis so he wasn't just a risk, he was a time bomb. As for Lavin, enough of the rationalization from my perspective; he is a recruiter who, for whatever reason, can't recruit. Clearly time to move on as much as I hate the idea of starting over.....again.
 
Just makes you roll your eyes more after each reply from Lavin because the BS Meter is about to explode with every additional word spoken by him.

Would've liked some real questions asked like, " where do you plan on getting kids for the 15-16 season because now it appears there is no one here for next year"

Can't take this seriously. Sick of hearing about UCLA - we should've listened to their fans. Steve Lavin was run out of LA for a reason....same reason as here we have just tolerated it longer.
Click to expand...

Ok. So let's take this opinion of Lavin and accept it for a second. We all are aware that Lavin's success at UCLA, save for his final miserable season, would have made him the most successful St. John's coach in our history. No one ever had multiple runs so deep into the NCAA tournament. But that wasn't enough for UCLA fans, who tasted and have a blood lust for championships. And yes, that would be taking into account the fact that he's not a brilliant game coach.

So Lavin recruited better there, no question. But he was recruiting for a program with an elite history, not for a program struggling to recover from a mostly bad 20 year stretch. So presuming Lavin is working as hard as before to recruit, the school itself is an impediment to recruiting. Norm found that out, and Lavin is experiencing the same thing.

Now we can say that Fraschilla recruited well here, and that's true. But Fraschilla inherited a program that was on a slide for only a few years under Mahoney, not a program that was in the dumper for a long time. For the record, Fraschilla's success was anecdotally too short to predict year in year out recruiting success, even if it appears he was on the right path (except for trouble keeping his pants up and honoring his contract)

So going forward, whether Lavin stays or not, hiring a guy from a big program who recruited well there, might not be enough. Do we look to guy who built big time (not mid major) programs out of little to nothing, of which there are only a handful over 25 years (see Calhoun), or is just about any coach we hire a risk?
Click to expand...

Beast i dont even know if an established coach like a Calhoun would come here or we would be lucky enough to get a Larry Brown the way SMU did.

The best thing to do would have the AD do his homework and get the mid major guy who is gonna keep enough local kids home and who can also coach.

To me its Massielo (who SJU would never touch) or Danny Hurley.

Both would be good hires. Hurley has rebuilt URI and they will compete for an NCAA bid this season. We all know his father's track record in HS basketball. It would be an excellent hire and he will work his ass off he wont spend all of his time hanging out in the Village like the current coach. Overall he has a great upside and you cannot argue with his pedigree so I would have to put his atop the list.

I also would like to point out that Mahoney was not an atrocious recruiter, but he was a bad game coach which was his undoing. He did sign Felipe Zendon, James Scott and Roshown (who transferred) but it was his X's and O's and never having a real PG that led to his demise.

mkras also mentioned Bruce Pearl, who i think would also be tremendous here but i doubt he would leave Auburn, the SEC and all that football $$$$ to come here. If for some reason he did come here i would be on board with that 100%!

Also i would think Cluess' name will be mentioned...success at Iona...went to SJU....well respected in the area.

Whoever it is i just dont wanna be back here AGAIN in five years having this same discussion...naming candidates....and saying we are gonna suck for the next few years.....its really been way too long for this fan base.....we deserve much better than what we have been given the last 13 years.
Click to expand...

Good post. Can't disagree. After 5 tries and misses to sustain, and then rebuild this program, building a nationally elite program at St. John's is a lot harder than any of us would have predicted.
 
Hurley, Clues, Fran McCafferey and Tim Janokovich (Larry Brown's top assistant) should be on the list. Jankovich has had success everywhere he worked - Head coach at Hutchinson JC, North Texas, and Illinois State and was an assistant to several excellent coaches.
 
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