Please Take A Deep Breath ... Keep an Open Mind ... Give the Guy a Chance

[quote="L J S A" post=341107][quote="Chicago Days" post=341104][
Why are you so awed by Ricky Jr.?[/quote]

Cluess will play the same no-rebound, no defense style as Mullin with better X's and O's but worse players.

At this point any other name would be a bigger jolt for the program.[/quote]

A lot of you guys think Cluess is the 2nd Coming of Norm Roberts, lol.
I suppose it’s a risk Tim couldn’t recruit for this level but he can coach and other mid-major guys found solid-great success at the high-major level.
I think the recruiting risk could be neutralized by: Cluess’s work ethic, a solid Staff, and his rapport with local HS/AAU coaches.
 
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[quote="L J S A" post=341107][quote="Chicago Days" post=341104][
Why are you so awed by Ricky Jr.?[/quote]

Cluess will play the same no-rebound, no defense style as Mullin with better X's and O's but worse players.

At this point any other name would be a bigger jolt for the program.[/quote]

If they hire Cluess, then I hope the fans that are pissed bout the hire, stop going to games.
Guaranteed in 5-6 you'll be pissed with awesome tim with no defense, if 3k only show up per game, they'll know that sju fans won't be putting up with their bs anymore, and we demand a top coach.
Don't be afraid to protest, and that's the only way, don't show up to games, and don't donate. Hurt sju in the pocket.
Maybe then they'll understand that the next hire they have to get right.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=341106][quote="tom bradley" post=341105][quote="Chicago Days" post=341104][quote="tom bradley" post=341101][quote="Chicago Days" post=341097][quote="tom bradley" post=341087]Why would he leave Minn? Number of reasons. 1- easier to get kids to NYC than the frozen tundra 2- has a cheap buy out 3- east coast kid. 3- never going to be the king fish in the big 10 there and he knows it. 4- he took 6 kids from when Isiah Thomas blew up FIU, and won with them! 5- what bigger stage is there for little Ricky to step out of Dads shadow. 6- tradition here! 7- he makes 2.0 mill, we can pay him more, would definitely satisfy all donors. 8- more Nike money in NYC, endorsement deals.9- no endorsement deals for him in frozen Minn.[/quote]

My concerns with Ricky Jr.—if he’s real—are would he bolt at the first whiff of success here for a State school or a ‘better opportunity’ and how long would it take to strike a deal?[/quote]

Why are you afraid of state schools? Roy Williams is at UNC a state school and makes 2.5 million, but he gets Nike money. All this talk about state schools is garbage! Duke is private and pays K what 9 mill. We get a coach like Jr or SR they are cash cows! The money will flow. You guys forgot what winning does for a program[/quote]

K, we’ll Moose just revealed that Pitino Jr., has a $2mm buyout.
Why are you so awed by Ricky Jr.?
He’s been good but not great in the BT.[/quote]


Just signed the extension does not kick in until next season, so buy out is still 500k, thats my understanding[/quote]

Oh okay, thanks Tom.
Would he bolt at the first whiff of success is my biggest concern?[/quote]

He is young I think we would get 4 or 5 years, which is more than enough time to turn SJU into a cash cow
I mean Roy isnt getting younger so if UNC called I would take that job . So nothing is certain. If you want to be elite first you act elite. I wouldnt worry about him leaving. Imagine how much he would make in endorsements in NYC
 
I think the board should put in a new rule. Starting next year if you start bitching about the coach you have to indicate who you want to replace the coach. SO for instance when Zaun starts posting over and over and over again that Cluess or Heaven help us Scheyer should quit, he has to name the replacement. If said replacement is not realistic in that he currently is coaching in one of the 256 more desirable locations in the country or would ask for more money than ST John's would be willing to spend then that poster should immediately get suspended for 1 week. Judging by the names that came out for this opening, I can't even imagine what names will be brought up to replace our next former coach.
 
Okay, what if Cluess played the same ‘no defense, no rebound style as Mullin with better x’s & o’s and with ‘similar quality’ players?
First, Tim seems to get better shooters and at least gets his guys to get more DRBs than Mullin did.
I say, with solid recruits, Tim would win 20+ games / year most years, finish 3rd - 5th most years, and get to the Dance 3 of every 5 years.
TC coaches 12-7-4 and he develops his players.
How many of you guys would sign up for that?
That’d make us relevant again and maybe trigger a dream every now and then.
I’d be good with that.
 
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[quote="otis" post=341019]

Pretty near everyone on this site agrees that it would have been a mistake to provide Coach Mullin with a contract extension. .[/quote]

This site does not speak for SJU fans as a whole. Not even CLOSE. Considering where this program was after Jarvis, these statements are beyond psychotic. The vitriol of the fans here is psychotic. Our team was just unnecessarily gutted and you're all backpedaling because you realize we're FINISHED.
 
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[quote="Brian W." post=341121][quote="otis" post=341019]

Pretty near everyone on this site agrees that it would have been a mistake to provide Coach Mullin with a contract extension. .[/quote]

This site does not speak for SJU fans as a whole. Not even CLOSE. Considering where this program was after Jarvis, these statements are beyond psychotic. The vitriol of the fans here is psychotic. Our team was just unnecessarily gutted and you're all backpedaling because you realize we're FINISHED.[/quote]
Please solve this puzzle by rearranging the following words:
self your screw go
 
[quote="otis" post=341019]OK ... when this drama began to unfold Tim Cluess was not my first choice to become the new St. John's coach however as events unfolded it became evident that AD Mike Cragg has been playing the cards dealt to him. His options were limited by financial considerations.

Pretty near everyone on this site agrees that it would have been a mistake to provide Coach Mullin with a contract extension. so Cragg elected not to extend him so the separation occurred with Mullin owed an estimated $4.4M. Like it or not StJohn's was not prepared to pay Mullin's $4.4M+/- plus another $5M+/- for his replacement for those same 2 upcoming season which leads us to Coach Tim Cluess.

Many of the repetitive negative posts from Coach Cluess' critics come from posters who were Mullin's biggest boosters. Yeah, these posters were willing to give Mullin the benefit of the doubt despite the fact that he did not have a day of head coaching experience yet those same posters are unwilling to give that same benefit to Cluess who is an experienced head coach who has built a solid record.

I have no idea whether Cluess will be a success at StJohn's but then no one knows if any coach will succeed. What I do like about Tim Cluess is that he is said to be a hard- hard worker who really wants to be the head men's basketball coach at StJohn's University. The factor of hard work has allegedly been lacking for the pretty near every one of the coaches who have succeeded Louie.

The point I am attempting to make is that like it or not Cragg's options were limited by financial terms and given these options Cluess will (likely) be named head men;s basketball coach on Monday. He wasn't my first choice but I sure as hell hope that he succeeds.

I ask my fellow Redmen.comers to keep an open mind, and give Cluess a chance.[/quote]

For the record on this site I was just about the biggest defender of Mullin's integrity, and did note his improvement as a coach each year. I'd have been okay with a year 5. Having said that I also understand that having our team go ice cold down the stretch annoyed enough decision makers to force his ouster although there were likely other reasons. I advocated he get a chance here since the Roberts days. He got that chance , and he didn't look like a duck in water.

On the subject of Cluess I had put his name bn out there strongly and prematurely at the time Lavin was hired based on his success at Post. Cluess himself thought that was ridiculous. Eight years later he's had D1 success and deserves a shot at this job.

Age? Crap, we have a President past 70, and the two leading dems to unseat him are past 75.
 
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[quote="tom bradley" post=341096]I still dont understand the whole Hurley crap! His father disliked SJU and sent one kid here, and when he didnt get enough pt, he yanked him and sent him to Duke. Why would his son ever come here, unless to beat us. I dont know if Sr had beef with Louie or he wanted the school to donate to the sisters in Jersey city, but Cragg should of known better.[/quote]

Two of his player’s went here and the last one was expelled which really pissed him off.
 
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Can we please stop all the "will he bolt talk around candidates"? No one "bolts" unless they are successful. Let's start with the question can he be successful and guess what the best answer to that is Pitino and yes he is 67 and won't be our coach forever but let's worry about now.
 
Look, I’ll support SJU no matter who the coach is. I am not holding a pitchfork. However, I’d be a fool not to question what the Administration is doing. I now have been witness to failed coaches (Mahoney, Jarvis, Fraschilla, Roberts, and now Mullin), ridiculously bad season after season, guys basically getting paid for doing nothing, kids jumping ship etc.
It is long past time to realize that something is seriously wrong with how we are dealing with the school’s golden goose. I am no longer blindly following and buying into this poorly run program. Not sure that I personally can do anything about it but express how I feel about what is a mess and an embarrassment to all involved.
 
[quote="oldschool Redmen" post=341114][quote="L J S A" post=341107][quote="Chicago Days" post=341104][
Why are you so awed by Ricky Jr.?[/quote]

Cluess will play the same no-rebound, no defense style as Mullin with better X's and O's but worse players.

At this point any other name would be a bigger jolt for the program.[/quote]

If they hire Cluess, then I hope the fans that are pissed bout the hire, stop going to games.
Guaranteed in 5-6 you'll be pissed with awesome tim with no defense, if 3k only show up per game, they'll know that sju fans won't be putting up with their bs anymore, and we demand a top coach.
Don't be afraid to protest, and that's the only way, don't show up to games, and don't donate. Hurt sju in the pocket.
Maybe then they'll understand that the next hire they have to get right.[/quote]

Sir, have a glass of cold water and take a deep breath!
 
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[quote="Frank61" post=341292][quote="oldschool Redmen" post=341114][quote="L J S A" post=341107][quote="Chicago Days" post=341104][
Why are you so awed by Ricky Jr.?[/quote]

Cluess will play the same no-rebound, no defense style as Mullin with better X's and O's but worse players.

At this point any other name would be a bigger jolt for the program.[/quote]

If they hire Cluess, then I hope the fans that are pissed bout the hire, stop going to games.
Guaranteed in 5-6 you'll be pissed with awesome tim with no defense, if 3k only show up per game, they'll know that sju fans won't be putting up with their bs anymore, and we demand a top coach.
Don't be afraid to protest, and that's the only way, don't show up to games, and don't donate. Hurt sju in the pocket.
Maybe then they'll understand that the next hire they have to get right.[/quote]


That is a totally negative post.[/quote]

Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.
 
[quote="OLV72" post=341303]Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.[/quote]

I thought it was about getting the best option, and less about where the coach hails. Some of y'all seem stuck on centricities.

If he's the best option, so be it. But I don't think he is the best option nor do I care about a coach's locale. Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.
 
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[quote="MJDinkins" post=341307][quote="OLV72" post=341303]Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.[/quote]

I thought it was about getting the best option, and less about where the coach hails. Some of y'all seem stuck on centricities.

If he's the best option, so be it. But I don't think he is the best option nor do I care about a coach's locale. Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.[/quote]

It's about winning. I'll put my two bucks on Cluees.
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=341307][quote="OLV72" post=341303]Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.[/quote]

I thought it was about getting the best option, and less about where the coach hails. Some of y'all seem stuck on centricities.

If he's the best option, so be it. But I don't think he is the best option nor do I care about a coach's locale. Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.[/quote]

Who is our best option in your view, Dink?
Keeping in mind, feasibility, cost, tenure time, and time line needs.
 
[quote="OLV72" post=341310][quote="MJDinkins" post=341307][quote="OLV72" post=341303]Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.[/quote]

I thought it was about getting the best option, and less about where the coach hails. Some of y'all seem stuck on centricities.

If he's the best option, so be it. But I don't think he is the best option nor do I care about a coach's locale. Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.[/quote]

It's about winning. I'll put my two bucks on Cluees.[/quote]


Thanks OLV2
Nice reasoned posts
Unlike some who just only want to complain
Must be a DNA thing, maybe the weather
Hmmm
Yes sir, bitch about everything, some seem to do - even before it’s happened
Why I do believe some of our distinguished posters will continue to be disgruntled even when our new coach has us a decent first 2019-20 season.
Now that I reflect on it,
one of the seven dwarfs had that temperament
to complain
Yes OLV
I think your two bucks will serve you well
Of course no one knows - for certain - about future Ws and Local HS recruits
Just need to chill let Mr. Cragg hire whom
he will - I don’t pretend to know better than him, I never sat in the aura of Coach K and absorbed his wisdom - nope, not even for a day let along decades like Mike Cragg -
And so
I’m willing to give him a chance - he’s only just begun
.......let the games begin!
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=341307]Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.[/quote]

That's the thing. People are posting that he has good local ties, but I can't even really recall top local guys going to Iona.

I suppose if he took a lower-ranked kid to Iona and the kid was happy, his coach with a future top-ranked kid might send him. But that's a big if.

We need to not skimp on assistants' salaries. I think Rasheen will be here. I like him, he works hard, he's not a backstabber, and as Marillac would probably put it, he won't be sending Zach selfies at 3 a.m.

We need Borman here. But was he tied to Hurley, or would he come for Cluess? And he's not leaving his current gig for a cheap ass offer. Same with Hsu. I would even see if Boyle wanted to come, but I doubt he would, and his ego and Tim's ego would probably clash.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=341313][quote="MJDinkins" post=341307][quote="OLV72" post=341303]Old School will be the first to admit when Cluess proves him wrong. I don't get it. I don't see any Norm in this hire. The pipe dream that a Hurley was coming here probably plays into the negativity. I expect that this hire will be well received by the press that covers us. Count me in as appreciating that we are finally bringing in a local guy that has a winning pedigree as a coach.

Who was the last local guy that earned his way by winning everywhere on the way up? No one earned this more than this guy. Fran was the last comparable that comes to mind, but Cluess has more history on his resume coming into the job.[/quote]

I thought it was about getting the best option, and less about where the coach hails. Some of y'all seem stuck on centricities.

If he's the best option, so be it. But I don't think he is the best option nor do I care about a coach's locale. Let's see where those local HS coaches are when it's time for their highly-rated 4 and 5-star players to decide on their college destination.[/quote]

Who is our best option in your view, Dink?
Keeping in mind, feasibility, cost, tenure time, and time line needs.[/quote]

I already said Pitino about a week ago. I'd also take my chances on Odom (UMBC) and Rhoades (VCU). I might even be a tad interested in Becker (Vermont). I'm sure there are a few other coaches out there that I'd consider as well.

But I know enough about Iona and have seen my share of Iona games during the past several seasons. There's just something telling me this will only lead to more mediocrity. It's not that I think Cluess is a poor coach (I think he could hold his own in the Big East), but his teams defense or lack of doesn't resonate well with me. He's not gonna be able to overwhelm the opposition in the Big East, as he does in the MAAC.

Is he gonna be able to recruit at a fairly, high-level at St. John's? Is he suddenly gonna respect the defensive side of the ball? Is he gonna demand his team become a solid rebounding team? I'm wondering at his age, if he's too set in his ways of doing things, and having some form of success at it, to change how he goes about his business. I'll support Cluess (until he gives me reason to no longer support him), as I've done any coach since I've been a fan of the program.

I've rambled long enough, as you only asked about who I considered as "best options."
 
Thanks General. We had so many great fans visit us in 114 this past season. It would be great to see you stop by next season.

Stay positive
 
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