Ranking the Big East Coaches

[RedStorm212]

Oh, I get it. Those critical of Lavin hate him and make it personal. By that standard those who defend him love him and make it personal. Believe what you want but there is nothing more that I would like to see than Lavin sign a couple of forwards, we have a tournament team next season which leads to a great '15 class (Diallo, Briscoe) and a successful future. Just want us to win and am not happy with essentially over 10 years of bad basketball compared to the first 30 years I followed the program.

But you seem to be mistaken about my viewpoint about the team. Do you think I am happy with our last 10 years of basketball? Do you think I am happy with a first round NIT exit? No. Obviously not.

But the fact that we won 20 games, have been making improvements on a yearly basis, and have been extremely successful on the recruiting trail and show no real signs of slowing down there give me hope that Lavin is still the man for the job. I don't think I deserve to be called a pom pom waver or a kool aid drinker for that point of view. I think it's perfectly reasonable. Now if I were posting "Lavin is the greatest coach in the country" or any other positive equivalent of what you and others post about him, I think you would be justified in calling me names.

This is not accurate 212.
We were signing top flight talent until this year. Now we are signing sub150 projects and juco role players.

Actually we could be signing the #88 player in the country to replace the only starting spot that is left open this year. It is difficult to get top 100's to commit if you can't offer playing time. Looking ahead to 2015 it looks like we are right there (most likely the front runners) with two potential top 10 talents, as well as a few other top 100's. So I disagree, I think we are in great shape recruiting wise.

We really need to land Diallo and Briscoe to keep up the strong recruiting under Lavin but who says we are the front runners?

Exactly, in the hunt for sure, but can't say "front runners".

I didn't say we definitely were. But, from what I've read, if you had to speculate on which school was the front runner at this point based on the info available, hard to not say us.

Too early to say that, but whatever makes you feel good. Both recruitments will be wars IMO. I am happy we are positioned well.

Too early to speculate on a kids recruitment? What are these pages of recruiting threads for? Who would you say is the front runner at this time?

There is none.

Well that's no fun. Apparently we can only speculate when other schools are said to be front runners. Noted.

 

[RedStorm212]

Front runners for Briscoe and Diallo?

Someone is feeding you some very bad info.

Please share your obviously superior knowledge with the rest of us.

 

[Andrew]

Oh, I get it. Those critical of Lavin hate him and make it personal. By that standard those who defend him love him and make it personal. Believe what you want but there is nothing more that I would like to see than Lavin sign a couple of forwards, we have a tournament team next season which leads to a great '15 class (Diallo, Briscoe) and a successful future. Just want us to win and am not happy with essentially over 10 years of bad basketball compared to the first 30 years I followed the program.

But you seem to be mistaken about my viewpoint about the team. Do you think I am happy with our last 10 years of basketball? Do you think I am happy with a first round NIT exit? No. Obviously not.

But the fact that we won 20 games, have been making improvements on a yearly basis, and have been extremely successful on the recruiting trail and show no real signs of slowing down there give me hope that Lavin is still the man for the job. I don't think I deserve to be called a pom pom waver or a kool aid drinker for that point of view. I think it's perfectly reasonable. Now if I were posting "Lavin is the greatest coach in the country" or any other positive equivalent of what you and others post about him, I think you would be justified in calling me names.

This is not accurate 212.
We were signing top flight talent until this year. Now we are signing sub150 projects and juco role players.

Actually we could be signing the #88 player in the country to replace the only starting spot that is left open this year. It is difficult to get top 100's to commit if you can't offer playing time. Looking ahead to 2015 it looks like we are right there (most likely the front runners) with two potential top 10 talents, as well as a few other top 100's. So I disagree, I think we are in great shape recruiting wise.

We really need to land Diallo and Briscoe to keep up the strong recruiting under Lavin but who says we are the front runners?

Exactly, in the hunt for sure, but can't say "front runners".

I didn't say we definitely were. But, from what I've read, if you had to speculate on which school was the front runner at this point based on the info available, hard to not say us.

Too early to say that, but whatever makes you feel good. Both recruitments will be wars IMO. I am happy we are positioned well.

Too early to speculate on a kids recruitment? What are these pages of recruiting threads for? Who would you say is the front runner at this time?

There is none.

Well that's no fun. Apparently we can only speculate when other schools are said to be front runners. Noted.

It's ok to hope we are the frontrunners. I just don't see any evidence of it. Right now I am just hoping we can land the WCC kid and would be pleasantly surprised if we get Cunningham. More importantly, I want the team to make the NCAA tournament which was this season's goal.

 

[paultzman]

Oh, I get it. Those critical of Lavin hate him and make it personal. By that standard those who defend him love him and make it personal. Believe what you want but there is nothing more that I would like to see than Lavin sign a couple of forwards, we have a tournament team next season which leads to a great '15 class (Diallo, Briscoe) and a successful future. Just want us to win and am not happy with essentially over 10 years of bad basketball compared to the first 30 years I followed the program.

But you seem to be mistaken about my viewpoint about the team. Do you think I am happy with our last 10 years of basketball? Do you think I am happy with a first round NIT exit? No. Obviously not.

But the fact that we won 20 games, have been making improvements on a yearly basis, and have been extremely successful on the recruiting trail and show no real signs of slowing down there give me hope that Lavin is still the man for the job. I don't think I deserve to be called a pom pom waver or a kool aid drinker for that point of view. I think it's perfectly reasonable. Now if I were posting "Lavin is the greatest coach in the country" or any other positive equivalent of what you and others post about him, I think you would be justified in calling me names.

This is not accurate 212.
We were signing top flight talent until this year. Now we are signing sub150 projects and juco role players.

Actually we could be signing the #88 player in the country to replace the only starting spot that is left open this year. It is difficult to get top 100's to commit if you can't offer playing time. Looking ahead to 2015 it looks like we are right there (most likely the front runners) with two potential top 10 talents, as well as a few other top 100's. So I disagree, I think we are in great shape recruiting wise.

We really need to land Diallo and Briscoe to keep up the strong recruiting under Lavin but who says we are the front runners?

Exactly, in the hunt for sure, but can't say "front runners".

I didn't say we definitely were. But, from what I've read, if you had to speculate on which school was the front runner at this point based on the info available, hard to not say us.

Too early to say that, but whatever makes you feel good. Both recruitments will be wars IMO. I am happy we are positioned well.

Too early to speculate on a kids recruitment? What are these pages of recruiting threads for? Who would you say is the front runner at this time?

There is none.

Well that's no fun. Apparently we can only speculate when other schools are said to be front runners. Noted.

It's ok to hope we are the frontrunners. I just don't see any evidence of it. Right now I am just hoping we can land the WCC kid and would be pleasantly surprised if we get Cunningham. More importantly, I want the team to make the NCAA tournament which was this season's goal.

Exactly.

 

[RedStorm212]

Oh, I get it. Those critical of Lavin hate him and make it personal. By that standard those who defend him love him and make it personal. Believe what you want but there is nothing more that I would like to see than Lavin sign a couple of forwards, we have a tournament team next season which leads to a great '15 class (Diallo, Briscoe) and a successful future. Just want us to win and am not happy with essentially over 10 years of bad basketball compared to the first 30 years I followed the program.

But you seem to be mistaken about my viewpoint about the team. Do you think I am happy with our last 10 years of basketball? Do you think I am happy with a first round NIT exit? No. Obviously not.

But the fact that we won 20 games, have been making improvements on a yearly basis, and have been extremely successful on the recruiting trail and show no real signs of slowing down there give me hope that Lavin is still the man for the job. I don't think I deserve to be called a pom pom waver or a kool aid drinker for that point of view. I think it's perfectly reasonable. Now if I were posting "Lavin is the greatest coach in the country" or any other positive equivalent of what you and others post about him, I think you would be justified in calling me names.

This is not accurate 212.
We were signing top flight talent until this year. Now we are signing sub150 projects and juco role players.

Actually we could be signing the #88 player in the country to replace the only starting spot that is left open this year. It is difficult to get top 100's to commit if you can't offer playing time. Looking ahead to 2015 it looks like we are right there (most likely the front runners) with two potential top 10 talents, as well as a few other top 100's. So I disagree, I think we are in great shape recruiting wise.

We really need to land Diallo and Briscoe to keep up the strong recruiting under Lavin but who says we are the front runners?

Exactly, in the hunt for sure, but can't say "front runners".

I didn't say we definitely were. But, from what I've read, if you had to speculate on which school was the front runner at this point based on the info available, hard to not say us.

Too early to say that, but whatever makes you feel good. Both recruitments will be wars IMO. I am happy we are positioned well.

Too early to speculate on a kids recruitment? What are these pages of recruiting threads for? Who would you say is the front runner at this time?

There is none.

Well that's no fun. Apparently we can only speculate when other schools are said to be front runners. Noted.

It's ok to hope we are the frontrunners. I just don't see any evidence of it. Right now I am just hoping we can land the WCC kid and would be pleasantly surprised if we get Cunningham. More importantly, I want the team to make the NCAA tournament which was this season's goal.

I just think both of them mentioning SJU in every interview, we're the local school, and their close relationship with the staff would be enough to right now say we could be the front runner. I'm almost positive that if it was any other school in the same position as us right now, we'd have no problem saying that school was the front runner.

But hey, I have no inside knowledge, just speculating off of everything I've read about their recruitments.

 

[Jack Williams]

Cunningham to SJU still seems very unlikely. Him not announcing this week is a good sign but it's not looking great at the moment. We really didn't get back into his recruitment until (I'm afraid) it's too late.

 

[SJUalum98]

Front runners for Briscoe and Diallo?

Someone is feeding you some very bad info.

Please share your obviously superior knowledge with the rest of us.

No need for me to do so.

Briscoe's father said all that needed to be said about the matter.

And I'd like you to find one interview from Diallo.

 

[RedStorm212]

Front runners for Briscoe and Diallo?

Someone is feeding you some very bad info.

Please share your obviously superior knowledge with the rest of us.

No need for me to do so.

Briscoe's father said all that needed to be said about the matter.

And I'd like you to find one interview from Diallo.

I just figured that if you were so positive that we were not the favorite, you had some other info that we didn't have. Guess not.

 

[1and1sju]

Some of you guys have a very short memory. We were in a nearly identical position two years ago with McCullough and Whitehead. Both loved St. John's, and we were in good with both of them. We were the front runner according to numerous experts.
Our fans around here we're pencilling them in the lineup already.
That was supposed to be the class Lavin was building towards, remember? The truly elite players that he had been able to recruit from freshmen year of HS on.

How did that work out?
This why it's dangerous to use the supposedly good "position" we are in with recruits to justify the coach's tenure or a contract extension.

 

[Marillac]

Some of you guys have a very short memory. We were in a nearly identical position two years ago with McCullough and Whitehead. Both loved St. John's, and we were in good with both of them. We were the front runner according to numerous experts.
Our fans around here we're pencilling them in the lineup already.
That was supposed to be the class Lavin was building towards, remember? The truly elite players that he had been able to recruit from freshmen year of HS on.

How did that work out?
This why it's dangerous to use the supposedly good "position" we are in with recruits to justify the coach's tenure or a contract extension.

No reasonable poster ever thought IW was even a strong possibility until 48 hours before he popped for SH. It came out of nowhere that he even had serious interest in us. McCullagh was a different story. He called us his dream school three years before he could set foot on campus. Penciling guys in his half the fun of being a fan of a program like St. John's. We aren't UK...we get a fraction of the kids we want and enjoy an even smaller fraction of the success we envision. Half of us are Mets fans...that's what we do. Don't think there isn't a Mets fan out there that hasn't written down a future rotation including Harvey, Wheeler, Mejia, and Syndagaard on a piece of paper just to see what it looks like. We did the same thing with Izz, Pulse, and Wilson. It's a lot more enjoyable than waiting for the 90-loss seasons.

I'm not going to doubt Lavin in matters of recruiting. He delivers every year. What I will doubt him on is his coaching and player development, because there are serious question marks in those categories. I think we need more guys like Cunningham, that are in the top 100 because how they can play now, and not guys like Pointer who were in the top 100 because how they would be if they ever got in together.

I actually like Whitesell a lot from what what I've heard from him, and I think he will really put his mark on the team this year. Everyone wants instant results, but the guy came in as a stranger a few weeks before the season started.

 

[RedStorm212]

Some of you guys have a very short memory. We were in a nearly identical position two years ago with McCullough and Whitehead. Both loved St. John's, and we were in good with both of them. We were the front runner according to numerous experts.
Our fans around here we're pencilling them in the lineup already.
That was supposed to be the class Lavin was building towards, remember? The truly elite players that he had been able to recruit from freshmen year of HS on.

How did that work out?
This why it's dangerous to use the supposedly good "position" we are in with recruits to justify the coach's tenure or a contract extension.

Being the favorite with nearly a year to go doesn't mean a whole lot, I would agree. But there's nothing wrong with being happy/excited about being right in the thick of it with blue chip recruits. McCullogh and Whitehead have nothing to do with Diallo and Briscoe. This is the first year you can say Lavin's recruiting has been subpar. And if we get Cunningham I'm not sure you could even say that. If for some reason we end up missing out on the big fish, I think Lavin will still get us a few top 100's. The issue will be coaching them and winning with them.