Rick Pitino - Head Coach at St John’s University!!!

Meant to post this in this thread. Pitino's comments after Hofstra game:

Pitino: “I’ll say two things: We played well, they played great. We knew this was coming because we played them two times at Iona. Don’t take this the wrong way, we had a much better team at Iona than we do at St. John’s. Dubar killed us last year, he makes tough shots.”
 
Here's reality: Hofstra at UBS vs. St. Johns draws more alumni than they would on campus, so more neutral. Having just done LIRR to ubs (piece of cake) the arena is great and if we can put 8k into ubs of our own fans, its a strong option.

At 4k its a horrible option so its up to our fans to buy tix. I totally get that at CA we have a homecourt advantage.

Tbh I'm not even sure we fill CA vs UCONN for real (and not just on paper). But to have a real homecourt advantage we can't play in a place where their fans outnumber ours and call it a home game. On this note I'm with Rick. The selection committee won't consider that MSG becomes a neutral court or even a home court for some opponents.

Nice crowd today. Very much a family day with lots and lots of kids. Actually was a pleasure not to have to wade past pan handlers and lunatics, and the nomadic suitcase people in Penn. Yea the city is great, but not to deal with crazies yelling at people or themselves and hope your family won't end up in a ny post crime story is a relief.

Not to.mention that Hofstra's crowd was pleasant, sedate, and suburban. No elitist bs Georgetown drunks etc.

Close the books on 2023. So much to be thankful for. Focus on basketball keeps me off the front depressing news stories and general decay.
 
Play UCONN at msg, half the fans would be theirs and it would be essentially a nuetral court. Carneseca would be a real home field advantage
 
The conclusion being jumped to is the UCONN thing is all about home court advantage. Rick said “I have my reasons”, and it’s clear a more SJU friendly crowd might highlight those. I don’t think it’s only that. I don’t remember the exact tweets but the AD was tweeting classless stuff before last years MSG game. It was noted by many at the time and was an example of a conference member AD kicking another member when they were down. I wouldn’t think the SJU administration appreciated that.

If Georgetown rebounds they will fill a lot of MSG seats quickly. Villanova already does. And I don’t believe for a second those games should or would get moved on campus. UCONN is a crappy league partner, always trying to leave a league who saved them. They deserve any middle finger headed their way.

After the UCONN game Pitino called them decent. It was a different take then the one he gave after losing to them in the NCAAs. That was a signal. This is another. I think he is pushing back on the league bully, and this move hurts them. It’s not crushing or anything but they lose something they want.

As far as losing the game anyway I don’t think that’s even a consideration to Pitino. He doesn’t expect to lose games, that is not in his DNA.
 
Rick Was born w mic in his hand and whether strategic or just blowing off steam, he attracts attention to a program in need of that. I think he would rather beat UConn at MSG than CA and is just prodding fans to come out to the Feb game. Even if UConn fans occupy a third of MSG, the atmosphere is still electric, recruits & players love it and the media juice is better. Victories over teams well represented in MSG stands through the years like Georgetown, Duke, UConn, Nova are still scintillating and attention getting. We want Broadway not Delancy St (CA) Rick & so do you.
 
IDRAFT said:
The conclusion being jumped to is the UCONN thing is all about home court advantage. Rick said “I have my reasons”, and it’s clear a more SJU friendly crowd might highlight those. I don’t think it’s only that. I don’t remember the exact tweets but the AD was tweeting classless stuff before last years MSG game. It was noted by many at the time and was an example of a conference member AD kicking another member when they were down. I wouldn’t think the SJU administration appreciated that.

If Georgetown rebounds they will fill a lot of MSG seats quickly. Villanova already does. And I don’t believe for a second those games should or would get moved on campus. UCONN is a crappy league partner, always trying to leave a league who saved them. They deserve any middle finger headed their way.

After the UCONN game Pitino called them decent. It was a different take then the one he gave after losing to them in the NCAAs. That was a signal. This is another. I think he is pushing back on the league bully, and this move hurts them. It’s not crushing or anything but they lose something they want.

As far as losing the game anyway I don’t think that’s even a consideration to Pitino. He doesn’t expect to lose games, that is not in his DNA.
Click to expand...
There is obviously a message there and the points you make are good ones. RP is unafraid to play anyone or to call out anyone. He’s “been there, done that” and has no doubt that he will have SJ back in the near term.

To add to the theories you posed, I thought he may also be attempting to create some negotiating leverage with MSG to whom we pay rent (vs. UBS revenue sharing arrangement)…it my be outside of what a coach typically does but I think RP sees himself as the President of SJ hoops (and, rightfully so)…could be totally off base.
 
Section3 said:
There is obviously a message there and the points you make are good ones. RP is unafraid to play anyone or to call out anyone. He’s “been there, done that” and has no doubt that he will have SJ back in the near term.

To add to the theories you posed, I thought he may also be attempting to create some negotiating leverage with MSG to whom we pay rent (vs. UBS revenue sharing arrangement)…it my be outside of what a coach typically does but I think RP sees himself as the President of SJ hoops (and, rightfully so)…could be totally
Click to expand...
First I recall hearing on here about revenue sharing arrangement at UBS. Interesting.
 
RedStormNC said:
Thx.

I did like UBS as an arena overall, but not a fan of it as a home court for SJU / basketball.

Selfishly, where I was in Section 118 seemed like miles behind and off to side the basket with all that dead open floor space. I Would not want those seats again for the price and total cost of the day
Click to expand...
Agree…UBS arrangement is a “win-win” financially (plus they curtain off the top deck which is good for middling attendance)….But, MSG is MSG
 
paultzman said:
Rick Was born w mic in his hand and whether strategic or just blowing off steam, he attracts attention to a program in need of that. I think he would rather beat UConn at MSG than CA and is just prodding fans to come out to the Feb game. Even if UConn fans occupy a third of MSG, the atmosphere is still electric, recruits & players love it and the media juice is better. Victories over teams well represented in MSG stands through the years like Georgetown, Duke, UConn, Nova are still scintillating and attention getting. We want Broadway not Delancy St (CA) Rick & so do you.
Click to expand...
I've said this before. Rick plays chess, everyone else plays checkers.

So if UCONN tells a recruit they own new york and play a bunch of games in the garden, Rick can say, "wait, we will play everyone in the garden BUT you. Try to win in Queens. Ain't as easy".

Whatever the reason Rick makes you wonder what's up his sleeve. A recruit? Publicity? Maybe just to distract or piss you off.

Whatever the reason, it brings swagger to our program, namely "the days are over that we will cede honecourt advantage just to make more money at msg"

Rick is here to win and win as much and quickly as possible.

Happy new year. A really happy one for Johnnies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top