Seton Hall (UBS), Sun., Feb. 18, 5p, FS-1

Plus everyone has figured out how to beat Pitino's vaunted press. Pass it to the guy RJ Luis or Sean Conway is guarding dribble passed them the length of the court. lay the ball up. If you can't lay the ball up, dribble into Zuby or Soriano and hopefully you get a foul.

Now most coaches would think, maybe we shouldn't press all the time with the roster we have. Let's do our best to accentuate our players positives and hide their short comings. But CRP knows better than anyone that his system works 100% of the time. Damn the torpedoes men, lets keep banging our head against the wall!
It isn't just Luis or Conway. Ledlum and Dingle, and even Jenkins often get blown past leaving only a foul as an option.
 
I don’t really get the point of this post. You’re comparing St. John’s players to young men who go into the armed forces? I just want to get this straight.

I’m 47 before you respond to me. Even though I have kids, one teenager, I can’t identify with anyone on this team. Anyone in college basketball for that matter. I grew up in a different era, so I mostly agree with you. But, just because we “know” what’s tough and what isn’t, doesn’t mean anyone under the age of 25 is gonna agree with us. In fact, I don’t think very highly of the toughness of anyone that age, whether I’m generalizing or not.

Point being, the tact Pitino is taking is not the right one. Regardless of whether you or I think today’s college athlete is “coddled” or is being coddled.
I'm not saying he is being tactful in the marketing sense. He is not.
However, every single thing he said happens to be true.
That is what is rubbing everyone the wrong way.
It hurts.

As for the comparison to thousands of young men and women the same age in military academies, it was meant to contrast the discipline expected under challenging situations. Athletes lead a much similar life in college in contrast to their fellow students. They are required to follow strict rules and adhere to schedules that most students can take or leave.

So, for those worrying about the players feelings, realize that most athletes know what they signed up for and respond positively. Most coaches don't want the ones who become resentful or belligerent under challenging situations.

So, while what Pitino is now saying publicly is disturbing, many have been saying publicly on chat forums. As I said when student athletes were allowed to "earn" unlimited NIL and free agency, the player-coach relationship has been redefined.
There is no longer any need for loyalty to the school or coaches by the players.
The hundreds of mostly average players in the portal shows that severed relationship.

So, stop with the "effect" Pitino's words will have "long-term" with anyone.

It's all about playing time and the Benjamin's.
 
These posters who are sticking up for what Pitino said, I have a question.

How often does the coach of a team, pro or not, rattle off the names of his individual players and point out the negatives of each player? I swear to God I’ve never seen this before so if someone can give me an example, please do.

Listen, this team sucks. They do. Keep this crap in the locker room.
Here’s an example of a coach ripping his individual players-Vic DiBetetto coach of the NY Giants and manager of the NY Yankees. 1708325401979.gif
 
Would be nice if, tomorrow morning, Fr. Shanley tells Pitino over a cup of coffee in Marillac Hall to tone down the direct finger pointing at players deficiencies.

The more I think about it, the more it just doesn't sit right.

Doesn't matter how bad or how much $ they make. Do it in closed doors and be a leader and take responsibility in public.
I do actually wonder if anyone in his staff or in the school is willing to check him on his behavior, and if he would actually be willing to accept the feedback. If that was the case, he would have stopped ranting in post game press conferences weeks ago.

If the ego maniac Mike Francesca is correctly telling you how you should be acting, you know there is an issue lol.
 
Looking forward to reading the Lawmanfan analysis of the game. Unfortunately, pretty much already know what it's going to say, and it won't be pretty.
 
Rarely comment on games I didn't see but will throw in these two observations:

1. If you blow a 19 point lead it isn't the players, it's your coaching.

2. Pitino has never been a high character human and his comments this year have provided multiple examples of "some things never change"
 
another good comp….Pitino with the Celtics
Now that I resigned myself to the fact that the Pitino thing not gonna work and we are basically doomed, I am kind of enjoying the Rick heel turn.
Couple more games I expect him to coach in a Donny Marshall game worn UConn jersey. After the loss say UConn #1, and spit on Carnesseca arena floor. Then maybe hit Louie with a steel chair.
 
Yup. We have no really good players. We need 5 new starters next year.

Pitino has been awful this year but hes not the main reason we stink. We have no talent.
Serious question. How are we able to build huge leads with the same guys who can’t stop me on a slow break in the second half??

I don’t understand how if we are so unathletic and have such poor ability how we can be winning and winning big for big parts of games. Just doesn’t make sense.
 
Rarely comment on games I didn't see but will throw in these two observations:

1. If you blow a 19 point lead it isn't the players, it's your coaching.

2. Pitino has never been a high character human and his comments this year have provided multiple examples of "some things never change"
You expressed your reservations about Pitino early and often. Hopefully he gathers himself and finishes season without his over the top “candor”. I hope he recruits well and gets program on track in year two, but must say he left a sour taste in my mouth.

Repeating myself, but Shanley gave Rick a chance to leave Iona, the one bid MAAC with Atlantic City site for their tourney. For goodness sakes he has a BE job near his home and is well compensated. Suck it up, you had a bad season and less than stellar portal results. Most of the SJU community support and respect your history, so get to it and rebuild the program.
 
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As for the comparison to thousands of young men and women the same age in military academies, it was meant to contrast the discipline expected under challenging situations. Athletes lead a much similar life in college in contrast to their fellow students. They are required to follow strict rules and adhere to schedules that most students can take or leave.
Apparently the players are expected to show discipline under challenging situations but not the 70 year old coach.

Publicly pointing the finger at everyone but yourself for your failures is a low character, gutless move regardless of whether the players get paid and regardless whether much of what he's saying is true. How anyone could argue otherwise is beyond me.
 

Really awkward reading this article now.

He laid out qualities St. John’s needed to look for in recruits: high-character, athleticism and versatility. But most of all, shooting. Shooting, shooting and more shooting.

“If they can’t shoot,” he told the staff, “I don’t want them.”


"“I think it’s a much better recruiting class than people even know because they all can shoot,” Pitino said. “Any time you have players that can shoot, you can make them a better defensive player. You can get them to play hard. You can get them to pass correctly. You can work on the fundamentals — if they can shoot. Changing people’s shot is very difficult.”
 
Serious question. How are we able to build huge leads with the same guys who can’t stop me on a slow break in the second half??

I don’t understand how if we are so unathletic and have such poor ability how we can be winning and winning big for big parts of games. Just doesn’t make sense.
Because the game isn't decided in the first half. When good teams (which is almost the entire Big East) buckle down, we buckle. Seton Hall, almost to a man, is more athletic, more physical, and more tough minded than our guys. They shot poorly from the field and the line, but found another way to win.

Talking about building a culture? First Willard and now Holloway have done that at Seton Hall. They are not bursting with talent, but they always play hard and very physical, and if you beat them, they usually make you earn it. You can see the difference in effort and tenacity between their players and ours. They didn't even celebrate their important road win like it was some kind of upset (they were slight underdogs). Seems like they knew what the outcome would be once they started playing tough defense and attacking the rim on offense.
 
Maybe I should've always known this but I've landed at the point of Pitino being a Grade-A bullshitter to the press. It's not really worth deciphering anything he's saying to the press, and to think everything he says is super calculated is giving him way too much credit. He gets very emotional and says things he either doesn't mean or doesn't mean to say publicly. Not sure how anyone can really defend his character as a leader of men.

He also has a Grade-A track record, and it's fair to assume he's learned about Big East play in 2024 & the prerequisite talent required on his bench and on his roster. I would still be shocked if we aren't an upper half Big East team next year, and that the team isn't truly rolling by Year 3. I think next year will be seen as our true "year 1" where we set the foundation for culture and tone. There'll be plenty of changes on both the roster and staff -- I think he now sees that what worked at Iona isn't going to work at St. John's.

That said, I also think it's fair to see what he's doing on the sidelines/during games with a critical eye this point forward. He's thrown the benefit of the doubt out with this season. ANY OTHER COACH, and we would be saying they should either be fired or we're totally fucked for the forseeable future, based on their in-game and in-season coaching performance. (Of course, I am not saying I know more basketball than even Pitino has forgotten, but I am questioning how he specifically can connect to this generation of players at this level & how adjustable his coaching is at this point)
 
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