St. John's & ESPN SportsNation Poll

 I think what these polls show is that we don't have much national respect. We haven't been seriously relevant since basically the 80's. When people ask me where I go to school and I say "St. John's" they say "Oh, St. Joe's in Brooklyn or Patchogue?". The fact that St. John's is struggling to differentiate itself from St. Joseph's is pathetic. If we are to become even half as recognized as we were in our heyday, we have to start making noise this season. We still have a little momentum from 2 yrs ago...now we need to get ranked again and get on Sports Center to let people know we still exist. If the current group of players turn out to be mediocre or bad, I think our program takes another step back.
 
 I think what these polls show is that we don't have much national respect. We haven't been seriously relevant since basically the 80's. When people ask me where I go to school and I say "St. John's" they say "Oh, St. Joe's in Brooklyn or Patchogue?". The fact that St. John's is struggling to differentiate itself from St. Joseph's is pathetic. If we are to become even half as recognized as we were in our heyday, we have to start making noise this season. We still have a little momentum from 2 yrs ago...now we need to get ranked again and get on Sports Center to let people know we still exist. If the current group of players turn out to be mediocre or bad, I think our program takes another step back.
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Well you're talking to a bunch of idiots if they can't tell the difference between "Joe" and "John"
 
Not sure where you hang out Joe but I agree with rawdog. Today when people ask me the same question & I say St. John's, they all know where we are and they talk about Lavin looking to turn things around, etc. I have never ever had someone confuse St. John's with St. Joe's, I have heard of that happening to St. Joe's people though lol. . 
 
 I travel throughout the country and when I tell them where I went to school 95% know St. Johns.
 
 I think what these polls show is that we don't have much national respect. We haven't been seriously relevant since basically the 80's. When people ask me where I go to school and I say "St. John's" they say "Oh, St. Joe's in Brooklyn or Patchogue?". The fact that St. John's is struggling to differentiate itself from St. Joseph's is pathetic. If we are to become even half as recognized as we were in our heyday, we have to start making noise this season. We still have a little momentum from 2 yrs ago...now we need to get ranked again and get on Sports Center to let people know we still exist. If the current group of players turn out to be mediocre or bad, I think our program takes another step back.
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Joey, anyone I come across who follows college hoops even a little thinks we are just now making it back. Why anyone would have anything but good feelings about St.J.'s hoops, at this point in time , stumps me.  
 
 I think what these polls show is that we don't have much national respect. We haven't been seriously relevant since basically the 80's. When people ask me where I go to school and I say "St. John's" they say "Oh, St. Joe's in Brooklyn or Patchogue?". The fact that St. John's is struggling to differentiate itself from St. Joseph's is pathetic. If we are to become even half as recognized as we were in our heyday, we have to start making noise this season. We still have a little momentum from 2 yrs ago...now we need to get ranked again and get on Sports Center to let people know we still exist. If the current group of players turn out to be mediocre or bad, I think our program takes another step back.
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Not true at all. It's great to be below the radar now. Would make a win vs Baylor even more eye-opening. Don't forget, Baylor is a top team this year. The fact that they lead us in this poll means little. Now, if SJU comes out and wins the Charleston Classic against some pretty decent opponents including a likely top 10 team in Baylor, you can bet eyes will be opened pretty quickly.
 
 I want SJ to be back in the thick of things as bad as any of you guys do. My point was that we still do not have that national recognition. We USED to. I don't know how it can be argued that we are known to most people nationally when we have been so bad for so long. Maybe people who were around and into college hoops during the mid 80's, but most people under 30 never saw that golden era. I would bet that most people from more than 500 miles away don't know SJU. If you go to California or Texas, you really think most people know who we are? Maybe the big college hoops fans do, but not the common guy at a bar. I wish this were not the case, but I can't see how you expect national recognition and respect after the eggs we've laid for years now.

What I'm saying is that by in large we are not nationally known/respected by most people outside the metro NYC area or northeast. This is why the seasons coming up are so important. Obviously just my opinion, but I think the next 3-5 years are what will make or break us as a program going forward. If we start doing well again making NCAA's fairly consistently and being ranked on and off, we will get back in the national landscape. However, if we lay an egg the next 3-5 years, I think we go right back to how things were before Lavin came aka irrelevancy.

I just see so many people saying we are an elite 8 team next year, or that we can finish top 5 in the Big East, or that we can easily be ranked in the top 15. Believe me, I really really really hope it all happens, but I need to see evidence first. We must at least make the NCAA's first and get ranked at some point before we can even talk about being an elite 8 contender. Maybe I'm being more negative because I have never seen this team do anything except in the early 2000's and 2011. I was not around to see us ever go deep into the tourney or be ranked in the top 10. I was not around for the Mullin era. I truly hope this program gets up and going again!
 
 I want SJ to be back in the thick of things as bad as any of you guys do. My point was that we still do not have that national recognition. We USED to. I don't know how it can be argued that we are known to most people nationally when we have been so bad for so long. Maybe people who were around and into college hoops during the mid 80's, but most people under 30 never saw that golden era. I would bet that most people from more than 500 miles away don't know SJU. If you go to California or Texas, you really think most people know who we are? Maybe the big college hoops fans do, but not the common guy at a bar. I wish this were not the case, but I can't see how you expect national recognition and respect after the eggs we've laid for years now.

What I'm saying is that by in large we are not nationally known/respected by most people outside the metro NYC area or northeast. This is why the seasons coming up are so important. Obviously just my opinion, but I think the next 3-5 years are what will make or break us as a program going forward. If we start doing well again making NCAA's fairly consistently and being ranked on and off, we will get back in the national landscape. However, if we lay an egg the next 3-5 years, I think we go right back to how things were before Lavin came aka irrelevancy.

I just see so many people saying we are an elite 8 team next year, or that we can finish top 5 in the Big East, or that we can easily be ranked in the top 15. Believe me, I really really really hope it all happens, but I need to see evidence first. We must at least make the NCAA's first and get ranked at some point before we can even talk about being an elite 8 contender. Maybe I'm being more negative because I have never seen this team do anything except in the early 2000's and 2011. I was not around to see us ever go deep into the tourney or be ranked in the top 10. I was not around for the Mullin era. I truly hope this program gets up and going again!
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Agree for the most part. I just think that you have to see what we have under the hood right now, and we have maybe never had horsepower like this overall. And this is Lavin's first SJU team with all of his own guys. I think the "new era" is here and likely to start this season. We're certainly flying well below the radar, which I like right now because we are young and have to put things together. If we play like I think we can down the stretch this season, we'll be primed to create a ton of buzz down the stretch and have our name out there much more.
 
 And I hope you're right. I know we have tons of talent. But then again, why is the hype on SNY or ESPN not there? It's natural to be a bit worried if the only people claiming we have tons of talent are diehard fans of that team. We still got picked to finish like 14th or 15th in the Big East which basically means irrelevancy. Are the experts truly missing out and not realizing our potential, or are we just overrating the team? That's what I can't wait to find out because I know a hot start to the season would get ESPN talking.
 
Picking this team to be 13th or 14th in the BE is just stupid and ignorant. I prefer the underdog/sleeping giant status we enjoy right now, and I think those who know would be more apt to pick us top 6 or 7 in conference. 
 
 Joe3, we are in the Big East, one of the most televised conferences in America, people know who we are based on that alone. Whether they view us as a winning or losing program is a different issue but they know who we are. I just came back from a trip (I was in California, Utah and Hawaii) and in each one my school came up and every time people knew exactly who we were. Being in NYC has its advantages.
 
 No one has EVER mistook (to me) SJU for St. Joe's. I have had a few people over the years from the west coast or other places that were not familiar with alm mater, but never mistaken for St. Joe's. And, anyone with any college bb knowledge would NEVER make that mistake.
 
 The St. Joe's confusion is probably more of a LI thing, because so many people go to St. Joe's in Patchogue. I guess being about 45 miles from the Queens campus and like 5 miles from the St. Joe's campus will do that.
 
 The St. Joe's confusion is probably more of a LI thing, because so many people go to St. Joe's in Patchogue. I guess being about 45 miles from the Queens campus and like 5 miles from the St. Joe's campus will do that.
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I live in Northport LI, and I've never even heard of St. Joe's in Patchogue..
 
Looks like the State of North Dakota has faith in us ; )  
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They probably think its STJ of Minnesota.
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Moose, you are right. Because my license reads SJREDMN and I have a large magnet (SJ) on the side of the car I had a guy follow me for miles in Arizona, after pulling into a Walgreen's parking lot he jumped out of his car and yells St. John's, Minnesota?
 
 I think what these polls show is that we don't have much national respect. We haven't been seriously relevant since basically the 80's. When people ask me where I go to school and I say "St. John's" they say "Oh, St. Joe's in Brooklyn or Patchogue?". The fact that St. John's is struggling to differentiate itself from St. Joseph's is pathetic. If we are to become even half as recognized as we were in our heyday, we have to start making noise this season. We still have a little momentum from 2 yrs ago...now we need to get ranked again and get on Sports Center to let people know we still exist. If the current group of players turn out to be mediocre or bad, I think our program takes another step back.
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Joe, you really have to give your friends in Pilgrim State credit for at least knowing about St. Joe's in Patchogue.
 
 Lol @Jack...you would be surprised how common it is for people to go to college there. I'd say 50% of my graduating class ended up there. And MCNPA, there is also a Brooklyn campus...it's really known more for education majors, but I'd say when I tell people I go to St. John's, at least 75% of the time people say "Wait...St. Joe's?".
 
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