The Eternal "Who's the Worst SJU Coach" Debate

[beast of the east]

Agree on his temperament. Bit of a Napoleon complex. Like Lav, he seems to have found his niche in the booth. They are both knowledgeable  and entertaining commentators. Good for them. 

If we are going to play the “what could have been” game, having DJ Kennedy for the tournament, would have changed everything for Lavin and the program.

That was a veteran team that was getting itself back together after a little slump late in the season. I believe they would have made a major run because their defense would have been hard to prepare for in such a compacted time.

Other than the BET game when the game was over at halftime, the moment DJ went down and clutched his knee, our season was over right there.

 

[RedmanMike]

I'm a sucker for topics like this.  A  few thoughts...

Mahoney was definitely the best recruiter of the post-Louie group, followed by Lavin.  It's a pretty big drop off after that.  Mullin would actually rank pretty highly for recruiting if you take transfers into consideration.

And I agree completely that Lavin should get credit for making some very basic changes in his first year - foremost among them letting Hardy play PG full-time.  That was the biggest difference, and it led to a terrific season.

I'd rank them this way:

1. Lavin
2. Fran
3. Jarvis
4. Anderson
5. Mullin
6. Mahoney
7. Norm

 

[Dal975]

I'm a sucker for topics like this.  A  few thoughts...

Mahoney was definitely the best recruiter of the post-Louie group, followed by Lavin.  It's a pretty big drop off after that.  Mullin would actually rank pretty highly for recruiting if you take transfers into consideration.

And I agree completely that Lavin should get credit for making some very basic changes in his first year - foremost among them letting Hardy play PG full-time.  That was the biggest difference, and it led to a terrific season.

I'd rank them this way:

1. Lavin
2. Fran
3. Jarvis
4. Anderson
5. Mullin
6. Mahoney
7. Norm

Not saying I necessarily disagree re: Mahoney's recruiting, but context is important.  St. John's was still in an era of being a national power (even if subsiding a bit), had been to the elite 8 as recently as '91, the Knicks and hence the garden were ultra-glamorous, and his main two recruits Felipe and Zendon were hometown kids who experienced all that.  He had major advantages others did not. 
 

 

[lawmanfan]

Coming soon:  A thread entitled "The Eternal "Who's the Worst Redmen.com Poster" Debate." 
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[paultzman]

Coming soon:  A thread entitled "The Eternal "Who's the Worst Redmen.com Poster" Debate." 
/media/kunena/emoticons/devil.png/media/kunena/emoticons/devil.png/media/kunena/emoticons/devil.png

NM

 

[Las Vegan]

I'm a sucker for topics like this.  A  few thoughts...

Mahoney was definitely the best recruiter of the post-Louie group, followed by Lavin.  It's a pretty big drop off after that.  Mullin would actually rank pretty highly for recruiting if you take transfers into consideration.

And I agree completely that Lavin should get credit for making some very basic changes in his first year - foremost among them letting Hardy play PG full-time.  That was the biggest difference, and it led to a terrific season.

I'd rank them this way:

1. Lavin
2. Fran
3. Jarvis
4. Anderson
5. Mullin
6. Mahoney
7. Norm

Re Mahoney's recruitng, while he didn't coach him, he also should get credit for recruiting Lavor Postell
 

 

[monte]

Don't blame me for the title of this thread. I start the conversation, in response to a LJSA comment, with "BEST coaches since Lou". Not "WORST SJU coach"

 

[Las Vegan]

Don't blame me for the title of this thread. I start the conversation, in response to a LJSA comment, with "BEST coaches since Lou". Not "WORST SJU coach"

What about the assistant who finished the season after Harrington dismissed Jarvis, with extreme prejudice. Is he eligible?
 

 

[otis]

Does it really matter Who's the Worst SJU Coach ?

 

 

[ohiofan]

NOrm.

 

[Knight]

Does it really matter Who's the Worst SJU Coach ?


 

Only if it were Anderson; it isn’t.

 

[austour]

Coming to this party late.  Not going to read the thread.  Just going to give my answer.

Mahoney and Roberts would appear to the worst coaches but they clearly were coaches.

Jarvis and Mullin were he worst excuses for coaches.

 

[ohiofan]

NOrm. Couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag. Still can't.

 

[MainMan]

I'm a sucker for topics like this.  A  few thoughts...

Mahoney was definitely the best recruiter of the post-Louie group, followed by Lavin.  It's a pretty big drop off after that.  Mullin would actually rank pretty highly for recruiting if you take transfers into consideration.

And I agree completely that Lavin should get credit for making some very basic changes in his first year - foremost among them letting Hardy play PG full-time.  That was the biggest difference, and it led to a terrific season.

I'd rank them this way:

1. Lavin
2. Fran
3. Jarvis
4. Anderson
5. Mullin
6. Mahoney
7. Norm

Not saying I necessarily disagree re: Mahoney's recruiting, but context is important.  St. John's was still in an era of being a national power (even if subsiding a bit), had been to the elite 8 as recently as '91, the Knicks and hence the garden were ultra-glamorous, and his main two recruits Felipe and Zendon were hometown kids who experienced all that.  He had major advantages others did not. 


 

Sure Mahoney was riding the relative success of Louie's later years.  

But Louie's recruiting largely stunk at the end of his career. He didn't even build off his own success from 85. 

The last big recruits were Sealy and Werdann in 88 along with Jason Buchanan who was pretty much an unknown, Chucky Sproling a vastly overrated Top 50 player and Terrence Mullin who is Terrence Mullin. 

1989: David Cain, Carl Beckett 
1990: Shawnelle Scott, Sergio Luyk, Lee Green, Lamont Middleton- transfer,
1991: Mitch Foster - Juco
1992: Fred Lyson, Rowan Barrett, Mo Brown, Charles Minlend, Tom Bayne. 

Other NYC players of that era: Kenny Anderson, Jamal Mashburn, Adrian Autry, Brian Reese, Derrick Phelps, Khalid Reeves, Conrad McRae, Rob Phelps, Jerry McCulloch, Jamal Faulkner, Terrance Rencher, Orlando Antigua, Eric Mobley and across the river at St Anthony's: Bobby Hurley, Terry Dehere, Jerry Walker.








 

 

[mjmaherjr]

Norm has to still be considered as one of the worst coaches in big east history 

 

[Johnny Rapper]

After much thought I have to go with Mullin, not Norm. First of all Mullin didn’t coach, his assistants did. But it was his off seasons unavailability that gives him the honor. 

 

[ohiofan]

Norm has to still be considered as THE worst coach in big east history. In
all sports.

Fixed your post.

 

[Red Drum]

Any one after Louie. 

 

[isham]

Mullin just didn't give a shit.

 

[Knight]

Some might say the coach after Louie and before Louie.