Where we go from here
- Thread starter monte
- Start date
72, I hope you're wrong about a problem with taking advice. He - as with anyone in his position - needs good advice from experienced college people. If you're right about this point then I hope you're correct about what wouldn't surprise you down the road.
Of course, we'll survive and see better days. We're no Fordham or Manhatten. We're a DePaul or BC.
So did we against Fordham. This team has looked good when two things have happened: 1) Passed well. 2) Played aggressive defense.
Today Lovett was jogging and played half assed pretty much the entire game, stupid turnovers and did not run the offense at all. Ponds was little better. Bashir not at all. While Ellison hit shots today still making the stupid turnovers and I think it bodes really poorly if Ellison is going to take over our offense, especially shooting 3s. Mussini looked like he was just punching the clock. These guys don't value their floor time. They don't play hard for every minute they are on the floor. That is what I don't get. To his credit Yakwe looked a little more into it today but the only guy I think has consistently played hard is Tariq Owens but he is going to foul out pretty much every game that he gets minutes. Effort, heart, pride. These are missing elements more than Xs/Os. They can obviously execute when they feel like it but that is the difference between a child and a professional. A professional attitude doesn't rely upon feeling like it. We've got a bunch of babies - (Mullineals). They punch hard then curl up in a ball and suck they thumbs when they get punched back.
Paultz thanks for helping to clarify my OP. Not suggesting by any means that Chris be let go now. I agree with those who say he came here to win and is giving it his all. Sometimes that is not enough. It's not the losing over the past few weeks that has me so concerned, it's how we're losing. It's the quit in some of the kids. It's the lack of teamwork/cohesiveness after exhibiting some early in the year. it's the Sima defection. It's the fact that the staff seems somewhat lost. It's the fact that we are about to go in to the most brutal stretch of our schedule with our confidence in the toilet. It was going to be tough enough to get wins from here on out even if we were operating on all cylinders, the chances of it happening now are virtually nil. I have always said that I am less concerned about exact wins/losses, and more concerned with how the team and staff evolved and progressed over the course of the year. Both seem to be regressing. Going back to my original point, if this experiment is looking as though it's not going to work, there is no point in either party hanging on just for the sake of it. There will be no "termination" involved, a mutual "parting of the ways" is how it will be handled. Starting to feel that is the direction we may be headed. Really hope that I am wrong. .
Mostly agree. Lovett did not look 100% to me either today, I also thought he was limping somewhat. Ponds also seemed to have trouble playing against bigger guards, which is a learning process for him. He also has to start his release higher when he penetrates or he is going to have a lot of shots blocked.
I don't think this is an unstoppable train wreck. There are a few pretty obvious fixes, and I think CM is too smart a basketball guy not to make them happen. Just isn't gonna be this year for a variety of reasons.
There is no way in the world a 1st-year Athletic Director at St. John's is going to let Chris Mullin walk out the front door.
Mullin will get at least four full years here, regardless of results.
We're all just going to have to batten down the hatches and with deal with these rough seas this year, and hopefully we'll have smoother sailing next year. That's all we can hope for. There is no reason to get in a tizzy over these tough losses. All it is doing is shortening your lives. It's counter-productive to harp on the negatives.
Try to support the kids and stay positive.
Mullin will get at least four full years here, regardless of results.
We're all just going to have to batten down the hatches and with deal with these rough seas this year, and hopefully we'll have smoother sailing next year. That's all we can hope for. There is no reason to get in a tizzy over these tough losses. All it is doing is shortening your lives. It's counter-productive to harp on the negatives.
Try to support the kids and stay positive.
Class of 72
Active member
As much as this team lacks effort on defense which also shows a lack of pride in the love of the game, today what was evident was the complete disorganization in almost every aspect of the offense. You are correct regarding Marcus. He did not show any point guard mindset at all today. If, as some observed, he wasn't 100%, he should have been given a specific role in this game rather than just allowed to run amuck. More turnovers than assists usually means you are playing outside your assigned role. Bashir Ahmed is the crown king of running amuck on this team. Today he made 2 passes to the invisible man by playing wild irresponsible basic basketball.
With Ponds, Lovett and Ahmed playing completely out of control it was up to Mullin to call a time out. Sit them, calm them, instruct them as to what he wants that was designed in practice. Mullin called no time outs, stood bewildered with his arms folded and allowed the chaos to unfold. If anything resembling game scouting and preparation took place in practices leading up to the game then there is a lot more than in-game coaching by Mullin to be concerned
about.
It may mean that practices are too generalized for young inexperienced players. You can get away with that in the pros but young, and in our case, mostly average talent, you need a great teacher of the game. Coaches like Jim Larranega, Bob McKillop and yes, Larry Brown. If you can't teach the game you don't belong on the sidelines in the college game.
It is common in the teaching profession to give a teacher tenure after 3 years. That is usually all you need to evaluate teaching effectiveness. During those first 3 years after evaluations, coaching the teachers, class observations, by the end of year 3 you need to weed out those not meant for the profession. I know college coaching is more dependent on recruiting compatible talent but what is quickly becoming evident is that teams with lesser talent appear better prepared. Today may have been the most evidence of that preparedness.
If Mullin had very loose oversight as one of his employment conditions we can see why now with the unprepared players. Whatever he and his staff are doing needs evaluation and unfortunately we may have hired an Athletic Director with no teeth to do his job. President Bobby, with his CYO refereeing experience certainly is not qualified. What St. John's has managed to do in big time college sports is a new rule of minimal responsibility by management that carries over from the scandalous Harrington regime allowing the likes of Cecilia Chang and others to operate outside of supervision.
Alums and donors are getting tired of the amateurish and unprofessional way things are being done.
I wonder if Mullin suffers from the "Ted Williams Syndrome;" great player that can't translate his physical skills to teach lesser skilled players. I hope not. More likely, the staff's strengths overlap and they miss the right assistant coach with the right set of skills (D-oriented, etc.)
Any site of Mike Repole in the background?
Any site of Mike Repole in the background?
we are sju
Active member
Mullin wasn't a typical great player in that he didn't have great natural ability. Maybe he was arrogant in thinking that he could do this w/o a problem and w/o much in the way of help.
beast of the east
Active member
Where do we go from here? Unless you are in a position to fire and hire, you sit tight and root. Maybe if we get into a close game, the home court advantage if we are loud enough wins a game or two.
As most of our posters know, I was the most shameless rooter for a Mullin hire, not only 2 years ago, but even when Lavin was offered the job. My rationale was that if he wanted the job, it should be his. Everyone else had failed over 25 years to varying degrees, and without a doubt he did more to lift our program to the highest level it had been since the early 50s. A successful Mullin coaching engagement would be like SJU winning the lotto.
I was also among the first to worry if he actually could coach also. Even though he explained that Larry Bird coached in the manner, I didn't buy the delegating thing, and was concerned that he wasn't interacting much with staff or players on the sidelines. After the Slice disharmony was revealed, perhaps now we know why, along with CM perhaps being uncomfortable in the role. When most were totally still on board with Mullin, espousing that opinion got me lots of minuses, but that's okay.
Watching these past 3-4 games, though I'm going to change tack against most users on here once again.
Even though there have been coaching errors, and lack of strategic substitutions, timeouts, and unremedied defensive and offensive lapses, it does appear to me that Mullin has finally grabbed the reins. He ever put on a tie and dress shoes for the first time this season (right after I posted something about him at least looking the part even if he wasn't Jay Wright [yet]). So much for my gigantic ego thinking I am influencing him,
If you've never coached before, deer in the headlights is really a common thing. Before you become a good coach, you have to coach. To me at least, now he is coaching form the bench, engaged with players and assistants. He may give St. Jean too much to say in huddles, but if he sticks around I think that will change also.
For now, I'm going to agree and say, yea he's not a good coach yet, but I will say it's clear that he is coaching, and that's a big start. Once he's comfortable on the sidelines, and he's getting there, just getting guys to bust it on defense will be an Improvement.
At this point, with such a thin front line and a short backcourt, the season is looking just marginally better by the thinnest of margins.
Mullin is not getting fired a this point. Bobby G. is a bean counter and not going to eat any more salary, so unless CM resigns, just sit tight. I have a feeling he isn't going to walk away from $2 million per and fail so soon, so I'm guessing that we should expect at least a year 3 and likely a year 4 also.
As most of our posters know, I was the most shameless rooter for a Mullin hire, not only 2 years ago, but even when Lavin was offered the job. My rationale was that if he wanted the job, it should be his. Everyone else had failed over 25 years to varying degrees, and without a doubt he did more to lift our program to the highest level it had been since the early 50s. A successful Mullin coaching engagement would be like SJU winning the lotto.
I was also among the first to worry if he actually could coach also. Even though he explained that Larry Bird coached in the manner, I didn't buy the delegating thing, and was concerned that he wasn't interacting much with staff or players on the sidelines. After the Slice disharmony was revealed, perhaps now we know why, along with CM perhaps being uncomfortable in the role. When most were totally still on board with Mullin, espousing that opinion got me lots of minuses, but that's okay.
Watching these past 3-4 games, though I'm going to change tack against most users on here once again.
Even though there have been coaching errors, and lack of strategic substitutions, timeouts, and unremedied defensive and offensive lapses, it does appear to me that Mullin has finally grabbed the reins. He ever put on a tie and dress shoes for the first time this season (right after I posted something about him at least looking the part even if he wasn't Jay Wright [yet]). So much for my gigantic ego thinking I am influencing him,
If you've never coached before, deer in the headlights is really a common thing. Before you become a good coach, you have to coach. To me at least, now he is coaching form the bench, engaged with players and assistants. He may give St. Jean too much to say in huddles, but if he sticks around I think that will change also.
For now, I'm going to agree and say, yea he's not a good coach yet, but I will say it's clear that he is coaching, and that's a big start. Once he's comfortable on the sidelines, and he's getting there, just getting guys to bust it on defense will be an Improvement.
At this point, with such a thin front line and a short backcourt, the season is looking just marginally better by the thinnest of margins.
Mullin is not getting fired a this point. Bobby G. is a bean counter and not going to eat any more salary, so unless CM resigns, just sit tight. I have a feeling he isn't going to walk away from $2 million per and fail so soon, so I'm guessing that we should expect at least a year 3 and likely a year 4 also.
beast of the east
Active member
First off, Ted WIlliams managed a horrible Senators team for a short time, so it's hard to say what he could and couldn't do.
On pretty good info, Repole did not have the influence (you can translate what that means) that many people on here thinks he had, and he nor his wallet has not been around for a few years now.