@Xavier, Sat. Jan. 7, 2:30pm, FS1/970AM

I was surprised by their stats as well. They definitely shot it better last year. Still a very good and well coached team on the road. Hopefully we can play well.
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We play awful. It is very frustrating
 
Nova, Creighton,Butler, Xavier are arguably Top 15 Programs and haven't suffered through 15 Years of Chaos like we have. Mullin is not a Miracle worker. he pulled together a Team last year that had been left Zero by Stevie Wonder. Lavin might not have won a game with our team last year! But, I digress.

we have 2 Legitimate BE players on our team and both, are exceptional , 6 foot,lefty guards whose games are essentially identical. They are small by comparison to nearly all the Guards they will face. their talent on any given night will determine where we will finish in the Standings. Right now, we are in better shape than DePaul, Providence, G'town having won 2 Games. Our Talent does not allow us to compete with the 4 Teams that will fight it out this year. We should be happy , not to finish last. I think we can hold our own with the teams below us in the Conference.

As for all the shots, some cheap, directed at Mullin. This Team could have Red Auerbach, Bobby Knight and John Wooden and Mike K on our Bench and the results wouldn't change. It won't until we get a full Roster of 8 legitimate BE level talent, including a big Man and 2 Burly Forwards built like NFL linebackers that can go to the hoop and also shoot a J. how far are we from that?

I don't know , does anyone at this point? A question to ask is Matt A. finding the job more difficult than at Iowa State? Maybe our Admissions policies are not as lenient as the Cyclones? Maybe we need some transfers or 5th year players, that every team has these days. Blaming Mullin for Player errors , when they are outclassed , doesn't seem fair to me. The team plays hard and didn't give up, today or against Creighton. Our 2 guards are Special Players and everyone knows it , but, they alone cant make up for the lack of a legitimate Front Court game .
I hope Ponds and Lovett stick around long enough to be part of building this Program to a competitive level. They are the Linch Pins to doing it.
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Ahmed is a juco All American. I'm frustrated with his play at times, but I disagree with your suggestion that he's not a big east player. Owens is not there yet, but with some work in the weight room, he could be special in a couple of years. I'm not ready to give up on Ellison yet. As for everybody else, I tend to agree.
 
Nova, Creighton,Butler, Xavier are arguably Top 15 Programs and haven't suffered through 15 Years of Chaos like we have. Mullin is not a Miracle worker. he pulled together a Team last year that had been left Zero by Stevie Wonder. Lavin might not have won a game with our team last year! But, I digress.

we have 2 Legitimate BE players on our team and both, are exceptional , 6 foot,lefty guards whose games are essentially identical. They are small by comparison to nearly all the Guards they will face. their talent on any given night will determine where we will finish in the Standings. Right now, we are in better shape than DePaul, Providence, G'town having won 2 Games. Our Talent does not allow us to compete with the 4 Teams that will fight it out this year. We should be happy , not to finish last. I think we can hold our own with the teams below us in the Conference.

As for all the shots, some cheap, directed at Mullin. This Team could have Red Auerbach, Bobby Knight and John Wooden and Mike K on our Bench and the results wouldn't change. It won't until we get a full Roster of 8 legitimate BE level talent, including a big Man and 2 Burly Forwards built like NFL linebackers that can go to the hoop and also shoot a J. how far are we from that?

I don't know , does anyone at this point? A question to ask is Matt A. finding the job more difficult than at Iowa State? Maybe our Admissions policies are not as lenient as the Cyclones? Maybe we need some transfers or 5th year players, that every team has these days. Blaming Mullin for Player errors , when they are outclassed , doesn't seem fair to me. The team plays hard and didn't give up, today or against Creighton. Our 2 guards are Special Players and everyone knows it , but, they alone cant make up for the lack of a legitimate Front Court game .
I hope Ponds and Lovett stick around long enough to be part of building this Program to a competitive level. They are the Linch Pins to doing it.
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Ahmed is a juco All American. I'm frustrated with his play at times, but I disagree with your suggestion that he's not a big east player. Owens is not there yet, but with some work in the weight room, he could be special in a couple of years. I'm not ready to give up on Ellison yet. As for everybody else, I tend to agree.
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I don't blame anyone who criticizes the team. St johns fans have suffered and suffered for a long time. We had an administration that didnt care. From the Pittsburgh incident to the hiring of norm Roberts who was never up to the task and the list of complaints can go on. I have come to the realization that Mullin may fail and the program will go the way of NYU. Some times I feel they should disband the basketball program and revive the men's track team.
 
After watching the game here are my thoughts FWIW.
1- Defense seemed optional today. I specifically watched Bashir on a couple of plays when he missed shots and he basically loafed back. Very disappointing. Worse he was not alone.
2- Marcus :Lovett is a good player. However, he forced the issue way too many times today.. Anyone in his ear that he is ready for the next level is being dishonest. What is he exactly? A PG or a 2G?
3- If I see AA shoot another 3 I will be sick. Please someone tell him its not going in. It wasn't a killer as the game was so one-sided but it just isn't a good shot for him.
4- Our frontcourt weakness is glaring so I won't repeat all the issues, yet again.
5- BA is another player who forces plays that are not there way too often. He seems to get frustrated and the result are wild turnovers.
6- Someone/anyone please stop the ball as the other team moves down the floor. Its basic defense!
7- Ball/YOU/MAN...Live it. Its not that hard.

Lastly and this is a general comment. Xavier, its players, its fans and coaches whined on EVERY ref call. I am sure we do it at times. Most of the calls were blatant fouls. Please stop the whining! Even the announcer noticed it.
 
Can't call it the worst defensive effort of the year since I saw neither defense or effort. Even Lavin had it right when he said if you can't stop the ball, you can't defend. No one seems to take pride in playing defense, and that's a problem.
 
Just a few thoughts, I watched the game then went out drinking for a few hours but: We will beat Gtown Monday, not many teams would go into Xavier and win they are very good, and lastly its obvious Mussini and Amar cant play at this level so thankfully we have 2 players sitting out this year that can replace them. Go Johnnies we will beat Gtown.
 
I don't want to be a broken record, but as I've been saying from the start of the season, a huge issue is defense, defense, defense. We are going to have our off nights offensively, and that is what it is with a guard-dependent offense where you don't get enough points in the paint. But you can't be awful defensively every time out and we are.

I get that Creighton had a mismatch with Patten, and that Xavier had size in the backcourt that was a problem for us. But you still have to work to make things tough for the other team on that end of the floor, and we can do better at that.

I still think we will be much improved over last year, and are poised to take another step next year. And I think Mussini and Freudenberg can still be contributors. But it all starts with picking up the defensive intensity, and being prepared to deal with the defensive intensity other BE teams bring every night.
 
Jesus im Glad i drank Mojitos and Cuba Libres all day. I can't even believe I stopped at the 1 wifi spot in old Havana to check the score. I should have realized when no one texted me that it wasn't good
 
Jesus im Glad i drank Mojitos and Cuba Libres all day. I can't even believe I stopped at the 1 wifi spot in old Havana to check the score. I should have realized when no one texted me that it wasn't good
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We were just out classed they were better, esp at home.
 
3 of 19 (15%).
That was the combined offense of the following players: Yakwe, Ellison, Mussini, Freudenberg, Alibegovic, Williams. Two of those started but don't deserve to start on this or any other Big East team.
Bashir Ahmed singlehandedly sucked as much as those 6 players by shooting 3 for 12 (25%).

Defensive effort was nonexistent.  While Xavier played hard on ball defense with 4 players collecting 4 fouls only Ellison collected more than 3 on St. John's. Owens appears to be the only player willing to play defense for 40 minutes. 
How bad were the combination of players dogging it on the court?
So bad that Amhed, Yakwe and Ellison had to be replaced by the likes of Freudenberg, Alibegovic and Mussini who, in theory, should only be on the court together when St. John's is leading by 20.
As for dogging it on defense Amhed, Yakwe and Ellison insulted every matador who ever risked their life entering the bull ring.  I give Shamorie a pass as freshman but I still don't see the defensive effort but lazy defense is contagious and those older veterans are not leading by example.





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Xavier recap:http://www.bigeastboards.com/
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RF is so bad defensively he is actually dangerous. One time he was so far behind on a drive that he put his head and ran right into his teammate who came over to help him. Both guys crumbled to the ground and Creighton guy made a layup. I think I saw the Three Stooges play defense like that once.
 
It is difficult not to be repeatitive/ beat an old horse (which is a sad thing to do - let's leave the horse alone:) ) but excellent points from lawmanfan, rochester redman, class of 72, others on the preceding page;
Neither extreme pessimism nor extreme optimism...author Amy Ryan wrote an excellent treatise on the Power of Patience sooo
Let's maintain our perspective:

Chris Mullin is a winner
He came here to win
He inherited an expansion team
We all need to " chill" as my kids tell me and give it time and a few more recruiting classes
AND
by the way were not most of us thrilled to have the Eupipean players sign with us? We were - how fickle and quick to forget
Go Red Storm
(roads bad on the East End drive carefully or not at all)

All the best
SS& G
 
Waiting sharpens desire
(David Runcorn Church of England priest)

Passion and gradualism
(Ivan Pavlov Russian on the two keys to life)

everything gets done in divine time
(Iyanla Vanzant African American lawyer, new thought author)

It is self-evident that - like it or not - our kids don't grow up the instant we want them to; nor do our gardens and sports skills blossom overnight
enough from me but I think you get my gist
:)
 
I don't want to be a broken record, but as I've been saying from the start of the season, a huge issue is defense, defense, defense. We are going to have our off nights offensively, and that is what it is with a guard-dependent offense where you don't get enough points in the paint. But you can't be awful defensively every time out and we are.

I get that Creighton had a mismatch with Patten, and that Xavier had size in the backcourt that was a problem for us. But you still have to work to make things tough for the other team on that end of the floor, and we can do better at that.

I still think we will be much improved over last year, and are poised to take another step next year. And I think Mussini and Freudenberg can still be contributors. But it all starts with picking up the defensive intensity, and being prepared to deal with the defensive intensity other BE teams bring every night.
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Yes, we are just plainly an easy team to score on & it is impossible most nights v quality teams to keep pace. We started season with notions of depth, but I just don't see the bench guys bringing anything of consequence. Wish I had your optimism re Freudenberg, but each game he seems more nervous and tentative. Ahmed's recent poor & forced play really kills team offensively. Opponents having to deal with essentially two guys is a gift. I do hope staff embraces your point on defense & gets them to better commit & communicate there to keep us in games. Making up large deficits is impossible most nights in face of limited firepower.
 
3 of 19 (15%).
That was the combined offense of the following players: Yakwe, Ellison, Mussini, Freudenberg, Alibegovic, Williams. Two of those started but don't deserve to start on this or any other Big East team.
Bashir Ahmed singlehandedly sucked as much as those 6 players by shooting 3 for 12 (25%).

Defensive effort was nonexistent.  While Xavier played hard on ball defense with 4 players collecting 4 fouls only Ellison collected more than 3 on St. John's. Owens appears to be the only player willing to play defense for 40 minutes. 
How bad were the combination of players dogging it on the court?
So bad that Amhed, Yakwe and Ellison had to be replaced by the likes of Freudenberg, Alibegovic and Mussini who, in theory, should only be on the court together when St. John's is leading by 20.
As for dogging it on defense Amhed, Yakwe and Ellison insulted every matador who ever risked their life entering the bull ring.  I give Shamorie a pass as freshman but I still don't see the defensive effort but lazy defense is contagious and those older veterans are not leading by example.



We all know how porous our defense has been. Is their any chance we will hire a defensive coach for next year? What would have to happen to our present staff?




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I don't want to be a broken record, but as I've been saying from the start of the season, a huge issue is defense, defense, defense. We are going to have our off nights offensively, and that is what it is with a guard-dependent offense where you don't get enough points in the paint. But you can't be awful defensively every time out and we are.

I get that Creighton had a mismatch with Patten, and that Xavier had size in the backcourt that was a problem for us. But you still have to work to make things tough for the other team on that end of the floor, and we can do better at that.

I still think we will be much improved over last year, and are poised to take another step next year. And I think Mussini and Freudenberg can still be contributors. But it all starts with picking up the defensive intensity, and being prepared to deal with the defensive intensity other BE teams bring every night.
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Yes, we are just plainly an easy team to score on & it is impossible most nights v quality teams to keep pace. We started season with notions of depth, but I just don't see the bench guys bringing anything of consequence. Wish I had your optimism re Freudenberg, but each game he seems more nervous and tentative. Ahmed's recent poor & forced play really kills team offensively. Opponents having to deal with essentially two guys is a gift. I do hope staff embraces your point on defense & gets them to better commit & communicate there to keep us in games. Making up large deficits is impossible most nights in face of limited firepower.
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May be nonsense on my part, but I almost think CM needs to script a handful of plays to start the game to minimize the out of control/bad shot fueled slow starts. Something to get them kickstarted.
 
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