CMA/STJ write up

I normally agree with you Foad, but do you think Mullin was a better coach than Lavin? As carmine always says since we are not a good program getting to the NCAAs is a great season, Lavin got us there twice and 1 NIT. I just thought we should have been better in Mullins 4th year last year. We had some glimpses but then had some horrendous losses. Beating Depaul in the big east tourney and then getting annihilated by marquette the next day was definitely on the coaching staff.

I also think its alarming the level of talent that coach Anderson has brought in. Mullin brought in a lot better recruits when he was hired in his first year.

It depends what you mean by coach. If you mean coaching during the game and putting in place a system that maximized their players abilities, they were neither very good at it. If you mean running a clean drama free program and representing the university with dignity and respect, Mullin by a wide mile and that's even taking into account his potty mouth. And if you're talking about results, take away Norm's team from Lavin and this is what you get

13-19
17-16
20-13
21-12 (NCAA)

and compare it to Mullin’s record

8-24
14-19
16-17
21-11 (NCAA)

It's nearly identical, and especially if you consider (a) what they started with and (b) that the 16-17 was the year Mullin's father died the year Mullin got cancer the year Mullin lost Lovett 10 games into the season.

So to recap: they were both not terribly good at various things but Mullin wasn't a compulsive liar who suffered from narcissist personality disorder, so advantage Mullin.

Just a lawyer? How dare you. Say that again and I'll have the ABA up your ass so fast it'll make your head spin. Because actually I am a doctor dummy, aka a juris doctorate. Which is besides the point. The point being that in your ball washing of the repulsive Steve Lavin you extend him every courtesy and make for him every excuse all of which is designed to disguise the fact that he sucked at coaching and was besides which a reprehensible mentally ill human being. And all because a couple of times he nodded at you in the hallway and every once in a while spotted you a slice of pizza. There are whores in Bangkok who put out less than you do for more. Although to your credit they don't have your loyalty.

Hahaha the ABA is corrupt as hell- too busy censoring speech than to deal with me. I was not making excuses for Lavin, just stating facts yet acknowledging that I think Anderson has the grit this program needs and with that will also come the talent eventually. Mullin took us a step back.

As for Lav, for the sake of anonymity I will not reveal the extent of my involvement with the program, but I will say I was involved in different facets predominately MBB but also other sports and I came to know Lav, the staff and the team very well. 

But objectively speaking- I think with the Anderson hire rather than I felt during the Mullin hiring, we are headed in the right direction.

I normally agree with you Foad, but do you think Mullin was a better coach than Lavin? As carmine always says since we are not a good program getting to the NCAAs is a great season, Lavin got us there twice and 1 NIT. I just thought we should have been better in Mullins 4th year last year. We had some glimpses but then had some horrendous losses. Beating Depaul in the big east tourney and then getting annihilated by marquette the next day was definitely on the coaching staff.

I also think its alarming the level of talent that coach Anderson has brought in. Mullin brought in a lot better recruits when he was hired in his first year.

Lav got us to 2 NCAAs and 2 NITs in 5 years. As for your assessment spot on- no reason to get crushed so badly by Marquette - coach has to get them ready and overcome the tired legs. In fairness to Mullin though, the fact that we won a BE game is a positive- one of Lav's weaknesses.

Once again though- why are we getting so alarmed at the talent? its the end of the cycle after a nationally embarrassing coaching search. These were depth signings- I expect some to be out after 1 year if he gets better pledges for next year which he will with a solid season. In fairness, a solid core is intact so Anderson did not have to do as much. This team is good enough for at least second round of NCAAs barring injuries.

Hahaha the ABA is corrupt as hell- too busy censoring speech than to deal with me. I was not making excuses for Lavin, just stating facts yet acknowledging that I think Anderson has the grit this program needs and with that will also come the talent eventually. Mullin took us a step back.

As for Lav, for the sake of anonymity I will not reveal the extent of my involvement with the program, but I will say I was involved in different facets predominately MBB but also other sports and I came to know Lav, the staff and the team very well. 

But objectively speaking- I think with the Anderson hire rather than I felt during the Mullin hiring, we are headed in the right direction.

Mahoney inherited a team that went 19-11 and left a team that went 13-14.

Jarhead inherited a team that went 28-9 and left a team that went 6-21.

Norm inherited  team that went 6-21 and left a team that went 21-12.

Lavin inherited a team that went 21-12 and left a team that went 8-24.

Mullin inherited a team that went 8-24. Say Coach Third choice goes 19-11 like the great Brian Mahoney.

"Objectively speaking" - a phrase you don't seem to know what it means if you can say "I came to know Lav, the staff and the team very well" and think that knowing them quite well doesn't effect your ability to speak objectively - where are the steps back? Objectively speaking, Mahoney, Jarvis, and good old coach Lavs.

coach has to get them ready and overcome Robert Morris.

Finally we agree.

And if you're talking about results, take away Norm's team from Lavin and this is what you get

13-19
17-16
20-13
21-12 (NCAA)

and compare it to Mullin’s record

8-24
14-19
16-17
21-11 (NCAA)

It's nearly identical,

these two are not close to identical. 1 ncaa, 3 losing seasons, including a pathetic 8 win season in the NBE versus 2 nit seasons and an ncaa appearance, including several years in a conference that included syracuse, louisville, etc. 

(Of course, this comparison also excludes another ncaa tournament appearance solely because lavin had to use players, recruited by norm roberts, who had gone 6-12 in conference each of the two years before lavin took over.  As if somehow turning a group that had gone 17-37 over the previous 3 years into a 12-6 team that finished 3rd in a tough big east should be discounted.) 

If Anderson makes the Ncaa 40% of the time and the nit 40% of the time he'll be be putting St. john's back on the right track.

these two are not close to identical

Wrong dummy. They're as close to identical as identical can be without being identical.

Wrong dummy. They're as close to identical as identical can be without being identical.

I guess if your going to consider an arbitrary hypothesis, might as well also say a record that is 11 games over .500 is close to identical to a record that is 12 games below .500.

I guess if your going to consider an arbitrary hypothesis, might as well also say a record that is 11 games over .500 is close to identical to a record that is 12 games below .500.

That bird has feathers.

No it doesn't, it's red.

What did you like about his coaching? Switching every screen no matter who was in the game? Or maybe not hitting the offensive glass, or even maybe just continuously running the only play in our system a pick and roll.

That he inherited a team that was so bad it got blown out by St. Thomas Aquinas and turned it into an Ncaa tournament team.

As far as what system or schemes he employs or doesn't; what he wears; what assistant assists too much; etc. I couldn't care less.

Greg Thompson
@gregthompson27
FWIW, I’ve talked to a lot of people around NYC basketball the last couple months, and they all rave about Mike Anderson - both as a person and for how good a staff he put together. One HS coach said “Arkansas did us a favor” #SJUBB

Greg Thompson
@gregthompson27
FWIW, I’ve talked to a lot of people around NYC basketball the last couple months, and they all rave about Mike Anderson - both as a person and for how good a staff he put together. One HS coach said “Arkansas did us a favor” #SJUBB

I take comments from area high school and AAU coaches with a grain of salt. It always seems to be how they perceive the new staff will help them directly.

It’s also almost always positive to start until one of their kids gets overlooked or under-recruited. I’m sure everyone feels the love since we’ve been turning over rocks looking for anything with a pulse instead of competing for national prospects/transfers.