New Coach

The problem with Cluess is the big buyout, and what exactly is his upside. He doesn't even coach at a mid major and is 60. Yes he does very well at his level and is a superstar in the MAAC. I just don't see him being able to replicate that in the Big East.

Can he scour the country for kids?

Will he fight Jay Wright and win recruits?

Or are we just going to hope he keeps us in the bottom half of the conference?

We have pretty much sucked for many years. Let's do a diligent search and try to hire the very best candidate. Maybe we don't get anyone good but let's at least try.         

If no one ever hired assistants we’d eventually have no head coaches. But I don’t want follow a coach who started with zero experience with one that has zero experience as a head coach.

We need a coach with a proven system for developing talent.

I saw Iona play at MSG against Columbia, Iona was a mess. Passing was lazy, guys were dribbling into traffic and there was never anyone ready to board. This would finally be the season Cluess took one on the chin.

But nope.

Fast forward to the MAAC tourney and the NCAAs. This is a different team. McGill is distributing and guys are finishing strong. Crawford, who really struggled early on found his groove. Gist, who couldn’t dribble or shoot in December is now dynamite. Agee, who was just terrible in the early part of the season looked like a big man who would have started at St.John’s. He rebounds. He finishes inside, and he even knocks down threes.

They lost, sure, but Iona, with MAAC players had a better post season showing than we did.

The answer is right in front of them and they can’t see it. That is so very St.John’s.

This is good analysis.  Before the season, redshirt senior Ced Casimir, a vg 3pt shooter during his career, transferred to Fla. Gulf Coast.  Roland Griffin, an all MAAC team performer and Iona's best big punched an Assistant Coach and was kicked off the team.  Iona opened at home on Nov. 13th with new players Gist (transfer from E. Ky), Agee (JuCo big), Nikovic (JuCo big), Ristanovich (red shirt frosh), Maxwell (JuCo), Still (transfer from R. Morris), Hudson (true frosh).  That's seven new players.  Didn't play another home game until Dec. 31st.  They were working in seven new players while virtually living on the road for six weeks.  Started 2-9.

Still was counted on to be a big contributor, got hurt, and played about 12 games.  Has lingering concussion issues.  Nikcovic, a rotation big, was a good defensive/rebounding presence and had a nice touch around the basket.  He broke his foot against Quinnipiac in early Feb.  Done for the season.  Cluess ended up dressing 8 guys, playing 7, and won his last 10 games of the season to get the automatic bid. 

The problem with Cluess is the big buyout, and what exactly is his upside. He doesn't even coach at a mid major and is 60. Yes he does very well at his level and is a superstar in the MAAC. I just don't see him being able to replicate that in the Big East.

Can he scour the country for kids?

Will he fight Jay Wright and win recruits?

Or are we just going to hope he keeps us in the bottom half of the conference?

We have pretty much sucked for many years. Let's do a diligent search and try to hire the very best candidate. Maybe we don't get anyone good but let's at least try.         

IDK if I'd say the MAAC isn't a mid-major.  It has been during most of Cluess's tenure at Iona.  Big drop off last year from Ken Pom 20 to 28.  That is concerning. If the trend continues, yes would have to re-classify it as low major, or low D-1.

IDK if I'd say the MAAC isn't a mid-major.  It has been during most of Cluess's tenure at Iona.  Big drop off last year from Ken Pom 20 to 28.  That is concerning. If the trend continues, yes would have to re-classify it as low major, or low D-1.

I think unfortunately the MAAC is really low on the conference power rankings, even without the Ken Pom rankings. Cluess is better than the MAAC. It's a huge jump to a top basketball conference Right now the MAAC is like 29 and the Big East 5. That's a huge leap IMHO.

I think unfortunately the MAAC is really low on the conference power rankings, even without the Ken Pom rankings. Cluess is better than the MAAC. It's a huge jump to a top basketball conference Right now the MAAC is like 29 and the Big East 5. That's a huge leap IMHO.

The difference is that you can load up your roster just by knowing the right people and being creative at lower levels. The talented young coaches don’t stay long enough to build programs in the MAAC. Willard and Hewitt were gone in three years. Beilein and Cooley were gone in 5.

You want someone who has gone up against the big boys and knows end tricks. Those guys are shocks. You aren’t getting the second or third best guy on a roster...you’re going after the stud who usually has a camp behind him and other interests (sneaker companies, AAU, etc.) that need to be satisfied.

https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1117865843457699840

Of all the names that have been mentioned on the boards and on Twitter, this one would be BY FAR the worst hire of all of them. This is legitimately senseless

Doesn't make a lick of sense. None.

It’s becoming clearer each day we should have never let Lavin go.

"It’s becoming clearer each day we should have never let Lavin go,"

he said, clutching his Steve Lavin bobble head and reaching for the lotion.

Of all the names that have been mentioned on the boards and on Twitter, this one would be BY FAR the worst hire of all of them. This is legitimately senseless

After the 100 percent fact meeting with Brey this afternoon, Cragg must be 100 percent exhausted. Kudos to him for his diligence.

I kid obviously. 60-79 in the Horizon league is impressive, and there's a SJU connection, in that at Loyola Porter replaced Jim Whitesell - former SJ AC coach who replaced SJ heir apparent Nate Oates at UB - who replaced Larry Farmer who was replaced by Walt Hazard, who was replaced by Jim Harrick, who was replaced by the great Steve Lavin. This really squares the circle for me although I don't see the dook connection. This guy Cragg is looking like a genius. Sign me up.

https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1117865843457699840

Of all the names that have been mentioned on the boards and on Twitter, this one would be BY FAR the worst hire of all of them. This is legitimately senseless

You are braindead man.  He led a mid-major to the final four, is a well respected coach and known as a good recruiter.  THis is the exact type of coach we need.  He coaches defense well and likes to play at a slow pace which is always advantageous. He is only 50 so there could be some continuity.  Looking at our last 25 years it is going to be difficult to attract quality with our history of firing coaches.   

You are braindead man.  He led a mid-major to the final four, is a well respected coach and known as a good recruiter.  THis is the exact type of coach we need.  He coaches defense well and likes to play at a slow pace which is always advantageous. He is only 50 so there could be some continuity.  Looking at our last 25 years it is going to be difficult to attract quality with our history of firing coaches.   

NYC kids want to play at a fast pace.

NYC kids want to play at a fast pace.

The majority of this roster is not NYC kids and hasn't been for a very long time.

Of the little mentioned guys over the weekend this was the last one I wanted to hear.

It’s becoming clearer each day we should have never let Lavin go.

I agree 100 percent- and its also clear that the Repole involvement has to be exaggerated. Opening up your wallet does not mean going mid-major- it means throwing money at someone established with an offer he cannot refuse.

I just do not understand them- how is Mark Jackson not getting a call now? If anything him replacing his friend makes it less awkward. If they do not bring in the Lavin/Mullin name right now (forget production, think starpower name) they will lose alot of money  next year for Garden games. LJ will have no reason to stay and no one wants to see a mid-major coach running things on a last place team. We are not the knicks, we do not sell out (except big games) if we suck

How much does Moser make now?
apparently having dinner with higher ups after being on campus today.

The majority of this roster is not NYC kids and hasn't been for a very long time.

Do you think midwestern kids want to come to St. John’s? Okay academics and below average campus life?

Butler slows it down because look at who and where they recruit. I don’t think that’s a model that would work here. Tim Doyle and Geno Lawrence are the last two guys that fit that mold that I can remember. Mussini and RF?

I agree 100 percent- and its also clear that the Repole involvement has to be exaggerated. Opening up your wallet does not mean going mid-major- it means throwing money at someone established with an offer he cannot refuse.

I just do not understand them- how is Mark Jackson not getting a call now? If anything him replacing his friend makes it less awkward. If they do not bring in the Lavin/Mullin name right now (forget production, think starpower name) they will lose alot of money  next year for Garden games. LJ will have no reason to stay and no one wants to see a mid-major coach running things on a last place team. We are not the knicks, we do not sell out (except big games) if we suck

I am less worried about LJ Figueroa leaving than finding a coach who we need to succeed here

If LJ wants to sit out a year rather than player for a Moser for example so be it

I would take Moser over Cluess in a heartbeat

How much does Moser make now?
apparently having dinner with higher ups after being on campus today.

What a joke of a school. This decision should be 100% the AD with vote of approval from the BOT. There is no reason for “higher ups” to be involved. Gimpy shouldn’t be allowed within 500 feet of a candidate after his last hire.

I’ve been to games where Moser was coaching twice.

The first was in Normal, Illinois where his RedBirds beat Norm Roberts and we looked absolutely terrible outside of Darryl “Showtime” Hill.

The second time was last year in a home game vs Evansville. Much like with Cluess’s team this past December, Loyola was sluggish, they rushed shots and weren’t working together to get good shots.

Still, they played great defense. They got in position to rebound, they didn’t allow easy baskets on drives and they fought for loose balls.

I can’t predict how he’d do here, but I’ll tell you this, that man is coaching. Moser works his butt off during a game. He’s talking to his players, he’s in the middle of the huddle and he’s aggressive. His style is loud. It’s energetic. Maybe even a little crazy, but I wonder if we’d all find that level of caring refreshing?