WASJU, what are you saying about the quality of your (and PMG's) posts?!!
But I do think that kids can be influenced by negativity and vitriol, especially if it confirms common scuttlebutt about a program. One advantage of St. John's, by the way, is that the papers still cover the team in a limited way (and will do so again). In Chicago, you can't find information about DePaul at all. That's a sad program.
So if you were a big recruit, you would be swayed by something I posted? As opposed to showing up at a game at the Garden where 850 fans quietly watch us struggle to score 60 points as we lose by 40?
If you think I can sway smeone with my posts, what is Norm's coaching doing?
Influenced. Not completely swayed one way or another. If you didn't write to influence other people's thoughts, then why would you post? Isn't that the reason for message boards, to commiserate, to argue, to agree, to posit your line of thinking?
The message board is a voice for the fans. A good coach can work right on through that; and a good coach can bring in talent no matter what is said about them.
But there are insiders on here, and longtime fans, and these folks paint a picture to the world at large of the state of the program that's deeper than what one reads in the Daily News. I have no problem with it, and I'm not saying anything about people only posting hearts and flowers.
And if this many people are pissed off, and there are no defenders of the program and coach, it's the coach that has a serious problem.