Newsday: Pecora May Look for Exit

I post this on this site for this strange bit, from a Newsday writer who obviously isn't reading the local papers:


Pecora does not comment on his job aspirations but it has long been known that his dream job is in Jamaica. There is no indication Norm Roberts is in danger at St. John's, which has deiced not to pay a king's 's ransom to any coach to resurrect its once grand program.

While Hofstra has been on something of a treadmill in the CAA, Pecora has elevated his standing. Another opportunity may be in the offing. Hofstra will have to pay to keep him.

read the rest: http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/ny-skmarc0218,0,6851409.column

I post this on this site for this strange bit, from a Newsday writer who obviously isn't reading the local papers:


Pecora does not comment on his job aspirations but it has long been known that his dream job is in Jamaica. There is no indication Norm Roberts is in danger at St. John's, which has deiced not to pay a king's 's ransom to any coach to resurrect its once grand program.

While Hofstra has been on something of a treadmill in the CAA, Pecora has elevated his standing. Another opportunity may be in the offing. Hofstra will have to pay to keep him.

read the rest: http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/ny-skmarc0218,0,6851409.column

Um, there is no indication that Norm Roberts is in danger?
Could this season have gone any worse?

Well, at least we didn't lose to Hofstra and Niagara this year.

Obviously Norm is in great danger of losing his job -- he most likely lost it several games ago. What makes this even more ridiculous is that several papers covered this, including Newsday.

Pecora has done a fine job at Hofsta, but he will never go from Hofstra to St. John's and he can thank Roberts for this lack of consideration. I can only assume that the administration will stay away from high-risk candidates; and I do include Pecora in that high-risk category.

Of course I say all this with as much assurance as this administration allows. You really never know with Monasch and Fr. Harrington.

I wouldn't be too upset if we landed Pecora.

High risk is Cluess, high risk is an assistant.  Pecora's not a home run; he's a boring, local candidate with an okay record of winning.  Norm was mostly an unknown as a coach, and what was known wasn't good.  Wright, why do you call Pecora high-risk?  He's wanted the job, it's his "dream job", and as we know, those are magic words to the administration, apparently.

High risk is Cluess, high risk is an assistant.  Pecora's not a home run; he's a boring, local candidate with an okay record of winning.  Norm was mostly an unknown as a coach, and what was known wasn't good.  Wright, why do you call Pecora high-risk?  He's wanted the job, it's his "dream job", and as we know, those are magic words to the administration, apparently.

A home run Calipari, Pitino or Knight.

But what Pecora presents is a realistic chance to have the coach that Jarvis was. The recruiter that Fran could be, and personality that Norm brings to the post game interview.

I think he has the 3 best qualities that our last 3 coaches had, and he's young as well. I like him, and I'd be thrilled with him as our new coach.

He would turn guys like Burrell, Evans and Coker into Big East players.

He would turn guys like Burrell, Evans and Coker into Big East players.

I posted on another thread that I am warming up to Pecora but what makes you think he will make Burrell, Evans & Coker better players...   

Its not like his teams are lighting it up in the CAA..?

Maybe I'm cynical but I see this story as a total plant for Pecora trying to throw his name into the ring without actually throwing his name in the ring.

Hofstra is a 1 man show although Lester has been playing better the past couple of weeks.

I'd like to at least land a coach who is top of his conference unless it's gregory who finishes behind Miller

mjmaher - I kind of agree.  A curiously timed profile article on a coach... in the middle of a season, whose contract isn't up?  And the line I quoted above requires the writer to be lying, high on meth, or working for rivals.com.  Norm is pretty obviously in trouble.

Also, from a Hofstra message board:

http://www.caazone.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=90776&sid=3385355bf29aff57105b57df4ccfb229

Let's not get crazy about Pecora; just a year ago Hofstra was 12-18 and his overall record at Hofstra is 132-109.

He's an upgrade from Coach Roberts and I would certainly be more optomistic about his hire than I would if Steve Robinson or Mark Jackson were hired.

As of now, I see Seth Greenberg, Bob McKillop, Fran McCaffery, Brad Stevens, and Brian Gregory as the most likely candidates, assuming there's no interest by Calipari, Miller or Knight.

Pecora is not Jay Wright. What has this guy done at Hofstra that makes anyone think he could bring St Johns to the top of the Big East against the likes of Pitino,Huggins,Boehiem and Calgoon

Let's not get crazy about Pecora; just a year ago Hofstra was 12-18 and his overall record at Hofstra is 132-109.

He's an upgrade from Coach Roberts and I would certainly be more optomistic about his hire than I would if Steve Robinson or Mark Jackson were hired.

As of now, I see Seth Greenberg, Bob McKillop, Fran McCaffery, Brad Stevens, and Brian Gregory as the most likely candidates, assuming there's no interest by Calipari, Miller or Knight.

Steve Robinson?
C'mon now.

Quote from: DWright_05 on February 18, 2009, 12:54:37 PM

Let's not get crazy about Pecora; just a year ago Hofstra was 12-18 and his overall record at Hofstra is 132-109.

He's an upgrade from Coach Roberts and I would certainly be more optomistic about his hire than I would if Steve Robinson or Mark Jackson were hired.

As of now, I see Seth Greenberg, Bob McKillop, Fran McCaffery, Brad Stevens, and Brian Gregory as the most likely candidates, assuming there's no interest by Calipari, Miller or Knight.

Steve Robinson?
C'mon now.

As the top assistant on North Carolina the guy is going to get looks..    maybe not here but it's not out of the question that he will be spoken to if SJU comes looking after the season.

Choz..  if Norm is let go. . who would your top choice be..?

Way to bring that Steve Robinson crap from another board.  I call BS on that assistant; no idea why he would get a look.

Way to bring that Steve Robinson crap from another board.  I call BS on that assistant; no idea why he would get a look.

Why're you getting on me? I have absolutely no interest in Steve Robinson. 

mjmaher - I kind of agree.  A curiously timed profile article on a coach... in the middle of a season, whose contract isn't up?  And the line I quoted above requires the writer to be lying, high on meth, or working for rivals.com.  Norm is pretty obviously in trouble.

I agree with you and MJ. This seems like a planted article directed by his agent.
Pecora is an average to above-average mid-major coach, but he's about as sexy a candidate to a good high-major program as Meryl Streep in a thong. He benefits, by comparison, from the proximity to all of the local mediocrity (STJ, Rutgers, Fordham, Stony Brook, Manhattan, St. Francis, Seton Hall, LIU).

One would hope they could find a more inspiring candidate nationally.

Quote from: peter on February 18, 2009, 02:05:28 PM

Way to bring that Steve Robinson crap from another board.  I call BS on that assistant; no idea why he would get a look.

Why're you getting on me? I have absolutely no interest in Steve Robinson. 

My bad.  I don't mean to get on you; the person who started the Steve Robinson rumor... well, that sounds a little out of thin air.

Way to bring that Steve Robinson crap from another board.  I call BS on that assistant; no idea why he would get a look.

From the other board..  what is that supposed to mean...   

and if it was directed at me..  I was not hte first person to mention Steve Robinson...

Quote from: peter on February 18, 2009, 02:05:28 PM

Way to bring that Steve Robinson crap from another board.  I call BS on that assistant; no idea why he would get a look.

From the other board..  what is that supposed to mean...   

and if it was directed at me..  I was not hte first person to mention Steve Robinson...

pmg, in no manner am I calling you out!  Good grief, people. 

First: "from the other board" means "from the other Message board," a commonly used appellation for any of the other sites St. John's fans use to air their gripes; many times on other message boards, members fdo not call another board's name but use the oblique "the other board."  In this case it was BEB.

Second, I agree that you were not the first person to mention Robinson.  As stated earlier, I think his name was brought up out of nearly thin air - certainly he is a college basketball assistant but not one mentioned for job openings (like Michigan State's Mark Montgomery was at times last year).  I said nothing of you bringing his name up, I never referred to anything you said here as BS, and it's not directed at you.

Sorry if I just went a little off there, but pmg, I didn't refer to you in any way, shape, or fashion.  You're looking for arguments that aren't there.  I am not even sure if you had any strong opinion on the guy!