Norm restored integrity to this program...

and now its time for a new coach to take us the next step and make us a contender again.

Norm entered this program at the darkest point in its history. Following jarvis, the pitt scandal, abe keita payments, thug culture on the team, etc. Norm had an impossible job for someone who had never been a d1 head coach before. 

Despite trying his hardest, he could not land the most elite nyc recruits nor could he win enough to make a ncaa (or even be on the bubble).

That said, Norm did help the program in every other way.  He restored ties to community and aau that jarvis had destroyed. He restored integrity to the program. He had the kids playing hard and recruited hard working talented kids and gave them a shot at the big east.  He mismanaged the scholarships, but he has the team in position next year, with the right coach, to make the ncaa and even make a run.  The next coach will be able to come in, not needing to do the legwork with aau teams that norm did, and have a much easier time filling those scholarships than norm had in filling the few open when he came in.

Norm has left this program in a far better place than jarvis left it - he left it ALL set up for a new coach to win and recruit. People don't associate st johns w scandal anymore.

Let's hope the new coach can do what norm couldn't...because that's the only thing (and most important thing) left to do.

Good post Kid!  I was gonna say something similar but you took care of it.  All kidding aside, i wish Norm the best and thank him for his service. 
  Now lets win some freaking basketball games!!!

and now its time for a new coach to take us the next step and make us a contender again.

Norm entered this program at the darkest point in its history. Following jarvis, the pitt scandal, abe keita payments, thug culture on the team, etc. Norm had an impossible job for someone who had never been a d1 head coach before. 

Despite trying his hardest, he could not land the most elite nyc recruits nor could he win enough to make a ncaa (or even be on the bubble).

That said, Norm did help the program in every other way.  He restored ties to community and aau that jarvis had destroyed. He restored integrity to the program. He had the kids playing hard and recruited hard working talented kids and gave them a shot at the big east.  He mismanaged the scholarships, but he has the team in position next year, with the right coach, to make the ncaa and even make a run.  The next coach will be able to come in, not needing to do the legwork with aau teams that norm did, and have a much easier time filling those scholarships than norm had in filling the few open when he came in.

Norm has left this program in a far better place than jarvis left it - he left it ALL set up for a new coach to win and recruit. People don't associate st johns w scandal anymore.

Let's hope the new coach can do what norm couldn't...because that's the only thing (and most important thing) left to do.

Nice sentiment but not everyone who dies deserves a rousing eulogy.Norm kept the program scandel free, but a case could be made that he did as much damage as Jarvis. It has now been 8 years since we were relevant and these comments you hear about SJU being an afterthought in the BE did not start popping up until Norm was the coach. The new coach is going to have to do a major image rebuilding of the program just as intense as the one Norm had to undergo even if it is in a less despicable way. Norm was paid a good salary to in essence be a babysitter. Good work if you can get it. Personally I think this went on 2 years too long and the excuses took away from the "nice guy" thing everyone tried to portray.
Bottom line is good luck to him, but I won't miss him at all.

Norm tried. I dont think he didnt for a second.

I really wish him all the best in the future

yes, goodbye and good luck to norm, now on to better things!

ps - Kid - I like your gladiator reference in your profile, hopefully the next coach will "unleash hell"

Kid is on the money. And hopefully a few years down the road, with some success, Norm will be looked at in a much better light as the guy who rolled up his sleeves at rock bottom and tried his best to build the program back up.

There's no shame in trying your best and coming up short.

Kid is on the money. And hopefully a few years down the road, with some success, Norm will be looked at in a much better light as the guy who rolled up his sleeves at rock bottom and tried his best to build the program back up.

There's no shame in trying your best and coming up short.

I disagree. That is loser talk.

I hope so,” Self texted in response to a question about whether Roberts would keep his job.

Red Storm players feel the same way.

“We’re a family here and we’ve got a lot of potential,” leading scorer D.J. Kennedy said. “We made a nice run. It’d be kind of dumb to break a family up with all of these veterans coming back.”

Forward Justin Burrell agreed.

“Coach Roberts came in and the program was in shambles,” he said. “He’s lifted the morale around the school about St. John’s. He did it with good players and good kids. We don’t get in trouble off the court. We’re focused in class. We’re working extremely hard. We just haven’t been able to get it done on the court yet. We’ve taken steps every year I’ve been here.

“I think Coach Roberts has done a great job and I think the school will recognize that.”

And if it doesn’t?

Roberts seems prepared for the worse. He was reminded Wednesday that the knock against him was that he hasn’t won enough games.

“That’s fair,” he said. “We’re paid to win games. That’s the bottom line in coaching. We’re paid to win games.”

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=Agef5qlGyQQYwkiHwr8oLFTevbYF?slug=jn-roberts031010&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I hope so,” Self texted in response to a question about whether Roberts would keep his job.

Red Storm players feel the same way.

“We’re a family here and we’ve got a lot of potential,” leading scorer D.J. Kennedy said. “We made a nice run. It’d be kind of dumb to break a family up with all of these veterans coming back.”

Forward Justin Burrell agreed.

“Coach Roberts came in and the program was in shambles,” he said. “He’s lifted the morale around the school about St. John’s. He did it with good players and good kids. We don’t get in trouble off the court. We’re focused in class. We’re working extremely hard. We just haven’t been able to get it done on the court yet. We’ve taken steps every year I’ve been here.

“I think Coach Roberts has done a great job and I think the school will recognize that.”

And if it doesn’t?

Roberts seems prepared for the worse. He was reminded Wednesday that the knock against him was that he hasn’t won enough games.

“That’s fair,” he said. “We’re paid to win games. That’s the bottom line in coaching. We’re paid to win games.”

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news;_ylt=Agef5qlGyQQYwkiHwr8oLFTevbYF?slug=jn-roberts031010&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I am glad Norm finally realizes it is time to go. First step to recovery is realizing the problem. He was not cut out to be a basketball coach.

Baldi - you are a moderator.  How is this relevant to my post at ALL?  Put it somewhere else.  If Baldi - a moderator - refuses to do so, can one of the legit moderators here do so?  This thread was essentially recognizing Norm's time here, yet Baldi is trying to hijack it.

How is not relevant?

a case could be made that he did as much damage as Jarvis.

Go ahead and make it.

I disagree. That is loser talk.

Just make sure you call your kid a loser when he strikes out in Little League then.

Norms a good guy who did not win enough...interested to here the players reactions.

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2010, 10:22:27 AM

Quote from: Tha Kid on March 11, 2010, 10:11:09 AM

Baldi - you are a moderator.  How is this relevant to my post at ALL?  Put it somewhere else.  If Baldi - a moderator - refuses to do so, can one of the legit moderators here do so?  This thread was essentially recognizing Norm's time here, yet Baldi is trying to hijack it.

How is not relevant?

How IS it relevant is the better question.  Why are you hijacking a thread that compliments Norm for once?  You're in a mood to troll and it's #$%^ing up every thread even the ones that aren't all FIRE NORM and everything.  It is a #$%^ing embarassment that you are a moderator and I seriously hope peter or dave sees what you're doing here and gets rid of your post --- it belongs elsewhere --- NOT this thread which was intended to be a kind of nice farewell to Norm.

They can do whatever they want with it ratboy. Looks like someone took a squirt in your mocha latte

 get a room you 2. 

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2010, 10:27:07 AM

Quote from: Tha Kid on March 11, 2010, 10:25:27 AM

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 11, 2010, 10:22:27 AM

Quote from: Tha Kid on March 11, 2010, 10:11:09 AM

Baldi - you are a moderator.  How is this relevant to my post at ALL?  Put it somewhere else.  If Baldi - a moderator - refuses to do so, can one of the legit moderators here do so?  This thread was essentially recognizing Norm's time here, yet Baldi is trying to hijack it.

How is not relevant?

How IS it relevant is the better question.  Why are you hijacking a thread that compliments Norm for once?  You're in a mood to troll and it's #$%^ing up every thread even the ones that aren't all FIRE NORM and everything.  It is a #$%^ing embarassment that you are a moderator and I seriously hope peter or dave sees what you're doing here and gets rid of your post --- it belongs elsewhere --- NOT this thread which was intended to be a kind of nice farewell to Norm.

They can do whatever they want with it ratboy. Looks like someone took a squirt in your mocha latte

No - it's just embarassing that you are still touting Norm.  You're proving yourself to be a real nice person who doesn't care about st. john;s.

How am I touting Norm? Im the 1 who started a thread that he was getting fired. This thread was meant to be a nice farewell to Norm like you say, and I posted quotes from his players

"Coach [Norm] Roberts doesn't get the credit he deserves for how hard his players play," Williams said "... If you ask our players who's the hardest playing team in the league, they would say St. John's. I thought they were the hardest playing team today."

MU fan here. Your team is miles ahead of where it was just a few years ago. I think the main cogs are in place for you guys to jump into the top half of the Big East next year. If you bring in a new coach, that may not happen.

Thanks Buzz. Too bad "hard" doesn't translate into "wins", though.

Quote from: we are sju on March 11, 2010, 10:01:02 AM

I disagree. That is loser talk.

Just make sure you call your kid a loser when he strikes out in Little League then.

If he is anything like he is old man, he will not strike out in little league. Who strikes out in little league? I think I hit 750

If he is anything like he is old man, he will not strike out in little league

Right, he'll wait till he's a little older.