LFBall on Hoops' Take

http://lfballonhoops.blogspot.com/2010/05/interesting-to-say-least.html

An excerpt below.  There's more at the link.

Well now we are heading into a new basketball season with new coaches all over the place. Yes the X and Os are important. Yes they need to be out generating interest. And yes the recruiting is very important. But when they start the recruiting process they must understand the importance of the current players on their rosters. These are the same players who have come from high schools and AAU programs they will be contacting for future players. These programs must be also recruited. And that starts with the professional and considerate treatment of players signed and in the program. Trust me Pat Kennedy The Ex DePaul Coach realized this and will never ever recover even though he is at a Towson University riding it out. What goes around comes around I always say!

This brings me to the main points. I think one of the biggest mistakes is running kids off teams thinking you will get better talent. I love the fact Mike Rice has convinced Carroll to honer his scholarship and attend Rutgers. Do I think Carroll will be an impact player? No! He will be solid! But I know who his Dad is lol. I am disappointed at what is happening at St. Johns. Omari Lawrence transferring? Now you know he was encouraged to do this. Why would anyone look to leave a revitalized program that will be exciting this season? How about Devonte Grace? We all know the deal! Now the interesting thing will be what damage control is in place. Remember they already parted ways with a very good player named Ronald Roberts who will have a great career at St. Joe's in Philly. I say not a good start and it takes away all that was done with the summit they had.

One thing that could allow area coaches to do as they wish is the ego on the part of area coaches. Some are more interested in getting positions than they are in the well being of kids that played for them. If this happened in Chicago or Philly they might just close those programs down as they did with Depaul years ago. And DePaul still has not recovered! Personally I think alot of eyes are being raised by some of the moves taking place. St. Johns ridding themselves of current and future players? Iona hiring a full-time assistant coach of color with no college experience over candidates of color who would really help right away?

Sooner or later people will wake up and really take a look at what is happening locally. Some are making the correct moves while others might just feel they are so big they can do what ever, to whom ever, they wish. I have my thoughts on what the season will bring. To put it lightly, I expect to see similar changes in the spring of 2013. I hope I am wrong!

Interesting piece.  I commented yesterday that Lavin is burning a few bridges with the whole omari and grace thing, but if we land top level talent from outside nyc it will only be a matter of time before nyc kids start to take notice and want to jump on a winning team.  I trust Lavin is doing the right things and making the right moves.  Only time will tell but I love that we are competing with big time schools for recruits an actually landing them.

I left a comment on there.  I think he's putting a little slant in there.  Omari might be burning a little bridge, but the kid's been talking about leaving for months.  Would have been nice to still have him - he could be an excellent glue guy in an uptempo offense.

But Grace... man, who does he run with?  Lavin's not beholden to Grace's dream of staying home.  The lack of contact between Lavin and Grace (and also Ron Roberts) is a little worrisome; should have met with them and made a decision and explained it to the kids.

After reading the first sentence I remembered....is Mike Dunlap officially a member of the staff yet?

Every post I see from LF seems to have a negative STJ slant.

Also every post is littered with spelling mistakes (ie Devonte, Tony Childs, etc)

Every post I see from LF seems to have a negative STJ slant.

Also every post is littered with spelling mistakes (ie Devonte, Tony Childs, etc)

Oh, he can't spell anyone's name correctly.  LF Ball is one of those guys who a) thinks only a NY guy can work in NY and b) that Norm Roberts was going to turn it around last year, this year.  So take that for what it's worth.

After reading the first sentence I remembered....is Mike Dunlap officially a member of the staff yet?

No.  I don't think the school sent out a release about Mo Hicks, either.

Generally I agree with the point that kids transferring is bad and continuity is good. Forex, SJ would have been much better off with Dexter Gray and CJ as four year players than it was with whoever replaced them. In this case I can see giving Lavin something of a pass - if he wants to bring in his own recruits its his prerogative, although if three or four more bodies go over the side you have to start questioning his priorities. In any event I certainly think Lawrence had the makings of a player and am sorry to see him go, much less defriend people on facebook, that's just wrong.


Two other things in the article deserving of comment.

1. "I think one of the biggest mistakes is running kids off teams thinking you will get better talent. I love the fact Mike Rice has convinced Carroll to honer his scholarship and attend Rutgers."

If Rice had to convince Carroll (admittedly I don't know who Carroll is) to honor his scholarship then the kid was looking to leave and had to be persuaded to stay. If he was persuaded to stay he wasn't being run off; if he was being running off he wasn't being convinced. Both things can't true. If he's merely saying that both the school and the player have decided to honor their committments, then he said it sloppily.


2. "Iona hiring a full-time assistant coach of color with no college experience over candidates of color who would really help right away?"

Unless I'm missing something, what information does "of color" impart here? I can see where if you hire a full time white assistant with no experience over "candidates of color who would really help right away" than of color is important to the implicit premise of racism. Or vice verse. But in this case color doesn't matter, because the premise is that experience matters. If there's no racial angle, why introduce race?

Generally I agree with the point that kids transferring is bad and continuity is good. Forex, SJ would have been much better off with Dexter Gray and CJ as four year players than it was with whoever replaced them. In this case I can see giving Lavin something of a pass - if he wants to bring in his own recruits its his prerogative, although if three or four more bodies go over the side you have to start questioning his priorities. In any event I certainly think Lawrence had the makings of a player and am sorry to see him go, much less defriend people on facebook, that's just wrong.


Two other things in the article deserving of comment.

1. "I think one of the biggest mistakes is running kids off teams thinking you will get better talent. I love the fact Mike Rice has convinced Carroll to honer his scholarship and attend Rutgers."

If Rice had to convince Carroll (admittedly I don't know who Carroll is) to honor his scholarship then the kid was looking to leave and had to be persuaded to stay. If he was persuaded to stay he wasn't being run off; if he was being running off he wasn't being convinced. Both things can't true. If he's merely saying that both the school and the player have decided to honor their committments, then he said it sloppily.


2. "Iona hiring a full-time assistant coach of color with no college experience over candidates of color who would really help right away?"

Unless I'm missing something, what information does "of color" impart here? I can see where if you hire a full time white assistant with no experience over "candidates of color who would really help right away" than of color is important to the implicit premise of racism. Or vice verse. But in this case color doesn't matter, because the premise is that experience matters. If there's no racial angle, why introduce race?

I didn't get the race thing either. Iona has history with regards to African American coaches but like you said the theory would only work the other way, not the way described.

Did Rutgers get Gil Biruta to stay on board? Thats the kid they need to worry about. He can ball.

Did Rutgers get Gil Biruta to stay on board? Thats the kid they need to worry about. He can ball.

the AD convinced him to stay and yes, he sure can play.

Gil Biruta hasn't been released from his schollie, at least.

W/r/t the Iona thing, the "of color" comment doesn't make much sense; it's a question of a guy with some experience vs. a guy with less experience.  But that guy is a HS assistant at Mt. Vernon, not an established assistant coach: http://www.lohud.com/article/20100513/SPORTS01/5130374/Mount-Vernon-s-Bryant-named-to-Iona-staff AND http://varsityinsider.lohudblogs.com/2010/05/12/basketball-iona-has-its-westchester-man-in-bryant/.  It's a choice, and perhaps an attempt to get in with Mount Vernon?  Also, Garee Bryant is a CW Post grad and a coach with AAU Westchester Hawks. 

With Austin caroll, Carroll just hadn't met coach Rice yet.  Not much talk of decommit.  More light that heat there.  And Austin Carroll's dad John (is that his name?) is an AAU coach of a top New England AAU team... LF Ball said that sloppily.

Plus, Carroll is known as a shooter, and Rutgers has 8 or 9 scholarship players including him and Biruta.  St. John's has 13 before the transfer.  Different situation.  Mike Rice is trying to field a team; Lavin's trying to get some guys in so he doesn't have 11 open schollies in 2011.  I think Lavin's inherited a situation where he has to try and bring in some talent fast.

And if 1-2 other guys start leaving, then we have to reflect on what's going on...

Peter is Carroll the hot head we saw at Rumble in the Bronx?

Actually I just googled it and it is. Carroll's kid is ok but I wouldn't be sweating him if I was Rutgers. I think he's a reach for the Big East. He was a nice complimentary player for the NE Playaz but hardly an impact player.

Dave - sure is.  That guy was off the chain that day.

That said, his dad does have some good players, and a good coach can use a spot up shooter who has a knowledge of the game; he'd be a role player, working screens and getting to the corner to nail shots.  A shooter doesn't have to be the best athlete if he knows how to get open.

Gil Biruta hasn't been released from his schollie, at least.

W/r/t the Iona thing, the "of color" comment doesn't make much sense; it's a question of a guy with some experience vs. a guy with less experience.  But that guy is a HS assistant at Mt. Vernon, not an established assistant coach: http://www.lohud.com/article/20100513/SPORTS01/5130374/Mount-Vernon-s-Bryant-named-to-Iona-staff AND http://varsityinsider.lohudblogs.com/2010/05/12/basketball-iona-has-its-westchester-man-in-bryant/.  It's a choice, and perhaps an attempt to get in with Mount Vernon?  Also, Garee Bryant is a CW Post grad and a coach with AAU Westchester Hawks. 

With Austin caroll, Carroll just hadn't met coach Rice yet.  Not much talk of decommit.  More light that heat there.  And Austin Carroll's dad John (is that his name?) is an AAU coach of a top New England AAU team... LF Ball said that sloppily.

Plus, Carroll is known as a shooter, and Rutgers has 8 or 9 scholarship players including him and Biruta.  St. John's has 13 before the transfer.  Different situation.  Mike Rice is trying to field a team; Lavin's trying to get some guys in so he doesn't have 11 open schollies in 2011.  I think Lavin's inherited a situation where he has to try and bring in some talent fast.

And if 1-2 other guys start leaving, then we have to reflect on what's going on...

Didn't Cimmino say a few years back that he would never send another player to Iona.  Could this be the chance to mend that broken fence?

Dexter Gray?

Dexter Gray?

I don't recall the exact timing of matters but it had to do with the whole Ruland thing.  Dex might have been different since he transferred home due to some personal stuff.  I do recall some pretty scathing comments from Cimmino in the local paper (The Journal News)

If that's the case, I'd want to mend fences with the best program in the county...

If that's the case, I'd want to mend fences with the best program in the county...

Here is an old Redmen.com thread about the subject.  You can see what I was referring to.

http://www.redmen.com/account/showthread.php?t=20439

Dexter Gray?

Averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds in 17 minutes as a freshman. Shot 53 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the line. That's better than Q Calhoun and A Spears. Norm's single biggest mistake was failing to develop continuity from year to year by allowing / forcing (personally I don't believe the players were forced out) players to transfer. Leaving aside whatever personal issues he may have had, from my perspective I'd rather have Gray for 4 years than Spears for two..