Steve Lavin Discussion from Ryan Harrow thread

I welcome the opportunity for Coach Lavin to compete head to head with coaches Calipari and Pitino for any prized recruit.

I welcome the opportunity for Coach Lavin to compete head to head with coaches Calipari and Pitino for any prized recruit.

Sounds crazy, but I do too.  Lavin will have even more power if we can make some big runs the next few years and get kids playing in the NBA. 

Quote from: mjdinkins on May 10, 2011, 09:50:43 PM

Quote from: MCNPA on May 10, 2011, 09:49:32 PM

Quote from: Moose on May 10, 2011, 09:46:17 PM

I thought Pitino was over in scholarships for this upcoming year already

I believe he is.  Am I missing somebody who jumped to the NBA?

I believe Jennings made the leap (to the NBA).

Yeah but I think he was a couple over.  I think it was Jeff Borzello on Twitter who talked about it.

He has at least 1 player willing to walk on if need be.  They have room.

BTW-Looks like he visiting Louisville on Sunday and then Monday/Tuesday he goes to Georgia and then Tuesday/Wed to SJU after visiting Kentucky and Louisville this week.

MCNPA ... Let's hope Coach Lavin is at St. John's past the next few years.  I fear that his success over the next few years  will lead an elite college program or NBA team to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

MCNPA ... Let's hope Coach Lavin is at St. John's past the next few years.  I fear that his success over the next few years  will lead an elite college program or NBA team to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

We'll see.  Not everything is money, and I get the feeling that SJU will ante-up when it comes to keeping Lavin around.  Lavin seems to want to be in NYC and he and his wife don't seem much interested in moving to some other town in the middle of the country just because a program is "elite".  He has also proven that he can get the same elite recruits here to SJU, so if he does leave, it will likely be for something we can't offer.  Right now we have the financial backing and he's landing top 2 recruiting classes.  Hard to beat that in addition to living in Soho and cruising to MSG for game time.  Just my thoughts. 

He is going to take his 5 visits but word down in Raleigh is SJU is the favorite for his services.

Lavin seems to like SJU and I believe his goal is to make SJU an elite BB program.

Lavin appears to be a loyal guy, spent probably 10 years at UCLA, 7 or so at ESPN, he has a gret job at St Johns and he told me he and his wife have fallen in love with NYC. He wants a program that can compete for final fours every year and the more succesful we become the, the more he can give the kids. In addition, his home court will be the renovated MSG.   

Lavin comes across as a bit of longviewed kind of guy...I don't know if I am saying that right as I am rushing before lunch is over, but he seems to be someone who is in love with college hoops.  I really think he is looking to leave a legacy and not looking to be the gun for hire kind of guy Calipari seems to be.  Just my rather dull and faded two cents.

I have always believed that Coach Lavin did not come to St.John's for a paycheck but to prove
himself to be a builder that can sustain a program . 

That having been said I fear the Knicks job may tempt him if it becomes available.

I have always believed that Coach Lavin did not come to St.John's for a paycheck but to prove
himself to be a builder that can sustain a program . 

That having been said I fear the Knicks job may tempt him if it becomes available.

In the NBA you have to be a pretty good tactician.  We all know its Lavin's deficiency and this year he remedied that by hiring Dunlap and Hines.  Unless Lavin plans on bringing Dunlap aboard or stealing his notepad I don't see Lavin ever entertaining the NBA.  His strength is recruiting and you don't need to recruit in the NBA.

Quote from: jake12801 on May 11, 2011, 01:29:32 PM

I have always believed that Coach Lavin did not come to St.John's for a paycheck but to prove
himself to be a builder that can sustain a program . 

That having been said I fear the Knicks job may tempt him if it becomes available.

In the NBA you have to be a pretty good tactician.  We all know its Lavin's deficiency and this year he remedied that by hiring Dunlap and Hines.  Unless Lavin plans on bringing Dunlap aboard or stealing his notepad I don't see Lavin ever entertaining the NBA.  His strength is recruiting and you don't need to recruit in the NBA.

Moose, I fear the entire staff will be hired to an NBA team - yikes!

Moose, I fear the entire staff will be hired to an NBA team - yikes!

Guy's lets settle down here. I love Lavin and hope he is the coach of St. John's for a long time BUT he has had one respectable season at St. John's that didn't include a tourny win and a one stellar recruiting class, the NBA isn't going to be knocking down doors to get him.  That is not to say if he has a couple deep tournament runs they won't come after him but lets cross that bridge when we get to it.

Quote from: bball purist on May 11, 2011, 01:47:37 PM

Moose, I fear the entire staff will be hired to an NBA team - yikes!

Guy's lets settle down here. I love Lavin and hope he is the coach of St. John's for a long time BUT he has had one respectable season at St. John's that didn't include a tourny win and a one stellar recruiting class, the NBA isn't going to be knocking down doors to get him.  That is not to say if he has a couple deep tournament runs they won't come after him but lets cross that bridge when we get to it.

I believe purist was being sarcastic.  LOL 

Quote from: kjd01067 on May 11, 2011, 02:12:53 PM

Quote from: bball purist on May 11, 2011, 01:47:37 PM

Moose, I fear the entire staff will be hired to an NBA team - yikes!

Guy's lets settle down here. I love Lavin and hope he is the coach of St. John's for a long time BUT he has had one respectable season at St. John's that didn't include a tourny win and a one stellar recruiting class, the NBA isn't going to be knocking down doors to get him.  That is not to say if he has a couple deep tournament runs they won't come after him but lets cross that bridge when we get to it.

I believe purist was being sarcastic.  LOL

thx MJ. U already know my redmen.com style!

Coach is noy going anywhere.  If we listened to him carefully, he came here for one primary reason - to make strong runs deep into the tourney and chase a Natty.  Plain and simple.  If someone has the location of that video clip interview, it would be quite revealing - we've all seen it.

This is a mission - the staff will not rest in pursuit of it....

MCNPA ... Let's hope Coach Lavin is at St. John's past the next few years.  I fear that his success over the next few years  will lead an elite college program or NBA team to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

Really don't think so.  After UCLA there aren't too many "elite" names out there that would interest him (Looie does cast a big shadow at SJU, but not anywhere close to the 10 National title shadow Wooden cast).  Plus, I don't think he's just paying lip-service when he talks about taking the SJU job because it can BE one of the truly elite college hoops schools again.

Tho he wouldn't put it in these words, the return to coaching is about redemption for Steve Lavin.  He doesn't get that from an NBA gig - just a paycheck.   He only gets it from building HIS team from scratch, and getting it to a title (or titles).   

I really expect he would go back to broadcasting before he'd take a different coaching gig.   He spent 7 years picking the perfect situation for his goals.   That's what led him to Queens, and why I don't see him leaving....

Quote from: jake12801 on May 11, 2011, 05:13:40 AM

MCNPA ... Let's hope Coach Lavin is at St. John's past the next few years.  I fear that his success over the next few years  will lead an elite college program or NBA team to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

Really don't think so.  After UCLA there aren't too many "elite" names out there that would interest him (Looie does cast a big shadow at SJU, but not anywhere close to the 10 National title shadow Wooden cast).  Plus, I don't think he's just paying lip-service when he talks about taking the SJU job because it can BE one of the truly elite college hoops schools again.

Tho he wouldn't put it in these words, the return to coaching is about redemption for Steve Lavin.  He doesn't get that from an NBA gig - just a paycheck.   He only gets it from building HIS team from scratch, and getting it to a title (or titles).   

I really expect he would go back to broadcasting before he'd take a different coaching gig.   He spent 7 years picking the perfect situation for his goals.   That's what led him to Queens, and why I don't see him leaving....

+1 if you say it too cr, then I believe it...thx

Quote from: crgreen on May 11, 2011, 03:27:54 PM

Quote from: jake12801 on May 11, 2011, 05:13:40 AM

MCNPA ... Let's hope Coach Lavin is at St. John's past the next few years.  I fear that his success over the next few years  will lead an elite college program or NBA team to make him an offer he cannot refuse.

Really don't think so.  After UCLA there aren't too many "elite" names out there that would interest him (Looie does cast a big shadow at SJU, but not anywhere close to the 10 National title shadow Wooden cast).  Plus, I don't think he's just paying lip-service when he talks about taking the SJU job because it can BE one of the truly elite college hoops schools again.

Tho he wouldn't put it in these words, the return to coaching is about redemption for Steve Lavin.  He doesn't get that from an NBA gig - just a paycheck.   He only gets it from building HIS team from scratch, and getting it to a title (or titles).   

I really expect he would go back to broadcasting before he'd take a different coaching gig.   He spent 7 years picking the perfect situation for his goals.   That's what led him to Queens, and why I don't see him leaving....

+1 if you say it too cr, then I believe it...thx

Here's a link to the press conference in April 2010 announcing Lavin's hire as STJ's head coach.  If you start listening from around 3:14 on, Lavin goes through why he chose STJ.  Unless he's really good at faking sincerity, I am not worried about Lavin leaving STJ for an "elite program" or the NBA. 

Steve Lavin - Press Conference @ St. John's University

I don't consider UCLA to be an elite hoops program anymore.
Howland had some success there, but they really were given a gift with s tourney bid this year.

There are two dozen programs that been stronger more recently, and present a higher profile opportunity. It doesn't help that the PAC 10 has 3 good teams. 

I don't consider UCLA to be an elite hoops program anymore.
Howland had some success there, but they really were given a gift with s tourney bid this year.

There are two dozen programs that been stronger more recently, and present a higher profile opportunity. It doesn't help that the PAC 10 has 3 good teams. 

ya poison becasuse two dozen programs have made three straight final fours including a national championship game in the last decade. Not as elite as the wooden years but still pretty elite