Father Harrington

Dave -- what are you hearing about Lavin?

Dave -- what are you hearing about Lavin?

I've heard many different things. So it's my theory no one knows perhaps not even him.

I wouldn't worry about it. Games are much more fun to talk about.

Thanks, Dave.  Agree that the games and recruiting are far, far more fun and noteworthy to discuss.  I think the concern isn't Lavs sitting out this year -- if that meant he was going to be back at some point, I think everyone would be fine with that, although disappointed because people thought he would be back on the bench later in the year (knowing that his recovery takes priority, and is subject to a number of factors that no one on this board is really privy to).  The concern -- fueled by speculation by posters on this board -- is that he is going to be leaving the program completely.  Have you heard anything of substance to that effect?

If anything of substance was coming out to that effect it would be all over the back pages of newspapers.  Relax...and ask yourself this question.  Has anything Baldi posted that he "heard" ever come true?

I have heard from two different people that coach Lavin is going to sit out the season. This is purely what they have speculated based on things they have heard. I don't know how accurate this speculation is but that story is out there outside of anything Baldi has been saying.

Two things if this is indeed true:

The first and most important is hopefully coach is healthy and obviously baskeball is secondary to anything else.

Two, baskeball wise it is not the end of the world. Coach K missed an entire season and things turned out ok for them. Even if this hurts our recruiting, I have faith Lavin will gets things worked out once he regains his health/ strength. Coach Lavin was able to get a Norm Roberts recruited team to the NCAA tourney. Anything else should be cake after that.

Agree -- if he has to sit out the year, so be it.  Like I said, his health is a priority.  As long as he is going to be here going forward then we will be in great shape.

I have heard from two different people that coach Lavin is going to sit out the season. This is purely what they have speculated based on things they have heard. I don't know how accurate this speculation is but that story is out there outside of anything Baldi has been saying.

Two things if this is indeed true:

The first and most important is hopefully coach is healthy and obviously baskeball is secondary to anything else.

Two, baskeball wise it is not the end of the world. Coach K missed an entire season and things turned out ok for them. Even if this hurts our recruiting, I have faith Lavin will gets things worked out once he regains his health/ strength. Coach Lavin was able to get a Norm Roberts recruited team to the NCAA tourney. Anything else should be cake after that.

So you talked to Dean Wormer too?

Coach K missed an entire season and things turned out ok for them.

That's not exactly so. Ten or so games into what promised to be a dismal 1995 season Screwshrenski bailed on his team, citing "exhaustion." They finished 13 and 18. DeWk credits the season (and the losses) to poor Pete Gaudet, who Krshurrewski later caused to be fired and who's now coaching basketball in India. So it worked out okay for Ratty, but not for everyone.

So you talked to Dean Wormer too?

No I have a couple sources. Both stressed to me that this is just their opinion based on what they have been hearing. I do not know how accurate it is but my only point was this is out there outside of what you have been rambling on about.

As I have posted I do agree with you about coach cutting out the smart phone calls, but my reasoning is different than yours.

That's not exactly so. Ten or so games into what promised to be a dismal 1995 season Screwshrenski bailed on his team, citing "exhaustion." They finished 13 and 18. DeWk credits the season (and the losses) to poor Pete Gaudet, who Krshurrewski later caused to be fired and who's now coaching basketball in India. So it worked out okay for Ratty, but not for everyone.

Fun
I kept meaning to ask that question. Does the record this year go to Lavin or Dunlap?

So you talked to Dean Wormer too?

No I have a couple sources. Both stressed to me that this is just their opinion based on what they have been hearing. I do not know how accurate it is but my only point was this is out there outside of what you have been rambling on about.

As I have posted I do agree with you about coach cutting out the smart phone calls, but my reasoning is different than yours.

Just to recap, what's diffirent about why you think coach should stop calling into games?

Fun
I kept meaning to ask that question. Does the record this year go to Lavin or Dunlap?

Lavin.

Desco
Two reasons I think phone in calls are a bad idea:

One-I think coach should just concentrate on his health. This is a human decency concern as well as a concern for the basketball team. I don't think you can be a part time D1 coach. I think he needs to concentrate on his health 100% for Steve Lavin the person and so he can come back and coach SJU 100% healthy and ready to go.

TWO-Personally I think the phone calls are having an opposite effect from what some of the simple minded on these boards are thinking. If coach's return were imminent, do you think these phone calls would be deemed necessary? For people to think recruits are saying "coach is calling Dick Vitale during the game he must be ok" is simply ludicrous.I think it draws more attention to the fact that he is not there and probably won't be for a while. A simple statement saying coach is cancer free but needs to regain his strength and will only coach when he is 100% would have been a better idea. Think about it this way. You are dating a girl who is going away to college. She stops coming home for weekends but calls you every saturday to say everything is fine don't worry, but she does not say when you will see her again. How reassuring are those calls?

You are dating a girl who is going away to college. She stops coming home for weekends but calls you every saturday to say everything is fine don't worry, but she does not say when you will see her again. How reassuring are those calls?

Ouch, sounds like you're speaking from personal experience on the phone calls analogy.

Nope WASJU went away to school himself and was smart enough not to date anyone exclusively during his college years. Was basically using Biz Markie's "just a friend" song as the analogy.

Desco
Two reasons I think phone in calls are a bad idea:

One-I think coach should just concentrate on his health. This is a human decency concern as well as a concern for the basketball team. I don't think you can be a part time D1 coach. I think he needs to concentrate on his health 100% for Steve Lavin the person and so he can come back and coach SJU 100% healthy and ready to go.

TWO-Personally I think the phone calls are having an opposite effect from what some of the simple minded on these boards are thinking. If coach's return were imminent, do you think these phone calls would be deemed necessary? For people to think recruits are saying "coach is calling Dick Vitale during the game he must be ok" is simply ludicrous.I think it draws more attention to the fact that he is not there and probably won't be for a while. A simple statement saying coach is cancer free but needs to regain his strength and will only coach when he is 100% would have been a better idea. Think about it this way. You are dating a girl who is going away to college. She stops coming home for weekends but calls you every saturday to say everything is fine don't worry, but she does not say when you will see her again. How reassuring are those calls?

I originally thought the phone calls were a good idea, but I'm beginning to see the other side of the coin that you just explained.   
It does draw attention to the fact that coach isn't there.  And if he's been out on the recruiting trail frequently, and it sounds like he has, then recruits are seeing him at their games, they don't care if he calls into games. 

Frankly I just don't understand the "out for the season" talk.  I'm not a medical expert, and I don't need half the board telling me not to second guess coach's health decisions...  I get that, I'm respectful of his personal decisions, and I'm not trying to take the place of his Docs.   BUT, does prostrate removal really require 5 months to recover from?   I know two men who have had it, one took about 3 weeks off from work, another went back after a month but had to wear a bag for another month.   It's a delicate recovery process, and can have potentially embarrassing side effects, no doubt.  But not returning to the sidelines all season??   That seems a little extreme to me when we saw Lav coach twice in early November, and know he has been flying across the country at a regular clip lately.   
If coach really does need this time to recover physically, then by all means he should take it.  But if there's something else going on here, if decisions are being made for reasons other than out of pure medical necessity - that would be cause for concern imo.     And this talk of being out for the season makes me think that could be the case.   

I swear I'm not trying to stir the pot here.  But if WeAre has heard the same thing as Baldi, I can't be the only one who thinks the "out for the season"  rumors are inconsistent with common sense. 

Personally I think the phone calls are having an opposite effect from what some of the simple minded on these boards are thinking.

No need to insult those who disagree wit you, son.

For the record I was addressing the  " gone for good" rumors baldi started.  As for this season as others have suggested nobody knows.  It is a wait and see. He needs to listen to his body and his doctor.  It's not rocket surgery.  Even simple minded folks can figure that out



As far as call ins being desperate....I'm not going to pretend to know how complex analytical minds can so easily think of things to complain about such as simple PR for the program during a nationally televised game.  His celebrity is a tool ...might as well use it.

For the record I was addressing the  " gone for good" rumors baldi started.  As for this season as others have suggested nobody knows.  It is a wait and see. He needs to listen to his body and his doctor.  It's not rocket surgery.  Even simple minded folks can figure that out



As far as call ins being desperate....I'm not going to pretend to know how complex analytical minds can so easily think of things to complain about such as simple PR for the program during a nationally televised game.  His celebrity is a tool ...might as well use it.

Once again, I didnt start the rumor. Just posted it.

No need to insult those who disagree wit you, son.

Fair enough, but your argument is pretty simplistic Choz. Coach is using the phone so he must be ok???  Maybe we should just try the Jhedi mind trick on recruits next.
Recruit A- "I heard coach Lavin is in worse shape than SJU is letting on".
SJU ASST COACH-"No you didn't"
Recruit A- "ok maybe I didn't"

Look I don't know what is going on with the coach's health and I do not know if the rumors are true. but they are out there. I don't think phone calls can help but I do feel he should just concentrate on getting better and I personally feel the phome calls can actually be used against us.