I have a problem with people who selectively choose to post here. This is specifically directed to you bball_fan. If you were here through and through and posted regularly and decided to share this info than I'd be ok with it. In most aspects you are telling the truth with a few omitted areas. There are of course two sides to every story and you chose to share one.
You are right about Omari, Roberts, and Roberts leaving the program. They were wisely told that they wouldn't see playing time and would be recruited over. They chose to leave for better situations for themselves. They are all doing pretty well (Well Omari is still riding pine but for good program). This happens ALL the time with every program when new coaching staffs come in. What you conveniently left out was that Stith was also given that same speech and he wanted to stick it out. He knew exactly what was ahead of him, the challenges, etc.
Also with R Roberts there is no Polee so that argument is kind of moot point.
As for Dunlap he's 100% of the reason for Sean Evans turn around last season. He was ready to quit the team. Dunlap brought him into the fold, talked him out of it, and they put in extra work. It took Evans a half a season to stop being stubborn but he finally bought in and was rewarded. You've heard the saying you can only lead a horse to water. There's a lot of effort made by the staff to get these kids to the water, some drink, others quit.
Stith didn't do a lot of things he should have done as a student athlete and I'll leave it at that. He's gone and don't want to tarnish his reputation. Just as you shouldn't come here trying to tarnish the coaching staff's either. If this info was between Stith and you then why come here and air it out selectively? You come here and say I told you so then in the next breathe you say you have nothing to prove. Which is it?
When I post is my prerogative and no one elses. I dont understand why you have a problem, but if you do then fine, thats your problem not mine. If i say anything untruthful then point it out to me specifically so i can apologize for the mistake or defend the truth in what i say.
I didnt "conveniently" leave out anything, the fact that stith was probably asked/ pressured to leave originally was irrelevant to my point. My point was that Lavin put pressure on certain underclassmen to transfer, and he did so wrongly and foolishly because clearly we can use any type of bodies at all at this point in the season. If stith had left along with omari and the others, this season would have went even worse than it did, due to an even worse bench than what we had. Not to mention the moral support he gave the first year players. My point remains unchanged that lavin made a mistake by pressuring some of these kids to leave.
I know that whenever a new coach comes in to any program some of the old kids are usually forced out so the new coach can bring in his guys. every case is unique, most of the time when a new coach asks a player to transfer, he has a replacement ready and in place. Lavin did at one point but there was uncertainty as to weather certain players would be qualified eligible. it turns out that some of them werent, and lav had no plan B, we were simply forced to accept a lack of scholarship players (to the point were walkons are getting promoted to scholarship players). IMO we would be better off if he made quincy/omari feel like welcomed and wanted members of the team rather than outsiders who would get no PT (which would not have been true this season anyways because there are more than enough minutes to go around). In that scenario, omari/quincy would have been more likely to stay and the team would have still struggled, but certainly not as much.
I agree that you can only lead these kids to water but they have drink. That doesnt exonerate the coaching staff from any possible mishaps or mistakes. Im critical of how certain situations were handled and looking back its clear that some of the poor handling hurt the status of STJ BBall today. Im not trying to "tarnish" any coaches rep, and if i was trying to then it would be in vain, lavins rep speaks for itself. Im speaking on actions that lavin took as STJ HC and certain actions which i disagree with. Im entitled to my opinion just like anybody else, even if that opinion is negative on how lavin handled certain aspects of a basketball program ive come watch, love, and even work for on occasion.