Lavin's PR Blitz...

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

My feeling is with the BET coming up he is starting up the PR blitz

The main theme in all these interviews is the 'cancer free' and 'will be back next season' mantras.

Seems that he is still fighting the lies spewed by other coaches.

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

Why is a PR full court press being construed as a bad thing??  Lavin is still one of the most recognizable media figures in college basketball, and he has totally owned every single interview I have ever heard from him.  We should be psyched that he's making an all out push, and not concerned at all.  We don't have any 2012 commitments yet. I want Lavin's face and voice in every possible news outlet possible singing the praises of SJU, his health and the great opportunities we can offer recruits in the next few years.  To paraphrase a quote from the movie a Few Good Men:  We want him on that wall!  We need him on that wall! 

Why wasn't this done two months ago??

Why wasn't this done two months ago??

Don't know.  Health perhaps?   Maybe Dave should interview Lavin so we can have all questions answered.

Quote from: desco80 on February 23, 2012, 02:48:38 PM

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

Why is a PR full court press being construed as a bad thing?? 

Because every decision this staff or Lavin makes must be because of something negative occurring behind the scenes. Haven't you been following this board the past few weeks?

Quote from: DFF6 on February 23, 2012, 05:32:58 PM

Quote from: desco80 on February 23, 2012, 02:48:38 PM

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

Why is a PR full court press being construed as a bad thing?? 

Because every decision this staff or Lavin makes must be because of something negative occurring behind the scenes. Haven't you been following this board the past few weeks?

Silly me.  Please forgive my ignorance. 

Quote from: redstorm212 on February 23, 2012, 05:58:12 PM

Quote from: DFF6 on February 23, 2012, 05:32:58 PM

Quote from: desco80 on February 23, 2012, 02:48:38 PM

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

Why is a PR full court press being construed as a bad thing?? 

Because every decision this staff or Lavin makes must be because of something negative occurring behind the scenes. Haven't you been following this board the past few weeks?

Silly me.  Please forgive my ignorance.

In all seriousness, I can't see how this isn't a good thing. Just more reassurance he'll be back next season, so hopefully all that BS can be laid to rest. Also, for recruiting purposes, it's telling them he is getting healthier and will be their coach next season should they choose STJ.

Quote from: DFF6 on February 23, 2012, 06:02:48 PM

Quote from: redstorm212 on February 23, 2012, 05:58:12 PM

Quote from: DFF6 on February 23, 2012, 05:32:58 PM

Quote from: desco80 on February 23, 2012, 02:48:38 PM

So in the last two days coach has done interviews with:

Scott Van Pelt ESPN RADIO/ESPN NEWS
Michael Kay  ESPN Radio NY
ESPN Radio Indianapolis
KNBR Sports Radio - San Francisco
SNY Pregame Show

Clearly the full court press is on.   But why?   Are we in that big of trouble with recruits believing the false rumors?

Why is a PR full court press being construed as a bad thing?? 

Because every decision this staff or Lavin makes must be because of something negative occurring behind the scenes. Haven't you been following this board the past few weeks?

Silly me.  Please forgive my ignorance.

In all seriousness, I can't see how this isn't a good thing. Just more reassurance he'll be back next season, so hopefully all that BS can be laid to rest. Also, for recruiting purposes, it's telling them he is getting healthier and will be their coach next season should they choose STJ.

It's not a bad thing that coach is on tv/radio.  Obviously it's terrific news that he's coming back.  And I'm happy hes confirming that.
But if your coach has to do interviews all week to dismiss false rumors because none of his recruits will sign ... that's not good.   

I don't know that that is the case here, but it certainly looks that way.  And everything suggests that Lavin is doing this now to reassure recruits.
It doesn't mean the guys on the floor aren't progressing, the program isn't heading in the right direction, or that Lavin isn't the best thing to happen to SJU in a decade.  I think they are, and he is. 

But it doesn't make me ILWILL to suggest that Lavin may have errored by not doing this in December or January.  And coach has been recruiting across the country, calling into games, and appearing on SNY regularly.   He may have underestimated the need to come out and say he's 100% healthy and is absolutely returning, but it wasn't because his health didn't allow him to do these interviews. 

I still think we'll land a solid class, I have that much faith in Lavin as a recruiter.   But if he said this two months ago a handfull of players may still have been available. 

Seems that he wants to spread the word about prostate cancer hitting younger men and the importance of early detection.
Perhaps he is using his platform to get the word out about something more important than hoops.

Seems that he wants to spread the word about prostate cancer hitting younger men and the importance of early detection.
Perhaps he is using his platform to get the word out about something more important than hoops.

Fair point and that's a commendable goal.  And I don't doubt that coach wants to use his position to increase cancer awareness.  It's one of the ways we know what a kind of high character person he is. 

I don't mean to be nefarious, but I think there's more to it than that.  Because he can do that throughout the year, and probably will.   He didn't need to invite all the beat writers over his house Monday and then do 6 interviews in two days to discuss prostate awareness.   Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like he realized opposing coaches are beating his recruits over the head with these false "rumors" and it's having an effect on his recruits.   My only criticism is that that was pretty foreseeable and he should've come out and said something pre-emptively much earlier.   If the rumors were having an effect on the fans on our message board... clearly they were also effecting recruits.   This was predictable and he should've nipped it in the bud earlier.

Quote from: Tiznow on February 23, 2012, 10:48:31 PM

Seems that he wants to spread the word about prostate cancer hitting younger men and the importance of early detection.
Perhaps he is using his platform to get the word out about something more important than hoops.

Fair point and that's a commendable goal.  And I don't doubt that coach wants to use his position to increase cancer awareness.  It's one of the ways we know what a kind of high character person he is. 

I don't mean to be nefarious, but I think there's more to it than that.  Because he can do that throughout the year, and probably will.   He didn't need to invite all the beat writers over his house Monday and then do 6 interviews in two days to discuss prostate awareness.   Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like he realized opposing coaches are beating his recruits over the head with these false "rumors" and it's having an effect on his recruits.   My only criticism is that that was pretty foreseeable and he should've come out and said something pre-emptively much earlier.   If the rumors were having an effect on the fans on our message board... clearly they were also effecting recruits.   This was predictable and he should've nipped it in the bud earlier.

From the sound of it,  the rumors morphed in the last month or so from "Lavs isnt coming back because he's sick" to "Lavs wife doesnt like NYC, he might go to USC". Considering Lavs was out on the road, standing right in front of recruits with all his hair and looking healthy, it was a smart (but evil) move by the rumor mongers to change the rumor to something which couldnt be proved untrue even if Lavs denied it ( Unlike the cancer thing). Not sure how Lavs could have seen that coming two months ago, but smart on his part to get out there and nip it in the bud.

Why wasn't this done two months ago??

NFL

We in a dead time of year sportswise - one of the reasons Linsanity is so big. Easier to get pub when fball is over, base hasnt begun and the NBA, NHL playoffs is wayoff. 

Kind of ironic that our higher profile alum on WFAN 1:00-6:30pm wasn't included.

Quote from: Tiznow on February 23, 2012, 10:48:31 PM

Seems that he wants to spread the word about prostate cancer hitting younger men and the importance of early detection.
Perhaps he is using his platform to get the word out about something more important than hoops.

Fair point and that's a commendable goal.  And I don't doubt that coach wants to use his position to increase cancer awareness.  It's one of the ways we know what a kind of high character person he is. 

I don't mean to be nefarious, but I think there's more to it than that.  Because he can do that throughout the year, and probably will.   He didn't need to invite all the beat writers over his house Monday and then do 6 interviews in two days to discuss prostate awareness.   Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like he realized opposing coaches are beating his recruits over the head with these false "rumors" and it's having an effect on his recruits.   My only criticism is that that was pretty foreseeable and he should've come out and said something pre-emptively much earlier.   If the rumors were having an effect on the fans on our message board... clearly they were also effecting recruits.   This was predictable and he should've nipped it in the bud earlier.

I think you're much too "suspicious". He's doing it because it's what he does now. It actually puts us in the unique position of having our HC be much more visible then any other coach. Yes we've lost some people but who's to say they wouldn't have decommited for some other reason. I think when kids see or hear our coach speak they are confident that his health is not an issue. That he will be there for them for 4 years.

Don't compare the fans on this board to recruits. Fans are an hysterical dramatic group. I think in the long run the Lavin Recruiting Tour will prove very beneficial to the program, this year and beyond.

Quote from: desco80 on February 24, 2012, 12:39:32 AM

Quote from: Tiznow on February 23, 2012, 10:48:31 PM

Seems that he wants to spread the word about prostate cancer hitting younger men and the importance of early detection.
Perhaps he is using his platform to get the word out about something more important than hoops.

Fair point and that's a commendable goal.  And I don't doubt that coach wants to use his position to increase cancer awareness.  It's one of the ways we know what a kind of high character person he is. 

I don't mean to be nefarious, but I think there's more to it than that.  Because he can do that throughout the year, and probably will.   He didn't need to invite all the beat writers over his house Monday and then do 6 interviews in two days to discuss prostate awareness.   Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like he realized opposing coaches are beating his recruits over the head with these false "rumors" and it's having an effect on his recruits.   My only criticism is that that was pretty foreseeable and he should've come out and said something pre-emptively much earlier.   If the rumors were having an effect on the fans on our message board... clearly they were also effecting recruits.   This was predictable and he should've nipped it in the bud earlier.

From the sound of it,  the rumors morphed in the last month or so from "Lavs isnt coming back because he's sick" to "Lavs wife doesnt like NYC, he might go to USC". Considering Lavs was out on the road, standing right in front of recruits with all his hair and looking healthy, it was a smart (but evil) move by the rumor mongers to change the rumor to something which couldnt be proved untrue even if Lavs denied it ( Unlike the cancer thing). Not sure how Lavs could have seen that coming two months ago, but smart on his part to get out there and nip it in the bud.

Scott Drew is a blow hard.  He's one of the coaches who said it if any did - I'd put him 1st on the list.

Bottom line is Coach is a GOOD interview.  with his on air seven years, interviewers know what they are getting.  he has a natioanal presence.  Rice or Willard would mean nothing.   If I am doing an on air show, I want the best and he is it.

Quote from: desco80 on February 23, 2012, 05:37:37 PM

Why wasn't this done two months ago??

NFL

We in a dead time of year sportswise - one of the reasons Linsanity is so big. Easier to get pub when fball is over, base hasnt begun and the NBA, NHL playoffs is wayoff.

Makes sense.   


And I don't mean to sound hysterical - the program is in great hands.   My initial reaction was just simply why didn't we do this sooner. Maybe it would've impacted Gathers Shepard etc, but maybe not too.  Either way, I'm glad Lavs is out there doing his thing now.   

Now I just hope coach Lavin can pull out some of his living room magic you talked about Choz.   

In a way it sucks to have no recruits signed by now when we only have seven scholarship players, but at the same time it's exciting to know our coach is one of the best in the biz, and this is his specialty.   Kind've like being down 1 in the bottom of the ninth but you have your stud cleanup hitter coming up, or Eli taking the field with 2 minutes left and needing a score.  .....
We're down, but it's a whole different feeling when we have Lav going out there for these final recruits than it was in the past.   

Lavin gets  a recruiting mulligan for next year's class. I don't think it is feasible that he is going to get any of his primary targets at this point. For next year he really just needs to add some serviceable players and the team will be fine if everyone comes back. Lavin coming back for the season and a NCAA berth, recruiting will pick up again.