http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/lavin_prepared_to_take_the_heat_bXQc2pfcN32oejen0NH8AN
Reference to Fr. Harrington stressing to SL when he came the importance of doing the right thing v. winning. Guess FH did not practice what he preached.
I thought Robbins started strong
"With three games left in the regular season and his St. John’s team perched on the NCAA Tournament bubble, Lavin suspended his leading scorer, D’Angelo Harrison, for the rest of the season .... Right or wrong, a successful basketball season for programs such as St. John’s is defined these days on whether or it makes the Tournament and how far it advances. Lavin knows that better than anyone.
But I think my ending is better:
... Which is why Lavin is worried. Other than a 20 win season with 10 players who went on to play professional basketball that he he inherited from Norm Roberts, Lavin hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 2001, a drought of 12 years. His record since then is a mediocre 60 wins and 64 losses; without Norm Roberts players it's a horrific 39 wins and 52 losses. Lavin knows he has to produce, and soon, lest even his most ardent lickspittles notice that the emperor isn't wearing and clothes and has flabby man boobs and and a hairy back.
However, with Harrison's suspension at least some of the heat is off. Now when Saint John's loses its next three games and backs into the NIT tournament the talk will be of D'Angelo Harrison's mental stability, rather than Lavin's underachievement. Instead of blaming Lavin for the team's failure Lavin will be clapped on the back for his bravery and integrity. Yea! Steve everyone will say, a sentiment echoed by Steve Lavin:
"Father Harrington made it clear there are things that are more important than winning." Lavin said.
Well, there'd better be, because Lavin hasn't won anything in 15 years.
Entering the season many of the the Saint John's faithful predicted a 20 or 25 win season and an NCAA tournament berth. Instead they got another year of really, really bad basketball. Maybe they'd have won a couple more if Lavin hadn't redshirted his only experienced big man, or had been able to get his other big man qualified, or if he'd been able to get his other other big man qualified. Or if he's instituted even a vague offensive plan or relied on something other than his silly junk defense. We'll never know. What we do know is that D'Angelo Harrison is a thug with tattoos and mental issues and poor Steve Lavin has his best interests at heart, and if Harrison’s public humiliation results in kudos for Steve Lavin in the NY press, well, Steve Lavin is a big enough man to accept those. Because of the things that are more important than winning few are as satisfying as a tongue bath from Lenn Robbins on the back page of the NY Post