Pivotal decisions over half a century that kept STJ in 2nd gear

Easy now

Quote from: simplyred on May 25, 2013, 09:16:30 PM

I read another story that said that Guy Lewis didn't remember who he was or that he was coming and that it was Houston that sent no one to pick him up.  Hakeem was told to take a cab from the airport.  That same story seems to indicate tha NYC was too cold and too busy and that Hakeem wanted to leave without even leaving the airport.

That's a true story. Guy Lewis didnt meet him at the airport. And no one from St Johns met him at the airport either

I just read while looking it up that Akeem said NY was to cold and too frenetic and he asked his advisor which of the 5 schools that he was going to visit had the warmest temperature and Houston was it so he went to Houston after arriving at NY

if enough people say it, it must have some validity.  my newsman instincts are just asking how would he know how cold and how frenetic when it wasn't likely he left the terminal.   

Gotta step out of the terminal to catch a cab.  That may be all it took to change his mind.  I doubt that he came from Nigeria with a winter coat.

if enough people say it, it must have some validity.  my newsman instincts are just asking how would he know how cold and how frenetic when it wasn't likely he left the terminal.

You say we can't know "unless we ask him." Jeff Balke, formerly of the the Houston Chronicle, asked him

"Outtakes from our Hakeem Olajuwon interview"

"When Olajuwon first got to Houston, he arrived three days early because he didn’t like the cold weather and frenetic activity in New York, where he had gone first, to visit St. John."

http://www.houstoniamag.com/web-exclusives/articles/outtakes-from-our-hakeem-olajuwon-interview-april-2013

So now we know what Hakeem told a journalist about his NY visit. Is he lying? Is Balke? You say you are a newsman. Is it a proper journalistic practice to postulate a baseless theory, as you have done, and then require others to disprove it? The facts are that Hakeem said it was cold and weather archives corroborate that it was cold. I don't see how your supposition trumps that.

Great thread and also depressing. Dont think it was brought up but Darius Miles going straight to the NBA hurts. I think its fate that Norvel Pelle is going to end up as the next Wilt  . Here's Gary Payton talking about his college decision around the 6:20 mark

GLP - Gary 'The Glove' Payton (S2 E2)

GREAT thread.

first mistake pre-dated all the above... making it impossible for frank mcguire to stay after his final four season.  he went to north carolina and began the pipeline that sent nyc greats out of town.

part ownership of the nit left a soft landing spot for the mediocrity that followed.  there's really no incentive to play with the big boys when you can make money here in town with little effort.

i believe ucla super booster $am gilbert had more to do with alcindor going west than joe lapchick's forced retirement.  jabbar is in denial, but other players on his team admitted getting paid.  why not the best player?

al mcguire was too much of a loose cannon to be hired by st john's. maybe more accurate, he marched to a different drummer.  st john's was always a good ole boys job. loyalist and former outstanding player frank mulzoff was brought in to warm looie's seat in the event he tanked as nets coach.  he tanked and mulzoff was unceremoniously jettisoned. 

i heard olajuwan was accidently left at the airport, so he hopped on the plane to houston.  that makes more sense since it really isn't cold in the fall.

i would have LOVED to have had berry back for a senior season. the problem was looie only managed to recruit marco baldi after our final four season.  that would have left berry playing center while not developing the skill sets he'd need for the nba.  what was the wooden award winner's incentive to stay?  he was already the best player in the country.

walter payton was a huge mistake.  him with jayson williams, malik sealy and rob werdann would have been top five. 

i don't think majerus wanted to come here.  in any event, we would have avoided the horrendous years that followed, but it would have been a clone of the looie years.

calipari??  see al mcguire. 

the fact is, st john's has always had mediocrity in its dna.  there's a reason we're the flea running up an elephant's leg with carnal thoughts.  it's the dna.

With Walter Payton, did you mean top 5 in college basketball or in 1AA Football?

Gotta step out of the terminal to catch a cab.  That may be all it took to change his mind.  I doubt that he came from Nigeria with a winter coat.

I doubt the yearly average low for Lagos is below 70 degrees, so that's a pretty good assumption.

Great thread and also depressing. Dont think it was brought up but Darius Miles going straight to the NBA hurts. I think its fate that Norvel Pelle is going to end up as the next Wilt  . Here's Gary Payton talking about his college decision around the 6:20 mark

GLP - Gary 'The Glove' Payton (S2 E2)

Possibly the biggest mistake Coach Carnesecca made as the coach of SJU.