3 Years into the new era how would you judge the Lavin hire?

I thought this would be an interesting topic since most coaches sit down in the offseason with their boss for a review.
And we all know coach had cancer and was in a difficult spot with the roster, so lets not make this a grade of purely on-the-court results.   But, assume you're in a room with Monasch, the trustees, and big boosters... and they were doing a review of the basketball program.   

Did they make the right hire three years ago?  And what, if any, changes would you like to see from coach going forward?
(Believe it or not coach does report to a boss)

I think this was a successful hire.  First, he got a team that did not do anything and got them to the NCAA tournament.  Had huge wins over top 10 teams and brought buzz back to MSG.  Secondly, has recruited top classes which again has brought buzz back to program, I think this is the year to really judge how well of a job he is doing.

Successful.  Can't imagine an argument otherwise ( although I'm sure a few are coming from the usual suspects) considering what a mess this place was before.

 St. John's has become a destination for talent once again. 

For me, normally I'd probably say a coach should just be judged by his w-l record.   But here, more than a few people were suggesting that maybe we belonged at a lower level of competition, playing the Fordhams of the world.   Lavin has raised the profile of the program to the point that that's out of the question.   

For that reason alone I'd say it was a good hire.   (I think he's been successful in other areas as well, obviously, but at a minimum the post-norm hire needed to make the team relevant, and he's done that). 

Good hire, considering how much program had fallen. As I have often said, this is key year for SL to evidence capacity to get StJ to a consistently competitive level. Dancing this year, continuing to recruit at a high level and being capable of making noise in NCAA tourney more often than not seem reasonable expectations.

More sizzle than steak.
Full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
 
Honestly I don't think you can really judge until after this upcoming season though. We are better than we were but the program is pretty mediocre. If we make the tourney than I guess it was a a successful hire. If not........

Norm took a program that was a laughingstock and made it a mediocrity. Lavin took a program that was a mediocrity and made it a national player. Despite his myriad shortcomings he was head and shoulders above what SJ deserved and certainly what I expected. As long as he is here SJ is in the conversation. That's a successful hire.

If he wants an A he'll have to win more than 15 games a year.

Relative to replacing Norm - a success (but that's not saying much).  Relative to putting us back on the recruiting map for top 100 recruits - an overwhelming success.  Relative to our win/loss record to date - average hire thus far.  So all in, a success, but my view might change to average if this year's team fails to make the Dance.

It's true that we can't call it an overwhelming success until we make the dance this season, but I honestly don't think there was another realistic hire that would've been this successful.

It's successful. It's not as successful as we'd like.

overwhelming success would have had him doing the impossible...top five program at this point with us in the national championship conversation. 
certainly impossible given his illness.

there's also been some negatives...players dropping out.  players backing out.

the sizzle makes the hire successful.  most of us are looking forward to next season.  pretty good considering the norm error.

The hire was a no brainer! Best realistic name coach to bring much needed press to the program. The question posed was, has it been a success so far. That question basically hinges on the next year or two and is very much in question at this point.
The hiring can't be questioned. A valid question would be if we had went in another direction and hired a solid mid major coach, would the program be further along at this point. Again I am not saying we should have done that but it is an interesting "what if".

it is an interesting "what if".  i'm not sure any coach could have done better with a moribund program at this point.

More sizzle than steak.
Full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

There was a time when there was no sizzle.  We weren't even percolating.

The hire was a no brainer! Best realistic name coach to bring much needed press to the program. The question posed was, has it been a success so far. That question basically hinges on the next year or two and is very much in question at this point.
The hiring can't be questioned. A valid question would be if we had went in another direction and hired a solid mid major coach, would the program be further along at this point. Again I am not saying we should have done that but it is an interesting "what if".

I agree.  An interesting "what if".
If we had hired a talented midmajor coach, could he have coached the 2010 team to more wins?   Maybe.
Could a different coach have won a few more games last season?  Possibly.

But would _______  (fill in the blank) have been able to convince the likes of Harkless, Pointer, Obekpa, Sampson and Jordan to come here?  And would he have gotten a quality transfer from a big program like Branch? I seriously doubt it. 

No other coach would have came here and recriuted as well. You would have had lesser recruits but perhaps more skilled. It is the old what is better, recruiter or game coach argument.

No other coach would have came here and recriuted as well. You would have had lesser recruits but perhaps more skilled. It is the old what is better, recruiter or game coach argument.

How can you say that...   there is no way to know the answer...

Lavin is a good recruiter. No other coach SJU was going to hire would be able to recruit on his level!

Lavin is a good recruiter. No other coach SJU was going to hire would be able to recruit on his level!

I am thrilled with what Coach Lavin has gotten done so far but its impossible to say that a guy like Paul Hewitt, who has been great recruiter at every stop, would not have gotten players to SJU.

I am not a huge fan and would probably rather have had a strong mid major coach that recruits to his system and actually runs an offense. With that being said no one SJU was going to be able to hire was going to recruit with Lavin at SJU!