Mo Hicks Leaving

Quote from: STJ11Redmen on August 01, 2013, 07:09:58 PM

Excellent news.

I am as excited as I can possibly be about someone I knew next to nothing about two days ago.

You sure nailed it

SLU asst. coach Jim Whitesell talks after Thursday's practice

Jim Whitesell and Cody Ellis Talk Practice

And here is highlights of their Butler win.  If you click on the maker of the video (STL) there have tons of videos from the season with highlights and such.

SLU MBB Defeats #9 Butler

St. John's is still denying it is a "done deal" however I've confirmed with outside sources that he is coming on board.

Some tidbits I also picked up was that Whitesell was responsible for scouting VCU and Butler which were two key victories the team had last season.

Quote from: LJSA on August 01, 2013, 07:29:11 PM

Quote from: STJ11Redmen on August 01, 2013, 07:09:58 PM

Excellent news.

I am as excited as I can possibly be about someone I knew next to nothing about two days ago.

You sure nailed it

I'm excited to have a coach in that can help us strategically and game plan.  All the best coaches have them.  Pitino has Willard, Jim Calhoun had Blaney and so on.   It's always good to have a guy to help optimize practice and game planning for each opponent.  A guy that doesn't have to really worry about the recruiting issues, just preparation.

St. John's is still denying it is a "done deal" however I've confirmed with outside sources that he is coming on board.

Some tidbits I also picked up was that Whitesell was responsible for scouting VCU and Butler which were two key victories the team had last season.

is someone on the staff getting demoted?

The current crew of assistants is very well balanced.  The recruiter in Chiles, player development guy in Hines, X's and O's guy in Whitesell and guy with over 10 years of NBA experience in Martin.

Was starting to worry that Lavin would not hire an X & Os strategy guy and that this would result in the team being less than what they could be.

With this hire expectations have risen. My previous prediction for this season was top 20 ranking and sweet 16 tourney performance. Now I think a top 10 ranking and elite-8 or Final Four should be expected if there are no major injuries. Anything less will be a dissapointment

I disagree and would be happy w a sweet 16.

Martin is obviously the guy moving over to DOBO, right?  It isn't going to be TC and I highly, highly doubt it would be Rico.

Quote from: Dave on August 01, 2013, 07:49:42 PM

St. John's is still denying it is a "done deal" however I've confirmed with outside sources that he is coming on board.

Some tidbits I also picked up was that Whitesell was responsible for scouting VCU and Butler which were two key victories the team had last season.

is someone on the staff getting demoted?

I think it is fairly obvious that Martin will be "shifted" to the DOBO spot. You won't see anyone say "demoted"

will whitesell be on board for the impending trip to europe?

Now I think .. elite-8 or Final Four should be expected if there are no major injuries. Anything less will be a dissapointment

From your lips to god's ears, but I think that might be getting ahead of ourselves a little bit.

I do think the talent is there for that kind of run, but I don't expect it.  If literally everything broke our way then I could see it happening.   But I don't plan on everything breaking our way.   

Quote from: uwsfan on August 01, 2013, 09:24:11 PM

Now I think .. elite-8 or Final Four should be expected if there are no major injuries. Anything less will be a dissapointment

From your lips to god's ears, but I think that might be getting ahead of ourselves a little bit.

This definitely increases my personal expectations, but your right Desco, final 4 expectations for an unranked team is unfair.

Now if we do make it that far I won't be surprised, we have the talent. I just don't expect it.   

I'm expecting an NCAA bid and hoping for a win in the tourney.  Anything more is gravy.

I think the regular season will be a true barometer for our success this year. I think we have the talent to compete for a conference championship, both regular season and the BE tournament.   

The NCAAs in some regards are a crapshoot.  Seeding, injuries, where you travel to, opponents that you just don't match up well with - all that stuff can lead to an early exit.  Look at us 3 years ago; there were a ton of 10/11 seeds we probably would've crushed even without DJ - Georgia, Penn St, USC, but we got matched up Gonzaga and their two 7footers.

As awesome as NCAA success is I'm hoping this team wins the new Big East crown.  The Lavin era needs a championship banner of some sort to hang up.   

The better question newsie is what NYC players where we interested in that we didn't get during the relevant period?  There were plenty of NY kids we could have gotten the past two years (as it is, we got Harkless, CO and Felix from the high school ranks).

maybe he promised to deliver whitehead and it's apparently not happening.  some area players who may have been in the mix aren't even on our radar.  i don't follow recruiting nearly as much as you guys, so i don't know.

Quote from: Marillac on July 31, 2013, 07:55:55 PM

Quote from: Moose on July 31, 2013, 06:04:20 PM

Quote from: Marillac on July 31, 2013, 06:03:04 PM

Quote from: 96 Schermerhorn Street on July 31, 2013, 01:51:49 PM

Did Mo Hicks come to St. John's expecting to become an assistant coach?

That is what every DOBO comes in expecting.  Mo definitely took a pay cut for the opportunity, so you can't blame him for looking elsewhere after Coach Martin was added above him. 

Pay cut?
No way.  He was making good money.

He was making good money before.

Others can confirm it wasn't a pay cut.

I have no personal knowledge.  I just know that DOBOs make about 40k at most schools.  I'd imagine he would have to triple that to get in the ballpark of what he was making as Dean of Students, coaching, and running the Gauchos.  Some guys make six-figures for AAU alone.

Quote from: redmen4life on August 01, 2013, 08:52:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on August 01, 2013, 07:49:42 PM

St. John's is still denying it is a "done deal" however I've confirmed with outside sources that he is coming on board.

Some tidbits I also picked up was that Whitesell was responsible for scouting VCU and Butler which were two key victories the team had last season.

is someone on the staff getting demoted?

I think it is fairly obvious that Martin will be "shifted" to the DOBO spot. You won't see anyone say "demoted"

If it is Martin I wonder if his willingness to do so is a function of wanting to minimize travel so as to be close to home for his newborn.

Quote from: Dave on August 01, 2013, 11:53:03 PM

Quote from: redmen4life on August 01, 2013, 08:52:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on August 01, 2013, 07:49:42 PM

St. John's is still denying it is a "done deal" however I've confirmed with outside sources that he is coming on board.

Some tidbits I also picked up was that Whitesell was responsible for scouting VCU and Butler which were two key victories the team had last season.

is someone on the staff getting demoted?

I think it is fairly obvious that Martin will be "shifted" to the DOBO spot. You won't see anyone say "demoted"

If it is Martin I wonder if his willingness to do so is a function of wanting to minimize travel so as to be close to home for his newborn.

Regardless of willingness or not, having a true associate HC is a good maneuver for every program.  It's important in lots of ways.  Martin is a good addition to staff, but still in infancy of coaching ranks.  Martin was brought in last year when we didn't land the guy we were targeting as AHC.  Lavin still had his sights on an Associate Hc for this season it seems, hence Whitesell.  Any way you cut it, landing a strategist and practice/game planner when we don't have one amongst the assistant staff, is the right move.

+1.