What would make fans happy..?

I have been reading this site and Redmen (don't post there) and it seems to me that a massive majority of the St. John's fan base can never be happy or satisfied.

People can try to spin things anyway they like but the program has been average, if not below average, for 20 years.

The days of saying SJU is in the same league as the elite basketball programs in the country because of where they stand on the all time wins list are over. Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC, Syracuse, etc....   they are in a different world then we are right now and to say different is a fan just not being honest.

Does SJU have the potential to be very good again - YES but its going to take time and certainly not one cycle of a coaches own recruits.

If teams like George Mason, Butler, VCU, Wichita State can make a run to the Final Four, there is no reason to think that SJU can not and will not but to expect things like that regularly is just not happening.

Whether or not you think Coach Lavin is right guy for the job here can't change one major thing - he has made SJU relevant again on the recruiting front. I do think he needs more help on the bench and needs to address it sooner rather than later.

All that said too,  Coach Lavin and the staff are in a very tough spot as the next school year begins. If they don't give him an extension, he and the staff will be screwed recruiting next year and if he doesn't land a strong 2015 class it could set up the entire program for a major step backwards after next season.

**I edited the original post to remove the word "we" and replaced with SJU - don't want any posters telling me that I am not part of the program or I am really a closet SHU fan.

Good post... Agree with it all..

For the reasons stated, I would give him a 2-3 year extension with a buyout( like most contracts). If you are going to undermine the '15 recruiting efforts, then they should have dumped him already.

 As far as what would make me happy as a fan.. It would be to make the tournament on a consistent level with teams capable of making a run ( sweet 16).  Is that too much to expect? 

Good post... Agree with it all..

For the reasons stated, I would give him a 2-3 year extension with a buyout( like most contracts). If you are going to undermine the '15 recruiting efforts, then they should have dumped him already.

 As far as what would make me happy as a fan.. It would be to make the tournament on a consistent level with teams capable of making a run ( sweet 16).  Is that too much to expect? 

Agree with Boo. Solid post PMG.

When I read posts like pmg's it makes me realize, once again, the damage done by the previous admin and backward fans ( thank you Harrington, old fan, USCongress, and the like ).

If it wasn't for the 6 year Norm nonsense we would've been at that recovery point right now. And yet Harrington came this close to totally destroying this program.

Looking at it in this context makes you realize how far we've come. And while I'm not satisfied at where we are, we've come a long way back from the abyss. 

Nice post PMG, I can only speak for myself, but land one of Briscoe/Diallo and make the tournament.  That would make me very happy. 

Show me that in most years you'll secure at least one very good recruit, and that we'll make the tournament every once in awhile, and that's enough for me.

I think most of us were quite happy after he got here, signed Harrison, Moe, Dom etc and then made the tournament with DJ and Hardy.   We were on the road to success, everyone was thrilled.
Then, almost all of us were patient during the Dunlap year, and things were even OK during year 3 until Harrison got suspended.  Granted, we were going to miss the tournament anyway that season, but in general things looked "up" and we grabbed Jordan in the spring - so most fans were content, if not thrilled.
This last year is when the rumbling started to build up. 
Show us that last season was an aberration and not what is going to be the norm, and he'll have the fan base back on his side in no time.

Thanks PMG for starting this thread. 

Personally, I won't be happy unless we are at least in the conversation for a final four berth virtually every year; otherwise, why play?

We're in a weaker conference, so we should at least be in the conversation for a top three finish every year.

I like that Lavin, because of his media connections, gives us the illusion of national relevance.

True relevance equals happiness.

A sweet sixteen, and a return to the dance the following year. I want to see a program being built. Not a rebuilding project after a watching a group that failed for three years finally get it together. If in year six, we've made the dance 2 times in 6 years, then it's clear, that this just isn't working out.

I would like to watch a basketball team that doesn't suck not coached by a clown.

I would like to watch a basketball team that doesn't suck not coached by a clown.

Being "relevant" isn't doing it for you?

Quote from: Foad on May 29, 2014, 10:55:46 AM

I would like to watch a basketball team that doesn't suck not coached by a clown.

Being "relevant" isn't doing it for you?

Being relevant is swell, with the proviso that SJU is as relevant to college basketball as Honey Boo Boo is to Learning. But I am tired of watching bad basketball and would rather watch a well coached cohesive team basketball beat Stony Brook than a poorly coached wreck lose to Kentucky.

I would like maybe to land ONE of our targets in 2015.....

Also a tourney appearance is a must this year. If not I'd fire Lavin.  You land the #2 recruiting class in the nation in 2011 and not make the tournament once in 4 years after? Something's wrong there....

Very simply - a coach, not just a recruiter.

Quote from: desco80 on May 29, 2014, 11:22:52 AM

Quote from: Foad on May 29, 2014, 10:55:46 AM

I would like to watch a basketball team that doesn't suck not coached by a clown.

Being "relevant" isn't doing it for you?

Being relevant is swell, with the proviso that SJU is as relevant to college basketball as Honey Boo Boo is to Learning. But I am tired of watching bad basketball and would rather watch a well coached cohesive team basketball beat Stony Brook than a poorly coached wreck lose to Kentucky.

You must mean a well coached cohesive team losing to Stony Brook is better than a poorly coached wreck beating Kentucky.  Who cares if we beat Stony Brook every year and lose to Kentucky?  That's the definition of irrelevance.

What would make me happy would be if Lavin realized his shortcomings and hired a top bench coach to handle the in-game coaching and x's and o's. If he doesn't do that then I fear more of the same results possibly. However I'm hoping this group (not the highest bball IQ) gels after several years together now and the switch flips for them. I'm trying to stay positive that Lavin's coaching will improve and he can get this team into the big dance.

Quote from: Foad on May 29, 2014, 12:52:15 PM

Quote from: desco80 on May 29, 2014, 11:22:52 AM

Quote from: Foad on May 29, 2014, 10:55:46 AM

I would like to watch a basketball team that doesn't suck not coached by a clown.

Being "relevant" isn't doing it for you?

Being relevant is swell, with the proviso that SJU is as relevant to college basketball as Honey Boo Boo is to Learning. But I am tired of watching bad basketball and would rather watch a well coached cohesive team basketball beat Stony Brook than a poorly coached wreck lose to Kentucky.

You must mean a well coached cohesive team losing to Stony Brook is better than a poorly coached wreck beating Kentucky.  Who cares if we beat Stony Brook every year and lose to Kentucky?  That's the definition of irrelevance.

No, I meant exactly what I said. I would rather watch a good SJ team beat a crap team than a crap SJ team lose to a NC contender. Relevance is irrelevant.

What would make me happy would be if Lavin realized his shortcomings and hired a top bench coach to handle the in-game coaching and x's and o's. If he doesn't do that then I fear more of the same results possibly. However I'm hoping this group (not the highest bball IQ) gels after several years together now and the switch flips for them. I'm trying to stay positive that Lavin's coaching will improve and he can get this team into the big dance.

Pray tell where this individual to be found

Quote from: Johnny23 on May 29, 2014, 03:37:48 PM

What would make me happy would be if Lavin realized his shortcomings and hired a top bench coach to handle the in-game coaching and x's and o's. If he doesn't do that then I fear more of the same results possibly. However I'm hoping this group (not the highest bball IQ) gels after several years together now and the switch flips for them. I'm trying to stay positive that Lavin's coaching will improve and he can get this team into the big dance.

Pray tell where this individual to be found

There's plenty of good ass't coaches scoured across the country. If I took the time to look I'm sure it would be a pretty strong list. Yet Lavin most likely won't do it and is relying on Whitesell as his sideline guy.

Quote from: 96 Schermerhorn Street on May 29, 2014, 04:18:41 PM

Quote from: Johnny23 on May 29, 2014, 03:37:48 PM

What would make me happy would be if Lavin realized his shortcomings and hired a top bench coach to handle the in-game coaching and x's and o's. If he doesn't do that then I fear more of the same results possibly. However I'm hoping this group (not the highest bball IQ) gels after several years together now and the switch flips for them. I'm trying to stay positive that Lavin's coaching will improve and he can get this team into the big dance.

Pray tell where this individual to be found

There's plenty of good ass't coaches scoured across the country. If I took the time to look I'm sure it would be a pretty strong list. Yet Lavin most likely won't do it and is relying on Whitesell as his sideline guy.

Is he relying on him though?

Quote from: Johnny23 on May 29, 2014, 05:43:26 PM

Quote from: 96 Schermerhorn Street on May 29, 2014, 04:18:41 PM

Quote from: Johnny23 on May 29, 2014, 03:37:48 PM

What would make me happy would be if Lavin realized his shortcomings and hired a top bench coach to handle the in-game coaching and x's and o's. If he doesn't do that then I fear more of the same results possibly. However I'm hoping this group (not the highest bball IQ) gels after several years together now and the switch flips for them. I'm trying to stay positive that Lavin's coaching will improve and he can get this team into the big dance.

Pray tell where this individual to be found

There's plenty of good ass't coaches scoured across the country. If I took the time to look I'm sure it would be a pretty strong list. Yet Lavin most likely won't do it and is relying on Whitesell as his sideline guy.

Is he relying on him though?

Maybe - maybe not. EIther way they were both there last season and the in-game coaching left a lot to be desired.

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