Mullin Coping With Terrible Season

http://nypost.com/2016/02/16/why-chris-mullin-can-smile-during-st-johns-historically-bad-season/

Guess Zach B still has access to SJU, having met with Mullin on Monday for this article.

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

+1

'The fan base has helped, rarely booing, which Mullin takes as their understanding of this massive rebuild.'

It's true.  I haven't heard any Bronx cheering.  Props to the fans.

Agreed.  Combination of a love for Mullin plus an understanding of the embarrassing predicament our prior coach left us in.

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

I agreed with your Jordan comments. That said, must say Braziller is not doing his penance for the Rawle comments. He actually has a close working relationship with SJU staff & one in particular. He thus has been quite positive all year about SJU program, despite the challenging year.

'The fan base has helped, rarely booing, which Mullin takes as their understanding of this massive rebuild.'

It's true.  I haven't heard any Bronx cheering.  Props to the fans.

They give effort, that's all you can ask for

Rarely booing? I haven't heard any.

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Not really fair to say. Jordan had problems, and Lavin deserves credit for keeping him somewhat in line for 2 years. We don't know exactly when Jordan stopped going to class. Had Lavin been retained, it's definitely possible he keeps Jordan in line, helps him through his finals, etc. Once fired, he had no incentive to do so.

Quote from: Lycidas on February 17, 2016, 10:19:27 AM

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Not really fair to say. Jordan had problems, and Lavin deserves credit for keeping him somewhat in line for 2 years. We don't know exactly when Jordan stopped going to class. Had Lavin been retained, it's definitely possible he keeps Jordan in line, helps him through his finals, etc. Once fired, he had no incentive to do so.

Not true.  Rysheed left the program pretty much whenever he wanted and the last staff was completely inconsistent in disciplining him.  Thus, they actually enabled his behavior.

"Once fired, he had no incentive to do so."

How about the fact that one of his kids was about to screw up his life? That he was going to decide to "explore his professional options" when it was already too late to declare for the NBA draft?

I realize that you guys who love Lavin will defend him blindly, but that's some weak shit.  How about doing the job you were paid to do, including watching out for your student-athletes' best interests?

Quote from: redstorm212 on February 17, 2016, 01:56:56 PM

Quote from: Lycidas on February 17, 2016, 10:19:27 AM

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Not really fair to say. Jordan had problems, and Lavin deserves credit for keeping him somewhat in line for 2 years. We don't know exactly when Jordan stopped going to class. Had Lavin been retained, it's definitely possible he keeps Jordan in line, helps him through his finals, etc. Once fired, he had no incentive to do so.

Not true.  Rysheed left the program pretty much whenever he wanted and the last staff was completely inconsistent in disciplining him.  Thus, they actually enabled his behavior.

I just find it strange he was somehow eligible right up until Lavin was fired.

And, Lycidas, are you honestly saying Lavin should be expected to babysit Jordan out of the kindness of his heart after being fired (unfairly, in my opinion) by the school?

I think Lavin was doing just enough to keep Jordan eligible, and once fired, Jordan stopped going to class, and skipped his finals. I don't think Lavin would have let that happen if he was still the coach at the time.

Quote from: Lycidas on February 17, 2016, 10:19:27 AM

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Not really fair to say. Jordan had problems, and Lavin deserves credit for keeping him somewhat in line for 2 years. We don't know exactly when Jordan stopped going to class. Had Lavin been retained, it's definitely possible he keeps Jordan in line, helps him through his finals, etc. Once fired, he had no incentive to do so.

I would say that's a pretty loose standard for "keeping him in line"

"Once fired, he had no incentive to do so."

How about the fact that one of his kids was about to screw up his life? That he was going to decide to "explore his professional options" when it was already too late to declare for the NBA draft?

I realize that you guys who love Lavin will defend him blindly, but that's some weak shit.  How about doing the job you were paid to do, including watching out for your student-athletes' best interests?

Ha...Ha...Ha. Ok Mother Teresa.  We don't give a crap about any of that warm, fuzzy help the student athletes altruistic bull shite.  We're fans of this team the same way we're fans of the Knicks, Giants and Islanders.

We want to WIN NOW and by any means necessary.  Beg, borrow, cheat, steal, step on toes whatever. 

The Ncaa and individual universities might toe the company line about education and the future and welfare of the kids blah...blah...blah.

Yet we know what a cesspool of impropriety college athletics is and that it's only all about the benjamins $$$!

I think Lavin was doing just enough to keep Jordan eligible

Which is really what coaches should be doing: just enough so that his players can help him on the court. Because there are more important things than winning.

I am no Lavin apologist, but from what I have been told of the situation, there is nothing anyone could have done with Jordan. If you want to say he should have been suspended or thrown off the team then fine but none of us would have agreed with that.

Quote from: redstorm212 on February 17, 2016, 01:56:56 PM

Quote from: Lycidas on February 17, 2016, 10:19:27 AM

Guess Zach is doing penance for his tweets re. Rawle Alkins. (He did admit in a tweet yesterday that he took all that way too far.)

The only thing I dislike in Zach's back to back positive SJ pieces is the fiction that Rysheed left the program because of Mullin's tougher expectations. Jordan blew off the second semester, no-showed his finals, and was ruled academically ineligible.

Jordan was not playing for SJU this season, not for Mullin, not for Lavin, and not if Jesus Christ himself were the coach.

While Lavin deserves credit for graduating his seniors, Jordan's ineligibility also falls squarely on his shoulders. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted as long as he showed up for games, and he's now paying a very high price for that lack of control: the waste of NBA level ability and the loss of a career in pro ball.

Not really fair to say. Jordan had problems, and Lavin deserves credit for keeping him somewhat in line for 2 years. We don't know exactly when Jordan stopped going to class. Had Lavin been retained, it's definitely possible he keeps Jordan in line, helps him through his finals, etc. Once fired, he had no incentive to do so.

I would say that's a pretty loose standard for "keeping him in line"

Hence the "somewhat"

I am no Lavin apologist, but from what I have been told of the situation, there is nothing anyone could have done with Jordan. If you want to say he should have been suspended or thrown off the team then fine but none of us would have agreed with that.

I don't think anyone is arguing that Jordan was not incorrigible. Any 17 year old who calls himself "Jesus" is likely to be. And what happened to him is ultimately his own fault. But if he was that incorrigible then it is unlikely that the guy who enabled his incorrigibility for 2 years would have somehow kept him reigned him, except he unfortunately got fired, as the poster above imagines. Many of Lavin's players (Pointer, Harrison, Obekpa, Lindsey off the top of my head) had a history of incorrigibility and the only time he disciplined them is when it was to his own benefit, as it was when he suspended Harrison for much less an egregious  infraction. Blaming Lavin's absence for Jordan's downfall is a tad nuts, considering what occurred the two years Lavin was there.

It's worth mentioning again and again..
We should have seen the writing on the wall.

Jordan grew up in Jay Wright's backyard,  and the kid wants nothing more than to spend every waking moment of his life in the city of Philadelphia ....   and despite all that Villanova didn't recruit him.

It's worth mentioning again and again..
We should have seen the writing on the wall.

Jordan grew up in Jay Wright's backyard,  and the kid wants nothing more than to spend every waking moment of his life in the city of Philadelphia ....   and despite all that Villanova didn't recruit him.

Villanova did initially recruit Jordan.  But they backed out of his recruitment.  Wright also backed out of the recruitment of Alkins (in his backyard or not, but they pulled out when at one point they were considered one of the frontrunners, nonetheless).  Some coaches won't or feel they have any need to tolerate any drama.  So, they move on for their own personal reasons.  Other coaches may take a chance or feel "forced" to take a chance (particularly, when trying to jumpstart a program), in hopes the kid grows up or the cons isn't enough to outweigh the pros. 

I have no problems giving a kid a chance.  Maybe, they wise up.  Jordan has some maturing to do, and it's not like he's been bad kid, bad teammate, or getting into trouble off the court.  Wish the kid luck and move on.