More Jerry

[Halldan1]

It's June and as I do every year I will post small tidbits from our spring and summer interviews.

First up is Jerry Carino who did a 3 part Q&A with our Trove writer Zack.

Here's a very small part for our free board readers.

PirateCrew

The definitive source for all Seton Hall news.

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You've covered Shaheen Holloway for a long time in various capacities. What has it been like to cover him in the last year and a half or so? What's surprised you and what is what you expected in covering him as the head coach of the Pirates?

"It's been different. Of course. I've always had a good relationship with Sha. I was really one of the only media members who would drop in occasionally at Saint Peter's to write about him once a year there, his progress. I showed up when he was first introduced. And then obviously I covered him extensively in March of 2022 when he won the MAAC and went on that incredible, all-time NCAA tournament run. And so, I know him well. I think highly of him as a person and as a coach. And I feel like I'm qualified to say that it's been a difficult adjustment to coaching at the high major level for Sha. I think he would tell you that.

There's a lot involved that wasn't the case at Saint Peter's. The scope is much bigger in terms of the public face of the job, media, dealing with fans and alumni and donors and boosters and also the type of player you have or want to get and the people around them. It's just much different. When Sha was at Saint Peter's, the guys that he had there were all last chance, grinder-type of guys. This was their chance to play Division I basketball and they had to work their butts off just to stay in that foothold. I think that kind of fits with his mentality, Sha really identified with that type of player."

"And so, this is much different now. You're dealing with higher-profile players who believe they're going to play in the NBA and their people think they're going to play in the NBA, and they want certain things that might not be compatible for a team's success. Not that Sha didn't have that experience at Seton Hall the first time, he did when he was Kevin Willard's right-hand man, but when you combine that with him now making final decisions on personnel matters, and then the new landscape that has sort of accelerated that 'I'm going to get mine' attitude among this high major-type player, that's been a lot for him, and I think it's kind of been a shock to the system, to be honest.”

 

[Burnsly]

IMO this is another indictment on our athletic administration, not Holloway.

 

[jack 1970]

Jerry is right.SHU is a step up for Sha from SPU for all the reasons Jerry mentioned and then probably some others.It could take him several years to learn and adjust which isn't out of the ordinary for similar coaches making that jump.

 

[Halldan1]

Tidbit from part 2

PirateCrew

The definitive source for all Seton Hall news.

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You sound optimistic that Sha is the type of person and coach to be able to adapt and evolve to succeed?

"He's going to do whatever it takes to win. That's just the bottom line. He's not going to say, 'I'm going to do it my way or I'm going down.' I don't see that. We've had discussions, he and I, about his legacy and what he said at his introduction, 'this is too important to me to mess up.' Ultimately that's going to be his driving force."

"He's going to try it his way and Seton Hall needs to give him some runway. They gave Kevin Willard six years. Kevin got until that sixth year to straighten it out. Now Kevin took over a program that was an abject disaster where Sha didn't, however, it's a comparable challenge for Sha, because of all the changes in the landscape with NIL and the transfer portal. So, he does face, in a way, a comparable mountain as Kevin did. Different issues, obviously, but Kevin was a much less accomplished head coach than Sha when he got here who had zero ties to the program ... and got six years of runway from Pat Lyons. So, I would expect Sha to get that kind of runway.”

“My feeling is that if it doesn't work fully his way, with his staff and with his way of pushing players and with his way of putting a roster together, then he will adjust rather than go down. I think he will absolutely make what adjustments needed to be made if his way doesn't work the way he wants to do it. The guy has succeeded at everything he's ever done as a player, as an assistant coach, as the head coach at Saint Peter's. There are certain patterns that contribute to that and one of them is the ability to make adjustments. And so, I'm fully convinced that he will, as needed, make adjustments. It might take time for him to figure out what's needed because everything is so different now and he doesn't exactly have a bundle of resources like some of his peers. So, yeah, this could be a little choppy ... but I would feel confident wagering that he figures it out. I just don't know when that's going to happen or how long it's going to take. It might take another year or two. It took Kevin five years."

 

[Halldan1]

Balance is the key to any conversation. All good is meaningless as far as I am concerned. And I feel the same with all is bad.

That's where Jerry being a pro shines through. This 3 part interview is not just a pollyanna POV with nothing but sunshine and rainbows. But neither is it a hit job ala the NY Post's Mushnick who does little more than criticize and find fault.

Jerry absolutely likes and admires Sha as both a coach and a person and that shines through the interview. But he also is not afraid to find fault when in his opinion there is fault to find. That's balance and that's why you put stock in what a professional like Jerry Carino has to say.

 

[Halldan1]

PirateCrew

The definitive source for all Seton Hall news.

setonhall.rivals.com

Tidbits from part 3

What are your thoughts on Cooley’s departure for Georgetown now that things have settled and time has passed?

What's really bad is Georgetown targeted him. It's America and Cooley can take what jobs he wants, but the fact that Georgetown targeted him is terrible. I mean, this is a league that prides itself on camaraderie, we're all in this together. And of course, they're going to be competitive, It's college sports, right? But the Big East is supposed to be a little different when it comes to the camaraderie aspect of it. Georgetown broke a major taboo; stuff like that is not common, to poach a coach in conference and they poached him while Providence was still playing. I thought that was really poor form on Georgetown's part and I don't blame people at Providence for being mad. That was bad form and I have a feeling, just an inkling, that the karma from that is going to get Georgetown somewhere down the line."

 

[Halldan1]

We had another thread discussing the Providence/Georgetown debacle. Jerry like myself didn't want to comment on the salacious rumors leaving that topic for others. But his point re what Georgetown did is another matter. One IMO that is difficult to ignore. The Providence fanbase is understandably upset with their former coach, but is Georgetown anymore less than a guilty partner?

Thoughts?

 

[radecicco]

Agree with Jerry. This isn’t all on Cooley.

 

[Halldan1]

I root for all Big East teams as it's good for the conference meaning it's good for the Hall. But this matter is very hard to overlook.

I now question what both Cooley and the Hoyas have done and will only root for them playing out of conference or when it beneifits the Pirates.

 

[doctorcb12]

I thought initially it was messed up that Cooley left for Georgetown the way. he did, but months later I don't have a problem with it. Georgetown needed a spark to reinvigorate their brand/fan base and some of their best years was when they were viewed as the villains. They got tired of being the door mat and they had to make a big move to become relevant. Even though they burned a couple of bridges if it leads to them being a consistent competitor in the Big East so be it.

 

[coatofarms]

100% caused by Cooley's actions and GTown tampering. Don't forget that this also happened with a wink and a nod from Val A. and the Big East. The league sat on their hands and watched as one of their business partners ruined a once promising season of another partner and then let the press run with a false narrative . Seton Hall beware.

 

[lloyde dobler]

100% caused by Cooley's actions and GTown tampering. Don't forget that this also happened with a wink and a nod from Val A. and the Big East. The league sat on their hands and watched as one of their business partners ruined a once promising season of another partner and then let the press run with a false narrative . Seton Hall beware.

On the flippity flip, if Cooley’s behavior was going to force him to leave Providence for somewhere else, is it better for the league that he would stay within?

 

[Halldan1]

Not sure that's why so many are upset with both Cooley and Georgetown. Like with Willard (and Maryland), who was still coaching SHU during the season negotiations were quietly being conducted.

I know it happens all the time in this day and age but that doesn't mean that the abused party and their fanbase has to like it.

 

[garyshu71]

These actions provide the blueprint for the players . Is anyone surprised how effortlessly the players have picked it up? It really irks me when the coaches complain!

 

[Halldan1]

Decent point.

What usually happens in the above cases is that said coach will say I have not been in contact with other schools. And technically that's probably true. But what is left unsaid is that those representing the interests of said coach have been doing all the groundwork which will lead to the future decision.