St. John’s Strikes Again

[Burnsly]

The majority of our alumni still live in the area where the cost of living is more ridiculous than ever. Younger graduates are worried about supporting their families. Older alumni like most on this board are retired or close to retirement & worried how they are going to pay their $20K a year property taxes on a fixed income.

ON a personal note, I’ve been a SH fan for over 50 years. I support the school financially but paying players with no allegiance to the school is not even on my radar.

 

[donnie_baseball]

The majority of our alumni still live in the area where the cost of living is more ridiculous than ever. Younger graduates are worried about supporting their families. Older alumni like most on this board are retired or close to retirement & worried how they are going to pay their $20K a year property taxes on a fixed income.

ON a personal note, I’ve been a SH fan for over 50 years. I support the school financially but paying players with no allegiance to the school is not even on my radar.

Eminently fair. Paying the players in this way is anathema to me, and I have reluctantly given what I can, in hopes that the program can get back on its feet. I don't blame anyone who walks away in this NIL era, but this board has devolved into 24/7 screed about the incompetence of the coach and everyone above him. If the money isn't there, it isn't there. I hope it changes.

 

[PJVegas]

It’s not about the coach or anyone above him (when it comes to athletics. Other areas is a different story. 😰 For me it’s all about NIL. We agree on the payments to players.

 

[Seton75]

ad nauseam et ad tedium.

no, that does not mean quickly

 

[Piratz]

There are ways that other schools do this. It’s not simply alums or fans rolling over and dumping their money.

There’s engagement. There’s value generation around the donations. They make it compelling to donate. They have an operation, a structure, a strategy. They hire people and pay salaries for this kind of effort. We don’t.

 

[Medugorje]

The negativity by some on this board is horrendous! Need to lighten up and view the glass as half full instead of half empty. Surround yourself with positive people and you will feel better as opposed to being dragged down in the nagative abyss.

 

[Hall Is Life]

The negativity by some on this board is horrendous! Need to lighten up and view the glass as half full instead of half empty. Surround yourself with positive people and you will feel better as opposed to being dragged down in the nagative abyss.

#nagative

 

[Piratz]

 

[CaptBob]

Money talks--but how will this team mesh with only one ball?

 

[Halldan1]

The same way we will with 4 players.

 

[ivyhillparkk1963]

Money talks--but how will this team mesh with only one ball?
[/QUOT
Are any of these guys better than Richmond? Couldn't get out of 2nd round with him

 

[Piratz]

Their team is better on paper than last year.

Add Zuby to this.

 

[dehere23]

Who knows. NCAA success past round 1 is hard to predict or guarantee. An objective person might point out that most every team deals with extreme roster turnover these days, so most are probably in the same scenario, and that it’s probably not a crazy take to surmise that a guy who has been to like 7 final 4s with 3 different teams probably shouldn’t have the same “can he advance in the NCAA” questions as another coach who doesn’t have that resume. But I’m repeatedly told we aren’t supposed to be objective about them. So I will instead comment on speculation about whether Cooley can finally crack the NCAA this year and top half of the league after bringing in another big portal class, or whether the favorite son Mac can finally break through with a final 4 after killing it in the portal, or whether Hurley can advance past the round of 32 after winning titles two of the last years and having the best roster in paper in the league right now IMO. Oh wait….

 

[HallBall02]

The negativity by some on this board is horrendous! Need to lighten up and view the glass as half full instead of half empty. Surround yourself with positive people and you will feel better as opposed to being dragged down in the nagative abyss.

I agree. Do you have any glass half filled thoughts you would like to share that don’t sound like you have been day drinking?

 

[dehere23]

I agree. Do you have any glass half filled thoughts you would like to share that don’t sound like you have been day drinking?

Clark is going to be an upgrade at PG. Godswill will make a leap in year 2 and be a decent-solid Big East big. There are two glass half filled for you!!

 

[shudude]

Money talks--but how will this team mesh with only one ball?

 

[shudude]

Really? That would worry you? I wish we had these type of players to worry about meshing with one ball.

 

[CaptBob]

I hope the whole thing blows up in Slick Rick's face

 

[Bud Boomer]

It’s a talented transfer class for St John’s, but a very strange mix of players. Not sure how those pieces fit together at all.

 

[GloryDays85]

Really? That would worry you? I wish we had these type of players to worry about meshing with one ball.

Former 5-star Cincy SF and defensive stalwart Dillon Mitchell appears imminent to give SJU best and most balanced starting front court in the nation with Bryce and Zuby.

Maybe I am going to go out on the limb, but I think Pitino can be the guy to make the roster reconstruction work.

 

[donnie_baseball]

I hope the whole thing blows up in Slick Rick's face

Did you see the Arkansas game?

 

[GloryDays85]

Did you see the Arkansas game?

Yes I saw it. I also saw a 31-4 year and a 18-2 Big East season and two conference crowns.

There also is no shame losing a tough game to a highly talented and mistakenly ranked due to injuries John Calipari team with 5 star recruits up and down roster in a single elimination format.

But I guess we differ on the impact of Pitino. I can tell you that the SJU administration beyond giddy with his results to date.

 

[GloryDays85]

And a studs like Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon never consider SJU without the successful winning culture the HOF coach has quickly created.

Jackson had equally as good NIL offers from Kentucky and USC on the table this past weekend

 

[Piratz]

Who knows. NCAA success past round 1 is hard to predict or guarantee. An objective person might point out that most every team deals with extreme roster turnover these days, so most are probably in the same scenario, and that it’s probably not a crazy take to surmise that a guy who has been to like 7 final 4s with 3 different teams probably shouldn’t have the same “can he advance in the NCAA” questions as another coach who doesn’t have that resume. But I’m repeatedly told we aren’t supposed to be objective about them. So I will instead comment on speculation about whether Cooley can finally crack the NCAA this year and top half of the league after bringing in another big portal class, or whether the favorite son Mac can finally break through with a final 4 after killing it in the portal, or whether Hurley can advance past the round of 32 after winning titles two of the last years and having the best roster in paper in the league right now IMO. Oh wait….

Yes I saw it. I also saw a 31-4 year and a 18-2 Big East season and two conference crowns.

There also is no shame losing a tough game to a highly talented and mistakenly ranked due to injuries John Calipari team with 5 star recruits up and down roster in a single elimination format.

But I guess we differ on the impact of Pitino. I can tell you that the SJU administration beyond giddy with his results to date.

Yeah, it can be a crapshoot but that’s what people go off of. Expectations change. The noise on Willard’s 1-5 record here was way louder than the fact were one of the few programs putting together streaks of years with good conference records and even just making the Tournament. I think at one point there were only around 10 programs that had made it 5 years in a row like we had from 2016-20 and some of those were the epics like Michigan State and Kansas. But the bar raised.

Going 31-4 and winning both the conference RS and BET is a hugely successful, historical, and memorable season. People tend to minimize those outcomes because everyone is so supremely focused on only winning games in the NCAAT and now SJU supporters will want that. But you run into Whitehead shooting poorly, Carrington turning it over, Luis shooting poorly, Richmond fouling out… cest la vie…

 

[dehere23]

Yeah, it can be a crapshoot but that’s what people go off of. Expectations change. The noise on Willard’s 1-5 record here was way louder than the fact were one of the few programs putting together streaks of years with good conference records and even just making the Tournament. I think at one point there were only around 10 programs that had made it 5 years in a row like we had from 2016-20 and some of those were the epics like Michigan State and Kansas. But the bar raised.

Going 31-4 and winning both the conference RS and BET is a hugely successful, historical, and memorable season. People tend to minimize those outcomes because everyone is so supremely focused on only winning games in the NCAAT and now SJU supporters will want that. But you run into Whitehead shooting poorly, Carrington turning it over, Luis shooting poorly, Richmond fouling out… cest la vie…

Agree. And if a coach doesn’t have success it becomes a story of when he will do so. Goes back to Dean Smith to give one high level example and his famous quote of “I’m not a better coach than I was 2 minutes ago” postgame comment, or whatever it was.

Willard’s success or lack thereof was definitely a topic here because he had never done it anywhere. If he had 7 final 4s with 3 different teams and fans speculated after the Zags or ARK losses whether Willard could win games in the NCAA, it would have been scoffed at on our boards. Absolutely shut down as the most unobjective, trolling take.

All fans prefer to win games in the dance compared to the regular season. Always. I would rather eke into the tournament and get to the sweet 16 than win multiple league crowns and lose in the first round. Doesn’t mean though the latter doesn’t count either.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

And another one

 

[GloryDays85]

And another one

View embedded media

Kid has enormous potential. Could take a year or 2 to develop in States.

Pitino took a few trips to Europe, most recently to Italy in late March, to watch him in games.

 

[dehere23]

I'm more interested in the Euro aspect that some of these programs are using to accumulate roster depth. That's 3 now for SJU. I don't know all the rules re: this NIL nonsense, but I've read and posted before about how some of these kids get "loaned" by their teams overseas to US colleges. I'm wondering if the NIL for said players isn't substantial because they are already getting compensated by their foreign teams/orgs. If so, that's an interesting way to build up depth and roster continuity if the foreign teams are willing to allow these kids to play several years at a US college without having to deal with what everyone is dealing with now on the domestic side, with kids seemingly not being as willing to "wait their turn" to develop leading to colleges having to reshuffle the deck every year. The strategy it seems is to spend $$$ on the starting 5 or maybe 5-7 players, and have Euro kids as your bench pieces who can be solid depth guys in a high major league willing to stay and develop.

 

[King of S]

Kid has enormous potential. Could take a year or 2 to develop in States.

Pitino took a few trips to Europe, most recently to Italy in late March, to watch him in games.

Think Sha even knew this player existed? What do the SHU assistant coaches do by the way?

 

[GloryDays85]

Think Sha even knew this player existed? What do the SHU assistant coaches do by the way?

Pitino has numerous contacts in Europe from days as NBA coach and his recent coaching stint in Greece.

 

[GloryDays85]

Their team is better on paper than last year.

Add Zuby to this.

View embedded media

Possibly one more on the way. If he decides to come back for 1 more year and be a lottery pick in weak 2026 NBA draft, Pitino is a major option for NYC stud

 

[LBP43]

It’s a talented transfer class for St John’s, but a very strange mix of players. Not sure how those pieces fit together at all.

Nor do I Bud Boomer and he has no KR ( so under-rated by Johnnies Fans). I do admire that he cut loose the Beast POY and sent Wilcher packing without batting an eye. Slicky and his Team were so prepared and I kinda believe he knows what he wants to do.

 

[GloryDays85]

Ian Jackson and Boogie Fland are on a different level than RJ Luis, who was great at SJU last year. However their ceiling is exponentially higher.

You can easily make a case that a healthy Hopkins is just as good or even better player than RJ

 

[Bud Boomer]

I don’t think Fland is coming back to college. Ian Jackson is also not better than RJ Luis. Hopkins is a HUGE question mark. Kid hasn’t played competitive basketball in forever.

 

[GloryDays85]

Jackson is more talented than Luis.

Pitino coached RJ up who was a 3 star from UMASS

Jackson is a stud who will compete for Big East POY next year as a sophomore.

 

[Bud Boomer]

Lol Jackson will not be competing for BE POY.

 

[dehere23]

Lol Jackson will not be competing for BE POY.

Would be quite a jump.

They have talent but I agree with Boomer that there are many question marks, aside from Zuby and Hopkins (if healthy). Wouldn't be surprised if they take time to gel.

I don't think they win as many games as last year, but that isn't saying much because it is difficult to predict almost any team will win 30+ games plus the regular season and tourney titles. Even though they may ultimately have a higher ceiling.

 

[dehere23]

I don’t think Fland is coming back to college. Ian Jackson is also not better than RJ Luis. Hopkins is a HUGE question mark. Kid hasn’t played competitive basketball in forever.

If we really have $6m, I would just throw most of it at Haggerty or Boogie. Why not at this point? Sure it may not translate to that many more Ws if the supporting case isn't there, but at least we are doing something and will have a highly-talented kid fans can be psyched about.

 

[dehere23]

Nor do I Bud Boomer and he has no KR ( so under-rated by Johnnies Fans). I do admire that he cut loose the Beast POY and sent Wilcher packing without batting an eye. Slicky and his Team were so prepared and I kinda believe he knows what he wants to do.

I don't think they sent Wilcher packing IMO. I think they wanted to keep Wilcher. But when you bring in other combo/off-guards for significant NIL, and you have other teams looking to fill rosters that can offer the same or more $$ allocated to a player plus more guaranteed minutes, it becomes an easier decision for these kids to leave. If Wilcher goes to Texas, as rumored, and has a better year, he will be in line for a huge payday as a senior.

 

[GloryDays85]

Lol Jackson will not be competing for BE POY.

We shall see. That is why they play the games. Can’t wait