If this SJ team doesn't make the tourney, ready to dump Lav?

[SJHooper]

I know I am. As sexy as the occasional top recruits can be, I'd rather be like Creighton and find a coach who can turn 2-3 star players into 4-5. Lavin can't even get major recruits anymore. He totally struck out on 2014 and has no major 2015 recruits with something like 80 of the top 100 gone already. That's two terrible recruiting seasons (Briscoe, Sampson, Diallo are not coming especially after the Thomas debacle). We always knew he couldn't coach up talent. Now we know he can't recruit either. I'd fire him once we are out of the Briscoe/Diallo/Sampson sweepstakes and miss the tourney. But for some reason it seems like high ups at SJ brag that he is bringing us "postseason" play like an NIT is something to be proud of. So maybe they will keep him even after failing more. We need to pounce on the next promising coach. Lavin just is not the man for the job IMO. I'd bet my life that this team does not make the tourney again despite all the talent. It's a problem that I can be that confident about it.

[hoops22]

Can't recruit anymore? Three years ago he brought in Harkless and Sampson, both in the NBA, as well as first team preseason pick D'Angelo Harrison. Two years ago he brought in Chris Obekpa, projected to go in this years NBA draft. Last year he brought in the highest rated recruit in the BE in Rasheed Jordan, also projected to play in the NBA. Right now we're the frontrunner for Briscoe, also a future NBA player. Lavin's coaching decisions can drive me crazy at times, but it's been many, many years since we've had anyone bringing in the kind of talent that Lavin is.

[Wizard of Westroads]

I'd bet my life that this team does not make the tourney again despite all the talent.

Sticky?

[GumbyDamnit!]

I've never seen a fan of a team so all over the place as you Hooper. If anyone says one negative thing about the Johnnies you go postal on them, but then question them at every turn yourself with little to no faith that they can do anything right. Gun to your head right now... Top 5 BE team? Tourney team? A commitment from Briscoe? Lavin fired after the season? Depending on the day I can never tell with you what you really think.

[mpwalsh8]

I've never seen a fan of a team so all over the place as you Hooper. If anyone says one negative thing about the Johnnies you go postal on them, but then question them at every turn yourself with little to no faith that they can do anything right. Gun to your head right now... Top 5 BE team? Tourney team? A commitment from Briscoe? Lavin fired after the season? Depending on the day I can never tell with you what you really think.

+1,000,000

SJHooper reminds me of people who start talking without thinking about what they're saying. People who "think out loud". I work with a guy like this and it gets him in trouble all the time. The stream of conscious in their head just flows out of their mouth but in SJHooper's case, it just flows out into this message board.

SJHooper's ramblings are all over the map and thus hard to take seriously. Passionate fan? Absolutely. Rational fan? It doesn't appear so, at least from the volume of evidence posted here.

[stever20]

the thing is, I could easily see the SJU fanbase thinking this if they don't make the tourney this year. It would have been 4 years since 2011, when he won with someone elses players. If they are another middling 20-13 10-8 and NIT year- he'd have been 57-42 in the 3 years since the year he was out sick. I would think especially if they whiff on the 3 big recruits.

And the key may be if Lavin can get any of the 3 big recruits. If he goes 0-3 there- along with nothing in the 2014 recruiting class- you do quesiton that. 2 empty recruiting classes along with mediocre results on the floor- where does enough become enough?

[SJHooper]

Briscoe is almost definitely going to UK now Cal has been at his house 3x in the past few weeks. Sounds like Lavin lost him just like every other target for the past 2 years. Great recruiters don't have 2 great recruiting years then 2 terrible ones. I even saw some fans say "We would never be this close to these major players without Lavin". I think there's a sort of delusional mindset in a segment of the fan base. Who cares how close you come? KC came close to winning a WS. Did they DO it? No. No one cares about 2nd place. If Lavin doesn't land Briscoe and we miss the tourney I think those are grounds for firing with all these seniors. Lost out on EVERY major target for 2 years straight, brought in Thomas who is too dumb for community college apparently, made the tourney 1/5 years, does not know how to develop talent, does not know how to coach.

I really don't think this team makes the tourney. Can they? Absolutely. Will they? Probably not. As a St. John's, Mets, Islanders, Knicks, Jets fan there is a negative culture around every team I root for. Can't blame me for it. Until this team actually goes out and DOES it then I won't believe in them. I'll root for them as much as I can, but won't expect a tourney bid. You would think one of these years a major NYC team could find all that talent and click and be in the top 25 all year. You would think we could make the tourney occasionally and even win a game or two. But that seems like it's just too much to ask.