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Ok. I realize Mullin still hasn't coached a game. But has been nothing but great news since he took over. I don't know if that is because of him or the administration, but either way the Johnnies deserve our first "Big East off-season of the year" award!

Good job Redmen

It'll be interesting to see if Slice was the reason why Kentucky got all the recruits or Calipari was the reason why Kentucky got all the recruits. Where I think the Slice move would be huge would be if Calipari leaves to the NBA.

The one thing you have to ask though. If it's Slice that got all the recruits- and those guys go to St John's- is St John's prepared to be a 1 and done factory?

Slice was only at kentucky for a year, so it's not like he was the reason for kentucky's recruiting success.

And I don't think anyone in their right mind would say that this means the johnnies are going to start pulling a bunch of one and done players.

Slice's nyc recruiting roots are more centered on His success in revamping the Pitt program with a nyc backbone. I think that's what people should be expecting more of in terms of the players he will be pulling. Maybe an occasional Cheick Diallo or Briscoe type, but mainly guys ranked in the 25-75 range who will be good four year players that are from the northeast that he is able to keep at home (think more rawle alkins than kyrie irving). And that's a good thing, and it is a good thing that Mullin has a couple guys on his staff now with some experience in recruiting.

Recruiting is a lot about hard work and attention to detail. It's also about building relationships. Slice is known as a good guy, a straight shooter with no B/S, and someone who can be trusted. All of those are positives for him.

The other aspect of recruiting is player evaluation - especially when it comes to finding undervalued players. I have reservations about him in this regard. He was not successful in his years as head coach at Manhattan where coaches succeed by finding undervalued talent. I would have thought that with all his recruiting contacts in the city, he could have been a huge success there. But he wasn't. Both the coach before him (Bobby Gonzalez) and the coach after him (Masiello) achieved a great deal of success there, suggesting that it's not the school that was the problem. I don't know. Maybe it was his game management. Or maybe it was an inability to "coach them up" once they got there. But something didn't work there in a situation that seemed tailor made for someone with his background.

St. John's signs another. http://scouthoops.scout.com/player/8103 ... nkuba-sima

Anyone have the tally on how many scholarships have been offered since Mullin took over?

DudeAnon wrote:St. John's signs another. http://scouthoops.scout.com/player/8103 ... nkuba-sima

Anyone have the tally on how many scholarships have been offered since Mullin took over?

Before everyone says "Another 3 star recruit?", Sima is a legit 6'11 and was heavily recruited by Maryland and Louisville.

At the Barkley's Center for Nets Vs. Bulls with Slice. Interviewed at halftime. Last week at MSG. This guy gets it.

Bill Marsh wrote:Recruiting is a lot about hard work and attention to detail. It's also about building relationships. Slice is known as a good guy, a straight shooter with no B/S, and someone who can be trusted. All of those are positives for him.

The other aspect of recruiting is player evaluation - especially when it comes to finding undervalued players. I have reservations about him in this regard. He was not successful in his years as head coach at Manhattan where coaches succeed by finding undervalued talent. I would have thought that with all his recruiting contacts in the city, he could have been a huge success there. But he wasn't. Both the coach before him (Bobby Gonzalez) and the coach after him (Masiello) achieved a great deal of success there, suggesting that it's not the school that was the problem. I don't know. Maybe it was his game management. Or maybe it was an inability to "coach them up" once they got there. But something didn't work there in a situation that seemed tailor made for someone with his background.

It may just be the case that Slice is the ideal second banana and not meant to be in the main chair. I thought that former Marquette assistant Tony Benford was going to be a huge success as the head coach at North Texas, as he seemed to have everything required to be an excellent head coach (strong recruiter, good basketball knowledge, ability to relate to players, a recruiting area that he had strong connections in). UNT hired Benford instead of Fran Frischilla. In three seasons at UNT, Benford is 42-53 and probably need a blockbuster fourth season to keep his job (and UNT fans wanted him gone after year one). Benford should get a good assistant's job if he gets fired from UNT.

Jet915 wrote:

At the Barkley's Center for Nets Vs. Bulls with Slice. Interviewed at halftime. Last week at MSG. This guy gets it.

Wait - that guy looks nothing like who I thought they hired - I was hoping for Kimbo:

MUPanther wrote:It's huge!

That's what she said. In all seriousness though, very good for SJU and very good for the league.