If Big East Wants to Reach its Ultimate Potential, then.....

[SJHooper]

the league members should hope that both St. John's (NY) and DePaul (Chicago) pick up their programs. If not, then the Big East will not get the media attention in the 2 best sports cities in America. The first TV contract is finalized but what about future ones?

Just my opinion coming from another long-time, disgruntled DePaul fan who has to watch Selection Sunday and March Madness without my favorite team participating......AGAIN!

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you. SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul. This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

[Bluejay]

the league members should hope that both St. John's (NY) and DePaul (Chicago) pick up their programs. If not, then the Big East will not get the media attention in the 2 best sports cities in America. The first TV contract is finalized but what about future ones?

Just my opinion coming from another long-time, disgruntled DePaul fan who has to watch Selection Sunday and March Madness without my favorite team participating......AGAIN!

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you. SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul. This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

Psssst --- DePaul beat SJU once this year...

[ivet]

the league members should hope that both St. John's (NY) and DePaul (Chicago) pick up their programs. If not, then the Big East will not get the media attention in the 2 best sports cities in America. The first TV contract is finalized but what about future ones?

Just my opinion coming from another long-time, disgruntled DePaul fan who has to watch Selection Sunday and March Madness without my favorite team participating......AGAIN!

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you. SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul. This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

Psssst --- DePaul beat SJU once this year...

I know right. Hey SJHooper, what's the view like up there on your pedestal?

[Bill Marsh]

the league members should hope that both St. John's (NY) and DePaul (Chicago) pick up their programs. If not, then the Big East will not get the media attention in the 2 best sports cities in America. The first TV contract is finalized but what about future ones?

Just my opinion coming from another long-time, disgruntled DePaul fan who has to watch Selection Sunday and March Madness without my favorite team participating......AGAIN!

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you.

St. John's and DePaul are both large, urban Vincentian universities with law schools.

[SJHooper]

the league members should hope that both St. John's (NY) and DePaul (Chicago) pick up their programs. If not, then the Big East will not get the media attention in the 2 best sports cities in America. The first TV contract is finalized but what about future ones?

Just my opinion coming from another long-time, disgruntled DePaul fan who has to watch Selection Sunday and March Madness without my favorite team participating......AGAIN!

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you. SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul. This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

Psssst --- DePaul beat SJU once this year...

And we beat you PSSST! It happens. Streaks are meant to be broken. We crushed Duke at the Garden in 2011 and also beat them in 2003. Are we a better program? We beat Cincy twice in 2 years. Are we a better program? We crushed Nova in 2011. Are we a better program?

Going off 1 head to head matchup is pointless. You take teams in their entirety.

[Bill Marsh]

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you. SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul. This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

Psssst --- DePaul beat SJU once this year...

And we beat you PSSST! It happens. Streaks are meant to be broken. We crushed Duke at the Garden in 2011 and also beat them in 2003. Are we a better program? We beat Cincy twice in 2 years. Are we a better program? We crushed Nova in 2011. Are we a better program?

Yes. Yes. And yes.

[notkirkcameron]

Don't ever put SJ and DePaul in the same sentence again. Thank you.

They're more similar than you'd like to admit.

SJ has work to do but they've done a hell of a lot more over the years than DePaul.

Are we talking all the years?

Number of NCAA Tournament Appearances
St. John's 28
Depaul 22

or just recent years?

NCAA Tournament Appearances since 2000
St. John's 3
DePaul 2

NCAA Tournament wins since 2000
St. John's 1
DePaul 1

This is a down year for us since we were supposed to be shoe-ins for the tourney, but even solidly on the bubble it's considered a disappointment. These are 2 totally different programs going in 2 different directions. I don't even expect anything from DePaul anymore. That's how long they've been terrible. The teams who need to step up are: SJ, SHU, and PC (they have so far). Out of SHU, PC, DePaul, and SJ, SJ has done more and it's pretty clear.

As bad as DePaul may be, when a team (like St. John's) hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since Bill Clinton was President, they don't get to say they're having a "down year." At that point, it's more like a down decade...and a half...

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying we've arrived as if being on the bubble is anything to brag about, but it's a program with nearly 30 tourney appearances not far off Nova, Final Fours, runs in 2000, 2003, 2011, and possibly this year. We have a lot of work to do but to suggest it's anywhere in the same galaxy as DePaul is ridiculous (not saying you intended that).

"Runs" described
2000: #2 seed in the West. Barely escaped #15 seed Northern Arizona by 5. Lost in second round to 10th-seeded Gonzaga
2003: Failed to make the NCAA Tournament
2011: Lost to Gonzaga by 15 in the first round.

St. Johns' last Final Four appearance was 30 years ago.
DePaul's last Final Four appearance was 36 years ago.

I was going to pounce on you for celebrating Final FourS plural, but then I realized that St. John's has made it to two Final Fours, both in 1985 and in 1952, so congrats on your Final Four appearance that predates the space program.

[SJHooper]

Conveniently excluding wins and losses...I like it! Very good method of comparing these 2 programs. DePaul has not just been bad, they have been THE worst. They have made the Mets look good by comparison. And that's not even an exaggeration. I want DePaul to do well but the truth is they would not be in a major conference today if they were re-done. St. John's still could be. Much more hype, MSG, the better tradition, the more notable former players, the much better recruits, etc.

Let's not let the 7th winningest program in D-1 basketball history get any credit. You can talk about dates all you want, but it counts for all teams. You can't argue that Yankee Stadium allows lots of HR's and gives the Yanks an edge, because the opponent has the same opportunity. Same with going back in time to evaluate programs. Every team has those years from 30+ years ago that helped boost their NCAA tourney appearances and other achievements. Do we not count it because it happened before we were born? The Yankees would not be all that amazing if you use that logic. You'd miss about 23 championships that way.

Do you realize most people don't even know DePaul exists? It's true. Ask any common fan to rattle off Big East teams. Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, Seton Hall, Creighton, Butler, Providence, Xavier, St. John's and.....crap what's that other team? I know it may come off as harsh but it's true.

No one with their head on straight considers SJ and DePaul comparable programs either overall or recently. Their buzz is zero.

They have 18 tourney appearances. SJ has 28 and could easily have had 30 by now barring the suspension of key players when on the bubble. SJ also has almost 400 more wins.

But let's not let that get in the way. Yup. St. John's is the last place team every year and has zero buzz.

[Bill Marsh]

St. John's is the last place team every year and has zero buzz.

Really?

[SJHooper]

By the way I am in no way acting like we are any kind of blue blood and like I said we have a lot of work to do. But at least we show serious signs of life signing some of the best recruiting classes multiple years, and at least making a postseason. 20 wins this year may not get us in and maybe not 21, but a 20 win season is nothing to sneeze at. That's a pretty damn good season in major hoops. I am 24 and I can't remember DePaul ever being relevant...not even once. I had to look on Wiki to find this stuff. It's a shame too because being in Chicago they should have it made. We could do much better in NYC as well but many people know who we are in and around the city. We have huge billboards, subway ads, bus ads, signs in times square, etc. We have buzz. We are alive. DePaul has literally been in a coma for what feels like forever. It would be one thing if DePaul made a run at a tourney bid every so often like we do, but they don't even do that. Even in years we don't make the tourney there are a fair amount of times we are in the mix for a spot if not one of the first teams out.