St John's---> Hires Mike Anderson - Outstanding, A+ ...

[billyjack]

St John's coaching search is a huge deal for the Big East and deserves its own thread. Let's toss all names out there and brainstorm. I'll keep adding to the list.

Summary of Names and Possibilities:

Still on Table:
Tim Cluess, Iona.
Greg St Jean, Assistant Coach at St John's.

Assumed To Be Off The Table:
Bobby Hurley, Arizona State.
Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City NBA.
Rick Pitino, Somewhere in Greece.

Others in College Ranks:
Craig Smith, Utah State.
Something Scheyer, Assistant at Duke.
Tommy Amaker, Harvard.
James Jones, Yale.
John Becker, Vermont.
Joe Mihalich, Hofstra.
Bill Coen, Northeastern.
Mike Rhoades, VCU.
Ryan Odom, UMBC.
Will Brown, Albany.

Guys Whose Stock Has Tanked Recently:
King Rice, Monmouth.
Steve Masiello, Manhattan.

Other Names:
Jeff Van Gundy, studio analyst.
Mark Jackson, former Johnnie legend, former coach at Golden State.
Jason Kidd, former California legend, former Nets coach.

[billyjack]

Some comments:

- Cluess has a $2 million buyout with Iona. Cluess has won every year. Knock is that his teams don't play defense. Has had 6 NCAA tourney bids at Iona, which is impressive... MAAC coaches have been a nmixed bag... Willard and Cooley are examples of the good.

- Greg St Jean is the only current coach who hasn't left. Word is that he could possibly retain some of the players who just left. He could work with a 1-year deal... if he's successful, sign him longer... if he struggles, then go balls-out for Billy Donovan whose contact with OKC runs out next year.

[jbarajas0490]

Billy Donovan would be the best choice of the coaches available... I would go for a fresh faced coach, I would go for Odom of UMBC.

[GoldenWarrior11]

St. John's message board is saying that Mike Brey is flying in tomorrow to meet with Mike Cragg. I highly doubt that he would be interested in the job, but I'm sure it would be a good conversation to have for Cragg, especially if Brey knows someone that should be considered for the job.

The other outside-the-box idea that I saw floated around was Mike Boynton from Oklahoma State. He is from NYC and is only making around a million at OK State.

It's important, regardless of duration, that St. John's and Cragg get this hire right. It's clear the top choice (Hurley) passed on the job; thus, they need to be doing their due diligence on other candidates.

[Omaha1]

Tiger Woods. Give him the job.

[Redmen23]

Cluess has won at the HS and college ranks. He's proven. If he adds some top recruiters to the staff he could put the program on solid footing for years.

If all you care about is winning then hire Pitino.

Dark horse is Odom.

[Xudash]

Cluess has won at the HS and college ranks. He's proven. If he adds some top recruiters to the staff he could put the program on solid footing for years.

If all you care about is winning then hire Pitino.

Dark horse is Odom.

I hope you guys get who you want and like. It's time for SJU to get firmly back on the rails.

Going the mid-major route?

UC just did, hiring Brannon away from NKU.

[NJRedman]

St. John's message board is saying that Mike Brey is flying in tomorrow to meet with Mike Cragg. I highly doubt that he would be interested in the job, but I'm sure it would be a good conversation to have for Cragg, especially if Brey knows someone that should be considered for the job.

The other outside-the-box idea that I saw floated around was Mike Boynton from Oklahoma State. He is from NYC and is only making around a million at OK State.

It's important, regardless of duration, that St. John's and Cragg get this hire right. It's clear the top choice (Hurley) passed on the job; thus, they need to be doing their due diligence on other candidates.

Yeah, don't listen to those numbskulls. Brey isn't a candidate and probably hasn't even talked to Cragg

[gtmoBlue]

All I care about is winning...but I'm a mere Bluejay fan. Youse NYers go ahead and get an up and coming Midmajor coach...put the program on a 6 year plan for resurrection. Good deal.
See you in 10th next year.
All Pitino wants is a written apology...is that so hard?

If you have 3 million, kill 2 birds with one stone... Steal Mac from Creighton! No BE rule related to coaches transferring BE schools.

[stever20]

Some comments:

- Cluess has a $2 million buyout with Iona. Cluess has won every year. Knock is that his teams don't play defense. Has had 6 NCAA tourney bids at Iona, which is impressive... MAAC coaches have been a nmixed bag... Willard and Cooley are examples of the good.

- Greg St Jean is the only current coach who hasn't left. Word is that he could possibly retain some of the players who just left. He could work with a 1-year deal... if he's successful, sign him longer... if he struggles, then go balls-out for Billy Donovan whose contact with OKC runs out next year.

If Donovan's contract runs out after next year, the time to get him would be this year quite frankly, as coaches don't like lame duck situations.. But even with that- I don't think Donovan would return to college ball in anything less than a top 10-15 job. St John's is not that.

Also quite frankly, there's no chance in the world that they would hire St Jean on a 1 year deal... Why would ANY recruit go there at that point?