A storm is brewing in Jamaica

[FRANKIEFAN]

It's still St. John's and the Big East isn't the Big East anymore. It hasn't been a long term destination for anyone since Louie left and if an all time great like Mullin couldn't recruit well enough there to at least have a .500 record, I'm not going to put too much money on Rick.

And he's 70...didn't they run Louie off at about that age. Good luck Rick!

Big East has been a better conference last two years than the ACC even with the ACC saving face with the tournament upsets.

As long as Red doesn’t start dropping games to Georgetown it doesn’t really affect us. Nova and UConn have won titles since we left what have we done?

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Rick is going to win down there early and often.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is bananaland. Net/Net bad for Syracuse but for some intriguing regional battles, very positive. it's good going into the garden with a full house .

Coach heavy conference. Xavier and Marquette have big time coaches up there with Rick. McDermott is good Hurley just won it all. PC might be getting a better coach than Cooley who is an upgrade for Georgetown Seton Halls coach is good. Rick is gonna make them better but he might drop a bunch of games and they aren’t ranked or anything scary.

Nova is the one school I can see seriously falling off for this reason alone.

 

[br801]

It’s eye opening to see the difference between Pitino and Boeheim in their later years as coaches. Pitino is much more adaptable and flexible than JB, has always adjusted with the times and the way the game is being played, and is a relentless maddog in recruiting. It’s depressing to compare that to JB’s late career lackadaisical roster building, stagnant ideas, disinterest in recruiting, and allowing the program to atrophy.

Yeah, Rick really has had a distinguished career arc. Too bad we were stuck with JB all those years.

 

[pfister1]

Mullin was an unknown. Didn't help that he wasn't winning. Players know who Pitino and what his track record is. If he hits the ground running at St John's and gets them in the tournament regularly, he won't have issues getting people to go there. Also has the backing of the Vitamin Water guy and there will be other well to do alumni who'll open up their wallets should Rick be successful.

An unknown??

Aren't we talking about the Chris Mullin who:

- is in the NBA Hall of Fame
- won the Wooden Award in 1985
- was an Olympic Gold medalist in 1984 and member of the '92 Olympic "Dream Team"... Hardly an unknown to anyone playing or associated with basketball.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Pitino's age is irrelevant - some of you railing against him was probably for him being our next coach when we were recently discussing a successor to Boeheim. He is a great recruiter and coach who is highly respected by players, high school and AAU coaches. He will do anything to make something of St. John's - but there is a chance he could leave the program a mess. He is the equivalent of "Next Town Brown."

He’s a great evaluator of talent. He doesn’t always get elite talent.

 

[NYCCuse826]

An unknown??

Aren't we talking about the Chris Mullin who:

- is in the NBA Hall of Fame
- won the Wooden Award in 1985
- was an Olympic Gold medalist in 1984 and member of the '92 Olympic "Dream Team"... Hardly an unknown to anyone playing or associated with basketball.

An unknown coaching kids who were a generation removed from when he last played. That matters. It's why Pitino is able to overhaul an entire roster. Being a commodity helps a ton.

 

[tbonezone]

Walter Berry blocking the Pearl is right there behind keith smart.

 

[orangefog]

Walter Berry blocking the Pearl is right there behind keith smart.

I was young, I may have cried.

 

[elimunelson]

I remember the year I left SU. I was hired by a company out of NYC and my district manager was a Boston University grad. Pitino had just left his position as an assistant coach at SU. I went out on a limb and told my district manager that Pitino was going to make BU a winner. He was very skeptical.

Wikipedia...

Pitino's first head coaching job came in 1978 at Boston University. In the two seasons before his arrival, the team had won a mere 17 games. During his 5-year tenure, Boston U's team slogan was, “The hardest working coach, for the hardest working team in the country”. Pitino used the full-court press for almost the entirety of each game, eventually leading the Terriers to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 24 years.

Pitino has always been a good basketball coach.

Is there a narrative to suggest otherwrise

I’d take Rick over any HC tbh. He’s always been a better coach than calipari. Those Kentucky teams were wagons. Had he not gone to
The Celtics Kentucky prob wins 2-3 more titles

 

[Zepharus]

People can bag on Slick as much as they want, It doesn't change the fact that he is a damn good coach and a great recruiter. I'd play for the guy in a second. I could care less who he is banging under tables. Rock on Rick

 

[orangefog]

People can bag on Slick as much as they want, It doesn't change the fact that he is a damn good coach and a great recruiter. I'd play for the guy in a second. I could care less who he is banging under tables. Rock on Rick

And, he has some serious NIL backers.

 

[dollarbill44]

I was young, I may have cried.

I was 17. I think I cried.

 

[jdubs30]

He’s gonna get Wilcher

 

[CardiacCuse]

He’s gonna get Wilcher

he got him...they are about to be a problem this season, imo

 

[sweetpea]

I was young, I may have cried.

I think I was 18 years old. I remember that I sat in silence for about 10 minutes. I know I wanted to cry.

 

[Zepharus]

An unknown??

Aren't we talking about the Chris Mullin who:

- is in the NBA Hall of Fame
- won the Wooden Award in 1985
- was an Olympic Gold medalist in 1984 and member of the '92 Olympic "Dream Team"... Hardly an unknown to anyone playing or associated with basketball.

Being a good player doesn't make you a good coach. Huge difference

 

[orangecuse]

People can bag on Slick as much as they want, It doesn't change the fact that he is a damn good coach and a great recruiter. I'd play for the guy in a second. I could care less who he is banging under tables. Rock on Rick

Scroll to 4:28. "It all comes down to opportunity man." Love Ron White. And, although this is part of his skit, etc. there is, in all probability, a lot of honesty/truth to what he's joking about. And, that many of us relatively simple men here, etc. could never relate to.