Hmmmm, St. John's.

[Orange87]

Not really sure what to make of it or how to respond as an Orange fan but there has been quite a bit of press here in NYC about the revitalization of the SJU hoops program.

Articles about how talented they are and how they are really looking forward to the game against Syracuse this weekend. How they are talking about the match-ups and that a win over Syracuse would be a defining one (which it would). I'm getting a sense though that the players are thinking that they are going to sneak up on the Orange and that the teams are more evenly matched that a lot of people think. Perusing the SJU message boards you can see that their fan base seems to be puffing out their chests a bit as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hotly contested games and rivalries etc. and being a NYC native, prior to my enrolling at SU in the early '80's I was a St, John's fan. So all of that is good….I guess. But is it 'deserved'?

What I mean is - have the Johnnies really come that far? Up until they put that monster beatdown on Fordham I hadn't seen that many articles praising them. All of a sudden they crush a competitive, resurgent Fordham team (which, as improved as they are, they are still Fordham) and whoo-hoo, St. John's is BACK and a tournament lock!

Lavin is throwing accolades all around and having them thrown right back at him. As far as I'm concerned, Lavin's biggest success in his tenure at St. John's was his first year when he took the team to the Tourney. I've always found it interesting that Norm Roberts never got any credit for that seeing as all the players on that team were his and that they had finally matured into a respectable team.

What has Lavin really done at St. John's?

I don't mean to put the Johnnies down - the best years of being a Syracuse fan were when St. John's, Georgetown, Villanova and Syracuse were titans in the '80's and I'd love to see them get back to that level - but I just don't see the 'awesomeness' of this St. John's team like a lot of the media and their fans do.

This Syracuse team is pretty good and if St. John's beats them in the Garden in front of what I can only imagine will be a heavily orange-clad crowd, then maybe I'll concede a bit. From my point of view however, that's going to be a lot more difficult then those who have already put their money on St. John's believe.

 

[Marsh01]

Not really sure what to make of it or how to respond as an Orange fan but there has been quite a bit of press here in NYC about the revitalization of the SJU hoops program.

Articles about how talented they are and how they are really looking forward to the game against Syracuse this weekend. How they are talking about the match-ups and that a win over Syracuse would be a defining one (which it would). I'm getting a sense though that the players are thinking that they are going to sneak up on the Orange and that the teams are more evenly matched that a lot of people think. Perusing the SJU message boards you can see that their fan base seems to be puffing out their chests a bit as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hotly contested games and rivalries etc. and being a NYC native, prior to my enrolling at SU in the early '80's I was a St, John's fan. So all of that is good….I guess. But is it 'deserved'?

What I mean is - have the Johnnies really come that far? Up until they put that monster beatdown on Fordham I hadn't seen that many articles praising them. All of a sudden they crush a competitive, resurgent Fordham team (which, as improved as they are, they are still Fordham) and whoo-hoo, St. John's is BACK and a tournament lock!

Lavin is throwing accolades all around and having them thrown right back at him. As far as I'm concerned, Lavin's biggest success in his tenure at St. John's was his first year when he took the team to the Tourney. I've always found it interesting that Norm Roberts never got any credit for that seeing as all the players on that team were his and that they had finally matured into a respectable team.

What has Lavin really done at St. John's?

I don't mean to put the Johnnies down - the best years of being a Syracuse fan were when St. John's, Georgetown, Villanova and Syracuse were titans in the '80's and I'd love to see them get back to that level - but I just don't see the 'awesomeness' of this St. John's team like a lot of the media and their fans do.

This Syracuse team is pretty good and if St. John's beats them in the Garden in front of what I can only imagine will be a heavily orange-clad crowd, then maybe I'll concede a bit. From my point of view however, that's going to be a lot more difficult then those who have already put their money on St. John's believe.

If we play well we should have no problem beating this team. None whatsoever.

 

[CaptainJ]

I'm waiting to see what the opening line is. Sometimes that can be a useful gauge of perception of perception.

 

[Orange87]

If we play well we should have no problem beating this team. None whatsoever.

I completely agree and it seems perfectly clear. I just don't know where all the confidence on the other side is coming from. It's just odd.

 

[Orange87]

Upsets happen, I get that - and a hyped-up team with talented players could certainly surprise a superior team. I'm just baffled that everything I'm seeing from the New York media and the St. John's players and fans seems to indicate that not only will the Orange will be brimming with overconfidence, but they'll walking totally unprepared into a hornets nest.

Again - I don't see it.

 

[JeremyCuse]

The game is being overplayed from the St. Johns side big time. When Syracuse lost to Temple in the Garden last year was that a defining game for the Owls? It sure as hell hasnt helped them this year.

Syracuse has lost to St. Johns what one time the past decade or something like that. Thats why St. Johns wants the game so bad, in the grand scheme of Syracuse basketball and our tournament aspirations this game doesn't really mean that much at all.

 

[Marsh01]

The game is being overplayed from the St. Johns side big time. When Syracuse lost to Temple in the Garden last year was that a defining game for the Owls? It sure as hell hasnt helped them this year.

Syracuse has lost to St. Johns what one time the past decade or something like that. Thats why St. Johns wants the game so bad, in the grand scheme of Syracuse basketball and our tournament aspirations this game doesn't really mean that much at all.

Temple also had a guy in Wyatt who killed us. Plus we missed 15 free throws and only lost by 4. St. Johns doesnt have that type of guy.

 

[General20]

Put me in the camp that thinks Lavin is doing a great job, St. John's will make the tournament, and this game will be close.

That said, Syracuse is better and will win if they play to their potential.

My guess is, after a week studying both Syracuse and St. John's come out rusty and play an ugly game, but at the end of a close game one of Fair, Ennis or Cooney is able to step up and win the game for Syracuse.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I'm waiting to see what the opening line is. Sometimes that can be a useful gauge of perception of perception.

They'll have the line in the paper the paper.




(Johnny Two Times for you slows out there.)

 

[cpatrocks]

If we want to win the BE Regular season, we NEED to take this game since we only have one more conference game left!

 

[tee1222]

They'll have the line in the paper the paper.




(Johnny Two Times for you slows out there.)

Don't worry, I got that one. I read everything that way that
way.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

according to Gmac,their best shooter shoots the three point shot at the same percentage the Michael Carter-Williams shot it last year.

 

[jgeorge322]

Temple also had a guy in Wyatt who killed us. Plus we missed 15 free throws and only lost by 4. St. Johns doesnt have that type of guy.

wyatt was a beast. he almost won the ncaa tourney game single handedly.

 

[ClamOtto]

I love that they're putting so much on this game. Even more crushing if (when) they lose. If we lose (which we won't) we'll suffer the horrible fate of only being ranked around # 8 in the country or so.

 

[Alsacs]

St. John's is a plucky team that has a lot of young talent, but their fanbase is too ignorant to admit that since they haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since most of their current team was in elementary school they should about being relevant nationally.

 

[AZOrange]

St. John's is a plucky team that has a lot of young talent, but their fanbase is too ignorant to admit that since they haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since most of their current team was in elementary school they should about being relevant nationally.

By "plucky" you mean they're just above craptastic right? The johnnies are not good.

 

[SJUBall]

SJU coming into this game confident becuse this isn't the same SJU team you guys saw last year. Last year the head coach was out, starting Pg injured, backup PG Phil Greene played with a hip labrum tear. We also were short another forward besides Samspson and had zero upperclasmen on the team.

We have added a lot since last year, and despite not playing our best ball early this season are hitting stride now a bit more. I think SJU matches up better than most here think.

Not really sure what to make of it or how to respond as an Orange fan but there has been quite a bit of press here in NYC about the revitalization of the SJU hoops program.

Articles about how talented they are and how they are really looking forward to the game against Syracuse this weekend. How they are talking about the match-ups and that a win over Syracuse would be a defining one (which it would). I'm getting a sense though that the players are thinking that they are going to sneak up on the Orange and that the teams are more evenly matched that a lot of people think. Perusing the SJU message boards you can see that their fan base seems to be puffing out their chests a bit as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hotly contested games and rivalries etc. and being a NYC native, prior to my enrolling at SU in the early '80's I was a St, John's fan. So all of that is good….I guess. But is it 'deserved'?

What I mean is - have the Johnnies really come that far? Up until they put that monster beatdown on Fordham I hadn't seen that many articles praising them. All of a sudden they crush a competitive, resurgent Fordham team (which, as improved as they are, they are still Fordham) and whoo-hoo, St. John's is BACK and a tournament lock!

Lavin is throwing accolades all around and having them thrown right back at him. As far as I'm concerned, Lavin's biggest success in his tenure at St. John's was his first year when he took the team to the Tourney. I've always found it interesting that Norm Roberts never got any credit for that seeing as all the players on that team were his and that they had finally matured into a respectable team.

What has Lavin really done at St. John's?

I don't mean to put the Johnnies down - the best years of being a Syracuse fan were when St. John's, Georgetown, Villanova and Syracuse were titans in the '80's and I'd love to see them get back to that level - but I just don't see the 'awesomeness' of this St. John's team like a lot of the media and their fans do.

This Syracuse team is pretty good and if St. John's beats them in the Garden in front of what I can only imagine will be a heavily orange-clad crowd, then maybe I'll concede a bit. From my point of view however, that's going to be a lot more difficult then those who have already put their money on St. John's believe.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I don't see us losing to a team that lost to penn state. Wayyyy to much talk about when we are going to lose lately on this board and local sports talk radio. Can't some of you ever enjoy winning? Drives me nuts how pessimistic our fans are.

 

[jdubs30]

Well we bettter take it seriously. This sounds one of the biggest games for St.John's this year, if we go in sleep walking and they pounce on us early, it might be a long game.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

Temple also had a guy in Wyatt who killed us. Plus we missed 15 free throws and only lost by 4. St. Johns doesnt have that type of guy.

And our point guard played like crap. I don't see 15 missed FTs and an Ennis clunker on Sunday...

 

[LGO85]

And our point guard played like crap. I don't see 15 missed FTs and an Ennis clunker on Sunday...

Even if that was the case we'd need absolute horrible performances from CJ, Cooney, and Grant. All on the same night? I can't see that happening.

 

[TheCusian]

SJU coming into this game confident becuse this isn't the same SJU team you guys saw last year. Last year the head coach was out, starting Pg injured, backup PG Phil Greene played with a hip labrum tear. We also were short another forward besides Samspson and had zero upperclasmen on the team. We have added a lot since last year, and despite not playing our best ball early this season are hitting stride now a bit more. I think SJU matches up better than most here think.

And we are still Syracuse.

 

[retro44]

Think North Dakota St.

But it's always good for Syracuse when they go into a game where an opponent gets hyped up by the Media and fans.

 

[Orange87]

SJU coming into this game confident becuse this isn't the same SJU team you guys saw last year. Last year the head coach was out, starting Pg injured, backup PG Phil Greene played with a hip labrum tear. We also were short another forward besides Samspson and had zero upperclasmen on the team.

We have added a lot since last year, and despite not playing our best ball early this season are hitting stride now a bit more. I think SJU matches up better than most here think.

I hear you and as a fan of St. John's I'd expect you to be behind your team. As I said though, this air of confidence coming from the team and fans as it relates to our game specifically, I just don't get.

As much as St. John's has improved, Syracuse has held steady as one of the top programs in the country for several years now. SU has looked very, very good recently against some very good teams while the Red Storm looked pedestrian before blowing out Fordham. Let me repeat that - Fordham.

Good luck to St. John's but if you guys think all it's gonna take to beat Syracuse is a healthy team and coach, you're gonna be a bit confused when the final buzzer sounds.

 

[Opus]

I don't have a clue about St. John's. I remember Chris Mullin, Walter Berry, Bill Wennington, Ron Rowan, even the *wunderkind* Felipe Lopez. I couldn't name one player on this years team. I'm guessing (hoping) Syracuse players are better informed.