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- Apr 11, 2007
DoubleJs, it's unrealistic to think Pitino or any other top coach at an Elite program will come to SJU right now, or even in the future. The only way theprogram can really be rebuilt even to respectability is to be VERY patient and allow the team to improve itself with good but not great players, learning tobecome a team that wins on team play and competitiveness. SJU can't compete with the big boys (nh) right now in terms of talent, and without recent successit is unrealistic to think they can lure top recruits on a regular basis.
People need to realize that the problems at SJU are carrying over from before the scandal, when top nyc recuits like Erik (i can't believe this guy leftearly) Barkley jumped ship and screwed himself as well as SJU, followed by Omar (how can you not have learned from EB) Cooke also left the program. Thoseplayers were highly touted coming our of high school, and a ton of emphasis was put on them in their recruiting classes. When the centerpiece of your team andrecruiting effort leaves, it can severely damage the program for many years to come.
I'll try to give an example that most people wouldn't connect right away. Duke is still an elite program with perhaps the top coach in the nation (itcan be argued, but its not the point). But the real reason they have not tasted tournament success recently has to do with the fact that too many of their toprecruits, especially at positions of need, have bolted early for the NBA draft. Now i know guys like Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts aren't viewed assuperstars, and didn't live up to their overhyped potential at Duke, but they are big forwards who were relied on heavily at Duke. When recruiting, it isnot possible to attract 2 top players every year at every position. When a guy like McRoberts commits, the next class or two the focus is not on bringing inanother power forward, so instead Duke went after undersized guards and wing players heavily. The result is an early loss like that can adversely affect aprogram for more than just a season or two, it can take quite a while to restructure the team. At Duke its been going on for a while, with too many of theirkey players leaving before the team can become great. Luol Deng is another example.
Now I'm not saying SJU is in the same position as Duke, after all Duke was still ranked as a top 5 team for much of the season, justified or not. But thefact is bringing in a "superstar" like tyreke evans for one season will not turn around SJU basketball. Look at Indiana. They will be screwed foryears to come by their recent turn of events. With ZERO returning starters and coaching changes, it will be some time before they can compete again. Guys likeEric Gordon can help a program, but only if there is solid talent throughout the roster, and in both upper classmen as well as freshman and sophomores. Thelong-term success of programs isn't in one and done super recruits, its in solid teams that can withstand losses of key players and continue to win, notonly with star recruits, but with team cohesion and a common goal, winning. Thats what SJU needs to focus on, and while Norm Roberts may not be the ultimateguy for the job, he is taking them in the right direction.
Sorry for writing a dissertation guys. Just a passionate College Hoops fan here.
People need to realize that the problems at SJU are carrying over from before the scandal, when top nyc recuits like Erik (i can't believe this guy leftearly) Barkley jumped ship and screwed himself as well as SJU, followed by Omar (how can you not have learned from EB) Cooke also left the program. Thoseplayers were highly touted coming our of high school, and a ton of emphasis was put on them in their recruiting classes. When the centerpiece of your team andrecruiting effort leaves, it can severely damage the program for many years to come.
I'll try to give an example that most people wouldn't connect right away. Duke is still an elite program with perhaps the top coach in the nation (itcan be argued, but its not the point). But the real reason they have not tasted tournament success recently has to do with the fact that too many of their toprecruits, especially at positions of need, have bolted early for the NBA draft. Now i know guys like Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts aren't viewed assuperstars, and didn't live up to their overhyped potential at Duke, but they are big forwards who were relied on heavily at Duke. When recruiting, it isnot possible to attract 2 top players every year at every position. When a guy like McRoberts commits, the next class or two the focus is not on bringing inanother power forward, so instead Duke went after undersized guards and wing players heavily. The result is an early loss like that can adversely affect aprogram for more than just a season or two, it can take quite a while to restructure the team. At Duke its been going on for a while, with too many of theirkey players leaving before the team can become great. Luol Deng is another example.
Now I'm not saying SJU is in the same position as Duke, after all Duke was still ranked as a top 5 team for much of the season, justified or not. But thefact is bringing in a "superstar" like tyreke evans for one season will not turn around SJU basketball. Look at Indiana. They will be screwed foryears to come by their recent turn of events. With ZERO returning starters and coaching changes, it will be some time before they can compete again. Guys likeEric Gordon can help a program, but only if there is solid talent throughout the roster, and in both upper classmen as well as freshman and sophomores. Thelong-term success of programs isn't in one and done super recruits, its in solid teams that can withstand losses of key players and continue to win, notonly with star recruits, but with team cohesion and a common goal, winning. Thats what SJU needs to focus on, and while Norm Roberts may not be the ultimateguy for the job, he is taking them in the right direction.
Sorry for writing a dissertation guys. Just a passionate College Hoops fan here.
