St. John's Gets Steve Lavin

[wadesworld]

Steve Lavin.  Interesting.

rocky sez: clarified topic title...no need for the suspense.

[MUSF]

very interesting

[GOMU1104]

It will be even more interesting to see who he gets as assistants.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Love the hire for them.  They will be likely a NCAA team next year irregardless of who is coaching considering who is coming back.  He's a great recruiter, very enthusiastic.  The question will be whether this X's and O's have improved since his UCLA days.

My guess is that he has a better success in keeping NYC kids playing there than others have had but time will ultimately tell.

[RJax55]

Love the hire for them.  They will be likely a NCAA team next year irregardless of who is coaching considering who is coming back.  He's a great recruiter, very enthusiastic.  The question will be whether this X's and O's have improved since his UCLA days.

My guess is that he has a better success in keeping NYC kids playing there than others have had but time will ultimately tell.

He will certainly get players, but can he coach them? UCLA doesn't miss Steve one bit.

[bma725]

Perhaps time to bring up the infamous Baron Davis quote...

Former UCLA star Baron Davis didn't help Lavin's reputation a few years ago when he returned to Pauley Pavilion for a practice with the Golden State Warriors. As he spoke to reporters about the 11 national title banners hanging from the rafters, he took a not-so-subtle jab at Lavin, saying, "We should have a banner up there: the only team to make the tournament without a coach."

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Steve-Lavin-to-St-John-s-would-be-a-peculiar-ch?urn=ncaab,231169

[ChicosBailBonds]

He will certainly get players, but can he coach them? UCLA doesn't miss Steve one bit.

I don't disagree with you at all....that's why I said the big question will be if he's learned the X's and O's since he's been on the sidelines for 5 years.

Steve was really thrown into the pressure cooker out here and he wasn't ready.  Were the last 5 years an an analyst what he needed from a maturity perspective, from a seasoning perspective?  We shall find out. 

[NYWarrior]

This is a terrific hire for St. John's. For all the talk radio babble about how the Johnnies must hire a NY yokel, the Lavin hire will prove them wrong.  The exodus of NYC high school talent to prep schools has marginalized SJU's greatest advantage -- access to recruits.  By bringing in a coach with a broader, national pedigree the Johnnies immediately counter that weakness.  And if he brings in Leitao and the guy from Manhattan as assistants -- the bench will have the strong local flavor it ultimately needs.  Good choice.

[RJax55]

that's why I said the big question will be if he's learned the X's and O's since he's been on the sidelines for 5 years.

I agree. But its just more than X's and O's... Will his team play hard, play defense, will players stick to the gameplan and sacrifice for the sake of the team? His teams at UCLA didn't do any of those things, which is why he consistently underachieved even with top-tier talent.

That's why IMO Lavin is a risky hire. Even being in NYC, it will be hard for him to top the players he was able to recruit at UCLA. He has to be able to coach.

[AlumKCof93]

Perhaps time to bring up the infamous Baron Davis quote...

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Steve-Lavin-to-St-John-s-would-be-a-peculiar-ch?urn=ncaab,231169

Wow, Baron Davis criticized his coach.  I'm glad he got that out of his system before he got to the NBA.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I agree. But its just more than X's and O's... Will his team play hard, play defense, will players stick to the gameplan and sacrifice for the sake of the team? His teams at UCLA didn't do any of those things, which is why he consistently underachieved even with top-tier talent.

That's why IMO Lavin is a risky hire. Even being in NYC, it will be hard for him to top the players he was able to recruit at UCLA. He has to be able to coach.

Well, at first blush, seems like a good hire to me but I'll wait 5 years to make my firm evaluation.   

[mu-rara]

Well, at first blush, seems like a good hire to me but I'll wait 5 years to make my firm evaluation.   

Good one

[79Warrior]

Perhaps time to bring up the infamous Baron Davis quote...

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Steve-Lavin-to-St-John-s-would-be-a-peculiar-ch?urn=ncaab,231169

Davis is a whiner, who cares what he says.

Lavin is a nice, high profile name for St John's who is very well know with his several years on ESPN. He has turned into a solid anaylst.

I think it is a very solid move by St. Johns.

[MarquetteVol]

It looks like Baron Davis might have changed his mind:

"I wish Coach Lav nothing but the best," former Bruin and current Los Angeles Clipper Baron Davis said. "He's always been so supportive of his former players, and I know he truly cares about anyone that plays for him, both personally and professionally. I can easily say I think his new team will instantly take to his personality and passion for the game. He has had time since he last coached to build his gameplan for his style. I love Coach Lav and St. John's is a great fit for him. I am totally on board to support him and I think its great for college basketball to have him on the sidelines again."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5041205

[ChicosBailBonds]

Badger fans will be upset....he and Brent Musberger would drool all over Bo's Ryan every time they called one of their games.....that is until they were taken to the woodshed.

[Dave Krupinski]

Budget is big for St. John's to add top assistant. Expect to see Slice/Leitao, Jay Williams, and a veteran x/o guy. St. John's is also pumping more money into the program with charter flights which will certainly aid recruiting.

[nyg]

Plus they get his wife to look at. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Plus they get his wife to look at. 

You should have seen the girlfriend before that when he was out here at UCLA.  Yowza.  He really is a good dude, done a lot for us here for some of our promotions.  Very personable guy, returns calls, down to earth.  I wish him the best.

[4everwarriors]

Badger fans will be upset....he and Brent Musberger would drool all over Bo's Ryan every time they called one of their games.....that is until they were taken to the woodshed.

Nah, as long as EA comes along, they won't care.

[Dawson Rental]

You should have seen the girlfriend before that when he was out here at UCLA.  Yowza.  He really is a good dude, done a lot for us here for some of our promotions.  Very personable guy, returns calls, down to earth.  I wish him the best.

Yowza?  Chicos, you're showing your age dude!

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yowza?  Chicos, you're showing your age dude!

I could have said groovy.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yowza?

I thought that was yiddish.  Maybe he was showing his religion??