St John's- Pitino

[stever20]

From Fanta:
NEW: St. John's intends to finalize a deal with Rick Pitino to hire the Hall of Famer as its next head coach, sources tell FOX Sports.
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/colle ... ball-coach

[Django]

But Queens is TWICE as long of a commute than New Rochelle!

[hoops22]

News keeps getting better. Getting Repole back in the fold just as big as the Pitino expected hire.

https://nypost.com/2023/03/18/mike-repo ... ck-pitino/

[xusandy]

Well, Pitino will recruit some awesome talent wherever he goes, but the dude is well into his 70s, and IMHO unlikely to stay there after he earns the mega bucks that he'll get as a guarantee. I think hiring him will be a big mistake UNLESS he brings along a loyal heir to take over within 2-3 years. After that, Rick the Snake (ask my wife and other UK fans about that moniker) could, and probably would, retire to the sweet life of umbrella drinks around the pool.

[XUFan09]

Well, Pitino will recruit some awesome talent wherever he goes, but the dude is well into his 70s, and IMHO unlikely to stay there after he earns the mega bucks that he'll get as a guarantee. I think hiring him will be a big mistake UNLESS he brings along a loyal heir to take over within 2-3 years. After that, Rick the Snake (ask my wife and other UK fans about that moniker) could, and probably would, retire to the sweet life of umbrella drinks around the pool.

St. John's needs to not be wallowing in mediocrity anymore. Pitino will do that. He doesn't need an heir apparent if he turns the program around and wins games like people generally expect. The job will be desirable on a national level when he retires of expectations are met while he's there.

Honestly, I'm suspicious of heir apparents as a solution, because it's generally unproven assistant coaches that haven't shown what they can really do when they move one seat down. As a Xavier fan, you would know of the multiple times that worked (Prosser doesn't count as he did a season at Loyola-Chicago before coming back to Xavier), but you've also seen where it didn't work just in the last four years. Steele also didn't work despite being a long-time and nationally respected assistant who was part of the Xavier culture for years. He became heir apparent organically over time. That wouldn't be the case here.

[adoraz]

Well, Pitino will recruit some awesome talent wherever he goes, but the dude is well into his 70s, and IMHO unlikely to stay there after he earns the mega bucks that he'll get as a guarantee. I think hiring him will be a big mistake UNLESS he brings along a loyal heir to take over within 2-3 years. After that, Rick the Snake (ask my wife and other UK fans about that moniker) could, and probably would, retire to the sweet life of umbrella drinks around the pool.

Pitino would immediately become the most accomplished coach in the Big East (only one with a Championship) and would also get our billionaire alumni involved. I don't think money is an issue for Pitino, he loves coaching and wants to rebuild St. John's into a power. Even if he retires in a few years at least that'd mean St. John's would have a few really good years with better fundraising to build upon. For a team that hasn't won a Tournament game in 23 years, all of that sounds great both short and long-term.

Also, who would you suggest instead? Most Johnnies fans agree that Pitino is by far the best candidate. I couldn't get excited about anyone else.

[kayako]

How often do you get an opportunity to bring in a coach with multiple championships, who by all accounts is in great physical shape? The answer is almost never, because coaches like that are simply not available, not even for the bluebloods. The only downside to all this is whatever camaraderie we've had, at least between fans of the east coast programs, is probably fractured with these coaching changes.

[Wizard of Westroads]

The only downside to all this is whatever camaraderie we've had, at least between fans of the east coast programs, is probably fractured with these coaching changes.

Why would the Pitino hiring fracture the camaraderie?

[kayako]

The only downside to all this is whatever camaraderie we've had, at least between fans of the east coast programs, is probably fractured with these coaching changes.

Why would the Pitino hiring fracture the camaraderie?

I was factoring in Cooley's move in there. As for Pitino, SJU fans will get really annoying! Well, at least on twitter, as this board is impeccably civil.

[XUFan09]

The only downside to all this is whatever camaraderie we've had, at least between fans of the east coast programs, is probably fractured with these coaching changes.

Why would the Pitino hiring fracture the camaraderie?

I was factoring in Cooley's move in there. As for Pitino, SJU fans will get really annoying! Well, at least on twitter, as this board is impeccably civil.

I think we will see the return of SJU fans puffing out their chests like they did early after realignment lol