College Basketball "off-season" Thread (players leaving/coaching changes/recruiting)

i remember readign about that dude and how he just got out of jail recently

if his head is on straight and he won't embarrass the schools it will deff be a great get this late

edit

dre i dont think anybody could match geno and be just as bad as him or worse

its a damn sin that gene is top 5 in 4 different categories in st johns history
 
Originally Posted by allen3xis

Originally Posted by wildKYcat

Verdell Jones has picked up offers from Georgetown and Indiana...says Kentucky and Minnesota still at the top of his list, Zona showing interest too.
Click to expand...

He's 08, right?
Makes no sense at all unless someone is transferring
ohwell.gif
Click to expand...
yeah, probably the best dude left who hasn't comitted besides Tyreke Evans.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

yea i heard edgar is down to xavier and miami but i would guess he is going to miami after xavier signed holloway out of nowhere

also anyone else rutgers is doing something shady

i mean first they signed rosario
now they have ebanks coming in for a visit
they signed echenique for 09 who turned down duke, maryland, villanova to go to rutgers

something seems fishy to me especially since i heard from an aau coach that ebanks is only going to schools that take care of their players
Click to expand...

They gettin that cash.
 
guys you could forget about hearing anything about st johns

as long as this team wins 14-16 games norm roberts will be brought back for a long time

sad sad sad
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

guys you could forget about hearing anything about st johns

as long as this team wins 14-16 games norm roberts will be brought back for a long time

sad sad sad
Click to expand...

No...yall can do something...

Has a petition been made? Has a rally been held?

IF you feel strongly about it, let the administration now.
 
That doesn't make a damn difference, dudes that are high up in the Athletic Dept (my professor) have already let them know the opinions of many on campusbut the geniuses that are making the decisions really could care less.
 
I don't believe it that they wouldn't change.

I'm tellin ya, do somethin to get to their attention.

They'll care once they get bad press, a demonstration/rally held on campus. Put up fire Norm signs, whatever needs to be done.

Has a petition been made? That should be step 1...something for next season can't be done at this point, but show concerns throughout the whole year...

The worst thing that alumni/students could do would be to sit on their hands and think that nothing will change no matter what

If someone higher up could reach out to Mark Jackson/Chris Mullin, former players, coaches, etc...and have them comment on the state of the program, theAdministration would def take notice.
 
That's why we needed Ron Artest to be on the Knicks, he can show up on campus and pose enough fear in their hearts to make the necessary changes
laugh.gif
 
allen it won't work i think father harrington doesn't want to make another coaching change and would rather ride it out until he retires in a couple ofyears

also attendance will hit an all time low this year and season tickets cancellations have increased dramatically

financially they are getting hit but it doesn't matter

the admnistration doesn't care what we think but i think you have a point maybe a petition should be made or a rally held
 
Everyone thought the same thing at G'Town

After the 04 season Esherick said "I might be here another 30 years, so get used to me".....the AD said that making the NCAA's consistentlywasn't realistic anymore

That same week a rally was held...

The following week, he was fired.

The students and alumni gota at least try if you want results, that's all I'm sayin.

I do know every situation is different though...it's just a shame SJU is in the state it is...The Big East is ALWAYS better when the OG small school,basketball only members like; SJU, G'Town, Nova and Providence are successful.
 
damn i didn't know that allen

anybody down to try and start a rally

also on side note i hope providence makes the right hire and gets a good young coach especially since ford shut them down
i heard they were thinking about going the unproven assistant route

i hope it works for them

i as a st johns fan knows firsthand what its like hiring the wrong unproven guy
 
If I'm Providence I would hire and older, experienced coach who wants to coach for about 5 years, and have a good young assistant under him to take thereigns over later..

here's an article about what went on...I only bring it up, because the situations (minus the dirt Norm took over) are very similar to me

Hoya Liberation Day
For Georgetown basketball fans, a new era has dawned as coach Craig Esherick's tenure comes to a merciful end.
by Victorino Matus
03/18/2004 12:20:00 PM

JUST STOP. IT'S OVER. FORGET ABOUT IT. There's always next year. For college basketball fanatics, today is when it all ends. The beauty of yourbrackets marred by upsets or upsets that never happened. Will Mississippi State beat Duke? Probably. Georgia Tech over Kentucky? Maybe. Connecticut overStanford? How's Omeka's back holding up? Will Eddie Sutton finally be victorious? (I've got Oklahoma State in my pool.)

There's one thing you won't have to worry about: How far will Georgetown get? That's because for the first time in 30 years, the Hoyas will notbe going to any postseason tournament, having ended a miserable 13-15 overall and 4-12 in the Big East. But just when you thought the once-great Hoyas wereheaded for the Patriot League, at 11:00 p.m. Tuesday night, the university released a statement by President Jack DeGioia announcing that Craig Esherick, coachof the men's basketball team, had been fired.

FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR with the internecinepolitics at Georgetown, the news hardly merits mention. If a coach at a Division I basketball program does not do well, chances are administrationofficials will carefully review his performance and decide whether or not to continue with him. Sometimes the coach is given another chance to build theprogram; other times he gets canned.

But not at Georgetown. In January of 2003, with the team having lost 6 of its last 9 games and sitting, crumpled, near the bottom of the Big East, athleticdirector Joe Lang was quietly preparing a
[table][tr][td] [/td] [/tr][/table]contract extension for the coach. And after the team failed to make the NCAA tournament for t second consecutive year and finished with a 6-10conference record (but made it to the finals of the National Invitational Tournament), the university rewarded Esherick by extending his contract until 2009.
The 2004 season was worse. After a 10-0 start (against such powerhouses as Grambling, Coastal Carolina, Norfolk State, and Elon), the Hoyas lost 15 of 18.Unlike the nail-biting losses of last year, some of these defeats were downright ugly. Against a St. John's team that included four walk-ons, Georgetownshot 36 percent for the game, eventually losing 65-58. (The Red Storm would end the year with only one conference win--against Georgetown.) The Hoyas shot amiserable 31.5 percent in their loss to Temple. At Seton Hall, Georgetown shot 26.5 percent overall--and 13.6 percent in the first half, managing a mere 14points before halftime, before losing, 75-48. Odd, since Esherick's plan this season was for a perimeter-oriented offense, one to emphasize its strength asa shooting team. Some plan.

Georgetown played its final game of the season last week against Boston College, losing to the Eagles, 68-57. It was the first time the Hoyas have ever lostin the first round of the Big East Tournament. Their 13 wins were the fewest since the 1973-74 season. They also finished on a nine-game losing streak, theworst in more than 30 years.

ALUMNI AND STUDENT ANGER over Esherick's tenure started in earnest last year, with chants of "Fire Esherick" and the occasional poster. But asthe season wore on, the chants grew louder. After a stunning loss to St. John's (after holding a 15-point lead with 5 minutes left), one fan got withinearshot of the coach, waved a newspaper at him, and yelled, "Look at the want ads, Esherick!" Then a banner went up on campus calling for a new coach(the banner was quickly taken down).

This year the anger had reached another level. At least one house in Georgetown placed a sign on its front window saying "Fire Esherick!" Someonemanaged to spray-paint Key Bridge with the same demand. There were T-shirts and posters at games--one at the Virginia Tech game read "EaSe our PaiN, FireEsherick!" The coach's brother, Blake, reached across the aisle and pulled it out of the fan's hands.

Adding to this anger were Esherick's bizarrely combative and confident statements. On his team's failure to make the postseason: "You'retalking about 30 years in a row of being invited to the postseason, and that's a pretty incredible streak that I don't think our school got credit for,that I don't think I got any credit for." Regarding his critics: "If I'm evaluated as a college basketball coach and I'm evaluated as aprofessional coach, I think that 99 percent of the people that would evaluate me and understand what a college basketball coach is supposed to do andunderstand what I'm supposed to do here at Georgetown, 99 percent of those people would say, 'Craig has done a heck of a job over thelast five years, and Georgetown is lucky to have him."

"IF THE GOAL IS TO GRADUATE PLAYERS, and it's a fine goal, put an English professor in charge of the team because he can graduateplayers and lose to Virginia Tech twice, too," said sportswriter John Feinstein (with whom I spoke two days before Esherick's dismissal)."You want to graduate
[table][tr][td] [/td] [/tr][/table]players, and at Georgetown you should graduate players just as at Duke you should graduate players and at Notre Dame you should graduate players--but[Esherick] is paid the amount of money he is paid to win basketball games within the constraints of the university, in which there is supposed to be someacademic standard attached to it, and he has failed to do so. End of discussion. And it has nothing to do with the NBA. Coaches get fired in the Patriot Leaguefor losing. That doesn't mean they're not expected to graduate players," Feinstein added. "They are."
But Esherick only grew more defiant as the season dragged on. On March 5 he told the Associated Press, "I ain't goinganywhere. I may be here for another 30 years." This followed a statement from the university in which President DeGioia said, "I believe that thisseason's men's basketball team and our new class of recruits holds a great deal of promise. I have confidence that Craig Esherick, who helped to buildour tradition of excellence in men's basketball, is the right person to strengthen and lead our program." That display of overconfidence andcommitment to Esherick pushed some fans and alumni over the edge.

STEVEN THOMAS, Georgetown Class of '97, decided to draft a petition after the most recent Virginia Tech loss. In the petition are demands for bettercommunication between the administration and students and alumni, improved scheduling "with a minimum of MEAC schools," seating the student bodyaround the court, and renovations of on-campus McDonough Arena, ultimately leading to all games being played there. Thomas planned to stage a rally on St.Patrick's Day and hand-deliver the signed petitions to DeGioia's office. "They cannot ignore us any longer," hesaid.

Notably missing from Thomas's petition was a demand for Esherick's dismissal. Another petition, savethehoyas.com, was more explicit: "The current coaching regime simply has not found the level of success we, or any Georgetown fan forthat matter, expect from the basketball program. It must be replaced. The hiring of a prominent head coach must be the program's first priority." Thatpetition, at last count, had garnered close to 4,000 signatures. But it was Thomas's intent to have an on-campus protest that made the effort a one-twopunch. "I postered and re-postered throughout campus the night before the rally," said Thomas. But as soon as the fliers went up,university maintenance crews tore them down. "Even at Red Square [an outdoor gathering area for students] where free speech is encouraged, they removedthem."

Then suddenly, word leaked that the university had decided to fire Esherick.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN? A mere 11 days after administration officials gave their vote of confidence, DeGioia issued this statement: "After carefuldeliberation, I have decided to make a change in the leadership in our men's basketball program. I'm deeply grateful to Craig Esherick for his morethan two decades of dedicated service to Georgetown University's men's basketball program, the last five and a half years as head coach."

"I'm very surprised. I certainly did not see it coming," a stunned Esherick told the Washington Post. Neither did his critics, northe organizers of the petitions and the rally, which nevertheless took place before a crowd of roughly 30 dazed, but happy, supporters. "You think they heard us?" a hoarse-voiced Steve Thomas yelled from his bullhorn. About 15 supporters followed Thomas up to the president'soffice and, much to everyone's surprise, were led into a conference room and eagerly met by two university vice presidents in an off-the record gatheringwhere grievances were heard.

Afterwards, the students said they were rather optimistic. Murphy Gallagher, a sophomore, was happy with Esherick's firing, saying "anybodyelse" would be better at this point. One of the most die-hard Hoya fans at the meeting was Slade Smith, also a sophomore, who wore an "I Bleed HoyaBlue" T-shirt: "I am definitely happy we are taking the program back in another direction. For this team at this point, Esherick was not the personfor the job."

IT MIGHT BE MONTHS or even years before the truth about the St. Patrick's Eve Massacre (or what alumnus David Alexander vows to call from now on"Hoya Liberation Day") is ever found out. Did DeGioia and Lang have to get Hoya coaching legend John Thompson's approval before they could sackEsherick? Did Thompson actually play an active role in his successor's dismissal?

On his radio show the day after the firing, Thompson said he learned of the firing when assistant coach and former Hoya and NBA star Jaren Jackson calledhim saying, "Craig Esherick has been relieved of his coaching duties." Thompson went on to describe Esherick as "extremely talented" and"a damn good man." But he considered both the coach and the president to be "two men in difficult positions." He admitted thatEsherick's job "is predicated on wins and losses" and went on to say, "I know it wasn't easy following me."

And who will follow Esherick? Rumors abound, from Duke assistant coach Johnny Dawkins to Patrick Ewing to John Thompson III. And somewhere in between arenightmare scenarios including Mike Jarvis and Ronny Thompson. But for the time being, victory can be savored. DeGioia has now stated, "We are deeplycommitted to the future success of men's basketball as measured by maintaining national competitiveness with the leading programs in the Big East and thecountry," thus dispelling conspiracies about joining the MEAC or Patriot League.

Thompson said, "Things don't always work out the way we want it to." But for all the Hoya fans dreaming of a return to the Big Dance,sometimes they do.

..
So, there were the same signs of the administration not caring, not allowing posters, and disgruntled fans...but those who did continue and would not give up,I commend and am grateful for their doing so.

Yall can do it too.


And it is crap if anyone says SJU can't be relevant anymore, you're in NYC....I don't wana hear about facilities either...or a lack of a good oncampus arena...that's all crap. Tell that to JT3, tell that to Jay Wright.

You are in a recruiting hotbed and have basketball tradition.

The right coach will put them on the map and back to being one of the better teams in the Big East. No doubt in my mind
 
i saw that on espn i wouldnt be surprised if he ends up at rutgers but hopefully he goes to hofstra

its a damn shame he won't be coming to queens though

hofstra would be a good spot for him if you ask me
 
ance Stephenson, one of the top juniors in thenation, has a whirlwind summer ahead of him, with potential trips to Senegal and Argentina as well as stops at various U.S. colleges as he mulls his recruitingoptions.

[table][tr][td]
601060.jpg
[/td] [td]
spacer1.gif
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Alan Charles[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
spacer1.gif
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Lance Stephenson[/td] [/tr][/table]Stephenson's tour will likely include a stop at UCLA on Saturday while he is in Los Angeles for theDifference Matchup Tournament.

"While we're out here we're going to take a look at UCLA," Lance "Stretch" Stephenson Sr. saidFriday by phone from L.A. "Probably (Saturday)."

The 6-foot-5 Stephenson, the No. 4 player in the Class of 2009, is playing on Renardo Sidney's AAU team, the LA Dream Team, for this event. The 6-foot-10Sidney is ranked No. 1 in the Class by Rivals.

Stephenson, the subject of an Internet documentary called "Born Ready," recently completed his junior season at Brooklyn Lincoln High School, wherehe led the Railsplitters to both their third straight New York PSAL title as well as their second straight New York State Federation championship. He averaged27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals a game.

"Athletically, he's good enough to play in the NBA right now," former NBA coach Paul Silas told the New York Post of Stephenson.
"There's so much more to the game," Silas said. "He still has to learn the mentality it takes to succeed at that level."

Stephenson will spend the coming weeks and months playing in various events and visiting several schools,including Arkansas, North Carolina and Georgetown, and
potentially Kansas and Memphis.

He is being recruited by numerous major D-1 programs, including USC, UCLA, Memphis, North Carolina, Georgetown, Indiana,Arkansas, Seton Hall and Louisville.

Lance "Stretch" Stephenson said he and his son could make a decision by September.

"I would say by late September, or just before the season starts," he said. "Hopefully he has everything straight by the time the seasonstarted."

[table][tr][td]
spacer1.gif
[/td] [td]
619486.jpg
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Damion Reid[/td] [/tr][/table]"Stephenson has already visited Indiana, USC, Louisville and Seton Hall.

He also plans to check out Arkansas when he visits the Real Deal on the Hill event in Northwest Arkansas April 18-20.

"I know Arkansas is a good school," Stephenson Sr. told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. "That's the real reason we're coming down to theReal Deal, to get a look at the campus. I've talked to Lance about Arkansas. I go back when Nolan Richardson was there and when they won the national
championship. I remember how the fans were out there.

"I told Lance that would be a good school to check out."

Stephenson told the newspaper he doesn't know much about the SEC school.

I want to see how the school is, get to know the coaches," Lance told the Gazette. "I just want to learn about Arkansas so I can see how it is."

Stephenson will also attend the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in Chapel Hill, N.C. May 23-25.

"The tournaments we're going to this year are focused around some of the schools that Lance would like to attend," Stephenson Sr. told theGazettes. "We're going down to the Bob Gibbons tournament and check out North
Carolina. We're going down to a tournament in Maryland to check out Georgetown."

[table][tr][td]
605908.jpg
[/td] [td]
spacer1.gif
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Damion Reid[/td] [/tr][tr][td]
spacer1.gif
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Lance Stephenson on Keith Spellman[/td] [/tr][/table]Stephenson is a member of the adidas Nations U.S. National Team for 2009 and he will participate in workoutswith that group in Los Angeles June 13-15 before heading off to Dakar, Senegal for the adidas Nations Africa Regional Camp June 18-23. St. Patrick of Elizabethjunior guard Dexter Strickland,who has committedto North Carolina, and uncommitted junior wing Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony of Jersey City are also on the adidas Nations team.

The whirlwind tour continues in July. Stephenson will also try out for the U.S. U18 National Team at Georgetown July 1-4.
The training camp for that event then runs from July 4-10, also at Georgetown.

"Hopefully, while we're down there (at Georgetown), we can talk to some of the coaches," Stephenson Sr. said.

If Stephenson makes the team, he would participate in the FIBA Americas U18
Championship in Formosa, Argentina July 14-18. He and Strickland would also miss the LeBron James US Skills Academy, to be held in Akron, Ohio July 5-9.

Don Showalter of the USA Basketball Men's Junior Development Committee said about 40 players, including Stephenson and Strickland, have been invited to tryout for the team and that about 10 or 11 will make
the squad.

Stephenson and Strickland will be competing against rising college freshman and some players who completed their freshman
year of college.

"(Stephenson) is certainly as gifted as any underclassmen there," Showalter
said. "Obviously, those kids (Stephenson and Strickland) are really good and it's going be a great experience for them playing with
older kids."

As if all that weren't enough, Stephenson also hopes to visit Kansas and Memphis at some point.

"We still have to check out Kansas and Memphis," Stephenson Sr. said.

And what about Indiana, which Stephenson visited last fall? Are they still in the mix?

"I wouldn't say they're off the list, but we're still doing a lot more research and stuff like that," Stephenson Sr. said."Nobody's really off the list."



Best player in the 09 class, imo. and most likely going to an Adidas's school *sigh*
ohwell.gif
 
Lance is nice...but Renardo Sidney is head and shoulders above anyone in that class. And Xavier Henry is neck and neck with Lance. There isn't a bettershooter in the past few classes than Henry.
 
sidney played for my school his sophomore year (artesia) and he is very talented.

he can do basically everything on the court, but has lapses of standing around the perimeter.
 
Originally Posted by dfresh244

Tyree Evans a JUCO, former All-American and Cincinnati signee is apparently down to Arizona and Maryland. Dude has past rape allegations, etc. but honestly would probably come in and start next year. If he is matured then that would be HUGE.
Click to expand...

This guy plays at a CC barely 20 minutes from my house, it's a shame I haven't seen him play.
 
Originally Posted by lnMyMind

Lance is nice...but Renardo Sidney is head and shoulders above anyone in that class. And Xavier Henry is neck and neck with Lance. There isn't a better shooter in the past few classes than Henry.
Click to expand...

From what I've read Memphis is #1 on Henry's schools ..
pimp.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest News

View All News

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

Site contents may not be incorporated into AI training data or any other derivative works without prior express written consent.

Links to participating merchants may generate referral or affiliate commissions that help support our community. See our policies for details. NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom