by SJHooper » Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:51 pm
I have to say, after that Lavin reign, I was left totally pessimistic, annoyed, sick, tired, and just confused. We got tons of top 100 players, but we never did anything. Even a few 5 star recruits. And 0 tourney wins. Yes we got ranked in 2011 and 2015 as low as #15, but it never actually got us anywhere. We had all the talent in the world, but something was missing. I'd just watch the games and something was off. Everything was disorganized and it wasn't team basketball. We had athletes and not basketball players. We had TERRIBLE shooters overall. I would go into games being nervous instead of excited. The opponent always seemed to have great shooters and torch us.
For the first time since Looie, it appears we may finally have all of these at the same time:
1. A coach who can recruit and develop players
2. Assistants who are some of the top in the country recruiting wise
3. A desire to really be NYC's team and keep the top area players home
4. Accountability
5. A culture that promotes tireless hard work and no nonsense
6. SHOOTERS! Everywhere!
7. Team basketball
When Mullin was hired, many questioned his recruiting ability, name recognition among recruits, whether NYC recruits would ever come home again, and if he could handle life as a head coach in general. So far, he has been a complete blessing along with his staff. He has totally silenced critics and the guy works and works and works. From speaking with local NYC area reporters, Lavin had easy practices, demanded very little, was very lax with behavior, and would be more readily seen in a 5 star Italian restaurant with his actress wife than in NYC gyms or on planes recruiting.
Could not be happier with our choice. To make things even crazier, we have now entered the Thon Maker sweepstakes. Of course we are unlikely to actually land him, but he does have a connection with Slice and has said he "cannot reiterate enough how much" he "loves NYC".