Sidney Wilson's first visit: St. John's

[intlzncster]

I envy you. I find it impossible to not get excited about good recruiting news, and this is very good news

Weird. I get zero hopes or emotions up about it. I look at it as a mildly entertaining soap opera. A while ago, I might have got caught up, but there was much less info floating around then. And was a simpler game.

 

[superjohn]

What's it take for the average person to get from NYC to Storrs? Like 4 hours? Surely that's not too far for an upgrade in campus, facilities, coaching, pedigree, current and future roster outlook, and education? Plus we'll be playing at least a couple games in NYC while he's here.

4 hours if you're riding a horse and buggy.

 

[KingAG]

Weird. I get zero hopes or emotions up about it. I look at it as a mildly entertaining soap opera. A while ago, I might have got caught up, but there was much less info floating around then. And was a simpler game.

I dont get too down about bad news tho, strange

 

[UConnSwag11]

What's it take for the average person to get from NYC to Storrs? Like 4 hours? Surely that's not too far for an upgrade in campus, facilities, coaching, pedigree, current and future roster outlook, and education? Plus we'll be playing at least a couple games in NYC while he's here.

about 2-2.5

 

[Matrim55]

One of the underappreciated aspects of potentially landing Wilson, Waters & Daniels is that it makes our 2018 recruiting efforts less of an existential endeavor. If we get those two guys, and lose Adams, Larrier & Anderson after next year, this is what we'd be going into 2018-19 with:

PG: Gilbert (RS-So), Waters (So)
SG: Vital (Jr), Daniels (RS-So)
SF: Wilson (So)
PF: Diarra (RS-So), Polley (So)
C: Cobb (Sr), Carlton (So)

Obviously we'd have to close the deal on three pretty highly regarded recruits in the next couple of weeks, and we'd have to hope that the bigs are legit if we're to have any kind of upside. But the staff will deserve a round of applause if they manage to both avoid an outright catastrophe and build a solid core for the years to come after the way this offseason began.

 

[methodology]

about 2-2.5

Yea if it's 230 am. For a 7 o'clock game you better be leaving nyc around 230-3. It takes a minimum of 2.5 hours to get back to West haven when working in the city and leaving around 3-330

 

[husky99]

St. Johns to uconn book store 138 miles and just under 3 hours via mapquest.

 

[methodology]

St. Johns to UConn book store 138 miles and just under 3 hours via mapquest.

That's no traffic. You leave at 3 pm you hit nyc traffic to get out of the city then Fairfield county traffic and then it opens up after exit 27 in Bridgeport before hitting more traffic from around exit 40 to the q bridge

 

[Doctor Hoop]

One of the underappreciated aspects of potentially landing Wilson, Waters & Daniels is that it makes our 2018 recruiting efforts less of an existential endeavor. If we get those two guys, and lose Adams, Larrier & Anderson after next year, this is what we'd be going into 2018-19 with:

PG: Gilbert (RS-So), Waters (So)
SG: Vital (Jr), Daniels (RS-So)
SF: Wilson (So)
PF: Diarra (RS-So), Polley (So)
C: Cobb (Sr), Carlton (So)

Obviously we'd have to close the deal on three pretty highly regarded recruits in the next couple of weeks, and we'd have to hope that the bigs are legit if we're to have any kind of upside. But the staff will deserve a round of applause if they manage to both avoid an outright catastrophe and build a solid core for the years to come after the way this offseason began.

And Whaley. Don't forget the newest member.

 

[Chief00]

Of course his parents might love St John - not sure if the rule still applies - but the scholarship gives room and board money - so he can live at home - and get paid the room and board money.

 

[Matrim55]

And Whaley. Don't forget the newest member.

Yikes – my apologies Pork Chop!

 

[Chief00]

If you are comparing Mullen vs. Ollie as a coach, it's night and day. Doesn't surprise me that the coaches prefer UConn because of this.

In terms of popularity Mullins is the least popular coach in the Big East with other coaches. Not exactly sure why? I met Chris a few times and he was always nice.

 

[gtcam]

In terms of popularity Mullins is the least popular coach in the Big East with other coaches. Not exactly sure why? I met Chris a few times and he was always nice.

I sat with Chris M once for about 15 minutes up in a box during the OBE tourney
Yeah he's areal nice guy - taller than I thought
But I can see why he gets some negatives as a coach - he has an edge and does have an ego - but then again, what coach doesn't

 

[WrenchFan69]

Of course his parents might love St John - not sure if the rule still applies - but the scholarship gives room and board money - so he can live at home - and get paid the room and board money.

I'm under the impression the NCAA has rules against that

 

[intlzncster]

Of course his parents might love St John - not sure if the rule still applies - but the scholarship gives room and board money - so he can live at home - and get paid the room and board money.

Thought board 'meant' the equivalent of a room provided by the school.

 

[Robertelamin]

I can't imagine any kid playing major college basketball living at home.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Jamaica Queens is just about the furthest away you can be from Manhattan and still be in NYC.

Not to mention it's a dump and St. John's hasn't been nationally relevant in 20 years.

Can't predict what a kid will decide but I can't imagine any scenario where someone could look at both schools and choose The Johnnie's over UConn.

That being said everyone is different.

 

[husky99]

Jamaica Queens is just about the furthest away you can be from Manhattan and still be in NYC.

Not to mention it's a dump and St. John's hasn't been nationally relevant in 20 years.

Can't predict what a kid will decide but I can't imagine any scenario where someone could look at both schools and choose The Johnnie's over UConn.

That being said everyone is different.

Very true. But family is family

 

[Storrs South]

Of course his parents might love St John - not sure if the rule still applies - but the scholarship gives room and board money - so he can live at home - and get paid the room and board money.

I heard this on a podcast a while back. Long story short, St. John's cannot do this anymore.

For the long part, the podcast (I'm forgetting the name right now, but if anyone is interested I can look it up later) talked about how St. John's used to have a huge advantage in recruiting because of a certain NCAA rule. That rule was that if you did not have on-campus dorms, you could pay student-athletes in cash the money needed to live near the respective university.

As you can imagine, recruits loved this especially those that already lived in NYC as they could pocket the cash. However, I forget exactly when this happened but St. John's built on-campus dorms at which point St. John's could no longer offer this sweet deal to recruits.

St. John's has been nothing short of garbage in the college basketball world ever since.

I also found this article that summarizes the subject back in 2008: Did Growing as a School Cost St. John's Hoops?

 

[JMick]

Very true. But family is family

well selfishly I hope he listens to his coaches if they're really pushing UConn. I won't ever blame someone for staying home, though.

 

[TRest]

In terms of popularity Mullins is the least popular coach in the Big East with other coaches. Not exactly sure why? I met Chris a few times and he was always nice.

Coaches are always nice to the cleaning crew.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Of course his parents might love St John - not sure if the rule still applies - but the scholarship gives room and board money - so he can live at home - and get paid the room and board money.

Ah Chief I don't think you've ever tried to make the trip from the Bronx to Douglaston Queens. As they say in Maine you can't get theyah from heahh

 

[upstater]

I'm under the impression the NCAA has rules against that

There should be no rules against that. One of my housemates played D1 hockey. Made bank living off campus.

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

In terms of popularity Mullins is the least popular coach in the Big East with other coaches. Not exactly sure why? I met Chris a few times and he was always nice.

When I saw the Johnnies in person at Mohegan a few years back, I don't think Mullins did enough to actually be considered a "coach". He does this thing where he sits on the scorer's table and just... watches. I'm sure there is more to it, but it seems like he doesn't take this job super seriously. He could go 0-30 and the St. John's fanbase would love him still. He's a god there.

 

[Chief00]

During St John's glory days - Chris Mullins, Mark Jackson, Walter Berry - that was their big advantage - not just the guys in Queens took advantage of it.

 

[Chief00]

Coaches are always nice to the cleaning crew.

In person he is a legit 6-7.

 

[Chief00]

I heard this on a podcast a while back. Long story short, St. John's cannot do this anymore.

For the long part, the podcast (I'm forgetting the name right now, but if anyone is interested I can look it up later) talked about how St. John's used to have a huge advantage in recruiting because of a certain NCAA rule. That rule was that if you did not have on-campus dorms, you could pay student-athletes in cash the money needed to live near the respective university.

As you can imagine, recruits loved this especially those that already lived in NYC as they could pocket the cash. However, I forget exactly when this happened but St. John's built on-campus dorms at which point St. John's could no longer offer this sweet deal to recruits.

St. John's has been nothing short of garbage in the college basketball world ever since.

I also found this article that summarizes the subject back in 2008: Did Growing as a School Cost St. John's Hoops?

I read this differently - they can still do it - but only up to the cost of room and board of a student living in the dorm. Previously, they could index it to the cost of living in that part of NYC. My guess is room and board in a dorm is probably around $15,000. So they could still live at home and pocket that.

 

[Chief00]

I can't imagine any kid playing major college basketball living at home.

Ha ha - Chief being cynical here - pocket the $15k and have some alumnus give him an apartment on the cheap or split the costs with roommates who pay it all.

 

[Storrs South]

I read this differently - they can still do it - but only up to the cost of room and board of a student living in the dorm. Previously, they could index it to the cost of living in that part of NYC. My guess is room and board in a dorm is probably around $15,000. So they could still live at home and pocket that.

The article I cited previously reads that way, but the way I understood it from the podcast and these two article below, I read it how i had originally explained it. Either way, national writers seems agree it has had a noticeable effect on St. John's ability to recruit.

Outlook for five college basketball programs that have fallen off sharply

Mail: Will St. John's ever be relevant again?

 

[Stainmaster]

well selfishly I hope he listens to his coaches if they're really pushing UConn. I won't ever blame someone for staying home, though.

One thing I just realized - if Brewster coaches are pushing him to UConn, that means the MAL debacle didn't burn as many bridges as we may have thought. Not sure if there is anything to this or just my mind running wild, but potentially a good thing to consider.