Joey Brackets

[jellybean]

Thought this might be of interest. My immediate reaction to Lunardi's comment about last year's La Salle team just being lucky was part true but also part sour grapes.

www.philly.com/philly/blogs/sports/college/A-few-minutes-with-Joe-Lunardi.html

[SICguy84]

You could pick almost any team out of any NCAA tourney field and start ascribing luck to their runs, in fact, I think one basketball site even calls it the luck factor. Luck is the residue of design and hard work. Propaganda artist Joseph Lunardi lecturing La Salle fans on expectations and starting a self serving narrative that last year's La Salle squad was a fluke and not a program renaissance. Subtle yet savy.

[lwc4591]

Doesn't really matter what Lunardi thinks all that matters is that G has righted the ship. At this point I don't have any expectations of making the NCAA tourney (with Duren struggling with foot problems and team with overall shooting) but do expect to make the NIT with 17-18 wins. A few years ago this would have been considered good but this season it will be looked at as a bit of a disappointment which says a lot about what has happened to the program. G has put the team in a position to be NIT level minimum in the upcoming seasons and if he can find one good 6-8/6-9 player and one good 6-3/6-4 shooting guard the next three seasons (2014/2015 and on) could be good to very good.

[lasalle89]

I am guilty of expecting way to much from this years team. BUT I will not call LaSalle's run luck. Isn't luck defined as preparation meeting opportunity. LaSalle earned that bid. LaSalle earned that Sweet 16. Let's head South and start earning another one!!!

[lwc4591]

No way was the Explorers run was luck because you don't beat VCU, Butler, Nova, Boise St., Ole Miss and Kansas St. all in one season and say it was luck. Jealousy is what he meant to say as in his column.

[big5explorer]

Definitely sour grapes. He's obviously biased toward St. Joes, and has an ax to grind with LaSalle. All you need to do is look at the current ESPN RPI. LaSalle is 120, which is better than St. Joes at 123.

[SICguy84]

It is in the best interest of Hawk supporters to downplay the La Salle turnaround. They want the Explorers to be competitive but in no way to overshadow their inflated hoops program. Now even more important since Temple is out of the A10. La Salle is dangerous competition in their opinion in terms of recruiting (sport and non sports students) and press in this town. Really an affront to them that La Salle has had any success period. Watch out when the new arena gets off the ground. I can't wait for the fun!

[gjc576]

i dont think lunardi said anything that downplays lasalle's run last year. i actually agree with what he said. we knew lasalle had to have many scenarios go their way as far other conference tourneys to be part of selection sunday and it happened. that is being lucky and fortunate. he also indicated once lasalle got in, they took advantage of it. and we sure did. as far as this year, no one expected what we have seen so far.

if you want to criticize anyone in that article, start with the writer. he posed a question to lunardi that he believes sju (pa) is a ncaa tourney team right now. where has he been? no one outside of nova is a ncaa tourney team right now. he lost a lot of credibility with me after that statement.

[durenduren]

Agreed, stupid writer kissing Lunardi's ass by slobbing on the SJU knob. Average teams don't get lucky beating multiple ranked squads, luck is the product of putting yourself in a position to pull off upsets.

[vasalos]

One of those coins was Memphis making sure So. Miss didn't win the conference championship. So he's right in that regard. La Salle was a huge benefactor from a very strong A10 last year and a player that only comes along maybe once in 10-15 years. Galloway was the complete X-Factor the last two years and last year was his time to shine since he was the most complete player on the team.