Comes across as a guy who just doesn’t give a crap. Probably will get him fired one day but like most primadonna coaches they don’t care the only thing better than making millions coaching is making millions not coaching.
Willard Special
- Thread starter The_Hall
- Start date
And Amaker is the last coach to get Seton Hall to a Sweet 16. Tournament success is what matters.
If you believed that you would’ve been “that guy” around here posting who cares about COY, tournament success is what matters and we didn’t even make it
tournament success is what matters and that's why not making the tournament and perennially losing are not too distant cousins.
anya there is always truth under his sarcasm. that's why it comes across wrong. it's not really sarcasm.
anya there is always truth under his sarcasm. that's why it comes across wrong. it's not really sarcasm.
Kevin Willard is socially awkward as befits a man who has spent his entire life focused just on basketball, so he uses sarcasm and humor often.
Remember he himself said he used to spend his college days not socializing with his fellow student but staying up all night diagramming plays for his dad. Doesn't make him a bad person but goes a long way to explaining why he does things as he did yesterday.
We at SHU saw that often, not just in the media but many times at the Beefsteak dinners.
I could give many examples but I'll just focus on this one. During a very sarcastic speech in talking about the program he interjected twice about his wife saying that with this comment I wouldn't be getting anything from my wife tonight. Comments made with priests and fans at tables with one priest sitting with his wife at table 1.
Remember he himself said he used to spend his college days not socializing with his fellow student but staying up all night diagramming plays for his dad. Doesn't make him a bad person but goes a long way to explaining why he does things as he did yesterday.
We at SHU saw that often, not just in the media but many times at the Beefsteak dinners.
I could give many examples but I'll just focus on this one. During a very sarcastic speech in talking about the program he interjected twice about his wife saying that with this comment I wouldn't be getting anything from my wife tonight. Comments made with priests and fans at tables with one priest sitting with his wife at table 1.
His wife didn't think it was funny. I was sitting at table 2 and if you saw the look on her face it could have killed someone.
Afterward I was talking to an admin and he said after that particular speech with included many more biting remarks..."now you see what we have to put up with all the time."
Later that night he was called in an admin's office and was read the riot act.
Afterward I was talking to an admin and he said after that particular speech with included many more biting remarks..."now you see what we have to put up with all the time."
Later that night he was called in an admin's office and was read the riot act.
Forget whether you think he is a good coach or how good he was for us when he was here . What he showed us about himself is what came out with in game and post game interviews as a person . His humor is typical Willard , dry and sarcastic and unfunny , and what was that comment saying welcome to my world all about . He is a privileged, carpetbagging daddy"s boy .
Thats not the thing it highlighted. It wasn’t a classic Big East season to be sure, but it’s not like the Mountain West was better. Utah State has a very good coach and unbelievable chemistry. And Villanova has a coach who has a lengthy record of first-round disappointments.
Respectfully Shaheen and ty got shu to a sweet 16 where amaker happened to be head coach. Need i remind you that he had a core of returning players to go along with a heralded freshmen class that managed to win 5 big east games out of 16 then rallied for a big east semi appearance where BC handily won. A preseason #10 ranked team that got as high at 8 or 7 had to rally to finish above. 500.
He’s his own worst enemy with his awkward sarcasm at the worst times. He is sometimes humble and realistic and comes off better that way. But he can’t seem to help himself with his dumb sarcasm at key moments which is not endearing to fans or the school he represents. Someone needs to sit him down and tell him he’s the school representative and to be more humble. But he doesn’t seem to care. What’s worse is one on one he can be such a terrific guy and truly funny but that doesn’t show up at key moments.
The man lives rent free in seton hall fans minds. Therapists needed here.
People who gush and ooze over a guy who made 1 tournament in 8 years, got something to say about a guy making the 8 of the last 10. Psychotic.
People who gush and ooze over a guy who made 1 tournament in 8 years, got something to say about a guy making the 8 of the last 10. Psychotic.
Keep yucking it up over Willard. However keep in mind the poor performance by the #3 team in the BE does not bode well for the BE getting 3 teams in again! Next year if the BE does not do much better in the OOC games you can expect it relegated to 2 teams at best in the Dance! The reputation of the BE is in the trash can at the moment. Success of St Johns and UConn is great, but the rest of the league is in the toilet at the moment.
You’re spot on about the image of the conference. However a mediocre Villanova team who has 24 wins and a NET in the low 30s is still getting in next year and the year after that. They will pick based on the teams performance not the conference
He thinks he’s a comedian. He ain’t.
I’ve heard he has been reminded at nova to keep the F bombs to a minimum when with donors.
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Shameful a guy who thinks he’s a comedian made it to the tournament over us. It’s NCAA’s or bust. That buffoon got there and we didn’t. We are the real buffoons.
Never never liked him and he is his own worst enemy with these types of remarks. Thinks he’s clever but he is far far from it. And the “Welcome to my life comment”? What a jerk. Clueless and arrogant and not the least bit sympathetic.
Kevin spent 12 years at SHU, so I don’t know why anyone would be outraged about a thread on him considering he had just coached a MM game.
Kevin is what his record says:
- He is a good and competent coach. He’s not elite or excellent or any of those terms, but his record says he is accomplished. Until he breaks through this is his ceiling.
- He’s also awkward and aloof when it comes to his personality and public persona. This is just another example.
- I don’t know if he’s a good guy or bad guy, but he seems no better or worse than guys in his profession.
Kevin is what his record says:
- He is a good and competent coach. He’s not elite or excellent or any of those terms, but his record says he is accomplished. Until he breaks through this is his ceiling.
- He’s also awkward and aloof when it comes to his personality and public persona. This is just another example.
- I don’t know if he’s a good guy or bad guy, but he seems no better or worse than guys in his profession.
Willard is up and down for me. I see so much of Willard in Holloway in terms of playstyle which is why I have also been harsh on Shaheen, but even then, I do respect Willard especially with how it has gone past couple of years.
Willard seems he might cap like Fran Mccaffrey or Mick Cronin. Mick Cronin took years to finally make a deep run to final four with UCLA. I think Willard can do that, but he never has raised his teams when the bright lights are on outside 2016 BE tournament and couple of early non games like against Kentucky in 2018.
I do think this Nova job is an obvious different beast than with us and even Maryland. Objectively he has gotten Nova back at least since Wright retired, but he has to get them to where UCONN or where St Johns hype is at least.
I don't know if Willard can really do it, but think he can get them a sweet 16 and possibly elite eight. He needs to have his teams back to being physically imposing and strong defensively like with us.
He has gotten better offensive recruits, but he needs the defense he had with us.
Willard seems he might cap like Fran Mccaffrey or Mick Cronin. Mick Cronin took years to finally make a deep run to final four with UCLA. I think Willard can do that, but he never has raised his teams when the bright lights are on outside 2016 BE tournament and couple of early non games like against Kentucky in 2018.
I do think this Nova job is an obvious different beast than with us and even Maryland. Objectively he has gotten Nova back at least since Wright retired, but he has to get them to where UCONN or where St Johns hype is at least.
I don't know if Willard can really do it, but think he can get them a sweet 16 and possibly elite eight. He needs to have his teams back to being physically imposing and strong defensively like with us.
He has gotten better offensive recruits, but he needs the defense he had with us.
Few coaches could have done at Seton Hall what he did during his run. Then he went up a notch and succeeded at Maryland now in year one at Villanova. A well-placed friend at the university revealed, however, that Willard perfomed better at social events that were alcohol free.
The in-game interview with Shehadi was vintage hilarious Willard. (your humor mileage may vary) The post-game was angry Willard. He should not have repeated the "firing my staff" in that tone, so he gets the criticism he deserves. I am grateful for what Coach Willard accomplished while he was here. I congratulate him on his new coaching job, and I know he'll do very well; and good luck to him — as long as his interests don’t conflict with ours.
I liked Ameker cause he rejuvenated SH hoops after the gb duldrums (as kw did after bg, tho it took kw a few more yrs). And ta imnediately built up the roster, taking our recruiting to Duke levels. The last team was a tough one to watch, EG had his issues, and TA handled his leaving poorly. His career has not been at the level expected, but 2000 S16 was a great ride and the summer of MTE DRE EG was massive excitement for any SHU fan.
We’re taking about his personality not his coaching. Given his resources his accomplishment this season isnt worthy of your obsession with any of us who poke fun at him.
He went to a s16 last year. 8/10 NCAATs. What wouldn’t we give for that level of success now. But he does shoot himself in the foot at times.
I think some of the takes about the Willard/Nova loss are pretty extreme. They didn't "collapse" or "choke". These are "games of runs" by and large. Collapsing or choking are what Duke did last year against Houston in the final 4, where they had like a 7-8 point lead with the ball and a minute left, or whatever it was. Nova extended leads in that game because they were on fire from deep, and Utah St. wasn't knocking down any 3s, but staying close enough by otherwise scoring at the line or in the paint/mid range. At one point Nova was 14-27. Utah State was a favorite in this game for a reason.
I was never a "kool aid" drinker with Willard. Folks who have posted here a while may recall that. I thought he was a good/solid coach overall, but whenever we would go through a "good stretch", the PJ comparisons would start, and I never understood that one iota, because what PJ did was an entire different level than Willard ever approached or frankly could approach given the difference in the Big East between when PJ took over compared to the Willard years. But Willard did a really good job overall this year. If we were Nova fans this year -- which is always my litmus test for evaluating any team, player, or coach (i.e. if it was my team) -- we would be thrilled. He took a team not projected to dance into the dance, basically owned the Big East save for SJU and Uconn (that includes us). Re-established Nova as a winning program. Will bring back a whole bunch of guards and wings he can build around -- assuming he keeps who he wants. There is so much to like in his first year at Nova.
As far as the press conference, as others pointed out, this is par for the course with KW. He used to say crazy, ridiculous stuff all the time. It ain't his strong suit, and there were many times us fans wished he would have just been quiet, especially after a L. But plenty of coaches are that way. I mean Sha is usually horrific after losses with the media, the only exception perhaps that I can recall being when we lost to SJU in the Big East tournament.
I was never a "kool aid" drinker with Willard. Folks who have posted here a while may recall that. I thought he was a good/solid coach overall, but whenever we would go through a "good stretch", the PJ comparisons would start, and I never understood that one iota, because what PJ did was an entire different level than Willard ever approached or frankly could approach given the difference in the Big East between when PJ took over compared to the Willard years. But Willard did a really good job overall this year. If we were Nova fans this year -- which is always my litmus test for evaluating any team, player, or coach (i.e. if it was my team) -- we would be thrilled. He took a team not projected to dance into the dance, basically owned the Big East save for SJU and Uconn (that includes us). Re-established Nova as a winning program. Will bring back a whole bunch of guards and wings he can build around -- assuming he keeps who he wants. There is so much to like in his first year at Nova.
As far as the press conference, as others pointed out, this is par for the course with KW. He used to say crazy, ridiculous stuff all the time. It ain't his strong suit, and there were many times us fans wished he would have just been quiet, especially after a L. But plenty of coaches are that way. I mean Sha is usually horrific after losses with the media, the only exception perhaps that I can recall being when we lost to SJU in the Big East tournament.
The "resources" stuff gets overblown to some degree because it fits the Hall narrative. Of course Nova is better positioned to succeed than others. But plenty of coaches and programs with "resources" didn't make the NCAA tournament, didn't basically own the Big East this year except for the 2 big boys, didn't win nearly as many games as KW., etc.
He accomplished jack ****. He beat up on the terrible big east going 15-2 against teams 4-11 and his lone big win against wisconsin. He got a whopping 1 win against good competition. In any other year in the big east would've have 10 losses. His team was mediocre at best and kicked our *** twice.
And with the wins, I don't understand if the hypocrisy is intentional or overlooked (not saying you are doing this NCAAsorBust, because you are clear on what you think of our season). If you think we should have been a "bubble team" or that we were a good team this year, you cannot s&&& on Willard for "not beating anyone except Wisconsin" when he beat up on us twice. It's one or the other.
I can't want to see next year if VU is off the bubble after a loss and if Willard does a Joe Judge meltdown afterwards. His presser yesterday was not far from a meltdown. It wasn't quite a Judge this ain't a clown show here but that welcome to my life was close.
Was it sarcasum or anger in the presser. You know the quick halftime interview was a joke. Did Maryland cause him PTSD? It did for Turgeron.
Was it sarcasum or anger in the presser. You know the quick halftime interview was a joke. Did Maryland cause him PTSD? It did for Turgeron.
Our season was a bust. End of story. His team was mediocre and crushed us twice that’s how bad we were.