So There Is This Other Team From New York.......

…that is creating much buzz around the world of basketball. They haven’t been a contender to make the NCAA tournament since 2000 and have not made any noise in college basketball since 2003. Their name is the St. John Red Storm.

Now when you think of basketball, you think of New York; Rucker Park and Madison Square Garden. It is a hoop star’s dream to make your name there. Now During my time the Knicks was okay with Ewing, Bernard King, Oakley, Big Mase and his many haircuts, John Starks, Reggie Miller taunting Spike Lee, Jordan, Lebron, Melo, and Wade going for 50, and the infamous John Starks rising on Jordan.

What people don’t remember is that while all this was going on. The St. John Redmen (AKA Red Storm) was the one of the beast of Big East with other teams like Georgetown, Villanova, UCONN, and Syracuse in the 80s and early 90s. The Red Storm has the 7th-most NCAA tournament appearances (27), two Wooden National Player of the Year Award Winners, 11 consensus All-Americans, 6 members of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and has sent 59 players to the NBA Led by the one O.G’s of the “Sweater Committee,” Lou Carnesecca. The Redmen (name at that time) was a dominant force in the 80s led by one of the best playground basketball-turned NBA star in Mark Jackson and one the sharpest shooter in the NBA in Chris Mullin. It is also the alma mater of one of realist and craziest character of the NBA. This might help you out…….

Now the Red Storm has not been that team since 2003. Even Rutgers, who was always the laughing stock of the Big East was getting better player than they were. That was until Steve Lavin actually saw the Red Storm play in the Big East Tourney in 2010 and had a thought that most of the player from NYC were going to other programs such as Duke, UNC, Syracuse, Villanova, and UCONN where some of the NYC best high school players were leaving to become part of the their dynasty. He wanted to bring the NYC talents back home to play in the Mecca thus taking the job at St. John’s. This year’s Red Storm looks like the Old School Redmen, knocking off top 15 – caliber teams such as Notre Dame, Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and the Mighty Duke Blue Devils. Now, the Red Storm is in the ranked polls for the first time since 2000 and they are not trying to stop. Could the Johnnies be marching back into the ranks of the NCAA Elite? Only time will tell and we will find out soon if the Johnnies are back.

….but for now, the climb is waiting for the Red Storm.

- Stay Hungry My Friends!!!

-SA