It seems that things are getting a little more complicated and messy with the Men's Basketball program.
From Chris Elsberry in the CT POST:
Fairfield snapped a five-game losing streak with a gutty and emotional 60-56 victory over Monmouth before 1,035 Friday night at the Webster Bank Arena.
The win was extra special because the Stags were without guards Sean Grennan and Lincoln Davis, who have left the team for the foreseeable future to "regain their basketball focus," according to Johnson.
"They're not with the team. They need time to get their focus and commitment right," Johnson said.
"It's nothing more or less than that. It's certainly not a rash (decision). I don't want to detail all the stuff. It's internal but I'll say that they're not with us.
"I'm going to give them the time that they need to figure out their focus and commitment to what we're doing here in trying to win games. And then we'll go from there."....
"It's been a lot of one-, two-, three-possession games that we've come up short, but now we got one that we can build on," Johnson said. "We've been really close and we just haven't been able to close and tonight, we closed."
"We just didn't let our offense affect our defense," Barrow added. "We kept fighting because we're all we got."
Especially playing without Grennan and Davis. "We actually played for them, knowing they're not here," Barrow said. "We were two men down but it didn't affect our play."
In fact, it seemed to make everyone else step up their games. "We haven't quit on each other," Johnson said. "We haven't quit on the system. They haven't quit on me. There's complete buy-in and just a perseverance that, because of the youth, we haven't been able to get the results, but there's a fortitude there that starts with Mo and Amadou and just goes on down the line."
Just in case there was any doubt, I'm going to go on record that I do not support Sydney Johnson coaching this team. I'm so sick of him making excuses about the youth of the team. I know that's the facts, but stop harping on it. It's a built in excuse that he is going to use next year too!! This situation with Brennan(spell check) and Davis is sad.
It's too bad Mo didn't get to play more. Fouls 3 and 4 were awful calls. The fourth was just Mo driving to the hoop and really being too physical for the Monmouth kid to guard. Mo's final field goal was just sheer will. He's been a great Stag.
Here's Sydney's quotes from Elsberry's article on the situation with Davis and Grennan:
..."They're not with the team. They need time to get their focus and commitment right," Johnson said. "It's nothing more or less than that. It's certainly not a rash (decision). I don't want to detail all the stuff. It's internal but I'll say that they're not with us. "I'm going to give them the time that they need to figure out their focus and commitment to what we're doing here in trying to win games. And then we'll go from there."...
Based on that wording, I'm fairly certain where the basketball scholarships for next season are coming from so we still might have at least one more scholarship available to give out at this time.
I don't want to comment too much since it's still an ongoing situation, but is anyone else reading the tea leaves differently than I am?
But I do find the headline misleading --- to me, the wording "with two players having left team.." makes it sound like Davis and Grennan went to SJ and said they needed to be away from the team in order to refocus on basketball --- which I suspect is the exact opposite of what occurred.
tmaac....I don't think anyone doubts where you stand. I do agree that it is sad when things don't work for players and to not be with the team is truly unfortunate. Of course, we don't know the details. And the kids playing last night were all in.
Tyson Wheeler was not on the bench last night. Probably at a high school or JUCO game.
Just in case there was any doubt, I'm going to go on record that I do not support Sydney Johnson coaching this team. I'm so sick of him making excuses about the youth of the team. I know that's the facts, but stop harping on it. It's a built in excuse that he is going to use next year too!! This situation with Brennan(spell check) and Davis is sad.
Tmaac, thanks for clearing up the confusion. Your ambivalent posts for the past few months had me unsure as to what you thought of our current head coach.
"There's complete buy-in and just a perseverance that, because of the youth, we haven't been able to get the results, but there's a fortitude there that starts with Mo and Amadou and just goes on down the line."
It sounds like it might not be a "complete buy-in" by everyone. It was also interesting that when ESPN3 interviewed SJ at the end of the half about the team's lack of scoring and turnovers he blamed it on "focus".
Whatever Grennan and Davis did wrong, the next step seem to be up to the players. They can go 2 ways..... (1) Disagree and address it as such, or (2) Realize what they did was wrong, apologize to their Teammates/Coaches, and then ask to be re-instated.
This situation reminds me of the Jon Han situation, and I am glad that Sydney is addressing this early.
Sean Grennan did not suit up:The Fairfield redshirt sophomore guard and former Monsignor Donovan star did not suit up on Friday evening, nor was he present at Webster Bank Arena. A Fairfield official told the Asbury Park Press pregame that Grennan and Johnson mutually agreed he will ‘take some time off,’ which basically amounts to philosophical differences. Grennan’s playing time has fluctuated, but it appears the tipping point may have come on Monday when he was a DNP-CD in a 73-65 loss at Rider. For the season, the Seton Hall transfer is averaging 4.1 points in 21 games, including 10 points.
...This situation reminds me of the on Han situation, and I am glad that Sydney is addressing is early...
I was on this board when the Han situation happened and I've read repeated references to the Han situation from posters who seem to be totally knowledgeable about the Han situation but aside from the fact Han left the team, I have no idea what the underlying problem between Han and Cooley was that led to the "Han situation". Can someone who can provide a straightforward retelling of what the disagreement was between Han and Cooley please explain in plain English [I'm begging, no Sydney Johnson type explanations] what the fallout was between Han and Cooley so that in the future when someone refers to the Han situation, everyone knows what is being referred to. Neither Han nor Cooley are connected to the school at this point -- can someone please clearly give an explanation of what the disagreement was that led to the "Han situation".
To all on this board i can say from one of the players ..this was not a mutual agreement..both players are devestated. The team knows it ..both players broke no rules of school .team .or classroom.there wasnt a discipline problem .or a sign of disrespect to the coaches. Grennan or davis did not know of press release . and both want back on. We all know SJ needs scholarship room. But this is not the way..davus wasnt playing .much .and grennan started 4 games ago ..yes has been missing shots. So does every player on this team at times. These are good kids who are trying to do their best ..this is so wrong ..
Oh boy, this going to be fun to watch unfold. This is a PR disaster in the making. Any Communications Majors out there that would like to help SJ deal with this situation? ;-)
This us what I got from Parent of players who were close to the situation.
- Han's attitude was tough on players, when he felt the players could not play the game the right way, or weren't good enough - He was particularly tough on Jamal Turner (disrespectull) - At Manhattan game, Turner said dis-repectthings to Han during the game - After game, Han went ape-shit on Turner - Coaches could not control Han. Han was yelling outside the locker room in Manhattan Field House - Han was disrespecting the coaches - Cooley ws furiace, and was outside, so he would not blow up - Han was furious that coaches did not back him up - Han was removed from the team - They asked Han to Apologize, he did not,