At this rate, St. John’s coach Mike Jarvis is going to become an expert at damage control. If it’s not the NCAA investigating his program, it’s players confronting each other at halftime.
If it’s not having to withdraw from consideration for the Washington Wizards head coaching position because negotiations between Michael Jordan and Jarvis’ attorney Rob Ades suffered a meltdown, it’s trying to extinguish the firestorm sparked by comments allegedly made by Ades Monday night to the Associated Press.
Ades reportedly told the AP that although Jarvis was no longer involved with the Wizards, he still was a candidate for several other NBA jobs as well as “a major college coaching position in the Big Ten.” Ades also was quoted as having said the Big Ten job is, “a step up from St. John’s in terms of stature.”
Ouch!
While Ades denies having spoken to anyone at AP, the agency’s sports editor in New York, Terry Taylor, said the story was based on a phone call with a person who identified himself as Ades. Taylor said the news agency was checking the source of the call.
Whether the story is accurate or not, Jarvis’s commitment to St. John’s appears questionable. He sought to end the furor by issuing a strong statement through the university’s sports information department, but Jarvis did not return calls.
“I have said on numerous occasions and I will say it for the last time, that I have no interest in any other college coaching job and I have not changed my mind,” said Jarvis in his statement. “I feel I have the best college job in America, bar none, because of the fact that I’m at St. John’s University and I’m in New York, the greatest city in the world.
“The day may come when I leave to coach in the NBA and I’ve been consistent in my statements regarding those aspirations as well,” continued Jarvis. “But until that time comes, I’m the head coach at St. John’s University and I look forward to the upcoming season with great anticipation.”
The season can’t come quick enough for Jarvis and the St. John’s administration.
The administration has been supportive of Jarvis, who has made no secret of his NBA coaching ambitions. He interviewed for the Wizards job last season but took himself out of consideration because he didn’t think it fair to leave the Red Storm after one season.
Had Ades and Jordan not taken such strong negotiating positions, Jarvis probably would have been named Wizards coach before the end of the week. Instead, he’s forced to reassert his loyalty to St. John’s, even though his actions have made his words seem hollow.
Pursuing another college job, when he has five years remaining on his St. John’s deal which was retooled after his first season, would be an insult to St. John’s. Although there are no Big Ten schools in search of a coach at this time, sources in the conference told The Post that Michigan’s Brian Ellerbe must get his team into the NCAA Tournament next year or the Wolverines will go coach shopping and Jarvis would be a viable candidate.
Michigan is one of the Big Ten jobs that can be viewed as having greater stature than St. John’s. The Fab Five. Hail to the Victors. Big time college football. The question is, is it true?
“Anything that is said in regards to any job regarding Mike Jarvis will be made by me and only me,” said Jarvis in his statement. “The statements that are attributed to Rob Ades are false and inaccurate.”
Taylor held a lengthy conference call last night with Ades, his attorney, counsel for the AP and Joseph White, the Washington-based AP reporter who quoted Ades. Ades, who said he still represents Jarvis, vehemently denies having spoken to anyone from AP.
“Anyone in the media who knows me knows I have been very consistent with my comments regarding Mike and St. John’s,” said Ades. “As long as Mike is a college coach, he will be at St. John’s.”
St. John’s can only hope that is the case. If not, it has backed the wrong horse.
“Mike has always been up front and honest about what his ambitions are,” said AD Ed Manetta. “He’s been consistent in delivering that message to me.”
And now to everyone else as well.