Great Man Theory

[HPHOYA]

Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle declared, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” Carlyle argued that heroes shape history through the vision of their intellect, the beauty of their art, the prowess of their leadership, and, most important, their divine inspiration.
I think this theory is relavent to Hoya football in recent years. You just look at Gharun Hester, Dave Paulus in 2002, Luke McArdle in 2003 and for you guys who have followed GU football for years you can probably find many more examples of how Hoya teams were defined by a great player, and through that great player GU came up with winning seasons. The theory could also apply to a coach. You look at GU basketball and it is clearly defined by John Thompson. It must become a priority to find recruits (QB, RB, WR) who have the ability to change the face of any game, those who can control a game by themselves.

[FormerHoya]

I think we need more players like Steve Duggan. He, however, may have been one of a kind; in which case I think we should find another Pogorelec brother.

[Sparky]

It is not hard people....

Take the players that are sitting on the bench....the same players who are partying their faces off every night and play THEM. WHY? Caus each and every year, GTown benches the baddasses and pricks and plays the kids who score 100's on their play quizes. I mean, come on...these are the same people that everyone follows and wants to be like, the same likable and sociable people that you want as a friend, the same people who dish out the hits that you see on the highlight films, and most importantly....the same people who led their HS teams to championships year after year.

Give THESE people a reason to play, not a reason to laugh when they don't play. Play them, don't 'play' them like you would your girlfriend. Each player that has lost the 'care' to deal with GTown and the program's BS still has the 'fire' in them, but that fire will not come out unless they actually see the field, lay some hits, have the freedom to be the same people they were their whole lives. Stop trying to change the players at GTown, and start trying to feed off of the already existing energy and talent that you are suppressing.

All I am saying is that year after year, the kids who take the prom queen home, the kids that can knock people out at Rhino's, the kids who's eyes tell a larger story when it is 4th and 1, the kids who take control of a huddle whether they speak or not, the kids that have personally won games for their past teams, the kids who you would want to go to war with.....sit the bench.

For whatever reason, I do not know. I have been there, seen it, and been a part of it. Let 11 baddasses get on the field and hit some people...that is how you will start winning games.

Bart and Halen should have never played a down for GTown by the program's rules, but thank God that they did, games were won back then...the right way.

How did a team like Monmouth beat us.....how did a kid like Fonti sit the bench.....how did the team have no respect.....how did Dave Paulus not play every minute of every single game....

Funny how these things all go hand in hand---

[LBPop]

Since I have been monitoring this board, I have seen several comments to the effect that the coaching staff makes personnel decisions based on some criteria other than what will work best on the field. I have no idea whether you are right or wrong, but to lend credibility, I would appreciate knowing exactly what your experience is that gives you this insight. I understand your need for anonymity, but these are serious allegations.

[Sparky]

If you were any part of the GTown football team, any year for the last 10 years, you would understand. It is that simple. Go get a drink with any of my fellow alum, mention GTown football, and trust me, the conversation will be agreeable with my statements. I am a prick, a past player, and now an alum at GTown. That is my credibility.

I get on this board every once in a while to read what is going on and take some interest in my old team. I read a lot of criticisms, agree with some, disagree with most.

You either Edited on, or get Editeded on. And if you want to WIN games, you better put the players in that HAVE and WILL do the Editeding on.

I am not here to mock the coaching staff nor do I wish to dish out 'serious allegations.' More, my point is to write what many past/current players may think, but do not say.

Keep the coaching staff for all I care, they were all great guys with above satisfactory gameplans and approaches to the game.....just play the right people and put them in positions to win games offensively and defensively....and you will see more W's than L's.

Look at Uconn, follow their lead, and make a program worth getting excited about. Just start by putting players that can change games and make plays actually 'on the field.' Then you will see something worth watching, maybe even a win.

[FormerHoya]

First off, I was making a small (relatively unfunny) joke about some past hoya "greats." But I have to say that unless things have greatly changed since I played for Benson, benching thugs in favor of geeks or whatever, just didn't happen.
Benson made it very clear (and again, if things have changed, I am too far from the program to know it) that he had a different set of rules for each player. Specifically I remember Will Toussant being left off the bus for a road trip with no warning, whereas the bus waited on more than one occasion for Melch or Bart.
I have been shocked at the dissappointment that the team has become of late, but I think the problems may run deeper. Unless things have really changed, I can't imagine that Benson keeping "badasses" off the field is really the Hoyas' biggest problem.

[FormerHoya]

As a quick reply to LBpop (by the way, I have been monitoring the board for much longer than I have been posting, and I generally enjoy your comments), Benson played his favorites. That is true of any coach in any situation. I don't think it was eggregious then, and I can't comment with any accuracy about the situation at present, but I can say that a lot of the time people making claims about percieved lack of playing time are those with a personal axe to grind, or people who aren't as good as they or their friends think they are. This happens at every level in every sport but I think especially in a situation like this where all these guys were top notch players on thier high school teams.
Anyway, I don't really know, just some thoughts from relative outsider.

[LBPop]

Thanks for the comment. Obviously with the Hoyas' record this year, the coaching staff will hear and deserve criticism. Everyone has their own point of view and I'm new to the Hilltop, so I haven't totally formed my opinion yet. At this level, livelihoods are on the line and I can't imagine a coach like Benson putting his family in jeopardy by knowingly making poor personnel decisions. His decisions might be wrong, his decisions might be misinformed, but I have to believe he has no other agenda but to win. Winning cures a lot--nobody looks smart when they're losing.

[Sparky]

Sorry to confuse..... my point does in fact mean the years that followed the 95-98 teams. I can't attest for anything before that. Thank god that those players PLAYED and were given any form of leniency, we would have never won a game without them. And those years were the only games we won.

and yes, it has gotten worse, much worse.

I understand that this is of opinion, but if I could have chosen my starting 11 when I played there....that would have been one crazy bunch of kids....and would have won a lot of games. And most importantly, you would have seen 11 guys play together....as a team. The talent is there, just start the fire.

So are you saying that there are 11 Matt Craffey's playing on the field year in and year out. Don't think so.