Andy Katz on Hoyas

[casualhoya]

Sounds like Monroe will be sticking around, and interesting take on our starting 5 for next year.

sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4045395&name=katz_andy

www.casualhoya.com

Casually.

[guru]

Wow. Finally some good news about this team and program.

Hope JT3 is really, really confident Monroe will return - otherwise he'll look pretty out of touch with his player if Greg ends up bolting.

Oh, and LOVE the potential starting lineup Katz got (presumably from III). Has the coach been reading this board?

[vcjack]

If Katz is right about this, he might leapfrog my dad as my favorite Wisconsin graduate.

[1227]

If true, interesting how Nikita started when Sapp was competition but would not start when Hollis is the competition? Also, I guess this means that JTIII felt Sims was not ready last year but will be ready next year?

[dcc33]

That should (hopefully) put an end to any transfer rumors surrounding Sims, Wright, freeman, etc. Sounds like Hollis will be an impact player from day 1 also.

[SirSaxa]

THis is very good news and confirms the more optimistic speculation on this board about next year's starting line-up.
I hope it also means Freeman is going to pull a Don Reid and work his butt off to re-shape his body during the summer between his soph and junior seasons and build his quickness and stamina.

Now if we can get some good news about Latavious... yes, I know... be patient. We may not know anything definitive here for quite some time.

Finally, we need some serious recruiting for '10 as Monroe is almost certainly gone by then. Starks and Lubick are a great start, but we need another major Big. And we are hoping for Smith & Barton too.

Go JT3! Hit that recruiting trail and bring home the big guys!

[sleepy]

Apr 6, 2009 9:20:10 GMT -5 guru said:

Hope JT3 is really, really confident Monroe will return - otherwise he'll look pretty out of touch with his player if Greg ends up bolting.

quote]


Not really, there is still plenty of time for Monroe to change his mind, and he also said that there is no final word yet.

[guru]

Apr 6, 2009 9:37:14 GMT -5 dcc33 said:

That should (hopefully) put an end to any transfer rumors surrounding Sims, Wright, freeman, etc. Sounds like Hollis will be an impact player from day 1 also.

I wish that would end all the transfer rumors.

Here's a devil's advocate view: JT3 dispensed this information to Katz knowing he would write it up and that it could make some players (Sims especially) much more optimistic about his future at Gtown.

Not saying that's the case, but III is pretty press-shy at most times. And now suddenly he muses about a possible starting lineup to a national reporter 7 months before practice starts?

[sleepy]

Apr 6, 2009 9:40:41 GMT -5 guru said:

Apr 6, 2009 9:37:14 GMT -5 dcc33 said:

That should (hopefully) put an end to any transfer rumors surrounding Sims, Wright, freeman, etc. Sounds like Hollis will be an impact player from day 1 also.

I wish that would end all the transfer rumors.

Here's a devil's advocate view: JT3 dispensed this information to Katz knowing he would write it up and that it could make some players (Sims especially) much more optimistic about his future at Gtown.

Not saying that's the case, but III is pretty press-shy at most times. And now suddenly he muses about a possible starting lineup to a national reporter 7 months before practice starts?

I think he mused about the starting line-up of this years team some time in may after last season too, so its not that out of the ordinary. Also, playing time issues would not be the cause of most of the transfers, so it seems pointless for him to do.

Although I agree, after the season we just had, these rumors won't end until we start winning again.

[SirSaxa]

Apr 6, 2009 9:40:41 GMT -5 guru said:

Apr 6, 2009 9:37:14 GMT -5 dcc33 said:

That should (hopefully) put an end to any transfer rumors surrounding Sims, Wright, freeman, etc. Sounds like Hollis will be an impact player from day 1 also.

I wish that would end all the transfer rumors.

Here's a devil's advocate view: JT3 dispensed this information to Katz knowing he would write it up and that it could make some players (Sims especially) much more optimistic about his future at Gtown.

Not saying that's the case, but III is pretty press-shy at most times. And now suddenly he muses about a possible starting lineup to a national reporter 7 months before practice starts?

A reasonable point Guru. But my guess would be this news is directed more widely to the Hoya community and future recruits to show continuity and a serious game plan for success.
I believe Sims and others already know this info and don't need to read about it on ESPN.

However, as you pointed out, it is not usual JT3 policy (Or GU, or Thompson Family policy) to be putting out this kind of info in advance, nor to promise starting jobs and PT until practice starts and kids show what they can do. So...maybe you do have a point. JT3 did say he wants to re-evaluate EVERYTHING about the program. This could be one more new wrinkle -- actually communicating -- and using -- the media.


One thing you can count on with the Thompsons. Nothing happens by accident. JT3 is clearly behind this info and wants it out. This is a calculated "leak", not a mistake.

[hoyasexy]

Apr 6, 2009 9:28:22 GMT -5 vcjack said:

If Katz is right about this, he might leapfrog my dad as my favorite Wisconsin graduate.

Wow. That's a pretty low threshold for displacing your father. All a guy has to do is to report some good news about the team?

[hoyalawyer]

if this is true what does it say about Latavious Williams? I know JTIII can't comment about a recruit but in all reality he would likely start over Sims, so it may just be a calculated leak to try to get guys to stick around, although Im pretty sure he'd stay anyway at least through sophomore year as that seems to be the breaking point with Hoya transfers under JT3.

-Lawyer

[lichoya68]

good article now all hoyas stay and the youngins will be oldins GO HOYAS IS IT NOVEMBER YET agree greg needs a year of fun musle toughtness and teamness THEN he might depart next year or two GO HOYAS GO GREG STAY JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER and lets show up to celebrate gu bball onapril 21 at the banquet SUPPORT NOW FOLKS SUPPORT NOW ;D ;D ;D

[HoyasAreHungry]

I don't think you can assume Latavious would start over sims....we have all seen the adjustment period that freshmen take to truly be comfortable in the system...sims has been in it a year...I think you have to give the nod to Henry with Latavious being one of the first 2 off the bench no matter how amazing he is. All accounts that I have read is he is an eraser and a great rebounder and his offensive game is coming around. I haven't seen him play and I'm fairly certain you haven't either. My point is even if he is the stud that we hope he is I doubt he starts from day 1....maybe i'm completely off on this maybe one fo teh recruiting experts can comment further...just my opinion

[lichoya68]

OH HENRY IS MY MAN FOR SURE WAIT AND SEE GO HOYAS GO OH HENRY YES

[dcc33]

Apr 6, 2009 9:44:42 GMT -5 sleepy said:

Apr 6, 2009 9:40:41 GMT -5 guru said:

I wish that would end all the transfer rumors.

Here's a devil's advocate view: JT3 dispensed this information to Katz knowing he would write it up and that it could make some players (Sims especially) much more optimistic about his future at Gtown.

Not saying that's the case, but III is pretty press-shy at most times. And now suddenly he muses about a possible starting lineup to a national reporter 7 months before practice starts?

I think he mused about the starting line-up of this years team some time in may after last season too, so its not that out of the ordinary. Also, playing time issues would not be the cause of most of the transfers, so it seems pointless for him to do.

Although I agree, after the season we just had, these rumors won't end until we start winning again.

Yeah, I considered that as well, but it just seems too out of the ordinary for him to handle a private matter (transfers, pt, etc.) like this in public. I think its just a little nugget for the fans to show us the sky isn't falling, or to convice us that there is a reason to renew season tickets for this year...

[sleepy]

Apr 6, 2009 9:55:47 GMT -5 hoyalawyer said:

if this is true what does it say about Latavious Williams? I know JTIII can't comment about a recruit but in all reality he would likely start over Sims, so it may just be a calculated leak to try to get guys to stick around, although Im pretty sure he'd stay anyway at least through sophomore year as that seems to be the breaking point with Hoya transfers under JT3.

-Lawyer

Why would he start over Sims? He is supposed to be a very good rebounder and defender, but still limited and raw on offense. He would be a good addition no doubt, but more coming off the bench as a freshman, than as a starter over Sims.

I think we all might be reading into the "leak" of this info a little too much. I mean, its really our only option for a starting 5 anyway, not exactly top secret information. Wright is our only point guard, Freeman is our returning shooting guard, Thompson is obviously our best option at small forward, with Sims being our only power forward and Monroe our returning center. Sure Nikita could start at small forward again, but again, its no secret how that worked out.

[jgalt]

Two things people are missing:

Katz speculates that Blair is getting advice to stay at Pitt, that means you can chalk that up as a loss on the schedule.

If Hollis starts having some big games, reading articles about him is going to be very difficult: "Thompson says that Thompson worked very hard in the off season to contribute right away" ;D

[theexorcist]

Wow, this is like intelligence analysts reviewing pictrues of the Soviet People's Congresses to find out who was sitting next to whom as the basis for the DIA report.

The quote is "Thompson III is high on a potential starting lineup of Monroe...". It's not a direct quote, so there's no guarantee that Thompson threw out that lineup - Katz may have mentioned it, or III may have mentioned the list, or Katz may be extrapolating with whom he considers important. This is a "quick hit" bullet point - it's not a specific article.

I also don't necessarily believe in the "calculated leak" idea - Georgetown basketball may be able to keep secrets better than the NSA, but there's no need here. There's no mention if Katz scheduled the call/query (a reasonable question re: Monroe and Summers) - if so, not responding at all is death.

[guru]

Apr 6, 2009 10:03:32 GMT -5 sleepy said:

Apr 6, 2009 9:55:47 GMT -5 hoyalawyer said:

if this is true what does it say about Latavious Williams? I know JTIII can't comment about a recruit but in all reality he would likely start over Sims, so it may just be a calculated leak to try to get guys to stick around, although Im pretty sure he'd stay anyway at least through sophomore year as that seems to be the breaking point with Hoya transfers under JT3.

-Lawyer

Why would he start over Sims? He is supposed to be a very good rebounder and defender, but still limited and raw on offense. He would be a good addition no doubt, but more coming off the bench as a freshman, than as a starter over Sims.

I think we all might be reading into the "leak" of this info a little too much. I mean, its really our only option for a starting 5 anyway, not exactly top secret information. Wright is our only point guard, Freeman is our returning shooting guard, Thompson is obviously our best option at small forward, with Sims being our only power forward and Monroe our returning center. Sure Nikita could start at small forward again, but again, its no secret how that worked out.

I don't think anyone is surprised that that's a possible starting lineup for next season. Just a little surprised that JT3 was so specific with Katz about it. Definitely sending messages with this, I think. To lots of people.