So how would we feel about Villanova winning back-to-back...

[MCIGuy]

championships?

If at this point during the final season of the old Big East we were told that the new BE would thrive and that just a few years in to it one of the programs in the new BE would be in a strong position to repeat as the national title winner, I believe many of us would have been beyond giddy. I believe this because chances are we would have felt that Gtown was going to be that team to be seeking those consecutive national championships. After all at this time four years ago the Hoyas, who ended up finishing first in the conference and getting a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, were easily the strongest of all the teams that was heading to the new Big East. Led by Otto Porter the Hoya program under III seemed to have gotten its groove back and looked to be in a position to keep that momentum going forward.

Then things started falling apart. The Hoyas lost in the first round of the NCAA tourney...again. The following season Greg Whittington's expected return to the lineup didn't happen and soon thereafter academic issues took away Joshua Smith. It is arguable the program hasn't recovered from these setbacks with the Hoyas looking likely to miss the NCAA tournament three out of its first four years in the new Big East.

Meanwhile Villanova during that same timespan leapfrogged GTown in a way that seemed unimaginable four years ago. They've been dominating the conference and have routinely made the title game of the BET, which in itself is a nice spotlight game on a Saturday night on national TV. Most importantly the Wildcats made the new BE legit by winning a national championship during a classic game that will be talked about for decades. Nova had remained in the national spotlight for the the first three seasons in the BE because they remained highly ranked. This season the program has pretty much been treated like a blue blood by the media as it remained in the Top Five all season long, including a good chunk of time in the number one spot. As of right now they look to be heavy favorites to get back to the Final Four and possibly the fave to win it all. This will do wonders for its recruiting for a decade to come.

If Nova takes it all again how are Hoya fans, particularly longtime ones, going to take that? The program that kept Georgetown from winning its one back-to-back tiles in the 1980s ends up winning its own back-to-back championships roughly 30 years later. And even worse that would give Nova a 3 to 1 lead over the Hoyas in terms of championships....with Nova having won the last three of the four. Ouch.

I realize some will be triggered to throw out Josh Hart's name once more and point out how III blew it by not not offering him. There is some truth to that and it stings even more that Hart and to a lesser extent Kris Jennings are from DC. But Josh Hart is no Patrick Ewing. He is no program-changing player that comes along every other generation. He is rather a fantastic college player who thrived in part because of the mentality of the program he joined, a program that has gotten the best out of him. But let us be clear that as far as Gtown is concerned III should have been able to overcome the missing out of a Josh Hart. There are thirteen guys he is able to hand out scholarships to after all. I don't mean to be dismissive of Hart, but I want to give credit to the Villanova program that has set the tone that would allow Hart and his teammates to thrive.

Villanova hasn't been doing all of this winning by bringing in Duke and Kentucky-like recruiting classes. It hasn't won by having some major D1 football program to drive its fanbase and athletic program. And it hasn't been winning by allowing it student athletes to slide in the classroom. Like Gtown, Villanova takes its academics seriously and its players graduate. So that means what Villanova has done the previous three seasons and is doing now could have also been realistically done by the Hoyas if the Georgetown program was running more smoothly. The schools/programs are eerily similar except for their records as of late. Which means it could be an unimaginably bitter pill to swallow for Hoya fans in April if the Wildcats cut down the nets again.

[calhoya]

The minute the Hoyas are eliminated from post-season play (and by that I mean the NCAA tournament, not consolation events)--either through not being selected or by making an early exit, I root for every BE team remaining. The sole exceptions, in the past, were Syracuse and Louisville, because I consider both to have been programs that got by through bending the rules. If the Hoyas want to return to past glory, then the Administration must own up and look hard at the program and determine if change is necessary. Still waiting to see how this season turns out before that process should be undertaken, though another disappointment is very likely. After every season, the investment in the basketball program and its leadership should be analyzed and the determination made as to whether the investment is still justifiable. If not, the school should either reduce the investment or change leadership in the program. In the meantime it is critical that rest of the BE not deteriorate in quality or performance because that would hurt the Hoyas and make the climb back to prominence even more difficult.

[dailey247]

Don't tell any Nova fans, but I'm rooting hard for them to win the title again. When Gonzaga got the #1 ranking, I read an article about how seldom a team not in the Power 5 or Big East gets ranked number one. It's critical for the Georgetown program - critical for the next 30 years - that the Big East remain on equal footing with the football conferences. If we're ever going to get back to where we want to be, our league needs to be taken seriously. How long did the old Big East dine out on getting 3 teams in a single Final Four? Back to back titles in the conference would be a similar prestige bump that can buoy the whole conference for a while. Part of the failure of the old Big East was not having the foresight to see the football-driven conference realignment coming. Not many people did, obviously, but you need to learn from that and keep your eyes down the road on what the next big disruption might be. If concussions drive college football out of the mainstream, or player pay sinks the NCAA, it's crucial that when the powers that be decide what happens next, Big East basketball has a seat at the table. We can't become the A10 or Mountain West in the meantime. So, V's for Victory I guess. V's also for Vomit, which is what I'm going to go do now that I've said that.

[KHoyaNYC]

I will feel extreme jealousy

[tashoya]

I probably should be rooting for them but, in reality, I'd rather put in my own catheter while getting a spinal tap.

[Elvado]

If not for 4/1/85 I could probably appreciate it. However, because of 4/1/85, it would be vomitous to see them win again.

The grudge and bitterness will never fade for me. Petty and small I know, but it is what it is.

[757hoyafan]

Wouldn't bother me at all.

[drquigley]

Okay SFS '68 alums. I'd feel the same way about Nova as I would about the guy who married Helen Henry. Jealous as hell but gotta be happy for the guy.

[bicentennial]

I know I'm delusional but how sweet would it be to be Cinderella to their repeat. Cosmic justice!

[hoyazeke]

I don't want Nova to win again. We don't need Nova or any other team to win to give the NBE respect. A trip to the Elite8 will suffice......also I agree partially with the OP that no single recruit on Nova's roster would be the difference between us winning big or our current state. At least a recruit that we had a legit chance with. If you compare our rosters over the last 2 years you could make a legitimate argument that we are equal or better at every position but the PG....IMO

[DudeSlade]

Feb 18, 2017 23:33:15 GMT -5 bicentennial said:

I know I'm delusional but how sweet would it be to be Cinderella to their repeat. Cosmic justice!

This would be the absolute greatest! We have the gunners in Pryor, Peak, even Govan that if they got hot and stayed hot through the tournament, we could make a run. All it takes in the Tourney is favorable matchups and a crazy hot streak (see UConn & Kemba Walker). Sounds crazy but I'm not ruling it out as a possibility. I'm rooting for this as divine cosmic justice.

Otherwise, let Nova make the Elite Eight or Final Four as zeke said and have a couple other teams make it to the 2nd weekend. That'll keep the league in the upper echelon.

[tgo]

I can admit that their win was good for the conference but that doesn't mean I have to like it. By the same line of reasoning, do you like it each time Cuse wins this season because it helps our RPI? I am not, I refuse to be happy any time evil triumphs over good regardless of if I derive some small ancillary benefit from the soul that is devoured in the process. Have some morals people, don't root for Nova.

I want Nova to go 6-25 every year losing 23 of those games 1 point in triple overtime, then the other two against us they lose by 30 in a game that isnt really as close as the score indicates. I want their undergrads to not show up for their home game against GU because of how humiliating it is for them to play against us and I want their alums to show up to the BET so they can work as my assistant and fetch my beers while I dock them a days pay for not being in the office.

Nova's win last year was an abomination, a blight on good people everywhere and them winning again is something I refuse to consider as a possibility because of how terrible it would be.

Conference allegiance blah blah blah. Great conferences have great rivalries. GU vs Nova is the biggest long standing rivalry the conference has now that Cuse is gone. Anyone else in the conference does well I am right there with you thinking, good for them and that makes us look good by association but not Nova. Do you think UNC is rooting for Duke in the final four because it is good for the ACC? Given the unlikelihood that the Hoyas can make any noise in the tourny this year say we play them in the BET final and just by being there we have wrapped up a tournament bid but for them, winning that game would give them a 1 seed instead of a 2 seed, would you be not that upset to lose a close game to Nova at the garden because it would be better for the conference to have Nova be a 1 seed and us an 11 seed as opposed to a 2 seed and us maybe moving up to a 9 or 10 seed?

For those who like Nova now (how sad is it that we are even having this discussion) who are your most hated rivals? If Nova isnt near the top you have problems in my book and if they are near the top then how can you hate them but be happy when they succeed? Does this inner turmoil eat at your soul and eventually drive you insane? I think the Hoyas most hated rivals are, in order...
1 - Cuse
2- Cuse
3 - nova
4- uconvicts
5- Cuse
6 - huge gap
7- BC - not a rival in any sense but very much hated and happy to seem them drift off into irrelevance.
8 - Notre Dame and Duke ranked in here when we played them regularly. Still hated but not rivals.
9 - Pitt & West Virginia used to be here, don't hate them as much as i used to and certainly no longer rivals.
10- Maryland
11- Marquette.

I cant stomach seeing anybody that I hate more than Marquette (there are others who I hate who aren't rivals in any sense) winning unless they face someone further up on the list. Marquette I can root for out of conference allegiance etc.

[McBricks]

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'd be rooting for it. Wow did I used to really, really hate Nova. But I'd rather seen them win and not Kentucky or any ACC or Big 10 school. The other school I'll be rooting to do well is Gonzaga.

[Elvado]

Feb 19, 2017 13:52:37 GMT -5 tgo said:

I can admit that their win was good for the conference but that doesn't mean I have to like it. By the same line of reasoning, do you like it each time Cuse wins this season because it helps our RPI? I am not, I refuse to be happy any time evil triumphs over good regardless of if I derive some small ancillary benefit from the soul that is devoured in the process. Have some morals people, don't root for Nova.

I want Nova to go 6-25 every year losing 23 of those games 1 point in triple overtime, then the other two against us they lose by 30 in a game that isnt really as close as the score indicates. I want their undergrads to not show up for their home game against GU because of how humiliating it is for them to play against us and I want their alums to show up to the BET so they can work as my assistant and fetch my beers while I dock them a days pay for not being in the office.

Nova's win last year was an abomination, a blight on good people everywhere and them winning again is something I refuse to consider as a possibility because of how terrible it would be.

Conference allegiance blah blah blah. Great conferences have great rivalries. GU vs Nova is the biggest long standing rivalry the conference has now that Cuse is gone. Anyone else in the conference does well I am right there with you thinking, good for them and that makes us look good by association but not Nova. Do you think UNC is rooting for Duke in the final four because it is good for the ACC? Given the unlikelihood that the Hoyas can make any noise in the tourny this year say we play them in the BET final and just by being there we have wrapped up a tournament bid but for them, winning that game would give them a 1 seed instead of a 2 seed, would you be not that upset to lose a close game to Nova at the garden because it would be better for the conference to have Nova be a 1 seed and us an 11 seed as opposed to a 2 seed and us maybe moving up to a 9 or 10 seed?

For those who like Nova now (how sad is it that we are even having this discussion) who are your most hated rivals? If Nova isnt near the top you have problems in my book and if they are near the top then how can you hate them but be happy when they succeed? Does this inner turmoil eat at your soul and eventually drive you insane? I think the Hoyas most hated rivals are, in order...
1 - Cuse
2- Cuse
3 - nova
4- uconvicts
5- Cuse
6 - huge gap
7- BC - not a rival in any sense but very much hated and happy to seem them drift off into irrelevance.
8 - Notre Dame and Duke ranked in here when we played them regularly. Still hated but not rivals.
9 - Pitt & West Virginia used to be here, don't hate them as much as i used to and certainly no longer rivals.
10- Maryland
11- Marquette.

I cant stomach seeing anybody that I hate more than Marquette (there are others who I hate who aren't rivals in any sense) winning unless they face someone further up on the list. Marquette I can root for out of conference allegiance etc.

Thank God for another person who understands.

[eagle54]

Nova is the only thing that is building this new BE conference that can't be ignored nationally. We are a disgrace and have failed miserably and when they tell the story of how the new BE survived it will be on the back of Nova.

I can't stand them winning but have realized it's better them than Duke, UNC, Kansas, UCLA, etc. as it reflects our conference and helps it not get ignored by the media members who would choose to ignore the conference.

Sad state of affairs for Georgetown Basketball but unfortunately what we are. #NOHOPEINSIGHT

[drquigley]

The problem isn't that Nova is carrying the conference it's that Nova is dominating the conference. Unless the rest of the conference improves we could find ourselves with the same reputation as the SEC and ACC, two teams dominate for years while the rest of the league sucks. Sure it's good FOR NOW that Nova carries the BE banner but if the rest of the league doesn't improve (that means us, St. John's, DePaul, and Providence) then the BE will become a joke. Hey, dominance is when you have 2 or 3 teams reach the final four like we did in the early 80's. One team domination is not good for the league.

[71hoya]

I was at a party last night with a bunch of Nova fans. Instead of their normal obnoxious comments, I was hit with sympathy and understanding comments. They felt sorry for me and promised me that maybe we could hot and still make the NCAA tournament. I can never, ever root for Nova.

[hoyarooter]

Feb 20, 2017 10:40:58 GMT -5 drquigley said:

The problem isn't that Nova is carrying the conference it's that Nova is dominating the conference. Unless the rest of the conference improves we could find ourselves with the same reputation as the SEC and ACC, two teams dominate for years while the rest of the league sucks. Sure it's good FOR NOW that Nova carries the BE banner but if the rest of the league doesn't improve (that means us, St. John's, DePaul, and Providence) then the BE will become a joke. Hey, dominance is when you have 2 or 3 teams reach the final four like we did in the early 80's. One team domination is not good for the league.

This may appear to be true at the moment, but I would say it's only because of the injuries that have befallen Xavier and Creighton. Creighton at full strength would clearly be in the national discussion, and Xavier wouldn't be far away.

As for MCI's original question, I was delighted that Nova won last year, but I don't think I could handle them winning back to back. That said, if we end up with Nova playing Duke, Kentucky, UNC, UMCP or Cuse for the national championship, I will be rooting for Nova again. Otherwise, not.

[miracles87]

Personally, I certainly don't root for Nova, but, as a B-Ball fan, I was wowed by their performance last year, and appreciate the run they're on. Can't say for sure of course, but I think this year's edition will go deep, and is probably the fave to cut down the nets. I like UConn even less than Nova, but I did get a kick out of their title in '99, what a team! Of course, they beat a dominant Duke team, made it much more palatable. Anyway, we'll cross that Nova repeat bridge when it comes, not worried about it quite yet, def makes me queasy to think about...

[glidehoyas (Inactive)]

SPAM POST F VILLANOVA THIS IS A GTOWN WEBSITE SMFH!