Why have we dropped out of the Wooden Classic?

[hoya59er]

I sure hope it is a good reason. I was disappointed that we withdrew from a top early season tourney, was it a year ago, or two, and replaced by DePaul.
And we cancelled out of homes and homes with Kansas and Notre Dame. I sure hope we are not simply dodging strong competition.

[saxagael]

Sept 23, 2020 18:44:39 GMT -5 hoya59er said:

I sure hope it is a good reason. I was disappointed that we withdrew from a top early season tourney, was it a year ago, or two, and replaced by DePaul.
And we cancelled out of homes and homes with Kansas and Notre Dame. I sure hope we are not simply dodging strong competition.

Check the front page. DC currently has 14 day quarantine requirement when coming from 33 states. Florida is one of those. The game in West Virginia in December is another in question.

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

This isn't a big deal. If we wouldn't have ducked the competition in year one of Ewing, this wouldn't even register. This is the one year that the tighter the schedule can be playing regional teams in a safe environment is paramount vs. getting in one of these tourneys. Bring on all the local squads. Home court will be meaningless this year and you also don't have to appease us season ticket holders for one year so take advantage.

[TC]

Does anyone really think this is a bad move? We have a pandemic going on and November has a probability of being the most civil unrest the country has ever seen.

[BeantownHoya]

Sept 24, 2020 10:17:45 GMT -5 TC said:

Does anyone really think this is a bad move? We have a pandemic going on and November has a probability of being the most civil unrest the country has ever seen.

Totally agree. I can't believe we are even questioning this. Totally fair game if this was a "normal" season but it's not.

If this was the other way around and we were putting student athletes in harm's way for the sake of playing basketball this board would be livid and rightfully so.

I saw a comment from another thread that said something to degree bad move every kid wants to go to Orlando...in the last 48 hours Florida has lost almost 400 lives...pretty sure every parent is saying please don't send my kid to Florida right now no matter how cool it would be to see Mickey...

[seaweed]

Sept 24, 2020 10:48:35 GMT -5 BeantownHoya said:

Sept 24, 2020 10:17:45 GMT -5 TC said:

Does anyone really think this is a bad move? We have a pandemic going on and November has a probability of being the most civil unrest the country has ever seen.

Totally agree. I can't believe we are even questioning this. Totally fair game if this was a "normal" season but it's not.

If this was the other way around and we were putting student athletes in harm's way for the sake of playing basketball this board would be livid and rightfully so.

I saw a comment from another thread that said something to degree bad move every kid wants to go to Orlando...in the last 48 hours Florida has lost almost 400 lives...pretty sure every parent is saying please don't send my kid to Florida right now no matter how cool it would be to see Mickey...

That other comment reflects a really dim view of our guys. Do we really think they prioritize seeing Mickey Editeding Mouse over staying healthy for their families, their team and the season ahead? WTF?

[hoyalove4ever]

I strongly wish that we were playing but it is what it is so oh well.

[calhoya]

Unless someone actually knows why this action was taken best not to comment or speculate and just to move on. Hopefully the team will replace these games with some competitive games that can help prepare the team for the conference. It is critical this year that Ewing get this team used to playing together prior to opening conference play.

[centercourt400s]

Sept 24, 2020 12:01:49 GMT -5 calhoya said:

Unless someone actually knows why this action was taken best not to comment or speculate and just to move on. Hopefully the team will replace these games with some competitive games that can help prepare the team for the conference. It is critical this year that Ewing get this team used to playing together prior to opening conference play.

It is critical this year that the team's members, coaches and all their families are safe and that they not contract the deadly virus that is still plaguing the country. Any other considerations are secondary.

[hoyasaxa2003]

Sept 24, 2020 12:07:16 GMT -5 centercourt400s said:

Sept 24, 2020 12:01:49 GMT -5 calhoya said:

Unless someone actually knows why this action was taken best not to comment or speculate and just to move on. Hopefully the team will replace these games with some competitive games that can help prepare the team for the conference. It is critical this year that Ewing get this team used to playing together prior to opening conference play.

It is critical this year that the team's members, coaches and all their families are safe and that they not contract the deadly virus that is still plaguing the country. Any other considerations are secondary.

I agree with this, but to me, it's a little weird to argue something like "We cannot play in Orlando because we need to keep our guys and their families safe" (definitely, a worthy cause), but then basically go ahead and begin playing 20 games in conference play a few weeks later, which will involve traveling to nine different states, including one where coronavirus rates are very high right now (Wisconsin).

There is no legitimate reason to think that playing and traveling to conference games is safer than traveling to Orlando, if proper precautions are taken in both instances.

If we are concerned about safety then there should be no basketball. College basketball is non-essential, and clearly increases the chances of people getting infected. But, that makes no money and does not drive revenue, so it will happen as long as there isn't another big resurgence (very possible).

[rockhoya]

Sept 24, 2020 12:49:54 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

Sept 24, 2020 12:07:16 GMT -5 centercourt400s said:

It is critical this year that the team's members, coaches and all their families are safe and that they not contract the deadly virus that is still plaguing the country. Any other considerations are secondary.

I agree with this, but to me, it's a little weird to argue something like "We cannot play in Orlando because we need to keep our guys and their families safe" (definitely, a worthy cause), but then basically go ahead and begin playing 20 games in conference play a few weeks later, which will involve traveling to nine different states, including one where coronavirus rates are very high right now (Wisconsin).

There is no legitimate reason to think that playing and traveling to conference games is safer than traveling to Orlando, if proper precautions are taken in both instances.

If we are concerned about safety then there should be no basketball. College basketball is non-essential, and clearly increases the chances of people getting infected. But, that makes no money and does not drive revenue, so it will happen as long as there isn't another big resurgence (very possible).

Central Florida has some of the highest covid rates in the entire world. It is not the same as Wisconsin. There are different risks and procedures involved with different locations and destinations.

[RockawayHoya]

Sept 24, 2020 12:49:54 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

Sept 24, 2020 12:07:16 GMT -5 centercourt400s said:

It is critical this year that the team's members, coaches and all their families are safe and that they not contract the deadly virus that is still plaguing the country. Any other considerations are secondary.

I agree with this, but to me, it's a little weird to argue something like "We cannot play in Orlando because we need to keep our guys and their families safe" (definitely, a worthy cause), but then basically go ahead and begin playing 20 games in conference play a few weeks later, which will involve traveling to nine different states, including one where coronavirus rates are very high right now (Wisconsin).

There is no legitimate reason to think that playing and traveling to conference games is safer than traveling to Orlando, if proper precautions are taken in both instances.

If we are concerned about safety then there should be no basketball. College basketball is non-essential, and clearly increases the chances of people getting infected. But, that makes no money and does not drive revenue, so it will happen as long as there isn't another big resurgence (very possible).

100% agree with the above. Assuming the DC 14 day quarantine state list (https://mayor.dc.gov/release/dc-health-releases-updated-list-high-risk-states-8-24-2020) hasn't changed in the last month, here are BE teams located in those states:

-Illinois: Depaul
-Indiana: Butler
-Nebraska: Creighton
-Wisconsin: Marquette

If GU is serious about participating in any kind of conference schedule this year AND if there is no change to the above quarantine list, then they have to get a travel exemption. Trying to somehow build in 2 months in the schedule for forced quarantine related to the above 4 road trips isn't going to happen.

I get player safety is first and foremost; I don't think anyone is debating that. But, strength of schedule impacts notwithstanding, I would also caution our current staff that pulling the plug on OOC tournament invites at a 50% clip isn't the best way to continue getting invited to other marquee tournaments moving forward, especially if our quality of play doesn't improve either.

Hoping that our program and AD is taking all of these and other factors into account before making decisions on how to proceed with the season.

[hoyasaxa2003]

Sept 24, 2020 13:31:00 GMT -5 rockhoya said:

Sept 24, 2020 12:49:54 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

I agree with this, but to me, it's a little weird to argue something like "We cannot play in Orlando because we need to keep our guys and their families safe" (definitely, a worthy cause), but then basically go ahead and begin playing 20 games in conference play a few weeks later, which will involve traveling to nine different states, including one where coronavirus rates are very high right now (Wisconsin).

There is no legitimate reason to think that playing and traveling to conference games is safer than traveling to Orlando, if proper precautions are taken in both instances.

If we are concerned about safety then there should be no basketball. College basketball is non-essential, and clearly increases the chances of people getting infected. But, that makes no money and does not drive revenue, so it will happen as long as there isn't another big resurgence (very possible).

Central Florida has some of the highest covid rates in the entire world. It is not the same as Wisconsin. There are different risks and procedures involved with different locations and destinations.

Fair. Of course, the other caveat is that we are over a month from any of this, so who knows what the world and infection rates will look like then. If things get worse in the winter, as some expect, then there may be no season whatsoever. You cannot put college basketball players in a bubble like the NBA, so there's really no viable option without travel.

[blueandgray]

Sept 24, 2020 10:17:45 GMT -5 TC said:

Does anyone really think this is a bad move? We have a pandemic going on and November has a probability of being the most civil unrest the country has ever seen.

Clearly this is the type of pandemic where all students should stay in place....at home....not move. Especially in an election year.

[tashoya]

Personally, I prefer Georgetown keeping all of the students as safe as possible. Glad this decision was made.

[saxagael]

To keep track of the DC quarantine list, which gets updated every couple of weeks, can be found here - coronavirus.dc.gov/phasetwo

The next major update is October 5th. If DC moves out of phase 2 it will likely still be keeping the quarantine list running as states Covid-19 infections spike and come under control.

[TC]

Sept 24, 2020 13:42:22 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

Fair. Of course, the other caveat is that we are over a month from any of this, so who knows what the world and infection rates will look like then. If things get worse in the winter, as some expect, then there may be no season whatsoever. You cannot put college basketball players in a bubble like the NBA, so there's really no viable option without travel.

I actually don't think this is true. The infection rates don't get better unless you take some active measure against them. Florida is going to do nothing to curb spread. We know Florida is going to still be bad in a month.

[HometownHoya]

I honestly see no issue with a road trip with the 4 teams listed and then quarantining after. The schedule can be made that the 4 games are in a two week period then we quarantine (assumeding a slightly less then 14 days or with an exception for a game or two only in the meantime). Scheduling is actually going to be harder for those teams to visit us then it will be for us to visit them.

As much as I wish that we were playing UVA, Kansas, or UCLA this year...I have no issue with this decision. Yes Disney will handle the tournament logistics but it opens a can of worms that is not worth dealing with. TBH I wish the organizers of these tournaments would just delay for a year with the same teams rather then force something weird like the Battle of Atlantis in the Dakotas.

[LCPolo18]

To put things into context, Georgetown is not the only team backing out of these tournaments, and a lot of games/tournaments are being canceled/moved, so we'll see where things end up when a schedule is finalized. Also keep in mind that the Big East is trying to start conference games December 12th, which doesn't give much time between November 25th and December 12th for scheduling non-conference games.

[saxagael]

Sept 25, 2020 9:28:28 GMT -5 HometownHoya said:

I honestly see no issue with a road trip with the 4 teams listed and then quarantining after. The schedule can be made that the 4 games are in a two week period then we quarantine (assumeding a slightly less then 14 days or with an exception for a game or two only in the meantime). Scheduling is actually going to be harder for those teams to visit us then it will be for us to visit them.

As much as I wish that we were playing UVA, Kansas, or UCLA this year...I have no issue with this decision. Yes Disney will handle the tournament logistics but it opens a can of worms that is not worth dealing with. TBH I wish the organizers of these tournaments would just delay for a year with the same teams rather then force something weird like the Battle of Atlantis in the Dakotas.

You do realize quarantine means no practice and no outside contact? So, essentially shutting down all basketball activities for 14 days after returning.