This may seem heretical, but .........

[HoyaChris]

As I am watching the game and watching Jonathan Wallace get into the lane and score off of an assortment of floaters and other soft layups that catch all sorts of rim before going down, and I am seized by the idea that I have seen this before. And I have.

There is a world of difference in their quickness, but Jon reminds me of none other than Charles Smith in the way he attacks the basket.

For some reason I find this concept quite disturbing.

[SFHoya99]

I wasn't a fan in those days, so as I watched him do that all day, I thought, if he ges a bit better at that, he can annoy opposing fans as much as Josh Pace annoyed me.

There's no defense for it.

[hoyalove4ever]

Wallace has made significant improvements and has some elements of Smitty's game. However, old # 13 was a much better athlete and could flat-out score. He remains my favorite Hoya of all time.

[GPHoya]

Because Wallace has always been so mature and poised, I made the mistake of thinking that he would not improve after his freshman year. Clearly wrong. He has developed much more confidence in his ability to penetrate and finish--all the while keeping control and making good choices. For those of us who remember Charles Smith for all four years (as I know Hoya Chris does), his steady improvement year over year was remarkable. While he is probably quicker than Wallace and a much better defender (remember JT II always talked about recruiting him as a defensive specialist) there are similarities that make the comparison apt. If nothing else, they share a common attribute of being easy kids to love as a fan. If Jeff Green were not so special, Wallace would be people's choice on this team.

[guru]

Speaking of Smitty, is he still in jail? I noticed he wasn't one of the returning alums today. Anyone know what's up with him - and if he's still in, when he's due to get out? He was one of my favorite Hoyas.

[MCIGuy]

guru said:

Speaking of Smitty, is he still in jail? I noticed he wasn't one of the returning alums today. Anyone know what's up with him - and if he's still in, when he's due to get out? He was one of my favorite Hoyas.

Charles Smith has been out of jail for a long time. He only had a short stint behind bars I believe.

[CO_Hoya]

He actually got a few games with the T-wolves after getting out.

Basketball reference profile link

[GIGAFAN99]

Alright I'm an idiot. Why was Smitty in jail? He works for a non-profit in DC now, right?

[HoyaChris]

Charles Smith went to jail in a drunk driving fatality in the city of Boston. I believe he hit a pedestrian.

[757hoyafan]

he was drunk & he hit at least 1 person, I think he or she died. from what I remember it was after he was drafted by the C's....

[SirSaxa]

The worst part was, he drove away. It was a fatal hit and run accident.
Terribly unfortunate.
Pops went to visit him in prison... never let him down.

[MCIGuy]

I think two co-eds were killed as a result of his driving drunk. It was hit and run I think but he was pulled over by police a short time later. I think Ben Gillery was a passenger in the car with him.

Years later one day after a game John Thompson had the team bus pull into a prison facility. With the team waiting inside Thompson and maybe a couple of the other coaches visited Charles in jail. Thompson reportedly broke down in tears.

[Locker]

Back to Wallace -- one edge he does have over Smitty is the rate at which he hits open threes. Jon is turning into one of the great open three point shooters in the country.

Smitty still better hitting perimeter shots with a man in his face.

[Saxa71]

What Charles Smith did was horribly wrong but he served his time and I hope he is a better person for the experience. The one thing that he had over Wallace was that he played suffocating defense. Old School Hoya!

[hoya73]

Wallace's defense has improved tremendously. He's not the liability he sometimes was freshman year. He compensates for other guards being quicker by improved court positioning.
The quick Curry from Providence didn't blow by him the way he blew by UConn guards today.
Devan Downey got blanked, despite also being touted for quickness. He may be as good a defender as Charles Smith by the time he's done.

[Saxa71]

"Devan Downey got blanked, despite also being touted for quickness. He may be as good a defender as Charles Smith by the time he's done."

Hoya73 I hope you are right

[MCIGuy]

Wallace is definitely providing more of a contribution his first two seasons than Smith. But Wallace joined a program that was in disarray. Smith joined a more stable program a couple of years removed from a national championship so the competition for playing time was greater. But lets not forget his last two seasons, especially his senior year when he was Big East Player of the Year, Second Team All American and led his team to a Big East Championship while being the Hoyas' leading scorer. Is Wallace going to do that?

[guru]

THanks for the Smitty update. I figured he was probably out. Wish he had been there today

[HoyaChris]

It was not my intention to state (or infer) that I thought that John Wallace had Big East MVP potential. My only point was that when he gets in the lane he throws up a lot of soft junk that has an unusual (and very pleasing) tendency to fall through the basket.

I think SFHoya's comparison to Josh Pace was quite apt.

[RDF]

Wallace plays with perfect demeanor for a PG and he reminds me of Michael Jackson more than any PG we've had since Michael ran the point. Love the team's demeanor and Bob Wetzel complimented the team and Jeff on this---first telecast I can remember Sean McDonough being so openly complimentary about Georgetown-ever. Him being a Cuse alum and hating Pops and Hoya style--he seemed to be enjoying the team style and class of the program--which was shocking for me to hear.