Looking Ahead to 2008

[DanMcQ]

MSNBC - Ken Davis: Green makes Hoyas favorites for '08
Even if talented junior heads to NBA, Thompson III still could win title

1. Georgetown. Here’s a fact for Jeff Green to think about. Since 1972 there have been 100 members of the Georgetown program who have stayed in school four years — and 98 of them have received their degrees.

Green, Jonathan Wallace, and Roy Hibbert are juniors. Jessie Sapp is a sophomore. DaJuan Summers is a freshman. Coach John Thompson III is 41 years old with his best years still ahead of him.

Sounds great for the Hoyas — if they all come back. We single out Green because you’ve got to figure he is the guy Georgetown fans will have to worry about losing. The NBA knows all about him now and all kinds of people will be trying to get into his head. Hibbert probably will have some thoughts of turning pro as well, although another season in college clearly could help him achieve the consistent play that he lacks right now.

This is not a one-year fling with the Final Four for Georgetown. JT III has only been at Georgetown three years but he has made the program relevant again. It shows on the court and it shows in recruiting. Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, a pair of talented guards from the Washington area, should have an immediate impact on the program next season.

The Hoyas are the Beast of the East again. It’s not the same beast that Thompson’s father created in the 1980’s. But it’s a beast that isn’t going away any time soon.

If Green comes back for next season, the Hoyas would be our preseason favorite to win it all. If decides to turn pro, Georgetown will miss him. But the Hoyas might be good enough to go all the way without him.

[HoyaTejano]

In this era it is vital to recruit in a way that compensates for inevitable departures. UNC has done a good job of this in recent years, and now that GU has a prominent place again, so should we.

Still, that degree means alot to the identity of the program. When I was really young the thing that always resonated with everybody was that all the GU players got their degrees. It's a selling point unique in the college game.

[hoyabands]

silly mistake of having a pic of dajuan and calling him jeff in that article...otherwise an interesting read

[YB]

Stay Jeff! Get the degree, get the title and get paid as the # 2 pick!

[bubbrubbhoya]

danmcq said:

Here’s a fact for Jeff Green to think about. Since 1972 there have been 100 members of the Georgetown program who have stayed in school four years — and 98 of them have received their degrees.

I really like seeing this part in print...it's the anti-NYTimes, and it's considerably more representative of our program than that hatchet piece the other day.

It's great to see the predictions rolling in...just a reminder that Saturday's loss is already part of last season. We have so much to look forward to in the coming season, and one of the best things as far as I can see it is that last season's team has already shown that this program doesn't buckle under the pressure of expectations. With JTIII at the helm, I expect this team to keep a level-head and dominate start to finish (at the Alamo, of course).

Funniest part of the article, by the way, is that the picture of JTIII talking to "Jeff Green" is actually JTIII talking to freshman (about to be sophomore!) DaJuan Summers. Oops.

***!!!!!

[nashvillehoyas]

I am extremely optimistic for '08 season....Question, is Ewing a senior academically? Will he enroll in grad classes i.e. (D.Owens)? I believe that the development of Sapp, Rivers, with improvement of Summers and Macklin = another Final Four.

[ExcitableBoy]

nashvillehoyas said:

I am extremely optimistic for '08 season....Question, is Ewing a senior academically? Will he enroll in grad classes i.e. (D.Owens)? I believe that the development of Sapp, Rivers, with improvement of Summers and Macklin = another Final Four.

Well, I'm not sure about academics, but athletically, next year will be his last. He played two years at Indiana before coming here. Next year he'll be a senior on the court--and a darn good one at that.

[HoyaLingus]

This article brings up an excellent point... even if Jeff leaves, our front court is DaJuan, Vernon, Roy, PEJ.

Still nasty... especially if Vernon hits the weights and the treadmill this summer.

[Hoya50]

ken davis was the college basketball writer for the hartford courant until he was laid off. i always enjoyed his insights.

[KHoyaNYC]

Ken Davis was laid-off?

[lichoya68]

2008 WILL BE GREAT ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[KHoyaNYC]

I agree lichoya. #1 is no stretch to start the year.

[StoneColdHoya]

I'd like to reiterate my question from the other, now-locked thread about this article...

Can anybody verify the substance of this one sentence:

"Since 1972 there have been 100 members of the Georgetown program who have stayed in school four years — and 98 of them have received their degrees."

I guess what I'd really like to know is what percentage of the total number of guys who have come through the program in that time does the 100 and 98 represent...seems to me it would be a pretty high percentage.

[rosslynhoya]

Those who stay get their degrees, but we seem to lose quite almost a quarter of our players before they make four years.

Just by eyeballing the History Project's list of Georgetown recruits since 1972, it looks like there have been about 130 members, not counting un-recruited walkons (Gaughan, Bolden, et al.) who probably help to pad that 100 number.

hoyabasketball.com/rosters/bb-recruits.htm

[DanMcQ]

stonecoldhoya said:

I'd like to reiterate my question from the other, now-locked thread about this article...

Can anybody verify the substance of this one sentence:

"Since 1972 there have been 100 members of the Georgetown program who have stayed in school four years — and 98 of them have received their degrees."

I guess what I'd really like to know is what percentage of the total number of guys who have come through the program in that time does the 100 and 98 represent...seems to me it would be a pretty high percentage.

Mr. Muir has some answers for you in today's Washnigton Post:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/03/AR2007040301640.html

Since 1996, of the players who played four seasons of men's basketball at Georgetown, 16 of 17 received degrees.