Green's Departure May Be Good For Program

[sleepyjackson21]

Seriously, how the heck do people on here think he didn't make a good decision. He obviously took the time to weigh everything and then decided what was best for him. That's it, case closed. Wish the kid well and move on.

[NCHoya]

I am really happy for Jeff because with all the thought he put into this decision I am sure he made the right one. I think with Green, the PR and media attention the Hoyas would get would be so valuable for future recruiting and put us back in conversation of elite programs. That is why I cannot agree that Green leaving is good for our program. This does open up some minutes for our younger guys so I guess that is a good thing.

But overall, I feel like Jeff definitely made the right choice. When you look at the teams that may draft him, there is a lot to like. Major markets like Boston, Philly and Chicago are in position to take him while what I would consider successful franchises like Minny and Sacramento also are right there. I would be utterly disappointed if Atlanta or Charlotte selected Jeff because those two teams are not just bad, but I have seen no improvement from their young players and Jeff's maturity would be a bad fit on those rosters. I even like Memphis more with a few young guns form the Big east there to fit in with Green.

[krey23]

Minny successful? Really? Are we talking about the same teams?

[RDF]

Here's the list of who I DO NOT want Jeff playing for:

1. BLEEP PHILLY--I know big shock coming from me.

2. Minnesota--McHale is a moron and this franchise is doomed

3. Charlotte--anything to do with Jordan in Front Office is a disgrace--he'll spend more time playing golf and chasing women then trying to put together a winner--heaving forbid he might get overshadowed by product on the court.

4. Sacramento--being selected 10th in Draft would frustrate me as a Hoya fan--simply due to fact that I believe he'd have gone higher in '08 draft.

Everyone else can take Jeff. I'll support him--but any of those teams listed above and I'll be angered or frustrated in case of Kings--just hope someone trades up for him that is a good franchise--Bulls, Suns--I'm tired of hearing Jeff is Boris Diaw like--Diaw is an out of shape Frenchman who had one good playoff series with Suns and sucked this entire past year and his time in Atlanta--Green is already a superior player and will prove it next year. It's an insult to Jeff Green to be compared to a stiff like Diaw.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

sleepyjackson21 said:

Seriously, how the heck do people on here think he didn't make a good decision. He obviously took the time to weigh everything and then decided what was best for him. That's it, case closed. Wish the kid well and move on.

This is why I don't think he necessarily made the best decission:
"However, a source told ESPN.com that, at the end of the day Green got advice from numerous sources that his draft position was too good to bypass."

That sounds like GM's where in his ear to come out now or he wouldn't go as high next year.

1. I don't think that'snecessarily true.
2. for me Staying four years with my friends and trying to get that national title would be more important because I would still be going to the league the next year and still be making a boat load of money. even if i made slightly less for coming back in my mind it'd be the right decission.

It seems like jeff was leaning towards coming back until GM's got in his ear. but that's just my opinion. There's no right or wrong.
Both choices would be good for jeff. And i'm going to support him in the pros. I just would've done it differently.

[mapei]

I think Jeff probably made a fine decision for himself and his passion, which is playing basketball.

I personally don't like it when players leave "early" because it shatters one of the illusions that I like to maintain when enjoying college basketball: that even big-time athletes are in school to get an education and a degree. This hasn't actually been the case for a long time, if ever.

In reality, big-time sports are a side entertainment run by universities in order to raise money and school profiles, enjoyed by the NBA as a de facto farm system, and enjoyed by us as entertainment. There is a wink and a nod to academics and, for players who aren't good enough for the pros and who couldn't afford school otherwise, it may be more than a wink and a nod. But not for the pro-caliber players whose life goal really is to make it in the NBA. For those guys maybe the academics provide a side benefit, but that isn't why they are there.

I enjoy college sports more when I can put my head in the sand and pretend otherwise. But that's not the case today.

I think Jeff represented us extremely well while he was on the Hilltop, and I certainly enjoyed watching his extraordinary athletic grace on the basketball court. He was an awesome player and likeable all the way through. I congratulate him and wish him nothing but the best.

[theexorcist]

One of the reasons I root for Georgetown is that, for all intents and purposes, Georgetown is run the "right" way. Students who attend are groomed to become successful in all they do.

Given that, I find a problem with saying that somebody suckered Jeff. He's intelligent. He made a decision that had no obvious answer, with pros and cons on both sides.

If we're going to continue to laud Georgetown for producing fine men and women, we can't take the line that someone whispering in Jeff's ear swayed his decision.

[nodak89]

If you were offered a chance to go to Med School/Law School/grad school with free tuition and and extra $100K per annum stipend for spending money--or for that matter how about Wall Street/State Dept dream job-- during the summer between Jr and Sr years, would you take it and not graduate from Swift Potomac's Lovely Daughter?

How do you not?

Mr. Langston Hughes said it thusly...

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Congratulations, Jeff! Proud to have you as a fellow Hoya!

[Dhall]

I think it's most likely that Jeff suckered the NBA and the arbitrary rules about entering the draft. My guess would be that he knew all along he wanted to go to the NBA but showed some "doubts" in order to get NBA executives to show him their hand and possibly make commitments to him in advance. Smart business decision.

[mapei]

That sounds very plausible, Dhall.

[joey0403p]

"Posted by sleepy on Yesterday at 3:41pm
Thats true KCHOYA, but we probably still won't win a championship that year or next year, and i REALLY REALLY think Roy Jwall Pat and Crawford DESERVE a championship. Just thinking about this whole situation makes me mad. If Jeff Green had played better offensivly against Ohio St than we would have been in the Championship game, and likely won, considering this Hoya team was out for revenge agains the Gators. I know its not his fault we lost, but still, he has to take a little responsibily for not playing well.
Next year, had he stayed, we could pretty much sleep walk through to the final four, and i have 110% once they got there they would have won it all. BUT Jeff decides not to return, making Jons, Roys, Tys, and Pats job THAT much harder. I'm sorry, but if the seniors don't leave here with the nets from San Antonio around their nexts, part of me is always going to be mad at Jeff Green. And yes I do realize that he couldn't care less what I think of him. "


Wow Sleepy that was completely uncalled for, I can't believe you would be so selfish?

I would have loved Jeff to come back, but you know what he made a decision that I can live with. If I had been offered 3 - 5 m my junior year I wouldn't have come back to school, are you serious? Being upset at Jeff? Really, Really?

Jeff, shot the cuffs baby.

[RDF]

hoyasincebirth said:

sleepyjackson21 said:

Seriously, how the heck do people on here think he didn't make a good decision. He obviously took the time to weigh everything and then decided what was best for him. That's it, case closed. Wish the kid well and move on.

This is why I don't think he necessarily made the best decission:
"However, a source told ESPN.com that, at the end of the day Green got advice from numerous sources that his draft position was too good to bypass."

That sounds like GM's where in his ear to come out now or he wouldn't go as high next year.

1. I don't think that'snecessarily true.
2. for me Staying four years with my friends and trying to get that national title would be more important because I would still be going to the league the next year and still be making a boat load of money. even if i made slightly less for coming back in my mind it'd be the right decission.

It seems like jeff was leaning towards coming back until GM's got in his ear. but that's just my opinion. There's no right or wrong.
Both choices would be good for jeff. And i'm going to support him in the pros. I just would've done it differently.

Well come next Thursday night--we'll find out if he got good advice or not--but no turning back now.

[Deleted]

Jeff ate the banana. Same principle, just a different banana.

Good for Jeff.

[sleepy]

I already said i wasn't mad at Jeff, but just took it out on him in that post, AND i apologized for it.LOl. Second of all i do still believe that it the Seniors who stayed DESERVE a Championship when they walk out of here, and Jeff would have made that A LOT easier, but like I said, he couldn't resist temptation, not like anyone could even blame him.
The day after the news, i still don't know what to think about next year. I mean i remeber almost all year, being terrified when Jeff wasn't on the floor, about what this team would do. Then, idk when, i started being ok with just Jon on the floor. By the tournament though, i felt fine with anyone one the floor, and i trusted them. It will be interesting to see how this team develoups through next year without Jeff.

[joey0403p]

IMO - we will have a similar year to last year. We will have some growing paings early on (though probably not as severe as the ODU loss) and we will end up pretty good. (I hope FF and NC good, but maybe not)

Speculating on next year is what this board is about now. There are a lot of IFs with our team right now. If Roy continues to improve / can stay out of foul trouble. If the two new young guns can / will mesh. If V Mac and tre summers make the soph leap. If PE Jr plays like he did towards the end of the year, and not like he played at the beg of the year. If J Wall realizes he is an NBA worthy PG if he gets that same nasty sreak he had for the UNC game every game / all game. If JT III manages the team well. If Chemistry develops with the guys. If we avoid the I bug.

I know that is a lot - but not more / less than other teams. I mean IF we can do that (and its not out of the question) we can and will dominate / be in the running for a FF / NC.

[sleepy]

Don't forget about Rivers, IF he develoups an outside shot, and gains some confindence, than he will be another bullet in our arsenal.

[theexorcist]

We need to recruit Snoopy for the IFs in Life.

[hoyastrong]

cam said:

Jeff ate the banana. Same principle, just a different banana.

Good for Jeff.

Very true, never saw it that way.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

for what it's worth, the poll on ESPN's CBB page is what should jeff have done. and stay in draft is ahead 59% to 41% so america doesn't seem to think it was a clear decision.

[hoyastrong]

nodak, you should write a song to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" to get us all out of the post-jeff rut. When is the next album coming out anyway?