calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 28, 2020 11:58:04 GMT -5
Ouch, between this and a shortened OOC, a quality BE record is going to be an uphill climb. Maybe the preseason poll having us 11th had seen our schedule. That is a tough start, but I think picking us as 11th has more to do with our unproven roster than anything else. The primary pieces we are returning are Wahab (who had a very promising freshman year, and I am excited to see him develop), Pickett (who despite hype for the last three years, has never lived up to it), and Blair (who has been solid, but would be a role player at best on most Big East teams). We lost Yurtseven, and McClung. The big wild card is the incoming class and transfers. If we want to make any sort of statement in the Big East, it's going to have to come from a combination of Wahab/Pickett/Blair stepping up, and some of the new guys stepping up. I hope it happens, and will be rooting for it to happen, but realistically, it's easy to see why we were picked 11th. After following the Hoyas for nearly four decades, I can never remember a year with more unknowns about the roster and their capabilities. I know that based upon recruiting rankings expectations should be very low, but the influx of three transfers, the impact of Coach Crouch who seems to have a good way of connecting and motivating players, the glimpse of what Ewing could do with essentially a 5 person team last year, and the fact that this COVID year is likely to play havoc on practice times of every other team as well, gives me some hope that this team may exceed expectations, particularly later in the season. Starting with Nova and Connecticut is certainly not a dream scenario, particularly playing Nova without any fans, but who knows.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 26, 2020 9:09:38 GMT -5
That's not the point. The issue is this cry for limitations of player use EVERY season from fans on this site. Such limitations, imo, would lead to another multi-player exodus which would just add to the narrative of instability within the program. Also I'm not certain Ewing didn't kind of push Carter out the door. This year, I actually think a wider rotation might be warranted because we do not have a lengthy OOC to try guys out and see what they can do. If it turns out the talent level is fairly flat, then a 10+ rotation might make sense initially, but if we are still doing that by February, it would probably mean we are pretty bad. I believe in a 10 man rotation and in some instances would not object to one more or less. I think in a world of transfers it is important to have some experience at every position on the floor. Last season was a mess with departures, suspensions and injuries but may be closer to what will be common in the future than people like to think. This is particularly true if the NCAA adopts the proposed transfer rule. Always a fan of teams that can play 2 deep at every position as it allows for the type of uptempo game on offense and defense that I enjoy watching. Lots of successful programs have gone with a longer bench and rotation despite the type of tempo. Not suggesting that in the conference games you don't go with the players who are most effective, but that can change from game to game. Still teams have to be ready for the unexpected. Transfers (even in-season), injuries, illness ( a new concern) and slumps dictate that a team that plays with a smaller 7-8 person rotation is at risk. How many times last season in conference did the Hoyas simply breakdown late in game after playing mostly 5-7 players, depending upon health. Agree that this year more than ever it may be necessary to have the deeper rotation as I doubt anyone is quite certain what we have with this massive influx of new players.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 25, 2020 8:00:39 GMT -5
Was hoping the Hoyas would be a part of the Mohegan bubble. Not certain 3 "local" non-conference games is enough when trying to bring in so many new players. Any way you cut it Ewing is going to need to play a lot of kids with no experience in the Big East or at the collegiate level. Also factor in a kid like Wilson is a redshirt and Wahab had very limited PT. I know there is little time between November 25th and the December 11th start for the BE, but a bubble with a tournament type schedule could get you 3 games in 3 days to go with WV and the local teams.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 22, 2020 15:52:01 GMT -5
It will be interesting to see what Wahab can become if there is a more natural 4 playing along side him this year. Thought that Pickett was a surprisingly good rebounder last year but not stout enough against the bigger players.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 21, 2020 6:56:37 GMT -5
So sorry to learn of your wife's passing. 61 years together! You were truly blessed. Along with your 4 children you still have your extended Hoya family.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 19, 2020 16:18:04 GMT -5
I was also a little concerned by some of the comments, but only if it is true that no explanation was offered to questions from a player, but ultimately it's Ewing's team, and Ewing's recruits and he gets to make the decisions. Last year is virtually impossible to evaluate, but the two prior years help to offer glimpses as to what Ewing might be or not be as a coach. He has a desire to play quickly. He would like to use a deeper rotation than he could last year. He has failed yet to improve the defense of the team even though each year has featured a very different set and type of player. He has an ambitious approach to recruiting by offering many players, including very highly ranked players, but has at least this year had to settle for a collection of very unheralded recruits and transfers. Lots of questions, few answers and the hopes of Hoya nation riding on his success. Keep saying that this is a very important year for Ewing and I do not believe that results should be ignored. Expectations are probably as low as they have been in my memory and the bar is set very low. If he cannot exceed that low level of expectations then he is probably not the right guy to turn this around. I think that that is a very reasonable means by which to evaluate the coach and one that would not be questioned if his last name was not Ewing and his coaching roots were not traceable to Big John. "I think that that is a very reasonable means by which to evaluate the coach and one that would not be questioned if his last name was not Ewing and his coaching roots were not traceable to Big John". Do not forget he's tied to the Van Gundy's, Ray, Riley, Jordan etc etc etc. I think if I were a player on Georgetown's team, I would rather listen to coach than listen to my teammate whose belly aching. We'll see how far Omer gets with his basketball career. I hope he makes the hall of fame and coach for 15 years in the NBA. Do not forget guys, Omer was only here for one year. We have other players that will be walking the halls of Georgetown who will be coached by Ewing in the foreseeable future. Fair enough and I completely agree that Ewing came with significant recommendations and training. However, my point is that going forward he can and should be judged as any other coach heading into his 4th year at a program that still has some national cachet, even if diminished.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 19, 2020 15:17:16 GMT -5
I was also a little concerned by some of the comments, but only if it is true that no explanation was offered to questions from a player, but ultimately it's Ewing's team, and Ewing's recruits and he gets to make the decisions. Last year is virtually impossible to evaluate, but the two prior years help to offer glimpses as to what Ewing might be or not be as a coach. He has a desire to play quickly. He would like to use a deeper rotation than he could last year. He has failed yet to improve the defense of the team even though each year has featured a very different set and type of player. He has an ambitious approach to recruiting by offering many players, including very highly ranked players, but has at least this year had to settle for a collection of very unheralded recruits and transfers. Lots of questions, few answers and the hopes of Hoya nation riding on his success. Keep saying that this is a very important year for Ewing and I do not believe that results should be ignored. Expectations are probably as low as they have been in my memory and the bar is set very low. If he cannot exceed that low level of expectations then he is probably not the right guy to turn this around. I think that that is a very reasonable means by which to evaluate the coach and one that would not be questioned if his last name was not Ewing and his coaching roots were not traceable to Big John.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 15, 2020 15:25:53 GMT -5
I am just hoping that there is a season so that this is a relevant discussion. My fear is that sports seasons are going to start being cancelled based upon the events starting to unfold in NCAA football, plus the second wave of this COVID pandemic that appears to be spreading again.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 9, 2020 7:47:27 GMT -5
Is this really an issue or just the result of COVID fatigue? The goal should always be to bring in players with the confidence and belief that they can and should play significant minutes right away. That is exactly what you want--kids with that level of self-confidence and hopefully the ability to back it up. However there are risks in recruiting highly confident kids and the real challenge is for the coaches to figure out how to balance the egos and still field an unselfish and cohesive team. Even the most successful coaches cannot always do that--look at the transfers that occur regularly now from the blue blood programs.
Ewing faced this challenge with McClung and Akinjo and ultimately could not find the happy medium to keep both (or either) players satisfied while also utilizing the other players on the team. In the process some other players lost opportunities to develop while we fans suffered through long stretches of watching two alpha guards chuck up shots from every angle and corner of the court and fail to get their teammates involved. I think that Ewing's offense and hopefully aggressive defense can involve enough of these kids to reduce the risk of unhappiness. But it is almost inevitable there will be some unhappiness and some transfers--it goes with the territory of major college basketball.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 8, 2020 6:49:28 GMT -5
How can anyone know about what this team is for the coming year. So many new faces that only recently came together. A coaching staff that has yet to prove it can coach defense. No proven depth. Saw flashes from Ewing last year but that was with a very small rotation comprised of veteran players and Wahab. Can he do that with this group of unheralded prospects? At this point I would be very surprised if they make the NIT, much less the tourney, but as always remain hopeful that this is the right coach, these are the right players and now it comes together.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 24, 2020 12:01:49 GMT -5
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.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 23, 2020 11:56:51 GMT -5
Will be rooting hard for Pickett and Blair this year. Kids have both endured a lot in their Hoya careers and stayed loyal to the program when others bailed. Never complained about not getting the ball (Pickett) or playing time (Blair) when other flashier recruits came on board and were given the spotlight. Unselfish players and by all accounts good teammates.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 22, 2020 12:10:17 GMT -5
Are the Hoyas required to play home games at the Capitol One Arena even in the absence of fans?
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 31, 2020 7:33:35 GMT -5
On a personal level he inspired men like my father who relished the sight of this massive man dominating the sideline like no other black coach had done before, (with apologies to John Chaney). He defiantly introduced social issues into a sport that had too long ignored them. He preached that young basketball players could and should aspire to be more than their skills on the court. He defied many of the conventional wisdoms of his day and demanded to be seen and heard even to the point of engendering hate from opposing fans and those in the media who resented his controlled access to his players, preferring instead to remind them of the importance of school as they entered their freshmen year. Not a saint by any means but someone who found a platform to make a difference and used it despite criticisms from casual fans who resented this intruder who did not play by the rules that had been accepted for too long. A big physical presence on the court and an even bigger presence off the court.
I met this man several times and he was anything but the intimidating presence so often portrayed in the media. I remember him listening patiently as my then-elderly, mother explained his importance to my father, and teasing her that my mother could have done better. I remember him coming over to us after finishing a loud conversation with another person and apologizing for cussing in front of my children and laughing his deep laugh as I told him they had heard much worse from their grandmother. I know and understand why many have long spoken of the need for the program to move on from the "Thompson era" and now it will have to. I just hope that in this transition, many of the principles he advocated will not be lost.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 20, 2020 15:31:39 GMT -5
Agree with MCI. Any team competing for a player against the Hoyas is going to bring up the negative press and transfers from last year and many parents would understandably react to that series of events. The off-court stuff was more damaging than results on the court. Without assigning fault or guessing who did or didn't do something it should be obvious to all that the program has has taken a major hit and that it is imperative for Ewing to erase as soon as possible the image of a dysfunctional program spiraling downward out of control.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 17, 2020 8:40:45 GMT -5
Plan B. Plan C. Plan D. The staff is putting in the work across the board. No reason to be confused. Maybe dizzy is a better term. No one can question the staff's efforts coming off a disappointing year.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 14, 2020 12:06:46 GMT -5
Aminu is the first five-star player Coach Ewing has actually had a real shot at landing. Maybe Cole Anthony but I never felt as optimistic about him as I do for Mohammed. I hope the staff lands Ryan so we can focus all our attention on finishing the class off with Aminu. If that were to happen Georgetown would very much be back folks. We have one scholarship left for 2021! Unfortunately in the reality of today's college basketball world we could still have several openings next year, either through transfers or early departures. Ewing and his staff have to understand that possibility is more likely than not given that he has yet to have a year when there was not a transfer or departure from the team. You get the best players you can and then see how everything shakes out. Hate to see any kid recruited over but it happens all the time. It's the ugly side of the recruiting process.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 11, 2020 7:39:58 GMT -5
The way I see it, Patrick has this year and next to get things in order: recruit well, retain players, win games, contend, represent the university well both on and off the court. As far as I'm concerned he can have anyone he wants on his staff. But, if the progress isn't there in two more years, it's time to make a big change and start a new tradition, not cling to old ones. Agree with this comment with the addition that while he may realistically have two years to prove he is right for this job (or longer given his ties to the past), it is wrong not to expect significant signs of progress this coming year. Representing the university well on and off the court is not going to be an issue with Ewing. He has checked that box. Recruiting effort is also not a problem. Recruiting philosophy and results are still a work in progress. Even with some seriously talented kids that he has brought in the past couple of years, the issue has been "fit" within what he seems to want to do with his team. He gave them too much freedom and it hurt the development of the team. It will be interesting to see if any of them are given the spotlight they apparently crave on their new teams. I think that this year's unheralded (and hopefully underrated) class will show us alot about the coach. Are they a collection of leftovers or does the coach have a new vision for what he wants and the ability to develop this group of kids into a team that can perform as a cohesive unit. I still cling to the hope that what we saw after the departures of Akinjo, LeBlanc and the others was a reflection of what Ewing can do with a group of kids focused on "we" and not "me." But if there are no signs of progress this year, I am not certain why it will be any different in another year.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 10, 2020 14:35:13 GMT -5
If the last two years of JT3's time at Georgetown were a slide to irrelevance, how are we describing the past 3 seasons? We had just started the climb back up the slide - when we lost our footing and slid back down. Now we are starting that slow climb again. Agree with this, except that I think that there is no need to accept that it must be a slow climb to relevancy. Transfers are not an excuse, and it is possible to restore credibility relatively quickly. With the right combination of players Ewing can prove that this year--hopefully.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 7, 2020 10:54:25 GMT -5
It seems unrealistic in this "new normal" for college athletics to assume that there will be no transfers in any given year. Having lost 4 starters from last year's opening game roster--every one of whom had remaining eligibility--it seems prudent for the coaches to keep all recruiting channels open even at positions of apparent redundancy. Would like to see Mutombo come, but also do not think that there can be a hold on any scholarship for a legacy recruit who has not yet committed.
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