calhoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by calhoya on Oct 24, 2023 16:57:22 GMT -5
I am not sure why this is an issue at all. Of course the Providence fans will hate on Cooley for a very long time and as they do it will always be a media topic. I think that what he did was a good career move for him but a major slap in the face of the program that helped him achieve success and earn that big contract. Imagine if after all his success with the Hoyas , Big John had decided to return to Providence where he played ball. I don't think that the Hoya fans or the media would give him a pass for years. The haters would be all over him.
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calhoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by calhoya on Oct 23, 2023 11:42:52 GMT -5
While it is not exactly meaningless, the results of the pre-season scrimmages are not something to get worked up over. I have attended several of these around SoCal over the years and these events are to allow coaches and players to experiment with lineups and their offensive and defensive systems. They are nothing more than a snapshot in time of where a team is at. Playing without Heath and Massoud (for much of the game) is going to skew the importance of the outcome as well.
With the Hoyas, the more concerning part is the injury to Massoud. However, this may accelerate the development of Fielder and particularly in the pre-season when most of the games should not be against BE caliber squads. Never could understand Ewing's reluctance to play his bench in games that were blowouts (either for or against us). Hopefully Cooley does not adopt the same approach.
I think that this season is going to be a challenge, but do not believe that Cooley should get a pass. However, it's not necessarily the results that will matter the most but how the kids are playing come February. Is there growth? A defense worthy of BE play? Some semblance of an offensive system that is team-oriented? That is going to matter a hell of a lot more than the outcomes of scrimmages against Wake Forest and Pitt.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 12, 2023 17:35:12 GMT -5
I agree with 2003's post with one caveat. Too many folks are looking at Georgetown and making assumptions about this year based upon last year. While that kind of comparison historically had validity, the fact that the Hoyas were a 200+ ranked team on KenPom last year is pretty much irrelevant in an era of free agency when all but 3 players have left and there are 11 new players on the roster, including walk-ons. I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist about this season---until I see them play a few games I have no idea what this team is or what it will become. The goal is for the team to be significantly better in February than they are in November.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 12, 2023 13:22:57 GMT -5
Would like to see defense, perimeter shooting, absence of selfish "my turn" basketball and most importantly significantly more people in the stands. Would be nice to see the attendance for the cupcakes in the 6,000 range and for games with Syracuse and TCU over 10,000.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 9, 2023 17:01:16 GMT -5
Have watched the Princeton and Xavier games and just do not see how this team will score against quality defenses. The team does not pass anywhere near as well as recent versions. Too much dribbling as noted by RG and often poor touch. On the defensive end no complaints but you have got to score to win.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 5, 2023 7:03:58 GMT -5
Lots of excuses on why we won’t be good right away. It’s easy to build slowly and set expectations low while you take in $6 million. Well done. Dear god, can you imagine Pitino saying it’s going to take time? Agree it's very hard to hear words suggesting that this rebuild will be slow or reading about efforts to lower expectations for this season, particularly when you are an older alum and when one of the coaching alternatives up the coast has seemingly turned around a St. Johns program in a few months. Could Pitino have done better--it seems so, but no one beats the clock and it is not a question of if but rather when he slows down, loses some intensity or is no longer able to sustain the effort required to maintain a high level program. Let's see how that plays out this year. It is true that in today's environment quick turnarounds are possible. This year's team fell short in some recruiting battles and I have serious concerns about the composition. But I cannot imagine how Cooley could recruit many quality transfer players with just a single year of eligibility left to come play in a program that has embarrassed itself for a couple of years on the court in front of an empty arena and with an Administration that was seemingly unconcerned about the lack of success. What I am looking forward to seeing is how these kids compare in February to what they will be in November. That is always an indicator of coaching ability, barring injuries. If there is notable improvement it will be worth waiting a year.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Oct 4, 2023 16:22:10 GMT -5
I share 2003's cautious optimism. While I was somewhat neutral on Cooley originally, no complaints about his effort and willingness to engage with the campus community, former players and the fans. As for how quickly this program can turnaround, as I get older I have less patience and time for long rebuilds, but it is my hope that after years of underperforming the level of talent on the team, a competent coaching staff can help this year's team overperform any limitations due to the size or composition of the roster. Also believe that in the world of college free agency, quick turnarounds are very possible. If this team is recognized in February for having improved over the course of the year then a strong recruiting class for 2024 will become even stronger.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 14, 2023 20:27:09 GMT -5
First opportunity to see the Lady Hoyas play and it was a very unimpressive performance. Some of the worst passing I have seen from the women’s team in years. Poor touches and giving the ball up to pressure much too easily. Not sure if this is normal or just a very “off night” but have to believe that they can do better.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 13, 2023 18:15:45 GMT -5
This is the team. I will be rooting hard for this group to succeed. We have an experienced coach and assistants and I am optimistic they can get more out of this group than we have seen the past couple of years when we had many more scholarship players. Never thought next year was going to be a tournament team. If they are competitive, unselfish on offense and play respectable defense it will be an improvement. Lot's of guards means problems on the boards but if we have some shooters and some slashers it can be hard on an opposing team as well. The key will be whether Cooley can adapt his scheme to the talent on hand.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Sept 8, 2023 11:47:53 GMT -5
I reluctantly agree that there should be some limits on the ability of a student athlete to transfer a second or third time, but I would be more generous with waivers than most. Perhaps you can prevent a second time transfer from getting NIL unless they sit out a year. Maybe they can avoid sitting out a year if they transfer prior to May 1st to give their former team an opportunity to find a replacement. Not certain how to limit but I have a real problem strictly limiting such transfers. Coaches, who enjoy freedom to leave at any time, athletic directors who are free to terminate a coaching staff at any time, and fans who do not want to see their team disrupted, are certainly not going to want more freedom to transfer, but these are not exactly neutral observers.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 31, 2023 15:42:51 GMT -5
Never expected UConn to come back to the BE and do not expect them to stay if they ever get an invite to leave. Only if football is carved out from the remainder of the sports would it make sense for them to stick in the BE.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 30, 2023 13:36:20 GMT -5
The current system of free agency puts a premium on quality coaches who are able to integrate new players every year and form cohesive units. I think that the coaches who have successfully relied upon transfers, as is the case with Arkansas, will thrive. Those who cannot quickly incorporate new players each year will not. It's not just about NIL, though that is going to be the major incentive for some transfers. It's about a winning program, post-collegiate opportunities, proximity to family and in some instances even educational opportunities. As I think about these factors, it seems to me that Georgetown is well-positioned to attract players and to retain them assuming Cooley can prove to be a winning coach who can adjust to personnel changes. He's got a great recruiting base, a nationally strong conference with lots of exposure, plays in an NBA arena and seemingly a winning personality.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 29, 2023 12:23:53 GMT -5
Like some here, Cooley was not my first choice but he's here now, seemingly making a major effort to promote the program and also made a very aggressive effort to recruit kids to turn this program around. Very happy that they kept the 3 players they did and not worrying about any who chose to leave. I am not getting worked up over the misses on the recruiting trail and I am excited to see what Cooley can do this coming year.
I think that it is easy to forget just how far down this program had fallen over the past few years. I cannot understand why any high quality transfer with only 1-2 years of eligibility left would want to come to be part of a massive rebuild. I know that Pitino (not my choice for coach either) seemingly was able to bring in high level talent, but Pitino is in a very small group of coaches who have proven repeatedly they are able to produce immediate results. Good for St. Johns but 4 years from now they will likely be looking for a new coach. Let's just hold off on the early report cards on Cooley and judge him by what he accomplishes on the court this year. If you hold his recruiting class in low regard then any positive results with this team should be that much more impressive.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 28, 2023 15:53:29 GMT -5
I have tempered my expectations for this season. However, I am really looking forward to seeing what a new coach, new system and new players can put together. Felt exactly the same way when Akinjo and McClung were Freshmen. I am just hoping that the team plays as an unselfish unit, rather than a repeat of the "beauty' contest that Akinjo and McClung seemed to engage in on a game-to-game basis. I am very excited for some of the new players, excited for Mutombo to finally get a chance to play, hoping for a good year out of Heath and Bristol who chose to stay, expecting that the team can improve significantly in its perimeter game and hoping that this team can guard the perimeter and avoid some of the embarrassing defensive lapses that became the hallmark of the past several years. I have no doubt that this team has a long hill to climb, but in the new reality of "free agency" it should take nowhere near as long to restore some semblance of competency to a program with a rich history, fertile recruiting grounds and a coach willing to promote the program on and off the court.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 27, 2023 21:31:13 GMT -5
Most high school seasons end in March, including the season in Pa.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 14, 2023 14:52:37 GMT -5
Time to find out if and to what extent Ryan can contribute. Honestly, while this team is thin in the middle the loss of Akok is unfortunate but probably not all bad. Having a senior take up minutes in what is clearly going to be a rebuilding year is not that great. Already will devote a considerable amount of playing time to two seniors in Cook and Massoud. If Akok stayed there would be even less time for Fielder, Ryan and McKenna. Lots of teams have had great success in recent years without playing a true 5 in the starting lineup. Hoyas will have one true 5 in Cook, though a little undersized, and a good amount of height at all the other positions. So if Cook is the only true five what is Mutombo? Fair point and my oversight. That's what happens when a kid sits for two years without any real opportunity to play.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 14, 2023 9:22:03 GMT -5
Time to find out if and to what extent Ryan can contribute. Honestly, while this team is thin in the middle the loss of Akok is unfortunate but probably not all bad. Having a senior take up minutes in what is clearly going to be a rebuilding year is not that great. Already will devote a considerable amount of playing time to two seniors in Cook and Massoud. If Akok stayed there would be even less time for Fielder, Ryan and McKenna. Lots of teams have had great success in recent years without playing a true 5 in the starting lineup. Hoyas will have one true 5 in Cook, though a little undersized, and a good amount of height at all the other positions.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 10, 2023 16:57:18 GMT -5
It's a shame to lose him as I would like to see what Cooley could have done with him. I was frustrated last year that his offense consisted of spot up corner shots from beyond the perimeter. Also thought his mobility could have been used much better on offense. However, this year there should be plenty of minutes for everyone and that hopefully includes Ryan and the Freshmen. Who knows maybe there is someone left in the portal that Cooley can bring in to help the depleted post position.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 8, 2023 15:27:28 GMT -5
If it is just basketball AND soccer then you would have additionally Portland and Santa Clara AND cross country again Portland and Gonzaga. But in 20 years tackle football would be replaced by flag football, so what's the big deal on the football playing schools. By my recollection the West Coast Catholic schools other than Gonzaga include Seattle University, Portland, San Francisco, St. Mary's, Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, and San Diego. Most play in small venues but at least San Francisco and St. Mary's have fielded good or decent basketball teams. Cannot really trash Loyola's program either since they trashed the Hoyas just last year in Jamaica. All that said I am not in favor of adding any schools to the BE right now but would prefer to sse how things play out with the ACC first.
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calhoya
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Post by calhoya on Aug 4, 2023 16:03:57 GMT -5
What is comical about this is that a Stanford is left out of the expansion while schools from major conferences, like Vanderbilt, Kansas, Rutgers etc. are in the so-called football elite even though these schools have nowhere near the football success as Stanford. Best case for the Mountain West is to merge with the survivors of the PAC-12. It would be a decent and improving football conference and an increasingly powerful conference in basketball and the Olympic sports.
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