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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:04:33 GMT -5
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 6, 2005 14:04:33 GMT -5
Nothing can take away from the excitement that I feel right now about our program and its future. I do not care if Chevy Troutman had a case of the colly-wobbles or whatever. The fact is that we beat a team last night that very few people expected us to beat. Certainly nobody outside of the GU community would have argued that we'd beat Pitt with a straight face.
Well... We showed up and proved something last night for anybody who doubts JT3's ability as a coach. This is not to say that our players didn't win the game because they did, but they are the same players who needed overtime against Norfolk State. As such, I believe that the coaching staff offered some "added value" along the way because not just any team shows up at beats Pitt in their own gym. Congratulations to the staff for whatever they did to prepare the team for a great victory!
All excitement aside, we must also temper our thoughts in the midst of a great victory. Now, I do not want to whiz on the parade, but we also need to be realistic. We are still a team that starts three freshmen and we are still the team that needed overtime against Norfolk State. This brings me back to my motto for the season, "We are never as good or as bad as we think we are."
This means that we must prepare every game as if we are playing a top team because last night showed how anybody can beat anybody in the Big East. St. John's is not a guaranteed two wins and neither is Rutgers. At the same time, UCONN is not guaranteed a win when they show up this weekend.
On a side note, someone should send a memo to ESPN. There was poor coverage of the GU-Pitt game in comparison to other things that nobody cares about, like WVU-Villanova.
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KHoyaNYC
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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:06:15 GMT -5
Post by KHoyaNYC on Jan 6, 2005 14:06:15 GMT -5
I actually thought ESPN did a good job of updating during the Duke/Princeton game, except once the video didn't play like it should have.
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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:13:47 GMT -5
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 6, 2005 14:13:47 GMT -5
My comments are more directed toward the Sportscenter coverage, which was minimal in comparison to the other games.
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SFHoya99
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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:16:04 GMT -5
Post by SFHoya99 on Jan 6, 2005 14:16:04 GMT -5
My comments are more directed toward the Sportscenter coverage, which was minimal in comparison to the other games. Agree. If Duke had hit 6 straight threes and nine of twelve in the first, we would've had a montage. Or if Daniel Ewing had shot like Ashanti, gushing would have occurred. But I think we just got video of the last three plays.
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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:16:13 GMT -5
Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Jan 6, 2005 14:16:13 GMT -5
ESPN also has a Katz article talking about the conferences and who has good W's & good L's as well as bad L's. G'town isn't even mentioned although I know this was prior to the Pitt game. This guy is a joker. How is it that Miami is mentioned with a Loss to South Carolina State and we aren't even addressed?
If a team goes to the ACC he instantly thinks they are legit.
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KHoyaNYC
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Jan 6, 2005 14:18:58 GMT -5
Post by KHoyaNYC on Jan 6, 2005 14:18:58 GMT -5
not to defend sportscenter, but I think our game got lost in the shuffle because there were so many top 25 upsets, and Pitt had just come off of a home loss the game before. However, we did get some nice airtime on ESPN NEWS.
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the_way
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Jan 6, 2005 14:22:19 GMT -5
Post by the_way on Jan 6, 2005 14:22:19 GMT -5
Andy Katz is a disgrace. Here is a guy who never coached, never recruited, and never played college basketball, yet he acts like he has done all three. Kind of like that dweeb Marc Stein who covers the NBA for ESPN. Yet these guys are all experts. Nobody likes us, but I kind of like that anyway, us against the world. Thats nothing new to us. When G'town was at its peak, we were the Raiders of NCAA basketball.
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Cambridge
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Jan 6, 2005 14:25:44 GMT -5
Post by Cambridge on Jan 6, 2005 14:25:44 GMT -5
amen way, amen
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SaxaCD
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Jan 6, 2005 14:26:44 GMT -5
Post by SaxaCD on Jan 6, 2005 14:26:44 GMT -5
I don' t know, Katz has never seemed biased against GU to me. I do think that he's fallen into the ACC Lovefest Trap that a lot of his colleagues have bought into, especially for this year. But I thought he was fair to us for a long time and maybe got on us a bit harder because he didn't write GU off as fast as some other reporters did under the previous regime.
That "good win" "bad loss" thing was a real headscratcher, though, from a lot of angles. Didn't look like it was proofread or something!
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My $.02
Jan 6, 2005 14:35:21 GMT -5
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 6, 2005 14:35:21 GMT -5
Perhaps what sickened me most last night was Jay Bilas' declaration that Illinois has been strong all season but UNC is the best team in the country. Time to put down the Kool Aid, Jay.
Illinois is a team that had not trailed coming into last night's game since they played us, and they have thrashed some of the top teams in the country. UNC is a team with a bunch of selfish and whiny players and has a coach who comes up short in the tournament most every year.
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hoopsmccan
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Jan 6, 2005 14:51:35 GMT -5
Post by hoopsmccan on Jan 6, 2005 14:51:35 GMT -5
Since people are talking about Katz on this thread, I thought I'd post part of his "Daily Word" concerning a strangely popular topic of conversation on this board, Tony Bethel (I debated not posting it, because I think people should just leave the kid alone and go on with life).
Wolfpack concerned about Bethel Thursday, Jan. 6: N.C. State isn't making excuses for its losing skid (at St. John's and to West Virginia) but point guard Tony Bethel hasn't been the same during the stretch. Sure, Julius Hodge missed the Mountaineers game with a bum ankle, but Bethel has the team most concerned. According to N.C. State, Bethel lost 15 pounds with an intestinal problem. Bethel went from scoring 15 points at BYU to going scoreless in three straight games against Columbia, St. John's and West Virginia. Bethel's minutes went from 35 at BYU to 19, 15, and 21 in the next three games. He had five assists and three steals against BYU and then only four assists and one steal in the next three games combined.
hm
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Boz
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Jan 6, 2005 14:53:54 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Jan 6, 2005 14:53:54 GMT -5
I would suggest that no board members pay a visit to ESPN.com's Daily Quickie today on Page 2.
The word "lowly" was used in a way we would not like in reference to last night's game. And from the sound of things today, BC is going to be the Worldwide Leader's favorite little baby this year. Or, maybe they are contractually obligated to consider any team that beats UConn to be a Final Four team. Hopefully we can put that to the test Saturday afternoon.
It was really nice of Jay Bilas and Rick Majerus last night, though, to spend all of their time talking about Julius Page and Bucknell, rather than say one word of congratulations to a new coach on his first conference win - on the road against a ranked team! Sheesh! Thanks, fellas! (i don't know, they may have said more on College Gamenight, but that was past my bedtime)
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SFHoya99
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Jan 6, 2005 14:54:31 GMT -5
Post by SFHoya99 on Jan 6, 2005 14:54:31 GMT -5
I hope it is nothing permanent.
On another topic, if you've read anything Hodge has said recently, he's the king of hype and excuses. I don't know why Katz even bothers to write. Andy - Herb Sendek is not someone you need to suck up to.
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the_way
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Jan 6, 2005 14:59:10 GMT -5
Post by the_way on Jan 6, 2005 14:59:10 GMT -5
I'm suprised Bilas is drinking the Carolina Kool Aid, since he is a Dookie. Carolina are a bunch a losers. This is the same team that quit on their coach Matt Doherty, and then play hard for Roy "I could give a (bleep) about North Carolina, right now" Williams. Also the same team that lost to Santa Clara. ESPN are ACC lovers.
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Jack
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Jan 6, 2005 15:29:27 GMT -5
Post by Jack on Jan 6, 2005 15:29:27 GMT -5
Speaking of media coverage and Coach Doh, I really enjoyed the analysis Doherty brought to the game last night. He seemed to know more about the team than any other color guy and made some really good coaching points. He provided more useful analysis in one game than Dick Vitale will give all season or Billy Packer has given in his lifetime. I guess he coached against a few of our guys in the NIT a few years ago, but he was well-versed on the frosh as well. Just refreshing, and further persuaded me that he deserves another head coaching job sometime soon. He said he will be doing the UConn game Saturday- see what you think.
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Cambridge
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Jan 6, 2005 15:32:09 GMT -5
Post by Cambridge on Jan 6, 2005 15:32:09 GMT -5
Basically, they aren't covering us (notice our absence on the Men's BBall page on ESPN.com...hmmm...can you find a link to the article anymore? wow, where did it go?) because they think it was a fluke. They think it is more Pitt falling asleep at the wheel than Georgetown turning it around...they are treating us the same way they treated Bucknell...as for why they are covering BC--it's ridiculous BC was even the underdog in that game. Woo hoo, way to go, what a shocker! They are trying to cover their asses for not giving BC (It pains me to say this) the respect it deserved along with the rest of the pollsters. They are all scrambling to hype up the "upset" because it clear that BC is more than likely tourney bound.
However, let them ignore us at their peril. That's fine. I'd rather be the big story later on than a teaser in January.
I want the peice where they cue the tragic music, describe the debacle of last year, showing a montage of missed shots, heartbroken fans, esh, etc. They show the preseason projections. They have quotes from former players. They show the Temple game lowlights...
Then they show us picking it up, music turns and starts to build, narrator saying things like "But then the most unlikely candidates took the team on their shoulders and carried them through..." focus on Wallace, Green Hibbs, etc. Clips of JTIII...montage of us beating Pitt, UConn and BC...making a deep run into the BET.
Setting the stage for selection Sunday, where they say "it's been a long ride for Coach of the Year John Thompson III and his young Hoyas, and no matter how the tournament turns out for these Hoyas it has certainly been much more enjoyable than last year..." cue image of Brandon beaming after a huge dunk and turning, pointing to coach as he thumps his chest.
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MCIGuy
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Jan 6, 2005 15:43:22 GMT -5
Post by MCIGuy on Jan 6, 2005 15:43:22 GMT -5
Perhaps what sickened me most last night was Jay Bilas' declaration that Illinois has been strong all season but UNC is the best team in the country. Time to put down the Kool Aid, Jay. Actually, I agree with Jay Bilas. Illinois has played great. But the NBA scouts who watched Gtown play Illinois were right when commenting that there is not one player for the Illini who gets them excited. UNC though has three guys who are likely lottery picks and not one of them is Sean May who may be the team's most valuable player right now (Felton, Mccants even though undersized and M. Williams are the three lottos). And I have not even mentioned Jawad Williams who will be a late first round draft pick and is a senior. Illinois is definitely playing better as a team and can beat the more talented UNC. But I think by the time the tourney starts UNC will be the team to beat.
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Cambridge
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Jan 6, 2005 15:45:56 GMT -5
Post by Cambridge on Jan 6, 2005 15:45:56 GMT -5
Well then wouldn't the best team in the country be the team that is playing the best together? and not the best collection of talent?
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MCIGuy
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Jan 6, 2005 15:47:47 GMT -5
Post by MCIGuy on Jan 6, 2005 15:47:47 GMT -5
Speaking of media coverage and Coach Doh, I really enjoyed the analysis Doherty brought to the game last night. He seemed to know more about the team than any other color guy and made some really good coaching points. He provided more useful analysis in one game than Dick Vitale will give all season or Billy Packer has given in his lifetime. I guess he coached against a few of our guys in the NIT a few years ago, but he was well-versed on the frosh as well. Just refreshing, and further persuaded me that he deserves another head coaching job sometime soon. He said he will be doing the UConn game Saturday- see what you think. I agree. I was really impressed when I got home and watched my recording of the game. Doh was pretty entertaining and informative without getting in the way of the broadcast (I'm looking at you, Vitale). And considering out discussions on Wallace and his getting a scholarship it was cool for Doh and his broadcast partner to talk about it as well.
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the_way
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Jan 6, 2005 15:48:47 GMT -5
Post by the_way on Jan 6, 2005 15:48:47 GMT -5
Jack, Doherty is a great coach. He is no Steve Lavin, and definitely no Craig Esherick. Don't forget, Doherty coached Notre Dame pretty good before he went to Carolina. So he knows Big East Basketball. He won coach of the year with 2 NFL players in his starting lineup (Ronald Curry and Julius Peppers). Also, the "so-called" best starting five in college basketball at Chapel Hill, were recruited by Doherty. Doherty was kicked out because Dean Smith never liked him as head coach for Carolina Basketball, and Dean is like the Godfather. Dean always wanted Roy Williams, and what the Don wanted, he got. Dean undermined Doherty's authority, and the players knew he was a lame duck coach, and quit on him.
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