Big east shoot around on ESPN

[HoyaSinceBirth]

sports.espn.go.com/ncb/notebook?page=notebook/shootaround/bigeast

here's georgetown's write up:
Georgetown
It's DaJuan Summers' turn. Is he ready? With Roy Hibbert and Patrick Ewing Jr. gone, this team now belongs to Summers. And with the way John Thompson III likes to run his offense through the paint, Summers' play will be crucial. Fortunately he won't have to go it entirely alone. Austin Freeman was terrific in his rookie season and former McDonald's All-American Chris Wright should improve now that he's healthy. There's also the matter of a nice little addition in the form of Greg Monroe. The power forward is the 20th-ranked player coming out of high school.

[kchoya]

Aug 4, 2008 12:07:38 GMT -5 HoyaSinceBirth said:

sports.espn.go.com/ncb/notebook?page=notebook/shootaround/bigeast

The power forward is the 20th-ranked player coming out of high school.

So the discount for a player committing to Georgetown is a 19 point drop in the rankings?

[HoyaSinceBirth]

Jay also picks us to finish 9th in the conference, but to make the NCAA's. He also says the tenth team providence is an NCAA team.

[capcenterhoya]

How can he possibly have us below both Villanova and WVU?

Didn't we just beat Nova by 19 with Hibbert essentially not playing at all?
Also, there is no way WVU will be better without Alexander. Talk about a lack of respect for our team.

[RDF]

Didn't want to start another thread for this--but it's Big East related so figure it's best put here:

Uconn "academically challenged" Stanley Robinson who was to transfer to a JC in South and then try to get re-admitted to UConn for 2nd Semester will now stay in Storrs, get a "job" and take classes online (more on that below) in hopes of being immediately eligible.

Okay--now I called this one back when it was announced--no way would Calhoun the scumball let Robinson leave the program--he'll be needed--especially since it appears that Ater Majok might not be playing until 2nd Semester. All that needs to be said is that Calhoun is going for broke this year--and NCAA rules/chances of academic fraud be damned-he's thinking this team could be "special" and who cares what happens. The moles are lanced, he's avoiding media/spotlight (yet always available to tell media what is going on, which kind of counters the entire theory of that ego-driven press conference that proved nothing more then a "Hey New England--don't forget about me and UConn Men's Team") and this team is going to have Nate Miles who is beyond definition of a HS "nomad" and Robinson taking online classes and getting a "job"--which drums up memories of Maurice Clarett or $EC Football players "working" in off$ea$on. Hey Stanley--thanks for the Meatball sub-here's a $5000 tip!

UConn aside--if the NCAA wants to be taken seriously---this online course bullcrap with athletes is a joke. If you are on campus--you should be mandated to take classes in the classroom---as you are leaving the athletic department/coaches in charge of evaluating how these courses are conducted--in terms of honor code, etc...and that is like asking Brett Favre to be definitive on his career decisions--it's not going to happen. It's how you get morons at Florida State cheating on an open book, online class--and to think that only 40 something cheat---you are being naive. (for those unaware--40 something FSU football players got caught cheating on an open book, online class last year and received 3 game suspensions from school) This is encouraging cheating/academic fraud, and not helping the athletes who are there to get some sort of education--and not to mention it doesn't teach them anything about personal responsibility--which is a coach's job--well those that view players as more then basketball/football/athletic commodities. In Calhoun's ego-driven, selfish world-he's "helping" them--but he's also a bitter, crusty, lying, cheating scumball who will do anything to win and anything to get attention--it's not enough he's a Hall of Fame Coach who does a wonderful job with X's and O's--he's got to be in spotlight--and with New England sports scene having outstanding success--with his program suffering from a bit of a dip the past 2 years, he's determined that nothing will get in his way this year. Truly sad. Just another example of an adult using people and lying/cheating to get what he covets and not caring if it's in best interests of developing someone into a better person.

I believe III has kept the tradition of the "deflated basketball" that Pops started for players to realize that basketball comes to an end--and then what? Well maybe someone needs to deflate Calhoun's massive ego this year--and let him know what a friggin scumball he's behaving like--brilliant coach--but what a jerk--and this handling of recruiting kids like Nate Miles, using/running off others who he had no plans of keeping (Wiggins) after stealing them from a fellow conference team (Wiggins committed to SJU and would be starting there) and now bringing in guys who somehow are to get eligible (Nigerian Center who committed to play at Arizona in 2004, Majok, Robinson) and not mention how someone described as having a family in need so badly that he'd have to enter draft after his FR season somehow is going on his 3rd year in Storrs (Thabeet), and in all honesty--the Thabeet situation is least of the violations--as I actually can see where helping a poor kid or his family is a good deed--unlike having guys just come to play basketball--never having them go to class--literally--and never having them held accountable for failing to live up to the responsibilities--because this year's team could be "championship good".

It's funny how things work--and as a fan who respects Calhoun as a coach, I have found this offseason and his numerous selfish, blatant moves to be pathetic and desperate. Karma works in funny ways--and it'll be interesting to see if this crap is rewarded or punished in end. If Georgetown never wins another National Title during my lifetime but maintains the ideals of a student/athlete, then I'm not going to complain--and I realize that everyone deserves a chance so background is part of it--but it's how you hold them accountable once they are on campus that matters more and just tired of seeing teams FLAUNT the cheating and rewarded for it.

Keep fighting the good fight and when the championships come around--which eventually it'll happen--it'll be sweeter knowing HOW it was achieved is just as important as the achievement.

[hoyaboy1]

I don't really see this as being "DaJuan's team," or anyone's for that matter. We will be balanced. In fact, unless he has improved a lot I wouldn't be surprised if DaJuan was the 4th best player on the team.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

* slow claps for RDF*

I completely agree.

[idhoya]

They could be Georgia football, who has had 8 guys suspendedthis year alone. Oh yeah, they're ranked #1.

[RDF]

Aug 4, 2008 14:14:58 GMT -5 idhoya said:

They could be Georgia football, who has had 8 guys suspendedthis year alone. Oh yeah, they're ranked #1.

ID, I believe UGA has AVERAGED having 10 guys suspended prior to the first game since Mark Richt took over. I could be off by 1/2 players-but it's minimum of 8 kids suspended for opening game at UGA--of course look where Richt learned his trade? FSU--who will have 40 something guys suspended for opening 3 games--of course 2 of those games are games they should win with walk ons playing.

[capcenterhoya]

Lets be careful not to assume Georgetown holds its basketball players to any higher academic standard than at most other schools. Our recruits come to Georgetown to play basketball. Georgetown, if necessary, will go to the same lengths as other schools to keep our players eligible and our school out of the headlines. I mean no disrespect to the majority of our players who I'm sure do hard work and earn their grades, but basketball players are not treated or evaluated the same way as regular students at Georgetown. If you want to be a fan of college basketball, this is just a fact you have to live with. EVERY school has some dirt it wants to hide.

[jgalt]

Aug 4, 2008 13:55:17 GMT -5 hoyaboy1 said:

I don't really see this as being "DaJuan's team," or anyone's for that matter. We will be balanced. In fact, unless he has improved a lot I wouldn't be surprised if DaJuan was the 4th best player on the team.

Well if we are to believe HoyaLawyer, DaJuan has hid him self in some former soviet republic, had all his bones and joints replaced with whatever Wolverine is made of, had his legs removed and replaced with rockets and his left arm is now a cannon that shoots laser guided basketballs. So year this might be DaJuan's team, but Nikita is coming on pretty strong in Kenner.

After re-reading this article, Didnt Cuse win 4 games in 4 days THREE years ago, not TWO as the first line says?

[dajuan]

I say it's Jessie's team.

[I Bleed Hoya Gray]

I'm with dajuan. That is, I'm with Jessie.

[The Stig]

Aug 4, 2008 14:32:03 GMT -5 capcenterhoya said:

Lets be careful not to assume Georgetown holds its basketball players to any higher academic standard than at most other schools. Our recruits come to Georgetown to play basketball. Georgetown, if necessary, will go to the same lengths as other schools to keep our players eligible and our school out of the headlines. I mean no disrespect to the majority of our players who I'm sure do hard work and earn their grades, but basketball players are not treated or evaluated the same way as regular students at Georgetown. If you want to be a fan of college basketball, this is just a fact you have to live with. EVERY school has some dirt it wants to hide.

I think the assistance Georgetown basketball players get helps them legitimately meet the NCAA rules in both letter and spirit, while Calhoun's shenanigans seems to be a way to meet the absolute minimum NCAA standards while blatantly violating the spirit of the rules.

I've been in classes with a lot of our basketball players. They show up for class, they pay attention, and when they talk it's clear they have a reasonable idea of what's going on. They're not the best students in the class, but they're not the worst either. Do they have somebody screaming in their ear to make sure they do all those things? Maybe, but the fact is that they still do them, unlike athletes at some other schools. So despite different selection criteria, I still consider our basketball players to be legitimate student-athletes.

My parents were on campus during the high points of the JT2 era, and they say the basketball team was pretty isolated back then. I don't know how true that is, but from their comments and my experiences I think the basketball team is MUCH more integrated into normal student life now than they were in the JT2 era.

[The Stig]

And bringing this topic back to the ESPN article, I find it funny that they completely ignored the one senior we have on our team.

[MCIGuy]

Hell if Monroe is the 20th best player in this class then it must be one special crop of players from '08.

The Hoyas have more talent than any team in the BE with the possible exception of Louisville. Whether they are experienced enough or deep enough to put all that talent to good use is an interesting question. But spare me that nonsense of the 9th best team in the BE.

I swear if this team finishes in the top three of the conference and JTIII again doesn't win the BE Coach of the Year there needs to be an investigation. I don't want to hear anything from the media about the Hoyas having all this talent when CLEARLY they are underestimating that talent at this point and time.

[Hoya TMF]

This is going to be a balanced team, but Jessie and Summers have to take the lead. Summers has to be ready to take and make the last shot. I know Onions is ready to shoot, but also willing to pass. I'm definitely excited the Summers' development is shrouded in mystery. We'll see if he finally plays the way we know he can.

And we may struggle, but we are not going to be the 9th best team in the Big East.

[idhoya]

St. John's will win the BE. This post originally aired 20+ years ago.

[SFHoya99]

Of course our players get extra help on classes and don't get treated like non-athlete students. They are student-athletes, after all.

And of course the admissions requirements are relaxed for some of these guys.

But we've had a long enough history of seeing what I call the "two and done" rule in action to know that the players eventually have to stand up. There are a whole slew of players who left after two years because of academics -- including twice in the late 90s where our best player was no longer welcome/left because of academics.

There's been more than one disciplinary transfer since I enrolled in 1995 as well.

My point being: there's a difference between giving help but still enforcing some level of academic and disciplinary standard -- even if it is kept hush hush and disguised as transfers; and mugging for the cameras but in the end of the day the only reason a person leaves is to grab their scholarship.

[hoyarooter]

Aug 4, 2008 17:21:51 GMT -5 MCIGuy said:

Hell if Monroe is the 20th best player in this class then it must be one special crop of players from '08.

The Hoyas have more talent than any team in the BE with the possible exception of Louisville. Whether they are experienced enough or deep enough to put all that talent to good use is an interesting question. But spare me that nonsense of the 9th best team in the BE.

I swear if this team finishes in the top three of the conference and JTIII again doesn't win the BE Coach of the Year there needs to be an investigation. I don't want to hear anything from the media about the Hoyas having all this talent when CLEARLY they are underestimating that talent at this point and time.

If we finish in the top 3 this year, III will be BE coach of the year unless (i) Providence, DePaul or some other unlikely team finishes in the top 2, or (iii) a team that was picked ahead of us is decimated by injuries but still finishes in the top 2.