Post by DanMcQ on Nov 18, 2011 13:04:42 GMT -5
A Feinstein column complimentary of Georgetown:
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/georgetown-footballs-loss-was-a-disappointment-but-season-was-a-big-success/2011/11/12/gIQAPNRHGN_story.html
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/georgetown-footballs-loss-was-a-disappointment-but-season-was-a-big-success/2011/11/12/gIQAPNRHGN_story.html
Lehigh has now won 10 Patriot League titles in 19 years. It has been the league’s signature football program almost since the day the conference was formed, getting as far as the semifinals of what was then the Division I-AA tournament in 1999.
That was the last year Georgetown had a winning record and two years before they began Patriot League play. To say that it has been a struggle for the Hoyas since then is an understatement. To say that what this team accomplished — finishing 8-3 overall — is remarkable, is also an understatement.
“This team will be remembered at Georgetown for a long time to come,” Kelly said. “People are going to look back on this senior group and say they were the ones that got us turned around in the right direction. Today was a disappointment but these guys deserve to celebrate this season. We don’t feel that right now but down the road we will.”
On Thursday, there was a pep rally on the Georgetown campus — and it wasn’t for basketball, even though the basketball Hoyas opened their season this afternoon against Savannah State. When Kelly and his players were asked if it felt good to have some attention focused on them in November rather than John Thompson III’s team, they all broke into grins and nodded their heads.
“Oh yeah,” Kelly said. “Oh yeah.”
A few minutes earlier, after the postgame handshakes had concluded, while the Lehigh players formed a circle on the field to accept their Patriot League trophy, Kelly noticed his players walking slowly in the direction of their locker room.
“Hey guys, heads up,” he said. “Keep your heads up. No reason not to keep your heads up.”
With the sun starting to set over South Mountain, which sits almost directly behind the locker rooms here, Kelly’s players knew he was right.
Saturday was a day to feel the pain of a disappointing loss. But the just-ended season was one to celebrate.
That was the last year Georgetown had a winning record and two years before they began Patriot League play. To say that it has been a struggle for the Hoyas since then is an understatement. To say that what this team accomplished — finishing 8-3 overall — is remarkable, is also an understatement.
“This team will be remembered at Georgetown for a long time to come,” Kelly said. “People are going to look back on this senior group and say they were the ones that got us turned around in the right direction. Today was a disappointment but these guys deserve to celebrate this season. We don’t feel that right now but down the road we will.”
On Thursday, there was a pep rally on the Georgetown campus — and it wasn’t for basketball, even though the basketball Hoyas opened their season this afternoon against Savannah State. When Kelly and his players were asked if it felt good to have some attention focused on them in November rather than John Thompson III’s team, they all broke into grins and nodded their heads.
“Oh yeah,” Kelly said. “Oh yeah.”
A few minutes earlier, after the postgame handshakes had concluded, while the Lehigh players formed a circle on the field to accept their Patriot League trophy, Kelly noticed his players walking slowly in the direction of their locker room.
“Hey guys, heads up,” he said. “Keep your heads up. No reason not to keep your heads up.”
With the sun starting to set over South Mountain, which sits almost directly behind the locker rooms here, Kelly’s players knew he was right.
Saturday was a day to feel the pain of a disappointing loss. But the just-ended season was one to celebrate.
