Casual Hoya: FanPosts

Stonewalls 2013-2014 Season Ticket Information

2013-05-08T13:16:12Z

Hey everyone, we just got the okay to post this, so wanted to make sure the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, and one of the main reasons we were able to turn the map grey, heard about this as soon as we were able to make it known:

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As the Stonewalls enter our second season, we’re determined to continue helping to create the best home-court advantage possible for the team at the Verizon Center.

That’s why we’re looking for new recruits to help fill our rowdy, flag-waving, tifo-displaying Section 118. Come join a community of like-minded fans who strive to bring energy and creativity to the Phone Booth every game!

As an added bonus, this season all seats in the section are the same, low price regardless of alumni year or status. Tickets in 118 for the 2013-2014 season cost $475 for all 17 home games (which includes a $50 contribution to Georgetown Athletics).

Existing Season Ticket Holders

If you’re an existing season ticket holder in a different section who wants to move into 118 for the upcoming season, now is the time! Open seats in the section are not on sale to the general public yet but are currently available for transfers on a first-come, first-served basis. The ticket office is ready and willing to help move you and your group, so call them now at 202-687-4692 and tell them you want to join the Stonewalls.

New Season Ticket Holders

Season tickets will go on sale to interested buyers as soon as the existing planholder renewal period ends in a few weeks. To be notified as soon as ticket plans are available, sign up for our email list here.

Current Georgetown Undergraduate Seniors

We’re particularly excited to welcome members of the Class of 2013 to the Stonewalls section this year. To reach out directly to these graduating seniors, we’re teaming up with the athletic department to offer an exclusive, early sale opportunity this Friday, May 10th, during Senior Week registration. Look for our table outside the Leavey Program Room from 10am-5pm where a ticket office representative will be on hand to help you select your seat and complete your purchase..

Special Free Scarf Offer

Additionally, we’re excited to welcome every new season ticket holder who joins our section with a free Stonewalls scarf so they’ll feel right at home this season!

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As the Stonewalls enter our second season, we’re determined to continue helping to create the best home-court advantage possible for the team at the Verizon Center.

Existing Season Ticket Holders

New Season Ticket Holders

Current Georgetown Undergraduate Seniors

Special Free Scarf Offer

Additionally, we’re excited to welcome every new season ticket holder who joins our section with a free Stonewalls scarf so they’ll feel right at home this season!

Otto Porter Moments from 2012-2013

2013-04-24T04:38:38Z

Georgetown University sophomore Otto Porter Jr. has declared for 2013 NBA Draft. Otto leaves after two memorable years on the Hilltop in which he evolved from uniquely-skilled freshman with tremendous upside to a National Player of the Year candidate. Hoya fans can hold out hope that Otto stays local—the Washington Wizards are a few lucky ping pong balls away from sneaking into the top four and stealing the 6”8 forward, but those odds sit under 25%. We have to accept the fact that all we have left of Otto is the memories—the relentless hustle, fearless leadership, and winning smile. Though Otto’s season was filled with highlights night in and night out, three distinct plays stand out above the rest as everlasting memories of his time here at Georgetown.

The denial. (March 2, 2013; Washington D.C.) Otto and co. were coming off a heart stopping one-point victory over the Huskies and were looking to defeat Rutgers for the second time in a span of three and a half weeks. The Scarlet Knights played the Hoyas step for step in the first half, but Otto proved to be too much out of the locker room, leading the way with a 15-18 effort at the foul line and a ridiculous 4 steal-3 block defensive gem. The brilliance Otto displayed in putting the team on his back was enough to win him ~~one week of verbal and physical abuse amnesty~~ high acclaim from then-Rutgers head coach Mike Rice. The play of the night came with the Hoyas up nine late in the second half. The Knights got out on break after corralling a missed Trawick jumper, and Otto was the only one back on D. Sophomore guard Jerome Seagers had what appeared to be a textbook fast-break layup. Otto then did something I had never seen a basketball player do. Backpedaling and off-balance, Porter reached up, and not only swatted Seagers’ shot away, but somehow managed to contort his arm in such a way as to deflect the ball off the backboard and back into play. Absolutely jaw-dropping.

The finish. (February 27, 2013; Storrs, CT) Otto ended the most-thrilling game of season with a driving layup that gave the Hoyas a 79-78 win at UConn. The entire sequence sums up Otto as a player and what he meant to this team. DSR, playing his best defense of the season, caused Shabazz Napier to cough up the ball in the corner with 17 ticks left. The freshman quickly recovered the ball, looked up the floor, and found Otto, who led a frantic jailbreak down the court. With long, gliding steps, Otto coasted 40 feet in about three seconds to get to the rim and lay the ball in. Coach Thompson neglected to use the two timeouts he had left in his pocket because the ball was in the hands of his superstar. The Hoyas had been in a similar situation earlier in the year at South Florida, and JTIII elected to talk it over. This time, there was never any doubt—Otto was going to win it. The play extended the Hoyas’ improbable winning streak to double digits and will go down as one of the all-time great endings in the annals of Georgetown basketball.

The dagger. (February 23, 2013; Syracuse, NY) Trailing the Orange 23-21 at the half, the Hoyas came out firing to start the second. Three pointers by Porter, Markel Starks, and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera put Georgetown up 39-31 with 11 and a half minutes left in the game. After a three-minute stalemate, MCW and James Southerland responded, narrowing the deficit to 41-37 with under six left. Syracuse, looking to make one final push, threw the ball into Rakeem Christmas for what looked like an easy put-in, but Moses Ayegba rotated over and made the play of his Georgetown career by denying Christmas at the last second. Following a timeout and a patented 34-second JTIII possession, Jabril Trawick drew a penetration double and kicked to Otto at the elbow, who drained the three despite heavy contact from Brandon Triche. The roar in the Carrier Dome dimmed to a whisper. Otto drained the foul shot and doubled his team’s lead in the blink of an eye. It was special moment for a special player, and each member of Georgetown’s bench had a different way of showing some love.

50 States, 1 Georgetown - Updated 4/26 - Now at 47 States

2013-04-22T21:01:07Z

UPDATED Friday April 26, 2013

Inspired by the GLOBAL PHENOMENON we've decided to give it a go at world domination ourselves, and by world domination we mean selling scarves and uniting Georgetown fans across the United States of America!

We're excited to announce that as of today, the scarf has been purchased online and shipped to 47 of 50 states plus the District, but we'd like to see that become 50 of 50 states before we move on to conquering foreign lands.

We'd love your help in showing just how extensive the reach of the Hilltop is. Please take a look at this map, share it with your friends and family, particularly those in Alaska, Hawaii and Montana and let's turn the whole damn thing GRAY!

PURCHASE THE SCARF HERE!

via sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net

UPDATED Friday April 26, 2013

PURCHASE THE SCARF HERE!

via sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net

Georgetown Recruiting Update: 2013 Summer AAU Thread

2013-04-17T19:54:32Z

With the season now comfortably (sort of) in the rear view mirror, the coaching staff is set to hit the recruiting trail as the "Live Period" for recruiting starts this weekend.

Here’s a list of the summer recruiting events:

April 19-21 (open to college coaches)

Nike EYBL Session #1 (Los Angeles)
Adidas VIP Exclusive Run (Dallas)
Hoop Group/Under Armour Pitt Jam Fest (Pittsburgh)
Pangos Spring Spectacular (Las Vegas)
King James Southern Exposure Showcase (Augusta, Ga.)
The Kingwood (Spring, Texas)

April 26-28 (open to college coaches)

Nike EYBL Session #2 (Hampton, Va.)
Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions (Atlanta)
Gulf Coast Hoop Fest (Biloxi, Miss.)
Hoop Group Philadelphia Jam Fest (King of Prussia, Pa.)
Under Armour Jayhawk Invitational (Olathe, Kan.)
Pangos Spring Sweet 16 (Long Beach, Calif.)
H-Town Classic (Spring, Texas)
Las Vegas Grand Opening (Las Vegas)

May 3-5

Spiece Run-n-Slam (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Howard Pulley Invitational (Eagan, Minn.)

May 10-12

Nike EYBL Session #3 (Dallas)
Wallace Prather Memorial (Atlanta)
Hoop Group Providence Jam Fest (Providence, R.I.)
Adidas May Classic (Indianapolis)

May 17-19

Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest (Hampton, Va.)
NY2LA Invitational (Milwaukee)

May 24-26

Best Buy Chicago Classic (Suburban Chicago)

May 24-27

Nike EYBL Session #4 (Minneapolis)

May 25-27

Under Armour "Are You From Here?" Classic (Dallas)
Bay Area Memorial Weekend Classic (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

May 31-June 2

Pangos All-American Camp (Long Beach, Calif.)

June 6-9 (Tentative)

Nike Elite 100 (St. Louis)

June 7-9

Rumble in the Bronx (Bronx, N.Y.)

June 12-15 (Tentative)

NBPA Top 100 Camp (Charlottesville, Va.)

June 23-26 (Tentative)

Deron Williams Skills Academy (TBD)
Amar'e Stoudemire Skills Academy (TBD)

June 27-30 (Tentative)

Kevin Durant Skills Academy (TBD)

July 6-9 (Tentative)

LeBron James Skills Academy (Las Vegas)

OPEN PERIODS FOR COLLEGE COACHES: JULY 10-14, JULY 17-21, JULY 24-28

July 9-12

Reebok Breakout Classic (Philadelphia)
Hoop Group Elite Camp (Reading, Pa.)

July 10-14

Nike EYBL Finals -- Peach Jam (North Augusta, S.C.)
Adidas Invitational Classic (Indianapolis)
Elite Youth Invitational (North Augusta, S.C.)
Peach State Summer Showcase (Aiken, S.C.)

July 10-11

FullCourt Press All-West Showcase (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 12-14

The Showdown (Philadelphia)
Pangos Summer Sweet 16 (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 13-14

Hoop Group Elite Team Camp (Reading, Pa.)

July 17-18

Hoop Group Summer Classic East (King of Prussia, Pa.)

July 17-20
Queen City Hoop Fest (Cincinnati)

July 17-21

Nike Global Challenge (Tentative, TBD)
Under Armour Summer Jam (Mequon, Wis.)
Las Vegas Live (Las Vegas)

July 18-28

AAU Super Showcase (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)

July 18-29

AAU Nationals (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)

July 19-21

Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest (King of Prussia, Pa.)

July 19-20

Cream of the Crop Challenge (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 24-26
Live in Atlantic City (Atlantic City, N.J.)

July 24-28

Adidas Super 64 (Las Vegas)
BigFoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic (Las Vegas)

July 25-28

Fab 48 (Las Vegas)

July 27-28
The Summer Final (Philadelphia)

August 1-5

Adidas Nations (Los Angeles)

Below are some players of note and the teams they’re playing for. All players are playing on 17U and are 2014 recruits unless noted otherwise. I’ll update some more later. Recruits that I believe interest is high between both Georgetown and player or the staff has shown to be aggressively recruiting have an (HP) next to their name for High Priority:

Houston Hoops

Kelly Oubre (HP) 6’6 W/F

Khadeem Lattin (HP) 6’9 PF

Team Texas

Elijah Thomas 15’ (HP) 6’9 PF

Team Takeover 17U

Phil Booth (HP) 6’3 CG

Marcus Derrickson 15’ (HP) 6’7 PF

Martin Geben 6’8 PF/C

Tre Campbell 6’1 PG

Dion Wiley (HP) 6'5 SG

Obi Emechionyia 6’9 PF/SF

Therence Mayimba 6’7 W

Team Takeover 16U

Justin Jenifer 15’ 5’11 PG

Franklin Howard 15’ (HP) 6’4 SG

Bryant Crawford 15’ (HP) 6’2 PG

Maryland 3D

Drew Edwards 15’ 6’2 CG

Milwaukee Rebels

Kevon Looney 6’9 SF

D1 Sports

Henry Ellenson 15’ 6’8 PF

Playground Elite

Rashad Vaughn 6’5 SG

DC Assault 16U

Leroy Butts 15’ (HP) 6’8 PF

We R 1

Ben Bentil (HP) 6’8 PF

Team Scan 17u

Mikal Bridges 15’ 6’7 PF

Terry Larrier (Reclassed to 2014 potential breakout player 6’7 G/F )

Garner Road

Isaac Copeland (Committed) 6’9 PF/SF

Virginia Squirres

Devin Robinson 6’7 SF

Team Final

Jaquan Newton 6’3 PG

Malachi Richardson 6’5 SG 15'

Dallas Seawolves

Elbert Robinson (HP) 6’11 C

Feel free to leave anything you want added in the comments section and I will update.

With the season now comfortably (sort of) in the rear view mirror, the coaching staff is set to hit the recruiting trail as the "Live Period" for recruiting starts this weekend.

Here’s a list of the summer recruiting events:

April 19-21 (open to college coaches)

Spiece Run-n-Slam (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Howard Pulley Invitational (Eagan, Minn.)

May 10-12

Nike EYBL Session #3 (Dallas)
Wallace Prather Memorial (Atlanta)
Hoop Group Providence Jam Fest (Providence, R.I.)
Adidas May Classic (Indianapolis)

May 17-19

Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest (Hampton, Va.)
NY2LA Invitational (Milwaukee)

May 24-26

Best Buy Chicago Classic (Suburban Chicago)

May 24-27

Nike EYBL Session #4 (Minneapolis)

May 25-27

Under Armour "Are You From Here?" Classic (Dallas)
Bay Area Memorial Weekend Classic (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

May 31-June 2

Pangos All-American Camp (Long Beach, Calif.)

June 6-9 (Tentative)

Nike Elite 100 (St. Louis)

June 7-9

Rumble in the Bronx (Bronx, N.Y.)

June 12-15 (Tentative)

NBPA Top 100 Camp (Charlottesville, Va.)

June 23-26 (Tentative)

Deron Williams Skills Academy (TBD)
Amar'e Stoudemire Skills Academy (TBD)

June 27-30 (Tentative)

Kevin Durant Skills Academy (TBD)

July 6-9 (Tentative)

LeBron James Skills Academy (Las Vegas)

OPEN PERIODS FOR COLLEGE COACHES: JULY 10-14, JULY 17-21, JULY 24-28

July 9-12

Reebok Breakout Classic (Philadelphia)
Hoop Group Elite Camp (Reading, Pa.)

July 10-14

Nike EYBL Finals -- Peach Jam (North Augusta, S.C.)
Adidas Invitational Classic (Indianapolis)
Elite Youth Invitational (North Augusta, S.C.)
Peach State Summer Showcase (Aiken, S.C.)

July 10-11

FullCourt Press All-West Showcase (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 12-14

The Showdown (Philadelphia)
Pangos Summer Sweet 16 (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 13-14

Hoop Group Elite Team Camp (Reading, Pa.)

July 17-18

Hoop Group Summer Classic East (King of Prussia, Pa.)

July 17-20
Queen City Hoop Fest (Cincinnati)

July 17-21

Nike Global Challenge (Tentative, TBD)
Under Armour Summer Jam (Mequon, Wis.)
Las Vegas Live (Las Vegas)

July 18-28

AAU Super Showcase (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)

July 18-29

AAU Nationals (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)

July 19-21

Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest (King of Prussia, Pa.)

July 19-20

Cream of the Crop Challenge (Long Beach, Calif.)

July 24-26
Live in Atlantic City (Atlantic City, N.J.)

July 24-28

Adidas Super 64 (Las Vegas)
BigFoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic (Las Vegas)

July 25-28

Fab 48 (Las Vegas)

July 27-28
The Summer Final (Philadelphia)

August 1-5

Adidas Nations (Los Angeles)

Houston Hoops

Kelly Oubre (HP) 6’6 W/F

Khadeem Lattin (HP) 6’9 PF

Team Texas

Elijah Thomas 15’ (HP) 6’9 PF

Team Takeover 17U

Phil Booth (HP) 6’3 CG

Marcus Derrickson 15’ (HP) 6’7 PF

Martin Geben 6’8 PF/C

Tre Campbell 6’1 PG

Dion Wiley (HP) 6'5 SG

Obi Emechionyia 6’9 PF/SF

Therence Mayimba 6’7 W

Team Takeover 16U

Justin Jenifer 15’ 5’11 PG

Franklin Howard 15’ (HP) 6’4 SG

Bryant Crawford 15’ (HP) 6’2 PG

Maryland 3D

Drew Edwards 15’ 6’2 CG

Milwaukee Rebels

Kevon Looney 6’9 SF

D1 Sports

Henry Ellenson 15’ 6’8 PF

Playground Elite

Rashad Vaughn 6’5 SG

DC Assault 16U

Leroy Butts 15’ (HP) 6’8 PF

We R 1

Ben Bentil (HP) 6’8 PF

Team Scan 17u

Mikal Bridges 15’ 6’7 PF

Terry Larrier (Reclassed to 2014 potential breakout player 6’7 G/F )

Garner Road

Isaac Copeland (Committed) 6’9 PF/SF

Virginia Squirres

Devin Robinson 6’7 SF

Team Final

Jaquan Newton 6’3 PG

Malachi Richardson 6’5 SG 15'

Dallas Seawolves

Elbert Robinson (HP) 6’11 C

Feel free to leave anything you want added in the comments section and I will update.

Class of '13 PGs: Jaren Sina, Jaylen Brantley & Shane Rector

2013-04-06T04:57:31Z

JT3 has made it a point to have his future point guards be mentored by the current PG during his tenure. Chris came in 2007, which was Jonathan Wallace's senior year, and Markel came in 2010, which was Chris's senior year. It only seems logical that we would recruit a bunch of point guards and hope someone bites. We only offered three guys: Roddy Peters, signed with Maryland, Nate Britt, signed with UNC, and Jaylen Brantley, who has us in last five. Brantley's scouting report from ESPN:

Strengths:
Brantley is a point guard who plays with terrific composure and is a lights out three-point shooter. He is almost impervious to pressure, using his size to his advantage and keeping his dribble extremely low, and a good decision maker with the ball in his hands. He is virtually automatic when left open from behind the three-point line, will take and make big shots, and has range that extends to the NBA arc.

Weaknesses:
Undersized with limited explosion, Brantley's upside may ultimately be limited because of his physical attributes. While he can make a play with the ball in the open floor, he lacks the explosiveness to break his man down in the quarter court and struggles to finish plays at the rim against contact as well. As great of a shooter as he is, he can struggle to get it off at times because he gets almost no lift and has a low release point. Defensively, he is sound but can definitely be overpowered by bigger and stronger guards.

Bottom Line:
An undersized lead guard who lacks explosion and power, Brantley compensates with a terrific demeanor for the game and fantastic three-point stroke. While high level schools will undoubtedly want to see how he progresses physically, he has already proven his worth at the national level, running the show for a BABC team that took a national championship.

The other guy considering us is Jaren Sina, who just de-committed from Northwestern, but we haven't even offered him. That seems illogical since he is the 24th best point guard in the class of 2013 (Jaylen Brantley is 57th). This is Sina's scouting report:

Strengths:
Sina is a super skilled guard with a lethal jump shot. He has an effortless stroke that is virtually automatic when in rhythm from anywhere inside of 25 feet, is equally effective shooting off the catch or the dribble, and can also make tough contested shots late in the shot clock. He handles efficiently vs. pressure, has a terrific feel for the game, is a pinpoint passer, and has a tremendously high basketball I.Q. He can play either guard position, has good poise with the ball in his hands, and is very crafty using shot fakes and jab steps to create space for himself on the perimeter.

Weaknesses:
The biggest uncertainty with Sina is how he progresses physically. While he isn't overly quick or athletic right now it is entirely possible that he is still growing some and hasn't finished filling out his frame or growing into his body. He has a tendency to try to do a little too much at times, playing with the ball at times and trying to make home-run plays instead of using his versatile skills to make the easy play. Defensively he's solid and can only occasionally be exposed against quicker players.

Bottom Line:
He's as skilled and smart as they get but his intangibles are what separate him. He plays with unwavering confidence and just enough cockiness to maximize his talents. It's that type of mindset that allows him to thrive in the big moments.

What are we waiting for. Let's get our heads out of our asses and actively recruit these guys. Spending a year under Markel's tutelage would make a big difference if Brantley or Sina do end up coming.

Update:

Jaren Sina is no longer considering us, while Shane Rector, who de-committed from Rutgers after Mike Rice's firing, is now considering us. His high school coach told ESPN, "Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Missouri, Providence and Connecticut already have reached out". Dayton, UMass, and Arizona State had been recruiting him prior to the commitment to Northwestern, so I guess they will probably recruit him again unless they have scholarship problems. Rector is the 47th best PG in the class, per ESPN, and we have a realistic chance of landing him because none of his offers really stand out. I honestly do not think we will get any of the guys we are targeting for next year, Phil Booth, Ja'Quan Newton, Jaquel Richmond, to name a few. This is a great chance to secure the point guard of the future. That would allow us to give him a year to learn the offense and develop while Markel is still the starting PG. Shane Rector's scouting report courtesy of ESPN:

Strengths:
Rector is a true point guard that pushes the ball at high speeds on the break and can get into the lane at will with his tight handle and terrific burst of speed. He also does a great job of setting up teammates for easy baskets at the rim and kick outs from his penetration and excellent court vision. Rector can also get to the rim and finish when he slashes in between defenders. He can make mid range jumpers and open threes as well with much needed time and space. Rector applies good ball pressure and is a good anticipator in the passing lanes with his quick hands.

Weaknesses:
Rector must work to make his jumper more of a consistent weapon and extend his range to behind the arc to where he can make defenders close on him with greater urgency. He also must add strength and work on his left hand because he is a heavy right hand driver and attacker a high percentage of the time in addition to over penetrating which at times turns into a costly turnover.

Bottom Line:
Rector is a true point guard that is a great pass first set up player. He gets in the lane where he can deliver the ball or finish at the rim. He is a decent open shooter but must make his jumper more consistent in addition to adding strength but this young guard is tough to stay in front of and has great upside.

Update:

Unpacking the Agony of the 2012-13 Georgetown Hoyas

2013-03-25T22:18:43Z

This post got a lot longer than I planned and turned into much more of a stream of consciousness, but I had a lot rattling around today and had to get it down somewhere.

Like many of you, I spent the weekend trying to make sense of another season-ending loss to a much lower-seeded team and, probably also like many of you, I mostly came up empty. Why does this keep happening to us? What was it about FGCU that made what had been one of the top 2 or 3 most consistent teams of the JTIII era look so lost? What happens if Markel doesn't pick up his second foul when we were up 7 in the first half? How am I supposed to feel about this season that vastly exceeded expectations, but ultimately ended in another disappointing exit from the NCAA tournament?

I really don't have much in the way of answers. This season was an incredible roller coaster of nerve-wracking close calls against the softer parts of our non-conference schedule, awesome performances against the best of the best of the non-conference schedule, an incredibly stressful start to the Big East season, and, ultimately, an unexpected 14-2 run through the rest of the Big East season en route to a share of the regular season championship in the last season of the Big East. That run included two of the most satisfying wins I've experienced as a Georgetown fan (the two against Syracuse obviously) and really cemented Otto Porter's status as one of the Hoya greats. To say that this season did not exceed even my wildest expectations would be an understatement.

This was a team that, for the second straight season, lost it's top three scorers from the year before. They were picked to finish 5th in the Big East and even that felt high (to me at least). They struggled mightily offensively out of the gate, then got obliterated by Pittsburgh in their second Big East game, and followed that up by losing their second-leading scorer and rebounder. They won a couple over lesser opponents, but blew a winnable game at USF and, at this point, the expectation (hope) was that the Hoyas could find their way to .500 in conference play and get into the field. If they were able to do that, most people would have considered the season a success.

Then the streak started. Every tough game that followed, the Hoyas showed up, played defense, and found ways to win game after game. After the first win against Syracuse, our expectations had officially changed. We were all expecting to close out the Big East regular season title, challenge in the Big East Tournament and grab a top 2 seed in the tournament (and pulling for the top line, weighing our resume against the wide open field for the top line). We had emerged as a National Championship contender. All of a sudden, the delusion train was rolling. The UConn miracle and predictable close win against Rutgers fueled the fire and following up the stumble at Nova with the championship-clinching drubbing of Syracuse only served to cement this team as contenders and one of the most-suited to tournament play in JTIII's time.

We know how the rest played out. Losing to Syracuse in MSG was deflating, but winning the BET wasn't the goal this time around. This time it was all about tournament success. We were disappointed to miss out on a #1 seed, but our eyes were on the prize. We were a 2 seed and this team was finally going to make a run. Then FGCU happened and our tournament woes continued for another year. It sucked. It was a gut punch in the worst way. FGCU beat us up and down the court. The Hoyas looked completely out of their comfort zone that they'd spent two months creating and playing within. We knew FGCU wouldn't be scared, but this was beyond that. And it felt terrible.

How do we as fans cope with increased expectations? How do we measure success in a year where expectations shifted as much and as many times as they did this year? I know that I didn't handle the increased expectations well at all. The beginning of the winning streak brought fun wins and excitement. I took it all in stride and had a lot of fun watching this team play. By the Syracuse game I had tightened up a little bit, anxious that we'd be exposed in the Dome. That proved unfair as Otto turned in an incredible performance and the Hoyas shut down the Carrier Dome. I spent the three games in between the two Syracuse games a nervous wreck, desperately wanting to win that Big East Championship at that last meeting. It got worse with each game and the tournament loomed.

For the record, I realize how crazy this all is. I'm sure I'm not the only person here who experienced this range of emotions, but it's still out there. This is way too much emotional investment in a game. But there I was reading every morsel of information I could about FGCU in the days leading up to a game we were favored to win by 14. The shifting expectations had completely consumed me and despite the joys that this team had brought me throughout the year, the success or failure of the season depended entirely on how far we were able to go in the tournament. And that is unfair.

That loss sucked. A lot. Questions should be asked of our coach about our lack of success in March and adjustments need to be made so that the trend of losing in March doesn't continue. But we shouldn't allow that to overshadow all the glory that this season brought. It was a truly phenomenal season that ended in the worst way, but it was still phenomenal. Otto Porter joined the ranks of the Georgetown elite and might win National Player of the Year. JTIII finally got his due as a top coach in the Big East. We smoked Syracuse twice. The Stonewalls are creating something at the Verizon Center. It was a lot of fun and it is important to recognize that. I know I've really struggled to do that in the past few days and I'll continue to have trouble weighing the success of the season based on our early exit this weekend.

But, it is important to keep reminding ourselves that we saw great things this year and have a group of players, even without Otto Porter, capable of contending in the new Big East and, hopefully, capable of reversing our terrible trend of early exits. I wish next season started tomorrow (mostly to get the awful taste out of my mouth, but still). Really, I wish it were Friday again and we were getting another chance at FGCU, but next season is the best we can do.

A couple of other thoughts to end the season:

That loss on Friday really did me in. I used to love the tournament and everything about it. Even when the Hoyas lost, I was able to enjoy the spectacle of the tournament. Not this year. It's going to take a couple of Georgetown wins in the tournament to allow me to enjoy it like I used to.
JGD and I talked a lot about this this weekend, but I worry that sentiments like mine permeate through the program. As fans, we're terrified to lose and we all tighten up come tournament time. I'm sure this is "crazy fan" talking, but I do have fears that this thinking has made it's way into the minds of the coaches and players, forcing them to play tight.
There has been and will continue to be talk about JTIII's future and that he should be on the hot seat. Putting aside for a second that I think that view is just plain wrong (for about ten different reasons), even having the conversation this year seems like a waste of time to me. He's almost certainly not going anywhere this year. I think we can ask questions about what he needs to change in order to get out of this extended tournament funk, but he's going to be our coach next year so the "Fire JTIII" talk that I've seen around the internets might as well stop.
I'm an unabashed JTIII homer so keep that in mind, but I really think he's going to fix this. He's adapted much more over the years than he gets credit for and found ways to win each regular season of his tenure (save 2009). He's won the Big East regular season championship three times. He's rebuilt the program after losing his best players year after year (and even midseason in some cases). He knows that the tournament is his last obstacle as coach. I expect him to adapt in the face of these recent failures and improve going forward. At any rate, it can't get a whole lot worse, tournament-wise, than losing to a 15 seed. We're going to rebound. We're going to get better moving forward.
This won't make us feel a whole lot better, but it's pretty clear now that FGCU was no 15-seed. They can play and their coach can coach. This is a real team that probably should have been seeded a little higher talent-wise. They whooped us on Friday. They followed it up by whooping San Diego State too. They can play. To be clear, I still believe that we should have won, but the Eagles are a talented, confident team.
I'm really going to miss watching Otto Porter play in a Hoyas uniform. He's probably the player I've had the most fun watching as a Hoya. I'll be watching and rooting for him in the NBA, but will miss watching him carve up Big East defenses.
At times like these, I absolutely hate how much I care about sports. It takes years off my life probably.

If you've actually made it this far, I'm sorry. It was a long weekend and I had a lot of thoughts. Hoya Saxa to ya' you guys.

This post got a lot longer than I planned and turned into much more of a stream of consciousness, but I had a lot rattling around today and had to get it down somewhere.

A couple of other thoughts to end the season:

That loss on Friday really did me in. I used to love the tournament and everything about it. Even when the Hoyas lost, I was able to enjoy the spectacle of the tournament. Not this year. It's going to take a couple of Georgetown wins in the tournament to allow me to enjoy it like I used to.
JGD and I talked a lot about this this weekend, but I worry that sentiments like mine permeate through the program. As fans, we're terrified to lose and we all tighten up come tournament time. I'm sure this is "crazy fan" talking, but I do have fears that this thinking has made it's way into the minds of the coaches and players, forcing them to play tight.
There has been and will continue to be talk about JTIII's future and that he should be on the hot seat. Putting aside for a second that I think that view is just plain wrong (for about ten different reasons), even having the conversation this year seems like a waste of time to me. He's almost certainly not going anywhere this year. I think we can ask questions about what he needs to change in order to get out of this extended tournament funk, but he's going to be our coach next year so the "Fire JTIII" talk that I've seen around the internets might as well stop.
I'm an unabashed JTIII homer so keep that in mind, but I really think he's going to fix this. He's adapted much more over the years than he gets credit for and found ways to win each regular season of his tenure (save 2009). He's won the Big East regular season championship three times. He's rebuilt the program after losing his best players year after year (and even midseason in some cases). He knows that the tournament is his last obstacle as coach. I expect him to adapt in the face of these recent failures and improve going forward. At any rate, it can't get a whole lot worse, tournament-wise, than losing to a 15 seed. We're going to rebound. We're going to get better moving forward.
This won't make us feel a whole lot better, but it's pretty clear now that FGCU was no 15-seed. They can play and their coach can coach. This is a real team that probably should have been seeded a little higher talent-wise. They whooped us on Friday. They followed it up by whooping San Diego State too. They can play. To be clear, I still believe that we should have won, but the Eagles are a talented, confident team.
I'm really going to miss watching Otto Porter play in a Hoyas uniform. He's probably the player I've had the most fun watching as a Hoya. I'll be watching and rooting for him in the NBA, but will miss watching him carve up Big East defenses.
At times like these, I absolutely hate how much I care about sports. It takes years off my life probably.

If you've actually made it this far, I'm sorry. It was a long weekend and I had a lot of thoughts. Hoya Saxa to ya' you guys.

Big East Tournament, NCAA Tournament and the Numbers for the Hoyas

2013-03-25T01:20:48Z

I am a proud Hoya (CAS '79, uggh) who has bled blue and gray since that time. I have been around the ups and downs through the three mens bball regimes on the Hilltop. I took a first class flight back from a business trip to Florida so I could watch the 1984 final at my favorite sports bar in Philly. I was at the final game in Lexington in 1985, been to many games in Landover, the Garden and even at the Conte forum at BC. I was in Providence when Ohio handed us our head a few years ago. Just saying that I have a good appreciation of our history and have thought about these events quite a bit.

I am also a bit of a quant (I run a polling institute at the small college I teach at in New England).

And here are the brutal facts ...

We won the Big East Tournament in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989 and 2007

We made the Elite Eight or better in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1996 and 2007.

Do you see the pattern? In every year but 1996 (when we lost the Big East in the final moments) we don't go deep in the Tourney unless we win the Big East. Why?

I am enough of a social scientist that I know it isn't just one explanation for this exceptional correlation. Clearly the reason we don't win the BE tourney is that our team isn't the best in that particular year. However, I am guessing that there may be too high an emphasis on the Big East tournament so that when we don't win (with good teams) we do not enter the tournament with the right type of mindset and intensity. If the goal is to win the NCAA perhaps it takes a different type of strategic thinking? I am very interested to see what others have to say.

Ben

PS - FGCU just whipped SDSU worse than they beat us.

I am also a bit of a quant (I run a polling institute at the small college I teach at in New England).

And here are the brutal facts ...

We won the Big East Tournament in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989 and 2007

We made the Elite Eight or better in 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1996 and 2007.

Do you see the pattern? In every year but 1996 (when we lost the Big East in the final moments) we don't go deep in the Tourney unless we win the Big East. Why?

Ben

PS - FGCU just whipped SDSU worse than they beat us.

7 years of nothing

2013-03-23T04:37:22Z

Another disappointing year comes to a crashing end via another loss from a double seeded team. Something's got to change, the lack of effort or a team not prepared. I don't know what it is this team becomes Harder and harder to root for. JTiii the coach of the year? He is getting out coached in every big game. I've been a Hoya fan my entire life. I just don't know if I can watch them anymore and see the disappointing ends year after year.

It's SU vs. G-Town as Casual Hoya joins the Fantasy Bookies Podcast

2013-03-22T07:15:52Z

Casual Hoya was nice enough to come onto today's Fantasy Bookies podcast to talk tournament with myself, an SU graduate (hold your hate until you listen to the show...then you can hate). We talk Andy Enfield's hot wife, the SU-Georgetown rivaly, and how the tournament shapes up for Georgetown (we also had Jimmy Kelley from Duke Report on to talk about the most hated team in the land...besides SU).

Dowload the podcast here!

And check out FantasyBookies.com., the new online fantasy sports game that puts you in the postion of bookie and bettor...and it's all completely free!

Dowload the podcast here!

And check out FantasyBookies.com., the new online fantasy sports game that puts you in the postion of bookie and bettor...and it's all completely free!

Sizing up the new Big East

2013-03-22T04:16:47Z

The Big East announced yesterday the long anticipated additions of Butler, Xavier, and Creighton for the 2013-2014 season. Along with the “Catholic 7″, this brings the Big East to 10 schools, allowing for a traditional home and home round robin conference season, at least for the upcoming year. The Big East is reportedly looking to add 2 more schools in the future to reach 12 teams total.

The aforementioned 7, consisting of Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, St. John’s, Providence, Seton Hall, and DePaul, have done very well to add schools that are similar in size and athletic focus, along with adding three new media markets, which was very important to the new television deal signed with Fox. Below, I’ve evaluated the make-up of the new conference, separating the schools into 3 categories: old Big East strong programs, old Big East weaker programs, and the newcomers.

The Strong (Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, St. John’s)

Let’s get this out of the way first: Some may argue that St. John’s is not a strong program. It is true that the Red Storm hasn’t reached an Elite Eight in 14 years, and has not been a force in the Big East for quite a while. But this is still a school ranked #7 on the list of teams with the most victories in college basketball history. The Johnnies play their home games at Madison Square Garden, the undisputed mecca of basketball. New York City is a recruiting hotbed, and St. John’s is on the upswing under new coach Steve Lavin. In this new iteration of the Big East, there is no reason why the Red Storm cannot compete for a title every year.

The other three are without a doubt some of the best basketball schools in the country. Georgetown, Marquette, and Villanova have all won national championships, have all reached multiple Final Fours, and all sport some of the top coaches in the nation. With some very good schools leaving for the ACC, these three programs should be consistently challenging for top 25 rankings, Big East titles, and top seeds in the NCAA tournament.

The Weak (Providence, Seton Hall, DePaul)

It’s clearly evident that this group has not been good for a while. However, it must be noted that for the past decade the Big East has been undoubtedly the best conference in college basketball, at least during the regular season, and it’s been difficult for these three to compete with the bigger, richer, more desirable programs. They should all benefit from being in a smaller, watered down conference that nevertheless has national exposure, a proud history, and a lucrative television contract. DePaul has probably been the worst of the group over the years, but if it can figure out how to tap into the gold mine of talent in the Chicago area, the program could rise up and challenge for Big East titles going forward.

The New (Butler, Xavier, Creighton)

One paper, these appear to be much more solid programs than the three discussed above. Butler is just two years removed from its second straight national championship game appearance. Xavier has been one of the most consistently good basketball programs in the country over the past decade, and is the only member of the new Big East ranked in the Forbes Top 20 most valuable college basketball programs. Creighton might not have the quality or appeal of Butler and Xavier, but it’s had good years recently and is among the top 10 in the country in attendance. All three schools are in the midwest and will expand the Big East’s footprint.

Conclusion

This group is certainly worse as a whole than the old Big East, but still can stake a claim as the third best basketball conference in the country, after the ACC and the Big Ten. It’s a shame to lose great programs like Louisville, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and UConn, but in reality, the “Catholic 7″ had little choice after football completely reshaped the college landscape. The conference has made excellent moves in a short period of time, adding like-minded schools, retaining the Big East name, and most importantly, keeping MSG as the home of the conference tournament. The new Big East should send at least half of its teams to the NCAA tournament every year and regularly contend for national titles.

........

This is a post I wrote for my blog that I recently started. I write about the Hoyas and College Basketball in general, as well as soccer. If you like this post, feel free to check out more:

seandisesa.wordpress.com

The Strong (Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, St. John’s)

The Weak (Providence, Seton Hall, DePaul)

The New (Butler, Xavier, Creighton)

Conclusion

........

This is a post I wrote for my blog that I recently started. I write about the Hoyas and College Basketball in general, as well as soccer. If you like this post, feel free to check out more:

seandisesa.wordpress.com

FS: 2 tickets to the game tomorrow...

2013-03-22T01:37:53Z

Sadly, our casual baby is sick and we aren't going to be able to make the trip to Philly tomorrow. So 2 tickets for sale - don't know exact location because Georgetown hasn't divulged yet. You will be with other Casualties. $85 each. Any interest?

Oh and I always forget about this 75 word rule......Why??? To fill up the space I will list the starting five from my freshman year, 1995-96....Allen Iverson, Victor Page, Othella Harrington, Jerome Williams, and ....who was the 5th? Boubacar?

(Hypothetical) Casual Roadtrip IV: ThunderBus II?

2013-03-19T14:55:19Z

From your Casual Tour Directors WarmupEwing and jwallobjects

Hoyas,

We have a big weekend in Philly coming up, maybe you've heard about it. On Friday, we have a showdown with the A-Sun champs. If we somehow emerge triumphant/avoid catastrophic defeat, our next date with destiny will be on Sunday, March 24, at the Wells Fargo Center. As I'm sure you have all predicted in your Casual Bracket Competitions, our hypothetical future Dance partners are the almost-BE Aztecs of SDSU or the Sooners of Oklahoma.

Now, hypothetically speaking, we have a shot at winning on Friday. So your friends at Casual ThunderTours are making hypothetical plans to rent a hypothetical bus in order to hypothetically have an awesome roadtrip and tailgate in Philly on Sunday. Are you interested in exploring this fantasy? If so, here's fuel for the imagination:

What: ThunderBus run to Philly. Pre-/post-game tailgate. Spiritually invigorating win/emotionally crippling loss.

Who: We need at least 30 people to make this viable.

How much: $40 roundtrip (expecting 30 riders)

Where: DC (probably outside the Verizon Center) to Philly (Wells Fargo Center). No stops.

When: Sunday - time TBD. Arriving before Game 1, departing after Game 2.

Now, this is for the trip ONLY. We encourage all Hoyas to get tickets to the game, but unfortunately we cannot provide our normal train/bus & game package.

We are in the process of making this logistically sound, but want to see if any DC Hoyas are on board to make sure it's viable in the first place. If interested, please email CasualThunderTransport at gmail dot com.

You may now resume obsessing about FGCU.

Hoya Saxa

Casual DC GameWatch: Hoyas vs. Florida Gulf Coast

2013-03-18T22:33:49Z

While the March-scarred Georgetown fan base holds onto its collective butt, you know who is supremely casual about this match-up? Why, Funneling Jack, of course. Were he not a Hoya, he would have been quite at home among the Dirty Birds.

But, a Hoya he is, and a Hoya you are. So if you'll be in DC this Friday evening, get thee to Iron Horse for another helping of shredded nerves and adult beverages. The deets...

Where: Iron Horse (507 7th St, NW)

When: Tip is 6:50pm

What: The following fine drink specials:

$3 Miller Light

$3 Bud Light

$4 Flying Dog IPA

$4 Chocolate City Lager

$5 Rails

$5 Hoya Shotza

But, a Hoya he is, and a Hoya you are. So if you'll be in DC this Friday evening, get thee to Iron Horse for another helping of shredded nerves and adult beverages. The deets...

Where: Iron Horse (507 7th St, NW)

When: Tip is 6:50pm

What: The following fine drink specials:

$3 Miller Light

$3 Bud Light

$4 Flying Dog IPA

$4 Chocolate City Lager

$5 Rails

$5 Hoya Shotza

Games That Matter - Georgetown v. Syracuse Preview - THE LAST CRUSADE

2013-03-15T04:48:48Z

Games That Matter - March 15, 2013 (Georgetown v. Syracuse Preview: The Big East Apocalypse, Part Three - INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE EDITION)

Rankings

AP: 5

ESPN/Coaches: 5

RPI: 10

A Few Quick-Hitters

A quick word about that Cincinnati game: We won. Cincinnati lost. We'll never face Cashmere Wright again. The end.

Fine, here's a little more. We won the free throw war, we out-rebounded the Bearcats, we had more assists and fewer turnovers, we shut down Kilpatrick, we ran away with it in the last ten minutes, and my friends John and Stevie D. saw some action in the last minute of the game. So I can't really complain about all that much. A win is a win, and a win in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, against a team that has given us fits in the last few years, is nothing to sneeze at....

....BUT, honestly, how did we blow that 16 point lead so easily? And, would Georgetown University be somewhat liable for causing multiple heart attacks in the stands? Or did we as Georgetown fans assume the risk of suffering heart attacks when we (irresponsibly?) chose to become fans of the Heart Attack Hoyas?

Only two Cincinnati players scored more than four points (Wright and Parker). Special shout-out to Sean Kilpatrick for missing all eight of his three-point attempts.

Cashmere Wright is going away. His sneaky use of the Konami code is no more. Chris Wright is playing in the NBA. Life is good.

Here's your annual update on the food options at the Garden. As I mentioned last year, the gourmet selections are a friendly addition to the usual "chicken fingers n fries" kiosks (which still exist, if that's your thing), but the prices are nothing short of outrageous. It's the Garden, I get it. But still. If I'm paying $13 for a Hill Country bbq brisket sandwich (which is tasty), I should probably get a sandwich that is bigger than a slider. The Jean Georges "Simply Chicken" special - a chicken sausage dog with mustard and cole slaw - is exceptional, but the sausage itself is seriously lacking in the girth department. If you're hungry and don't have time to weigh your different options, I still think your best bet is the footlong hot dog that they sell at every one of those "Garden Market" counters that are everywhere. If eating kosher food is your thing, try "Carlos and Gabby's" for a hot dog and vegetable egg roll. (No, I didn't actually eat there, but yes, such a place does exist. Who names a Glatt kosher kiosk after a Mexican guitar player and a valley girl? And why is this place serving hot dogs and egg rolls? Because they're awesome, I guess.)

It's possible that I schmoozed with Rich Chvotkin. It's also possible that his drink of choice is a bourbon and coke. In related news, I love Rich Chvotkin. In unrelated news, FREE GREG WHITTINGTON.

During the Pitt-Syracuse game, some guy behind me said the following: "Yeah, right, Steven Adams is gonna get drafted. If that happens, then maybe I should get drafted....for beer drinking."

Belated shout-out to DSR for scoring a basket against Villanova and then patting Ryan Arcidiacono on the ass. As far as I'm concerned, that was the highlight of that miserable game.

After our wonderful, amazing win against Syracuse, someone I know was kicked out of Iron Horse. I strenuously objected and asked the bouncer to "reconsider". My request was denied. (Now I know how Demi Moore felt in "A Few Good Men".) I then made this friend wait outside until Toto's "Africa" finished playing on the jukebox. Because "Africa" is one helluva song. We then proceeded to go to the Tombs. My friend fell asleep while standing in line. He was asked to leave. I told the bouncer that my friend was really tired. Denied again. This story is already old, and I hate it. [SwordofBrunner note: NYHoya is the worst friend ever. and he loves this story more than my Superbowl 42 story]

There's a guy at the Big East Tournament who is dressed as a giant Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cup. During one of the games, I sat behind him. You know you've reached a comical low when you're pleading with some dude dressed as a giant chocolate bar to PLEASE GET OUT OF THE WAY. In other news, the guy dressed as a giant Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cup is a horrible person. P.S. Each game in the Tourney features an event that pits two students against each other in a free throw shooting contest. The winner receives a year's worth of Reese's Pieces products. Why don't they also just give the winner a ticket that says "Congratulations. You now have diabetes."

Wait, What? Really? Again?

Enough about chocolate bars and Toto. For some terrible reason, the gods have decided that our Big East rivalry isn't quite over yet. Fine, let's get on with it then.

Considering this will be the third and final chapter of the Georgetown and Syracuse rivalry in the last year of the Big East as we know it, I can think of no better way to celebrate this game than by drafting a tribute to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the original "final" movie in the Indiana Jones saga, and one of my all-time favorites. Let's do this.

Georgetown v. Syracuse Preview: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE EDITION

"Well, we made it!"
"When we are airborne, with Germany behind us, *then* I will share that sentiment!"

Congrats, we advanced to Friday night of the Big East Tournament. It's the hottest ticket in town and one of the most exciting nights of the year. Hooray!

Settle down, folks. Nothing to be excited about just yet. We beat an offensively-challenged Cincy team. Mazel tov. Now the real fun begins.

"Oh, rats!"

Dammit. I really didn't want to play Syracuse again. I feel like we ended the rivalry in the best way possible - with a clean and decisive sweep. The Orange will be hungry and motivated, and this will basically be a home game for them. Seriously, over 80% of the fans will be dressed in orange. Plus, it's hard to beat a team three times in one season. And of course, now all the haters are pointing to Big John's "kiss Syracuse good-bye" comment as something that will serve as poster board material for Cuse. (And yes, I fully accept the fact that Pitt has historically been a bad matchup for us, and of course, that Pitt was the only team to beat us handily all season. But still, I didn't want another game against Syracuse.)

Deciding who to root for in the Pitt-Syracuse game was like deciding whether to ingest rat poison or extra-strength rat poison. Either way, a little piece of you is slowly dying inside. I decided to root for regular rat poison. Oh well. P.S. Hey Pittsburgh, don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out of our conference.

"Then, what are you complaining about? Now, he who finds the Grail must face 3 challenges. First, is the path of God: Only the penitent man shall pass. Second, is the word of God: Only in the footsteps of God, shall he proceed. Last is the breath of God: Only in a leap from the lion's head shall he prove his worth."

In our quest for a Big East title, we have completed two of three challenges. Only thing left is a giant leap from the lion's head to prove that we're the better team.

Fun Facts: Against Georgetown, Syracuse is averaging 42.5 points per game. Against everyone else, Syracuse is averaging 74 points per game (thanks ESPN). Most of you know that last week Georgetown held Syracuse to its lowest point total in the Jim Boeheim era. But did you also know that Syracuse's second-lowest point total in the Boeheim era happened last month when we beat them at the Dome? (Is this stat right? Or did someone just not do their research? If so, wow.)

"Nazis. I hate these guys."

Wait, am I comparing Syracuse's basketball team to the Nazis? Yes, yes I am.

"As you can now see, Dr. Jones, we are on the verge of completing a quest that began almost two thousand years ago. We're just one step away."
"That's usually when the ground falls out from underneath your feet."

Yes, and yes. Your Georgetown Fighting Hoyas are in the final stages of a quest that started 33 years ago, and which culminates in this final weekend of the Big East Tournament as we know it. We're just one step away, but this is when things get really interesting. Let's avoid an earthquake, young Hoyas.

"I told you..."
[grabs a gun and shoots all soldiers dead]
"DON'T call me Junior!"

His name is Otto Porter, kids. DON'T CALL HIM JUNIOR (especially if you have a Scottish accent).

"Sallah, I said *no* camels. That's *five* camels. Can't you count?"

Seriously, why are we playing these camels again? I'm over this Syracuse team, and I'm over this rivalry. It was so one week ago.

"Small world, Dr. Jones."
"Too small for two of us."

Enough is enough. One of us needs to move on and win this damn thing. It has to be Georgetown or Syracuse because IT JUST HAS TO. Let's get this party started.

"You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

This is what JTIII said to Otto after our loss to Villanova. But he didn't need to say anything. Otto hates losing.

"I'll never forget how vonderful it vas."
"Why thank you. It was rather wonderful."
"Zat's how Austrians say goodbye."
"Und zis is how ve zay goodbye in Germany, Dr. Jones."

I'm not interested in kissing Syracuse good-bye. I'm interested in punching Syracuse in the face. The German way is better. Time to get angry.

"I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up."

Jim Boeheim. Or Cashmere Wright. I can't decide.

"Listen. Since I've met you I've nearly been incinerated, drowned, shot at, and chopped into fish bait. We're caught in the middle of something sinister here, my guess is dad found out more than he was looking for and until I'm sure, I'm going to continue to do things the way I think they should be done."

(Conversation that was overheard between JTIII and his mom. These last 33 years have brought some crazy games between Georgetown and Syracuse. Big John had his way of doing things, and JTIII has his own style. Both were effective. But now it's the son's turn to finish this rivalry.) [SwordOfBrunner note: Am I the only one that thinks this is a weird scene to associate between a man and his mother?]

"My son, we're pilgrims in an unholy land."

This is what Big John told his son a few minutes before the Hoyas proceeded to close the Carrier Dome.

"Come on, dad. Help me get us out of here. We have to get to Marcus before the Nazis do."

Seriously. WE HAVE TO GET TO MARCUS BEFORE THE ORANGE DO.

"Junior, I have tell you something."
"Don't get sentimental now dad, save it until we get out of here."
"The floor's on fire... see... AND the chair."

No time to get all sentimental about this rivalry. Forget the nostalgia. Let's keep our eyes on the prize.

"Tickets please."
"What?"
[Indiana punches him, picks him up and throws him out a window into a pile of luggage; the other passengers look at him, bewildered]
"No ticket."

Tickets to Friday night's semifinals are virtually impossible to find. It's driving me crazy. I befriended a group of nice old ladies from Pittsburgh (who told me that they had tickets to all of the BET games), and after Pitt lost, I asked them if I could buy their tickets. They told me that unfortunately they left the remaining tickets in their hotel. Instead of volunteering to escort them back to their hotel (because I didn't want to be creepy), I went looking elsewhere. Big mistake. SYRACUSE FANS WERE EVERYWHERE. I GOT NOTHING. I NEED TICKETS. PLEASE HELP. THE GARDEN WILL BE ORANGE TOMORROW AND THIS WILL BE A HOME GAME FOR SYRACUSE. Ugh, I really don't want to play this team again. But seriously, somebody help me out with tickets. I need 1 for me, my wife, and some guy that we'll just call "Josh." [SwordOfBrunner note: Seriously, I went down at 920 to buy from Nova fans and a friend went down at 1130 to buy from Marquette fans. This ticket is impossible.]

"I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne. Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky."

Nate, Hop and Moses are our rocks. DSR, Markel and Jabril are our birds in the sky. Otto is both a rock and a bird. (I have no idea what any of this means.)

"But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you."

Yup. If we win this game, we are one step closer to immortality. If we lose, that will be absolutely terrible.

"We try to get around 30-35 deflections or tips per game, but against Villanova we had 58, which more than I've ever seen."(paraphrased)

This is what Rick Pitino said after Louisville beat Villanova. Rick doesn't care about points; he only cares about tips. Just the tips. Follow-up question: how many tips did you get against Georgetown, Ricky?

"The Name of God... Jehovah."
"But in the Latin alphabet, ‘Jehovah' begins with an ‘I'."
"J-..."

"Oh, *idiot*! In Latin Jehovah begins with an ‘I'!"

This is a flaw in the movie. Whether it's Latin or any other language, Jehovah begins with an "O". OTTO.

"Otto Porter is one of the top guards in the country."

Thanks for your great insight, as always, Jay Williams. Call me crazy, but Otto Porter (Don't Call Me) Jr. might play like a guard, but he's kind of a forward.

"Well, Marcus, we're on the verge of the greatest discovery in the history of mankind."

"And you're meddling with powers you can't possibly comprehend."

The mystique of this year's Big East title makes me very excited. We're in uncharted territory. This is more than just the Big East title. It's the last time the Hoyas and the Orange will be chasing down the same prize in New York. Oh my goodness, this game is so big.

"Is that what you think of me? I believe in the Grail, not the Swastika!"
"You stood up to be counted with the enemies of everything the Grail stands for! Who gives a *damn* what you believe?"

This was a recent conversation between Big John Thompson and Jim Boeheim. Jimmy said he believes in the Big East championship and everything that is good about rivalries and tradition and loyalty and basketball. Pops called him out, as only Pops can. He reminded his old friend Jimmy that when Syracuse teamed up with the evil forces of the ACC, it went against everything the Big East stood for (i.e. a league of similar northeast schools that believe in the power of a basketball-only conference). Alas, money prevailed once again. I HATE COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

"I wanted Pitt. Wanted to be done with the Scourge of Southern Canada and not risk tainting our earlier glory. But let's be real: the Big East is ending. It had to be this way. Had to be."

This is what someone (we'll call him "Kyle") said to me earlier today. And he's exactly right.

"The whole thing is tragic. Nobody cares about student athletes. All anybody cares about is money. Everybody in the NCAA, in college administration, they talk about academics and student athletes. If people cared about student athletes, West Virginia wouldn't be in the Big 12 with 10 teams flying 800 miles to their closest home game. That's really conducive to studying. The whole thing is a hypocrisy. ... The money has ruined it. If I was a fan, I'd be very disenchanted."

You know who said this? Mick Cronin. Like "Kyle," our friend Boggs from Shawshank is exactly right.

"I misjudged you, Walter. I knew you would sell your mother for an Etruscan vase. But I didn't know you would sell out your country and your soul... to the slime of humanity."

Yeah, I'll be honest. I was pretty surprised when Syracuse left the conference. Some said it was inevitable, but I never really believed it. I expected that sort of behavior from football schools like Miami and Virginia Tech and West Virginia. But Syracuse? Really? Et tu, Brute? How the hell could you have the guts to sell out your conference and your soul to the slime of humanity (the ACC) and look yourself in the mirror the next day? Georgetown's collective hatred of you has never been greater. Never.

"Dr. Jones?"
"Yes?"
"I knew it was you, you have your father's eyes."
"And my mother's ears but the rest belongs to you."

This is the line JTIII used when he first started dating his future wife. He's a smooth operator.

"Half the German army's on our tail and you want me to go to Berlin? Into the lion's den?"
"Yes. The only thing that matters is the Grail."

When in pursuit of the Holy Grail (the Big East title), sometimes you need to go straight into the lion's den. We already went into the lion's den (the Carrier Dome / Berlin) and succeeded, but now we need to do it again. Madison Square Garden will be Syracuse South on Friday night. Make no mistake about it. The crowd will be over 80% orange. To make it to that Big East title game and capture the elusive Grail, we'll need to beat Syracuse in a virtual road game one more time.

"The quest for the grail is not archaeology, it's a race against evil. If it is captured by the Nazis the armies of darkness will march all over the face of the earth. Do you understand me?"

The quest for the Big East crown is 100% a race against evil. We CANNOT allow Syracuse to win the title. We just can't. We won the first title, we've won the most championships, and now we need to close this thing out one last time. We're the #1 seed, we've beaten this team twice already, we're the better team, and we deserve it. We cannot let the ACC and the forces of evil prevail. Man up.

"And in this sort of race, there's no silver medal for finishing second."

[SwordOfBrunner note: I can't find 1/2 these quotes so i started subbing. deal with it]

No, no there isn't. We're playing for everything on Friday night. It's the final Georgetown-Syracuse Big East game EVER in the last year of the Big East Tournament as we know it. Losing is not an option. There will be no "great job, great effort" kids at this game. This will be an all-out war.

Keys to the Game:

1. Perimeter Defense: The key to Syracuse's newfound success in the Big East Tournament has been clutch outside shooting, particularly from James Southerland (who has somehow rediscovered his magical shooting touch). We can't let Triche, Southerland, Fair and MCW get open looks from the perimeter. We did a phenomenal job of closing out Cuse's shooters last week. We'll need to do it again on Friday night.

2. Breaking the Zone: In our first meeting, Otto the Orange Killer was a one-man wrecking crew. In our second meeting, Syracuse tried to take away Otto, but that resulted in Markel and DSR getting wide open looks from outside. How will Syracuse adjust in this game? We know they'll play a zone, but will it be their typical extended 2-3 zone, or will it be something closer to a box and one? How will we adjust?

3. Rebounding: I just have a feeling that the team that wins the rebounding battle will win this game. We'll need all of our guys to help out on the glass in this one. P.S. When Otto has seven or more rebounds, Georgetown is undefeated.

4. Knock Down Seven Threes: To beat Syracuse, we need to hit at least seven threes. That's a fact. Otto went nuts in Round #1. DSR and Markel went nuts in Round #2. Who steps up from the perimeter in Round #3?

Lie Down Forever, Lie Down

Here we go again. Georgetown and Syracuse. The winner gets to play for a championship. The loser goes home. It doesn't get any bigger than this.

For this young Hoyas squad, it's hard to believe this season can get any better. We've already won a Big East regular season title and clinched a #2 seed in the NCAA Tourney. And we've already messed up Syracuse twice. But something tells we're not finished yet. Thirty-three years ago, we closed down Manley Field House. Last month, we closed down the Carrier Dome. And last week, we closed down the regular season rivalry with Syracuse in style. If Syracuse is indeed "New York's College Team," then we might as well beat them in the Garden too.

This game is obviously about the Hoyas and the Orange, and the end of one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, but it's also about so much more. Now that Marquette has been eliminated, your Georgetown Hoyas are carrying the torch for the New Big East. It comes down to Georgetown and three schools that are destined for the ACC. Right now, we're all we got. But you know what? Right now, we're all we need.

Georgetown and Syracuse one last time, my friends. It's the end of the world as know it. We've embarrassed this team twice already and we've taken their hearts. Now it's time to take their souls. Let's kick this team to the curb and play for a championship on Saturday night.

Let's go Hoyas. BEAT SYRACUSE.

[SwordOfBrunner note: I don't care that this is from the Temple Of Doom. Rip their hearts out and send them to the ACC. Go Hoyas.]