Sleeping with the Enemy: The Blue Demons of DePaul

Your Fighting Hoyas of Georgetown limp home for a second battle against the Blue Demons of DePaul and as usual we here at THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON are bringing you everything you need to know about Georgetown's next opponent.  Here with us is our best DePaul buddy @stacdemon, a writer for WeAreDePaul.com for all things Blue Demons and columnist for TodaysU.com for all things Big East.  Let's do this!

Round 2 with you guys already? Not that I mind hanging out with you twice in the span of two weeks, but this is odd scheduling, no?

Yeah, interesting choice to have them play twice in the span of 11 days. I don't know if it benefits one  team more than the other. I can't say I don't mind it, really. Both teams lost Tuesday and both will be desperate to get a win. So the intensity should be there for both teams.

DePaul is off to a typical DePaul start in the Big East. When are things going to get better?

I don't know. It's a loaded question with an answer with so many layers.  All I know is Dave Leitao is doing a great job of instilling some discipline and toughness to the team. The effort is there and the results are just not there yet. I feel they will come, but it may be longer than I had hoped. If DePaul is not thriving by year threeunder Leitao with a new building, can you put me out of my misery?

Since both of our squads are struggling on the court, let's tackle a few non-hoops related items.  Cool? Cool.  Should Mike Piazza go into the Hall of Fame as a Met or Dodger? Justify selection.  While you're at it, what's your take on some of the steroid era players and whether they should be in the Hall someday.

Piazza should absolutely go in as a Met. He spent six and half years with Dodgers and seven and a half with the Mets, so edge Mets there. He got his team to a WS as a Met, not a Dodger. His post-911 HR captivated a nation as a Met. He brought them back to respectability and maybe the team could have gone to more WS's  in his time there if not for the Atlanta Braves and their pitching (but still a big F.U to John Rocker!). This should be no-brainer if you ask me. Mets all the way.

As for steroid era players, right now I say just let them in already. I mean, let's not act like the moral police here. The steroid era, however a bad optic it was, was an era nonetheless and most players used performance-enhancing drugs. Considering the Hall is littered with racists, alcoholics, drug addicts, habitual cheaters and many other unsavory characters, why now draw the line with steroid abusers? I don't like that these players did it, as it does taint the game and it is cheating.  But they did and they are not as half as bad (morale wise) as some other players already in the hall.

Last time we chatted you documented your go-to order at a Chinese restaurant.  Now do the same for us but let's say we're at a nice steakhouse.  Take me through your drink order(s) and please include any preferred sauces, sides, etc.

I'm pretty much a meat and potatoes kind of guy and low maintenance when at steakhouses. A typical light beer (sorry IPA hipsters) will suffice and a pretty typical medium-well done steak with potatoes (preferably mashed) with just regular steak sauce will do just fine for me.

True or False: The Georgetown Hoyas will make the NCAA Tournament.

Hmm, that is really tough. But gun to my head, I'll say true. Strength of schedule will help tremendously.

As a fan of an opposing team playing the Hoyas, what is your mindset before the game? What do you anticipate or expect will occur on the court when our two squads face off? For example, when the Hoyas face DePaul our fanbase is pretty much in the "we should win this game and if we lose the season is over" mindset yet we know the game is going to be a lot closer than it should be and disaster looms.  This is a terribly phrased question but work with me, dammit.

I totally get you. As DePaul fans, I can relate. Seriously, now that we are in Big East play and with us off to a 0-3 start, it's all doom and gloom among DePaul fans, as most fans don't expect us to win another game this year. Which is a natural feeling to have when you have had your teeth kicked in as much as we have. Again, like I said last time, we are always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I, though, am an optimistic guy by nature and feels there will be a time when this will turn around for us. It's just a matter of when. But at this point, I'm resigned it's not gonna happen this year.

I can't end this casual Q&A without asking for your take on the Chicago-style hot dog. Is this your hot dog of choice or does a typical NYC water dog tickle your fancy?

Well, Chicago is knows for their chili dogs, too. A joint near DePaul called (aptly) Demon Dogs makes delicious one and that is certainly a vice of mine for when I visit the Windy City. So I choose the former.

Final score prediction?

DePaul will battle but fall short again. Georgetown 68 DePaul 64.