Casual Hoya - Georgetown Head Coach Patrick Ewing Gets to WorkA Georgetown Hoyas Blog - The GLOBAL PHENOMENON Where Cynical Meets Delusionalhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48389/hoya-fave.png2017-04-06T09:14:39-04:00http://www.casualhoya.com/rss/stream/149313352017-04-06T09:14:39-04:002017-04-06T09:14:39-04:00Patrick Ewing to Meet with Tremont Waters on Friday
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<p id="tE306p">Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing (it’s still a bit strange to type those words) is off and running, and per his comments on the Mike & Mike Show this morning will be boarding a plane tomorrow to visit prized 4-star point guard Tremont Waters.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ewing on Mike and Mike right now. Mentioned he's on a flight Friday morning to meet with Ed and Tremont Waters.</p>— SuperHoops (@SuperEricRogers) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperEricRogers/status/849964137258070016">April 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="ytdrWa">And then, on the Dan Patrick Show, he delivered this bomb re Allen Iverson:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patrick just said on <a href="https://twitter.com/dpshow">@dpshow</a> that he wants to get Tremont and AI either in the same room together or at least on the phone <a href="https://twitter.com/CasualHoya">@CasualHoya</a></p>— Jadon O'Donnell (@J_ODonnell5) <a href="https://twitter.com/J_ODonnell5/status/849980404518047744">April 6, 2017</a>
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<p id="od5WZU">Waters <a href="http://www.casualhoya.com/2016/10/19/13326678/tremont-waters-commits-to-georgetown-hoyas-indiana-hoosiers-kentucky-wildcats-kansas-jayhawks">committed to Georgetown in October 2016,</a> but then <a href="http://www.casualhoya.com/2017/3/11/14896014/report-hoyas-commit-tremont-waters-wants-out">decommitted from the program on March 11th</a> following Georgetown’s disappointing season. Even though Waters decommitted nearly one month ago, he hasn’t taken any visits to any other schools. He has been linked to Duke and Kansas, the latter of which was on his final list before choosing Georgetown.</p>
<p id="RRSAR6">Highlights of Waters:</p>
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<p id="WdVcEo">UPDATE:</p>
<p id="qXDKEA">Georgetown has officially released Waters from his Letter of Intent.</p>
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</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BSkGEm3A5Ca/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">... </a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by H2O Kid (@tremontwaters) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-04-07T00:27:03+00:00">Apr 6, 2017 at 5:27pm PDT</time></p>
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https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/6/15204898/patrick-ewing-to-meet-with-tremont-waters-on-fridayCasualHoya2017-04-05T19:07:58-04:002017-04-05T19:07:58-04:00Jagan Mosely: “I’m Staying Here For Sure”
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<figcaption>Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="6XsdzS">Towards the end of the podium portion of coach Patrick Ewing’s introductory press conference he mentioned that he had already met with the remaining members of the basketball team and that he would be doing so again on Thursday. </p>
<p id="YilUQP">He then jumped right into the uncertainty surrounding next year’s roster, which will likely look much different than it currently does at the moment simply because the numbers are low.</p>
<p id="txFNUv">“I’m not sure who is going to be staying,” Ewing said in front of a standing room only crowd inside a first floor room of the Thompson Athletic Center the included at least six of the eight scholarship players currently in school and on the the roster. (I’ve not included LJ Peak in this as he’s indicated he will hire an agent.)</p>
<p id="or8rG0">“I know there are some people talking about leaving. So I’m going to meet with them tomorrow and we’re going to sit down individually and discuss what their visions are and what my visions are. If they’re going to buy into my vision and take it from there.”</p>
<p id="k6dOar">By my count, Jessie Govan, Tre Campbell, Akoy Agau, Trey Mourning, Kaleb Johnson, and Jagan Mosely were all in attendance as Ewing frankly said that he knows some of them might be bailing in the near future. I didn’t see Jonathan Mulmore or Marcus Derrickson but it’s possible I missed them.</p>
<p id="C0YLDE">Georgetown made Jagan Mosely available to the media for a few minutes as we waited for another chance to talk to Ewing in the back of the room.</p>
<p id="NN2a3u">The rising sophomore guard out of New Jersey who started 20 times and saw action in all of but one of the Hoyas 32 games this past season made it clear as to his intentions going forward.</p>
<p id="zlYodg">“I have no thoughts of transferring just to clear that up,” Mosely said.</p>
<p id="9DdSkR">“I’m staying here for sure.”</p>
<p id="evj1P8">Mosely, who averaged 4.2 points per game as a freshman and was second on the team with 2.5 assists per game, didn’t believe the news about John Thompson III’s dismissal at first.</p>
<p id="5D8RTR">“I first found out from one of my teammates while I was on my way to class and I didn’t really believe it until I saw the news,” Mosely explained. </p>
<p id="LtNJOt">“It was kind of shocking to me because I really didn’t think it was going to happen and then when it happened it was like what do I do now. I called my parents let them know what my options are and just wait for the new coach to be hired. Everyone who I called said stay put, keep focusing on school, and wait for the new coach to be hired.”</p>
<p id="4hCpuP">So what was Mosely’s reaction to the Hoyas hire?</p>
<p id="If8XyL">“I was excited,” Mosely said with a big smile. </p>
<p id="7Do84I">“I’m a big Knick fan so seeing him and being at Georgetown was a big excitement for me and another NBA mind I can just learn from.”</p>
<p id="f8sLTD">One of the questions I’ve had is how much do the younger players still know about Ewing, who last played in the NBA back in 2002. If you listen to Mosely, the name still carries big weight, even with the younger guys.</p>
<p id="5VNNJd">“Oh yeah, of course,” Mosely said when asked if he thought today’s recruits would know about the Hall of Famer know in charge at Georgetown. </p>
<p id="ynDZaV">“He coached in the NBA for 15 years I think. So I mean he’s been coaching guys that are like three, four years older than me so it’s still my era.”</p>
<p id="AKc8zJ">So if you want to speculate about which players are leaving, take Jagan Mosely off that list.</p>
https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/5/15199942/jagan-mosely-im-stay-here-for-sureBobbyBancroft2017-04-05T16:48:01-04:002017-04-05T16:48:01-04:00There’s No Intimidating Patrick Ewing
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<figcaption>Georgetown University; Ben Standig</figcaption>
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<p id="SZv8sY">There’s a legitimate debate about Georgetown reaching back in time to hire Patrick Ewing as the school’s men’s basketball coach. Whatever one thinks of the decision, just know the 7-foot Basketball Hall of Famer handled the first public day on his new job the way he played during his Georgetown and NBA career: Unafraid. For day one, that just what the fans and the program needed. </p>
<p id="82DPmD">During his introductory press conference inside the Thompson Athletic Center, the 144,000 on-campus practice facility still sporting that new car smell, the longtime NBA assistant stated he was intimidated by becoming a first-time head coach on any level. Even if he takes over a program, one he led to the 1984 national championship, coming off back-to-back losing seasons.</p>
<p id="RTsBVX">"Had a few down years, and they decided to make change," Ewing said. "It's a new era now."</p>
<p id="zYeJz2">He’s not intimidated by the stark reality that his Hoyas likely won’t be good again next season. The current roster includes approximately eight players – even Ewing acknowledged he isn’t sure who will return.</p>
<p id="AmK02W">"Next year," he said, "is going to be a rough year."</p>
<p id="z6EeGq">He’s not intimidated with the 24/7, 365, cutthroat aspects of recruiting even though one of the last times he dealt with the process was his own as the nation’s top prep player in 1981. He’s wasn’t afraid to state the importance of tapping into the rich basketball talent in the Greater Washington area. “That’s my job. To get these great players to try to stay home.”</p>
<p id="fpg9ih">He’s not intimidated putting together a coaching staff “that has the ability to go out and recruit and teach me all the things I need to know” as he attacks the learning curve. What the 15-year NBA assistant lacks in college coaching or recruiting experience he makes up with legacy, basketball smarts and confidence. </p>
<p id="D65td1">“I don’t see anything different (about recruiting),” Ewing said. “It’s about going out and selling your program. I think I’m a great salesman.”</p>
<p id="VwjOdd">No signs of fear even though Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford told his friend and now former assistant he wouldn’t go back into the Division 1 ranks.</p>
<p id="Cj56FL">“I told him honestly I would go back to coach college, but I would go back to like Div. II or III,” Clifford said before Charlotte faced the Washington Wizards Tuesday. “Where the recruiting is still time consuming, but, to me, doable in a way that you can actually have some sense of a life. I recruited Conference USA one year. Recruiting is 24/7 12 months a year and if you don’t do it, like that you have no shot because that’s what the top-20 coaches are doing. Those guys are great coaches, but they are great recruiters. They all recruit non-stop. He knows that. He doesn’t have his head in the sand.”</p>
<p id="tzyPzQ">Ewing certainly wasn’t intimidated by multiple questions from a pushy, out-out-touch reporter who pressed the legendary Hoya on his first day of work about consistently playing other local programs. “I see that’s your mantra,” he cracked when the pestering continued during a smaller breakout session with reporters.</p>
<p id="1SP9SC">He’s not intimidated about speaking his mind. News broke last month that Georgetown fired John Thompson III, a man Ewing knew as a boy. “I felt like I had been fired,” said Ewing, whose son was part of Thompson’s coaching staff. Yet Ewing didn’t shy away from stating he felt last year’s 14-18 team “underachieved.” He provided refreshing comments that the program needed a return to its imposing “Hoya Paranoia” persona in the Big East.</p>
<p id="r0qY5g">In the coming days, we should learn specifics about the assistant coaching staff. Those current unknowns will be to recruiting the players needed so Ewing can implement his desired “up-tempo, push-the-ball, shoot 3’s when you have it” approach used in Charlotte that also recognizes defense comes first. </p>
<p id="aEZSuF">After only one NCAA Tournament appearance in four years, after the unsettling end to the JTIII era and after some reported misfires early in the coaching search, this was a good day for the Georgetown fan base and those outsiders intrigued by the starry return. For the moment, that’s enough. Tomorrow, we’ll see. The rebuild task is daunting. </p>
<p id="PzrQ14">Just know that whatever comes next, there’s no intimidating Patrick Ewing.</p>
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https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/5/15198556/patrick-ewing-georgetown-head-coach-press-conference-reactionBen Standig2017-04-05T09:35:04-04:002017-04-05T09:35:04-04:00Home Sw33t Home: The Patrick Ewing Press Conference
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<figcaption>John Thompson Jr. and Patrick Ewing, 1984</figcaption>
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<p id="jENT4z">Patrick Ewing was formally introduced as Georgetown’s new head coach this morning at 11am at The Thompson Center. The press conference was streamed live on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeorgetownAthletics/">Georgetown Athletics Facebook page</a> and has now been posted on the school’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF0s8sg3bkmHv9EQkkP2_ZA">youtube</a> channel. Watch it below:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very excited that we will be streaming the presser tomorrow on Facebook Live! <a href="https://t.co/jxGZkkSwwy">pic.twitter.com/jxGZkkSwwy</a></p>— Chris Grosse (@Chris_Grosse) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Grosse/status/849348055308668928">April 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="6b05FK">Prior to this morning’s press conference, Ewing made an appearance on The Sports Junkies radio show, in which he revealed the following, courtesy of commenter <em>aja32</em>.</p>
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<p id="P9Hj0y">Staffing:</p>
<blockquote><p id="dAmxJD">Looking to bring in college guys more than NBA guys. PE Jr. not staying on staff due to Georgetown’s nepotism clause.</p></blockquote>
<p id="IGcKr2">Asked if he’d add Wingate, others to the staff:</p>
<blockquote><p id="QILKcb">Not to the staff but definitely going to be talking to all those guys to keep them engaged in the program</p></blockquote>
<p id="8leotg">On JT2:</p>
<blockquote><p id="xrfjbK">If I have issues or problems I have no problem picking up the phone and asking him for advice</p></blockquote>
<p id="Keijdy">On recruiting and filling out the roster this year. Will he bring in JUCOs, etc. to fill out roster?</p>
<blockquote><p id="3tSBbD">Something Lee Reed and I are talking about. Don’t want to bring in recruits right out of high school who won’t work out long term.</p></blockquote>
<p id="30y97G">To the fans</p>
<blockquote><p id="4zW3Db">We need Hoya Nation to stand up and – I won’t say pressure them – but to help make sure recruits know that the Hoyas are here and we want them.</p></blockquote>
<p id="6NmyIq">You ready to recruit?</p>
<blockquote><p id="RI9sVt">There are a lot of young guys in the NBA, I’ve already had to know how to work with a younger generation. I am going to have great recruiters on my staff</p></blockquote>
<p id="HCDYhL">On Georgetown vs NBA jobs:</p>
<blockquote><p id="zfXL8z">The only reason I am back in college is because it’s Georgetown. Just thought this was a great fit, great opportunity to work in a program that I cherish</p></blockquote>
<p id="VSEcuS">Assorted other things – he still needs to find a house in DC</p>
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<p id="heyBqk">Video of the appearance is below:</p>
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<p id="8xEEbd">We’ll have live coverage of the press conference right here on THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON, as our own <a href="https://twitter.com/BenStandig">Ben Standig</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BobbyBancroft">Bobby Bancroft</a> will be in attendance and perhaps <a href="http://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15184908/patrick-ewing-head-coach-georgetown-hoyas-press-conference-how-to-watch-live">asking a few of your questions</a>.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A look at the shirts being made up for tomorrow's presser. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hoyas?src=hash">#Hoyas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HomeSw33tHome?src=hash">#HomeSw33tHome</a> <a href="https://t.co/jFW1wonnnv">pic.twitter.com/jFW1wonnnv</a></p>— Chris Grosse (@Chris_Grosse) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Grosse/status/849329556108582913">April 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="PKfRWz">Ewing’s Opening Statement:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patrick Ewing's opening statement <a href="https://t.co/8zrfRcfINO">pic.twitter.com/8zrfRcfINO</a></p>— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenStandig/status/849644100886384641">April 5, 2017</a>
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<p id="kGwJBY">Hoya Saxa!</p>
https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/5/15189770/patrick-ewing-press-conference-how-to-watch-live-georgetown-hoyas-head-coachCasualHoya2017-04-04T19:21:13-04:002017-04-04T19:21:13-04:00The Patrick Ewing Press Conference: What Would You Ask?
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<p id="CsMY8H">The press conference to introduce Patrick Ewing as the new head coach of Georgetown is tomorrow at 11am at The Thompson Center. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very excited that we will be streaming the presser tomorrow on Facebook Live! <a href="https://t.co/jxGZkkSwwy">pic.twitter.com/jxGZkkSwwy</a></p>— Chris Grosse (@Chris_Grosse) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Grosse/status/849348055308668928">April 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="m2PD71">The event will be attended by both Ben Standig and Bobby Bancroft, and this is your chance to provide them with some questions to ask of our new leader.</p>
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<p id="WelB85">Please leave your questions in the comments section below, and try to keep these relatively serious and not about which Space Jam character was Ewing’s favorite.</p>
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<p id="swTkaL">Samples below:</p>
<p id="kmAf4a">How would you best describe the offense and defense you intend to run at Georgetown?</p>
<p id="fDo988">What steps will you take to re-energize the student body about Georgetown basketball?</p>
<p id="2g9Vd0">When will you be reaching out to Tremont Waters?</p>
<p id="Ry0KG7">Who are your assistant coaches?</p>
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<p id="FiyOwK">These sorts of things.</p>
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<p id="ChVFxu">Go!</p>
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https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15184908/patrick-ewing-head-coach-georgetown-hoyas-press-conference-how-to-watch-liveCasualHoya2017-04-04T17:19:50-04:002017-04-04T17:19:50-04:00The Two Sides of The New Ewing Theory
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<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="oinBuo">There are two distinct factions when it comes to Georgetown hiring Patrick Ewing as the next men’s basketball coach. Those who love, LOVE the move and those who are quietly uneasy. </p>
<p id="pbeGSQ">That first group is filled with dreamers, NBA columnists and old-school college basketball fans that remember when the Hoyas ruled the land with Ewing front and center. That other group is largely comprised of those who consume all things Georgetown. Who scream for joy after big wins and sought therapy after Florida Gulf Coast. </p>
<p id="OIdhY3">Most of what you’ve read following Monday’s big news expresses thoughts from that first group. This column speaks for that second faction. </p>
<p id="L5jNBA">Nobody knows whether Ewing will thrive as a first-time head coach on any level. All involved hope he rocks. We remember his famous arrival in 1981, his intimidating presence fueling “Hoya Paranoia,” the 1984 national championship and the Hall of Fame NBA career. After suffering back-to-back losing seasons, there’s excitement with the program’s most iconic player returning to save the day. Just no shock for those who understand the program’s thinking. </p>
<p id="zXKGWV">Nostalgia isn’t back on campus with the hire. It never left. The Hoyas live in the past, many believe. This move only reinforces that notion. The past is why those on the outside adore the hire. It’s why many of those who contemplate Hoyas hoops daily are in “we’ll see” mode.</p>
<p id="RCeBHK">When longtime coach John Thompson III was fired last month, even those opposed viewed the move as a chance for change. Always respect the championship past, the Big East prowess, the popular culture impact. But the 21<sup>st</sup> century is here and nearly two decades old. On many levels, Georgetown’s thinking remains stuck in the 1980’s. </p>
<p id="Je9S4m">Let’s pause for a moment of reflection. PATRICK EWING IS THE NEW GEORGETOWN COACH. The 11-year-old me who wore gray t-shirts all the time because Ewing did so under his Hoyas jersey can’t believe this is happening. Dick Vitale once dubbed Ewing the greatest college basketball player of all-time. Pinch me.</p>
<p id="Sn2WVA">Of course, that’s all about memory lane. Making Georgetown great again shouldn’t be simply about going back in time, even if that kind of thinking is prevalent these days.</p>
<p id="cY6XPo">Let’s respect Ewing’s coaching acumen. He took an assistant job with the Wizards immediately after his NBA career ended in 2002. Ewing, 54, spent the next nine seasons working under the brothers Van Gundy, Jeff and Stan. Since 2013 he’s held the Associate Head Coach title under Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford. Those three are considered tactical gurus. </p>
<p id="W6Ezet">Tactical concerns were part of the “Is JTIII in trouble” conversations along with just one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four seasons. The losses didn’t solely doom his tenure. The program’s closed off ways, which took hold in Ewing’s playing era, played a large part. </p>
<p id="SyZhnk">Limited access for and embracing of fans/students is a frequent complaint along with scant behind-the-scenes looks. Not allowing freshman to speak with the media until second semester remains among the program’s more antiquated policies.</p>
<p id="x3XkHb">Recruiting isn’t only about the players. JT3, like Ewing, wasn’t an extrovert. Give fans emotion if you want them along for the ride. Otherwise, all they cling to are wins. Once the victories went away in recent years, the faithful lost hope. They turned into empty seats at Verizon Center and on JT3 quicker than an Allen Iverson fastbreak. </p>
<p id="CkvVKm">Does any of this change under Ewing? We’ll see.</p>
<p id="HPDkTU">That after his lengthy NBA career Ewing could have gone straight to the beach and instead chose the bench as an assistant coach speaks to work ethic. Good. He’ll need that on the recruiting trail, an aspect some suggest accounts for 80 percent of a D1 coaching job. </p>
<p id="goMcRF">Ewing’s only known experience in that area comes from his own and that of son Patrick Jr., who was part of JT3’s staff last year. Today’s 16-year-old* hot shots may only know of Ewing’s significance if they watched the great 30-for-30 documentary on the Big East or heard tales of glory from an older relative. </p>
<p id="PO1bYT">(*If we’re going with the wayback machine, Georgetown should seriously consider getting Iverson truly involved with the program. Nobody connected with Georgetown relates to the current generation of future Hoyas on and off the court better than the legendary guard.)</p>
<p id="dZo7Bs">Ewing often stated his desire for one of those coveted 30 NBA head coaching gigs. It’s doubtful any scenario other than the siren call from Georgetown alters his course. It’s doubtful Georgetown hires any other NBA assistant with zero college coaching experience. </p>
<p id="M20fGa">John Thompson Jr. turned this program into a national powerhouse. Following his retirement in 1999, we’ve had his lead assistant, one of his two sons and now his surrogate son take over. Some in D.C. might suggest that’s lineage isn’t hope and change, but rather more of the same.</p>
<p id="vzYsIF">We should absolutely give Ewing benefit of the doubt. It’s simply hard for some considering all of the intertwinings. Realize some feared a rumored Tommy Amaker hire simply because the Harvard coach is represented by long-time Thompson confident David Falk. Amaker’s image doesn’t hang throughout the new-ish, 144,000 square foot-ish, $60 million-ish Thompson Athletic Center like the heralded Ewing.</p>
<p id="0115iD">With only eight scholarship players currently on the roster, Georgetown likely struggles again next season. How quickly winning returns to the Hilltop likely depends on how Ewing and his yet-to-be-determined staff adjust to the recruiting wars and AAU culture. For all involved, let’s hope that happens and soon. If you thought the idea of firing JTIII was rough, imagine the icon known for his gray t-shirts getting the pink slip.</p>
<p id="hmvkml">Some will tell you this hire isn’t about nostalgia because of Ewing’s diligent work on the NBA level and therefore deserves a shot. He did, he does and yet those folks are off base, the quietly uneasy types will say. That first faction is thinking of Ewing’s long-awaited opportunity and a program’s past glories. That other group, having truly lived through Georgetown’s past, regularly focuses on the Hoyas’ future. For once they thought the path wouldn’t be so obvious. They want Georgetown to be great again. They just aren’t sure going back in time is the progressive call. We’ll see. </p>
https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15183340/georgetown-hoyas-hire-patrick-ewing-head-coach-new-ewing-theoryBen Standig2017-04-04T11:27:54-04:002017-04-04T11:27:54-04:00PODCAST: Here Comes Patrick Ewing
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<figcaption>Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="id4L8a">Because nobody likes reading anymore, we present three guys talking about Georgetown hiring Patrick Ewing as head coach for the men’s basketball program. Casual Hoya, Ben Standig and Bobby Bancroft examine all angles of the momentous, risky and nostalgic move. How did we get here? What about recruiting? What must change? What can work?</p>
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https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15178056/podcast-here-comes-patrick-ewing-georgetown-hoyasBen Standig2017-04-04T09:58:44-04:002017-04-04T09:58:44-04:00View from Campus: Suggestions for Coach Ewing
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<figcaption>Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Here are a few ideas to help Georgetown’s new coach garner support of the students.</p> <p id="EVnaXz">Well, it’s official now. <a href="http://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/3/15124192/georgetown-hires-patrick-ewing-head-coach">Hoya great Patrick Ewing will return to the Hilltop</a> and be the next coach of the men’s basketball team. The decision to hire Ewing should definitely generate some optimism in the Hoya fan base (and rightfully so, given his substantial coaching experience and proficiency in operating a pro-style offense), but this hire raises concerns, namely about the approach this school and this program take to the men’s basketball program.</p>
<p id="NZLTJo">The primary issue with the decision to hire Ewing is that it does virtually nothing to eliminate the notion that the Thompson family, namely former coach John Thompson Jr., still exerts substantial influence over the basketball program. Furthermore, the fact that the decision, as publicly perceived, came down to Ewing, arguably the program’s most successful alum and a player under Big John, and Harvard coach Tommy Amaker, a client of Thompson agent and friend David Falk, adds more evidence to the idea that the status quo will be maintained.</p>
<p id="KZ5DRL">However, I hope that Coach Ewing will heed the longstanding concerns of the student, alumni, and fan communities and change the way Georgetown basketball operates. Not all students may have the patience that older fans do, but a few changes to how Georgetown basketball does business can convince the majority of fans not to turn on Ewing as dramatically as they did on now-dismissed coach John Thompson III. With that in mind, here are a handful of suggestions for Coach Ewing that, if adopted, will buy him plenty of time to turn this program around.</p>
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<h5 id="6aTRg8">1. Engage the students!</h5>
<p id="fMzeDk">One of the biggest reasons student fans had such a proclivity to move on from JT3 originated in his distance from them. Students almost never saw him around campus and despite the best efforts from the promotions department, most students just did not develop the same attachment to men’s basketball as their predecessors did. The team was not good and after the team faded from NCAA tournament contention, fans had no compelling reason to reach out to a part of the university as isolated from the student body as the basketball team.</p>
<p id="dstY1j">This does not mean that Coach Ewing needs to keep his Snapchat story up to date or post dank memes around the clock. This <em>does</em> mean, however, that he should reach out to students. Joining social media would be a start. A 2013 report indicated that <a href="http://bloguin.com/runthefloor/2012-articles/the-190-most-followed-basketball-coaches-on-twitter.html">more than half of Division I coaches were on Twitter</a>. John Thompson III never engaged on social media, but giving Coach Ewing a presence on social media should give him another platform to promote Georgetown basketball and to interact with the public if he so chose. </p>
<p id="JweviF">I would strongly encourage him to meet with students. Hold occasional “office hours” and stand out in Red Square during the Wednesday Farmer’s Market or at one of the “peak traffic” times in between normal class times would be a start. Even something as innocuous as sending players around to drop pizza off in common rooms every so often would also be an encouraging measure that would garner more student support for the team.</p>
<p id="vdP9e8">Meeting with passionate groups of student fans would also go a long way. Several of my friends involved in Students Concerned About Georgetown Basketball and I would be happy to engage in dialogue. I would think the student fan members of Hoya Blue would have feel similarly about opening a channel of communication between their group and the new head coach.</p>
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<h5 id="rB83Nd">2. Be open with the media</h5>
<p id="vKi2it">This goes beyond students, but students definitely read the news about the program. When the only articles Hoyas fans see about the program are <a href="https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2017/04/02/georgetown-coaching-search-hoyas-thompson">Pete Thamel’s trolling in <em>Sports Illustrated</em></a> or <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/another-middling-georgetown-season-raises-questions-about-what-hoyas-should-be/2017/01/15/3ea90c48-db41-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.355a90dc2824"><em>Washington Post</em> pieces questioning the program’s identity</a>, it doesn’t help elicit optimism. The more platforms the program has to publicly promote a positive image, the better. Whether this is a personal Twitter or a deal for a weekly/occasional interview spot on a local radio station, Ewing provides a great opportunity to create a more public, outward-facing platform for the program.</p>
<p id="167jKT">A more open approach to media relations would also likely be a boon to the program. Allowing the media to tell the Hoyas’ story better would likely garner better coverage. Media outlets would be more willing to send high-profile reporters to cover the team if the program gave them the light of day. When Georgetown has compelling stories to tell, like they did with <a href="http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/01/18/triumph-over-tragedy-bradley-hayes-long-road-ends-as-a-georgetown-graduate/">Bradley Hayes’ journey to the Hoyas’ roster</a>, for example, media outlets may give it more attention than they did when it happened. Stories like that would generate a greater attachment among fans and would lend credence to the notion that Georgetown basketball is a family and one that treats its members well. If the program implements suggestion #1 above and opens itself up to more good publicity and positive interactions with the student fan community, the good publicity would likely only increase.</p>
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<h5 id="XZtxPK">3. Give fans reason to believe that it’s not Big John pulling the strings</h5>
<p id="YblK1U">As mentioned above, the Ewing hire does not do much to dispel the notion of Big John’s sizable influence over the program. I have no way of knowing how or if this can be done, but I would encourage Coach Ewing and/or Athletic Director Lee Reed to take some sort of visible step to demonstrate that they are the ones in control. I would hope this can be done in some way that illustrates a clear acknowledgment of Big John’s role in building the program and that gives him some deserved input, but fans will lose patience with the program yet again if they assume that the same individual is still in charge. We have no way of knowing whether or not this was or is the case, but regardless, assuaging that stigma in some way would help earn the trust of the fan base.</p>
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<p id="sLL2i5">I think every student fan of Georgetown basketball will continue to support the team. As much as I personally would have wanted a clean break from the program’s past, there’s something to be said about the <a href="http://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15169472/georgetown-hoyas-hire-patrick-ewing-head-coach-analysis-media">buzz a Ewing hire will and has generated</a> for the next few seasons among fans. For the first time in a while, students will be able to get excited about Georgetown men’s basketball, and Patrick Ewing will be a big reason why.</p>
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<p id="oAAy8n">Welcome to the Hilltop, Coach Ewing!</p>
https://www.casualhoya.com/2017/4/4/15158172/georgetown-hoyas-hire-patrick-ewing-head-coach-students-fans-analysisRoey Hadar