Following today's trouncing of American, the IPB decided to take advantage of the post-holidays sales by getting in some shopping at several stores. While browsing in the mens' department at Macy's at Metro Center, the IPB noticed a very tall young black man decked out head-to-toe in Fordham warm-up gear. Drawing on his prodigious intellect, the IPB figured this young man had to play for Fordham, so the IPB approached him and started chatting him up. It turns out the IPB's astute hunch was correct, as the young man, junior guard Chris Bethl (no relation to former GU Hoya Tony Bethel) is in fact a member of the Fordam basketball teqm. See http://fordhamsports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/bethel_chris00.html for more information on Chris.
Chris reported that the Fordham squad arrived in DC a couple of days ago to enjoy some time in our nation's capital. He said the Fordham team is staying in the Marriott on Pennsylvania Ave. and that his last trip to DC was last year when Fordham fell at the hands of George Washington. In the interest of full disclosure, the IPB told Chris that he's a big Georgetown fan but wished him good luck in his studies and his basketball career. Keep your eyes out for Chris (#50) this Monday; he averages about 9 minutes per game. He was a very nice guy and very gracious with his time. While we do not usually salute the opponent on this blog, here's to Chris!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Memphis Point Spread
For the first time this season, the Hoyas are a dog - the spread for today's game is Georgetown +4 and the over/under is 133.5. Go Hoyas!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Jay Bilas [Hearts] The Hoyas
Jay Bilas has a piece on tomorrow's Georgetown-Memphis game on ESPN.com. It's been great to watch Bilas, a product of Duke, fall in love with Georgetown over the course of the past year. He is absolutely gushing about GU in this piece, which, ostensibly, is supposed to be a straight analysis of the game. Here's a few highlights:
Georgetown-Memphis looks like a classic battle
* * *
Georgetown's offense incorporates many of the Princeton offensive principles, and it is truly a beautiful offense to watch....
* * *
DaJuan Summers and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Summers is developing into a great college player, and the sophomore is second on the Hoyas in scoring, rebounding and free-throw attempts while leading Georgetown in steals. Summers can shoot the ball with range and post a smaller defender, and he is a very good cutter. Memphis has some great athletes, but none better than Summers.
* * *
Who wins: This game will be about tempo. Just as you saw in the Pittsburgh-Duke game in Madison Square Garden, it is easier to slow a game down than to speed one up, and Georgetown has the ability to wrest the tempo away from Memphis. If the Tigers can press and get Georgetown to take some chances, then Memphis will have a better chance. Memphis has played the tougher slate, and while the Tigers have not played their best, this team is a group of winners. But I like Georgetown to barely clip Memphis in a thriller. This game has classic battle written all over it.
I hope the Bilas brings us some good luck. He'll be in attendance for the game.
Georgetown-Memphis looks like a classic battle
* * *
Georgetown's offense incorporates many of the Princeton offensive principles, and it is truly a beautiful offense to watch....
* * *
DaJuan Summers and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Summers is developing into a great college player, and the sophomore is second on the Hoyas in scoring, rebounding and free-throw attempts while leading Georgetown in steals. Summers can shoot the ball with range and post a smaller defender, and he is a very good cutter. Memphis has some great athletes, but none better than Summers.
* * *
Who wins: This game will be about tempo. Just as you saw in the Pittsburgh-Duke game in Madison Square Garden, it is easier to slow a game down than to speed one up, and Georgetown has the ability to wrest the tempo away from Memphis. If the Tigers can press and get Georgetown to take some chances, then Memphis will have a better chance. Memphis has played the tougher slate, and while the Tigers have not played their best, this team is a group of winners. But I like Georgetown to barely clip Memphis in a thriller. This game has classic battle written all over it.
I hope the Bilas brings us some good luck. He'll be in attendance for the game.
Some Thoughts on Georgetown-Memphis
Unsurprisingly, I’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking about the Hoyas’ impending trip to Memphis. After all, many people have had this game circled as the biggest contest in the early NCAA season since it was announced. Both teams have held up their end of the bargain by remaining undefeated thus far and, as a result, Georgetown-Memphis will be the year’s first match up between two teams in the top 5.
I’ve bee going back and forth about how I think Georgetown will perform. Let’s be honest, we’re still early into the season, but this game will be viewed as a bellwether for two squads that came into the year with a lot of hype and expectations. Much has been made of Georgetown’s decision to run a little more in the last two games. The pundits declared that these Hoyas were showing that they could beat you multiple ways. I say, “not so fast.” We ran with success against Jacksonville and Radford. That does not mean we will be able to run against elite competition (read: Memphis, UNC). Indeed, we tried to play a more up-tempo style in the beginning of the game against Alabama and it did not go particularly well.
Given the athleticism of Memphis and our proven track record with grind-it-out, half-court sets, my initial thought was slowing the game down would be the key to our success. But many have pointed out that Memphis does not necessarily run a more efficient offense at a faster pace. The key to their success has been defense. So, I am no longer scared of the Hoyas’ pushing the ball against Memphis when they have the opportunity to do so. A fast game doesn’t necessarily hurt us. But the key will be not forcing opportunities to run.
The more I have thought about it, the more I have become convinced that this game is going to be offensive efficiency and tough defense. For the first time this season, Georgetown is going up against a team that is at least as athletic as the Hoyas. They will play lock-down man-to-man defense against the Hoyas. Open looks will be hard to come by. Thus, I think that the key to a Georgetown win will be working to find those open shots; whether it is via a back-door cut in a half-court set or on a breakaway. That being said, I think we will be more successful in the half-court. Memphis is a collection of athletic freaks and has a trio of tall/long guards. I have also been less than impressed with the Blue and Gray’s ability to rebound this year. Because of that, I don’t think we will have much of an opportunity to get breakaways. I think we will be spending a lot of our time just trying to keep Memphis from getting easy second-chance shots. And given our problems turning the ball over, I think that JTIII might feel more comfortable reining the team in a bit.
I also think we will be more successful in the half-court because of Mr. Roy Hibbert. Memphis doesn’t have a true center to match up against Roy. Thus, it is possible that Roy might be able to have a big day. That being said, Roy will have to be prepared to fight against the Tigers’ post players. And if Memphis can get Roy in foul trouble, or can make him a liability on defense by really pushing the tempo, they might be able to negate this advantage.
Defense, as always, will also be important. For Memphis’s motion offense to work, they have to be able to hit outside shots. They have been less than spectacular in doing so, shooting only about 33% from behind the arc. Given that fact, they are left with attacking the basket. If we can play tough interior defense we definitely give ourselves the advantage.
All that being said, I really have no idea how this is going to shake out. But I’m excited/nervous as hell to see what happens.
I’ve bee going back and forth about how I think Georgetown will perform. Let’s be honest, we’re still early into the season, but this game will be viewed as a bellwether for two squads that came into the year with a lot of hype and expectations. Much has been made of Georgetown’s decision to run a little more in the last two games. The pundits declared that these Hoyas were showing that they could beat you multiple ways. I say, “not so fast.” We ran with success against Jacksonville and Radford. That does not mean we will be able to run against elite competition (read: Memphis, UNC). Indeed, we tried to play a more up-tempo style in the beginning of the game against Alabama and it did not go particularly well.
Given the athleticism of Memphis and our proven track record with grind-it-out, half-court sets, my initial thought was slowing the game down would be the key to our success. But many have pointed out that Memphis does not necessarily run a more efficient offense at a faster pace. The key to their success has been defense. So, I am no longer scared of the Hoyas’ pushing the ball against Memphis when they have the opportunity to do so. A fast game doesn’t necessarily hurt us. But the key will be not forcing opportunities to run.
The more I have thought about it, the more I have become convinced that this game is going to be offensive efficiency and tough defense. For the first time this season, Georgetown is going up against a team that is at least as athletic as the Hoyas. They will play lock-down man-to-man defense against the Hoyas. Open looks will be hard to come by. Thus, I think that the key to a Georgetown win will be working to find those open shots; whether it is via a back-door cut in a half-court set or on a breakaway. That being said, I think we will be more successful in the half-court. Memphis is a collection of athletic freaks and has a trio of tall/long guards. I have also been less than impressed with the Blue and Gray’s ability to rebound this year. Because of that, I don’t think we will have much of an opportunity to get breakaways. I think we will be spending a lot of our time just trying to keep Memphis from getting easy second-chance shots. And given our problems turning the ball over, I think that JTIII might feel more comfortable reining the team in a bit.
I also think we will be more successful in the half-court because of Mr. Roy Hibbert. Memphis doesn’t have a true center to match up against Roy. Thus, it is possible that Roy might be able to have a big day. That being said, Roy will have to be prepared to fight against the Tigers’ post players. And if Memphis can get Roy in foul trouble, or can make him a liability on defense by really pushing the tempo, they might be able to negate this advantage.
Defense, as always, will also be important. For Memphis’s motion offense to work, they have to be able to hit outside shots. They have been less than spectacular in doing so, shooting only about 33% from behind the arc. Given that fact, they are left with attacking the basket. If we can play tough interior defense we definitely give ourselves the advantage.
All that being said, I really have no idea how this is going to shake out. But I’m excited/nervous as hell to see what happens.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Ball State Apologizes
Ronny Thompson received a measure of vindication today as Ball State has issued an apology to him. It reads: "With respect to Coach Thompson, Ball State wishes to extend its sincere apology for the unprofessional and unauthorized behavior of its employees that led to his resignation, for the unfortunate distress that resulted from these actions, and for the unwarranted negative effect on his reputation." The matter is seemingly closed then. By the way, I listened to Ronny do color commentary on the Virginia Tech/ODU game last week. I thought he was very good. Maybe he has a future in broadcasting, if not again as a head coach. I would suspect he got a reasonable payout from Ball State to settle the matter, so perhaps he'll bide his time in the broadcaster's booth and wait for another opening.
Here's the story from USAToday: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2007-12-19-apology-thompson_N.htm
Here's the story from USAToday: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2007-12-19-apology-thompson_N.htm
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Excellent Article on Doc Rivers in today's Washington Post
The article below should be required reading for those who visit this blog. Enjoy!
The Doc Is In for Celtics
Rivers Perceived More Favorably With New Roster, 20-2 Start
By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 18, 2007; Page E01
BOSTON -- Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers knows that between last season and this season he didn't suddenly qualify for Mensa, nor did the spirit of Red Auerbach come back to possess his body. The man responsible for leading the Celtics to a franchise best-tying 20 wins in their first 22 games is the same one who guided the team through a franchise-record 18-game losing streak last season.
Rivers said he doesn't get too caught up in whether perceptions of his coaching acumen have changed with the additions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. "You keep it all in perspective," Rivers said last week. "I watch the same amount of film as last year. I worry as much as last year. You just have different worries."
Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen have all talked about how they don't want to squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play together, but Rivers feels the same way about leading the heralded but ringless all-star trio. "A lot of us have been at this a long time and want to do something special," said Rivers, who never won a title during his 13-year playing career despite coming close with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. "You get another shot, you try to make the best of it."
The Celtics have the league's best record, lead the league in field goal percentage defense and point differential (all but three of their victories have been decided by double-digits). Rivers won't get ahead of himself. "We've won absolutely zero. We've won nothing," he said. "We are not good enough to win a world championship today. If we keep improving, maybe we have a chance."
The early success hasn't been without adversity, though. Two days after the Celtics' season-opening win against the Washington Wizards, Rivers's father, Grady Alexander Rivers, a retired police officer, died at age 76. Rivers missed one game to mourn after his mother, Betty, urged him to go back to work.
"That's been tough," Rivers said. "Anyone who has lost a parent knows that it doesn't go away. And you probably don't want it to go away. You have sad moments. Any day, any moment -- it can happen during a game. I embrace that now. But I needed to work. I needed to get back."
This time last season, fans at TD Banknorth Garden were chanting, "Fire Doc" because they felt he wasn't getting enough out of a poorly assembled team that featured Pierce and a bunch of young kids who probably should've been studying for final exams in college. Now that he has a ready-made contender that features veterans Pierce, Garnett and Allen, Rivers is merely being asked not to blow it.
"Give me the opportunity," Rivers said when asked about the drastic shift in outlook. "Who doesn't want an opportunity?"
For Rivers, this opportunity feels somewhat overdue. His coaching career began with promise with the Orlando Magic, as he won coach of year honors in 2000 after leading a band of overachieving misfits to 41 wins. The following summer, the Magic signed Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady, but Rivers's visions of fielding a "matchup nightmare," a three-guard offense that included Mike Miller, never came to fruition. "Grant got hurt. And bam, it was over," Rivers said.
Rivers led the Magic to the playoffs three times, but could never get out of the first round and eventually was fired after his relationship with McGrady strained and the team started 1-10 in 2003-04.
Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge made Rivers his first coaching hire before the next season. In his first year at the helm, Rivers had a mostly veteran squad, with Pierce, Antoine Walker and Gary Payton. But after leading Boston to the Atlantic Division title in 2005, Ainge went into rebuilding mode and the average age of the roster decreased in direct correlation with the number of wins.
Rivers won't deny that the losing was intolerable, not to mention the demands of trying to develop young players, many with a limited knowledge of the game. "We spent half our practices last year on footwork, on how to set a pick, how to roll, when to roll," Rivers said, shaking his head. "It's tough when you have to look long term, when the fans look short term in you. But you have to do what's good for the franchise. You take the hit. You got to stand in there and take it."
Ainge heard the speculation about Rivers's future last season, but never wavered in his support of his coach. "I'm a big fan of Doc," Ainge said. "The guys listened to him, even in tough circumstances. That just tells you that if you can improve the circumstances, you have a leader."
Ainge went out of his way to defend Rivers on his radio program and in newspaper interviews and gave him a contract extension last April while the team was in the midst of a 24-win season. The move was considered dubious at the time, given how the Celtics had the worst record in the woebegone Eastern Conference and appeared to be regressing, having won only 33 and 45 games, respectively, in the two previous seasons.
"I certainly didn't see Doc as the reason the team wasn't playing up the fans' expectations," Ainge said. "I felt Doc never really had a chance to win in Boston and everything I saw on a day-to-day basis -- how much time he put in and how he coaches the guys -- I thought he deserved a chance to coach a better team."
Hill said that even if he had been healthy, those Magic teams would not have been nearly as good as these Celtics -- and not only because of the talent on the roster. "Doc is more experienced as a coach. I just think he's learned a lot," Hill said. "He's talked to me. He said he's grown as a coach. He's had some ups and downs. He's at a point right now to have those kind of players."
When Garnett joined the Celtics in August after 12 seasons in Minnesota, he had dinner with Pierce and Allen. Pierce told them that they would love playing for Rivers. Coming from Pierce, those words of praise spoke volumes given his initially frosty relationship with Rivers. "When he first got here, we didn't see eye to eye a lot, had our little bumps and bruises," Pierce said. "But over the years, he's been a good coach for me and helped me mature into the player I am today."
Garnett has been around Rivers for only a few months, but has enjoyed how Rivers balances being upfront and demanding with being compassionate. He also marvels at his ability to keep the team on edge at both ends of the floor. "Doc is probably, other than Flip [Saunders], one of the best coaches I've ever been a part of," Garnett said. "I sensed that he recognizes the hunger in us. As much as he wants it, we want it."
The Doc Is In for Celtics
Rivers Perceived More Favorably With New Roster, 20-2 Start
By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 18, 2007; Page E01
BOSTON -- Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers knows that between last season and this season he didn't suddenly qualify for Mensa, nor did the spirit of Red Auerbach come back to possess his body. The man responsible for leading the Celtics to a franchise best-tying 20 wins in their first 22 games is the same one who guided the team through a franchise-record 18-game losing streak last season.
Rivers said he doesn't get too caught up in whether perceptions of his coaching acumen have changed with the additions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. "You keep it all in perspective," Rivers said last week. "I watch the same amount of film as last year. I worry as much as last year. You just have different worries."
Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen have all talked about how they don't want to squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play together, but Rivers feels the same way about leading the heralded but ringless all-star trio. "A lot of us have been at this a long time and want to do something special," said Rivers, who never won a title during his 13-year playing career despite coming close with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks. "You get another shot, you try to make the best of it."
The Celtics have the league's best record, lead the league in field goal percentage defense and point differential (all but three of their victories have been decided by double-digits). Rivers won't get ahead of himself. "We've won absolutely zero. We've won nothing," he said. "We are not good enough to win a world championship today. If we keep improving, maybe we have a chance."
The early success hasn't been without adversity, though. Two days after the Celtics' season-opening win against the Washington Wizards, Rivers's father, Grady Alexander Rivers, a retired police officer, died at age 76. Rivers missed one game to mourn after his mother, Betty, urged him to go back to work.
"That's been tough," Rivers said. "Anyone who has lost a parent knows that it doesn't go away. And you probably don't want it to go away. You have sad moments. Any day, any moment -- it can happen during a game. I embrace that now. But I needed to work. I needed to get back."
This time last season, fans at TD Banknorth Garden were chanting, "Fire Doc" because they felt he wasn't getting enough out of a poorly assembled team that featured Pierce and a bunch of young kids who probably should've been studying for final exams in college. Now that he has a ready-made contender that features veterans Pierce, Garnett and Allen, Rivers is merely being asked not to blow it.
"Give me the opportunity," Rivers said when asked about the drastic shift in outlook. "Who doesn't want an opportunity?"
For Rivers, this opportunity feels somewhat overdue. His coaching career began with promise with the Orlando Magic, as he won coach of year honors in 2000 after leading a band of overachieving misfits to 41 wins. The following summer, the Magic signed Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady, but Rivers's visions of fielding a "matchup nightmare," a three-guard offense that included Mike Miller, never came to fruition. "Grant got hurt. And bam, it was over," Rivers said.
Rivers led the Magic to the playoffs three times, but could never get out of the first round and eventually was fired after his relationship with McGrady strained and the team started 1-10 in 2003-04.
Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge made Rivers his first coaching hire before the next season. In his first year at the helm, Rivers had a mostly veteran squad, with Pierce, Antoine Walker and Gary Payton. But after leading Boston to the Atlantic Division title in 2005, Ainge went into rebuilding mode and the average age of the roster decreased in direct correlation with the number of wins.
Rivers won't deny that the losing was intolerable, not to mention the demands of trying to develop young players, many with a limited knowledge of the game. "We spent half our practices last year on footwork, on how to set a pick, how to roll, when to roll," Rivers said, shaking his head. "It's tough when you have to look long term, when the fans look short term in you. But you have to do what's good for the franchise. You take the hit. You got to stand in there and take it."
Ainge heard the speculation about Rivers's future last season, but never wavered in his support of his coach. "I'm a big fan of Doc," Ainge said. "The guys listened to him, even in tough circumstances. That just tells you that if you can improve the circumstances, you have a leader."
Ainge went out of his way to defend Rivers on his radio program and in newspaper interviews and gave him a contract extension last April while the team was in the midst of a 24-win season. The move was considered dubious at the time, given how the Celtics had the worst record in the woebegone Eastern Conference and appeared to be regressing, having won only 33 and 45 games, respectively, in the two previous seasons.
"I certainly didn't see Doc as the reason the team wasn't playing up the fans' expectations," Ainge said. "I felt Doc never really had a chance to win in Boston and everything I saw on a day-to-day basis -- how much time he put in and how he coaches the guys -- I thought he deserved a chance to coach a better team."
Hill said that even if he had been healthy, those Magic teams would not have been nearly as good as these Celtics -- and not only because of the talent on the roster. "Doc is more experienced as a coach. I just think he's learned a lot," Hill said. "He's talked to me. He said he's grown as a coach. He's had some ups and downs. He's at a point right now to have those kind of players."
When Garnett joined the Celtics in August after 12 seasons in Minnesota, he had dinner with Pierce and Allen. Pierce told them that they would love playing for Rivers. Coming from Pierce, those words of praise spoke volumes given his initially frosty relationship with Rivers. "When he first got here, we didn't see eye to eye a lot, had our little bumps and bruises," Pierce said. "But over the years, he's been a good coach for me and helped me mature into the player I am today."
Garnett has been around Rivers for only a few months, but has enjoyed how Rivers balances being upfront and demanding with being compassionate. He also marvels at his ability to keep the team on edge at both ends of the floor. "Doc is probably, other than Flip [Saunders], one of the best coaches I've ever been a part of," Garnett said. "I sensed that he recognizes the hunger in us. As much as he wants it, we want it."
Bracketology
As of now, G'town is a 2 seed in the East. While I'm thinking a top seed is in store for March, #2 is probably realistic given the strenght of the opponents played thusfar. Not sure if beatin' down Radford would necessarily impress the selection committee.
# 1s are UNC, KS, Memphis, & Texas. Given that overall early season games are weak, not sure I understand how if GU is #4 & TX is # 5 in the ESPN poll, TX gets the nod for the top slot over GU, but maybe I'm missing something.
# 1s are UNC, KS, Memphis, & Texas. Given that overall early season games are weak, not sure I understand how if GU is #4 & TX is # 5 in the ESPN poll, TX gets the nod for the top slot over GU, but maybe I'm missing something.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Doc Rivers, a Mikael Gorbachev look-alike?
The Boston Herald included in last Thursday's edition an amusing anecdote from Doc Rivers that appears to discuss one of the ways Jeremiah used to practice as a young tike. Diamond will be posting a story soon about Jeremiah's recent efforts to improve his shot.
Perkins, Pollard injuries a big issue
By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook
Thursday, December 13, 2007 - Updated 3d 1h ago
The Celtics were thin where they needed to be large last night, with both Kendrick Perkins and Scot Pollard unable to play at the Garden in a 90-78 win over the Sacramento Kings. Their returns from a bruised right big toe and back spasms, respectively, are uncertain.
Pollard will undergo an MRI today. Perkins will return to the lineup when the pain subsides.
“I don’t really know,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers said of Perkins’ status. “It’s not broken, but big toe injuries are difficult. It’s not like a turf toe, which is good news. He tried to run (yesterday) and he just couldn’t, so I think we’re going to wait. He will not do much (today) and then we’ll see on Friday.”
The injury’s genesis - Perkins said he was trying to fix his headboard when the bed fell on him - invoked a few rolled eyes.
“Well, he explained it to Eddie (Lacerte, the C’s trainer) and he had Eddie come and explain it to me,” Rivers said. “I didn’t have a lot to say about it. There were too many punch lines, so I left them all alone on this one. He’s embarrassed by it. I mean, stuff happens.”
While coaching Orlando, Rivers had Corey Maggette miss time because of an infection following a pedicure. Steven Hunter sprained an ankle by stepping on a ball in the layup lines.
Rivers had his own bout with knuckleheadedness.
“My only son at the time was playing basketball,” he said, “and you know those suction cup basketball hoops? I put it on my forehead so he could shoot. Then I took it off when I was about to go to the game and my wife laughed. She said, ‘You’re not going to believe the mark on your head.’ I had a big circle on my head and it wouldn’t go away. It was awful. The players were calling me Gorbachev for about four days.”
Pollard’s injury wasn’t that funny, though Rivers said, with a laugh, “He woke up old, you know? He woke up and his back was hurting. That’s a tough one, because the spasms, having experienced that, you have to just let it run its course, and that could be as soon as Friday or as long as a week or two.”
Perkins, Pollard injuries a big issue
By Steve Bulpett / Celtics Notebook
Thursday, December 13, 2007 - Updated 3d 1h ago
The Celtics were thin where they needed to be large last night, with both Kendrick Perkins and Scot Pollard unable to play at the Garden in a 90-78 win over the Sacramento Kings. Their returns from a bruised right big toe and back spasms, respectively, are uncertain.
Pollard will undergo an MRI today. Perkins will return to the lineup when the pain subsides.
“I don’t really know,” said Celts coach Doc Rivers said of Perkins’ status. “It’s not broken, but big toe injuries are difficult. It’s not like a turf toe, which is good news. He tried to run (yesterday) and he just couldn’t, so I think we’re going to wait. He will not do much (today) and then we’ll see on Friday.”
The injury’s genesis - Perkins said he was trying to fix his headboard when the bed fell on him - invoked a few rolled eyes.
“Well, he explained it to Eddie (Lacerte, the C’s trainer) and he had Eddie come and explain it to me,” Rivers said. “I didn’t have a lot to say about it. There were too many punch lines, so I left them all alone on this one. He’s embarrassed by it. I mean, stuff happens.”
While coaching Orlando, Rivers had Corey Maggette miss time because of an infection following a pedicure. Steven Hunter sprained an ankle by stepping on a ball in the layup lines.
Rivers had his own bout with knuckleheadedness.
“My only son at the time was playing basketball,” he said, “and you know those suction cup basketball hoops? I put it on my forehead so he could shoot. Then I took it off when I was about to go to the game and my wife laughed. She said, ‘You’re not going to believe the mark on your head.’ I had a big circle on my head and it wouldn’t go away. It was awful. The players were calling me Gorbachev for about four days.”
Pollard’s injury wasn’t that funny, though Rivers said, with a laugh, “He woke up old, you know? He woke up and his back was hurting. That’s a tough one, because the spasms, having experienced that, you have to just let it run its course, and that could be as soon as Friday or as long as a week or two.”
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Reflections on Macklin
There was one downside to tonight’s game that I feel compelled to report on—Vernon Macklin’s play. I have to say I have never been more down on him. I believe I now have seen enough of his body of work (both this season and last) to say without any hesitation or equivocation that he will not wind up living up to his potential while wearing a Georgetown uniform.
For those who keep hoping that he’s going to turn the proverbial corner, the IPB is going to go on record saying it’s not going to happen. Mark my words--he is going to go down as one of the bigger disappointments to come out of Georgetown in recent years. Not quite in Anthony Perry territory but close. And let me make clear that I would like nothing than to be proven wrong.
Tonight was case in point. With the exception of a couple of plays, Vernon looked completely clueless on the court tonight. Vernon was continually out of place on defense, proceeded to get beat off the dribble on several occasions when he was out of place, literally was not even aware on one play that an opposing player drove by him for a layup (he was not watching the ball), appeared tentative on offense by refusing to make himself big when he was in the post or passing the ball out on most occasions when he did get the ball in the post (without even looking for a shot), loafed after a few loose balls, let a couple of what should have been easy rebounds bounce off his hands, and continued to clank free throw after free throw.
Couple this with what I perceive to be Vernon’s biggest problem—his head. I just don’t think he has the fire/desire/confidence that is required to be a success on the court and believe most of his other problems stem entirely from this.
As Jester has pointed out in previous posts, Vernon is usually good for a thunderous dunk or two when he frees himself on the baseline and goes straight at the basket. Georgetown fans have been watching this for two seasons now, salivating at the thought of what could be, and allowing these plays to absolve his many other miscues. He may occasionally have a good game but otherwise is going to continue to disappoint.
Again I hope I am proven wrong but doubt I will be. It has been exceedingly rare to have to write a post of this nature under JTIII (it would have been routine under Esherick had our blog existed then) because so many of his players make major strides each year. So it's painful to write this and I'm glad it has been so infrequent.
I invite my other fellow contributors to weigh in with their thoughts on Macklin's play and long-term prospects.
For those who keep hoping that he’s going to turn the proverbial corner, the IPB is going to go on record saying it’s not going to happen. Mark my words--he is going to go down as one of the bigger disappointments to come out of Georgetown in recent years. Not quite in Anthony Perry territory but close. And let me make clear that I would like nothing than to be proven wrong.
Tonight was case in point. With the exception of a couple of plays, Vernon looked completely clueless on the court tonight. Vernon was continually out of place on defense, proceeded to get beat off the dribble on several occasions when he was out of place, literally was not even aware on one play that an opposing player drove by him for a layup (he was not watching the ball), appeared tentative on offense by refusing to make himself big when he was in the post or passing the ball out on most occasions when he did get the ball in the post (without even looking for a shot), loafed after a few loose balls, let a couple of what should have been easy rebounds bounce off his hands, and continued to clank free throw after free throw.
Couple this with what I perceive to be Vernon’s biggest problem—his head. I just don’t think he has the fire/desire/confidence that is required to be a success on the court and believe most of his other problems stem entirely from this.
As Jester has pointed out in previous posts, Vernon is usually good for a thunderous dunk or two when he frees himself on the baseline and goes straight at the basket. Georgetown fans have been watching this for two seasons now, salivating at the thought of what could be, and allowing these plays to absolve his many other miscues. He may occasionally have a good game but otherwise is going to continue to disappoint.
Again I hope I am proven wrong but doubt I will be. It has been exceedingly rare to have to write a post of this nature under JTIII (it would have been routine under Esherick had our blog existed then) because so many of his players make major strides each year. So it's painful to write this and I'm glad it has been so infrequent.
I invite my other fellow contributors to weigh in with their thoughts on Macklin's play and long-term prospects.
Radford Recap
Tonight’s game was nothing short of complete and total domination. Georgetown jumped out to an 18-3 lead and never looked back. McDonough was rockin’ and this was everything that the ODU game should have been last year. Some of the high points included:
(1) the performances of Freeman and Summers. Both were sensational. End of story.
(2) the crowd chanting “Omar” after he nailed a three pointer to get the Hoyas to the century mark
(3) the crowd chanting “Eat that box” as Jack’s handlers let him loose on a cardboard box wrapped in Radford colors
All in all a fantastic game. The team performed at an incredibly high level and appears ready for Memphis. Hoya Saxa!
(1) the performances of Freeman and Summers. Both were sensational. End of story.
(2) the crowd chanting “Omar” after he nailed a three pointer to get the Hoyas to the century mark
(3) the crowd chanting “Eat that box” as Jack’s handlers let him loose on a cardboard box wrapped in Radford colors
All in all a fantastic game. The team performed at an incredibly high level and appears ready for Memphis. Hoya Saxa!
Radford Point Spread - Bad News, Part 2
For the second game in a row, Las Vegas is not offering a point spread for the Hoyas. I have a feeling things will get back on track at Memphis.
Friday, December 14, 2007
I'm Officially Boycotting Sports Illustrated
Are you kidding me?!?!?!
SI.com's college hoops section has a story listed in their "Top Stories" with the headline: "Former, current Georegetown player arrested." If you follow the link, you get to this Associated Press story with the title "Ex, current Hoyas player arrested."
The problem is, the "Georgetown" basketball players that this story discusses are affiliated with Georgetown College, the Baptist institution in Georgetown, KY. They are not from alma mater, Georgetown University, the Catholic institution in Washington, DC. As such, they aren't even Hoyas. They are Tigers.
This is some seriously sloppy journalism! SI better have an apology posted pronto!
UPDATE: SI.com has fixed the headline on the story. The link now reads "Ex, current Gtown College player arrested." The story itself now says "Georgetown College players arrested." I bet it disappears from their "Top Stories" section pretty quickly now that they know it's not about the mighty Hoyas.
SI.com's college hoops section has a story listed in their "Top Stories" with the headline: "Former, current Georegetown player arrested." If you follow the link, you get to this Associated Press story with the title "Ex, current Hoyas player arrested."
The problem is, the "Georgetown" basketball players that this story discusses are affiliated with Georgetown College, the Baptist institution in Georgetown, KY. They are not from alma mater, Georgetown University, the Catholic institution in Washington, DC. As such, they aren't even Hoyas. They are Tigers.
This is some seriously sloppy journalism! SI better have an apology posted pronto!
UPDATE: SI.com has fixed the headline on the story. The link now reads "Ex, current Gtown College player arrested." The story itself now says "Georgetown College players arrested." I bet it disappears from their "Top Stories" section pretty quickly now that they know it's not about the mighty Hoyas.
Barker Davis On DaJuan Summers
Bringing his charm
By Barker Davis
December 14, 2007
Carmelo. Rudy. DaJuan.
Georgetown's DaJuan Summers looks primed to take his place among the recent line of Charm City super-swings.
* * *
Barker Davis has a good piece in today's Washington Times on DaJuan Summers. Follow this link to read the entire story.
By Barker Davis
December 14, 2007
Carmelo. Rudy. DaJuan.
Georgetown's DaJuan Summers looks primed to take his place among the recent line of Charm City super-swings.
* * *
Barker Davis has a good piece in today's Washington Times on DaJuan Summers. Follow this link to read the entire story.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Jacksonville Point Spread - Bad News
Unfortunately it doesn't look like the sports books are going to post a line for today's game vs. Jacksonville. I think we can safely infer that Georgetown should win this one by a wide margin.After Fairfield and Alabama, Georgetown remains an even .500 against the spread (3-3).
Alabama and Style Points
I assume all readers of this blog saw the Alabama game, so I doubt a recap is needed. But suffice it to say, it wasn't a very good performance. Again, the offense looked out-of-sync. And the defense--particularly on the perimeter--was weak for the most of the game. Barker Davis has a great piece this morning discussing these characteristically slow starts for the Hoyas under JTIII.
Dress rehearsal, Hoya-style
Why?
Dress rehearsal, Hoya-style
There are a couple of major reasons why Thompson's teams specialize in halting starts. First, the Princeton-based offense is reliant on such a combination of hard work (hard cuts, constant motion), timing and execution, that it is always going to look worse than an isolation-based offense at the beginning of the season. And, in theory, it's always going to look better than an isolation-based system at the end of the season. "One clunky piece can make our system look pretty bad," Thompson said. "I don't think its attributable to youth or missing parts. I think and I hope that it's just early, because we've started a little ugly offensively every year. Our offensive flow has picked up significantly every season, and I'm hopeful and confident that will happen again." The second reason (related to the first) that Thompson's teams struggle early is his near-total focus on the conference season. After learning his trade at Princeton in a conference where the only NCAA tournament bid goes to the league's regular-season champion, Thompson places a heavier emphasis on conference games than most coaches. In fact, he's so concerned about preparing his team for Big East play that he almost seems to use the nonconference slate as an experimental phase. He'd rather risk losing to Alabama with sophomore reserve center Vernon Macklin playing extensive minutes and Jeremiah Rivers running the point in the clutch than crush the Tide by demanding that senior guard Jon Wallace pound the ball inside to center Roy Hibbert for 40 minutes.
Why?
Because he knows the Hoyas will need more weapons than Hibbert to reach San Antonio. And he chooses the nonconference slate, a time he actually refers to as the "preseason" to develop those weapons. "Roy isn't getting as many touches as he's going to get as the season progresses, and some of that is by design," Thompson said. "We're playing big chunks of time without Roy out there because I want to see how some of these other guys are going to react. I want to see Vernon [Macklin] grow up and get Austin [Freeman] and Chris [Wright] prepared for league play. "I'm sacrificing some style points to do what I think is best for our team." Nobody will remember the somewhat ugly beginning if Thompson can produce his customarily masterful conclusion.
http://washingtontimes.com/article/20071209/SPORTS/112090044/1005/sports
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Alabama Point Spread
Georgetown is currently a 7 point favorite in tonight's Big East/SEC Showdown game at Alabama tonight. Fortunately for those of us not in the DC area, it's being nationally televised on ESPN.
Point spreads provided for recreational purposes only.
Point spreads provided for recreational purposes only.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Jonathan Wallace Admitted to Georgetown Law
The Washington Post reported today that Jonathan Wallace has been admitted to the alma mater of the IPB and me, Georgetown Law. Congratulations, Jonathan! Let's hope he ends up there and not settling for Virginia or Harvard like Jester or Johnny.Above and Beyond
Wallace is still a popular figure at Sparkman High, where he was the student government president and his father, Manuel, is the principal. Tiggs estimates that 150 to 200 members of the school and local community will make the 90-minute drive to Birmingham for the game, and Wallace managed to scrounge together more than 20 tickets to cover the various family members who will attend. They'll see someone who has matured both on and off the court. Wallace, an English major, has already been accepted to Georgetown's law school, which is considered to be one of the best in the country. "He's still Jonathan," Tiggs said. "What makes us proud of him is Jonathan the person. . . . He's still an ol' country boy from Alabama. I think we're all excited for the opportunity to have him back home."
Congrats To Mr. and Mrs. Stallion
The Van Buren Boys are happy to announce the arrival of the newest member of the Georgetown University Class of 2009!
Congrats to The Italian Stallion and Mrs. Italian Stallion on the arrival of their little colt!
Congrats to The Italian Stallion and Mrs. Italian Stallion on the arrival of their little colt!
Saturday, December 01, 2007
U-G-L-Y
There's no alibi for this one.
Today's game against Fairfield was even ugly from before it began.
The aesthetic catastrophy commenced with actual aesthetics. The Hoyas came out donning horrendous white uniforms. It is difficult to even begin to describe how much Hoyas fans hate white jerseys. First, white is NOT a school color. Union Blue and Confederate Gray. It ain't that complicated! Second, the white uniforms hearken back to the nadir of the Georgetown basketball program. I half expected to see the Mustachioed One trolling the sidelines. The Georgetown Hoyas should never never never wear white jerseys again. While the players are inside McDonough practicing free throws, Hoya Blue members should hold a massive bonfire in front of the gym and burn ever white Hoyas jersey they can find. And throw on some black and teal ones for good luck!
Also hearkening back to the nadir of the Georgetown basketball program was today's performance. The game started inauspiciously enough with Jessie Sapp--perhaps cursed by Barker Davis's fine profile in the Washington Times today--took a knee to the back of his head, seconds into the game. He didn't leave the arena but played sparingly throughout the rest of the contest.
Ugly thing #3 has to be the lackluster perimeter defense the Hoyas displayed in the first half. This has been a constant source of consternation over the last two years. For some reason, we seem to have difficulty covering shooters on the perimeter, making mediocre teams like Fairfield look like a bunch of Jimmy Chitwoods.
The fourth source of ugliness on this day was the Hoyas' performance on the free throw line. Vernon, Jeremiah, DaJuan, Roy--you all need to spend some time working on your free throw shooting. Roy and DaJuan have been automatic in the past. Jeremiah has decent form. So those three should be fine. Vernon has a lot to work on. Ticket's physical gifts are patent. His skills--particularly his shooting form--need a great deal of work. Come this time next year, we are going to need him to be much better. Having said that, though, Vernon has improved his defense and rebounding, so there is no question he is working hard and will continue to improve.
There were a few good things to come out of this debacle. First, Jeremiah Rivers played very well. His defense was tough, as was his outside shooting and penetration. I also thought DaJuan played aggressively on both ends of the floor. Chris Wright showed some fire and exhibited clamp-down defensive pressure. And the students once again were excellent in their support of the Hoyas' lethargic performance.
Bring on the Crimson Tide, and let us never speak of the Fairfield game again.
Today's game against Fairfield was even ugly from before it began.
The aesthetic catastrophy commenced with actual aesthetics. The Hoyas came out donning horrendous white uniforms. It is difficult to even begin to describe how much Hoyas fans hate white jerseys. First, white is NOT a school color. Union Blue and Confederate Gray. It ain't that complicated! Second, the white uniforms hearken back to the nadir of the Georgetown basketball program. I half expected to see the Mustachioed One trolling the sidelines. The Georgetown Hoyas should never never never wear white jerseys again. While the players are inside McDonough practicing free throws, Hoya Blue members should hold a massive bonfire in front of the gym and burn ever white Hoyas jersey they can find. And throw on some black and teal ones for good luck!
Also hearkening back to the nadir of the Georgetown basketball program was today's performance. The game started inauspiciously enough with Jessie Sapp--perhaps cursed by Barker Davis's fine profile in the Washington Times today--took a knee to the back of his head, seconds into the game. He didn't leave the arena but played sparingly throughout the rest of the contest.Ugly thing #3 has to be the lackluster perimeter defense the Hoyas displayed in the first half. This has been a constant source of consternation over the last two years. For some reason, we seem to have difficulty covering shooters on the perimeter, making mediocre teams like Fairfield look like a bunch of Jimmy Chitwoods.
The fourth source of ugliness on this day was the Hoyas' performance on the free throw line. Vernon, Jeremiah, DaJuan, Roy--you all need to spend some time working on your free throw shooting. Roy and DaJuan have been automatic in the past. Jeremiah has decent form. So those three should be fine. Vernon has a lot to work on. Ticket's physical gifts are patent. His skills--particularly his shooting form--need a great deal of work. Come this time next year, we are going to need him to be much better. Having said that, though, Vernon has improved his defense and rebounding, so there is no question he is working hard and will continue to improve.
There were a few good things to come out of this debacle. First, Jeremiah Rivers played very well. His defense was tough, as was his outside shooting and penetration. I also thought DaJuan played aggressively on both ends of the floor. Chris Wright showed some fire and exhibited clamp-down defensive pressure. And the students once again were excellent in their support of the Hoyas' lethargic performance.
Bring on the Crimson Tide, and let us never speak of the Fairfield game again.
Fairfield Point Spread
Georgetown is a heavy favorite today vs. Fairfield: 27 points.For those keeping track, despite their perfect record the Hoyas are 2-2 against the spread thus far into the season. If we assume a hypothetical investor wagers $110 (point spread bets typically pay out at 11-10) on every Georgetown game (at a sports book regulated by the Nevada Gaming Commission), so far the investor would be down $20 for the season. Further updates to come.
Point spreads provided for recreational purposes only.
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