SB Nation - Greg Monroe

Casual Communication: Where Amazing Doesn't Happen

Jeff Green's Dad — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:55:47 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

'Inspector Gadget' is FIRED UP for this round of Casual Communication

Back for another edition of Casual Communication. Believe it or not, most of these questions came from actual readers. If you want to have your questions answered, email jeffgreensdad@gmail.com and I promise it will, we've got no other options.

What is your favorite obnoxious fan cheer? Cole, Philadelphia, PA

For refs, I will always enjoy "Get off your knees ref, you're blowing the game." It is particularly useful when John Cahill is a referee. For players, my favorite was for Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf, in light of his assault charges. It was a simple "You hit wo-men" (clap, clap, clap clap clap). For teams, I enjoy pulling out the keys and chanting, "Warm up the bus."

Club Trillion has christened Evan Turner "The Villain". What are the best nicknames for current Hoyas that you'd come up with? Harry, Godrics Hollow, England

Chris Wright - The Wrecking Ball. I think this works on a few levels. He can score in bunches, wrecking other teams. He can turn the ball over in bunches, wrecking our team. And when he plows into the lane, he resembles a Wrecking Ball. Chris, you are the Wrecking Ball.

Hollis Thompson - The Kid. He's a stud freshman, he looks like he's 12, he hustles his ass off, and he's a good teammate.

Austin Freeman - JT IV. First, because he looks like our beloved coach's child. Second, because he has become the coach on the floor. On Tuesday, he gently explained to Henry Sims that it's a bad idea to pick up 4 fouls when everyone else has 4 fouls, and also calmed down The Wrecking Ball.

Jason Clark - Inspector Gadget. When he sticks his arms out to steal a pass, it looks like he is activating the Go Go Gadget Arms.

via danoftheday.com

Greg Monroe - Vincent Chase. He's the franchise, we'll only go as far as he does. Like an episode of Entourage, I always have fun watching him, but I also always expect more.

In your opinion, which Hoya player has the most groupies? Coleman, Philadelphia, PA

I can tell you that in the class of 2008, it was definitely Patrick Ewing, Jr. But for the current Hoyas? I think it is Hollis Thompson. The man has a lot of appeal to girls on campus. For freshmen, he's experienced - he's been on campus since last January. He's the cool freshman with the older friends. He's got a sweet shooting stroke. He looks like he's nice and tries hard to be a good teammate. And he's just adorable, right? Am I right? Anyone?

Has Greg Monroe lived up to the hype? Liora, Malibu, CA

An interesting question, especially considering his performance against Butler on Tuesday. The quick answer is no, at this point he hasn't. He was the #1 recruit in the nation for most of his high school career. Let's look at the #1 ranked players the years before Greg.

2007 - Michael Beasley

2006 - Greg Oden

2005 - Gerald Green

2004 - Dwight Howard

2003 - LeBron James

2002 - Carmelo Anthony

Considering LeBron, Carmelo and Dwight are three of the five best players in the NBA, it's clear that Greg doesn't stack up yet. The Hoyas went 16-15 last year and missed the NCAAs. But, Greg wasn't expected to dominate like those guys have. Even in high school, Greg's prodigious talent came with questions about his motor, so his "hype" wasn't nearly as loud.

If Greg leads the Hoyas to an Elite Eight, makes First Team All Big East, and goes in the top 10 in the NBA Draft, I think he will have lived up to the hype. Let's see how it plays out.

Last night (Casual Note: a week ago now) I watched as Taylor King, the former Duke forward, put up 16 against Drexel--shooting 4-6 from behind the 3-pt mark--with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block to round out his line. And he's essentially the sixth man on this number three Villanova team; King played only 23 minutes last night. While it is fair to note that Nova was playing Drexel and has not really been challenged by their schedule yet this year, King is averaging just over 10 points a game, almost 7 rebounds a game, and is shooting near the .500 mark from downtown. (Casual Note: King also had 20 points, including 4 three-pointers, a couple of which were absolute daggers, and 9 rebounds last night against a surprisingly spunky St. Joe's team) All this begs the question: is Taylor King the best transfer player in the Big East this year? Maybe/Probably. But I'd love to see a list of the best transfer players in the Big East over the last ten years and see how King stacks up, assuming his averages stay the same for the season. Iceberg, Villanova, PA

Look here Iceberg. Casual Communication is about Casual discussion where I get to spout off about nicknames, groupies, and other nonsense. I don't want to do "research" or find "statistics" or use my "brain".

After doing all of these things, as well as getting help from the rest of the Casual Hoya staff, your question has been amended. The Big East is not a conference that tends to attract a lot of transfers, so we're going to do a list of five. We're also going to use transfers from the last five years, since the Big East expanded to 16 teams.

1. Jeremiah Rivers, Georgetown. Though he transferred out of the conference, simply by leaving, he increased the competitiveness of the entire league.

2. David Padgett, Louisville. Averaged 11.2 PPG in 2007-2008 when Louisville finished second in the Big East. Also bonus points for being the only non-Georgetown transfer I remembered without having to use the Google machine.

3. Patrick Ewing Jr., Georgetown. 6^th man on back-to-back Big East Championship teams and 2007 Final Four team. Won the Big East's inaugural 6^th Man Award in 2007-2008 season. Put up Wilt Chamberlain-like numbers on Georgetown's campus.

via www.inquisitr.com

4. Jeff Xavier, Providence. Averaged 10.4 PPG in his two years at Providence. Bonus points for his brother, Jonathan Xavier, running onto the court during a game in January 2009 to confront a referee, subsequently getting arrested for disorderly conduct. Look at his face, what a psycho.

5. Wesley Johnson, Syracuse. Usually, it'd be premature to put a guy who has played eight games, but I mean look at this list. It's really bad. And Wesley Johnson is projected to be a top 5 draft pick. I promise you, Iceberg, that he is the best transfer to come through the Big East in 5 years, 10 years, etc. Does it hurt to admit? Yes. But he's really, really good.

As for Mr. King, he had that great game last night and hit a clutch three to seal the game. My guess is he'll sneak into this top 5 list by the end of the year. If not, he really sucks, because none of these guys really lit it up. Do not ask another question like this, my brain hurts.

How did you feel when told there was no room at the inn on Jeff's day of birth? James, Long Island, NY

I'd say I felt a combination of fear, horniness, and hunger.

Which Hoya (past and present) would fit in best with the cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore?" K Dogg, New York, NY

via www.mtv.com

First of all, for the 20 of you that read this, please watch this show. I beg you. Words do not do it justice. It is the John Wall of reality TV shows, you have to see it to believe it.

As for your question, the past Hoya that would fit in best would be DaJuan Summers. He has the tattoos, the body, the crappy facial hair, and the insecurities that would make him perfect for the show. I might even start calling DaJuan "The Situation". When it comes to current Hoyas, I think my boy Chris Wright would probably fit the best. He's got an "I'll fight anyone, including my teammates" edge to him that is both intimidating and admirable. I have the same conflicting and exciting feelings every time Ronny gets on screen. I would also consider Jeremiah Rivers just because he looks so much like Vinny, who is farthest left in this picture.

Poll

Which Current Hoya's Proposed New Casual Nickname Do You Like Best?

You're the Man Now, Dog - Monroe Leads Georgetown Past Butler, 72-65

Hire Esherick — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:45:29 -0000

Greg Monroe - Sean Connery has something to say to you:

In their first contest against a ranked team this season, Georgetown nearly blew a lead of Davidson-proportions but managed to hang on for a victory against Butler in Madison Square Garden. Greg Monroe contributed 24 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs, and Austin Freeman added 18 points, shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc. The seemingly endless turnovers and fouls are cause for some concern but the Hoyas got the victory in the end as the Bulldogs shot a woeful 30% from the field. The Hoyas are now 7-0 and fly out to California to face Washington on Saturday.

Post-game links, quotes and photos as well as the Casual Awards to follow tomorrow.

Breathe easy Hoya fans, the sky isn't falling, yet.

Bulldogs vs Hoyas coverage

In-Game Thread

Bulldogs vs Hoyas boxscore

Good talk.

The Beasts of DC: Georgetown Defeats American 73-46

Jeff Green's Dad — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:06:06 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

6 days ago: Georgetown's Jason Clark, left, is fouled by American University's Riley Grafft, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Georgetown dominated American 73-46 on the backs of Henry Sims (yes, that Henry Sims), who had a career high 12 points and 4 rebounds, and Julian Vaughn, with 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Chris Wright added 12 points, while Austin Freeman, Jason Clark and Greg Monroe each had 9 points. Georgetown outrebounded American 37-26, with Monroe contributing 13 rebounds.

The cupcakes are officially done. Next up for the Hoyas are the Butler Bulldogs on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, and then cross country to face the Washington Huskies on Saturday.

Press coverage and Casual awards to follow tomorrow.

Eagles vs Hoyas coverage

Eagles vs Hoyas boxscore

Casual Communication: Inaugural Edition

Jeff Green's Dad — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:41:04 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Jason Clark is the Hoyas' most improved player thus far.

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Here at Casual Hoya we're instituting a weekly feature known as Casual Communication. To send in a question, email jeffgreensdad@gmail.com

Because this is the first edition, these are actual questions from made up readers and the Casual Hoya staff.

With Henry Sims obviously not showing improvement thus far in the season, who else needs to show marked improvement for the Hoyas? Chris, Washington, DC

I agree that Henry hasn't been nearly as good as people hoped / expected thus far. That said, he's made strides, especially on the defensive end, the last two games. Then again, after the Temple game I would have been an improvement over Henry. His lack of improvement has been negated by Julian Vaughn's emergence as a legitimate low-post offensive threat. He is providing what Hoya fans expected Sims to provide.

JV's improvement not withstanding, no one on Georgetown has improved as much as Jason Clark thus far. He has become a do-it-all guard, and is the calming force Chris Wright is not. It's been interesting watching Clark become the de facto point guard, which allows Wright to slash freely and lessens the amount of times Wright can throw his head down and barrel into a defender with no purpose.

Out of Hibernation: Georgetown Defeats Mount St. Mary's 83-62

Hire Esherick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:43:54 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

11 days ago: Georgetown's Julian Vaughn (22) goes to the basket against Mount St. Mary's Tayvon Jackson (34) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in Washington. Georgetown won 83-62.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Greg Monroe and Chris Wright led the undefeated Hoyas to victory on Monday night against the Mountaineers of Mount St. Mary's. You have no idea how long I have been waiting to type those words.

Monroe had his second double-double of the season as he complied 19 points and 11 rebounds while Wright shot 7-11 from the field and 4-5 from beyond the arc to add a season high 18 points.

"We're not ready to have fun yet," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "We have a long way to go, but I think at some point this year we're going to have fun." - The Hoya

Press coverage and Casual Awards to follow tomorrow.

Mountaineers vs Hoyas coverage

Mountaineers vs Hoyas recap

Mountaineers vs Hoyas boxscore

Good talk.

The Top 5 Games of the JT III Era

Jeff Green's Dad — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:03:23 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

He's shown us some awesome games over the past few years. Here's hoping he can show us a few more this season. You know, besides that Temple nailbiter.

Browse more photos »

Before we all get our collective panties in a bunch about this year's season, I'd like to do an old fashioned countdown of my 5 favorite games of the JT III era. I graduated in 2008, so I was lucky enough to see all 5 of these games in person, which also probably skews my views in terms of order. Feel free to argue with my rankings, add your own, and even throw in some games from before the JT III era when I was still in diapers.

Honorable mention with memories, year by year:

2008 - 2009: Memphis (79-70 OT, Chris Wright becomes a man), @ UConn (74-63, Greg Monroe dominates Hasheem Thabeet), Syracuse (88-74, DaJuan Summers throws down on Kristof Ongenaet)

2007 - 2008: West Virginia (72-55 BET, The one time all season I thought we could win the NCAAs), @ West Virginia (58-57, Patrick Ewing Jr.'s block), @ Marquette (70-68, Jonathan Wallace's free throws), Louisville (55-52, DaJuan Summers has one moment of clutchness in 3 years and it came at a good time)

2006 - 2007: Boston College (62-55 NCAA, Patrick Ewing Jr. punking Jared Dudley) Notre Dame (84-82 BET, Never again did I think Jeff Green would be a senior at Georgetown), Pittsburgh (65-42 BET, First BET Championship since 1989), Notre Dame (66-48, Jessie Sapp's alley-oop to Jeff Green), West Virginia (71-53, Patrick Ewing Jr. fighting with John Beilein), @ Villanova (58-55, Jeff Green morphing into a closer)

2005 - 2006: Pittsburgh (61-58, Holy ^&%* the Duke game wasn't a fluke), Ohio State (70-52 NCAA, Roy's coming out party)

2004 - 2005: Notre Dame (55-54, Roy's game winning dunk and the beginning of "Roy, Roy, Roy" chant)

Now for the top 5 games of the JT III era, in my opinion:

5. January 12, 2008, 72-69 win over UConn at the Verizon Center

via grfx.cstv.com

Coming into this game, the 2007-2008 Georgetown Hoyas were 12-1 overall, 2-0 in the conference, but had lost its only real test at Memphis, 85-71. It also happened to be one of the first Super Saturdays of the season, so the students were particularly joyful, to say the least. Most of the game was a blur due to this joyfulness, but some highlights included Pat Ewing Jr. contributing 14 points off the bench and starting his campaign for the inaugural Big East 6^th Man of the Year. Previously, I was concerned that Pat would have a hard time taking a backseat to freshman Austin Freeman, especially when taking into account Pat was roughly 30-years-old already. He and Freeman combined for 27 points on 9-13 shooting and Pat continued to be the ultimate teammate whether he was starting or coming off the bench.

Fast forward to 32 seconds left, tied at 69-69, Georgetown took a full timeout. Coming out of the timeout, in typical JT III fashion, we passed the ball around the 3 point line for about 25 seconds. What was particularly disconcerting during these 25 seconds was that our 7'2" preseason All America center was manning the point guard position. I remember screaming "Post up! Post up you big &^%$! For the love of God, post up!" Then, with 6 seconds left, Roy Hibbert decided to shoot his second career three. It was the first time I've ever heard 20,000 people go from "What the $%#%?!" to "AHHHHHHH!!!!" so quickly and so violently.