After another crazy weekend in the Big East, I find myself wondering whether or not the conference is full of good teams or whether the media hype is just covering up a bunch of talented, but generally mediocre teams beating up on each other?

At this point I'm of the belief that only a couple teams in this league are actually that much stronger than the rest of the field.

The NCAA tournament will be our ultimate answer but I ask you Casualties now... what teams in our HIGHLY touted conference are actually capable of making the Sweet 16?

I'll say for me the only teams with a good chance are Georgetown, Pitt, ND and MAYBE UConn. 

This is a segment that will appear on ESPN every week. Interesting point... and it DAMN SURE is worth quibbling over.

College hoops polls might be inconsequential noise, but that doesn't mean they're not fun to argue about. In that spirit, I present the creatively named "Poll Thoughts," which you can expect every Monday until the season is over, or until the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll voters stop being so dumb. (In other words, expect it until the season is over.) 

But then.....

No. 12 Missouri jumped a spot over No. 13 Georgetown after Georgetown's loss at Temple. I'm not sure that's entirely fair, because it's going to be hard for anyone to win at Temple this year and Georgetown did beat Missouri in Kansas City, but oh well. It's not really worth quibbling over, either.

From ESPN, ROOKIE WATCH: Early Disappointments by David Thorpe

I don't watch hardly any NBA basketball so I won't really comment (I'll leave that to others).

1. Greg Monroe, Pistons
He's 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds. He's a decent athlete. And he's played as a post player his whole basketball career. Would you like to guess how often he gets his shot blocked?

 

 

First, I'll give you some reference points. Derrick Favors has yet to have a shot blocked in the NBA, inside the paint or on a jumper. Incredible. DeMarcus Cousins gets 15 percent of his jump shots swatted (not great), but only 7 percent of his paint shots blocked (pretty darn good).

 

 

Monroe has had 24 percent of his paint shots blocked and 25 percent of his shots outside the paint blocked. Gulp. Those are astoundingly bad numbers. And watching him on tape, it's easy to see what his issues are -- no explosion, little creativity or extension and no sense of urgency as a finisher.

 

 

He's playing like he's a 6-6 power forward (like Chuck Hayes, who also gets 24 percent of his paint shots blocked). He's getting blocked by bigs in front of him because he's not challenging them with any fakes or anything that will throw off their timing -- and when he does fake, it's in slow motion. And he's getting blocked from behind by guards who can easily read his intentions. His problems are fixable, of course, but with the Pistons playing better basketball, his minutes may diminish.

There is an article in the Wall Street Journal that shows how teams that beat the national title finalists in the previous season have done the following year. Lets hope we're more North Carolina and less Purdue.

Regular-Season Triumph

Teams that beat both eventual NCAA tournament finalists in the regular season since 1985 and how they fared the following season.

YEAR	TEAM	DEFEATED	NEXT YEAR
1984-85	St. John's	Villanova, Georgetown	31-5
1984-85	Syracuse	Villanova, Georgetown	26-6
1987-88	Kansas St.	Kansas, Oklahoma	19-11
1992-93	Duke	N. Carolina, Michigan	28-6
1995-96	UMass	Kentucky, Syracuse	19-14
1999-00	Kentucky	Mich. St., Florida	24-10
1999-00	Purdue	Mich. St., Florida	17-15
2000-01	Stanford	Duke, Arizona	20-10
2003-04	N. Carolina	UConn, Ga. Tech	33-4
2008-09	Maryland	N. Carolina, Mich. St.	24-9
2009-10	Georgetown	Duke, Butler	?

... or so my Facebook tells me.

Happy Birthday to one hell of a PG and a great Hoya. I wrote this Haiku poem in your honor and I hope you have a wonderful time in whatever you do to celebrate. If I may be so bold as to suggest you head on over to the upstairs bar at Rhino around 1 am, I think you'll have a wonderful time. 

Wright, they call you lumpy

You have the heart of a champ

Sometimes, wrecking ball

I can't wait to see you and Freeman tear up the Big East this year. 

HEART OF A CHAMPION. 

Danny Flynn over at Bleacher Report thinks that the 5 dark horse teams who could win a national title are: Missouri, Georgetown, Florida, Illinois and Washington. 

CLICK HERE to read the full article or see the Georgetown section below... Nothing much too new here but there is ZERO love for Hollis which I think is pretty lame. 

The Big East isn’t necessarily considered to be wide open this season as the Pitt Panthers come into the year as the consensus favorite to win the conference crown. But there’s certainly room for other contenders to emerge. 

One of those teams is the Georgetown Hoyas.

Yes, the Hoyas lose their best player from a year ago, imposing center Greg Monroe, who was selected with the seventh pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2010 NBA Draft. But this was far from a one band.

Georgetown returns one of the best and most productive backcourts in the country with seniors Austin Freeman and Chris Wright along with junior Jason Clark. The trio averaged a combined 41 points per game last year.

Wright looks to be one of the top point guards entering the season and his distribution and scoring ability really makes the Hoyas offense go. 

The 6‘3 Freeman, who led the team with 16 points a game last year, is one of the best offensive players the Big East has to offer this year. 

6‘9 Forward Julian Vaughn, who started every game last season, will likely step into the center position as a fill-in for Monroe which means there has to be somebody that joins the party at the four spot. 

Candidates include Henry Sims, Jerrelle Benimon and intriguing freshman Nate Lubick.

There’s no doubt Monroe will be missed - you don’t lose 16 points and nine rebounds a game and not feel it. There’s a gaping seven foot hole in the frontcourt that needs to be filled but coach John Thompson III we’ll find a way. He did it when Roy Hibbert left, when Patrick Ewing Jr. left and now he’ll figure out a way to make up for the loss of Monroe. 

The Hoyas’ backcourt will have to carry them during the early stretches, but as long as the frontcourt is playing at a satisfactory level once conference play rolls around, this is a Georgetown team that has the capability to roll up a lot of wins this season.

After an embarrassing and uninspired loss to Ohio in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year, it will 

Well, Hello there Casual Hoya.... it's been 7 painful months of therapy to combat post Ohio University depression but thanks to hard work in the Psych ward, I'm really feeling like myself again. I'm ready for Midnight Madness and I'm high on life (and a little Zoloft).

If you're like me and strapped to a bed, or just not in Washington DC and you want to watch your Hoyas during Midnight Madness, never fear.... GU Hoyas dot com is here. 

According to this press release fans can click on THIS LINK to watch the Madness live starting at 8:30.

See you for Tulane, Nov 15 at Verizon. Lets get it. 

HOYA SAXA. 

Expected Big Ten Expansion could Affect Big East, Georgetown

If we lose Rutgers and one other school other than Syracuse I could live with that...but it would be a shame to break up what has become the best basketball conference in the NCAA.

Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim questions whether the Orange would be a "fit" for the Big Ten. He also wonders how the move would help Syracuse recruit in basketball hotbeds such as New York and Philadelphia.

"Generally, kids like to play closer to their home towns, where people can see them play -- not only for home games, but road games, as well," Boeheim says. "I'm always skeptical of change. What has been good for us is this [Big East] conference and the schools we have played for the last 30 years."

Georgetown Coach John Thompson III believes it's foolish to speculate on any scenario, given the uncertainty. The bigger point, he argues, is that the Big East will endure.

"We're not afraid of change, nor are we simply sitting by waiting to react," Thompson said. "The Big East has great tradition, great rivalries and, for 30 years, a wealth of assets. What the Big East looks like in the future, I don't know. But I'm confident that we're going to be standing -- and standing strong."

Click Here to read about how the Ohio Bobcat's coach is reaping the rewards of his (f*cking) success

I hate the god damned off season.

"Was it a surprise we beat Georgetown?" Holtmann said Thursday after his introductory news conference. "In some ways, it might have been, but we knew we were playing at a high level the last month of the year, and when teams get hot, there's a feeling of invincibility as they continue to win."

Can't link to it because it requires a membership but a friend passed this on to me so I thought I would share with you.

He is ranked fourth in the Scouts Insider look at the Midwest Bracket's top players going on to the NBA...

 

4. Greg Monroe, F/C, Sophomore, Georgetown

 

 

The Good: Monroe is the most skilled big man in college basketball. He's a terrific passer who has a great basketball IQ. He's a good ball handler for his size and can take bigger players off the dribble. Monroe is also a solid shooter with even a little bit of 3-point range. He has an array of strong moves in the post.

 

 

The Bad: Monroe is not an explosive athlete. He typically plays below the rim and has issues with his lateral quickness. He's improved as he's gotten in better shape this season, but he's still a notch below most NBA bigs. Monroe also has the tendency to disappear for stretches, although over the course of the past two months he's been much more consistent.

 

 

The Upside: Monroe is having a terrific sophomore season. While there are concerns about his athleticism and drive, it's hard not to fall in love with his skills in the paint. Few NBA big men have his abilities or unselfishness. Still, many scouts and GMs aren't sold. A big tournament should seal a top-10 pick for Monroe.

 

Andy Katz on our "group of death"

Apparently he didn't catch the Big East Tournament where every single player on our team was firing on all cylinders. #savagelife (am I doing that right?)

3. If you're looking for one player who can carry his team to the Elite Eight in this bracket, it's Ohio State's Evan Turner. He's likely either the outright or co-national player of the year. Turner has made big shots throughout the season and is as versatile a player as any in the country. He's more than capable of taking the Buckeyes past UC Santa Barbara, Georgia Tech/Oklahoma State and then either San Diego State, Tennessee or Georgetown (sorry Ohio, you've got no shot against the Hoyas).

5. The team that may be the hardest to figure in this region is No. 3 Georgetown. The Hoyas have looked awesome at times in crushing Duke at home and getting to the Big East tournament title game, but also have fallen flat like when they lost at Rutgers. No need to worry about Greg Monroe or probably Austin Freeman. If Chris Wright is on then this squad can advance.

14. What's the most intriguing matchup that won't happen? No. 4 Maryland versus No. 3 Georgetown in the Elite Eight in a rematch of a Hoya smackdown from a year ago in Orlando at the Old Spice Classic. It's a rivalry that should be played every year but isn't anymore.

Here is the latest bracketology as of 12:13 PM (sorry I didn't post this earlier...epic hangover after two nights of evening tips for my beloved team)

EAST (Syracuse)

Milwaukee

(1) KENTUCKY (30-2) Opening-round Game (8) Oklahoma St (22-10) (9) Louisville (20-12)

San Jose

(5) BYU (28-5) (12) Wake Forest (19-10) (4) TEMPLE (27-5) (13) Minnesota (20-12)

New Orleans

(6) Maryland (22-8) (11) San Diego St (22-8) (3) Baylor (24-7) (14) HOUSTON (17-15) / C-USA

Providence

(7) NORTHERN IOWA (28-4) (10) SAINT MARY'S (25-5) (2) Georgetown (23-9) (15) VERMONT (24-9) / Amer East

Resume comparison: Maryland vs. Georgetown

 

Pretend you’re an NCAA tournament selection committee member and there is one No. 4 seed slot left on the board. You are looking at Maryland and Georgetown. Which team gets your vote? (All records reflect games only against Division I teams)

Maryland (22-7)
RPI: 19
SOS: 21
Nonconference RPI: 159
Vs. top 25: 1-3
Vs. top 50: 6-5
Vs. 200 or worse: 7-0
Best wins: Duke, Clemson
Worst losses: William & Mary, Cincinnati

Georgetown (20-9)
RPI: 16
SOS: 1
Nonconference SOS: 8
Vs. top 25: 5-4
Vs. top 50: 6-5
Vs. 200 or worse: 5-0
Best wins: Duke, Villanova, Butler, Temple
Worst losses: South Florida, at Rutgers

The only advantages Maryland has over Georgetown in my mind are 1) Maryland does not have a loss like the Rutgers loss and 2) Maryland is unquestionably the hotter team right now. Because the selection committee is supposed to put less weight on your record in the last 12 games this season, I am not going to place as much weight on that component.

So the Hoyas get my vote. Five wins against top 25 teams? Very impressive. The nation’s top-ranked schedule? Also impressive.

I’d give both teams No. 4 seeds today. But if there were only one slot left, I’d hand it to the Hoyas.

Agree or disagree?

 

I agree. 

The Sports Network gives us their comprehensive review of the teams participating in the Big East Tournament

Pretty much the same old story. Good/Talented but inconsistent

Georgetown, the team that has the most conference tournament titles with seven, winning most recently in 2007, slipped up numerous times down the stretch and dropped all the way down to the eighth seed as a result. Off the court, the Hoyas (20-9, 10-8) were stunned to find out that All-Big East Second-Team member Austin Freeman was diagnosed with Diabetes barely a week ago, but he returned to action on Saturday under a physician's watchful eye and delivered a game-high 24 points in the win over Cincinnati at home. Obviously, Freeman's health is paramount and because of his condition he will be having his minutes monitored and that could spell trouble for the program if his rhythm is disrupted. However, Georgetown is not a one-trick pony because the cast in the nation's capital also includes All-Big East First-Team selection Greg Monroe, who not only averaged almost a double-double with his 16.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest, but was also second on the unit with 103 assists.

Allen Iverson, former Hoya star is having serious life problems

Gambling, Alcohol, general poor decision making....

Maybe Big John can save him. 

Smith, who has covered Iverson closely for years, wrote in Monday's column that Iverson needs someone with "the ideal combination of compassion and toughness" in his life. And former Temple coach John Chaney said that person is John Thompson, Iverson's former college coach at Georgetown.

"[Thompson] is the one guy who'll have a chance of slowing this train wreck down, who could wrap his arms around Iverson and have an impact, because clearly it has not been done," Chaney said, according to Smith. "But there's still this one question: Will [Iverson] listen?"

Michael Wilbon wrote a column about diabetes and athletes today in the Washington Post. 

I love Michael Wilbon (especially since he picked us to go to the Final Four on PTI in the 2006-07 season before the tournament started)

Undoubtedly, the diagnosis Freeman received recentlymust have scared him half to death. It scares all of us, me two years ago at 49 when doctors told me I had Type 2 diabetes and would have to change my lifestyle forever . . . or else. Freeman, his diagnosis so new, probably hasn't even gotten to the point at which he's formulating complicated questions. But he will. And he's going to hear from doctors, from friends and neighbors and perhaps even relatives who have the disease that diabetes should not slow him down, should not limit his life's options, should not make him infirm or physically unable to pursue most, if not all, of his passions.

Click Here and vote

Poll: Will Maryland earn a better NCAA tournament seed than Georgetown?

Georgetown has lost four of five games, while Maryland has won seven of eight. These are two teams heading in opposite directions right now. Which team will get a better seed in the NCAAs?

 

As a person who happens to live with a Terps fan this poll makes me cry. Although this a totally unfair popularity contest is it actually possible that the Terps will end up with a better seed than the Hoyas in the big dance? Say it ain't so....

Vox Pop, the "Georgetown Blog of Record since 1969" took a pot shot at Henry, "Hank" Sims today on their article covering the ugly ass jerseys that we're going to be wearing Saturday against Notre Dame

posted below an image of a model wearing the silver uniforms was this quote...

(FYI, that’s not Henry Sims, just a random model. But you’d be forgiven for forgetting what #30 looks like, he’s spent so much time off the court this season.)

and yet Henry says the team hates all of us Hoya Faithful here at Casual Hoya as evidenced by this tweet, or twitter, form spring...thingamajig...no mention of if the team hates Vox Pop...I mean lets be even handed here guys. 

MajesticOne30: 

Does the team hate casualhoya blog as much as I do?

lol prolly more then u

28 minutes ago

Whatup With That??

I'm not sure I agree with the Bleacher Report/Alex Peterson's analysis of our team but his outlook is BLEAK. Don't you just love being compared to Northern Iowa, BYU and Texas? FML

here is the link

Georgetown Hoyas

It pains me to say this, but I just don't see the Hoyas making a run at the championship this year. I love Georgetown so much and watch them play whenever i get the chance, but I just see to many holes in the Hoyas team for them to succeed in the Big Dance. They have lots of potential and have one of the most talented starting five in the nation, but talent doesn't always win championships as it has been proven time and time again.

Georgetown has great players that start off the game, but if any of them get tired or get in foul trouble, the Hoyas have only one player that can really produce of the bench in forward Hollis Thompson.

They have no guards on the bench that can come into the game so only the three guards that start the game are ever in, which is a serious problem especially if one of these players is having an off night. They have nobody that can spark them off the bench and that's going to be a big problem for the Hoyas if they want to beat teams during March Madness.

Also, the Hoyas have a tendency to play down to opponents with less talent than they do, which is a big red flag for tournament teams. They seem to over look opponents that they don't think are serious threats and when that team starts to put up a game against them, they have nobody that can lead their team out of a deficit and win a game.