Life Lessons From The Greatest Game Ever Invented

As a Double Hoya and an Asian-American I have lived my entire life loving the game of basketball. When I walked into Healey Circle during New Student Orientation this weekend, I experienced the same excitement that I had as an incoming freshman. Indeed former GU President Tim Healey's voice still lives on in me and my fellow Hoya classmates. As I walk to work every day through Bryant Park I think of Father Healey and his work with the NY Public Library and Bryant Park. As I visited my parents in Maryland this weekend, I went to the AFI Silver Spring Theatre to see my favorite basketball movie, Hoosiers, on the big screen. It is indeed a classic. I marvel at the passion that the residents of the small town of Hickory, Indiana have for the game of basketball. As Dennis Hopper tells Gene Hackman, he knows everything there is to know about the greatest game ever invented. Moreover, the movie is about second chances, and how we as individuals are defined by our actions. The naive Barbara Hershey does not understand why every game her brother ever played was the most important thing that ever happened to her family. It is not until she sees how Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper, and her pupil Jimmie Chitwood get a second chance in life does she really begin to see why she is always drawn back to her home town. Indeed basketball is the greatest game because of its emphasis on teamwork, and its rare combination of athleticism, and strategy. You can fall behind and have a chance to come back, to rally, and redefine yourself through resilience and a team emphasis.

As I saw the highlights and tried to understand what happened in the Georgetown Hoyas trip to China, I marveled at the leadership Coach JT III and our coaching staff displayed. Indeed, they put the incident behind them and concentrated on the bigger picture. There was more at stake than just a basketball game. Indeed two nations found that they had more in common than they had differences. Indeed diplomacy, and goodwill won out. The Hoyas trip to China was more than just a basketball trip. The Jesuit principles of Men and Women for Others, and Cura Personalis were what came through. Yes two cultures, and groups of people learned some valuable life lessons from the Greatest Game Ever Invented.

For some pictures of the Georgetown trip to China from Super Hoya Fan Rich Hluchan see our

Hoyas in China Trailer at:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150290238119244&oid=108495557266&comments

For the full view of pictures go to:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150290278864244&oid=108495557266&comments

We are Georgetown!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Weathering the Storm--Hurricanes & Mother Nature.

Agnes, Hugo, Andrew, Dennis, Katrina, and now Irene are the hurricanes burned into my consciousness. It is a humbling experience to know that you cannot fight Mother Nature. As I sit in my parents home this evening and thank the Lord for my parents and brother installing the backup generators a few months ago, I am humbled as we all are by the power of Mother Nature. We have come a long way. Technology and science allow me to do now things I had never dreamed about as a child. Yet we must understand that we are only one part of this planet--this universe. I am in DC not my residence in New York City because of Georgetown's Board of Governors meeting on Friday. I elected not to return on Saturday simply because it seems like NYC is being evacuated. Every year at Board of Governors meetings we seem to have major storms. Last year we had the Big Ice Storm, and two years ago the Snowpocalypse during the GU--Villanova game.

As my beloved Georgetown Hoyas became involved in the Brawl in China, I had many mixed feelings as an Asian-American. I was relieved that my alma mater Georgetown was clearly not the aggressor and instigator of the big fight. I was honestly embarrassed by the behavior of the Chinese Army team, the referees, and the Chinese police. To everyone's credit especially Coach JTIII it appears that this has been turned to a positive experience. Often I have sat at work meetings where a love-fest breaks out which is not genuine to say the least. I pray that I will be able to safely get back to the island of Manhattan this week and continue my work schedule. I pray that everyone survives Hurrican Irene and has a safe few days.

We are Georgetown!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

A Double Hoya's All-Time Kenner League Team

The league is now officially called the Nike Pro City League, but I am going to use the Kenner League name when picking my personal all-time team. I have actually attended games every year since the Kenner League started in McDonough gymnasium. Some years I have been able to attend more games than in other years. Please take note that these are my own picks for an all-time team. I am making these choices based on their performance for an entire summer, and these are only players I have seen play in the summer league in person. To be fair there are a few players I have not seen--a very small number. Anyway, here are my picks for the greatest players in the history of the Kenner League:

Center--Patrick Ewing: The greatest player in Georgetown Basketball history. There was never anyone in his league to face him in the Kenner League. He truly controlled the air above the rim, and after his freshman year dominated the Kenner League.

Forward--Dikembe Mutombo--I know he always played center but I am calling the shots with these selections! Actually, he was listed as a 5 ft. 9 inch point guard in the program much to the confusion of the many Syracuse and UCONN spies in McDonough gymnasium. In Jim Calhoun's earlier years he had many of his assistant coaches in the stands. Dikembe was perhaps the most improved player I have ever seen in the Kenner League as he began the summer as a very clumsy player, and then became a shot-blocking, dunking machine. If they ever kept official stats Dikembe probably had more dunks in single games than anyone. Oh did I love his enthusiasm.

Forward--Michael Graham: The man who helped bring the 1984 NCAA Championship to the Hilltop. He was the most ferocious power forward to play in the Kenner League. When you consider John Turner--Mr. Highlights and others this is saying quite a bit. To see him as an incoming freshmen play against dozens of All-ACC power forwards and make them look like timid school children was truly inspiring. If you saw these performances you would not be surprised that he single-handedly intimidated Kentucky and their twin towers in the NCAA Final Four. As ESPN has said, he was truly the baddest, baldest dude to ever play in the Kenner League.

Guard--Reggie Williams. Yes Reggie "Russ" Williams was the top rated high school player in the nation, and his much anticipated play in the Kenner League was not disappointing. Since his play on the Baltimore Dunbar Poets he had been heralded as the second-coming of George Gervin. His Baltimore Dunbar HS team with fellow Hoya David Wingate, and several future NBA stars was arguably the greatest high school team ever assembled. What impressed me more than anything was at 6' 8" he could handle the ball like a point guard and his height and passing ability opened the court up as nobody else could. The Tombs with future Hoyas teammates Pat Ewing and freshman to be Michael Graham was the best team I have ever seen in the Kenner League hands down!

Guard--Allen Iverson. Allen "The Answer--Bubbachuck" Iverson was truly the most exciting performer in the history of the Kenner League. McDonough was abuzz with excitement like I have never seen before, and probably never will. When he debuted he had not been seen on the basketball court for some time, and there were only rumors that he would attend Georgetown. The gym at that time could accomodate closer to 4000 people and they were packed in everywhere. For the playoffs fans were getting to their seats 2 hours early to get seats. Allen Iverson put on some of the greatest offensive outbursts I have ever seen. He would often start drilling four or 5 3-pointers in a row and then alley-oop dunking over 7 foot All-Americans like they were kindergarteners! If you saw these performances you would not be surprised that he was the only person to ever posterize the great Michael Jordan on ESPN video for the ages. Yes, his double cross-over and jump shot against the greatest basketball player ever is something for the ages. If you had the opportunity to see Allen Iverson in the Kenner League you truly saw some of the greatest playground performances in history.

Enjoy the Nike Pro City League Playoff this weekend. I hope to see many of you in the stands.

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President and Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing