A Look at Hardship Status

I have never been in favor of players leaving college early for the NBA. Most often players are not physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for the NBA. However, discussion of rule changes to prevent this have never been in my opinion the correct way to approach the issue. If someone can enter the military, it is hard to argue they should not be allowed into the NBA.

What will be the state of college basketball be in a few years? I am hoping the game I love will still be going strong. Things are changing rapidly though.

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

The Capital Classic

My friends Pam and Evan Chvotkin did a wonderful job putting the Capital Classic together at the last minute. It is amazing what a few people can accomplish in a short time. I was surprised they were able to get so many good players to commit on such short notice. However, it was obvious this event has been in decline since Nike and Michael Jordan moved their money to the Jordan Classic in NYC and this year in Charlotte, NC. I am hoping the event will move back into DC as it was last year at American University. How about trying to combine this with the Charm City Classic! Let's make this a prime time event again & play some defense!

We are Georgetown!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Time For Rule Changes?

I have always been in favor of adopting International rules. It is too bad Red Auerbach is still not around. He could always get rule changes to the table. I particularly think the longer 3-point line, and the 30 second shot would make sense. It is strange that the women have a 30 second shot, and the men have a 35 second shot. I agree with Bob Knight that the ball screen is overused today. It is wonderful that there is great parity in men's college basketball today. However, I agree with others that it tends towards more mediocrity and not necessarily better basketball. This year's NCAA final game was by far the worst final I have seen in my entire life. It makes you wonder what is more important today--the NCAA tournament, or the local AAU teams. I hope there are some rule changes soon!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President and Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Hoya Bracketology

The NCAA Tournament is the heart of March Madness, and is what every college basketball team in America plays for. The office NCAA pools have evolved to the science of Bracketology? My Georgetown psychology professor would cringe if he heard me even speaking about Bracketology being a science. Indeed Bracketology is even more absurd than the college basketball polls that start in the preseason. However, they are fun and give us Georgetown alumni & fans a chance to relive our years on the Hilltop. It seems like only yesterday that I lived in Village A and spent many days and evenings in Yates Field House playing pick up basketball. Every Hoya basketball gym rat in those days dreamed of playing with John Duren, Craig Shelton, and Gene Smith. We dreamed of dishing the rock to Sleepy Floyd for a rainbow jumper, and serving up an alley-oop pass to Patrick Ewing! Yes, Bracketology gives us a chance to live our dreams, and fight for alma mater! Hoya Saxa!

On my way to New York City and Madison Square Garden last week, I thought about how my return trip to D.C., and Leo O’Donovan Hall for the NCAA Selection show on Sunday has become part of my yearly ritual. I look forward to the pizza, salsa & chips, and the discussion of road trip sites. When our selection to play the VCU/USC winner in Chicago came, a big cheer resounded on the Hilltop! Chicago is an easy trip from DC, and is a city with a large alumni base. Now that we know we are playing a very talented VCU team we can focus on our opponent. As Gene Hackman states so well in the movie “Hoosiers,” it is important to only speak about the immediate opponent, and not to discuss potential future opponents. Indeed all Georgetown basketball fans are somewhat superstitious by nature and can understand this. The day after our men’s basketball selection show I I attended our Hoya women’s basketball selection show at the Faculty Club in the Leavey Center. There was a great crowd, and everyone was enjoying some tacos and fajitas. Once again the Lady Hoyas opponent was announced at the very end of the show like the men’s team. The Lady Hoyas would face the Princeton Tigers in College Park this Sunday at 2:30 PM. For all Hoya fans in the D.C. area this will be a great game to attend. My immediate reaction was being thankful that the women were playing Princeton and not the men. Coach JT III I am sure would not be happy if he had to play his former team Princeton, led by former Hoya assistant coach Sidney Johnson.

If you are in Chicago for the men’s game on Friday at 9:45 PM, please attend our NCAA Kickoff Party at the Swissotel (Hoya Headquarters at 323 East Wacker Drive) from 4-6 PM before heading to the United Center.

If you have not seen my picture albums for the Men’s & Women’s NCAA Selection Shows on the Hoya Hoop Club Facebook Page please go to:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=108495557266&aid=283523

Remember to join our Hoya Hoop Club Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/HoyaHoopClub and our HHC Twitter Feed at @HoyaHoopClub for the most comprehensive coverage of Georgetown Men’s Basketball and the Hoya Hoop Club.

Let the Madness Begin! We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Madison Square Garden IV--The World's Most Famous Arena

The Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden (the current Garden is often referred to as MSG IV or the 4th incarnation of MSG) is one of the highlights of the college basketball season. A week's worth of basketball in the world's greatest City is an event every great basketball fan needs to experience. Indeed Madison Square Garden has always been Georgetown's home away from home. As I think about Chris Wright's unfortunate injury, I remember the 1993-94 season when Georgetown shocked everyone with a run to the Big East Final. I remember Hoya fans rocking the old Blue seats in Madison Square Garden. In fact whenever I enter the Garden I can still hear that fan behind me screaming at the top of his lungs: "Joey Brown--Morgan City, Louisiana!" That is a cheer I will never forget. Indeed Joey Brown is one of my all-time favorite Hoyas! At only 5'9" Joey was a ferocious defender who was always a clutch shooter with the game on the line.

The first Madison Square Garden was opened in 1879 in a former hippodrome at the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Streets. The original Garden hosted the Democratic National Convention as well as both the Barnum and Ringling's circuses. The second version of Madison Square Garden was built in the same location by a syndicate of J.P. Morgan, P.T. Barnum, Andrew Carnegie, Darius Mills, James Stillman, and W. W. Astor. The Garden has an unprecedented history of boxing matches including 32 world championship fights between1925-1945. Indeed Ali-Frazier I in 1971 was perhaps the first major sporting event of my childhood. Although there is much debate on actual dates, it is commonly accepted that both the first college and professional basketball games were played at Madison Square Garden. Indeed the first professional game was won by the Original Celtics. The current home of the Big East tournament, Madison Square Garden is where basketball began--The Mecca!

From the days when I lived on West 21st Street I loved to visit Madison Square Park. Madison Square Garden--The World's Most Famous Arena is my favorite place to watch a ball game. I can still remember my First Big East Tournament when we defeated #2 ranked St. John's University which featured future NBA stars Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, Mark Jackson, and Walter Berry. The game was the closest thing to a heavyweight fight I have ever seen, as the cheers of Hoya Saxa sounded throughout the 5 boroughs. I remember our last BET title in 2007 as we defeated Pitt--I got to share this with the Hoya Hoop Club Blogmaster John Hawkes. I always look forward to seeing former AD's Frank Rienzo and Joe Lang. I often run into Frank Rienzo at the Church of St. Francis. We both love the movie the Godfather along with Hall of Fame Coach John Thompson, Jr. I remember discussing games and the Big East conference with Joe Lang. Joe used to tell me that Frank McGuire at St. John's would tell him that the blue seats in the Garden up high were the best place to see the game, as you could see the plays develop and players free themselves for open shots.

Indeed I better get packing! My train leaves in about 8 hours. On Wednesday we will play the winner of the UCONN--DePaul game. After this crazy Big East season, I will not comment on who I think will win. If you are coming to the games or are in New York City, drop by the Affinia Hotel before doubleheader sessions at the Hoya Headquarters. We will have a Hoya Hoop Club reception at 5:00 PM on Wednesday March 9th with AD Lee Reed at Stout NYC.

P.S. Please follow our coverage on Facebook and Twitter throughout the week:

Facebook.com/HoyaHoopClub

Twitter: @HoyaHoopClub

Restaurant Reviews at: doublehoya.yelp.com

I may even share what is on my iPOD!

Let's Play Ball--We are Georgetown!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Georgetown Beats Syracuse

All is right with the world. We hear about global warming, and then we had three major blizzards in DC last year. I finished seeing patients today, and walked out of my office to see Pennsylvania Avenue blocked to traffic in front of the White House as it has been for many years. Many days I wake up and wonder what is going on in the world. If Pythagoras were still alive I would tell him that his Pythagorean theorem still holds, and as Michael Wilbon has often said, & "Georgetown beats Syracuse!"

We are Georgetown! Hoya Saxa!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing

Not Our Rivals--We are Georgetown--Crush the Orange!

Rivalry Week--Is it something designed by ESPN or is it part of the fabric of college basketball. I have vague remembrances of my days living on 4th Loyola in my freshman year at Georgetown. I remember the start of Rivalry week as we talked about Georgetown playing Maryland, UCLA against Notre Dame, and North Carolina against NC State. Indeed it was the year before Georgetown closed down Manley Field House, and three years before Georgetown played North Carolina for the National Championship. I remember telling several of my classmates from Syracuse, New York that Georgetown would defeat the Orangemen at Cole Field House for the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. They looked at me with disbelief. Indeed in spite of the Orange's formidable front line of Roosevelt Bouie and Louis Orr, their backcourt led by Marty Headd would be no match for John Duren and Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. Indeed I looked like a basketball genius as John Thompson would begin his decade long domination of Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse Orange. Indeed Georgetown has many opponents we could consider rivals over the years: Maryland, DePaul, St. John's, Duke, and North Carolina. As I sat at Comcast Center last week with my brother as he told me that Duke-Maryland was a bigger rivalry than Duke-North Carolina? I certainly know it is a great rivalry, but do not agree that it is as big as Duke-UNC! In fact a rivalry is often characterized by never having to state it! Good luck to Georgetown in Rivalry Week!

We are Georgetown! Crush the Orange!

Dr. Thomas A. Wong

Hoya Hoop Club Vice-President & Director of Communications

Proud Member of Generation Ewing