While most of us were still caught up in the emotion of the Men’s Basketball team’s backdoor comeback over UNC, 2007 Recruit Chris Wright won the three-point contest at the McDonald’s All-American game in Louisville (Austin Freeman nearly won the dunk contest).

Perhaps the best moment came, however, when the All-American’s gathered to watch the Georgetown-UNC game. All I’m going to say is that there might have been a little trash talk directed toward Ohio State’s recruit Kosta Koufos. With a name like that, though, what’s not to make fun of?

Austin touched on a few good articles about our victories below, but he neglected to mention the excellent work of our own Sports Editor Tony Francavilla—see his takes on the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight. Also, Clare Malone, our features editor, has been contributing to Sports Illustrated.com—here is her re-working of a recent Voice feature on the Hoyas’ male cheerleader and her contribution to SI’s Campus Report.

Posted by Tim Fernholz, Managing Editor

Writing this now, my throat is hoarse and my ears are ringing. If you didn’t make it to New Jersey this weekend, you missed out. Hopefully, though, you made up for it while closing down M St.

There are a ton of articles out there on last night’s game, but I’ll give you the cream of the crop: Andy Katz’s article at ESPN, Tom Knott’s at the Washington Times, and the Post’s most recent piece on Jon Wallace.

All will try and tell you why the Hoyas won, but I’ll tell you the truth right now: it was the face paint my friend Christa put on JTIV’s face (and yes, I mean 4) at the Hilton before the game. Sure, he might still be in elementary school, and he might have wiped the “III” she put on his forehead into a silver smear before he even boarded the bus, but those splotches put the spirit quotient over the top.

We Are!

Posted by Austin Richardson, Blog Editor

In light of Georgetown’s Sweet 16 run, an article discusses Craig Esherick’s feelings about the success of Jeff and Roy, who were actually his recruits. He says he is proud that his boys are doing well. He also mentions that he knew they were talented and coachable when he recruited them, and “they’ve obviously received good coaching.”

But Green and Hibbert were on the way. And even during recruiting, Esherick thought that Green could be a Big East player of the year.

“That’s going to sound crazy, but I’m going to answer the question honestly: Yes, I did,” Esherick said. “When I first saw him play, I thought this kid could be a star.”

But be careful not to become an Esherick-lover. The article also mentions that JT III had to re-recruit these three and convince them to play with him. Often when a coach leaves his post, his recruits defect to another school (Scottie Reynolds accepted a scholarship to Oklahoma, but then Kevin Sampson moved to Indiana and he ended up at ‘Nova) or they follow the coach to his new school (JWall went with JTIII from Princeton to G’town). So, it seems that Jeff Green was attached to Georgetown more than he was to Esherick. Oh, and not to mention that Esherick was 13-15 my freshman year and we didn’t even make the NIT.

Another interesting nugget: Esh is apparently working as the VP of Athletic Relations for CSTV, but “considered pursuing another coaching position after he was fired.” This isn’t exactly true - he did more than think about re-entering the coaching world. In Feb. 2005, less than a year after being sacked, Esh applied for the head job at New Mexico State, saying, “I think, clearly, I wanted to get back into coaching.”

“I’d be a heck of a coach for them,” Esherick said. “But that’s not my call.”

Yea, I bet you woulda been awesome.

Posted by Keenan Steiner, Editorial Board Chair

If you haven’t heard (making you one of the five people in America), the Men’s Basketball team is matched up against Belmont in tomorrow’s first-round game of the NCAA tournament. You’ve probably never heard Belmont’s name, but that doesn’t mean this team can be overlooked (well, not quite). If you’re interested, though, here are some stories on the matchup from the Associated Press and the Washington Post.

Georgetown pulls out the big win to take the top position in the Big East Conference—Sports Editor Tony Francavilla reports court-side …

Posted by Tim Fernholz, Managing Editor

When Jeff Green iced Villanova with two clutch free throws this Saturday, the men’s basketball team’s winning streak reached nine games. With that in mind, along with the big game against Pitt this Saturday (and tomorrow’s against the ‘natti), you may frown on the idea of looking ahead to next year’s team.

But that won’t stop us from directing you to an article in today’s Washington Post about Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, the two local standouts who will replace the incomparable Kenny and Sead. The story details the parallel careers of the two, who first met in elementary school. Strangely enough, it lauds the skills of Wright and remains rather quiet in discussing Freeman, who is the higher-ranked recruit.

Almost makes me wish I weren’t graduating this year.

Posted by Austin Richardson, Blog Editor

It’s been three days since the men’s basketball team played a game, and it’ll be two more before they get a chance to avenge January’s loss to Villanova. You’re probably suffering from a mix of anxiety and withdrawal. I know I am.

But cheer up, the Hoyas’ winning streak has gotten them noticed around the country (a little late, I think most of us would say), and a range of commentators are making amends for losing faith in us after those losses to Old Dominion, Duke and Oregon.

Need proof? ESPN’s newest mock bracket has us as a #4 seed in the San Antonio bracket, meaning a possible rematch with Florida in the Sweet 16 (couldn’t that be saved for the final?). We’re a #3 seed in their power 16, where they say, “eight straight wins have [the Hoyas] looking like the team people expected in the preseason.”

Luke Winn, on Sports Illustrated’s website ranks us #9 in the country. His comment: “during their eight-game Big East winning streak the Hoyas’ offense has become a well-oiled machine.” Ken Pomeroy, a statistics guru, lists ours as one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
Remember, though, it’s February, and Georgetown’s been famous for these late-season surges. If this success carries over into March (April, perhaps?), maybe then they’ll stop doubting us.

Either way, all of this press is helping to fill in those lulls in the schedule. Two more days …

Posted by Austin Richardson, Blog Editor

Along with the basketball royalty on hand for the Hoyas’ 100th birthday celebration (Phil Perry explained why it’s not the 100th anniversary), savvy fans might have noticed D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty seeing and being seen, particularly in front of the student section (non-pep band side) during the second half of the Marquette game.
He failed to raise his arms in the air and draw in his breath during Georgetown free throws. Shame.

Maybe he’s parsing his ability to takeover Georgetown as well.

Posted by Mike Stewart, Associate Editor