Tim Shine

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Check the schedule

To call the schedule that John Thompson III has arranged for this basketball season difficult would be an understatement. In addition to the conference-prescribed and always challenging Big East slate, which includes two matchups with Villanova and a trip to West Virginia, Thompson has also chosen of his own volition to play teams such as Butler, Washington, Duke, and Savannah State. One of those non-conference opponents is not like the other. The first three were all ranked in top fifteen of the major preseason polls. Savannah State only started playing in Division I in 2002, and is best known for not winning a game in the 2004-2005 season.

By November 12, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: The Hoya faithful

John Thompson III is worried. Georgetown’s men’s basketball head coach has little more than a week before the Hoyas play their first game, and he has a lot on his mind. But right now he’s not thinking about line-ups, rotations, or rebounds. JTIII is worried about your afternoon classes.

By November 5, 2009

Sports

JTIII on his new recruits

Hollis Thompson may be the familiar face of the Hoyas’ freshman class, but fans will soon get to know his classmates Jerrelle Benimon and Vee Sanford. “If there’s any storyline... Read more

By November 4, 2009

Features

Men’s Preview: Hoyas get physical

John Thompson III had never been in this position before. Standing in Waco, Texas, the head coach of the Georgetown men’s basketball team watched his players surrender a ten-point lead to Baylor University, losing in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. The hallmark of Thompson’s Georgetown teams had been their ability to thrive in the clutch, but “clutch” was the last word someone would have used to describe the any of the Hoyas that day. After limping to a 16-15 record, and missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years, it’s time for the Hoyas to start moving on—though the specter of last season lingers.

By November 4, 2009

Sports

Fans bring the Blue and Gray where it’s needed most

Last Valentine’s Day, Georgetown and Syracuse met in the latest battle in their ongoing men’s basketball feud. It was another instant classic, with the Hoyas fighting back from a 16-point deficit before ultimately succumbing in overtime. The comeback was particularly impressive because the Hoyas were on the road, forced to contend with an orange-clad mob surrounding them on all sides, inside the nation’s largest on-campus arena.

By October 29, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Welcome to Snyderstan

Being a professional athlete can sometimes be a thankless job. Sure, they have their millions to console them, but athletes must contend with the fickle nature of public opinion, always knowing no matter how beloved they are, they are just one extended slump away from boos and cries for their exile.

By October 29, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Team of destiny

It’s good to be back. After spending last October without a purpose—forced to look on as Philadelphia celebrated and the Tampa Bay Rays, of all teams, had their shot at glory—my team is back in the baseball playoffs, finally, and I’m enjoying the greatest experience a fan can have: the dominant playoff run.

By October 22, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Who are Georgetown?

After last year’s 16-15 finish, replete with a stunning second half collapse and first round NIT exit, John Thompson III and the Georgetown men’s basketball team probably don’t want any reminders of last season.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

Comeback falls short against No. 6 Maryland

Due to their proximity and similar athletic status, some claim that Georgetown and Maryland share a crosstown rivalry. It’s hard to say that rivalry even exists in men’s soccer—rivalry requires competition. Before their meeting at North Kehoe Field earlier this week, the No. 6 Terrapins had won all 26 matches they’ve played against the Hoyas. On Tuesday, Georgetown showed that it can keep things competitive, but Maryland nevertheless extended its streak to 27 games.

By October 15, 2009

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Playoffs? Playoffs?

In October 1978, the Yankees and the Red Sox met to decide the American League East division title in baseball’s most famous one-game playoff: a Yankees victory that capped a 14-game comeback. That fall also marked the beginning of my father’s freshman year at Boston College, which naturally attracts a large portion of its student body from both New England and the New York metropolitan area. Needless to say, tensions ran high on campus, sparking a food fight in the dining hall and, more impressively, inspiring some adventurous student to hang a banner across the bell tower of Gasson Hall, a 200-foot tall Healy-esque building. The banner read, “Sox Yanked Again.”

By October 7, 2009