Official Release: https://gwsports.com/news/2021/1/21/mens-basketball-welcomes-eric-atkins-as-assistant-coach.aspx

Looks like Mike Hall went out for the job as well. 

https://twitter.com/_Michaelinho/status/1352387813287854082

I’m very disappointed that apparently Christian never communicated with Mike about the  direction they went with the job.  While I would have loved to have seen him get the job ,it’s Christians choice. However  he owes it to a GW guy like Mike Hall to honestly communicate with him and not have him hear it from others. He loves GW and GW loves him.  It certainly sours my feelings towards Christian.  I hope Christian calls and clears the air.

Yep, I feel gross reading all the dirty laundry aired.  I hope whatever damage done can be repaired because Hall is a great ambassador for the program.  I thought he and JC were close too.

Mike clarified the situation.
https://twitter.com/_michaelinho/status/1352437637123100672?s=21
Ok let me clarify because my phone won’t stop ringing. I still support GW with all my heart, I still like JC and his philosophy for moving the program forward, and I know the guy they hired from DC Assault and think he will help guards develop. It’s just not my time....yet

Good point, LSF.
Was going to suggest MIKE HALL as an assistant, but didn't know he was interested. Shame on everyone involved on this,if the story is correctly related in Twitter.
  GW basically doesn't care about alumni and as a result,alumni (outside of us and a few others) don't care much about GW or are tepid.
   But the basketball program is small and within that,Mike Hall is an NCAA tourney,Hall of Fame player who made it to the NBA with GW's hometown team. And had a long career.
Think about how Mike,who turned down Princeton, would present himself in recruits living rooms.
  And we don't have the courtesy to interview him.
Yet,we interviewed JTIII,whose disdain for GW was obvious, and only was interested because he was fired from Daddy's school in the same city.
  But not the great Mike Hall,whose enthusiasm for the program was always contagious.
What an inferiority complex we have as an institution.
    Not having the decency to contact him is huge mistake for Athletic Dept,headed by a longtime GW person  and the coach.
This is shameful.
Prob also shortsighted to make a well off alumnus,with the great Pops and others in his class, feel bad about wanting to work at his alma mater.
   It was bad enough with Darnell,son of a Hall of Famer,who had already signed. He was collateral damage.
That's not how we should treat anyone,much less the son of a basketball legend who achieved against all odds band passed that ethic down to his son.
  This program has only pissed on itself,the school,and the fans after winning a national tournament championship. A ride straight to the bottom after cutting down the nets at Madison Square Garden.
A series of bad bets and decisions, insulting the fans and making us a bottom dweller. And a bottom dweller with a disregard for people,despite the pap we hear.
Is there ever a bottom to the way the way this program treats people and mysteriously conducts itself?
  One day, putting up with this stuff may be too much for the already small group of people who care about the team and the university.

Wouldn’t surprise me if next season MH ends up at Rutgers with Pikell and Hobbs.

porter71 wrote:

Wouldn’t surprise me if next season MH ends up at Rutgers with Pikell and Hobbs.

...and TJ Thompson!

Seriously bummed that Mike was interested and they didn't pick him up.  

Last edited by BM (1/22/2021 9:17 am)

Granted there may be some details that we are unaware of but on the surface, this just strikes me as a very unfortunate oversight.  I can't believe that Mike would have tweeted what he did if it wasn't abundantly clear that he was interested in the position.  And, I am not of the mindset that JC even owed Mike a formal interview. (I don't think that Mike believes this either.)  But, JC absolutely did owe him a call to explain the situation.  

Let's also not forget that JC presently has the Covid virus.  He may not have been up to making the call, but certainly could have asked one of his assistants or TV to call on his behalf.

First I love Mike Hall and think he was and is a great representative of GW.

However, I think Mike's over-reaction was largely due to a misunderstanding about the position and what JC was specifically looking for. In addition, I think Mike was unaware that other former GW players were strongly considered for the position (I don't want to say who). I am speculating but perhaps JC did not want to pit teammates and/or alumni against each other in an interviewing process (that is traditionally never done).

I think when Mike was apprised of the situation from people around the program that he trusts, he issued his second tweet which clarified things. I believe things are good now as to the process here and both Mike and GW are moving forward with mutual respect.

That said, again, welcome Eric. I am sorry that what should be a congratulatory moment has temporarily been set off sideways for a moment.