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6/06/2022 3:17 pm  #1


Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Not the first time that a good conversation broke out about Lonergan only to see the thread dumped into the Rewind section where it's very easy to miss.  (Not sure why Barry insists on moving these dialogues.  At the very least, maybe he can wait until things turn ugly before making the move.)

In any case, part of the conversation turned to whether ML will one day be inducted into the GW hall of fame.  The NIT Championship team most definitely will but it remains to be seen to what extent, if any, will Mike be credited.  This got me thinking about Karl Hobbs's candidacy and whether "Omargate" or the latter portion of Karl's tenure will get in the way of his possible inductment. 

Here is how I see things:

Hobbs:  Gets in.  Whatever your feelings might be regarding the academic backgrounds of some of the players KH successfully recruited, it would be entirely disingenuous for the school to deny KH on this basis.  Every player was cleared to play by the NCAA Clearinghouse and at no point did the school react to any of this until the NY Times and Washington Post brought unwanted publicity.  KH's tenure at GW was a bit of a bell curve but three staright NCAA appearances, four consecutive postseason appearances, a #6 national ranking at one point in 2006, and the school's only two A10 Championships simply comprise too gaudy a resume to ignore.  (By the way, the 2005-06 team naturally gets in, but KH is deserving on his own as well.)

Lonergan:  Only gets in with the NIT Championship team.  The coach who was arguably the school's finest in OOC games (wins over UVA, Miami, Creighton, Wichita State, Maryland) will not be singularly honored.  The school sees him as a verbal abuser and honoring ML would certainly fly in the face of that.  Naively, I would hope that the school could better understand today why ML blew a whistle, why he reacted the way he reacted, and could see some justification for all of this.  Whether they in fact do or do not, they are not going to publicly (or even privately) change their stance.  Also not helping his candidacy is the fact that he only coached at GW for 5 seasons but again, whose fault was that?  (RHETORICAL...PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER)

 

6/06/2022 3:40 pm  #2


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

I think Hobbs is a stone cold lead pipe lock.  I think his resume is the clear #2 greatest coaching job behind Jarvis.

For Lonergan, I would look to see what happens to Gregg Marshall at Wichita State.  Both resigned in scandal and both fanbases have a contingent who believe the coach did nothing wrong and was railroaded by PC culture. I assume a similar fate will be that his NCAA teams and star players get in the HOF and then there will be a wait before the school decides what to do with Marshall as a individual.

 

6/07/2022 7:43 am  #3


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Neither.
KH "cheated" and ML "abused players." 
Neither is true, of course. But then GW thinks it can reject recruits because it is an "academic school" (outside every Top 50 list in the US). 

 

6/07/2022 9:54 am  #4


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

I would say neither should get in on their own.  While both had some short terms successes, Hobbs could never sustain long term success (mainly due to being knee-capped by the Administration) and was fired and we'll never know about ML because he was fired before we could see what he could do with out the core 4 players.  The fact that we would consider adding them on their own speaks to how much of a cluster the GW basketball program historically has been.  I think in order to be considered hall of fame worthy, you need to gave sustained success over at least a 5-7 period, which neither actually did.

 

6/07/2022 11:56 am  #5


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

A no brainer...both should most definitely be in.   Both Hobbs and Lonergan took us to heights never even sniffed before by any other GW coach other than Jarvis.  If these 2 (and Jarvis if he is not already in) don't get in, then no coach should get in.

 

6/07/2022 12:04 pm  #6


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Porter71, I think that 5-7 years is a big ask at a school like GW.  Totally reasonable at a major program, but not so much at a steppingstone program like GW.  Hobbs reached 4 years (the NIT appearance followed by the 3 straight NCAA's) .  What's ironic is that my premise is based on the notion that 4 very good consecutive years at GW ought to springboard a coach onto his next position, and this obviously failed to happen for KH or ML (though as noted, ML could have easily moved on).  

     Thread Starter
 

6/07/2022 12:47 pm  #7


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Gwmayhem wrote:

Porter71, I think that 5-7 years is a big ask at a school like GW.  Totally reasonable at a major program, but not so much at a steppingstone program like GW.  Hobbs reached 4 years (the NIT appearance followed by the 3 straight NCAA's) .  What's ironic is that my premise is based on the notion that 4 very good consecutive years at GW ought to springboard a coach onto his next position, and this obviously failed to happen for KH or ML (though as noted, ML could have easily moved on).  

Actually both could have moved on - Hobbs had a chance with Cincinnati among others.

As for both coaches in question both achieved something that was unprecedented in program history:

Hobbs - two A-10 tournament titles and an undefeated conference record
Lonergan - NIT Championship

If those aren't worthy enough in light of the program's history then I'm not really sure absent a Sweet 16 appearance what could get you in.
 

 

6/07/2022 1:05 pm  #8


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

While it was widely known that Hobbs interviewed with Cincinnati, it was my understanding that he was not offered the job.  If I'm incorrect, why would he have turned it down?

Am also not 100% sure that Rutgers ever offered Lonergan.  Definitely an interview which Lonergan took to get a sense of what perks/amenities Rutgers had that he could perhaps leverage while at GW.  Am not sure a formal offer was ever tendered though I could be wrong about this.

     Thread Starter
 

6/07/2022 1:25 pm  #9


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Gwmayhem wrote:

While it was widely known that Hobbs interviewed with Cincinnati, it was my understanding that he was not offered the job.  If I'm incorrect, why would he have turned it down?

Am also not 100% sure that Rutgers ever offered Lonergan.  Definitely an interview which Lonergan took to get a sense of what perks/amenities Rutgers had that he could perhaps leverage while at GW.  Am not sure a formal offer was ever tendered though I could be wrong about this.

I'll address both. 

Hobbs was very close to Cincinnati as in one of the finalists. I believe he could have had it if he wanted. At that time though there was a question whether Cincinnati was really an upgrade over GW. The money wasn't much different and neither were the leagues. So while you're technically correct as I don't believe it was formally offered, that was probably only part of the hiring dance. Hobbs may have told them he needed X to move and they weren't willing to go to X. But I remain convinced he was their first choice at the time if things could have been worked out.

ML was most definitely a serious candidate for Rutgers. I spoke to him at the time. He was the guy if he wanted it. But ML's father was still alive and he wanted to remain close but he thought he had a better opportunity to win at GW. Remember Eddie Jordan drove that program into the ground in the B10. Ironically, I learned that ML formally declined from none other than Steve Pikiell who said he had been contacted. and was involved in the search. It was one of those times when it was a win-win for me because ML was staying and Pikiell was getting Rutgers. But I have often said that if ML had gone to Rutgers, Steve Pikiell almost undoubtedly would have replaced him at GW. 

Last edited by GWRising (6/07/2022 1:26 pm)

 

6/07/2022 2:01 pm  #10


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Hobbs, yes.   2005, 2006 and 2007 is the stuff of GW legend and a place in the HOF.

ML, did oversee a great turnaround

Yet, Here's ML by #s:

Seasons:  5
A10 titles:  0
A10 Conference titles:  0
NCAA trips:  1
NCAA  wins:  0
Players who said he abused him:  6 (at least)
Times Fired for abusing players at GW:  1
HOF chances:  0

 

6/07/2022 2:09 pm  #11


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

The Dude wrote:

Hobbs, yes.   2005, 2006 and 2007 is the stuff of GW legend and a place in the HOF.

ML, did oversee a great turnaround

Yet, Here's ML by #s:

Seasons:  5
A10 titles:  0
A10 Conference titles:  0
NCAA trips:  1
NCAA  wins:  0
Players who said he abused him:  6 (at least)
Times Fired for abusing players at GW:  1
HOF chances:  0

Dude, you conveniently omitted:
National Titles: 1

 

6/07/2022 2:34 pm  #12


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

GW Mayhem, which person's/positions actually cast votes to determine who is admitted to GW HOF and how many votes are required?  For reasons described by others in this thread, I think both coaches are deserving of admission.  However, because they were both fired amid well publicized controversy, I doubt either will be admitted anytime soon.

 

6/07/2022 2:35 pm  #13


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

The Dude wrote:

Hobbs, yes.   2005, 2006 and 2007 is the stuff of GW legend and a place in the HOF.

ML, did oversee a great turnaround

Yet, Here's ML by #s:

Seasons:  5
A10 titles:  0
A10 Conference titles:  0
NCAA trips:  1
NCAA  wins:  0
Players who said he abused him:  6 (at least)
Times Fired for abusing players at GW:  1
HOF chances:  0

Players who said he abused him: 6 (at least)

The Washington Post had the number as 5.  Kilgore said  5 several times in his article.

But of course, The Dude has it at 6.  At least.

If we live long enough, it will ultimately be every player who Lonergan ever coached. 

     Thread Starter
 

6/07/2022 2:37 pm  #14


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Gwmayhem wrote:

Porter71, I think that 5-7 years is a big ask at a school like GW.   

It should be a big ask to get into a Hall of Fame.  Hobbs had an awesome 4 year stretch, but when we talk about MLs great turnaround, it was the Hobbs years that we were recovering from.  It’s hard for someone to be hall of famed and a complete failure in a 5 year period.  I don’t think the totality of his time here is hall of fame worthy, even though we had a couple great seasons.

 

6/07/2022 3:07 pm  #15


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Mike K wrote:

The Dude wrote:

Hobbs, yes.   2005, 2006 and 2007 is the stuff of GW legend and a place in the HOF.

ML, did oversee a great turnaround

Yet, Here's ML by #s:

Seasons:  5
A10 titles:  0
A10 Conference titles:  0
NCAA trips:  1
NCAA  wins:  0
Players who said he abused him:  6 (at least)
Times Fired for abusing players at GW:  1
HOF chances:  0

Dude, you conveniently omitted:
National Titles: 1

   Walking into Madison Square Garden twice and seeing GW's name on the marquee
was surely a Hall of Fame worthy moment, whether it would ever happen or realistically not for political 
reasons. Beating Florida with uncelebrated recruits to get to the basketball mecca was another
triumph of coaching.
  It was painful momentarily not to get into the NCAAs (unfairly by the way), personally
going to NCAA games (with the exception of the win sending us into the Sweet 16) or winning
the conference tournament in Atlantic City), had nowhere near the same feel of seeing GW triumph at the
Garden and reveling in that moment. And let's not forget ending the season with a win.
   A truly unique feeling.
 

 

6/07/2022 3:20 pm  #16


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

What is the procedure of getting into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame? Is there a group of people who vote on it? A certain number of spots per year?

 

6/08/2022 8:34 am  #17


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

The joy of that NIT win is always tainted for me by the fact that despite having one of the most talented teams (top 3 or 4) in GW history, we didn't make it to the NCAAs.

jf, the snub that year wasn't unfair.  We were KenPom 75 after the A-10 tournament loss to SJU.  It was a few shitty losses that put us in that position.

Last edited by BM (6/08/2022 8:39 am)

 

6/08/2022 10:40 am  #18


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

I think there is a tendency here to evaluate GW within the prism of the national college basketball landscape.  Considering this discussion centered around the GW Hall of Fame, I think it's only fair to compare GW players, teams and coaches to other GW players, teams and coaches.

BM's post is an example of what I'm talking about.  Yes, it was disappointing that the NIT Championship team failed to reach the NCAA's.  There is no denying this.  At the same time, the team did rally to win a national championship and not a bogus one like the CBI.  If you consider the NIT to be bogus, here are the number of schools by conferences who have won this event this century:

Big 10        5
Big 12        4
AAC           3
SEC           2
Pac 12       2
A10           2 (Dayton has also won it)
ACC          1
Big east     1
MVC          1 (Wichita State, now an AAC member)

No, this is not the same thing as making the Final 4 at the dance.  In my mind though, it's not dissimilar than making a Sweet 16 at the dance.  In fact, one can make the claim that the postseason accomplishments involved in winning the NIT (victories over Hofstra, a very hot Monmouth team on the road), Florida played fortuitously at home, San Diego State and Valpo)  easily outweighs the postsaeason accomplishments of GW's sole Sweet 16 team, defeating a weak #5 seed in New Mexico and lucking out to play #13 seed Southern rather than #4 seed Georgia Tech.  Let's go one better...has there been any GW postseason that represented a better overall accomplishment than the NIT run?  Yes, it's more impressive to make the Dance than to not make the Dance.  But that's sports...the team with the best record in any sport's regular season does not always win the championship.  In fact, it often does not.

To wrap this up, I do believe context is everything.  Regardless of what each of us WANTS for this program, history needs to be a guide.  For a program like GW's, just making the NIT field is an accomplishment let alone winning it.  It's an accomplishment because in the vast majority of the 100+ seasons that GW has played basketball, it has not reached the NCAA's or the NIT.  I do sometimes feel like this point gets ignored or not factored properly.
 

     Thread Starter
 

6/08/2022 11:33 am  #19


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

Mayhem, I think you’ve written a perfect assessment of why the NIT is more worthy of our pride than our Sweet 16 year.  It was a fantastic run and it should not be considered “less than.”   

Thanks for your post!

 

6/08/2022 11:47 am  #20


Re: Hobbs and/or Lonergan to the GWHOF?

BGF wrote:

Mayhem, I think you’ve written a perfect assessment of why the NIT is more worthy of our pride than our Sweet 16 year. It was a fantastic run and it should not be considered “less than.”

Thanks for your post!

 Hold on. It's one thing to say the NIT is worthy of a remarkable accomplishment and, as I have argued, makes ML worthy of HOF consideration. But let's not go overboard. The Sweet 16 appearance is (and will always be until surpassed) the seminal moment in GW basketball history. If you gave any coach the choice between a Sweet 16 appearance and NIT Championship at a school like GW, I would bet they would pick the former. Again, taking nothing away from the great accomplishment that the NIT Championship was, the NCAA tournament is the gold standard in college basketball.

 

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