Posted by Gwmayhem  10/22/2024 11:39 am | #1 |
About a week ago, I initiated a thread which attempted to get a discussion going about the team, as in the on-court product which we are less than two weeks away from witnessing. Sadly, the thread received zero responses. This wasn't a thread about the schedule, or how hot CC's seat ought to be if at all, or even unrelated subjects like Dan Hurley or Mark Few.
There are a few conclusions that one can draw from this lack of response. One is that this board has become so polluted, so antagonistic, so unpleasant at times, that very few people have remained to participate.
Another is that the program has endured so many missteps to put this mildly, and/or has failed to field a competitive (i.e. conference contending) team in close to a decade, that many are turned off to the point where they've lost interest in the program.
While I recognize that there will be some natural boost in board participation once the games begin, it is nevertheless striking how apathetic our fan base as a whole has become. (This is not only reflected here on this site but based on game attendance as well.) With respect to this board, it is far from perfect yet I do think it's fair to say that the level of discourse has considerably improved. Just think back to the final months of Herve's site and it's easy to see that any vitriol on this board pales in comparison. With respect to the program, anyone should be able to understand the frustration and even bitterness. However, for most of us, this is our school, and turning off "the fandom" really ought to be tough to do. By contrast, the moment this program begins winning regularly again, plenty of those alum who went away will likely be back. After all, everyone loves a winner.
So my plea today is to those of you reading this who know folks who have "given up" on this site (or really, the former site). Please try to get them back. We all know that this board is a much more entertaining and informative place to be when more individuals are contributing to it. We are weeks away from talking about games, players, strategies, and the things that most here love to partake in. While we can't promise a contending team just yet, you should be able to tell your friends that the focus here, for the most part, is where it should be...on GW basketball. Give it a try and if the unruly wars were to break out again, one can always leave.
Let's get back to spirited conversations, even spirited debates, pertaining to the common denominator which we all share. The more, the merrier.
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Posted by Hoopsfan23 10/22/2024 12:10 pm | #2 |
Appreciate the post!
I was wondering if anyone had insight into the GW vs Navy scrimmage?? I saw photos but no box score.
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Posted by GWRising 10/22/2024 1:01 pm | #3 |
Hoopsfan23 wrote:
Appreciate the post!
I was wondering if anyone had insight into the GW vs Navy scrimmage?? I saw photos but no box score.
Believe GW "won" by about 10 after being up more earlier. I think GW was missing one or more players including Trey Moss. Not sure why probably precautionary as he was coming back off injury.
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Posted by PKGW 10/22/2024 1:04 pm | #4 |
Have not “given up” but only post when I feel what I have adds value. I do not get involved in the back and forth between posters.
Have been a Season ticket holder since the last Hobbs year. Enjoy the games and atmosphere- still a great value in the DC entertainment market!!
Looking forward to a fun year.
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Posted by Joel Joseph 10/22/2024 2:49 pm | #5 |
You "hit the nail on the head" Mayhem.
Long time GW fans fled long ago.
The few interested fans we have left don't want to deal with dude's antics and don't have much hope in the program after 8 years of self inflicted misery.
There will always be the handful who hope for a better tomorrow but the administration has made clear their priorities from past hires and budget constraints.
Maybe we can get some more fans/students/alums excited when we end up in a better suited conference like the Patriot League.
Raise High!
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Posted by Hoopsfan23 10/22/2024 6:24 pm | #6 |
Appreciate the post!
I was wondering if anyone had insight into the GW vs Navy scrimmage?? I saw photos but no box score.Believe GW "won" by about 10 after being up more earlier. I think GW was missing one or more players including Trey Moss. Not sure why probably precautionary as he was coming back off injury.
Appreciate it!
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Posted by creeksandzeeks 10/23/2024 9:12 am | #7 |
I think what troubles me most, PKGW, is the amount of time devoted by posters on here who seem eager to rub the department's failures in the dirt while ostensibly being fans of the program. Schadenfreude doesn't take anyone all that far, and yet...
To be clear, I'm not Pollyanna about where the "Revs" (ugh) are. I'm not forgetting how poorly the administration planned or supported GW Basketball repeatedly over the years, whether it was with Omargate, the ML transition, or the ongoing failure to get a foundation laid for a practice facility that is decades overdue. I'm not satisfied with how prepared we are to play conference/Division I musical chairs.
But I don't know why folks need to grind their axes into dust on this website instead of talking about what's next or what's going on this season. This team and this program remain important to me in spite of all the crap. I hope that comes through. For others, it's been 8 years of "I told you so." It's frankly even more exhausting than the dude.
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Posted by Gwmayhem 10/23/2024 9:31 am | #8 |
I think what troubles me most, PKGW, is the amount of time devoted by posters on here who seem eager to rub the department's failures in the dirt while ostensibly being fans of the program. Schadenfreude doesn't take anyone all that far, and yet...
To be clear, I'm not Pollyanna about where the "Revs" (ugh) are. I'm not forgetting how poorly the administration planned or supported GW Basketball repeatedly over the years, whether it was with Omargate, the ML transition, or the ongoing failure to get a foundation laid for a practice facility that is decades overdue. I'm not satisfied with how prepared we are to play conference/Division I musical chairs.
But I don't know why folks need to grind their axes into dust on this website instead of talking about what's next or what's going on this season. This team and this program remain important to me in spite of all the crap. I hope that comes through. For others, it's been 8 years of "I told you so." It's frankly even more exhausting than the dude.
Maybe it's just me but I think this point was far more germane prior to CC's arrival than it is today. Simply put, there were far more lingering feelings over Lonergan-Nero during the MoJo and even Jamion eras than there's been under CC. Despite the unfortunate circumstances in which CC was hired, my sense is that there was a genuine "turn the page vibe" upon his arrival.
Those who disagree with this (and it's certainly anyone's prerogative to do so) are undoubtedly looking not only at how far this program has fallen but also at the fact that this program hasn't been in any realistic contention for a genuine postseason bid since 2016. (I am rightfully dismissing the 2016-17 CBI run.) It's not always fair but in sports, winning may not change everything but it certainly does change a lot. Anyone who remains stuck in the past and yet considers themselves a supporter of the program should change their tune once the on-court product substantially improves.
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Posted by GWRising 10/23/2024 10:16 am | #9 |
GW without question has fumbled away almost all of the last 8 years but you can't hold that against the current regime ... none of whom were involved. We have a different President, AD and HC. They have a great opportunity to turn the page on the recent past and write a new story for GW. If after another 2-3 years, we are having the same discussions then it's probably fair to have it against these folks. But we should give this new team a chance to succeed first "unburdened from what has been." (sorry I couldn't resist in this election season)
Last edited by GWRising (10/23/2024 10:17 am)
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Posted by BGF 10/23/2024 10:27 am | #10 |
Mayhem (and all), hello. Last season I considered doing some online marketing to attract fans to the site. It started as an idea when I was sitting at a game and there were two GW fans, Dads with their young children. These kids were shouting out the funniest and loudest cheers and insults (about the other team), and I was loving it. I asked the two men if they were on the GW Hoops board, looking for a connection of sorts. Instead, I got a response that they didn't know anything about this site.
They were interested and I showed them the site on my phone. I can't say if they joined us or not after that.
My point is that we have a brand problem (not the team, well them, too, but this site).
I also considered that the George's Army was represented on here with only a few students, from what I could tell. Is it that the students don't know about us, don't care about a bunch of "old guys" talking about hoops, or have they been here and find us offensive? I honestly don't know, but I could see any of those being issues.
We also are not endorsed in any way by GW Athletics. I'm guessing members of the staff are lurkers, but I also imagine that there is likely some kind of edict that Athletic Department staff are not allowed to post. And yet, from a PR standpoint, I believe our site can be useful to GW's promotion of the program.
And then there is the antagonism of the board. My greater purpose in trying to keep things civil was that I felt (feel) that when there is no other voice talking about GW Hoops, we become the ONLY voice out there. That can be powerful, and I still believe this to be true.
For me, I continue to encourage folks to join the conversation on here, I talk positively about GW basketball whenever I can, and I have season tickets for myself, +1. It's rare I attend alone, simply because I try to invite GW connections who aren't actively following the team. I discovered a couple of days ago that one of my board members at my new gig has some serious GW connections, but has only ever been to one game. He'll be joining me at least a couple times this year, I'm sure.
I don't know the solution(s) to the problem/points you pose, but I respect and appreciate that you're talking about it at all. I'm not going to go all Dude on you and say you or anyone should do this or that, and if we don't then we're not doing our part. I'll just say that each of should do what we want and can, and that I appreciate and agree with you that it would be great to bring past and future fans back into the fold.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mayhem.
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Posted by creeksandzeeks 10/23/2024 10:28 am | #11 |
May we all ask the students acting like A10 Championships are normal and status quo if they just fell out of the coconut tree.
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Posted by GWRising 10/23/2024 2:27 pm | #12 |
Or maybe when the record isn't as good as we all want, the new AD can stand up and say "I grew up in a middle class family ..."
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Posted by Gwmayhem 10/23/2024 2:52 pm | #13 |
Or maybe when the record isn't as good as we all want, the new AD can stand up and say "I grew up in a middle class family ..."
GWRising, The most important thing Kamala can do is to differentiate herself from Trump. There's only about a trillion different ways she can do this, but she would be an idiot to not peg him as a spoiled rich man only interested in helping the wealthiest Americans and in the process, contrast herself as the candidate for the masses.
That's two references to the election by you. If you really want to go down this road, just remember that a vote for Trump is a vote for a wanna-be dictator who will wreak havoc pertaining to everything from women's rights to social security and other "entitlement" programs; from disinterest in enacting common-sense gun laws to completely throwing out any favorable world standing that the U.S. is reestablishing under the current administration (and becoming an ally of our enemies in the process). And most of all, it's a vote for a pathological liar who doesn't likely even want the job but desperately needs it in order to stay out of prison.
Sorry everyone for this but two political shots by Rising was at least one too many.
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Posted by GWRising 10/23/2024 4:03 pm | #14 |
As a peace offering Gwmayhem, I'd be happy to take you to McDonald's, birthplace of the Big Mac and Kamala's fake resume.
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Posted by DC Native 10/23/2024 4:05 pm | #15 |
Good God, GWHoops has turned into a MAGA conspiracy site. How disappointing...
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Posted by Gwmayhem 10/23/2024 4:09 pm | #16 |
That's funny Rising. Using the word fake to describe Kamala. She can actually only wish beyond her wildest dreams to be as genuine as Donald J Trump (or was that John Barren).
But not to worry..I am not at war with you Rising. Just felt that one political jab deserved another. We'd both be wise to end it here.
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Posted by GW Alum Abroad 10/23/2024 4:25 pm | #17 |
So, vote for the grad of a national university in the District that is not GW or vote for someone who earned credits at an A10 rival, Does it have anything to do with GW basketball? Did either cavort with Gravilo Princip? If not, then maybe not post it here.
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Posted by Poog 10/23/2024 4:58 pm | #18 |
So, vote for the grad of a national university in the District that is not GW or vote for someone who earned credits at an A10 rival, Does it have anything to do with GW basketball? Did either cavort with Gravilo Princip? If not, then maybe not post it here.
“There you go again, GWAA.” It’s Gavrilo.
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Posted by jf 10/23/2024 6:03 pm | #19 |
Perhaps we can end this by saying that we should consider supporting any candidate with a platform of
getting GW basketball back in the NCAA tournament or as repeat NIT champion.
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Posted by GW Alum Abroad 10/23/2024 8:03 pm | #20 |
So, vote for the grad of a national university in the District that is not GW or vote for someone who earned credits at an A10 rival, Does it have anything to do with GW basketball? Did either cavort with Gravilo Princip? If not, then maybe not post it here.
“There you go again, GWAA.” It’s Gavrilo.
What can I say? The Black Hand controls my autocorrect.
