A slight disappointment
For George Washington University, 1,240 people at a women’s basketball game is a whole lot. This increase in attendance is a positive step for the GW fan base and promising in what should be a great year of basketball. The fans that showed up were treated to a showcase of disciplined, fundamental basketball in the loss to the University of Virginia. It is unfortunate that coach Joe McKeown’s squad was not able to pull out the first game of what promises to be a very difficult opening to the season.
McKeown credited the loss to a lack of effort. This team does not have the time to be lazy. GW will face Purdue next week in the Bahamas, followed by another powerful squad in Texas or South Carolina. When they get back, No. 2 Tennessee will be waiting in a Dec. 7 matchup.
The main weak spot of this year’s version of GW women’s basketball is its youth. Last season, Anna Montana?a and Liz Dancause were always able to weather the storm of a 15-point deficit. This year, McKeown will need to find someone to look to when the game is down to the wire. It may be senior Jessica Simmonds, whose nine-point underperformance on Friday night will linger in her mind until next week.
After a mess of a game, I reminded McKeown that he is headed to the Bahamas. He did not see things in a positive light.
“It will probably rain on us,” he mused.
Beware of upsets
A look around our nationally ranked friends (damn, it feels good to say that) will reveal that many have paid a visit to Upset City. No. 18 Syracuse lost to Florida in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Madison Square Garden. Syracuse is not impressive this year, and I want to be the first to say that they are on a road to mediocrity. Gerry MacNamara doesn’t have the support he needs in an ?ber-competitive Big East.
No. 4 Michigan State lost by 22 to unranked Hawaii in Honolulu. Shocking? Kind of. Although the Colonials knocked of the Spartans by 13 last year, they went on to the Final Four and many though they’d be back this year.
The parity in college basketball never ceases to amaze me. On any given day, one team has the ability to knock off the best team in the country.
T.O. needs to go
I always try to stay away from national issues but this one begs my attention. It is as if Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver is wearing a sign on his head asking for every sports writer in the nation to bash him.
Owens makes $42 million over seven years and he is like the tag on the back of a T-shirt. Let’s pretend he’s a vice president at GW. Imagine if he told The Hatchet that he’d rather have University of Maryland president Dan Mote at the helm. Would that fly? Terrell Owens is an animal who cannot be tamed. To be honest, I’m not sure there is a team in the NFL who could honestly do anything to help Owens. Yes, he’s a great player, but now it’s time to tell this clown to beat it.
