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Your First Favorite Colonial

Your First Favorite Colonial
7/30/2010 12:50:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

Since the offseason is upon us and there is nothing to do for a few months ecept dream about how good our incoming recruits will be while simultaneously pissing all over anybody who actually claims to have knowledge that they are good... I would like to know everybody's "First Favorite Colonial". That is, there very first favorite player at GW.

I'll obviously go first. As a frosh in 2000-01, I stumbled onto the dark, dreary Penders squad "led" by SirValient Brown and Attila Cosby (anyone else remember when he started doing pushups at midcourt after fouling an opponent 40 feet from the basket?). Anyway, on this team of shoot-first, defense-never players, my eye was constantly drawn to this guy working hard underneath the basket. He was fighting for position. He was challenging loose balls. He was tipping offensive rebounds. On the defensive end, he was taking charges and using his body to claim every inch possible.

Of course, I'm talking about Anton Iturbe. I only was able to watch him play for one season, and in that season he averaged just 2.0ppg and 2.5rpg, but he will forever be my first favorite Colonial.

4/22/2008 8:34:00 PM
Poster: Long Suffering Fan

If you liked Iturbe, you would have liked Bill Brigham, who was Iturbe, but with talent. I had many "favorites" over the years, but off the top of my head, I would state that Sonni Holland rated right up there with them, given his role on the sweet 16 team. Yegor was another personal favorite of mine. And certainly Shawnta, for what he accomplished. For you old timers... John Holloran.

4/22/2008 9:02:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

LSF, but who was your first? (Not MOST favorite, but the first guy at GW who you always really pulled for to do well)

4/22/2008 9:37:00 PM
Poster: Old School Colonial

Freshman year, 1990, (Jarvis' first year)

A tie between Sonni Holland and Alvin Pearsall. I always liked the intangibles both brought to the table and the fact that they didn't have classic physical traits (Holland couldn't jump and Pearsall was short) but compensated with a high basketball IQ and maimum effort.

4/22/2008 10:04:00 PM
Poster: Dootie Bubble

Freshman Year: 1995
First Favorite Colonial: JJ, need you ask?

4/22/2008 10:49:00 PM
Poster: Long Suffering Fan

Sorry. I read first favorite as most favorite. OK. My freshman year, I liked Howard Matthews (thought he was the second coming of Willis), but he didn't pan out. Also liked Mike Battle, and thought Ronnie Nunn (yes, that Ronnie Nunn) was special, but a jerk. But, would have to look a couple of years later, to the Talent, Morris, Burwell and Harper team when I thought we were really special. But, having to choose one, Pat Talent had a combination of an amazing shot and cockiness, so I will go with hime. Now, who besides Poog and a couple of others know what I am talking about.

4/22/2008 11:01:00 PM
Poster: GW Alum Abroad

Arrived on campus 87-88 season.

Pete Young, a smart player with tons of hustle, though those teams stunk. Wonder what happened to him.

4/22/2008 11:05:00 PM
Poster: ColonialBand

Freshman year was 2004 (holy shit I graduate soon)...first favorite was Anna Montanana and Mike Hall; got to love those ever so smooth 12-15 foot jump shots they both had; just amazing ball.

4/22/2008 11:35:00 PM
Poster: MIKEG

Mike Tallent a great player before he was hurt, a great card player bridge and poker, and a great guy

4/23/2008 12:35:00 AM
Poster: TheCage=Basketball

Men: TJ Thompson, (moment: running scoop to beat Dayton which led to bedlam on the court)
Women: Montanana (A three from half court to beat )

I was very young when Yinka was playing but I do remember him a little bit. I remember watching Cathy Joens torch Oklahoma (I think) the year before I came to school/and the big loss to Teas the year before I came but I was soooo pumped because it was on ESPN(it might have been my frosh year)...it got me hooked

4/23/2008 1:04:00 AM
Poster: Free Quebec

My freshman year was the 1-27 year and I was a big Glen Sitney fan that year. Like GWAA, I also rooted for Pete Young. I recall one of my fiends who always used to yell, "Give em the muscle, Pete".

I seem to remember reading years ago that Pete Young was working as a sportscaster in Pocatello, Idaho. Seriously, Even worse, I think that I may be remembering that from the "where are they now" page on Mario's old GW Board (the one before Herve's playground). The fact that I remember that is pretty much all you need to know about my status as an uber-nerd.

The first GW player that I rooted for not just as a fan favorite, but a legitimate money player who I hoped we feed every time down the court was Sonni Hollard. Still probably my all time favorite Colonial

4/23/2008 6:09:00 AM
Poster: Levinator

My freshman year was '94. i was Kool all the way baby!

4/23/2008 6:53:00 AM
Poster: alum1

Mike Brown. He started us back on the path to respectabiity.

4/23/2008 8:10:00 AM
Poster: herve

My soph year, watching Surles collect a half-court alley-oop pass and appearing 100 feet above the basket to throw it down. Right then and there he became "my first, favorite Colonial".

4/23/2008 8:26:00 AM
Poster: BM

Another vote for Brownie. Troy Webster in second place.

4/23/2008 8:41:00 AM
Poster: GW South

Only a Sophomore at GW now, so I have slim pickings. I'm going with Carl Elliott, always seemed to show up and play tough.

4/23/2008 8:43:00 AM
Poster: notta hater

the big O - man he could jump - nothing else, but he could jump.

4/23/2008 9:28:00 AM
Poster: JPW

Dirk Surles. Maybe not the smartest player, but at around si foot he could sky and shoot. He almost always went for the sportscenter play that would get him on the bench if he missed, but he made enough for me to still remember him.

4/23/2008 10:09:00 AM
Poster: lowpost

if you think bill brigham was iturbe with skill, what about bill knorr -- bill brigham with a great right hook.

4/23/2008 10:22:00 AM
Poster: squid

I think I might have liked Yegor before I liked Shawnta. Of course, I like Shawnta now.

4/23/2008 10:40:00 AM
Poster: Section 105

First favorite was Mike Zagardo, second was Mike Samson, and third was Tom Glenn. Samson put so much effort into defense that he was fun to watch. Glenn would take long distance shots that he shouldn't have taken and would be immediately pulled by Bob Tallent and then, of course, he would do it again.

4/23/2008 11:26:00 AM
Poster: mailvan

GW down 14 with 5:40 to play at home against the Bonnies. No 3 point shot yet. Oscar has a breakaway dunk. At the foul line, he throws the ball off the glass, leaps up into the air, and throws it down sparking an incredible comeback victory. With all due respect to Brian Magid, I'm going with Oscar Wilmington. Great question, Doug.

4/23/2008 11:39:00 AM
Poster: Alumnus

Section 105, I also would go with Zagardo and Glenn. Zagardo was a steady, no-frills player who did the job. Glenn was more eciting and athletic, but part of the ecitement was you didn't quite know what would happen when he got the ball. I remember being at a game against Rutgers where we had a decent but not insurmountable lead with maybe a minute and a half left. Glenn got the ball wide-open and tried a showy dunk, which bounced off the rim and started a Rutgers fastbreak. Needless to say, the coach was livid, although we won anyway. I also rooted for Tom Tate, the PG, to take a shot. I seem to remember Tate having a lot of boscore lines like 0-0, 0-1 from the foul line, 10 assists.

4/23/2008 11:44:00 AM
Poster: george the hippo hunter

mike hall. especially when he faked giving cagwu one of his sneakers then went behind the back a gave it to some schmuck.

4/23/2008 11:46:00 AM
Poster: Monument

Mike Zagardo. Mostly because Zagardo is a cool name, not a bad player either.

4/23/2008 11:57:00 AM
Poster: kdb sand diego

Joe Lalli and Terry Grefe (spelling?).

4/23/2008 1:15:00 PM
Poster: Long Suffering Fan

I loved "Ziggy". Talk about a blue collar worker who gave it all every time he stepped on the court. As for Bill Knorr, he made a hell of a bouncer at the Rathskeller. (A bit of history lesson for most of our posters. Not only did GW sell us beer and wine, but they use to sponser parties that served beer. How great was it getting wasted on the school's nickle). I can probably start a new (off topic) thread on what a wonderful place "The Rat" was. Food, beer and wine, live entertainment on weekends. Non students would even frequent the place (although I think they were ultimately barred).

4/23/2008 1:19:00 PM
Poster: maypoman

George Washington, Mike Brown, Shawnta Rogers.

4/23/2008 1:25:00 PM
Poster: 2xGWAlum

Adama Kah (sp?), hands down. You would think I would remember the spelling.

4/23/2008 1:27:00 PM
Poster: Poog

For me it actually was that big frosh recruiting haul of Pat Tallent, Keith Morris, Clyde Burwell, and Haviland Harper (sorry Ned and Bob but though you were part of that class, you never got the love). Injuries stretched out and broke up their playing days at GW, but as a group in the days of freshman basketball preceding the varsity game, those 4 were my first favorites and the ones that embedded the Colonial hook.

4/23/2008 2:02:00 PM
Poster: CPFan

My Freshman year was the year after the 1-27 season. My first favorite was J.J Hudock

4/23/2008 2:38:00 PM
Poster: Hatchet Man

Ellis McNuggett, err, McKennie.

4/23/2008 2:50:00 PM
Poster: thinker

I guess we went to school together, Mailvan - Oscar was absolutely my favorite player and I remember that play like it was yesterday. Oscar also lived net door to me in then Calhoun Hall and was a great friend as well.

4/23/2008 3:08:00 PM
Poster: Jose Marti

Has to be T.J. Thompson for me. There was something great about the little guy being such a leader on that court and he always had a knack for making big shots.

4/23/2008 3:33:00 PM
Poster: JP

Yegor. Hands down. Watching him reverse slam in his first game decided it for me. I would pick Ferd, but I'm biased since we're still good friends. I liked Nimbo because he fouled people like they stole something from him. Surles was a stud, but I only got to see him for one year.

I was a 92-96 guy, so my other favorites would be in that era, but I would have loved to have gone to school with:

Pops

Mike Hall (I would pick him, but Yegor was in my time period)

Shawnta

Carl Elliott

4/23/2008 4:16:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

So far:

THREE
Mike Brown
Oscar Wilmington
Mike Zagardo

TWO
Sonni Holland
Pete Young
Pat Tallent
Anna Montanana
Mike Hall
TJ Thompson
Dirk Surles
Shawnta Rogers
Tom Glenn

ONE
Anton Iturbe
Alvin Pearsall
JJ Brade
Mike Tallent
Glen Sitney
Aleander Koul
Troy Webster
Carl Elliott
Mike Samson
Joe Lalli
Terry Grefe
Adama Kah
Keith Morris
Clyde Burwell
Haviland Harper
JJ Hudock
Ellis McKennie
Yegor Mescheriakov

Keep 'em coming!

4/23/2008 4:25:00 PM
Poster: newtman

LSF & Poog, I'm going with Walt Szczerbiak and Harold Rhyne? Or Bob Tallent, who played only one season '68-'69? That was my freshman year. Bob had the green light once he passed mid-court. The year he sat out after transferring from KY, Bob coached the freshman team, which included brother Mike.

It's good to know there are other truly LSFs out there.

4/23/2008 4:53:00 PM
Poster: rufus

I love threads like these. I was blessed to come in with the class of '06. While I had many favorites from that team as the years went on, I found myself hopelessly rooting for the Ukraine Train (wreck) Aleander Kireav (sorry if I spelled it wrong). He was tied with Mike Hall and Pops.

As for the women, I loved watching Ugo break down other players in the paint

4/23/2008 4:54:00 PM
Poster: porter71

Pat Ngomba - for just being so jacked. He looked more like a wrestler than basketball player.

4/23/2008 4:59:00 PM
Poster: herve

If you hit the "HISTORY" link at the top the page, many of "these type of threads" can be found going down the left-hand side of the screen.

4/23/2008 5:19:00 PM
Poster: Truth is Truth

I can't believe we are 30-something posts in and nobody has mentioned Yinka Dare. I know he left us early but his presence made this program what is today. Ask Mike Jarvis who the single most important player was to changing the culture at GW and he will tell you Yinka.

I met Yinka when he was a freshman and he was a nice as he could be. Tragically in a lot of ways things didn't work out for him as they might have but he was my first favorite Colonial. I'd also have to place Sonni, Alvin, Kwame, Vaughn, Shawnta, Aleander, Yegor and Nimbo as great Colonials early in my evolution as a fan. Ferd was an absolutely great kid also. I am sure I missed several.

4/23/2008 8:56:00 PM
Poster: LA Colonial

My freshman year was 1968. My pick is Bob Tallent with his 28.9 point per game average. Fifth in the nation. If the three point line was in effect it would have been 34-35 points a game.

4/23/2008 9:49:00 PM
Poster: Tennessee Colonial

Wally S. and Ronnie N.

4/24/2008 1:29:00 AM
Poster: Old School Colonial

Great line on Nimbo, JP.

I can recall Nimbo chasing down opponents on a breakway or helping out on blown defensive assignments and bracing for the clubbing that was sure to come.

4/24/2008 9:07:00 AM
Poster: VB

My freshman year was 1997-98, so I'd have to go with Nut. Although the first GW game I attended was the GW-Rutgers game a few years before that, involving the miraculous full-court pass/tip-in by Dare at the buzzer, and it was hard not to love Dare after that game, but, being from Piscataway and not yet a GW student, I was a Rutgers fan at that time.

4/24/2008 9:21:00 AM
Poster: alum1

Rather surprising that our man Pinnock hasn't received a vote............

4/24/2008 11:03:00 AM
Poster: TooClose2Plotkin

Mike Brown, so far the only Colonial with an NBA career

4/24/2008 12:28:00 PM
Poster: Deuce

my freshman yr was 98-99..... really tough to say cuz i loved watching shawnta, yegor, iturbe, king and ngonba all play. I might have to say ngonba cuz he was such a chill dude and the first player i saw in the gym that let me challenge him 1 vs 1.......

4/24/2008 2:39:00 PM
Poster: smperk

freshman year was 2000.

Then, and moreso the following year, Chris Monroe was my favorite. I loved how he would jump into the crowd after winning games. Back then, everyone got t-shirts too.

4/24/2008 2:59:00 PM
Poster: telvo

Got to second the Bob Tallent nomination. I think the first game he played at Ft. Myer, he was 5 of 30 against William and Mary and we thought he was great! I also seem to remember a 9 for 38 game -- that's not a misprint; he took 38 shots in a 40-minute game, most of them from the parking lot. He was literally the whole offense. Szczerbiak was a close second, and the complete opposite of Tallent. He'd score on tip-ins, layups, and free throws, and at the end of the game, we'd be amazed to see he'd scored 20 points (and often more).

4/24/2008 3:54:00 PM
Poster: Bahama Colonial

1st week on campus Ellis Mckennie went out of his way welcomed me to the school. I thought was a classy gesture he didn't have to do, but he probably mistaked me for a mid-year B-Ball transfer. How ever it was that fall semester me and couple other guys were having a dunk contest when Glen Sitney came in to play a little pick-up ball. After I had ehuasted my 3 dunk repertoire I stood back and watch he put on dunk clinic. He was top 25 nation wide recruit and only came to GW because his girlfriend was coming here too. I thought that our problems were solved, little did I know a 1-27 season loomed around the corner.

4/24/2008 4:08:00 PM
Poster: alum1

Have no idea who compiled this, but it's intersting enough to post here.

http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/athletics/basketball/college/ratings/george_washington

4/24/2008 4:45:00 PM
Poster: MinskMonster

I was a 93-97 guy so Yinka's sophomore season was definitely my introduction to GW basketball. However, the player who was my first fave has to be Yegor. I remember what I remember to believe his first career shot (in an ehibition game). He dribbled down the court and swished a 3 pointer.

And Yegor is responsible for one of my all time awkward/funny moments at GW. I was on a Gutheridge Hall elevator with my friend (who was a girl). He was on the elevator with a girl who I think he was dating at the time. Yegor observantly announced to all in his heavily accented English: "Light haired boys. Dark haired girls." Pure comedy.

Jarvis' Ukranian pipeline is also the derivation for my handle. MinskMonster

4/24/2008 5:12:00 PM
Poster: GDUB Enthusiasm

My freshman year was 2000-01, so the first player I really enjoyed watching was Chris Monroe. On a team with a lot of problems (Penders, SirVal, etc), Monroe was a talented player that worked hard and could be respected.

Once Hobbs took over, it was TJ and then of course Pops, Mike, Omar, JR and Carl

4/24/2008 5:22:00 PM
Poster: Alumnus

MinskMonster, Minsk is the capital (or largest city) in Belarus (which used to be referred to as "White Russia). None of Jarvis's recruits were from the Ukraine. Koul, Yegor, Krivonos, and a couple others were from Belarus. Kireev was from the Ukraine. Good story, though.

4/24/2008 6:49:00 PM
Poster: MinskMonster

D'oh! I meant Belarus. That's what a get for trying to do too many things as once. And I'm a geography nerd to boot! I'm embarassed.

4/24/2008 7:02:00 PM
Poster: Alumnus

Don't be. It's hard to keep them straight. One reason I'm aware of it is one side of my family came from Belarus. You obviously did good picking him as your moniker's inspiration.

4/25/2008 12:53:00 AM
Poster: SMF

My first favorite was Kenny Leggins.

4/25/2008 7:14:00 AM
Poster: Longing for Oscar

Mailvan

4/25/2008 8:51:00 AM
Poster: Monument

Kenny Leggins with Jim Messina made beautiful music together.

4/25/2008 10:24:00 PM
Poster: joe wassel fan

Penny Elliot: Who else?

4/26/2008 11:10:00 PM
Poster: ELJ

Since I haven't noticed a post from Old Prof (where, and how, are you, AK?), I'll post the obvious answer for the truly old-timers. It has to be Joe Holup. No less a worthy than out own redoubtable DH rates him the best Colonial ever in his landmark history of GW hoops for the Hatchet sever years ago.

I sremember Holup's first game here. As a big, raw-boned freshman, he fouled out in 23 minutes, while scoring 19 and adding 12 rebounds. His points-per-game average in four season at GW, and his phenomenal rebounding (including a 1945-55 season with a 25-point, 20 rebounds per game average) may never be bettered.

Yeah, the game was far different back then, but you can only be rated based on how you did against your own opposition, and Joe Holup played as a man against boys much of the time.

4/27/2008 3:02:00 PM
Poster: Omo Kwame Vaughn ... and Nimbo

Bill Brigham

My first year at GW was '91. Surles was so much fun to watch, and Holland was so great under the basket, but I loved Brigham. It was the little things he did -- setting screens, rebounding, hustle. My favorite play of his has to be the screen he set against West Virginia. They had a point guard that was guarding Pearsall, and Brigham set a screen for him at midcourt, and the everyone in the Smitty could see what was about to happen -- everyone ecept the West Virginia point guard. Man, did he get laid out -- and stayed down for a few minutes as I recall.

11/14/2008 10:04:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

Updating now that the long, lonely off-season is over (looks like nobody picked "High Rise" or "The Mayor of Foggy Bottom"):

FOUR

Mike Brown

THREE
Oscar Wilmington
Mike Zagardo

Shawnta Rogers

Bob Tallent

TWO
Sonni Holland
Pete Young
Pat Tallent
Anna Montanana
Mike Hall
TJ Thompson
Dirk Surles
Tom Glenn

Walt Szczerbiak

Ronnie Nunn

Patrick Ngongba

Glen Sitney

Yegor Mescheriakov

Ellis McKennie

Chris Monroe

ONE
Anton Iturbe
Alvin Pearsall
JJ Brade
Mike Tallent
Aleander Koul
Troy Webster
Carl Elliott
Mike Samson
Joe Lalli
Terry Grefe
Adama Kah
Keith Morris
Clyde Burwell
Haviland Harper
JJ Hudock
Harold Rhyne

Aleander Kireev

Ugo Oha

Yinka Dare

Kenny Leggins

Penny Elliott

Joe Holup

Bill Brigham

11/14/2008 11:36:00 PM
Poster: GW98

I'll toss in another vote for Shawnta Rogers. I came to GW in '95 and loved the idea that a guy shorter than me could be such a great b-ball player!

11/15/2008 2:24:00 AM
Poster: The Ross-Man!

My frosh year was 2003... I remember loving Collucci in the Teas game when it seemed like he couldn't miss from 3. However, the Dayton win made TJ Thompson my favorite that year. I was especially happy for him when GW made the tournament the net season.

11/15/2008 8:16:00 AM
Poster: rocket

Oscar. Again, the block against Ralph Sampson -- 6-3 against 7-4 -- at Smith Center almost seems fictional. Wilbert Skipper (from Anacostia as I recall but might be wrong) would be net.

11/15/2008 8:07:00 PM
Poster: NJ Colonial

So many Buff & Blue greats but Mike Brown was the foundation for GW's comeback. And Shawnta had the biggest heart in Foggy Bottom.

11/15/2008 8:27:00 PM
Poster: Mentzinger

Steve Frick.

11/15/2008 9:03:00 PM
Poster: BuffBlue

I was a 98-02 guy, and I still feel lucky to have one full season watching Shawnta Rogers. Without question the most remarkable player I've ever seen on a basketball court. I loved Yegor and Cisco, and later Chris Monroe, but Shawnta was incredible. And nothing will ever top the avier game.

11/16/2008 12:18:00 AM
Poster: Carl is God

see poster name. definitely "the cat".

11/16/2008 9:05:00 PM
Poster: Longing for Oscar

Not only was he the most eciting player of is era at GW, Oscar Wilmington was one of the nicest people I've ever met. I've got to go with Oscar.

11/17/2008 12:13:00 AM
Poster: cagwu

I should follow the lead of LFO and change my name to Pining for Mike Hall.

11/17/2008 12:31:00 PM
Poster: SK85

My first favorite player was Kwame Evans. The first game I ever went to was in January of 96 during a huge blizzard. Evans torched La Salle for 36 points and GW won. My second favorite player was Mike King when he made two free throws with no time left on the clock in his first game against avier in 1998. While King lacked some skill he always hustled and played great defense. Also he could finish a fast break as well as anyone I have ever seen.

11/17/2008 12:41:00 PM
Poster: Buff End

Les "High-Rise" Anderson, as noted by Glenn Harris on the mic

11/17/2008 3:04:00 PM
Poster: Ned

Peanut! (Shawnta, that is.)

11/17/2008 3:35:00 PM
Poster: Dootie Bubble

Who is this guy?

11/17/2008 3:49:00 PM
Poster: Alumnus

Dootie, I'd know that guy anywhere! It's Corky Hadley, Joe Holup's "running" mate.

11/17/2008 10:00:00 PM
Poster: DC-CASH

Hands down FFC has to be Mike King. He wasn't eligible in the fall semester. In his first game in early January, he came off the bench and swished two free thows with zero time on the clock to send the game to overtime. GW pulled it out in overtime. Clutch on day 1.

11/17/2008 10:52:00 PM
Poster: Free Quebec

I have to make a fact correction since the false statement has been repeated twice in this thread.

"The Mike King game" (as we usually refer to his coming out party, was not actually his first game. It was his third.

First game he got about 6 minutes during garbage time of a blowout win. 2nd game he got more time, but all garbage time in a blowout loss.

But heading into the avier game, he hadn't played any meaningful minutes in a close game yet and he wasn't part of the rotation. In fact, I don't even think he got into the game until about 10 minutes left -- after Yegor got hurt and we lost the lead we'd held all game and all the momentum. Of course he immediately sparked a comeback with unbelievable play at both ends, hit the FTs to send it to OT, and then scored I think all our points in OT to win it.

It may have been his "first" game, and it makes for better lore to call it such, but it really wasn't first game.

11/18/2008 3:49:00 PM
Poster: LC

I think Antoine Hart might have been my favorite (although Omo, Kwame, Vaughn and Nimbo, if he's still the same person, may argue this point as he has inside information!).

11/18/2008 4:09:00 PM
Poster: herve

To add to FQ's memory and the Mike King folklore, after the game Shawnta was quoted as saying (I'm paraphrasing slightly here) "I knew once they fouled him he was going to hit the free throws. He's cool and clutch." I do recall Shawnta celebrating on the sidelines before King was even handed the ball to shoot the free throws.

11/18/2008 5:33:00 PM
Poster: The MV

Also a minor correction, but in the aforementioned Mike King game, Mike did enter the game in the first half and had a miserable opening stint. It was obvious that he was overecited and committed several turnovers within just a few minutes. In the second half, he looked much more calm and under control. And, he looked pretty cool hitting those two free throws.

11/22/2008 1:20:00 AM
Poster: colonial flo

Leslie Anderson! Les had a smile that lit up the Smith Center, and hops that had you lookin' at his feet where his head was a second ago.

Leslie's uniform color was Acapulco Gold (hey, it was the 70's!), but when he got motivated, nothin' or nobody stopped him. It was sweet.

We opened the Smith Center, and Les was a fan favorite. I'm surprised this is his first mention...

3/8/2010 4:01:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

A long-overdue updated tally and lots of these guys were just on-campus:

SI VOTES
Shawnta Rogers

FIVE VOTES
Mike Brown
Oscar Wilmington

THREE VOTES
Mike Zagardo
Bob Tallent
TJ Thompson
Mike Hall

TWO VOTES
Sonni Holland
Pete Young
Pat Tallent
Anna Montanana
Carl Elliott
Dirk Surles
Tom Glenn
Walt Szczerbiak
Ronnie Nunn
Patrick Ngongba
Glen Sitney
Yegor Mescheriakov
Ellis McKennie
Chris Monroe
Les Anderson

ONE VOTE
Anton Iturbe
Alvin Pearsall
JJ Brade
Mike Tallent
Aleander Koul
Troy Webster
Kwame Evans
Mike Samson
Joe Lalli
Terry Grefe
Adama Kah
Keith Morris
Clyde Burwell
Haviland Harper
JJ Hudock
Harold Rhyne
Aleander Kireev
Ugo Oha
Yinka Dare
Kenny Leggins
Penny Elliott
Joe Holup
Bill Brigham
Steve Frick
Mike King
Antoine Hart

3/8/2010 4:43:00 PM
Poster: A.L.

class of '92

Kwame Evans

3/8/2010 5:06:00 PM
Poster: newtman

freshman year 68-69. Walt Szczerbiak.

3/8/2010 5:23:00 PM
Poster: AC

Add another vote for Dirk Surles.

3/8/2010 5:23:00 PM
Poster: AC

Add another vote for Dirk Surles.

3/8/2010 5:26:00 PM
Poster: danjsport

This is a close one, between 3 guys.

I'm a relative newbie to GWhoops. So for me, my first ever eposure to GW was Yinka. I never really knew much about him, as a Colonial though. This leaves me with a choice between chris monroe and TJ. I'll go with Chris Monroe.

3/8/2010 8:19:00 PM
Poster: rocket

Oscar (blocking Ralph Sampson's shot at Smith Center).

3/8/2010 8:42:00 PM
Poster: The Rabbi

Good to see this thread get comments again. Since I'm also a newbie my first eposure to GW was with Pops back when I was in high school, but as for my first favorite player as a student I'm gonna give it to Pellom. Met him on my hall one of the first days of school, really cool guy, so I always pull for him when he checks into games. Forgive me for not being able to wa poetically about the days of yore.

3/8/2010 8:52:00 PM
Poster: MIKEG

To add one for the womens team Karin Vadiland was first but of all time TJ!!

3/8/2010 9:44:00 PM
Poster: Fly on the Wall

Men-Sonni Holland

Women--K McArdle

3/8/2010 10:56:00 PM
Poster: epost

2001-2004

Going with Carl Elliott- only triple double school history, and I believe the most winning Colonial ever.

3/8/2010 11:15:00 PM
Poster: seneca

I like em all but ...

Sonni Holland

then it was Kwame Evans, Shawnta Rogers, Yegor, Mike Hall and Pops, TJ Thompson, Carl Elliott, and now Lasan.

3/8/2010 11:23:00 PM
Poster: GW Fan

I've had many favorite colonials over the last 2 decades, but the first would have to be Yinka. Watching him develop over his freshman and sophomore years was pretty eciting and the eposure he created helped the basketball program. He definitely looked like a man among boys and had some very dominating performances in his short time at GW.

3/9/2010 12:35:00 AM
Poster: JP

I do have to say that watching Yinka dunk or block was something to be seen in person. We were freshman together, but he was just way past any 18 year old. He was a monster. He was put on this earth to be an athlete. Anyway, short of when he would miss dunks (which I'll never understand), you just held your breath when the dunk was coming or the block was imminent. He really was a man among boys. I wish he would have stayed around one more year. Koul had better potential to be an all-around center, but either he gave up or Jarvis didn't develop him - that was a tragedy.

3/9/2010 4:18:00 AM
Poster: MIKEG

There are two other triple doubles is GW hoops..

The first was Chris Macardle and the othere was Anna Montonia

3/9/2010 3:53:00 PM
Poster: Alumnus

This thread deserves to reach 100 posts. My first faves still are Mike Zagardo, who looked good at Homecoming Night, and Tom Glenn.

3/9/2010 4:25:00 PM
Poster: v-dub

My freshman year was '83, so I have to go with Mike Brown, with honorable mentions to Mike O'Reilly and Troy Webster

3/9/2010 5:05:00 PM
Poster: Chester Would

Gotta be the namesake, although we called him Chester "the Ass" Wood for how he made room under the basket to rebound.

3/9/2010 5:06:00 PM
Poster: Chester Would

I always enjoyed the "crab" defense O'Reilly would employ, complete with slaps to the hardwood for emphasis.

3/9/2010 6:37:00 PM
Poster: The MV

Chester, I would have thought that you of all people would have remembered that Chester Wood's nickname was "Cheese".

3/9/2010 6:59:00 PM
Poster: griff

Pops. Omar Williams a close second

3/9/2010 7:24:00 PM
Poster: VB

I did not start at GW until '97, but I have to go with Yinka. Grew up in Piscataway, NJ (home of Rutgers). My first GW memory is a GW-Rutgers game that I attended when I was maybe 12 or 13 years old, in what I still think is the greatest ending to a game that I've ever seen in person. Game involved a heave to Yinka who tipped it in at the buzzer at the end of regulation to send the game to OT, and GW pulled it out there. That game probably led to me applying to GW a few years later.

3/12/2010 1:18:00 PM
Poster: El Jorge

The Ukraine Train and then Pops

3/12/2010 1:26:00 PM
Poster: GW 03

While I would go on to hold Chris Monroe in much higher esteem, SirVal Brown was the first favorite for me. He had no consience, either on or off the court, but he could really light it up. Great freshman year, and flashes of brilliance his sophomore year too. Then, vamos. Sad.

3/12/2010 2:38:00 PM
Poster: Chester Would

MV, "Cheese" was other people's nickname for him, and perhaps another means of acquiring that lower body girth.

3/12/2010 7:43:00 PM
Poster: mlnlaw

I'd say Brian Butler (1986) for his "mad dog" defense. When I played on the 1-27 debacle, my favorite player was Mike Jones because he was so tough. Too bad his knees went kaput on him. My high school team scrimmaged his team (along with short time Colonial Nate Williams). They blocked about 10 shots each.

3/12/2010 10:54:00 PM
Poster: '90s alum

I was a Freshman in '90 and stayed until '96 for grad school, so got to see some great GW Hoops....my first favorite players were the Withers twins, later replaced by Adama Kah, later replaced by Rasheed Hazzard...when the game got out of hand, the crowd would root for them!

I would vote for Kwame Evans or Shawnta Rogers....the '96 team should have ended up being their best one of the 90s- Kwame and Vaughn as Seniors, Yegor and Shawnta as Freshman, and Koul in the middle....but losing a 17 point lead to Iowa doesn't help their cause (I can still remember Kwame doing a very uncharacteristic double fist pump going into a timeout in the 2nd half, and it went downhill from there!)....still, the Baltimore cousins were 2 of GW's best players.

3/13/2010 9:20:00 AM
Poster: Dolphin Michael

I'll go with Mike Zagardo. I could rattle of dozens of names of players like others, but Zagardo represented all that is GW basketball. Making the most of the campus and the eperience and playing some very good ball while you are at it.

3/13/2010 9:48:00 AM
Poster: oldish

Carl Elliott

3/13/2010 2:23:00 PM
Poster: Vegas Vic

How about Brian Magid? Boy, could he shoot from long distance! Probably the best outside shooter we ever had.

3/14/2010 10:36:00 PM
Poster: Antoine Hart

I get a vote!!

Short of voting for myself, I will say initially JJ Huddock. He lit up RI during my official visit.

After that, it was Glen Sitney, watching him play was always eciting. Such weapons!

This was of course before I played many of the guys on your lists. If you could only have seen the practices and pick up games. The things that happened behind closed doors. The times area schools came to GW for a pickup game, or the time we went to UMD and ran their court for about 3 hours.

We had a silent confidence from 91-95 that we could beat anyone in the area. This was b4 the BBC Classic/tourney eisted. We wanted to play those teams badly.

3/15/2010 12:17:00 AM
Poster: Tuna Can

Actually, I think my favorite GW ball player in the past something more than 20 years is Lei Sawyers.

I'm just trying to make a point.

BUT, of course, I don't think that I am alone in my analysis.

3/15/2010 8:49:00 AM
Poster: BGF

In what would become a theme with GW basketball, my first favorite player was a disappointment with momentary flashes of brilliance and/or promise. Arriving in 1984, out of the Philadelphia area, I had followed my "first favorite" as a high shool player, when we were at schools about five miles from each other. I had chosen GW, as had he, and I had read about his eploits (on the court...the other stuff came later...). Yes...none other than Ma Blank.

Ma....Ma had so much promise and evidently a ton of talent. I followed his stats my senior year of high school, and then became sort of friends with him at GW...which really means as I worked at the equipment desk and he threw dirty towels into the bin over my head, that I would say Hi, and he would say the same back..., but I learned quickly...like being a Cubs fan (which I'm not) or a Mets fan (which I was throughout my childhood and most of my adult years - until I renounced them for the Nats in a move to solidify my son's rooting interest in our "new" favorite team...although privately I still love seeing the Mets do something right, so you understand how I am used to disappointment), the first day of the season is generally better than the last. Outside of 1992/93 and the Pops/Hall/Pinnock years, this tends to be the case. I can live with that, but you should know where I'm coming from...but I digress.

So, I believe I am the first who can say my first favorite Colonial was Ma Blank.

Note: By mid-season in 1984/85, with Joe Dooley (who, in a coincidental note I went to elementary school with in New Jersey) storming off the court in a fight with Coach Gerry, and Ma...well...being Ma, I realized that Mike Brown was a basketball god, and he became my 2nd and most longlasting favorite Colonial, until Pops replaced him...simply by being Pops. I wish everyone had the spirit on and off the court that Pops has shown over the years.

Looking forward to another opening day (net year) with no intent to ignore the comeback GW has had this year, I say for the last time this year.... "Go Colonials..."

7/28/2010 1:18:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

Summer bump with a few more updates... Gotta say, I'm a little stunned to see Aleander Kireev ahead of Pops.

SI VOTES
Mike Brown
Shawnta Rogers

FIVE VOTES
Oscar Wilmington

FOUR VOTES
Carl Elliott
Sonni Holland
Mike Zagardo

THREE VOTES
Kwame Evans
Mike Hall
Chris Monroe
Dirk Surles
Bob Tallent
TJ Thompson

TWO VOTES
Les Anderson
Yinka Dare
Tom Glenn
JJ Hudock
Aleander Kireev
Ellis McKennie
Yegor Mescheriakov
Anna Montanana
Patrick Ngongba
Ronnie Nunn
Glen Sitney
Walt Szczerbiak
Pat Tallent
Pete Young

ONE VOTE
Ma Blank
JJ Brade
Bill Brigham
SirValiant Brown
Clyde Burwell
Brian Butler
Penny Elliott
Steve Frick
Terry Grefe
Haviland Harper
Antoine Hart
Joe Holup
Anton Iturbe
Adama Kah
Mike King
Aleander Koul
Joe Lalli
Kenny Leggins
Brian Magid
Kristin McArdle
Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Keith Morris
Ugo Oha
Alvin Pearsall
David Pellom
Harold Rhyne
Mike Samson
Lei Sawyers
Mike Tallent
Troy Webster
Chester Wood

7/28/2010 1:30:00 PM
Poster: Tuna Can

I see that I have voted twice. That's good. I feel the power.

7/28/2010 2:16:00 PM
Poster: doug sandels

Yes, but I noticed a few people doing that and went through and tried to ensure nothing was double-counted.

7/28/2010 5:17:00 PM
Poster: NJ Colonial

VB - I was at that amazing GW-Rutgers game too - whatta victory for the Buff & Blue!

I would vote for so many worthy Colonials... but for the top spot I have to go with New Jersey's own Mike Brown - "The New Washington Monument" and the beginning of a new era for GW Hoops.

7/29/2010 2:55:00 PM
Poster: kdb san diego

Class of '69----Joe Lalli, Terry Grefe, and Walt S.

7/29/2010 3:02:00 PM
Poster: squid

Should be three for Yegor -- I was a Yegor guy, and two more. You might have counted me for Shawnta?

7/29/2010 5:23:00 PM
Poster: Tim4

Mike King Mike King Mike King.

I don't know how anyone that was first eposed to GW hoops around 99/00/01 could answer any other way. He was the heart of that team and the only reason to keep from falling into a deep depression everytime the starting 5 was announced.

7/29/2010 9:33:00 PM
Poster: Rimhigh

My freshman year was '75 the opening of the Smith Center. Seeing the guard tandem of Pat Tallent and John Holloran was amazing with Les Anderson playing the 3. But without a doubt my first favorite became John Holloran who in the following year as a senior was often dominant. He could do it all, control the ball, pass, shoot, score and defend. Ask anyone that saw his game against Maryland at Cole on local TV when he scored 36 and fouled out the heralded overated Brad Davis who looked helpless.

7/30/2010 11:57:00 AM
Poster: GWAlum2001

Mike Hall, good dude, loved his game, and he seemed to love GW

7/30/2010 12:50:00 PM
Poster: ELJ

And, of course, I'll go WAY old schoiol, with Joe Holup, still -- based on his per-game average --the best scorer in GW history (the team played only 25 or so games a season in the mid-1950's). And inidentally, that mystery photo posted above is definitely NOT Walt "Corky" Devllin. Corky was a very slim 6'5" and one of the best pure shooters I've ever seen. But I'll still go with Holup, who, in addition to his prolific scoring, was a tremendous rebounder, finishing second in the nation in the '55-'56 season to some guy named Bill Russell.

Poster:

Title:

Board

Your First Favorite Colonial

SI VOTESMike BrownShawnta RogersFIVE VOTESOscar Wilmington

SI VOTES
Mike Brown
Shawnta Rogers

FIVE VOTES
Oscar Wilmington