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10. George Washington
2009-10: 16-15 (6-10), 10th
Key Losses: Damian Hollis
Starters Returning (4): Tony Taylor, Aaron Ware, Joseph Katuka, Lasan Kromah
Other Returnees: Dwayne Smith, Herm Opaku, Bryan Bynes

Karl Hobbs still has a job, that’s the big news coming out of Foggy Bottom this spring. The country’s unemployment hovers at around 10% and yet Karl Hobbs is still employed. Countless programs eperienced a turnover at the top, yet GW decided to stick behind its man. Try figuring that one out. 

"I cannot be killed."
Kromah, Ware and Taylor will likely be the leaders of net year’s squad, but it will be interesting to see how Joe Katuka will perform in 2010-11.  Katuka ended the year on a high note (10/14 vs. La Salle, 13/10 vs. Temple, 15/4 vs. St. Joe’s), and could be a solid option in the middle with increased playing time. A seven-footer with just a semblance of athletic ability can drop a double-double with 25-30 minutes of playing time. I’m going to be following Joey K’s game from a safe distance net year. If he performs well in the early going, epect to hear me chirping about it. If he is the second coming of Chris Alvarez, this conversation never happened.

The Colonials have four starters returning, so it’s clear that the stage is set for an improvement this year. However, I just don’t see it. Even with a ecellent year, an over achievement, it’s highly unlikely that GW could break into the top half of the league. Even with the main cogs coming back, there still doesn’t appear enough talent to make that type of leap. 

Seems like a fair reveiw, even if its from our enophobic friends in Dayton.  Key phrase is that they feel GW lacks the talent to break into the top half of the league. 

It's true.  Simply a lack of high end talent.  The problem with getting the Chris Fitzgeralds and Dan Guess of the recruitng world is that, even if they turn out better than most of us epect, it's really hard to see them ever becoming all-conf players (under any circumstances).  Moreover, with the possible eceptance of Kromah, I don't see a single player Hobbs has landed in the last 4 years that can become a 1st or 2nd team All A-10 player. 

You can't be a top 3-4 team in this league with out any top 3-4 talent.

in light of Taylor's improvement, the likely improvement of the others, the likely improvement of Kromah (and the fact that he was not highly touted in the first place --- who the hell knows what we or anybody else has?  That's the marvel in all this.  Sit back and enjoy the roller-coaster.

In 2005-06, GW went 26-1 in the regular season and 16-0 in the conference.  11 players made the A10 first team; Pops, who had the lowest scoring average among the 11 players, and JR whose scoring average ranked 8th out of the 11 players.  It stands to reason that if the conference selected 5 players to the first team, both Pops and JR would have made second team that year.  (Steven Smith was player of the year, Mardy Collins was an honorable mention All American, so now you're down to 3 slots).

The point is that if you are measuring the talent of a Karl Hobbs team based on how many players make first or second team all-conference, then you really haven't been paying attention.

The 2005-2006 team had 5 players that make all-confernce teams.  I'm not sure this year's squad will have ANY players will ever make any A10 all-conf team. 

Lots of good role players but very little top end talent.  You need both to be among the best teams in the league.

Maybe Kromah will make it as i said he's the only real possibility they have for all league honors right now on this team. But the A10 almost always has lots of good guards with avier and others regularly bringing in top 50 recurits at that position.  At the SG spot, Kromah will likely need to be averaging near 20 ppg to reach a 1st or 2nd team all conference recognition.

With only 1 player having an all conf team as their ceiling, GW lacks the top line talent to compete for the conf title.  Hobbs needs to do better than the Fitzgeralds of college ball and bring in at least some players that high upside potential.  

FQ,

How about Juwan Staten from Dayton for PG honors over Taylor by the end of the year? Or Justin Martin from avier at SG over Kromah?  Some of the best players in the A10 net year still haven't played their first college game yet.

DM always gives us a lot to choose from.  i agree that we should be upbeat about the upcoming season but i dont see 20 wins. hope DM is right.  TJ is another matter. he shot 36.6% last year (20.6% from 3s) and he'll be 22 when the season starts.  when will shooting mechanics kick in?  i think his value will be defensively and as DM pointed out TJ is a good competitor.

let's give the recruiting class a chance.

Alumnus, i give the edge to Disraeli Gears if only because listened to it more often.  came to Clapton & co backwards thru firnds at GW. first Blind Faith, Cream, Traffic, Yardbirds. in '63 had to make the choice Stones or Beatles.  so it was Stones, The Who, Zeppelin,Allman Bros.

FQ, hope TJ finds his stroke.  Dolphin raises a good point, TJ was 14-15 FTs.  hopeful but too few attempts.  just like 20% from 3 point land too few shots.