Having to Take on Georgetown is the Pitts
My first thoughts on this blog entry are general ones, and they concern communications, for which I work on behalf of the Hoop Club and have a passing interest.
Primarily, I wanted to encourage all you Hoya fans and alums, in the HHC or not, to WEAR YOUR LAPEL PINS AND USE YOUR BUMPER STICKERS.
Why?
First, the lapel pins are a great way to include GU Basketball into casual work conversations; this always helps spread the word about the program we're all working to build, and gets the word out in front of an ideal audience.
Second, bumper stickers work! In the DC market, a bumper sticker is worth about $240 of advertising money. So, if you can't make a large contribution -- or even if you can --slapping that "I Bleed Hoya Blue" or "We Are Georgetown" sticker on your car is like upping your contribution $240. Not chump change, and a very real and tangible way to help build the program for JT III!
Now...
Georgetown V. Pittsburgh
1/13/07, 9:00 PM, ESPN
A rare week for GU sees our team twice on ESPN! This is a big game for our guys, as they play a Pitt team that is perennially good and represents a great opportunity to rebound strongly from the Villanova loss earlier this week. Pitt is an impressive 14-2 on the year, #7 in RPI, with wins at Auburn and Syracuse and against Florida State, and is led once again by Aaron Grey, a legit NBA prospect.
The game will be held at the Petersen Events Center, one of the nicer on-campus facilities in the country. Four years ago, I made my only trip up to the PEC to see the Hoyas (in Mike Sweetney's final year) take on a good Pitt team that had yet to be defeated at home in their new building. "MCI North" made a great showing, with 100 students and another 100 GU alums and fans in attendance. The Hoyas nearly handed the Panthers their only home loss, but were defeated on a last-second foul call and free throws by Julius Page.
Coach Thompson must have been upset at that loss as well -- he has been torturing the Panthers for it ever since, not yet losing to Pitt in his tenure at Georgetown, including a win in front of the so-called "Oakland Zoo" (our Hoya Blue student organization is much better) during the 2004-05 season. I suspect Coach may have some tricks up his sleeves for the tough Panthers.
For those going to the game or who will be in the Pittsburgh area, there will be a local event co-sponsored by the Hoya Hoop Club:
The Georgetown Club of Pittsburgh invites you to a buffet and game watch party in conjunction with the Georgetown-Pitt game.
You are cordially invited to a Pregame Reception hosted by Art Murphy '69 before the Hoyas take on Pittsburgh.
Saturday, January 13
7pm - 8:30pm
Scaife Hall Conference Center
Terrace Street, Pittsburgh Campus
(Directly across from Peterson Events Center main entrance)
The reception will include a buffet dinner and an open bar, free for Hoop Club members. For non-Hoop Club members, cost is $25 per person for the buffet, and an additional $12 for the open bar. Even if you cannot come to the pregame events, you are still welcome to join your fellow Hoyas at the Holiday Inn Select University Center (located on Lytton Avenue, behind the Pittsburgh Athletic Association) to watch the game, starting at 9:00.
Contact Hoyas Unlimited to RSVP at 202-687-7159 or hoyasunlimited@georgetown.edu.
Further game watches around Hoya Nation and around the world can be found here.
Let's go Hoya Nation- here's to a big game and getting back on track!
Steve Thomas (F'97, G'01)
