I'm starting a new series for the blog called Back In My Day, where I'll ask well-known GW alums about their time in school and their memories of GW basketball then. First up is Washington Post writer and college hoops live-chatter Matt Bonesteel.
If you know any other well-known GW folks, please let me know!
When were you at GW?
1993-97
What comes to mind about GW basketball when you were in school?
You gotta remember, back then the Internet was in its infancy. I'm pretty
sure the Hatchet didn't get the Internet until my junior or senior year,
and didn't go Online until after I graduated. I'm pretty sure GWHoops.com
didn't exist back then (though I think there was a Usenet group frequented
by about 10 people), so there wasn't a constant chorus of opinion. It was a
different time.
I always had the feeling that, while he put GW into the national
consciousness, there was a huge amount of untapped potential under Jarvis.
GW would beat No. 1 U-Mass., then go out and lose to Rutgers or St.
Bonaventure. There was the collapse against Iowa, which in my opinion
caused a ripple effect into the next season, 1996-97, when GW was ranked in
the top 10 by one preseason publication but finished in the NIT.
Remember any chants or traditions from the games?
I remember when the band still was allowed to play the "Hey" song. During
the women's A10 final in 1997, we chanted "Beep Beep Beep" (like a truck
backing up) at a St. Joe's player who was, shall we say, husky. GW fans,
classy to the end. [Andrew's note - The Hey Song is "Rock and Roll Number 2" - Na na na na hey! You suck!]
The rest of the interview after the jump.
What were the most memorable games you went to and why?
Obviously, the U-Mass. game when Clinton was there and the Minutemen were
No. 1. I tripped and fell while rushing the court, tearing my jeans and
messing up my knee. But it was so worth it. There was the game when we beat
Virginia Tech when they were ranked, I think, No. 8. We had a Hokie Roast
in front of the Hatchet house before the game, with a turkey hygenically
served in a laundry basket. That's when I discovered that Boone's Farm and
turkey is a delightful pairing.
I was in Europe during the Iowa debacle, thank God.
Did you take any basketball road trips?
A few. My freshman year, we went to an early-season tournament in
Charlotte. I think GW beat South Carolina but lost to North Carolina. We
went to the Palestra and the Spectrum for A10 tournaments. I think I went
to the last game ever at McGonigle Hall, which I remember most for the
comically bad game Koul had. While covering the team for the Hatchet my
senior year, I drove to St. Bonaventure from Syracuse (where I'm from) over
winter break to see them play there. Let me tell you, there's nothing
better than driving 3 1/2 hours through a snowstorm to cosmopolitan Olean,
N.Y., only to see GW get beat soundly. Good times.
Probably the most memorable was the trip to Columbia, S.C., to cover the
women's team in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. After that win over UNC, we were
making Final Four plans, only to have them crushed by Notre Dame.
Who were your favorite and least favorite players and teams? (GW or
otherwise)
Favorites: Shawnta (even though he didn't much care for me for reasons I
can't remember). Vaughn Jones and his sublime insouciance. Nimbo Hammonds
when he put forth some sort of effort. Ferd Williams wasn't much of player,
but he was a really nice guy. I remember being thrilled when he showed up
at a party I threw. Remember Andrei Sviridov, the guy who came over with
Koul? He once bummed a smoke off me at Odds.
As a journalist, I've found there are few better coaches to cover than Joe
McKeown. He's just a fundamentally good guy.
Both Phil Martelli and Skip Prosser were fun opposing coaches, Martelli
because he's always good for a quote and Prosser because he was just a nice
person, even to meager student journalists. Unlike Jarvis, who was at best
merely tolerant of any reporter who didn't have an ESPN microphone in his
hand.
I pretty much hated everyone on U-Mass.
If you know any other well-known GW folks, please let me know!
When were you at GW?
1993-97
What comes to mind about GW basketball when you were in school?
You gotta remember, back then the Internet was in its infancy. I'm pretty
sure the Hatchet didn't get the Internet until my junior or senior year,
and didn't go Online until after I graduated. I'm pretty sure GWHoops.com
didn't exist back then (though I think there was a Usenet group frequented
by about 10 people), so there wasn't a constant chorus of opinion. It was a
different time.
I always had the feeling that, while he put GW into the national
consciousness, there was a huge amount of untapped potential under Jarvis.
GW would beat No. 1 U-Mass., then go out and lose to Rutgers or St.
Bonaventure. There was the collapse against Iowa, which in my opinion
caused a ripple effect into the next season, 1996-97, when GW was ranked in
the top 10 by one preseason publication but finished in the NIT.
Remember any chants or traditions from the games?
I remember when the band still was allowed to play the "Hey" song. During
the women's A10 final in 1997, we chanted "Beep Beep Beep" (like a truck
backing up) at a St. Joe's player who was, shall we say, husky. GW fans,
classy to the end. [Andrew's note - The Hey Song is "Rock and Roll Number 2" - Na na na na hey! You suck!]
The rest of the interview after the jump.
What were the most memorable games you went to and why?
Obviously, the U-Mass. game when Clinton was there and the Minutemen were
No. 1. I tripped and fell while rushing the court, tearing my jeans and
messing up my knee. But it was so worth it. There was the game when we beat
Virginia Tech when they were ranked, I think, No. 8. We had a Hokie Roast
in front of the Hatchet house before the game, with a turkey hygenically
served in a laundry basket. That's when I discovered that Boone's Farm and
turkey is a delightful pairing.
I was in Europe during the Iowa debacle, thank God.
Did you take any basketball road trips?
A few. My freshman year, we went to an early-season tournament in
Charlotte. I think GW beat South Carolina but lost to North Carolina. We
went to the Palestra and the Spectrum for A10 tournaments. I think I went
to the last game ever at McGonigle Hall, which I remember most for the
comically bad game Koul had. While covering the team for the Hatchet my
senior year, I drove to St. Bonaventure from Syracuse (where I'm from) over
winter break to see them play there. Let me tell you, there's nothing
better than driving 3 1/2 hours through a snowstorm to cosmopolitan Olean,
N.Y., only to see GW get beat soundly. Good times.
Probably the most memorable was the trip to Columbia, S.C., to cover the
women's team in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. After that win over UNC, we were
making Final Four plans, only to have them crushed by Notre Dame.
Who were your favorite and least favorite players and teams? (GW or
otherwise)
Favorites: Shawnta (even though he didn't much care for me for reasons I
can't remember). Vaughn Jones and his sublime insouciance. Nimbo Hammonds
when he put forth some sort of effort. Ferd Williams wasn't much of player,
but he was a really nice guy. I remember being thrilled when he showed up
at a party I threw. Remember Andrei Sviridov, the guy who came over with
Koul? He once bummed a smoke off me at Odds.
As a journalist, I've found there are few better coaches to cover than Joe
McKeown. He's just a fundamentally good guy.
Both Phil Martelli and Skip Prosser were fun opposing coaches, Martelli
because he's always good for a quote and Prosser because he was just a nice
person, even to meager student journalists. Unlike Jarvis, who was at best
merely tolerant of any reporter who didn't have an ESPN microphone in his
hand.
I pretty much hated everyone on U-Mass.
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