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OT/ RIP John Thompson

Hoyacane1620 said:
I know there are many on this board who were barely born when John Thompson and the Hoyas were in their prime. Let me tell you that not only did Thompson have to manage his guys as a basketball team and get them through the academics at Gtown, but he had to guide them through some blatant and very public racism. Particularly Patrick Ewing.

Ewing emigrated to Boston from Jamaica during his high school years. He was a shy, introverted kid who was bigger than everyone else. He faced some language and some academic hurdles from the beginning. When he came to Gtown, he was assigned a "handler" - a good friend of mine who was a student manager on the team and who essentially accompanied him everywhere. Ewing lived in an apartment on campus with this "handler" and some upperclassmen during his freshmen year. He stood out everywhere he went.

Opposing fans would shout horrible racist epithets at Ewing at every game. They would mock him with signs claiming he couldn't read or that he "ate bananas". He was called "Ape" all the time. Those were some of the more mild ones.. This happened at schools like Villanova, Providence College, etc. Good catholic schools.. Imagine that happening now????????

Thompson taught his guys how to handle this kind of stuff and channel their energies to the court. He taught them how to handle life.


And because I'm feeling nostalgic today, my wife and I met at Gtown. She, too, is a sports nut and made many of the same road-trips I did for Gtown basketball. She personally knew a bunch of the players, including Patrick Ewing. Ewing lived next door to her our senior year. Most people don't know that he was more of a 'gentle giant' than he looked on the court. He spent many of his off hours sitting outside in the courtyard near their apartments, headphones on, drawing or sketching. For the most part, students left him alone but when he was approached, he was very friendly.
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Ewing almost went to UNC to play for Dean Smith, but there was a Klan rally on his official visit. That's not a joke btw.
 
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djh said:
He is missed forever! :(

I fell in love with the Hoyas team he was coaching while attending Gallaudet University and I was awestruck by how great they were. I watched a lot of their games on TV and even sometimes I went to GT campus with my friends.
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Gtown used to play Gallaudet for their Homecoming football game back in those days. I think football was barely above club status then.
 
Rest in peace....

Will never forget the story where he told Rayful Edmond to stop hanging with Mourning & Mutombo and ended up threatening one of the biggest drug dealers on the East Coast lmao
 
Goulds Cane said:
Will never forget the story where he told Rayful Edmond to stop hanging with Mourning & Mutombo and ended up threatening one of the biggest drug dealers on the East Coast lmao
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I don't believe He threatened em', probably told em' to keep His distance, but I don't believe He threatened em'.

Besides, most of His players probably played on travel teams funded by dope boys, those same dope boys probably looked out for them while in College.
 
Hoyacane1620 said:
I know there are many on this board who were barely born when John Thompson and the Hoyas were in their prime. Let me tell you that not only did Thompson have to manage his guys as a basketball team and get them through the academics at Gtown, but he had to guide them through some blatant and very public racism. Particularly Patrick Ewing.

Ewing emigrated to Boston from Jamaica during his high school years. He was a shy, introverted kid who was bigger than everyone else. He faced some language and some academic hurdles from the beginning. When he came to Gtown, he was assigned a "handler" - a good friend of mine who was a student manager on the team and who essentially accompanied him everywhere. Ewing lived in an apartment on campus with this "handler" and some upperclassmen during his freshmen year. He stood out everywhere he went.

Opposing fans would shout horrible racist epithets at Ewing at every game. They would mock him with signs claiming he couldn't read or that he "ate bananas". He was called "Ape" all the time. Those were some of the more mild ones.. This happened at schools like Villanova, Providence College, etc. Good catholic schools.. Imagine that happening now????????

Thompson taught his guys how to handle this kind of stuff and channel their energies to the court. He taught them how to handle life.


And because I'm feeling nostalgic today, my wife and I met at Gtown. She, too, is a sports nut and made many of the same road-trips I did for Gtown basketball. She personally knew a bunch of the players, including Patrick Ewing. Ewing lived next door to her our senior year. Most people don't know that he was more of a 'gentle giant' than he looked on the court. He spent many of his off hours sitting outside in the courtyard near their apartments, headphones on, drawing or sketching. For the most part, students left him alone but when he was approached, he was very friendly.
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John Was very protective of his teams but became close to Sonny Vaccaro who was solely responsible for Nike getting into the basketball business and coach’s like John getting shoe contracts as Converse dominated the business until Sonny brought his idea to Phil Knight. Also Sonny started Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh in the 60s And for nearly 20 years was the showcase of high school basketball superstars as every major coach in the country including John would attend annually. I believe over 20 Olympians played in the game including Patrick Ewing.
 
I loved Loved LOVED this Man!

He was an inspiration to me for every reason previously mentioned but even simply for his stature and presence. He commanded respect just like Tiger Clark, they are the very reason I am a die-hard Hoya and Canes fan. Just seeing him pace the court with that towel on his shoulder and serious disposition made me proud to be a black boy. He and Tiger Clark are my real life Black Panther super heroes. RIH Coach 💚
 
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I missed the prime of Georgetown in the 80's, but GTown Basketball in the 90's was amazing to watch.

Georgetown was literally the only college Basketball team I ever liked, even more than Miami, I never really watched Canes college Basketall growing up just Football, but GTown BBall was always appointment viewing.

Big John was a legend & pioneer, he opened the door for so many Black coaches in Basketball & did so much off the court affecting the lives of so many young Black men in an impactful way, he was truly a Godsend for hundreds of kids.

I still remember that 1995 Georgetown season like it was yesterday, with Allen Iverson, Junkyard Dog Jerome Williams, Othella Harrington, Victor Page, Jahidi White & Jerry Nichols, they were really good, went to the Elite 8 but lost to John Calipari's UMASS team that made it to the National Championship game with Marcus Camby.

Big John was a true Basketball icon & one the greatest coaches of all-time, he changed the game & left behind a legacy that will carry on for ages, I really feel for his sons Ronny & John III who also coached the Hoyas for 13 years.

RIP John Thompson 🙏🏾
 
Liberty City El said:
I missed the prime of Georgetown in the 80's, but GTown Basketball in the 90's was amazing to watch.

Georgetown was literally the only college Basketball team I ever liked, even more than Miami, I never really watched Canes college Basketall growing up just Football, but GTown BBall was always appointment viewing.

Big John was a legend & pioneer, he opened the door for so many Black coaches in Basketball & did so much off the court affecting the lives of so many young Black men in an impactful way, he was truly a Godsend for hundreds of kids.

I still remember that 1995 Georgetown season like it was yesterday, with Allen Iverson, Junkyard Dog Jerome Williams, Othella Harrington, Victor Page, Jahidi White & Jerry Nichols, they were really good, went to the Elite 8 but lost to John Calipari's UMASS team that made it to the National Championship game with Marcus Camby.

Big John was a true Basketball icon & one the greatest coaches of all-time, he changed the game & left behind a legacy that will carry on for ages, I really feel for his sons Ronny & John III who also coached the Hoyas for 13 years.

RIP John Thompson 🙏🏾
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About 15 years ago it hit me that there’s a connection between me being a diehard Cane, Hoya and Bears fan. I was born in 1978 and started to watch and understand sports around 7 years of age. All my favorite teams were labeled the “bad boys” of their respective sports genre by the mainstream media. My household and family loves the underdog, so these teams really attracted me.

I loved many Hoya teams but my favorite was the one led by this small point guard named Charles Smith #13 with a part in his hair and waves brushed to the side, not the traditional front and back motion we are used to 😂. I also remember a player named Jarron Jackson those were my guys! @Hoyacane1620 might remember them. I also loved the combo of the ****mbe and Alonzo Mourning (they used to swat everything coming to the hole), and also The Junkyard Dog, Victor Page and the 🐐 AI!
 
Liberty City El said:
I missed the prime of Georgetown in the 80's, but GTown Basketball in the 90's was amazing to watch.

Georgetown was literally the only college Basketball team I ever liked, even more than Miami, I never really watched Canes college Basketall growing up just Football, but GTown BBall was always appointment viewing.

Big John was a legend & pioneer, he opened the door for so many Black coaches in Basketball & did so much off the court affecting the lives of so many young Black men in an impactful way, he was truly a Godsend for hundreds of kids.

I still remember that 1995 Georgetown season like it was yesterday, with Allen Iverson, Junkyard Dog Jerome Williams, Othella Harrington, Victor Page, Jahidi White & Jerry Nichols, they were really good, went to the Elite 8 but lost to John Calipari's UMASS team that made it to the National Championship game with Marcus Camby.

Big John was a true Basketball icon & one the greatest coaches of all-time, he changed the game & left behind a legacy that will carry on for ages, I really feel for his sons Ronny & John III who also coached the Hoyas for 13 years.

RIP John Thompson 🙏🏾
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El, That squad had 2 guys on my all time name team, Ya-Ya Dia and Boubecar Aw! John was a great man.
 
Bernie 2-0 said:
May he Rest In Peace. Yes he was a tremendous leader of men and the Hoyas were the Canes of College basketball. Both schools were very impactful back then and were ahead of their time. The two teams dominated the Starter jacket sales back in the day. One of John’s closest confidants was a guy named Sonny Vaccaro who was responsible for Nike signing Jordan and most major schools including Gtown back in the day. Sonny was one of the most influential guys in the game and another guy with Youngstown ties. His brother is one of the top oddsmakers in Vegas
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Back in the day, the only school whose Starter jacket I owned was UM’s. Yet of the two schools, the only one of which I had a degree from was Georgetown.

Go figure.
 
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Go Canes!! said:
Hoya Paranoia was one of the coolest things in basketball back in the day. The epic Big Monday battles on ESPN between him, Carnesseca, Boeheim and Massimino were the best part of college basketball in the early to mid 80s.

He is a true legend and one of the all time greats.
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This one hits since I went to Georgetown. A true legend....RIP
 

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