ESPN: Why Georgetown's return to glory has failed to launch under Patrick Ewing

BleedGopher

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per Myron:

ON JAN. 7, Patrick Ewing walked to the dais at Capital One Arena in Washington for a postgame media conference. Georgetown had just lost its Big East opener at home to Marquette, and he was not happy with the 28-point defeat.

"As a player who helped build this program, I am disappointed in my team's performance," said Ewing of the 92-64 result, adding, "everybody is on notice."

"This is not what Georgetown basketball is about."

Ewing's sharp words for his team were those of a frustrated coach. But his next statement suggested that both he, and the idling program he leads, have reached a boiling point: "Big John is rolling over in his grave for the performance that we showed tonight."

Georgetown's could have been the best story in college basketball when it hired Ewing five years ago to continue the brand built by John "Big John" Thompson Jr. 50 years ago.

Ewing was a giant for the school: In his four years there, he was a three-time consensus first-team All-American and four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He and Thompson won the national championship in 1984, launching the program into national acclaim.

"You had a great season, Pat," President Ronald Reagan told Ewing at a White House event to celebrate that championship team. "You know, you and all your teammates are going to remember this for the rest of your lives."

Thompson, the first Black coach to win a national title, and his predominantly Black team were the coolest group in basketball, and Ewing played an important part.

But Ewing's Hoyas today are just cold.

His comments after the loss to Marquette punctuate a frustration that has been a constant trait throughout Ewing's time as head coach. After five straight losses in conference play this season, including to Butler and St. John's, his record at Georgetown is 68-69 overall, and 26-49 in the Big East. He is on track for a third consecutive season with a losing record.

Georgetown is now at a crossroads that will shape its future. While winning last year's Big East tournament title provided a boost of optimism, it did not solve the program's woes. Ewing, handpicked by Thompson, has not yet proved that he can lead the Hoyas into a brighter chapter. With Georgetown a heavy underdog heading into Tuesday's matchup with longtime Big East rival UConn, Ewing, it seems, is running out of time to restore the program he helped build.


Go Gophers!!
 

My Dad was a huge Georgetown fan in the time Big John was there so seeing things quickly fizzling out with Ewing is sad to see. At some point, programs like these have to let go of the nostalgia of the glory days and reinvent themselves and Georgetown is to that point where they have no other choice but to go outside of the Hoya family. Unless the University prioritizes basketball again, I'm not sure they'll have much luck in getting out of the basement of the Big East because like at Miami the last two decades, they're trying to chase the Ivys in academics (which fair enough ha!) when the school would probably be better trying to find some balance. They do have a pretty big budget for basketball so that's half the battle, just need to have a real coaching search.

I think old friend Dennis Gates would make a lot of sense. He'd help in keeping some of the foundational principles that the program prides itself on while modernizing the program on the court and in recruiting. I'll always have a soft spot for Georgetown so I hope they get back to being a respectable program.
 

My Dad was a huge Georgetown fan in the time Big John was there so seeing things quickly fizzling out with Ewing is sad to see. At some point, programs like these have to let go of the nostalgia of the glory days and reinvent themselves and Georgetown is to that point where they have no other choice but to go outside of the Hoya family. Unless the University prioritizes basketball again, I'm not sure they'll have much luck in getting out of the basement of the Big East because like at Miami the last two decades, they're trying to chase the Ivys in academics (which fair enough ha!) when the school would probably be better trying to find some balance. They do have a pretty big budget for basketball so that's half the battle, just need to have a real coaching search.

I think old friend Dennis Gates would make a lot of sense. He'd help in keeping some of the foundational principles that the program prides itself on while modernizing the program on the court and in recruiting. I'll always have a soft spot for Georgetown so I hope they get back to being a respectable program.
Big John and Louie (St. John’s) aren’t on the bench any more. Nova has handled the transition from that era the best by far
 

Great ball players don't necessarily make great coaches. If Ewing really wants to be a great coach he needs to follow in the path of most great coaches. Learn the craft. If he thinks Georgetown's resurrection will come about because he is who he is, good luck. Kids he's recruiting would be hard pressed to know who he is so that won't work. Wish him well, but if you want to be a coach...Coach 'em up!
 

Great ball players don't necessarily make great coaches. If Ewing really wants to be a great coach he needs to follow in the path of most great coaches. Learn the craft. If he thinks Georgetown's resurrection will come about because he is who he is, good luck. Kids he's recruiting would be hard pressed to know who he is so that won't work. Wish him well, but if you want to be a coach...Coach 'em up!

He was an NBA assistant for 15 years so he went through the grind despite who he is. He probably deserved an NBA HC job after the work he did with Dwight Howard in Orlando but former bigs really don’t get much of a look for HC positions. I think your first sentence is what the case is at the end of the day.
 


He was an NBA assistant for 15 years so he went through the grind despite who he is. He probably deserved an NBA HC job after the work he did with Dwight Howard in Orlando but former bigs really don’t get much of a look for HC positions. I think your first sentence is what the case is at the end of the day.
Agreed that he put the work in in the NBA coaching ranks.
 




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