Spring Break
The Daily OrangeHoyas slumping since Thompson departure in '99
By Jeff Johnson
Posted: 2/19/04, 2:31 AM EST Section: Sports
For the better part of a decade, the Georgetown men's basketball program was a dominant force in the Big East, making three trips to the Final Four in the 1980s and winning its first NCAA title in 1984 over Houston.
Most of the credit for the Hoyas' supremacy was bestowed upon former head coach John Thompson. After inheriting a program that was a lowly 3-23 in 1971-72, Thompson led the Hoyas to the NCAA Tournament in only three seasons.
Thompson's impact was immense, as the coach amassed a 596-239 record in 27 seasons while making the postseason 24 straight years. But on Jan. 25, 1999, Thompson shocked the college basketball world by stepping down as Georgetown's head coach halfway through the season to attend to personal matters.
Many were sad to see the familiar face disappear from the GU sidelines, but most assumed the Hoyas' success would continue without their legendary coach.
But it hasn't exactly worked out that way.
Georgetown has hardly enjoyed the same accomplishments since Thompson's departure, and the likelihood of the Hoyas making it back to the NCAA Tournament, let alone the Final Four, in the stacked Big East is as probable as current slick-dressed GU head coach Craig Esherick showing up for Saturday's noon home game against Syracuse sporting a Lou Carneseca sweater.
"Even though I knew some of what coach Thompson was responsible for, you don't really get a feel for all the things he did until you sit in that chair," Esherick said. "Every time there is a phone call to be made, the head coach is the one who people want to talk to. The toughest adjustment has been just the number of things that I'm now responsible for."
Esherick served as an assistant under Thompson for almost 17 years before being named head coach midway through the 1998-99 season, but the program has hardly been the same since he took over. The Hoyas have only made one NCAA Tournament in the last five years and have only one 20-win season in that span, compared to the 19 in Thompson's tenure.
Most of the credit for the Hoyas' supremacy was bestowed upon former head coach John Thompson. After inheriting a program that was a lowly 3-23 in 1971-72, Thompson led the Hoyas to the NCAA Tournament in only three seasons.
Thompson's impact was immense, as the coach amassed a 596-239 record in 27 seasons while making the postseason 24 straight years. But on Jan. 25, 1999, Thompson shocked the college basketball world by stepping down as Georgetown's head coach halfway through the season to attend to personal matters.
Many were sad to see the familiar face disappear from the GU sidelines, but most assumed the Hoyas' success would continue without their legendary coach.
But it hasn't exactly worked out that way.
Georgetown has hardly enjoyed the same accomplishments since Thompson's departure, and the likelihood of the Hoyas making it back to the NCAA Tournament, let alone the Final Four, in the stacked Big East is as probable as current slick-dressed GU head coach Craig Esherick showing up for Saturday's noon home game against Syracuse sporting a Lou Carneseca sweater.
"Even though I knew some of what coach Thompson was responsible for, you don't really get a feel for all the things he did until you sit in that chair," Esherick said. "Every time there is a phone call to be made, the head coach is the one who people want to talk to. The toughest adjustment has been just the number of things that I'm now responsible for."
Esherick served as an assistant under Thompson for almost 17 years before being named head coach midway through the 1998-99 season, but the program has hardly been the same since he took over. The Hoyas have only made one NCAA Tournament in the last five years and have only one 20-win season in that span, compared to the 19 in Thompson's tenure.
