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NCAA Basketball:Georgetown Coach John Thompson III On Heat Seat

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Updated: January 17, 2011
John Thompson

Even though the Hoyas won 74-65 over Rutgers on Saturday January, 15, 2011 the team is once again underachieving under John Thompson III.  13-5 would be great at some universities, but it simply is not good enough at Georgetown.  A 2-4 record in Big East play is not a good sign.  The writing is on the wall that once again Georgetown will struggle and underachieve.  The team is talented and should be ranked in the top ten nationally, but Coach Thompson III barely has this team ranked inside the top 25.  While, Coach Thompson III’s tenure has included coaching the likes of Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, Greg Monroe and DaJuan Summers all current NBA players; his legacy is generally producing teams that underachieve in the Big East.  It can not be easy working under his father’s great shadow the great John Thompson, Jr., but that excuse is not good enough anymore as Coach Thompson III should be thriving much more in his sixth season with the program.  At season’s end the hot seat for Coach Thompson III will be extremely warm and the program must move in a different direction.  Coach Thompson’s III perfect replacement would be Craig Robinson from Oregon State University.

Craig Robinson and Recruiting
Craig Robinson has recruited back to back top 25 recruiting classes at Oregon State University. That never has happened at Oregon State University. While Thompson III has recruited fairly well, Robinson would do a better job. Robinson formerly was the head coach at Brown, which means he would understand how to recruit the Northeast target area effectively for Georgetown.  Georgetown would get more recruits nationally under Robinson.  Being President Obama’s brother in law would build an excitement around the Georgetown program that has never happened before.  There is probably not a stronger recruiting pitch than telling a recruit if you attend Georgetown the President is going attend all your home games during your career. Georgetown should consider hiring Craig Robinson.

Uptempo Offense
Under, Coach Thompson III, the Hoyas currently run a slow tempo Princeton style offense, which puts them at a disadvantage to make athletic plays througout the game because the offensive tempo is to slow.  It simply does not mesh well with the talent on the team.  Craig Robinson played at Princeton, so he knows how to effectively run that offense.  But more importantly, Robinson would not run the Princeton offense at Georgetown because it does not best coincide with the strengths of current Georgetown players.  In fact this season Robinson is allowing his current Oregon State team to run more.  If Robinson comes to Georgetown, he will have the team run an uptempo offense to get easier baskets. The Big East is a tough conference and teams that can score on a consistent basis are going to win a lot of games. Georgetown would be more inclined to consistently win the Big East if they hired Coach Robinson and implemented an uptempo offense.

National Championship
Georgetown’s last national championship was in the 1983-1984 season.  It has been far to long.  While Coach Thompson III’s efforts and intentions for the program have been great, the time has come to move in a different direction.  Craig Robinson is the coach who can get Georgetown basketball back on top of NCAA basketball.  At season’s end, the university must fire Coach Thompson III and hire Craig Robinson away from Oregon State University.

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  • Jack

    Get your facts straight Lewis!! Over the past 4 seasons, JT3 has led Georgetown to two regular season Big East Championships (07,08), one Big East Tournament title (07), and they lost on a last second shot to West Virginia in the BE Finals last year. Have they taken their lumps in the past two years? Sure, but who hasn’t? They play one of the toughest non-conf schedules in the country and the Big East is hands down the best conf in the country. Almost every team in the BE top top bottom would blow Oregon St and the rest of the weak Pac 10 out of the water!! Last year JT3 led Gtown to wins over both Duke and Butler (the two teams who played for a Nat title). You say they play a slow tempo game but they are avg 76 points per game on .508 field goal %!! that’s not slow that’s just super efficient!! JT3 is an excellent recruiter (always having a top 25 class) and your comment about Obama coming to games (There is probably not a stronger recruiting pitch than telling a recruit if you attend Georgetown the President is going attend all your home games during your career) is total crap. If you think the Prez has enough time to go to “all the home games” you’re crazy. I’m glad you like C Robinson (and he’s def a good coach) but get your head out of your rear and look at the facts!!

  • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

    Thank you for your comments Jack. But I will have to respectfully disagree. Anybody who watched Georgetown play Duke last season understands the impact of the President being at the game. The President would come to more if games if Craig Robinson was the coach. The team does not play anywhere near that energy level on a game to game basis. I am not big on moral victories so beating Butler and Duke in the regular season is not good enough. In the coming weeks, let see if they stay at .508 from the field, because they consistently struggle to shoot the ball from the outside. Georgetown is known around the country for being a great defensive team. The problems they have had always come from the offensive side of the floor. Offensive plays and the style of the team always come down to the coach. We will always disagree because I would like to see Georgetown win another national championship and you seem to be content with moral victories. The bottomline is they need a coaching change to have a shot at winning one.

    • Jack

      Lewis – I was at the Gtown/Duke game last year and sat exactly two rows behind the President. It was a special atmosphere b/c both the Prez and VP were in attendance and Gtown was hosting the #1 team in the land. The last thing i am interested in are “moral victories.” I’ve been a lifelong fan and i am also a graduate of the University. You’re calling for a coach to step down even though his record is exemplary.
      • He has led the Hoyas to three appearances in the BIG EAST Tournament Championship game in six years at the helm of the program.
      • Including the team’s appearance in 2010, Georgetown has been selected to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last six seasons.
      • In three of the team’s four NCAA Tournament appearances, Georgetown has been seeded among the top three teams, earning two No. 2 seeds and a No. 3 seed in 2010.
      • In 2006-07, Thompson led the program to a 30-7 record as the Hoyas won the BIG EAST Tournament Championship, the NCAA East Regional and advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1985.
      • In 2007-08, the Hoyas won back-to-back BIG EAST Regular Season titles (2006-07, 2007-08), posting a two-year record of 28-6 against conference opponents.
      • Since his arrival on the Hilltop, the Hoyas have reached the postseason in all six seasons.
      • He has twice been named the Black Coaches Association (BCA) Male Coach of the Year and was named the 2007 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Coach of the Year.
      * In his first six years at Georgetown, Thompson has guided the Hoyas to a 139-62 overall record (.692 win percentage)
      * On top of it all, he is churning out NBA 1st rounders year after year that have become much better ball players under his system.

      Agree to disagree all you want but good luck finding another coach to top those numbers!!

      • hoya saxa

        I’m a west coast Hoya and I totally agree with Jack. Gtown can drop some games that are puzzling but overall, the program back to where it belongs under JT3′s leadership. The Hoyas definitely have gone cold at times over the past few weeks but a group that shoots over 50% from the floor and 73% from the FT line as a team does not seem to have major offensive problems. Go Hoyas

        • Jack

          love it Hoya Saxa!! thanks

        • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

          Thanks Hoya Saxa for your comments. I respectfully disagree, but lets see if the Hoyas move anywhere near a national title.

  • Jack

    It’s crickets out there Lewis…

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Hello Jack. As always I appreciate your excellent comments, but I still feel your assessment of Georgetown basketball particularly Coach Thompson III is misguided. Coach Thompson III is signed until 2013, but if the university waits to a make a move, it would be foolish. Georgetown’s two prior seasons to this one have led to the NIT and a first round NCAA tournament exit. The team is going to lose a lot of leadership and points after Austin Freeman and Chris Wright are gone after the season. If the team underachieves this season, that will be three fairly poor seasons in a row, with a highly unproven team next season. Most younger Georgetown players particularly new recruits will struggle to fully apply the Princeton system because it is so methodical. It is not an attractive style of play for most elite recruits. Georgetown needs a buzz around the program again. You saw it again yesterday when the President said he would be at the Superbowl, people got excited. The program could catch lightning in a bottle if they hired Craig Robinson. You are highly underscoring the value of having the President linked directly to the program.

      I do not dislike John Thompson III, but the school can do better. I respect the fact that he has won some Big East titles. But at some point the emphasis of the program has to shift from just winning a Big East Title. The program really has to go after a national championship. The program has to peak for the seven game run in the tournament.

      One of your points was Georgetown was selected in the tournament four of the last six seasons. That means two years they were not in the top 64 teams in the country. Yet at the same time you will tell me about all the top 25 classes that they are recruiting. When recruiting classes do not consistently pan out that is a reflection of the coaching staff.

      Reaching the postseason is not an accomplishment anymore in college basketball with the all postseason tournaments notably CBI, NIT and others to come in the future.

      Georgetown should always be highly successful in the NCAA tournament because they generally will draw a non conference opponent. Why do they have all this non conference success in the regular season that does not translate into NCAA tournament success? Last year you pointed out they beat Butler and Duke, but they were easily beaten in the tournament by the Ohio Bobcats. John Groce clearly outcoached John Thompson III in the game. The team was flat and clearly unprepared to play in the biggest game of the season. Butler and Duke would have beat Georgetown in the tournament last season at a different site.

      Jack, you seem to really care about the program, but your strong support of John Thompson III indicates complacency and satisfaction. Is Georgetown realistically a threat to win a national championship right now or next year? Probably not. Georgetown is in the Big East the longer you accept close enough or the numbers look close enough, that is what you will see on the floor.

      You have highlighted the fact that Georgetown churns out first round NBA picks. That is not a good thing for your team. College basketball is not filled with NBA players. The final 64, 32, 16, 8 teams in the tournament generally do not have an NBA player. That means consistently Georgetown has the top one or two players on the floor in the tournament during their games, which means they should be consistently making deeper tournament runs. What good is talent that is not used properly? It is no good. That is a reflection of the coaching. I certainly respect your opinions, but your program is not working in the right direction.

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      No crickets here.

  • Playa

    The final 64,32,16,8 teams do not have an NBA player??? Let’s just look at the 2010 NBA draft – 60 players selected and only 3 were part of the Final Four (B Hayward, D Butler and D Ebanks)!!! – where did the other 57 come from Lewis? A handful of Euros but mainly from the Field of 64 – come on :)

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Thanks for your post Playa. But I think you misunderstood by your post. I was simply responding to the point that Georgetown is regressing in the last two seasons. True fans of the school are not into moral victories, they want to see the team move toward a national championship. Most teams in the NCAA tournament do not have an impact NBA player on the team. Look forward to reading your comments in the future.

  • Jack

    How are Georgetown and JT3 doing now Lewis?? i’d say it’s been a pretty good run (and a damn good coaching job) over the last few weeks – comments?

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Good to hear from you Jack. I am not against the Hoyas and they have certainly a nice win streak going, but the holes are there. Far too many turnovers, which the later you go into season always come back to haunt teams. The Syracuse game will be tough tomorrow. Lets see how they respond. Lets see if they win the Big East Championship. And lets see as officiating shifts late in the season and the calls become tighter how they adjust. The officials have been letting Georgetown play with a lot of contact. Things always tighten down the stretch. The next few weeks we will know a lot more.

  • Jack

    well, well, well… a win in the Syracuse Dome for the first time since 2002 and a 7 game win streak in arguably the greatest and deepest conf in college basketball history… give the guy his due Lewis!! you can rant all you want about National Championships but how many coaches win those every year?? ONE – under your argument, Pitt should fire Jamie Dixon b/c they haven’t won a title either – come on!! I’d like nothing more than the Hoyas to finally get another Championship but you can’t judge a coach on whether or not he wins you a Nat title every year… JT3 has put his team in a great postion this season and now the chips will fall where they may… they have played the #2 strength of schedule this year (only behind Tenn) and can play with anyone… the Big East teams beat each other up so bad that it wouldn’t surprise me to have 3 BE teams in the Final Four or for the majority of them to fall to other teams b/c they are so battle weary… you wrote your article in mid Jan when the Hoyas were an easy target – you are forgiven but how does that Crow taste? :) I say give JT3 a raise and Go Hoyas!!!

  • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

    Congratulations on the Big Win Jack. I guess beating Butler, Duke last season and a win at Syracuse this season is enough of a moral victory for you. I don’t generally compare basketball to football. But look at the pressure the Les Miles have receives even though he has won the national championship. My expectations for the program are not unreasonable. Here Georgetown may end the hottest team in the country and not win the Big East championship this season or national title. Is that success? Not in my opinion. The school should be glad to have a great supporter like yourself. JT3 is having a solid season, but I am not sold and I continue to call for change until the program moves from being solid back to an elite program. I will continue to evaluate where the program needs to go to get back to the top. There will be others who take my position in upcoming seasons. As always thanks for your comments, I certainly respect your position, but it is what it is. Lets see how things unfold.

  • hoya saxa

    “Solid season” – Are you nuts? Under your argument, every college football coach who doesn’t work at Auburn should be fired – Georgetown is an elite team and has been ever since Thompson took over – keep up the good posts Jack!

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Good to hear from Hoya Saxa, but I can’t stop until the Hoyas win the national title again. The Hoyas are on a great winning streak, but lets see how the season unfolds. I appreciate your comments.

  • Jack

    Moral victories??? is the entire regular season just a waste and every team that doesn’t win a Conf or Nat title a failure?? i’d hate to have you as my boss Lewis?? correct me if i’m wrong but you didn’t win the pulitzer prize for journalism the past 7 years did you?? how come your paper/employer hasn’t sacked you? will the 24 teams ranked in the top 25 at the end of the year who don’t win a Nat title be failures?? to date, Georgeown is now tied with Texas and ND for the most wins vs top 50 RPI teams – 8 wins!! that’s what i call “Elite” – moral victories and a “solid season” my arse – that’s getting it done and i think you’re the only person in America who can’t acknowledge the facts!! chances of any team winning a Nat Title (or the Big East Tourney title, which will be almost as tough this year) are slim… i pull for my squad and appreciate everything they do to accomplish their goals and, if they fall short, i applaud them for their efforts… Hoya Saxa

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      As always I appreciate your comments Jack, I just would like to see the team win a national title. Georgetown is certainly on a nice winning streak. I put Georgetown basketball on par with UCLA, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina and so on. Evidently you do not. The idea that it has been almost thirty years since the program won a national title seems not to disturb you in the least. I do appreciate your passion, but lets see how things unfold over the next few weeks.

  • Jack

    Good Lord Lewis!! Kansas won in 2008 but had not won since 1988… UCLA won in 1995 had not won since 1975… I would like nothing more than to see my beloved Hoyas win a National title but it’s not as easy as you think man!!… before JT3 took over, they went through a horrible stretch where they were not even in the equation – but i’m sure Craig Robinson (and his asst coach B Obama) would win a Nat Championship with Gtown in his first few years… ha

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Hello Jack I always appreciate your comments. College basketball is in transition where the NCAA tournament is moving to an expanded bracket or format. That is going to be put more pressure on coaches around the country to perform in the tournament. The regular season will be less valuable. The tournament will be the measuring stick for a program. So why you may think I am being far to critical of JT3 there will be many more journalists to debate with because college basketball is going to be placing more emphasis on the tournament. I am only a precursor of the type of criticism that is headed towards JT3. Lets see how the season unfolds.

  • The Tombs

    Lewis your definition of successful is asinine. You are essentially calling for the heads of every coach who has not won a national championship. “Robinson would do a better job. Robinson formerly was the head coach at Brown, which means he would understand how to recruit the Northeast target area effectively for Georgetown.” Are you out of your freaking mind?!?!?!?! Are you actually comparing the recruiting pool for Brown to Georgetown’s?!?! “Under, Coach Thompson III, the Hoyas currently run a slow tempo Princeton style offense, which puts them at a disadvantage to make athletic plays throughout the game because the offensive tempo is to slow.” The offensive tempo is slow?!?!? Let’s take a look at some of the points the Hoyas have posted over the last couple of years. Let’s see, they dropped 112 on Missouri, the so called “fastest 40 minutes in basketball”, 86 on Memphis, 86 on DePaul, 80 on Seton Hall, and 83 on Providence this year. Oh, and how about the 89 they dropped on Duke last year, or the 91 they dropped on Cuse last year, or 103 against Nova? Lewis, I have to hand it to you, this article made me laugh out loud. Loved the one about the President attending all the home games, ha!

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      The Tombs I appreciate your comments. I am glad you found the article to be so amuzing. Nearly thirty years since a national title for the program and there is nothing funny about that. The Hoyas certainly have the capability to score at times, but could they play against those style of teams on a consistent basis? Last year Ohio beat the Hoyas 97-83 in the tournament, the loss was an indicator Georgetown would struggle to play at a certain tempo if they had to on a consistent basis. Lets see how the next few weeks unfold. Since I am interested in seeing the team win a national title, I do look at things that would generate more excitement or more recognition to the program. Craig Robinson has the connection and resources to make that happen. It is nothing against JT3, it is more about seeing the program rise up again. Thanks for your comments.

  • hoya saxa

    The Tombs!!!!! I love it… Can’t wait to read what Lewis posts next

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Hoya Saxa, thanks for your comments.

  • The tombs

    No response Lewis to my post Lewis? Cat got your tongue?

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Cats can’t grab my tongue because I am talking about the Hoyas. I look forward to excellent comments.

  • Jack

    Lewis – i expected more out of you… The Tombs (which is a famous Georgetown bar btw) hit you with some good stuff and that’s all you came back with?? i’ll check back later to see if you post something with a little more sizzle :)

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Hello Jack, the Tombs and anybody else from Hoya nation you would like to bring into this discussion, I have a proposal. Let me first say I never thought this discussion would continue this long, but I am appreciative. Lets have a friendly wager. Right now many pundits have projected Georgetown as a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

      Jack you previously stated that you feel as many as three of the Final Four teams will be from the Big East this season. I am assuming that means you think this Georgetown is one of them.

      The basics of the friendly wager and we can adjust if necessary if Georgetown makes the Final Four under Coach Thompson this season or next season I will personally come down and be a waiter for a day at the Tombs wearing Georgetown merchandise.We can add some other humiliating things to sweeten the pot if this actually materializes.

      If Georgetown loses, I get to put up some college merchandise from the school of my choice inside of the Tombs.

      What I would need is for 5,000 Georgetown supporters to log on to the site and make comments supporting JT3 after reading the article and who are genuinely interested in seeing a sports blogger get humiliated this season. We can set dates and times if you think this needs to happen immediately.

      If you feel it is too late this season, lets make it happen next year, 10,000 supporters of Georgetown to log on and make comments supporting JT3 after reading the article. I am willing to come down to the Tomb or attend a game preferably a sellout where the crowd is free to express their opinion of me regarding my stance on JT3.

      You wanted a comeback from me, we can debate live or make this event as large as you would like. Let me know. I am a big believer in standing behind my convictions. No crickets here, no the cat does not have my toungue. The ball is in your court now. Lets work out some details. Have a good weekend and enjoy beating Marquette.

  • Playa

    Sounds like a throw-down but unless the Tombs actually owns the Tombs I’m not sure that your side of the bet is even possible. I love the back and forth here – the Hoyas are the hottest team in the country right now and it looks like Jack and the Tombs were spot on.

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Thanks for your comments Playa. In this age anything is possible. So do not be surprised how this debate ends up going. I am not against Georgetown. It will be interesting to see how the season unfolds. This whole debate is healthy and just about seeing things go to another level for Georgetown. I would be curious to see do you feel this is a successful season for Georgetown if they do not win the Big East? We will see what happens from here. Thanks for your comments again.

  • Jack

    Lewis – I like that you’ll stand behind your words but you did not read my earlier post very clearly… i stated the Big East was far and away the best conf in America and that “the Big East teams beat each other up so bad that it wouldn’t surprise me to have 3 BE teams in the Final Four OR for the majority of them to fall to other teams b/c they are so battle weary”… i’d love to see it but the reason that the NCAA tourney is the best sporting event on the planet is that anything can happen – the best teams don’t always win when you play one game, head-to-head… in a 5 or 7 game series (pro) the best teams will come out on top the majority of the time… in the NCAA’s it’s a lot more random… i hope that the Big East gets a ton of teams to advance and i sure hope that Gtown is one of them but if they don’t win a Nat Championship i would never say that this year was a failure… i don’t think 5000/10,000 of my Hoya pals will be logging on anytime soon but i would have loved to see you decked out in Hoya gear serving me, the Tombs and our guest, JT3 some grub!! BTW, who is the “school of your choice” that you pull for? thanks – J

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      As always I appreciate your comments Jack. It is going to be very difficult for Georgetown to win a national championship with the current offense. It is going to be difficult to consistently land or retain elite recruits with Princeton concepts as the basis of the offense. But I have say it is nice to see the school have a nice winning streak. Since I have to follow so many schools and different sports I do not have one particular team, but Texas looks like they could do some damage in the tournament. One question I would like ask you is do you feel the former alums like Zo and Dikembe and others are doing enough to help the program get back on track? If former alums were more involved would that greatly impact recruiting? Great to hear from you again and I look forward to your comments.

  • Jack

    I mean this with the utmost respect Lewis but you’re out of your mind… the Hoyas are ranked #9 in the nation, ranked #2 in the country in FG% (50% from the floor!!), shoot 73% from the FT line as a team, avg 16.3 assists per game, and shoot 38% as a team from 3 land!! A Freeman, H Thompson and V Sanford all avg higher than 43% from 3… since JT3 took over, they have had a player drafted in 2007 (#5 overall), 2 players in 2008, one in 2009, and one in 2010 (#7 overall) and A Freeman will be another this year… the system not only works for Gtown but it makes his guys much more well rounded players overall… Jeff Green was not highly recruited out of HS but was taken #5 in 2007 and is now avg 15pts and 6 boards per game with the Thunder… Roy Hibbert couldn’t walk and chew gum his frosh yr (called the Big Stiff by JT2) but is now avg almost 13pts, 8 rebs and 1.7 blocks per game… Greg Monroe is one of the best passing big men in the league and is avg 7.4 pts and 6.5 rebs as a rookie with the Pistons… players that want to develop their games to become longtime pros (like A Freeman, H Thompson and N Lubick are doing now) realize it’s not about scoring 25pts per game it’s about playing in a system that makes you a better basketball player… btw, I would love for Ewing, Dikembe, Alonzo and Iverson to step up for Gtown but they are all very philanthropic with many other organizations – ok, maybe not Iverson :)

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      I did not mean for you to take offense, but what I was wondering since you are closer to the program than I am if Zo and Dikembe Mutombo were involved because I think they would be highly instrumental in helping the program come back if used in the right capacity. I was asking you do you think the offensive system is good enough to win a national title? We both have a healthy respect for Georgetown, but one of major points in the article is about finding things that generate excitement around the program. Lets see how they finish the season. They have put together a nice win streak. Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, Greg Monroe did all develop nicely at Georgetown, but there should be more talent on the roster that should not have to be developed so far, that comes from the right elements involved in the program. From the right alumni, to the right former players being involved. The roster should be filled with even deeper talent. The Big East is tough, but Georgetown became great from being a no excuse program. This has been a good season for Georgetown so far, but the evaluation of the season is far from over.

  • Jack

    and by the way, the program is not trying to get back on track… it is back!! Just ask any player or coach in the Big East and they’ll tell you – Hoya Paranoia baby!!!!!!!!!

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      The Hoyas are not fully back yet.

  • The Tombs

    It’s time to wake up Lewis. Thanks to JTIII, the Hoyas are FULLY back. I must say that I am deeply disappointed that you never fully responded to my initial post, particularly with regard to your comment comparing Brown’s recruiting pool to Georgetown’s. Your latest comment about Georgetown’s lack of recruits is ridiculous. Top recruits no longer win national championships. Top recruits only last 1-2 years and a coach can’t realistically expect to win a national championship with that kind of revolving door. As Jack stated earlier, JTII has done a superb job of taking middle of the road recruits and turning them into excellent players that not only help his team but also end up being highly drafted. By the way, it’s overly simplistic to say that JTIII runs a Princeton offense, it nothing like the one that Carril used to run. HOYA SAXA!!!!

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      I would never compare Brown’s recruiting pool to Georgetown, so I am not sure where you came up with that. The Big East and Ivy League recruit two different type of players. I was making a point about Craig Robinson having been in the region. The point was that more would be done by Robinson than JT3. I am speaking about taking a further step for the program. I believe Robinson as good as you think the program has been would do even better than JT3. As far as taking middle of the road recruits I never said JT3 was a horrible coach, but Greg Monroe was a pro regardless of if he attended Georgetown or not. You still need talent. It is far too simple to say top recruits do not win national championships. So let me get this straight you do not want top recruits because you do not believe they can not win a national title, then you believe essentially that Georgetown should not ever expect to win a national title. If all you think the programs needs is middle road of the recruits, then do not be surprised if the program struggles down the line. JT3 has added modifications to Pete Carill’s system, but Georgetown would struggle if they had to play more uptempo teams because of their style of offense. If they had to play five uptempo teams in a row I believe currently they would lose three or four of those contests. The idea I think all coaches should be fired is wrong, but I admit I am surprised when I talk to Georgetown fans versus other schools that are winning the attitude is completely different. Certain schools demand more. My whole point about Georgetown was to really look and ask what would be necessary for the program to have a shot at winning a national title. Lets see how the season unfolds.

  • hoya saxa

    Love the comments Tombs! :)

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      The Tombs is great. Thanks for comments Hoya Saxa. Lets see how the season unfolds.

  • Jack

    struggle with up-tempo teams?? the hoyas have played 3 teams that rank in the top 25 in the nation in total scoring – pt per game (Mizzu, Marq + Loiusville) and the last i checked they won all three!! so much for losing 3 or 4 out of 5 lewis… and btw – you love to say “let’s see how the season unflods”… fyi, there are only 5 games left in the reg season and it has unfolded very nicely :)

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Thanks for your comments, but the season is nowhere near over. Regular season, conference championship and tournament. But maybe you have a different format about when the season is over. Give me your break down of a college season. The fact that the season is over in your mind is an indicator of how much confidence you actually have in the program. As stated before lets see how the season unfolds.

  • The Tombs

    Jason Reid’s article from today’s Post says it all. JTIII is the reason they are winning right now, period!

    Georgetown Hoyas’ rise is a credit to their attention to defensive improvement

    By Jason Reid
    Washington Post Staff Writer
    Wednesday, February 16, 2011; 12:56 AM

    Grumbling among Georgetown fans would have been understandable. Some level of frustration was probably appropriate.

    A 1-4 start in Big East play will do that, especially after the Hoyas raised expectations this season with an 11-1 record against a strong nonconference schedule. It seemed only fair to ask, “Would this be like the 2008-09 collapse all over again?”

    The answer has come during an eight-game conference winning streak that Coach John Thompson III should list among his top professional achievements. Thompson’s ability to get the No. 9 Hoyas, who face No. 13 Connecticut on Wednesday night, refocused on defense during seven days between games in late January resulted in college’s basketball biggest in-season turnaround. He knew what needed to be done and made it happen.

    That’s called coaching.

    Georgetown appeared so lost at times in early January that even seven months in the classroom seemed like too little time.

    Pick an area of basketball – Georgetown failed in it during the rough stretch that included three straight losses. Turnovers, lack of rebounding, missed free throws – it was all there for Thompson to consider.

    With a tight deadline, Thompson could have made a few adjustments and hoped for the best. Instead, he went all the way back to the foundation: defense.

    The Hoyas did many things well during their fast start, but defense made the difference. Georgetown has the nation’s second-best field goal percentage, but it was at its best displaying toughness when opponents had the ball.

    Whether closing out Missouri during an overtime victory in November or pulling away from Memphis in the second half in December, Georgetown led with its defense.

    That’s what the Hoyas had to rediscover. That’s what Thompson had to get through to them during those seven days spent only practicing in January, or it could have all fallen apart as it did two seasons ago.

    His approach was basic: Thompson drilled players in man-to-man principles. See the man. See the ball. Go get the ball.

    When things go badly, many coaches get caught up in “‘Well, let’s devise this scheme; let’s devise that scheme,’ ” Thompson said Tuesday. “At the end of the day, it’s man-on-man. If you’re in front of me, I’m guarding you; I have to stop you.”

    No need for overanalyzing and reevaluating every facet of the program. There was no time for that, anyway.

    A quick fix was possible, though, if Thompson could persuade players to be quick to the ball again. Even if they continued to miss too many shots or too many balls caromed just out of their reach, the Hoyas’ defense could provide consistency.

    During the streak, six opponents have failed to make even 41 percent of their field goal attempts. None have shot 46 percent or better.

    The Hoyas needed that at home against Louisville and surprising St. John’s. At Villanova and Syracuse, they couldn’t have lived without it. The Hoyas always had the ability. Thompson just had to remind them after a bad bump.

    “It’s not about any systems or schemes,” Thompson said. “It’s about just tightening up your belt strap and guarding someone.”

    Of course, it helped that Georgetown’s standout guards – top scorer Austin Freeman, point guard Chris Wright and Jason Clark – emerged from slumps, and the offense has suddenly functioned well again.

    The reemergence of Freeman has been the biggest catalyst offensively.

    The senior struggled shooting while opponents intensified their efforts to guard Georgetown on the perimeter. Over the past month, no one in the nation’s premier conference has performed at a higher level than Freeman.

    “He’s playing as well as anyone right now,” Thompson said.

    In the Hoyas’ signature win to this point (69-66 at Villanova on Jan. 29), Freeman scored 10 of their final 12 points as part of his smooth 30-point, six-assist performance. Guard play is the most important factor in success in college basketball, and the Hoyas have a great one in Freeman. Wright and Clark join him to form an effective trio on both ends of the court, and their willingness to first reinvest in defense helped make the current winning run possible.

    Thompson would have preferred to direct a similarly effective turnaround two seasons ago. After starting 9-1 during the 2008-09 season, the Hoyas fell apart and finished 16-15. This season’s close-knit group, however, is not burdened by chemistry problems, which helped to derail the previous squad.

    The Hoyas’ fast improvement comes at a good time for the program as well as Thompson.

    There’s no question Thompson has succeeded at Georgetown. Four NCAA tournament berths (a fifth is now all but ensured), two Sweet 16 appearances and one Final Four add up favorably no matter who’s keeping score.

    But Georgetown has been fairly quiet in the postseason since making its Final Four run in 2007. Although the Hoyas have appeared in two of the last three Big East tournament championship games, they suffered second- and first-round losses in their past two NCAA tournament appearances – and missed it entirely after the ’09 collapse.

    Georgetown ran into Stephen Curry when he was carrying Davidson to a region final in 2007-08. There’s no shame in that. Last season, though, the third-seeded Hoyas lost to 14th-seeded Ohio in their opener.

    So after the poor conference start this season, there were reasons to wonder a little bit about the program. Now Georgetown has a legitimate shot at a No. 1 seed. A lot would have to break right for the Hoyas, but they appear to be in the mix.

    And the credit for that goes to the guy in charge, who got back to basics when others might have panicked.

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Much respect to Jason Reid and the Tomb, but according to this article, Georgetown is a Final Four team. I want to see that. And then what has to be asked is if that is the case does that then require Georgetown to win the Big East and get to the Final Four to have a successful season? Most people will not go out there and say that because they have doubt in the program. I respect that JT3 went back to the basics, but the idea that this season is already so successful with much basketball to be played is wrong. Lets see how this article plays out as the season unfolds for Georgetown.

  • Jack

    now thatt’s what i’m talking about Tombs!!! great stuff…

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      The Tombs is great and it is great to live in the moment. But it will be exciting to see how the season unfolds.

  • Jack

    your quote – “The fact that the season is over in your mind is an indicator of how much confidence you actually have in the program” – where did i say the season was over?? my direct quote was – “fyi, there are only 5 games left in the REG season and it has unfolded very nicely”… give the team and the coach their due!! they’re hot, have played amazing bball the last month plus and are one of the most dangerous teams in America… they will not win the Reg Season BE Title (Pitt will) and who knows if they’ll win the BE Tourney at MSG… hopefully they have a strong showing in both that tourney and the NCAA but college hoops is a total crap-shoot… one game at a time Lewis, just like JT3 preaches

    • http://www.sportsreport360.com Lewis Dawson

      Thanks for your comments. They have a nice winning streak, but it is amazing you are so supportive of a team that will by your own admission will not win the regular season, should not win the Big East conference tournament and could or could not play well in the tournament. Exactly I agree one game at a time, let see how the season unfolds. They should not be overlooked but they are nowhere near one of the most dangerous teams in the country. Let the debate continue.

  • Jack

    you say – “they are nowhere near one of the most dangerous teams in the country”… respectfully Lewis… you’re an ass!! :) if you took a poll of every single D1 coach in America, to a man, everyone of them would put Gtown in as one of the most dangerous teams in the country… an 8 game win streak in the Big East is unheard of… should Kansas fans not be supportive b/c Texas is going to win the Big 12?? (or the other way around)… give me a break!! you have some good points but there have been times in this debate that you have written things that make it look like you have no clue about NCAA basketball…

  • hoya saxa

    Jack… First of all, let me say that I agree with everything you have said to date – you are an educated and passionate fan and the Hoyas are lucky to have supporters like you and the Tombs – my advice to you though is simple – forget about this blog – you are debating with a man who obviously has a huge bias against Coach Thompson and Georgetown as a whole – Lewis can say he would like to see the Hoyas do well but it is obvious from his posts that he can’t look at them or the facts rationally… To say that Gtown is not one of the hottest/most dangerous teams out there is about as laughable a quote as I’ve read all year… Keep the faith bro and let’s go Hoyas!

  • Playa

    One L in nine games in the Big East is impressive. Tough game vs UConn but it was bound to happen. I hope they bring their A game for the last 4 games and get the double bye for Big East Tournament though

  • Joe Hoya

    i just found this site and read through the comments – interesting banter going on here – my thoughts on last night’s game – if there is such a thing as a good L, that was it – Georgetown did not play very well and still had a good chance to win the game… UConn has been ranked as high as #4 in the nation so an L on their homecourt is not that bad – I agree with Jack and Hoya Saxa though that Georgetown is one of the hottest teams in USA and that no one wants to play them in either of the upcoming tournaments – good luck going forward

    • Lewis Dawson

      Thanks for your comments Joe Hoya. It is going to be some great competition over the next few weeks.

  • Jack

    Here is a nice blurb from Pat Forde of ESPN… Case for a No. 1 seed: The Hoyas are the only team hotter in the Big East than Notre Dame. They’ve won eight straight, half of them against RPI top-25 competition. Their nonconference schedule was excellent, with only one opponent in the RPI 200s and seven of 12 games away from home. Like the Irish, they have no bad losses. RPI is a believer, ranking the Hoyas No. 4.

  • Jack

    what’s going on out there Lewis?? no comments in days and the format on the webpage has changed… you hiding??

    • Lewis Dawson

      I always appreciate your comments Jack, but my original article was about the program needing a new coach, which I will stand behind. I could go on and on about the issues I see with JT 3, but to make it simple JT 3 is far to stoic on the sideline. One of the major ingredients of coaches who generally win the national title is they have fire or the ability to bring something out of the players. 18 to 22 years old need a coach to get after them more during a game. Coaches at the college level can win with a stoic approach, but the odds of winning a national championship diminish when the coach does not show that fire on the sideline. For example, Coach Izzo, Coach K, Coach Roy Williams, Coach Bill Self, Coach Calhoun, Coach Boeheim are all national champions and all much more demonstrative and fiery on the sideline than JT3. If you examined there demeanor on the sideline and communication with the players versus JT3 there is not a comparison.

      I guess JT3 like Lorenzo Romar follows the Lenny Wilkens’ approach of not really showing that fire and being willing to get after the players on the sideline. Again you can win or build a good program with a stoic coach, but the probability at the college level of winning a national championship is slim. The Lenny Wilkens’ approach generally must be left to the pro game because they play so many more games and our more mature. Lorenzo Romar like JT 3 do not show that fire on the sidelines that you see from coaches who win the national title. Again really going after a national title is such a competitive thing, that each aspect of a program trying to get back on top has to be measured. Sports journalists generally focus on RPI and SOS, but none of those things account for a coach’s communication and demeanor. I am more of a sports blog critic so I look at Georgetown and say they could win a national title someday, but with such a difference in the way the coach (JT3) acts or handles the players the probability right now is low.

  • Jack

    well… it’s been a tough couple weeks for the Hoyas… losing Chris Wright has proved to be a death-blow to this team… they seem rudderless without him and need to get him back if they are even going to get past the first weekend… i know you’re reading this with a big smile on your face Lewis butbut stuff happens…

    • Lewis Dawson

      As always a pleasure to hear from you Jack. Well, lets see it is pretty interesting how the last couple of weeks have unfolded. Duke lost Kyrie Irving. Pittsburgh lost Aston Gibbs for part of the season. Washington lost Abdul Gaddy. None of the teams quite fell apart like Georgetown. Chris Wright is good, but his points are down this season and his turnovers are higher than in the past. Georgetown does not have very much depth and that always exposes dare I say it again recruiting, which comes down to JT3. The conference is to physical to never expect an injury. More importantly the way the team is playing right now is going to hurt recruiting. Markel Starks should be getting more minutes. It is funny he gives good minutes and energy against Syracuse and gets less minutes on a full week of practice and rested against Cincinnati. He needs the experience for next season. Nate Lubick has done a good job this season so far.

      Lets see how the season finishes, but it appears the Hoyas are on the verge of a major letdown as predicted. In my opinion they should not be higher than a seven seed if not lower. The offense has to be called into question again. The winning streak was nice, but only hid a lot of the problems with the program right now. Pat Forde and Jason Reid did a good job of giving RPI and SOS, but I gave you the flat out truth. I stand behind my convictions and lets see what happens this week starting with UConn in the Big East Tourney. Look forward to hearing from you again.

  • Jack

    it’s taken me a few days to digest this late season bust but i’m here to admit that you were right and the Hoyas were no where near the team that most of the country thought they were… from a top 10 ranking in late Feb to 5 straight L’s is just mind-blowing… sure there were some injuries but that doesn’t excuse the implosion or the second straight 1st rd L in the NCAA’s… thanks for the banter Lewis and, as any loyal Hoya fan would say, there’s always next year :)

    • Lewis Dawson

      Jack, you are great and as I stated before I look forward to the day when the Hoyas can make a serious run again. I would have at least like to see the school talk with Larry Brown who has expressed an interest in returning to college. That type of hiring would generate a lot of excitement around the program.
      JT3 is trying, but I don’t think he can get it done. One thing is his ability to get something out of the players. In his interviews, he tried to voice that Georgetown is a no excuse program and that although Chris Wright was gone the show had to go on. But most of the players on the team during interviews made a ton of excuses for playing poor. Adversity is a part of the game and it is clear that right now the team is not built to handle adversity. The only way the school should keep JT3 is if he shifts the offense, recruits better and gets more engaged with the players on the sideline.
      Ohio and VCU took Georgetown down fairly easy. VCU ran some of the same plays that Ohio did in the prior tournament. If the mid majors can stand up to Georgetown so easily, then you have to realize they are quickly becoming less a threat each season.
      Winning a national championship is not easy, it certainly does a take a little luck. But the ingredients such as the right coach, right offense and the recruits have to be in place. Right now Georgetown does not have it.
      I certainly will be following the progress of the program and maybe something can be organized with Sports Report 360 and the Tombs down the line just for fun. And as you stated, there is always next year. Sports Report 360 thanks you for your support.

  • Jack

    Looks like JT3 and Gtown are a hot item again on the recruiting scene Lewis!! Just nabbed the top unsigned prospect in #31 Otto Porter to vault the 2011 Class up to #13 in the rankings… Go Hoyas!!!

  • Lewis Dawson

    Congratulations to you and Hoya Nation at large. Hopefully, Otto Porter becomes as good as Jeff Green. Since the class is projected to be so talented it will be interesting to see how JT3 elects to use the talent. I have been extremely critical of JT3, but it is never to late to change. Maybe, that tough Hoya defense will come back. Maybe, there will be adjustments to the offense. Hopefully they can recruit some better shooters. But there are signs of life and that is never bad. Congrats again.

  • Joe Hoya

    If JT3 were a football coach at a serious university program, he would have been fired two years ago. What people fail to realize is that he is nothing more than a mediocre coach, at best. His failures are distorted by his father’s legacy and the fact that he is seemingly a “nice guy”. The painful reality is that the university isn’t paying JT3 to just be a nice guy, they are paying him to win basketball games. And as great as he (and anyone else) thinks the Princeton offense is, they’re wrong. It doesn’t win championships, never had, never will. And worse, it is the MOST BORING offense for fans to watch. With so much talent in the DC metro area, JT3 should not be struggling like he has been over the years. Maybe he should considering taking an internship on Shaka Smart’s coaching staff to learn what passionate and inspirational coaching really looks like. I think we are one loss away from broadcasting Gtown basketball on PBS, delayed feed, at 3am. Please wake up from the dream Gtown Alumni and part ways with this guy. The university, students, and alumni deserve better from their athletics programs.

  • Jack

    Hoyas grabbed a top 40 player from Class of 2012 this weekend – D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Oak Hill Academy – PG/SG) gave JT3 his verbal on Sat… go Hoyas!!

    • LD

      You know, Jack great to hear from you again, it certainly has been an interesting off season with the fight and like I said before I am not against the team. Hopefully Otto and D’ Vanuntes Smith-Rivera pan out. My issues are more system related, but it is a new season, so I certainly start off the season with an optmistic approach. Thanks again for your comments.

  • Jack

    The Hoyas and JT3 are off to a strong start Lewis!! Picked to finish 10th in the Big East preseason polls and totally unranked preseason they have already knocked off Memphis (#8 at the time) and Alabama – at Alabama!! – (#12 at the time)… there only L is to a talented Kansas squad and that was a tight game that KU won by 4… With such a young team (10 players either soph or fresh) i hope you’ll admit that JT3 is doing one hell of a job so far with this squad…

    • LD

      Happy Holidays to you and yours. The Hoyas are off to an 8-1 impressive start and you have to like the fact that they are currently in the top 30 on offensive and defensive efficiency. The infamous fight definitely bonded the team and a lot more credit needs to go to assistant coach Robert Kirby as from my understanding a lot of the team respects and likes him a little more than JT3. 

      Here’s the thing all a team can do is play the schedule before them, but if Georgetown were 4-5 right now, nothing would be said either, so it is really tough to get a gauge of if the program is moving in the right direction or not. I choose not to be a prisoner of the moment, because no one is really going to care if the team finishes say 15-15 or better because this was viewed as a rebuilding year. They desperately need to recruit two guys who can shoot the 3 pt. ball as it is a must in today’s college game as right now they are outside of the top 75 in this category, which is not acceptable. You will also see a lot defenses adjust to the team because of this in coming weeks.

      In the big picture, JT3 has saved his job, which is great for him. If only the regular season were shorter, but everything is based whole body of work. I do like the fact this year that I think things are a little more wide open and if the team could get hot at the right time of the year, they could sneak up on some teams this season. The other side of me says this is supposed to be Georgetown Basketball and the fact that expectations are so low is a bigger problem.  So my friend, lets see how this thing continues to play out and assess from that point forward.  Right now, all is well is Hoya-land.  Congrats! 

  • Jack

    Wow!! JT3 is now in the picture for National Coach of the Year for 2011-2012!! Pretty far from the “Hot Seat” Lewis… 13-1 overall and 3-0 to start the Big East with wins over #8, at the time, Memphis (twice now), #12, at the time, Alabama (away), #4, at the time, Louisville (away), and #20 Marquette last night!! Does that crow taste like chicken Lewis??

  • Jack

    Hello?????

    • LD

      Well it has been an interesting season so far, our debate is essentially a glass full or glass empty debate rooted around does the program have the right leader to win a national championship? It has taken its twists and turns, and we will continue to disagree.

      I haven’t heard any coach of the year mention, but I will take your word for it as the team could finish anywhere between 2nd to 6th in the Big East still. It certainly will be interesting to see how conference realignment will affect the program going forward?

      The next few weeks will certainly give us the opportunity to discuss many issues as the season unfolds. Let’s see how it plays out. 

    • Lewis Dawson

      To a great Hoya fan:

      It is no surprise that we will disagree once again on the state of Georgetown basketball and what needs to happen with JT3.

      “The good in JT3:”
      He was more involved and demonstrative season as the head coach.
      this season.

      His ability to make fight in China good for the team.  (Evidence Marquette victory at home)

      Team was tougher this season.

      Won a tournament game.

      Experts predicted 10th, team finished 5th in Big East

      Defense. Top 5 or 10 in the country.

      “The bad in JT3″
      Princeton offense: It is time for a change. Huge problem. All anyone talked about with the team was how the athleticism and length of the team caused so many problems for opposing offenses, yet that same athleticism and length never will translate in a Princeton offense. It is the same issue year in and year out.

      JT3 is heading into 9th season last three losses: Ohio, VCU and NC State.  Those matchups should favor the Hoyas on paper. It is just does not seem elite. Experts are now starting to project an upset almost in any competitive game regardless of seed, clear sign Hoyas far to easy to prepare for.

      Georgetown proved again to be one of the more overrated programs in the country. It is a misleading 24-9 record this season, but the time has come to stop simply touting the fact JT3 wins .693 of his games because when you compare other coaches, many have a much higher win percentage, 75 percent or higher when teams shoot what many teams shot against G’town’s defense this season.  Check what percentage of games Roy Williams, Coach K, Bo Ryan win when they teams shut teams down like G’town on defense, then you will  get a clearer picture of how JT3 is performing compared to other coaches around the country.

      Athleticism and length must be better reflected by the tempo and speed of the offense. The team must get more easy baskets.

      All in all it was a good season, not great by any means 5th in Big East, Top 8 finish in Big East tournament, Round of 32 exit. If the offense doesn’t change, the program should consider hiring another head coach starting with Larry Brown or somebody else, because if the defensive numbers of the program stay great, just with a tweak of the offense, the program could once again consistently be an elite 8 or Final Four program. There is enough talent. It will be another interesting off season. Be interested to hear your thoughts on the season.