John Thompson (basketball) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article, except for the section called "Controversy," does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008) For other persons named John Thompson, see John Thompson (disambiguation). John Thompson, Jr. (born September 2, 1941) is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator. In 1984, he became the first African American head coach to win the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship when Georgetown defeated the University of Houston 84–75. Contents [hide] 1 Playing career 2 Coaching career 2.1 Georgetown 2.1.1 Hoya Paranoia and the glory years 2.1.2 Controversy 2.1.3 Taking on the Most Powerful Drug Lord in D.C. 2.2 1988 Olympic Team 2.3 Resignation 3 Commentator 4 References [edit] Playing career Thompson was born in Washington, D.C. After attending Archbishop John Carroll High School in Washington, Thompson went to Providence College. At Providence, Thompson was a part of the 1963 NIT Championship team, and was part of the first Providence NCAA tournament team in 1964. He was an All-American in his senior year of 1964. He is currently eleventh on the all-time scoring list at PC, fourth in scoring average, sixth in field goal percentage, and third in rebounds. He graduated as the school leader in points, scoring average, and field goal percentage, and second in rebounds. He played two years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Boston Celtics in 1964–1966. At 6'10" (2.08 m), 270 lbs (122.7 kg) he backed up Bill Russell, the Celtics' star center, en route to two championships. Nicknamed "The Caddy" for his secondary role to Russell, his career as a player was unimpressive, however, and he retired in 1966 to coach at St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C.. After racking up an impressive 122–28 record as a high school coach, Thompson was hired to become the head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University. Before retiring from playing basketball in 1966, Thompson had been selected by the Chicago Bulls in that year's expansion draft. [edit] Coaching career [edit] Georgetown Thompson, an imposing figure on the sidelines who towered over many opposing coaches (and players, for that matter), was often noted for the trademark white towel that he carried on his shoulder during the games, a color from which his critics took symbolic meaning. Inheriting a Georgetown team which had been just 3–23 the year before, Thompson quickly and dramatically improved the team, making the NCAA tournament within three seasons. Over the following 27 years, Thompson's Hoyas went an impressive 596-239 (.714), running off a streak of 24 postseason

appearances - 20 in the NCAA tournament, four in the NIT - including a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979–1992 that saw three Final Four appearances in 1982, 1984 and 1985, winning a National Championship in 1984 and narrowly missing a repeat the next year by losing to underdog Villanova. Thompson still holds conference records for most overall Big East wins (231), most regular-season Big East wins (198) and conference championships (seven regular season, six tournaments). He won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association and The Sporting News (1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985) and United Press International (1987). Thompson coached many notable players, including Patrick Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Ewing by the New York Knicks in 1985 and Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996. [edit] Hoya Paranoia and the glory years During the Hoya's glory years the term "Hoya Paranoia" became indelibly linked to Thompson and Georgetown basketball program. The term was originally coined by Mark Asher of The Washington Post and used to describe Hoya fans’ insecurity toward pro-Maryland media bias, but it soon came to refer to the team’s unusual forced seclusion from the media and Thompson's suffocating control over his program. Unlike most programs of the day, Thompson's practices were closed to the media and the players were placed off-limits to the members of the press. Backers of Thompson would defend Thompson's actions as his way of protecting his program and its players from detrimental media coverage and attention. In very real ethnocentric terms Georgetown in the 1980s was viewed as a team of Twelve Angry Men—or, to be very specific, "Twelve Angry Black Men." They had a cadre of intimidating players, who happened to be African American, their reputations enhanced by the stifling press defense and aggressive offense which Thompson employed and encouraged. Of course, much of it was fictionalized and borne out of racial stereotypes of the time. For example, it was oft-reported Thompson made the Hoyas stay more than an hour away from Seattle in Canada when they won the national title in 1984. In reality, they stayed across the street from the airport, less than a half-hour out of town. There were other embellishments that lent credence to Thompson's us-against-our-detractors world. Thompson was a master tactician, employing a psychological chip on the shoulder of his teams by creating an "us against them" mentality among his players. Whether he specifically used race as the binding force in this belief is debatable although what certainly is not is the media's perception and perpetuation of the belief that he did. [edit] Controversy John Thompson's career as head coach of Georgetown was full of controversy. Perhaps one of the most controversial incidents was the hanging of a sign in the McDonough Gym. In 1975, after another perceived mediocre year, a sign was hung at the top of the rafters reading "Thompson the (n-word) flop must go."[1] The University quickly took down the sign and silenced talks for his termination. [edit] Taking on the Most Powerful Drug Lord in D.C. In the late 1980s, Thompson got word that several of his players, including Alonzo Mourning, were associating with noted DC drug lord (and avid Hoya fan) Rayful Edmond III.[2] At the height of his empire, Edmond became very friendly with several Hoya players. When Thompson received word of what was happening, he sent word through his sources to have Edmond meet him at his office at McDonough Gymnasium. When Edmond arrived, Thompson was initially cordial, and informed Edmond that he needed to cease all contacts with his players post haste, specifically John Turner and Mourning, both of whom had befriended Edmond.[3] When Edmond tried to assure him that his players were not involved in anything illegal, the 6'10" Thompson

stood up and pointed his index finger between Edmond's eyes. A profanity-laced tirade ensued, in which Thompson told Edmond he didn't give an (expletive) who Edmond was on the street or his crew's violent reputation; he had crossed the line with his players, and that he wasn't going to let Edmond (expletive) up their lives. If Edmond had any sense of intelligence, the coach continued, he'd be wise not to (expletive) with Thompson. Thompson's parting words to Edmond before dismissing him was that he was not going to repeat himself: Stay the (expletive) away from his players, or Edmond would suffer serious consequences.[4] It has even been suggested that Thompson told Edmond he would '(expletive) kill' him if he did not leave his Hoyas alone, and 'dared' Edmond to try him.[5] By all accounts, Edmond never associated with another Hoya player on a personal level. It is believed that Thompson is the only person to stand up to Edmond without consequence,[6] initially causing some shock and surprise that there was no reprisal against Thompson for standing up to Edmond.[7] While he felt embarrassed and humiliated by the encounter, Edmond could not bring himself to seek any retaliation whatsoever. Thompson was a black man Edmond truly admired and revered, and he respected the honor, presence, and leadership role that Thompson commanded in the black community. Aside from that, Thompson's imposing stature and celebrity status likely would have made any such attempts at retaliation back fire. [edit] 1988 Olympic Team Thompson, who had served as an assistant coach for the gold medal winning team in the 1976 Summer Olympics, coached the United States team at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Although favored to win the international tournament, the United States was narrowly defeated by the Soviet Union in the semi-finals 82-76, marking the first time the United States did not reach the gold medal game. The team proceeded to win its final game against Australia to secure the bronze medal. News of the humiliating loss sent shockwaves across the country and following the conclusion of the 1988 Olympics, Thompson came under heavy criticism for the players he selected for the team and the coaching style he employed. In particular, his critics pointed to the absence of notable players such as 1989 Naismith College Player of the Year Danny Ferry, and the inclusion of Mourning (then just a high school player) as one of the 17 Olympic team finalists, as examples of Thompson's professional incompetence during the selection process. Critics would additionally cite the Ferry/Mourning case as further proof of Thompson's blatant racism, although it must be noted that Ferry injured his knee during a pre-draft workout with the Washington Bullets prior to the final cut. Thompson proponents often point to Bobby Knight's handling of the 1984 Olympic Team (in which future Hall of Famers Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and John Stockton were cut, and Knight's star white guard Steve Alford was kept), as examples of the double standard to which black coaches are often held. [edit] Resignation On January 8, 1999, Thompson shocked the sports world by announcing his resignation as Georgetown's head coach, citing marriage problems. The legendary coach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on October 1, 1999. Thompson was replaced by longtime assistant Craig Esherick, a popular player's coach. Esherick was fired in 2004 and replaced by John

Thompson III, the old coach's eldest son. At the time the elder Thompson was serving Georgetown in what Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, university president, referred to as a "coach emeritus" position, assisting on academic, athletic and community projects. His younger son, Ronny Thompson, formerly an assistant coach at Georgetown, had been the head coach at Ball State University. [edit] Commentator After retiring from coaching, Thompson continued to be active in basketball as a commentator for both professional (mainly for TNT) and collegiate games. He also hosts The John Thompson Show, a sports talk show on ESPN 980 (formly Sports talk 980) in Washington, D.C. Thompson is perhaps best known for preluding interviews with the statement, "let me ask you a question..." Thompson signed a lifetime contract with Clear Channel Radio and SportsTalk 980 in Feb. 2006. He continues to spend a lot of time around the Georgetown basketball program, including traveling to road games and participating in press conferences. He works with the former Washington Redskins kick returner Brian Mitchell and his producer Chuck Sapienza. [show]v • d • eBoston Celtics 1964–65 NBA Champions 4 Ward | 5 Thompson | 6 Russell | 11 Counts | 12 Naulls | 15 Heinsohn | 16 Sanders | 17 Havlicek | 20 Siegfried | 21 Bonham | 24 S. Jones | 25 K.C. Jones | 34 Nordman | Coach Auerbach [show]v • d • eBoston Celtics 1965–66 NBA Champions 5 Thompson | 6 Russell | 11 Counts | 12 Naulls | 12 Watts | 16 Sanders | 17 Havlicek | 18 Sauldsberry | 19 Nelson | 20 Siegfried | 21 Bonham | 24 S. Jones | 25 K.C. Jones | 28 Green | Coach Auerbach [show]v • d • eGeorgetown Hoyas head basketball coaches Joyce • Colliflower • O'Reilly • Colliflower • Maloney • O'Reilly • Ripley • Dudak • Colrich • Mesmer • Ripley • Engles • Ripley • O'Grady • Jeannette • Nolan • O'Keefe • Magee • Thompson, Jr. • Esherick • Thompson III [show]v • d • eGeorgetown Hoyas Basketball 1983-1984 NCAA Champions Horace Broadnax | Fred Brown | Ralph Dalton | Patrick Ewing | Michael Graham | Michael Jackson | Bill Martin | Gene Smith | Reggie Williams | David Wingate Coach John Thompson [show]v • d • e 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalists Men's Basketball – United States Richmond | C. Smith IV | Coles | Hawkins | Grayer | C.D. Smith | Anderson | Augmon | Majerle | Manning | Reid | Robinson | Coach: Thompson [show]v • d • eNike, Inc. Corporate directors John G. Connors · Jill Ker Conway · Timothy D. Cook · Ralph D. DeNunzio · Alan B. Graf · Douglas G. Houser · Jeanne P. Jackson · Phil Knight · Mark Parker · Orin C. Smith · John Thompson Assets and products Air Jordan · Air Melo Line · Cole Haan · Converse · Exeter Brands Group · Hurley · Nike Air Max · Nike Considered · Nike Free · Nike Golf · Nike Shox · Nike SB · Swoosh · Team Starter · Nike Total 90 · Umbro Annual revenue: $15 billion USD (▲9.5% FY 2005) · Employees: 26,500 · Stock symbol: NYSE: NKE · Website: www.nike.com [edit] References ^ "Signs of Change". ^ ESPN - ESPN The Magazine ^ Michael Wilbon - A Coach, Not a Crusader - washingtonpost.com ^ 'Big John Is Still Big John' - washingtonpost.com ^ http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:gQJRuJPtsWkJ:www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/index.php%3Ftopic%3D39404.50+rayful+edmond+john+thompson&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=37&gl=us ^ http://www.bouncemag.com/2008/09/02/washington-dc-hoops-john-thompson-playground-basketball-georgetown-hoyas-alejandro-ali-danois-big-east-conference/ ^ 411mania.com: Movies - American Gangster: Season Two - Disc 3 Review Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thompson_(basketball)" Categories: 1941 births | African American sports coaches | American basketball coaches | American basketball players | American radio personalities | Basketball Hall of Fame inductees | Boston Celtics draft picks | Boston Celtics players | Chicago Bulls expansion draft picks | Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball coaches | Living people | National Basketball Association broadcasters | Nike, Inc. people | People from Washington, D.C. | Providence College alumni | Providence Friars men's basketball players