Big East Conference Play Approaches...
and Tom and John Admit Their Generational Biases
Tom's Thoughts:
As we approach this weekend, and the start of the Year 2007, I am very anxious for conference play to begin. The Hoyas have a difficult game on December 30th at Michigan. Then after the New Year, games with Notre Dame, Villanova, and a road trip to Pittsburgh loom. One can never take a conference foe for granted, especially this year. I am now planning my trip to Pittsburgh for the game on January 13th. Hopefully, we can have a decent showing of Hoya fans. In spite of our loss to Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium, my friends from Duke University kept commenting that there were so many Hoya fans at the game, and that they never see that many opposing fans in their house. It was a good feeling to see the support for Hoya Basketball.
In addition to reminders about pre and post game parties, I want to mention once again the important date: the 100th anniversary of GU Basketball on February 10, 2007. We are playing a great opponent in Marquette that date, with the celebration that evening at the Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown.
Also, for those very few who are not aware, there are some great items on sale with the 100th anniversary GU Basketball Logo: T-shirts, hats, Dry-Fit Nike Polo shirts, and other items yet to come. Please see guhoyas.com for more details. They are also available in the GU bookstore, and at home games at Modell's in the Verizon Center.
Please remember to visit guhoyas100.com for more information on the 100th anniversary. There are frequent updates, videos, and you can vote for the 25 greatest players in Georgetown history. I very strongly believe that it is impossible and unfair to compare players from different eras. If you go to www.hoyasaxa.com you can see a growing list of the 100 Greatest Players in Georgetown History. While no method of selection is without flaws, it is too tempting to resist. Here is my personal list of the 20 greatest players in GU basketball history. I freely admit that I am a little biased being a faithful member of "Generation Ewing." I have also limited myself from the mid-1970's to today. These are the players I have seen play in person. I cannot make any true judgment of players I have never seen play. Here is my list of the 20 greatest players in order:
1) Patrick Ewing
2) Alonzo Mourning
3) Allen Iverson
4) Eric Floyd
5) John Duren
6) Reggie Williams
7) Dikembe Mutombo
8) David Wingate
9) Charles Smith
10) Michael Sweetney
11) Craig Shelton
12) Michael Jackson
13) Othella Harrington
14) Jaren Jackson
15) Jerome Williams
16) Derrick Jackson
17) Eric Smith
18) Joey Brown
19) Mark Tillmon
20) Bill Martin
John's Thoughts
Like Tom I've been following both the guhoyas100.com page and hoyasaxa.com's 100 Greatest Players countdown. On Wednesday afternoon, I was sitting in the B terminal at Palm Beach International Airport waiting for a flight (I have a history of following Georgetown basketball in airports). As it happens, that day's player (#28 on the list) was one of my favorite from Generation Burton--none other than Kevin Braswell.
Although anyone who knows me is aware that Nat Burton (#72 on the list) was the author of the most memorable moment in my four years as a Georgetown undergraduate--the layup as time expired to defeat Arkansas in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament--Kevin Braswell was the hero of my formative experience as a Georgetown basketball fan.
On March 15, 2000--exactly a year before Burton's layup--I sat in front of a television in Florida, my future uncertain. I'd always been a Big East basketball fan, having followed the Miami Hurricanes since I was nine years old. I'd also always disliked Georgetown, in particular the Hoyas' propensity for knocking the Canes out of the Big East Tournament.
Yet I'd had a change of heart the previous summer. After visiting the Hilltop for a week-long summer program, I was hooked. I learned the Fight Song. I bled Hoya Blue. And on this night, I grew to love Kevin Braswell--and the Georgetown Hoyas.
Kevin put up a career-high 40 points that night, almost literally leaving everything on the court (he needed to be given intravenous fluid after the game) in a 115-111 three-overtime victory over the Virginia Cavaliers. It was the first time I rooted for the Georgetown Hoyas in my life. At the time, I thought I'd witnessed the most thrilling college basketball game of my life, and I knew being a Georgetown basketball fan was going to be amazing...
... now, if I could only get into Georgetown.
Sure enough, a little over two weeks later, my acceptance letter arrived in the mail. That night, two schools I turned down to come to Georgetown--Florida and North Carolina--played in the NCAA Final Four. Those schools happen to represent the last two National Champions. But I don't regret the decision for a second--I wouldn't trade Kevin Braswell for any of it--and yes, I'm including the 116-111 four-overtime loss to Notre Dame a few years later.
Some days you go for forty points...some days you can't buy the two points you need at the end of regulation (or overtime, or the second overtime...). Such was the career of Kevin Braswell, and such is life as a Hoya fan. You never know what's coming on the next possession.
Far be it for me to attempt such a feat as Tom's Top 20 list--I'm confident that I am at least as biased towards Generation Burton as he is towards Generation Ewing.
I'll just point out that Kevin Braswell IS on the All-Century Team ballot.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAME IF YOU AREN'T INVADING ANN ARBOR:
Game time is Saturday December 30th at noon (ET).
Game Watch Parties: As always, for a complete list of official Hoya Hoop Club Game Watch parties, check out the Hoop Club Events page here.
If you're interested in hosting a Game Watch Party during the Big East season, send an email to hoyasunlimited@georgetown.edu or call 202-687-7159. Make sure to send along the details about your Game Watch (venue, address, date/time) and an address where we can send you the official Hoop Club Party Pack.
The Arlington Game Watch parties at Mister Days and Summers have been a huge hit with local Hoya fans this season. The Party Packs have proven rather popular as well, judging by the number of my fellow Young Alums in Section 118 sporting their new We Are Georgetown shirts at the Verizon Center during non-conference games.
Television: Saturday's game will be carried live on ESPN2 beginning at noon. Dave O'Brien will have the play-by-play, with color commentators Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery.
Radio: Rich "The Voice of the Hoyas" Chvotkin will be calling his 1,008th Georgetown basketball game on WTEM SportsTalk 980. Coverage begins at noon.
LASTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Big East Tournament ticket orders are due January 15th!
(Tom: "I need to get my order in the mail today!")
(John: "I need to get working on planning the local Game Watch!")
HOYA SAXA!!!
Dr. Thomas A. Wong C'82
Proud Member of Generation Ewing
John Hawkes F'04 Proud Member of Generation Burton
