Jan. 14, 2012
The Trials of Our Hoya Heroes
I never watched the show the Greatest American Hero, but I loved its theme song. I
do not watch many TV shows, but I loved the show "Smallville." the trials of Superman
aka Kal El the last member of the House of El. I have many Georgetown shirts, but the
Super G shirt from the late 1990's is one I really wish I had. I have the G shield on a
money clip that I bring to important games to fight off our Big East opponents. In the
show Smallville, the young Clark Kent goes through a series of trials in Jor El's Fortress
of Solitude to learn how to become a true hero. It is indeed a long journey because he
must find the hero from within. He learns that heroes are made in the moment, and that
everyone has a hero inside of him that needs to be brought out. In the end he becomes
the world's savior leading a new silver age of heroism where people look up into the sky
with hope for tomorrow.
Our Hoya heroes will look tomorrow to rebound from their two game Big East losing
streak. Their journey started in heat of July in the House of Thompson aka McDonough
Gymnasium. The journey continued in China, Maui, Alabama, and now in Madison
Square Garden--the World's Most Famous Arena. The Garden has undergone a
recent renovation. It has been the scene of many of the Georgetown Hoyas greatest
moments, and has been our home away from home. It seems like yesterday when
I entered the Garden for the "Sweater Game." It was like attending the Ali-Frazier
Heavyweight Championship in the Garden. The fans thrived on the DC versus NY
basketball arguments. I have never been to a game where there was such a buzz and
tension throughout the arena. John Thompson Jr's Hoyas would down the Redmen that
night in what Lou Carnesseca would call the "Recevinta," or the rubber match. One of
the keys was David Wingate's tremendous defense on St. John's star Chris Mullin.
As the Hoya Nation enters the new Garden tomorrow it will look to start a new set of
memories. The Latin for memory is very good here, "Monumentum." The team is
building a memory, and is giving us many great memories. The last two losses have
reminded us that they are young, and it is a long season. They are still learning from
coach JT III and the rest of the staff in the classroom at Georgetown. It is no secret to
my friends, that every day I walk to work on the streets of Manhattan looking up into
the sky with hope for tomorrow. I truly love this team with its combination of youth
and experience. The freshmen Otto Porter, Jabril Trawick, Greg Wittington, and
Mikael Hopkins are learning what the upperclassmen already know: it is usually the
fundamentals like rebounding, and defense that wins games. Our Hoya Heroes only
need to look within.
I am filled with anticipation for this game tomorrow. The Hoya Nation is now beginning
to invade the island of Manhattan on this Martin Luther King weekend. I am running out
to my office now to put in a few hours of work, and am looking up into the sky with hope
for tomorrow! I cannot wait to see Henry Sims, Jason Clark, Hollis Thompson, et al
walk to MSG's center court to the sounds of "Let's Play Ball!" It will be another Big East
Battle. For those of us who know the rivalry, all you have to say is that it is Georgetown
against St. John's. Let's fill the Garden with the chants of Hoya Saxa!
We are Georgetown!
Dr. Thomas A. Wong
Hoya Hoop Club Vice President--Communication
Proud Member of Generation Ewing
