Oct. 1, 2008
A Big Month for Big Man U: Georgetown Big Men Shine During a Memorable September!!
Georgetown has long been acknowledged as Big Man U - - the premier program for high school big men of considerable promise to come to hone their games and prepare themselves for their futures in the NBA and beyond. Through the actions and accomplishments of four of Georgetown's big men over the years, the month of September amply demonstrated why Georgetown so richly deserves its reputation. The alpha and the omega of Georgetown's legendary big men - - Patrick Ewing (C '85) and Alonzo Mourning (C '92) - - began and ended the month with moments of great pride for themselves, their families and their University. And in between two of their younger descendants - - Patrick Ewing, Jr. (C '08) and Roy Hibbert (C '08) - - demonstrated that the apples have not fallen too far from the tree and that the concept of "old school" still applies when it comes to Georgetown.
September began with the induction of the greatest Hoya basketball player of all time - - Patrick Ewing - - into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts in his first year of eligibility. And he entered in a storied class that, among others, included appropriately Patrick's longtime collegiate and NBA rival, Hakeem Olajuwon, his former Knicks coach, formerly the ringmaster of Showtime in Los Angeles, Pat Riley, and Washington D.C. high school legend, Adrian Dantley. As I watched the proceedings on ESPN, I noticed that the flag dedicated to Patrick contained both the logo of the Knicks and the Georgetown symbol. As I recall, Olajuwon and Dantley's flags contained only their professional affiliations. After being presented by Georgetown's other basketball Hall of Famer, Coach John Thompson, Jr, Patrick specifically thanked, among others, his Coach Thompson, Ms. Lorry Michel and the "professors, presidents, students and alumni of Georgetown." He also thanked his Georgetown teammates, several of whom were in the audience, including Ralph Dalton, Reggie Williams, Michael Jackson, Ron Blaylock, and John Duren. He also gave special acknowledgment to Alonzo Mourning, who also was in the audience and who will join Patrick in Springfield one day. Speaking of his Georgetown experience, Patrick stated that he came as a boy and left as a man! It was a classy performance by a class act!! But then again, he is a Georgetown Man!!
The next Hoya big man who made news in September was Patrick's son, Patrick Ewing, Jr. Patrick Jr. chose to wear the number "6" with the New York Knicks in honor of Celtic great Bill Russell. Even though the Knicks have retired Patrick's number 33, Patrick had said that his son could wear it. Patrick, Jr., however, chose to honor the greatest winner in the history of team sports by selecting Russell's number 6. By so doing, Patrick, Jr. demonstrated not only his awareness of the history of the game but also of his basketball lineage. By his actions in choosing number 6 for Bill Russell, Patrick Jr. plainly demonstrated that he understands that he "stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before him." It was a classy performance by a class act!! But then again, he is a Georgetown Man!!
Roy Hibbert, who will be playing for the Indiana Pacers this season, was the next Hoya big man in the September spotlight and, again, for all the right reasons. In a feature article titled "You Can't Question Hibbert's Work Ethic," Indianapolis Star sports writer Mike Wells detailed how Roy told him that he went around the city looking for five-on-five games. And Wells quoted Roy's coach with the Pacers, Jim O'Brien as saying about Roy, "I've never seen a young person - and this is my 12th year in the NBA - work harder and is more opened to being coached than Roy." "If he gets to Conseco [Pacers' facility] at noon, you can be assured that he is going to be drenched in sweat." To anyone who recalled how hard Roy worked each Summer on the Hilltop with the resulting year-to-year progress in his game that the Summer provided, these comments are not that surprising. Nevertheless, in an era of so many NBA knuckleheads, it is good to see that that our young Georgetown Men approach their craft in the best "old school" way - - just as their Hoya forebearers did. And reflecting the influence of his college coach, John Thompson, III, Roy stated about his progress, that "I think it's baby steps right now." It was a classy performance by a class act!! But then again, he is a Georgetown Man!!
Finally, as September drew to a close, Alonzo Mourning released his long-awaited autobiography, Resilience: Faith, Focus, Triumph. According to the publisher's blurb, Resilience is the "stuff he's made of." "His faith, his determination, and his courage are what have driven and sustained him throughout his extraordinary life." After he received a second chance at life by his 2003 kidney transplant, Alonzo "vowed to make this second chance count by dedicating his life to others. He resolved that he would consider the disease a blessing, a revelation of God's plan for him." "Resilience is a story about the meaningful lessons that he longs to share and about the things that truly matter in life." Resilience is a must read for anyone interested in finding out the true meaning of the Jesuit ideal of curas personalis. Again, another classy performance by a class act!! But then again, he is a Georgetown Man!!
Alonzo will be at the Barnes & Noble in Georgetown (3040 M Street, N.W.) for a book signing tonight (Wednesday, October 1, 2008) at 7:30!! Other book signings are planned in major cities around the country. So Hoya fans, show up in your blue and grey and give this extraordinary man some Hoya love. Thank him for being such an indomitable warrior in all phases of his life!! Thank him for being such a great example!! Thank him for making us all so proud of him and our university!!
WE ARE GEORGETOWN!!
Michael E. Karam, F '72, L '76, L `81
Proud Member of Generation Laughna
