RIP John Thompson | Page 3 | Syracusefan.com

RIP John Thompson

Never understood the hatred. His 1990 ejection was staged to great effect. He wanted to get ejected because he knew basketball on that stage was entertainment and it would be good for ratings and the rivarly. WWF style. Dixon, Hurley, and Dancing Randy are unlikeable. JT was not at that level. Not even close. JT was a character and knew every good show needs a villain. The others are just ass twits.
 
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DoctorBombay said:
Seriously, guys? This is what you come up with on the day of the man’s death?
Did u know him personally? Because JB sure did and they were good friends.
Grow the cfk up already. You didn’t have to like him, but no question he deserved respect for his accomplishments. Pathetic. SMDH
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See what DC said, that tells the whole story.
 
RIP...

I hope these don't come in threes, cause I woke up really early this past Friday to see a CBS Sports app notification on my phone. I have them set for Cuse basketball. I saw the orange "S" and headline of "Legendary Basketball coach dies..." I didn't have my contacts in so the rest was blurry; but I got straight up scared as hell...finally read the whole thing about Lute Olson... geez...
 
RF2044 said:
The best game I've ever been to -- hands down -- and I've been season ticket holder for years, gone to Final Four games, attended the Elite 8 game when we beat UNC en route to the NC game in '87, etc.

...was the Syracuse come from behind, OT victory over Georgetown in the final regular season game of the 1989 season. Sherman Douglas's last game in the Dome.

We were down huge, and they were taking us apart. Then David Johnson had a tip slam over Mutombo off of a missed Billy Owens drive, and the crowd began to buzz. As we fought our way back from being down double digits, the crowd volume just got louder and louder and louder.

I've never heard the Dome so electric. It was amazing! And it was even more special because it came against Gtown. Like you, Eric, I probably watched that game 100 times on VHS tape back in the day.
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yep, I was there, my senior year. It may have been the loudest I have ever heard the Dome for basketball, it was shaking when we made that comeback.
 
Washington Post obit ... his hometown newspaper. A really good description of him .. and what he meant to the sport.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/john-thompson-death-georgetown-coach/2020/08/31/cd8f4846-eb69-11ea-ab4e-581edb849379_story.html?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_news__alert-sports--alert-national--alert-local&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.XxE6lHTr7nFlZZeYc3DikVbejWeX7yL_evqqx-aD42E
 
djorange1989 said:
yep, I was there, my senior year. It may have been the loudest I have ever heard the Dome for basketball, it was shaking when we made that comeback.
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Great game, The Orange into the backboard , pull my team, Pearl hits the last shot was a great one as well. I was at that one.
 
RF2044 said:
The best game I've ever been to -- hands down -- and I've been season ticket holder for years, gone to Final Four games, attended the Elite 8 game when we beat UNC en route to the NC game in '87, etc.

...was the Syracuse come from behind, OT victory over Georgetown in the final regular season game of the 1989 season. Sherman Douglas's last game in the Dome.

We were down huge, and they were taking us apart. Then David Johnson had a tip slam over Mutombo off of a missed Billy Owens drive, and the crowd began to buzz. As we fought our way back from being down double digits, the crowd volume just got louder and louder and louder.

I've never heard the Dome so electric. It was amazing! And it was even more special because it came against Gtown. Like you, Eric, I probably watched that game 100 times on VHS tape back in the day.
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Sherman reverse dunk in OT. Dude barely dunked his entire career and reversed one to cap it off. Also my fav game of all time. The Dome was a madhouse. And JT and Gtown fueled that.
 
Arangeman said:
Sherman reverse dunk in OT. Dude barely dunked his entire career and reversed one to cap it off. Also my fav game of all time. The Dome was a madhouse. And JT and Gtown fueled that.
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Cool story about that play -- so, no secret on this forum that Sherman Douglas is my favorite SU player of all time. And as described above, that particular Georgetown game is the best game I've ever been to.

A couple of years ago, my father came across a photo of Sherman doing that reverse dunk right at the end of the game at the buzzer hanging on somebody's wall. He "borrowed" the photo, blew it up to poster size, and gave it to me as a gift.

Talk about meaningful -- I knew exactly what it was the moment I saw it.
 
My favorite JT memory - I was at a game (96 I think) and he and JB were talking with the ref. JT jokingly shoved Boeheim. The crowd roared and I screamed “Cmon Jimmy, you can take him!” Glad they weren’t actually fighting
 
RF2044 said:
Cool story about that play -- so, no secret on this forum that Sherman Douglas is my favorite SU player of all time. And as described above, that particular Georgetown game is the best game I've ever been to.

A couple of years ago, my father came across a photo of Sherman doing that reverse dunk right at the end of the game at the buzzer hanging on somebody's wall. He "borrowed" the photo, blew it up to poster size, and gave it to me as a gift.

Talk about meaningful -- I knew exactly what it was the moment I saw it.
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That’s awesome. Right there with you on Sherm and that play. I’ve never lost my mind more in the Dome. Rob Moore comes close.
 
Shrmdougluvr said:
My irrational hatred of him stemmed from his not picking a single Orangeman for the 1988 Summer Olympics team. I suppose I should let it go now. RIP.
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And you saw how badly that team flamed out, right? I think he chose that little PG of his over Sherm, & tried to play GTown-style press and foul in international ball.
Needless to say it was an epic failure that eventually led to the Dream Team. Much as I hated watching us lose the Gold, I couldn’t help but be happy it was happening to Mr. “Manley Fieldhouse is officially closed”. My GTown buddies have never heard the end of it & one just texted to ask: “Now will you let it go”? No way! Lol
RIP Big John.
 
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cto said:
Washington Post obit ... his hometown newspaper. A really good description of him .. and what he meant to the sport.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/john-thompson-death-georgetown-coach/2020/08/31/cd8f4846-eb69-11ea-ab4e-581edb849379_story.html?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_news__alert-sports--alert-national--alert-local&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.XxE6lHTr7nFlZZeYc3DikVbejWeX7yL_evqqx-aD42E
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I am shocked by how saddened I am by this, which I suppose is a reflection of Thompson's incredible standing in the game, but also because it speaks to competition, rivalry and the power of sport as a whole. I think it also harkens so many, here, back to a simpler time, a fun time and a fleet of fond memories. I hate/dislike Georgetown Hoyas basketball, but there is a begrudging respect there, too. And that stems from John Thompson Jr.

And lastly, don't ever let it be said that Syracuse's blood rival is not Georgetown. If you do, you quickly lose me, because you don't know the story of our program.
 
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cto said:
Washington Post obit ... his hometown newspaper. A really good description of him .. and what he meant to the sport.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/john-thompson-death-georgetown-coach/2020/08/31/cd8f4846-eb69-11ea-ab4e-581edb849379_story.html?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_news__alert-sports--alert-national--alert-local&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.XxE6lHTr7nFlZZeYc3DikVbejWeX7yL_evqqx-aD42E
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Very well done piece. Gained a lot of respect for Coach T. after reading that. Very sad week for college basketball with this loss and Coach Olsen.
 
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SU94 said:
I am shocked by how saddened I am by this, which I suppose is a reflection of Thompson's incredible standing in the game, but also because it speaks to competition, rivalry and the power of sport as a whole. I think it also harkens so many, here, back to a simpler time, a fun time and a fleet of fond memories. I hate/dislike Georgetown Hoyas basketball, but there is a begrudging respect there too. And that stems from John Thompson Jr.

And lastly, don't ever let it be said that Syracuse's blood rival is not Georgetown. If you do, you quickly lose me, because you don't know the story of our program.
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Amen.
 
I did not become a Syracuse fan until 1987, so I missed the Manley Field House incident. I understood Gtown was our rival but never felt the hatred. I believe one of the first Dome games I attended was the one where Thompson handed his glasses to the ref and was expelled. The GLORY of that moment!! I laughed until I almost fell down. I appreciated the flair. I felt the rivalry was one of the best in basketball and was proud of the rivalry. It was a pure adrenaline rush and I LOVED it.

Thank you, Coach, for the memories and condolences to his family. He was literally and figuratively a giant of a man.
 
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