Coach John Thompson.

19th Hole · 08-31-20, 06:42 AM

Coach John Thompson.

Colin Dunlap @colin_dunlap
RIP Coach John Thompson.

Am I glad I grew up w The Big East-the REAL Big East. Thompson and Boeheim and Louie and PJ and Rollie and Calhoun. Cramped gyms, the Dome, 6 fouls, fistfights, Bobby Martin singing the anthem, Sherm and Coleman, Mourning and Mutombo. What a time, man.

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**** Oops...Double posted w/ different pictures. Thought I was adding a new picture to the 1st post.
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pologq · 08-31-20, 07:02 AM

oh wow. i remember him well watching games as i grew up. rest in peace.

Hushie · 08-31-20, 07:03 AM

RIP

jjgold · 08-31-20, 07:04 AM

wow talk about a legend!!

Rest In peace great man there

The ones you grew up with watching are tough

flyingillini · 08-31-20, 07:11 AM

Rip

ChuckyTheGoat · 08-31-20, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by jjgold

wow talk about a legend!!

Rest In peace great man there

The ones you grew up with watching are tough

Damn, RIP. I won't say i LIKED him. I was a Syracuse fan.

But he played the villain role perfectly. I'll come back + tell some more stories later.

One of the most indelible memories is him hugging Fred Brown after the game. In a panic, he threw the ball to Worthy + they lost to UNC.

stevek173 · 08-31-20, 07:18 AM

RIP John

SamsNCharge99 · 08-31-20, 07:20 AM

RIP

funnyb25 · 08-31-20, 07:54 AM

Shitty coach but good guy. RIP

jjgold · 08-31-20, 08:02 AM

He was a legit black guy saved many hood players like Iverson

clockwise1965 · 08-31-20, 08:17 AM

Rip

big joe 1212 · 08-31-20, 08:25 AM

Miss the old Big East

Those were some great battles

pablo222 · 08-31-20, 08:47 AM

RIP. Might have to rewatch Requiem for The Big East.

thetrinity · 08-31-20, 09:06 AM

damn him and lute olson in a week

Mac4Lyfe · 08-31-20, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by thetrinity

damn him and lute olson in a week

2020 sucks ass.

lakerboy · 08-31-20, 09:27 AM

Very sad. RIP

carolinakid · 08-31-20, 09:32 AM

RIP

stake1 · 08-31-20, 09:35 AM

Rip

flyingillini · 08-31-20, 09:55 AM

RIP to a true legend.

Bcatswin · 08-31-20, 10:09 AM

Was a good coach although never cared for him. RIP John

ChuckyTheGoat · 08-31-20, 10:14 AM

Originally posted by Bcatswin

Was a good coach although never cared for him. RIP John

Sort of echoes my comment. Begrudgingly, I have to give the guy full props.

There was something about the all-black teams. Big John got those guys to believe in themselves.

Remember how rough those Gtown teams were? The final UNC vs Gtown was so memorable. Ewing was so amped, had four goal-tending calls in first 10min.

dog · 08-31-20, 10:15 AM

RIP

DOM-Ganador · 08-31-20, 10:52 AM

The only time I remember him with a smile on his face was during a press conference after a GT loss.
"Don`t worry, help is on the way". Circa 1981.

That period of time with the Big East and its insane level of play will never be repeated.

RIP big fella.

johnnyvegas13 · 08-31-20, 11:30 AM

I didn’t know they used to play w 6 fouls

Doug tushyterror · 08-31-20, 11:57 AM

TMZ now reporting that his last Will and Testament stipulated and I quote, "My funeral better be like my basketball teams..no crackers allowed!" (In all seriousness RIP to a legend..a legendary racist that is.)

Doug tushyterror · 08-31-20, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by thetrinity

damn him and lute olson in a week

Crazy..who's next Rick Majerus?..Oh wait..nevermind.

stevenash · 08-31-20, 12:03 PM

Originally posted by ChuckyTheGoat

Damn, RIP. I won't say i LIKED him. I was a Syracuse fan.

But he played the villain role perfectly. I'll come back + tell some more stories later.

One of the most indelible memories is him hugging Fred Brown after the game. In a panic, he threw the ball to Worthy + they lost to UNC.

I grew up a UCONN fan, still am.
Thompson advanced and did more for the African American causes and agenda then the next ten men today that's alive.
Truth.

RIP big guy.

mjsuax13 · 08-31-20, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by stevenash

I grew up a UCONN fan, still am.
Thompson advanced and did more for the African American causes and agenda then the next ten men today that's alive.
Truth.

RIP big guy.

This is true and well said. Big John gave a damn and didn’t play all the charade and con games we see today. Just like another legend: John Cheney.

jjgold · 08-31-20, 12:48 PM

Yep

LeBron couldn’t shine his shoes

Originally posted by stevenash

I grew up a UCONN fan, still am.
Thompson advanced and did more for the African American causes and agenda then the next ten men today that's alive.
Truth.

RIP big guy.

ChuckyTheGoat · 08-31-20, 09:21 PM

Had some time to think about this. Great comments above. Will post some thoughts:

*Big John was a larger than life figure. If u weren't a Gtown fan, he was almost like Darth Vader.

I'll be interested to hear comments from former players, like Ewing. The string of great centers, sure it was talent. But it was more than that. John made these guys feel so dominant.

Ewing, Mutombo, Mourning. Ewing was an amazing talent b4 the knees/back got him.

Remember when he showed up to the St John's game? Was wearing a Louie C replica sweater. So cool.

If u didn't like Gtown, then BEATING them was a huge milestone. For St John's + Syracuse, beating Gtown was like getting over the hump.

And u can't deny the all-black thing. I can't speak of it personally. But part of Big John's msg had to be "You're good enough. You can do this!"

Crayzee · 08-31-20, 10:54 PM

Racist scumbag

thezbar · 09-01-20, 10:29 AM

God's speed and blessings Sir.

stevenash · 09-01-20, 03:18 PM

Originally posted by mjsuax13

This is true and well said. Big John gave a damn and didn’t play all the charade and con games we see today. Just like another legend: John Cheney.

Is it any wonder why the giants, I mean the legends all loved him, not like him, loved him?
(Big John was only disliked 48 minutes a day, and that was only on game day, and was disliked for all the right reasons)
Little Louie, Mr. Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, PJ, Rollie, and that's just covering the only conference that mattered in the 80's. The Big East.
Coach K loved him, right down the line.......

Zlaniner · 09-01-20, 03:20 PM

Rip coach

loved the hoyas growing up