It’s rare that a single off-the-court decision can end two decades of consistency, undermine the legacy of recent players, send one of the school’s best players out on a sour note, alienate fans and harm the current players’ chance for future success. Skipping the NIT manages to accomplish it all. While covering the Hoyas from 1998 to 2001, one of my lasting impressions was the pride that Head Coach Craig Esherick expressed in Georgetown’s post-season streak, which at the time was second only to the University of North Carolina’s. For two decades, players and coaches have refused to let any amount of adversity (whether injuries, player defections, academic issues or personal problems) derail the streak. Now, at the very moment when North Carolina cannot overcome its own adversity, Georgetown is throwing its streak away like a piece of garbage. I can not believe that Coach Esherick, the man most intimately associated with the streak, would place travel arrangements ahead of a streak with which he expressed such great pride.
Georgetown’s basketball class of 2001 will always be remembered for Nat Burton’s game-winning layup against Arkansas, but I believe its greater accomplishment was maintaining the post-season streak while the stars of older classes (Victor Page, Ed Sheffey and Shernard Long) departed. Senior Kevin Braswell also did his part to maintain the streak during his first two seasons. Turning down the NIT bid makes arguably the best point guard in school history the only player in two decades to end his career without a post-season berth. Braswell deserves better.
This decision all the more confusing because Braswell is the only member of the current team that doesn’t need the added experience. Though the NIT doesn’t approach the NCAA Tournament in prestige or excitement, it is a great opportunity to build for the future. We’ve seen it at Georgetown as recently as two years ago. The 2000 NIT win over Virginia helped set the stage for the 2001 Sweet Sixteen. Even the subsequent loss to California probably helped the team prepare for the difficulties of West Coast, post-season travel.
Those are all good reasons to go to the NIT, but my true motivation is selfish. I want to see my favorite team play as often as possible. I ran from my law school classes to the subway to get to the Big East games against Providence and Miami. I traveled to D.C. five times this season in order to see the team live. All fans want is to see the team play.
A. Hunter Hodges (CAS ‘01)
