Late Tuesday night, Georgetown issued a statement from University President John J. DeGioia firing men’s basketball head coach Craig Esherick. Esherick, who took over from Head Coach Emeritus John Thompson in 1999, had just finished leading the Hoyas to a 13-15 season, making the team ineligible for postseason play for the first time in 31 years. DeGioia’s statement went on to assert his commitment to “the future success of men’s basketball, as measured by maintaining national competitiveness with the leading programs in the Big East and the country.”
Esherick was certainly committed to the program. He played for Georgetown under Thompson and has been a part of University athletics and the University community for over 20 years. His record, however, left something to be desired, and it was time for a change.
Achieving bigger changes in the program, like regaining national competitiveness, will not be as simple as firing the head coach. With the addition of five strong schools in 2005, the Big East will become the country’s definitive basketball conference. Competition at this level requires more than just name recognition and a storied history. It will require investment to support the program. Georgetown had national success in the past with a unique coach and a lot of media attention. College basketball has changed, and success now requires considerable expenditures on training facilities, home arenas, and skilled staffs.
Therein is the challenge. Attracting a high-quality coach would be easier if the University could announce definitive plans to invest in its athletic programs, but Georgetown is strapped for cash, a problem that the men’s program has been exacerbating by losing over $800,000 in the last fiscal year. If we could return the program to national prominence, the revenue would start to come in-Syracuse made over $4 million last year on their team-but getting there will require funding.
DeGioia and the University are thus at a moment of remarkable opportunity. They may not be able to offer prospective coaches a huge immediate funding increase, but they can offer a program with huge and relatively unscathed name recognition and a University committed to program development, not immediately, but soon. Convincing potential coaches of that commitment, and finding a way to follow through on it without overextending the University, will be a difficult task. Georgetown could start by better tapping the immense alumni support for the program to raise some funds.
Georgetown’s rise to national prominence was largely a factor of its basketball success, and it now has the opportunity to bring its men’s basketball program up to date. Basketball is a big part of the Georgetown experience for many students, and the sum total of its benefits for the school are hard to estimate. If you spend this weekend watching the NCAA tournament, try to imagine it. And remember that this year is the 20th anniversary of Georgetown’s one championship. Hopefully we’re headed for many more.
