INDIANAPOLIS -- Georgetown coach John Thompson III would
prefer to focus on basketball Wednesday night.
Everyone else seems to want to discuss the family grudge match
against Ball State.
"It's a game. It's the next game on our schedule. It's our
first away game, so we're interested to see how our kids respond,
this year's group going on the road," Thompson said. "Much like
any other game on our schedule in the preseason, hopefully it'll
prepare us for league play."
But this is not just another preconference game.
When the Hoyas decided to visit Ball State, it was supposed to
include that touchy, feely brotherly veneer on Thanksgiving eve.
That certainly won't be the case.
Amid an embarrassing NCAA scandal, former Ball State coach Ronny
Thompson -- John's brother -- alleged the school created a "racially
hostile environment" and contended he received notes in his office
containing racial slurs. In July, the other son of former
Georgetown coach John Thompson, decided to resign.
A year ago, Ronny took his Cardinals to Washington. Georgetown,
predictably, won 69-54. This year John was scheduled to return the
favor by traveling to Muncie, Ind., where Ronny was expected to
start his second season.
The ramifications of his departure still linger.
Ball State (0-2) turned itself in to the NCAA and is now
awaiting a decision on its punishment, and a university
investigation into who wrote the notes turned up no leads. In
August, the Cardinals hired Billy Taylor, who is also black, to
lead a program that has only nine players on the roster including
one walk-on.
Wednesday's game has not only re-exposed those scars from months
past, it also has some people wondering what kind of reception
Thompson and the Hoyas might receive from Ball State fans.
"I honestly don't worry about it," Taylor said. "I think
people here will be respectful of JT III and his program."
Taylor acknowledged that the racial accusations did make him
think hard about taking the Ball State job, enough to ask questions
of university president Jo Ann Gora and athletic director Tom
Collins before leaving Lehigh.
"It certainly was a concern that I had to evaluate, what
happened with Ronny and his staff and how it would impact myself
and my family," he said. "I had some conversations that helped
bring me to a place where I could make the best decision for my
family."
Given the circumstances, dropping the game might have seemed a
logical mutual decision.
Yet the Cardinals, who are hosting one of the highest-ranked
teams in school history, didn't consider giving it up. Taylor said
when John Thompson was asked if Georgetown ever considered buying
it out, he responded, "No, never."
In fact, Thompson believes this game will actually be easier for
him to coach than last year's contest.
"I didn't like the whole process of working against, playing
against, coaching against, family members," he said.
With all the allegations, the hostile breakup between Ronny
Thompson and Ball State and now the return of a Thompson family
member in Muncie, albeit for one night, basketball will take a
backseat until tipoff.
And even then, the expected blowout might still get overshadowed
by the sideshow, much to the chagrin of both coaches.
"I think you have to almost anticipate when you go on the road,
when we go on the road, most environments are difficult to play
in," Thompson said. "What happened with Ronny had nothing to do
with basketball, and I'm going to play a basketball game."