Hoya Alumnus Joins ESPN Broadcast Wed. Night

[DFW HOYA]

According to the Seton Hall media notes, former captain Fred Brown (C'84) will be on the broadcast Wednesday night.

www.shupirates.com/releases/attachments/200521121245149150236190-1.pdf

[jerseyhoya34]

A similar note appeared in an article in The HOYA today.

[jackdog74]

I hope this is ESPN's gift to Hoya fans after having to sit through the scintillating commentary offered by Dana Barros.

[Nevada Hoya]

Yeah, Freddy!

GO HOYAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PILLAGE THE PIRATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HoyaNCCT]

Downtown Freddy Brown - welcome back. This really is retro night!

[TBird41]

Anyone want to give me a quick history lesson on "Downtown" Freddie Brown? I've heard the name before, but I don't really know that much about him.

[jerseyhoya34]

Go to www.hoyabasketball.com and check out the details of Championship Week in 1983 and 1984.

[jerseyhoya34]

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/final4/articles/82brown.htm

Then, after 1984, the Hoya writes, "The moment that will live in the hearts of Georgetown fans everywhere was when Head Coach John Thompson embraced Freddie Brown as a member of the national champion Hoyas, exactly two years after Thompson hugged Brown after he had thrown the ball away to James Worthy to set up Michael Jordan's heroics that stole the 1982 national championship from Georgetown."

[TBird41]

Thanks Jersey-I appreciate it. I'm a little behind in Hoya History, but I'll catch up, especially w/ help.

[HoyaFanNY]

i still have nightmares about that pass to Worthless. watching JT hug freddy 2 years later was special.

[FromTheBeginning]

Fred is a perfect example of what that deflated basketball stands for - his career short circuited by chronic knee problems but he used the education Georgetown afforded him to become very successful in life without basketball.

[SaxaCD]

That thrown away pass didn't "set up" Jordan's heroics, it came immediately after Jordan's jumper. Ugh. I remember thinking, "damn that guy for making that shot, but it's not going to matter, because Sleepy is going to win it for us, , anyway." Then , the pass.

[HoyaChris]

Freddie's history has been lost a little in the sands of time, so, for the benefit of those who were not there, this is what I remember.

Freddie was a very highly recruited point guard out of New York City who started as a point guard as a freshman on the 1980-1 team. He was big for a point guard (6-5) and while not ultraquick as a freshman was an excellent penetrator and a very good fit for the Hoyas motion offense at the time. He was not a particularly good outside shooter and his effective range was about fifteen feet although he seldom took jump shots. He was an awesome defender, smart, and very physical. He averaged over 2 steals a game his first two seasons. He made the Big East all rookie team.

Freddie hurt his knee, badly, over the summer between his junior and senior years and, in the era before arthroscopic surgery, was never the same again. He lost a lot of his quickness and gained weight and wore an enormous brace on the leg. His ineffectiveness (he only played 17 games) in 1982-3 was generally regarded as a key to a rather disappointing season in Ewing's sophomore year. Without his speed, Freddie became a role player who relied on his brains and toughness to survive. His last two years he was certainly chippy, arguably dirty.

For the uninitiated, Freddie is most remembered for two vignettes - the pass to James Worthy to (effectively) end the 1982 NCAA championship game and the hug with John Thompson after the 1984 victory. I prefer to remember Freddie the player as the hardnosed MVP from the 1982 national semi-final game against Louisville, the most intense defensive basketball game that i have ever seen.

Since graduation, it is my understanding that Fred has done quite well in real estate in the Washington area , which would be quite consistent with the bright, tough player that he was. I also know that he coached (coaches?) some high school ball in the DC are, but perhaps someone else can better fill in what he is up to now.

[DanMcQ]

HoyaNCCT said:

Downtown Freddy Brown - welcome back. This really is retro night!

Actually, the real "Downtown" Fred Brown was a Seattle Supersonic:

www.nba.com/sonics/history/fredbrown.html

Brown possessed a sweet jumper that earned him the nickname "Downtown".

[Jack]

Am I the only one a little disappointed Raftery won't be calling this game? I don't know if he ever does these ESPN Classic gigs, but with GU playing the Hall it only seems right. Oh well, I will be at the game, so it's not like I could hear it anyway.

[angus]

HoyaChris said:

Freddie's history has been lost a little in the sands of time, so, for the benefit of those who were not there, this is what I remember.

Freddie was a very highly recruited point guard out of New York City who started as a point guard as a freshman on the 1980-1 team. He was big for a point guard (6-5) and while not ultraquick as a freshman was an excellent penetrator and a very good fit for the Hoyas motion offense at the time. He was not a particularly good outside shooter and his effective range was about fifteen feet although he seldom took jump shots. He was an awesome defender, smart, and very physical. He averaged over 2 steals a game his first two seasons. He made the Big East all rookie team.

Freddie hurt his knee, badly, over the summer between his junior and senior years and, in the era before arthroscopic surgery, was never the same again. He lost a lot of his quickness and gained weight and wore an enormous brace on the leg. His ineffectiveness (he only played 17 games) in 1982-3 was generally regarded as a key to a rather disappointing season in Ewing's sophomore year. Without his speed, Freddie became a role player who relied on his brains and toughness to survive. His last two years he was certainly chippy, arguably dirty.

For the uninitiated, Freddie is most remembered for two vignettes - the pass to James Worthy to (effectively) end the 1982 NCAA championship game and the hug with John Thompson after the 1984 victory. I prefer to remember Freddie the player as the hardnosed MVP from the 1982 national semi-final game against Louisville, the most intense defensive basketball game that i have ever seen.

Since graduation, it is my understanding that Fred has done quite well in real estate in the Washington area , which would be quite consistent with the bright, tough player that he was. I also know that he coached (coaches?) some high school ball in the DC are, but perhaps someone else can better fill in what he is up to now.

_____________
Fred attended GULC during the late 1980s/early 1990s when I was there.

By the way, although Brown was an outstanding floor leader, steadying influence and defensive presence prior to his injury, he certainly was not "Downtown" Freddy Brown. His outside shot was the least accomplished aspect of his game.

[Hilltopper]

Fred coached at Episcopal (a boarding school in No VA), where he coached Dean Berry, and and a former Hoya recruit, who thankfully chose UConn, Antric Klabier. Last year, he returned to coaching at Carroll, replacing longtime coach Carroll Holmes, who was still the AD. Fred resigned durring the season. His son plays for Maret, who just beat Sidwell Friends, whose coach, George Leftwich, former teammate of John Thompson, is leaving at the end of the year to become AD at Carroll.

Got all that?

[FromTheBeginning]

George Leftwich was also an assistant coach at GU for a year or two during JT's early years.

[lichoya68]

JERSEY GOT IT ABOUT OUR FREDDIE BROWN ALSO HE IS THE ONE I THINK WHO IN A REGULAR SEASON SETON HALL GAME WE WERE DOWN BY EIGHT I THINK WITH MAYBE A MINUTE OR A MINUTE TWENTY LEFT AND ON AN IN BOUNDS HE HELD A HALL SHIRT.. WE SCORED AND I THINK MAD ONE OF GUS GREATEST COMEBACKS EVER TO WIN IN REGULATION OR OT .....ANY OLDTIMERS REMEMBER THAT ONE FREEDIE IS A GREAT HOYA THATS WERE WE NEED TO COME BACK TO AND THIS GAME IS CRITICAL TO CONTINUE THAT GO HOYAS GO FREDDIE PLUNDER THE PIRATES AND SINK THERE SHIP WE NEED TO BE SIX AND THREE NOT FIVE AND FOUR BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG DIFFERENCE FOR THE BIG EAST

[Gold Hoya]

I'd also prefer Raft - I've never heard of these guys who will be doing the game (other than Brown, of course). Dating myself, I know.