Why Georgetown's brawl with China could be a good thing

Believe it or not, I think that Georgetown's brawl with the Bayi Rockets on Thursday was a good thing.

Before I go any further, watch the videos below -- the man, the myth, the legend @bubbaprog was able to sync up the two videos of the fight that have surfaced. There is no place for that in society, let alone in sports. This was an exhibition. The fact that it got as far as it did is an embarrassment to everyone involved. The Hoyas, the Bayi Rockets, the "security" at the game, the fans that threw bottles and the refs that allowed the game to get out of control. I understand that there are times where swinging your fists -- or the closest chair you can find -- is something that happens. I've been in that position. I've been in fights. Most of us have. But it should always be a last resort.

Keep that disclaimer in mind as you read on.



Even the most delusional, die-hard Georgetown fans will probably agree when I say that this team has been a disappointment the past three years. In 2008-2009, a young Georgetown team coming off of a Big East title climbed into the top ten in early January after beating then-No. 2 UConn on the road. They then proceeded to win just six more league games, finishing the season with a first-round loss in the NIT.

The following year, the Hoyas were ranked in the preseason top 25, but couldn't put together an ounce of consistency. They beat Duke, then lost to South Florida. They beat Villanova, then were upset by Rutgers. They made the final of the Big East Tournament, then lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to 14th seed Ohio. Not Ohio State, The Ohio University Bobcats.

The past season, Georgetown twice climbed into the top ten -- in December and midway through February. But after UConn snapped an eight-game Big East winning streak, Georgetown finished the year losing four of their last five in the regular season and got knocked out in the first round of both the Big East and NCAA Tournaments.

To be fair, that last season swoon was also the result of Chris Wright breaking his wrist. But regardless of cause, it was the third straight season in which Georgetown disappointed in February and March, the time of year that makes or breaks a season.

The reasons for those swoons differ and are unconfirmed. In 2008-2009, Wright and Jessie Sapp reportedly had a fight in the locker room at the halftime of the Duke game. Georgetown was 12-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big East at the time. They finished the season 16-15 and 7-11 in the Big East. In 2009-2010, Georgetown suffered from a chronic lack of consistency and, many believed, because of a lack of leadership and emotional fire from their best players. Last year, it was the lack of leadership and cohesiveness offensively after Wright was injured.

Whatever the case, we should all be able to agree that something was missing from those Georgetown teams. They never seemed to quite be on the same page when they needed to be. There would be flashes of potential, teasing Hoya fans with what was possible.

With a rotation that will include a number of freshmen and a changing of the guard in terms of who Georgetown's star will be, the Hoya's roster makeup will shift quite a bit next season. Not ideal for a team lacking cohesiveness.

But you know what is?


Getting into a full-fledged brawl and a borderline riot playing a road game in a foreign country. Having an entire team of college students hold their own in a fight against a group of grown men with military training. Seeing Georgetown's fans, alums, and former players rallying around their players from half a world away. That was a scary, scary situation for the Hoya team to be in. They're in a foreign country, in a foreign gym, playing a professional team in front of their incensed fans. Bottles and fists were flying. They had to not only rally around, but protect each other.

Literally. Protect. Jason Clark was thrown to the ground and had four Chinese players stomping him. Aaron Bowen spent six seconds on the ground under his own basket with two Chinese players throwing point-blank haymakers. And did I mention that these two teams are scheduled to play each other again on Sunday?

This will bring the Hoyas closer together. As teammates and as friends.

John Thompson III took his team on this trip to try and get a chance for some team bonding.

Well, he got it.