Former Friars Coach Ed Cooley Apologizes for "Poor Choice of Words"

Former Friars Coach Ed Cooley Apologizes for "Poor Choice of Words"

Georgetown University basketball and former Providence College head basketball coach Ed Cooley is making news again, not for his coaching but his talking.

In his first two years at Georgetown, he is 12-24.

On Saturday, Cooley made derogatory comments about the University of Illinois basketball program, a team his Hoyas were not playing, and then had to scramble to apologize.

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As ESPN first reported, "Cooley used colorful language to disparage Illinois when talking about junior [now at Georgetown] guard Jayden Epps, who played his freshman season there."

"His development defensively, it's almost like it's a new player," Cooley said of Epps after the Hoyas' 82-65 victory over St. Francis.

Cooley made the comment about Illinois without naming the school by name but everyone knows where Epps transferred from.

"I'm pretty sure that'll make national news when I say that, but I never said the school it was," he said.

Shortly after, Cooley apologized.

 

 

Earlier this year, Cooley made news with his comments rather than his coaching.

As GoLocal reported in February 2024, Cooley was feeling the heat.

The former PC coach at the time was scraping the bottom of the Big East barrel in his first year with the Hoyas, and a heckler in the team’s road loss to Seton Hall apparently got under his skin. 

The Asbury Park Press reported that a fan yelled at Cooley that with his dismal 8-14 record overall — and 1-10 in the conference — he makes “7 million a win.”

Cooler reportedly fired back. 

“You know what, I’m rich as a motherf–ker,” Cooley responded. “I’m rich as s–t.”

According to Front Office Sports, Cooley now actually reportedly makes $6M a year in DC. 

After the game, Cooley addressed the exchange, the Asbury Park Press went on to report. 

“Nothing gets under my skin, man,” Cooley said. “Think about this: I coach in the Big East at Georgetown University. What can get under my skin?”

“Kids are going to be kids," said Cooley. "I have a problem when adults don’t act like adults. When they’re students, say whatever you want. I always try to have a good interaction with the kids. You know what, they deserve a comment every now and then. Why not have some fun with them? The game was already over and you know what? They all got a pretty good chuckle out of it.”

Cooley is, in fact, quite wealthy. A GoLocal review of Providence College IRS filings unveiled the during his tenure as the Friars coach he was paid more than $33 million.