Which Is Worse, PC Losing or Cooley Winning?

Which Is Worse, PC Losing or Cooley Winning?

It happened in just a year. The fortunes have changed.

The proverbial fat kid got on the tetter-totter, and the balance in college basketball shifted.

Two years after the once-beloved, local guy-made-good coach Ed Cooley departed for Big East rival Georgetown, what was most feared by fans is now playing out.

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In March of 2023, the majority of Friars fans were angry, bitter, and revengeful with the news of Cooley’s Benedict Arnold maneuver.

He not only left, but he was planning to leave for months before the news became public.

He signed lifetime contracts with PC. He told the Providence fans he loved them. And, then, he bolted for the Hoyas.

 

 

Year One: Victory

The first year without Cooley was fine. Georgetown was terrible. PC was pretty good.

Fans got to chant nasty things about him at the Georgetown games in Providence.

Kim English was a winning coach. Devin Carter was player of the year in the Big East.

Friars fans won the first year.

 

Year Two: Cruelty

Friars fans were expecting big things this season. After all, Bryce Hopkins would be back, there were 4 and 5-star recruits on the way, and the portal would fill the gaps.

The Friars started off the season 5-0. Hopkins would be back, and then the Bahamas hit. 

After losing three straight games at the Island tournament, PC was exposed. The team didn’t work.

Hopkins finally returned, and the Friars scored a legitimate victory over a strong BYU team.

But the victory over the Cougars looks long ago.

What may be worse than the Friars' losing record (7-8) and the 1-3 record in the Big East is the success of Cooley’s Hoyas this year.

Georgetown is 12-2 and 3-0 in the Big East.

Cooley has Georgetown rolling. The only good news for Friars fans is that he still has few supporters in his new gig - fewer than 7,000 showed up for the last home game Big East game at the Capitol One Center, a facility that holds more than 20,000.

The Friars are still packing about 12,000 fans into 12,000 seats every game.

 

The Future

Most college basketball programs other than Duke seem to be vulnerable to the ups and downs of the NIL and portal's new world order. ACC "powerhouse" North Carolina is a mediocre 9-6.

The season is not over, and fates could shift again. Could the loss to UConn be a sign of a better Friars team? Or could we be watching more Marquette-like games?

At least on January 25, Friars fans can serenade Cooley during the Hoyas' return to Providence.