A Confluence of History, Tradition and Baseball

Wizards center Etan Thomas, who played against Georgetown for Syracuse from 1996 through 2000: "It was special. Always a great game that you knew would be physical."

Wizards assistant coach Tom Young, who coached against Georgetown at American University and Rutgers early in Thompson's career: "His defense always won for him. John made it difficult to run your stuff against him."

Roger Mason Jr., Wizards guard and graduate of Good Counsel and the University of Virginia: "Georgetown was always the team for me growing up here, with Allen Iverson, Victor Page and Alonzo Mourning. I loved them. I like what they're doing now. Great win over North Carolina."

John Thompson Jr., on calling the game on radio last Sunday for Westwood One: "I panicked. I was stunned. I couldn't say a word."

John Thompson III, at a news conference Friday, on his father: "When he coached he never told anyone anything. Now he talks about the family and everything else."

Whose Home Ice?

I went to Verizon Center on Tuesday night to see the Sidney Crosby-led Pittsburgh Penguins (100 points through Friday ) defeat the Alex Ovechkin-led Capitals (66 points), 4-3. The arena was sold out (18,277), with about half the crowd supporting the Penguins. Also, half the passengers on the Metro were wearing Penguins sweaters, prompting these questions:

When did so many people from Pittsburgh move here?

Why? What do they do? Do you think they saw "Flashdance"? Do they read The Post?

Do those fans who drove here from Pittsburgh in Pens sweaters also travel to Philadelphia and live to tell their stories?

If Pittsburgh is such a great hockey town, how come the team almost moved to Las Vegas?

Explained Caps owner Ted Leonsis: "We sold about 2,000 tickets to Pens fans in Pittsburgh. The rest were from D.C. --Pennsylvania transplants that have come out to show support for their great young team. I'm sure our fans will do likewise when we are a great team. They've been rebuilding for six years; we hope to be very good a lot sooner."

Finally

· The Redskins have left me speechless and without answers. Why overpay linebacker Lance Briggs when Rocky McIntosh (second-round pick last year) seems capable?

Why the upcoming schmooze with quarterback JaMarcus Russell of LSU, who figures to be the top player taken in the draft? Is someone at Redskins Park playing fantasy games? Is someone out there messing with Jason Campbell's mind? Who comes up with these cockamamie ideas?

· Suggestion for WRC (Channel 4): Hire Joe Theismann.

· "Friday Night Lights" Update: Dillon defeated the Brantley Vikings, 14-8, in the Texas high school football semifinals Wednesday night on QB Matt Saracen's bootleg touchdown run on the game's final play. The game was played in the rain in a Dillon cow pasture after a toxic spill made the Panthers' home field unusable. "Coach [Eric] Taylor's field of dreams," grumbled rival coaches. Booster Buddy Garrity is now providing cash gifts to players, all of whom have more fun than I did at Miami Beach High ('58).

Have a comment or question? Reach me attalkback@washpost.com.