[NU Sports] Future of NU basketball

[Dennis W. Brandt]

< I'm no recruiting expert, but it seems to me that looking into 
Georgetown's program
> could be instructive.  Their academic standards are on par with ours, and 
> they play successfully in a major conference.  Who are they getting, and 
> how is their system working?  That's what I'd like to know.
>
Observation leads me to believe that academic standards are much relaxed for 
the basketball team at Georgetown.  I am positive, for example, that Allen 
Iverson would never had gotten into Northwestern.  John Thompson took him on 
as a "project" and was reasonably successful off the court and fabulously so 
on court.  On the other hand, he will not be missed in Philadelphia.

<My memory is a bit sketchy, but in 2001-02, we went 7-9 in conference. . 
.In 2003-04, we went 8-8 in <conference . . .  Northwestern never had it so 
good.

That's the problem I have with what you're saying.  You are ecstatic about 
going .500.  That would have been great if and only if they had followed up 
with 10 - 6, then 11 - 5, etc.  You are content with an occasionally peak at 
mediocrity and then the inevitable return trip to Doormatville.  I'm not, 
and the continuing ineptitude of the basketball program is inexcusable. 
Maybe this freshman and sophomore-laden team will be something in a few 
years.  But haven't we said that before?  Perhaps our facilities turn off 
recruits; perhaps the absence of a phys-ed degree turns more away.  The 
history of losing doesn't help.  Whatever is wrong, we ain't fixin' it.