Sketchy article on Broadus' success at Binghamton

[SirSaxa]

NY Times on Binghamton's D1 Team

EXCERPT

But how they got here, and whether it is all worth seeing Binghamton’s name pop up on CBS on Selection Sunday, has led many on campus to wonder at what cost the university has pursued big-time men’s basketball.
The Bearcats have endured several arrests and suspensions since the 2007 hiring of Coach Kevin Broadus. A former Georgetown assistant, he is known for recruiting good players with questionable backgrounds.

At least one teacher has said she received so much pressure to change her grading policy for basketball players that it bordered on harassment.

“They’re on a very slippery slope,” said Tim Schum, a former Binghamton physical education professor, soccer coach and associate athletic director who retired in 2002. “There is a double standard for what basketball will put up with compared to the standards for other sports. I don’t know if it’s written, but it’s certainly understood.”

[LizziebethHoya]

Just about to post about this. Very interesting article; seems like everyone has a different perspective about whats going on there

[jgalt]

I think the most important thing about recruiting players that have questionable backgrounds is that the whole program has to stand behind the players and help them succeed. I dont want to say that gtown did this because the modern sample size is small (but guys like AI were able to mature a lot with the support of the whole school). It sounds like at Binghimton there is too much resistance coming from parts of the school to make it work. And I am not saying that they should be changing grades (that is the worst they could do). But recognizing that the situation for all athletes (not just bball) is very different from regular students (because of time commitments mostly and out side pressures) and adapting techniques to better educate athletes can go a long way.

I wish coach Broadus the best

[fatthew]

Author's bio:

"Pete Thamel covers college sports for The New York Times... Before joining The Times, Thamel covered college sports for ESPN.com, ESPN Magazine, the Syracuse Post-Standard and The Daily Orange. A native of Ware, Mass., Thamel graduated from Syracuse University in 1999."

[JohnJacquesLayup]

I was wondering why the author referred to him as "a former GU assistant." You usually don't see references to coaches past assistant possitions (Coach K/Indiana, Larranaga/UVA, etc.)

[drhibbert]

Not that I want to defend (or speak to/shake hands with/eat a meal in the vicinity of) a Cuse grad, but I think the point of mentioning that Broadus is "a former GU assistant" is just to show that he comes from a much bigger-time program than Binghamton, and has recruiting practices to match.

And I think the real question here is whether universities should really be in the business of media promotion for kids who are athletes first and students second. And keep in mind, I say this as a diehard and loyal fan of Georgetown basketball.

[Elvado]

I assumethe other reason is that Broadus is in his first head coaching job having just left GU.