Depaul Basketball - Brining this chronically ill patient back to life

The situation has gotten serious. The patient—DePaul University basketball— has been in ill health for a long time, but now it’s health has taken a severe downturn, and drastic “ lifesaving” measures need to be taken.

In a sadly huge understatement, it has been a rough road for DePaul basketball the past coupl`e decades. This broken road has been paved with just about every obstacle you could imagine. Bumps, craters, hills, potholes, divots, fender benders and apparently a huge “no construction zone” all along the way.

It is a testament to the old expression that “once you are down, it is hard to get back up again.”

As most readers know, (younger folks pay attention here) there was a time when DePaul basketball was state of the art/cream of the crop in college basketball. One of the top programs in the country and dotted with famous players who made all-American teams and many who became stars in the NBA (Terry Cummings, Mark Aguirre, Dave Corzine and more).

This may be hard to believe for the Gen X and even Millennials to fathom, because they haven’t really seen or experienced it, but DePaul basketball was a consistent powerhouse program for an extended number of years.

But, since the early nineties things have been in decline.  A few good years over those thirty years, but for the most part a steady decline. Coach after coach, player after player, team after team have tried to no avail to turn things around, with just a few exceptions.

It should be noted it was not for lack of effort or pride in the program. The coaches, players, and administration have put heart and soul into their attempt to turn things around. So let it be clearly stated, it was not through any lack of desire that the program has not been able to have success.

But sadly, the efforts in past years have been to no avail, and this year’s squad has been more of the same.  To say this has been a rough season for DePaul, is like saying Taylor Swift is kind of popular.

So, that is why it is necessary for the aforementioned drastic measures to save the patient—in this case Blue Demon basketball. Yes, it is time to unleash the defibrillator, attach it firmly to the patient chest and hit that sucker with some serious juice to attempt to bring the patient back to life.

Listed below are some “jolts” that may help save our Blue Demons.

1. Find a coach with connections in the city.  Someone who knows the kids in Chicago.  Someone with an automatic “in” with the up and coming young stars that are donning their skills on the playgrounds of the city.
2. This coach has to be young and charismatic.  An AAU coach or high school coach, or ex- Chicago area player— but someone  with the right energy and effervescence to connect with the kids and the fans
3. The single biggest jolt would be to break through with a couple of key star recruits.  Two guys—the right two guys can change the whole image of the program.  Two guys,  that if, passing up other higher profile programs,  can be convinced of the dream of resurrecting DePaul basketball—and all the fame and notoriety that would come with that.
4. Those couple of guys have some success, speak well of the coach….and then others will follow.  The turnaround can be quicker than you think—if you get those key couple of recruits.
5. Get some REALLY creative marketing to get the students to the games.  Whatever it takes to get the exciting atmosphere back to DePaul home games.  Ideas aplenty here,  but how about free tickets for students,  free pizza,  dress up days, maybe shoot free throws for blind dates, halfcourt shots for getting a classroom grade increase, pre game ( instead of after the game)court storming?  Really think outside the box.  Get proactive and creative.  Anything…whatever it takes to get the energy back in the arena.  (A great arena by the way.  Wintrust is a really cool spot to watch hoops, and with the right team and right atmosphere that place will really rock.

Those are just a few suggestions.  Remember, desperate times call for desperate measures.  And remember too, the patient is currently on life support!

Final note:  notice, I did not mention NIL sponsorships, bringing in a big time coach (with “big time” salary), the transfer portal, or newer fancier facilities.

Why? Mainly because I am not a fan of the whole NIL paying college players, not a fan of the ridiculous coaching salaries currently in vogue for major college football and basketball schools, and not really a fan of tearing down part of a beautiful DePaul Chicago neighborhood to put in big facility with fancy locker rooms, weight room, video rooms and sauna baths for the players to entice them to come play for Depaul. 

Maybe that is being a bit unrealistic…but for purposes of this written column, I am sticking with it.

Either way, for the students, the long time loyal (dare we say long suffering?) fans and the players themselves— lets hope DePaul Blue Demon basketball can rise again!