Binghamton University: The Georgetown of Upstate New York?
Stuart Nachbar
February 24, 2009
This weekend, the New York Times sports section had a feature story on the Binghamton University men's basketball team. The Bearcats, who joined the Division I America East Conference, have a 19-8 record and could earn an NCAA or NIT berth this season. Yet the Times story read: For Binghamton, Division I Move Brings Recognition and Regret.
Binghamton is considered to be a mid-major school; such schools often surprise during the March Madness of the NCAA tournament. Since joining America East, Binghamton has led the America East in attendance, averaging over 3,600 fans per game. That's not bad considering that there are less than 12,000 undergraduate students.
So, on those measures, attendance and the team's improvement, in terms of victories, the Binghamton Bearcats men's basketball program has been a success. There is a fan base that will come out to support a poor or average team, and especially a winning team.
However, the Times story counters the Bearcats success on the court with problems off the court. The story places blame on the recruiting practices of current coach Kevin Broadus, a former Georgetown assistant, as well as relationships between the athletic department and the faculty, though these are shown through the eyes of only two teachers.
It was interesting to find that eight Bearcats , all juniors or seniors, are transfer students from community colleges or other four-year schools. The transfer students made up half of their roster. I don't believe that the team would be made up this way unless Broadus, a second year coach, was under pressure to win as quickly as possible.
Coach Broadus told the Times reporters that he follows the philosophy of former Georgetown coach John Thompson: that an athlete willing to work and make up for past transgressions deserves a second chance. He cited former Georgetown star, now pro superstar Allen Iverson as an example of someone who benefited from Thompson's tutelage to become a model citizen.
However, some might not see Iverson as an example of a quality recruit because he left Georgetown after two years to turn pro. Iverson didn't need another year under Thompson to make big money in the National Basketball Association. He was the first player taken in the 1996 draft. The men of Binghamton can only wish that they will be so fortunate.
The question now, is not whether Binghamton can win basketball games with these men, but is their university community willing to embrace them as students to give them the second chance that Coach Broadus believes they deserve? Apparently Georgetown was willing to do that with Iverson and there are schools with coaches who have been more successful than Broadus who are also willing to take similar risks.
The academic success of these players is probably more important for Binghamton than it would be for Georgetown because the athletes are less likely to be noticed by pro scouts. Their future, far more than Allen Iverson's, is going to be determined not only by their athleticism, but their ability to earn a degree. Otherwise, the school is using the players to help their athletic program, but doing nothing to give them a future. While Allen Iverson was able to leave Georgetown without a college education, he was the rare exception, not the rule at that school.
Binghamton is considered to be a mid-major school; such schools often surprise during the March Madness of the NCAA tournament. Since joining America East, Binghamton has led the America East in attendance, averaging over 3,600 fans per game. That's not bad considering that there are less than 12,000 undergraduate students.
So, on those measures, attendance and the team's improvement, in terms of victories, the Binghamton Bearcats men's basketball program has been a success. There is a fan base that will come out to support a poor or average team, and especially a winning team.
However, the Times story counters the Bearcats success on the court with problems off the court. The story places blame on the recruiting practices of current coach Kevin Broadus, a former Georgetown assistant, as well as relationships between the athletic department and the faculty, though these are shown through the eyes of only two teachers.
It was interesting to find that eight Bearcats , all juniors or seniors, are transfer students from community colleges or other four-year schools. The transfer students made up half of their roster. I don't believe that the team would be made up this way unless Broadus, a second year coach, was under pressure to win as quickly as possible.
Coach Broadus told the Times reporters that he follows the philosophy of former Georgetown coach John Thompson: that an athlete willing to work and make up for past transgressions deserves a second chance. He cited former Georgetown star, now pro superstar Allen Iverson as an example of someone who benefited from Thompson's tutelage to become a model citizen.
However, some might not see Iverson as an example of a quality recruit because he left Georgetown after two years to turn pro. Iverson didn't need another year under Thompson to make big money in the National Basketball Association. He was the first player taken in the 1996 draft. The men of Binghamton can only wish that they will be so fortunate.
The question now, is not whether Binghamton can win basketball games with these men, but is their university community willing to embrace them as students to give them the second chance that Coach Broadus believes they deserve? Apparently Georgetown was willing to do that with Iverson and there are schools with coaches who have been more successful than Broadus who are also willing to take similar risks.
The academic success of these players is probably more important for Binghamton than it would be for Georgetown because the athletes are less likely to be noticed by pro scouts. Their future, far more than Allen Iverson's, is going to be determined not only by their athleticism, but their ability to earn a degree. Otherwise, the school is using the players to help their athletic program, but doing nothing to give them a future. While Allen Iverson was able to leave Georgetown without a college education, he was the rare exception, not the rule at that school.
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