What's the deal with DePaul?

[CAGASS24]

I'm not from mke/Il area and have only really followed DePaul bball since 2000, so I've seen a couple decent squads in those first few years, but what the hell is preventing them from turning this thing around?  Purnell by now should have this team as a .500 conf staple at least the likes of seton hall/prov. he seemed the perfect hire at the time.  He's clearly at least a solid bball coach based on his past history.  I've watched DePaul enough over the years to see that the talent deficit isn't that great.  I mean its not like the diff between most BCS schools and say a 300+ rpi team.  However their results the last 5 years play out that's exactly what they are.  What's up?  A big city school with a significant bball history.  Where's the boosters?  Where's the admin support?  Where's the fans???  I just don't get it. 

Just sad I guess- sad for the whole league.

[GGGG]

1.  Terrible arena (that situation will change)
2.  Purnell was a bad hire
3.  Lack of administrative support
4.  Apathy amongst the fan base
5.  No support from the metropolitan area.

[Galway Eagle]

I'm not from mke/Il area and have only really followed DePaul bball since 2000, so I've seen a couple decent squads in those first few years, but what the hell is preventing them from turning this thing around?  Purnell by now should have this team as a .500 conf staple at least the likes of seton hall/prov. he seemed the perfect hire at the time.  He's clearly at least a solid bball coach based on his past history.  I've watched DePaul enough over the years to see that the talent deficit isn't that great.  I mean its not like the diff between most BCS schools and say a 300+ rpi team.  However their results the last 5 years play out that's exactly what they are.  What's up?  A big city school with a significant bball history.  Where's the boosters?  Where's the admin support?  Where's the fans???  I just don't get it. 

Just sad I guess- sad for the whole league.

What Sultan said only administration specifically referring to Jean Lenti (Letti?) Ponsetto their AD has actually cut Bball funding over the years to redistribute it to women's sports.

Regarding Purnell, they don't play defense.  Like ever.

Lastly nobody's going to make that track out there to see a team lose.  I guess you could ask which came first the fans or the egg. 

They'll be down till at least the new arena which is when I kinda expect them to clean house. 

[GooooMarquette]

DePaul has had one period of sustained success in its history:  1978-1989, when it went to 11 NCAA tournaments in 12 years (although 3 were later vacated).  Note the correlation - just after Al retired, they scooped up some huge recruits that had been planning on MU (Mark Aguirre), and continued their success through the Dukiet era.  So DePaul's longest sustained success came during MU's worst period in the modern era.

Other than that 12 year period, DePaul has been to 11 NCAAs in 79 seasons. 

Long story short:  DePaul's leadership has generally not considered basketball a priority; mediocrity seems perfectly acceptable to them.  And their one period of sustained success was serendipity - when MU was trying to replace a legend, and recruits suddenly and dramatically reached for DePaul as a backup plan.  As Marquette turned things around and started to win again, DePaul faded into the background.

[wildbill sb]

I would also suggest that RAY MEYER was a HOF coach but couldn't/wouldn't/didn't recruit.  Son JOEY joined the staff and recruited his lips off as dad's assistant.  Unfortunately for the Blue Demons, when RAY retired and JOEY took over, it became painfully obvious that the MEYER in-game coaching genes had skipped a generation, and the drawn-out Demon death spiral began.

[GGGG]

What Sultan said only administration specifically referring to Jean Lenti (Letti?) Ponsetto their AD has actually cut Bball funding over the years to redistribute it to women's sports.

I'm not sure that's actually the case.  Purnell makes more money than any coach in DePaul history.  They may use basketball revenue to pay for women's sports, but that's also the case at Marquette.

[RushmoreAcademy]

they scooped up some huge recruits that had been planning on MU (Mark Aguirre),

They still ride the Aguirre train.  I went to the game vs. MU last year at the All-State Arena and there were Aguirre banners, he was in the video, referenced frequently, and he was shown sitting courtside as well.

You can tell why a player wouldn't be psyched to play there when you go to a game.  It's such a huge factor.  SO far from campus and just no energy.

[keefe]

3.  Lack of administrative support

Is it that hard to find secretarial staff in a city the size of Chicago?

[warriorchick]

I'm not sure that's actually the case.  Purnell makes more money than any coach in DePaul history.  They may use basketball revenue to pay for women's sports, but that's also the case at Marquette.

Are you sure that is the case?  I was under the impression that MBB at Marquette gets to keep all of their revenue.

[GGGG]

Are you sure that is the case?  I was under the impression that MBB at Marquette gets to keep all of their revenue.

Could be.  I was assuming based on what I have heard elsewhere.

[MarquetteDano]

DePaul has had one period of sustained success in its history:  1978-1989, when it went to 11 NCAA tournaments in 12 years (although 3 were later vacated).  Note the correlation - just after Al retired, they scooped up some huge recruits that had been planning on MU (Mark Aguirre), and continued their success through the Dukiet era.  So DePaul's longest sustained success came during MU's worst period in the modern era.

DePaul has had a few periods of sustained success.  They had success under Leitao, Tom Haggerty, and Jim Kelly as well.  Let's remember that the Meyer family ran the program for 54 years so it isn't completely fair to say that is the entire program as that would be for any program since they ran it so long.

DePaul is Top 60 in all-time NCAA wins with 1,413.  I believe they are leading the series against us all-time as well.

Are they a sleeping giant?  Probably not.  But there is a enough there to be a decent program.

[spartan3186]

DePaul has had a few periods of sustained success.  They had success under Leitao, Tom Haggerty, and Jim Kelly as well.  Let's remember that the Meyer family ran the program for 54 years so it isn't completely fair to say that is the entire program as that would be for any program since they ran it so long.

DePaul is Top 60 in all-time NCAA wins with 1,413.  I believe they are leading the series against us all-time as well.

Are they a sleeping giant?  Probably not.  But there is a enough there to be a decent program.

Not even close. Marquette is leading the series 70-44.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/all-time_series_records

[MarquetteDano]

Not even close. Marquette is leading the series 70-44.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/all-time_series_records

Thanks.  More than glad to be wrong on that one.

[MU82]

DePaul has had a few periods of sustained success.  They had success under Leitao, Tom Haggerty, and Jim Kelly as well.  Let's remember that the Meyer family ran the program for 54 years so it isn't completely fair to say that is the entire program as that would be for any program since they ran it so long.

DePaul is Top 60 in all-time NCAA wins with 1,413.  I believe they are leading the series against us all-time as well.

Are they a sleeping giant?  Probably not.  But there is a enough there to be a decent program.

Most recently, they had success under Pat Kennedy, who cheated his arse off to recruit Quentin Richardson & Co.

[Pakuni]

1.  Terrible arena (that situation will change)
2.  Purnell was a bad hire
3.  Lack of administrative support
4.  Apathy amongst the fan base
5.  No support from the metropolitan area.

If DePaul put a competitive, compelling product on the court, there would be support. DePaul was THE team in Chicago in the late 70s and early 80s. In 1981 - DePaul's first year in what was then called the Rosemont Horizon - they finished 8th in the nation in attendance, averaging more than 15,000 fans per game. They were top 20 in attendance every year between 1981 and 1988.
But the fact is, the Chicago market is too competitive and people aren't going to come out in droves to see crap.

The real death knell for DePaul basketball was when former AD Bill Bradshaw began undercutting Joey Meyer, especially with CPS coaches, by preventing the admission of recruits who Ray had no problem getting in. The CPS was by and large the lifeblood of DePaul's success, and when coaches began pushing their players away from DePaul, it began their downward spiral.

[GooooMarquette]

Are they a sleeping giant?  Probably not.  But there is a enough there to be a decent program.

Agreed.  I laugh at the "sleeping giant" references, but have always said they should be able to have a decent team given the wealth of talent in the Chicago area.  Even if the best players go to schools like MU and UW-Madison or the bluebloods, there is still enough talent for them to be more competitive then they have been.

As a program, I don't see them consistently being at the level of MU, Georgetown, or Nova, but there is no reason they can't favorably compete with schools like Providence, Seton Hall and St. John's.

[Johnny B]

DePaul sucks hard that's what's up.

[Benny B]

Three letters:


J - L - P

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

If DePaul put a competitive, compelling product on the court, there would be support. DePaul was THE team in Chicago in the late 70s and early 80s. In 1981 - DePaul's first year in what was then called the Rosemont Horizon - they finished 8th in the nation in attendance, averaging more than 15,000 fans per game. They were top 20 in attendance every year between 1981 and 1988.
But the fact is, the Chicago market is too competitive and people aren't going to come out in droves to see crap.

The real death knell for DePaul basketball was when former AD Bill Bradshaw began undercutting Joey Meyer, especially with CPS coaches, by preventing the admission of recruits who Ray had no problem getting in. The CPS was by and large the lifeblood of DePaul's success, and when coaches began pushing their players away from DePaul, it began their downward spiral.

Public League coaches boycotted DePaul under Joey because they alleged he mishandled Teddy Grubbs, who was a very good player, but also borderline disturbed.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Getting Billy Garrett was a good start but they didn't really pus forward with it. Cliff Alexander had them in his top 3 but I don't think Depaul was even an option. It's really too bad because I would love a good Depaul and MU rivalry.

That being said, I'll be there cheering for MU at the Bradley Center south on new years eve.

[Galway Eagle]

I do wonder if depaul in 06/07 had made the tournament what they'd be now. They were really really close they were just bad in their first two games and that seemed to be the difference I mean they went 20-14 not great but definitely close to being in,

[JuniorCardigan]

I couldn't help myself from thinking about Jerry Seinfeld saying "What's the deal with DePaul?"

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Three letters:


J - L - P

Jean Luc Picard? Damn you Patrick Stewart...

[GGGG]

Three letters:


J - L - P

It's deeper than that.  I mean, her husband played for Ray Meyer.  You think she is trying to kill the basketball program?

[kryza]

Three letters:


J - L - P

This is the correct answer. I'm a grad school alum from DePaul and it's common knowledge on campus that Jean Lenti Ponsetto does not want men's basketball to outshine the other sports.