By Mark Buckets
By now, you've surely heard about the resurgence of the Drake Bulldogs. The little private school in Des Moines represents all that is good and pure about college basketball. Let's examine how this Missouri Valley Conference charter member has risen to heights unseen before by the university.
Dr.Tom Davis, whose integrity has been lauded by the mainstream media, launched Drake's meteoric rise to the top of the MVC and into the Top 25. Although the Bulldogs have been to the Final Four (1969 Third Place Finish), they failed to capitalise off of that success. When Davis was hired in 2003, the pressure was nonexistent. Drake Basketball was irrelevant, thereby allowing Davis the time to install his system. It must be said that, although Davis has retired, he does have a page dedicated to his career on the Drake Basketball Website. They haven't forgotten about the old man.
Even though Davis notched only one winning season while in Des Moines, he laid the foundation for son and current National Coach of the Year candidate (and favorite in this bloggers opinion), Keno Davis. The Bulldogs are, to say the least, three-point shot dependant. There are no true "centers" on the roster, as every player is a threat to hit the outside shot. As one glances up and down the Drake roster, you come across a stark reality: Most of these kids were not only overlooked by major Division 1 basketball programs, but ignored all together. Current MVC rebounding leader Jonathan Cox, was in fact, a walk-on. Players like him truly personify the Bulldog Program.
Not to be confused with the Loyola Marymount teams of the early 1990's, this Drake team prefers to slow the pace down to a crawl. They make you defend every second of every offensive possession, another staple of Tom Davis's most successful teams at Iowa. The way this team plays is a breath of fresh, Midwestern air. As cliche as it may sound, Drake plays the way basketball is meant to be played. They are a basketball purist's dream.
In the case of all collegiate sports programs that experience a new found success, there comes the inevitable question: Will the coach be lured away by a bigger, tradition-laden school? In the case of Drake, Keno Davis is secured through the 2011 season. In this day and age, however, larger programs will do whatever it takes (and that includes a costly buyout) to get their dream coach. I would be shocked if Davis was to remain in Des Moines through next year.
Drake Basketball is a wonderful story. They combine small-school innocence and big-time results. The ultimate track of this program, however, is unknown. Drake fans need to sit back, and enjoy the ride.
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