With 25 Ivy League titles in 53 years, it's obvious that Penn men's basketball is a successful program. But why are the Quakers so strong year-in and year-out?
In his book Jumping Through Hoops: Why Penn Wins, Dr. Harold Gullan answers this question. By following the Quakers during their 2005-06 season, Gullan writes not just about basketball, but about the entire atmosphere surrounding the Quakers' program.
Talking at the Penn bookstore last night, Gullan said a convergence of circumstances has led to Penn success.
"The Penn basketball program is a reflection of the uniqueness of the University," he said.
"The advantage of playing big-time schools in the Big 5, the likelihood of winning the conference and making it to the tournament, playing in the Palestra, which has the most mystique of any arena, as well as outstanding coaching creates a great situation for basketball."
In addition to recapping the 2005-06 season, in which Penn lost to Texas in the first round of the tourney, Gullan devotes a significant amount of space to the history of the program and the University.
There is also a chapter devoted to former Penn coach Fran Dunphy.
But one of the most insightful sections is the penultimate chapter, "Notes from the Hardwood," which is a journal of the 2005-06 season written by then-junior forward Steve Danley.
Gullan said his favorite aspect of writing the work was getting to know the players, especially Danley.
"Danley's really interesting," Gullan said. "He's really bright, and he's the kind of player you just don't see at other schools."
Gullan's own story is interesting. Starting off in the advertising business, only late in life did he get his Ph.D. from Temple and start to write popular histories.
Even more recently, he decided to write sports works, including Don't Call Me Coach: A Lesson Plan for Life with St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli.
Although Jumping Through Hoops was written two years ago, Gullan still believes it applies to this season, despite Penn's record of 2-7.
"Considering the success they've had over the years, I still wouldn't count Penn out."
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