Chris Collins does right by a dedicated walk-on

[Billy Dat]

Goosebumps time...

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24122575/video-northwestern-surprises-walkon-with-a-scholarship

[nmduke2001]

Goosebumps time...

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24122575/video-northwestern-surprises-walkon-with-a-scholarship

Thanks for sharing. that was great.

[Here is a Turtle]

Much respect to Chris Collins. I wish these types of stories were told more often.

[Indoor66]

Thank you for sharing. This an event that makes college athletics worth watching - seeing a young man's hard work rewarded with opportunity. For me that is what it is about - not money or building a "brand".

[Furniture]

Fantastic!

[53n206]

Wonderful. Also great PR.

[Henderson]

Wonderful. Also great PR.

"Also"? Think it was an accident that NW media was there to film the announcement, that James' call to his family was filmed, or that that call was on speaker phone?

Great PR. But also puts Coach C on the right path. He's sending a message out that he's going to do the right things and run a program with integrity. I applaud him for that and congratulate a young man whose hard work paid off. That latter point is a message Coach C was sending loud and clear.

[moonpie23]

awesome.....chris is a good guy.....hope he gets it going up there.....

[BD80]

"Also"? Think it was an accident that NW media was there to film the announcement, that James' call to his family was filmed, or that that call was on speaker phone?

Great PR. But also puts Coach C on the right path. He's sending a message out that he's going to do the right things and run a program with integrity. I applaud him for that and congratulate a young man whose hard work paid off. That latter point is a message Coach C was sending loud and clear.

Coach K has given scholarships to walk-ons multiple times. Much depends on how many of his 13 are spoken for. Never remember a PR event because of it.

Clever move by Chris. Montgomery is a senior (he has been on the team 2 years) so it won't impact future recruiting. Compared to what NW is paying Chris in salary and expenses (I wonder if he negotiated the use of private planes, he got used to it at Duke), a scholarship isn't a financial burden on NW (it is already in the budget).

calipari gets headlines for his 1st round picks, Chris is getting headlines for helping a kid - who will NEVER play pro ball - get his engineering degree.

[Henderson]

, Chris is getting headlines for helping a kid - who will NEVER play pro ball - get his engineering degree.

That captures it. Think about what that means to this young man and his family.

I'd trade some wins for that. My guess is Coliins won't need to. Young guy in a program with nowhere to go but up, doing good things to send messages about who he is.

I'm not faulting NW for helping send that message.

[ricks68]

Definitely choked me up.

This is what it should be about.

ricks

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Coach K has given scholarships to walk-ons multiple times. Much depends on how many of his 13 are spoken for. Never remember a PR event because of it.

Clever move by Chris.

Coach Franklin did this last year for a Vandy football walk-on (Marc Panu). The video went viral, so why not try at Northwestern.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOJu5P7hBbo

[Dev11]

awesome.....chris is a good guy.....hope he gets it going up there.....

I know basically nothing about the actual Northwestern basketball team, but from what I've seen since Collins left, he has jumped headfirst into Northwestern's big marketing campaign to be "Chicago's Big Ten team." I hope his teams perform up to the hype that he has slowly been building over the summer.

[BD80]

I know basically nothing about the actual Northwestern basketball team, but from what I've seen since Collins left, he has jumped headfirst into Northwestern's big marketing campaign to be "Chicago's Big Ten team." I hope his teams perform up to the hype that he has slowly been building over the summer.

One BIG problem. People in Chicago can count to ten.


Except maybe the Bears fans.

[JasonEvans]

I hope his teams perform up to the hype that he has slowly been building over the summer.

Despite not yet playing a single game, Collins has already elevated the NW program a tremendous amount. Over the summer he signed 6-7 SF Vic Law out of Chicago. Law is consistently rated in the top 75 or so recruits in the land. He is the first consensus top 100 recruit in Northwestern history.

You read that right... the first one in NW history! Duke pretty consistently lands 3-5 top 30 recruits every single season and NW just got the first top 100 recruit ever.

So, the mountain Chris has to climb is very steep, but he is making progress. The first season or two may be kinda rough, but I sure would not bet against him. My crystal ball says Northwestern finds their way into the NCAA tourney by 2016... at which point Chris' biggest decision will be whether to remain there or take a job at one of the bigger programs that come calling.

-Jason "his enthusiasm is infectious" Evans

[Kedsy]

You read that right... the first one in NW history! Duke pretty consistently lands 3-5 top 30 recruits every single season and NW just got the first top 100 recruit ever.

Rex Walters wasn't a top 100 recruit?

[mattman91]

Despite not yet playing a single game, Collins has already elevated the NW program a tremendous amount. Over the summer he signed 6-7 SF Vic Law out of Chicago. Law is consistently rated in the top 75 or so recruits in the land. He is the first consensus top 100 recruit in Northwestern history.

You read that right... the first one in NW history! Duke pretty consistently lands 3-5 top 30 recruits every single season and NW just got the first top 100 recruit ever.

So, the mountain Chris has to climb is very steep, but he is making progress. The first season or two may be kinda rough, but I sure would not bet against him. My crystal ball says Northwestern finds their way into the NCAA tourney by 2016... at which point Chris' biggest decision will be whether to remain there or take a job at one of the bigger programs that come calling.

-Jason "his enthusiasm is infectious" Evans

I would say he is probably trying to push himself to the front of the line to take over here once K retires, so if your predictions are right about making the Big Dance in 2016, K will be much closer to retirement. I, for one, would LOVE to have Collins as our head coach...he has the pedigree and experience.

[BD80]

Rex Walters wasn't a top 100 recruit?

Dadgummit, Rex wasn't nothin' until he transferred to KU and ol' roy turned him into a first round pick ;)

He wasn't a Mickey D in 1988, but Crawford Palmer was

I never realized that Rex was Japanese American.

[Phoenix22]

I am very excited to have Coach Collins taking over the basketball program at Northwestern. As a grad of both schools, this couldn't be a better situation to finally get NU's basketball going and finally make the tourny.

Duke undergrad and Cameron Crazy, so Duke is always first in my heart.

And yes, it is NU not NW.

[-bdbd]

Despite not yet playing a single game, Collins has already elevated the NW program a tremendous amount. Over the summer he signed 6-7 SF Vic Law out of Chicago. Law is consistently rated in the top 75 or so recruits in the land. He is the first consensus top 100 recruit in Northwestern history.You read that right... the first one in NW history! Duke pretty consistently lands 3-5 top 30 recruits every single season and NW just got the first top 100 recruit ever.

So, the mountain Chris has to climb is very steep, but he is making progress. The first season or two may be kinda rough, but I sure would not bet against him. My crystal ball says Northwestern finds their way into the NCAA tourney by 2016... at which point Chris' biggest decision will be whether to remain there or take a job at one of the bigger programs that come calling.

-Jason "his enthusiasm is infectious" Evans

Well, to be fair, they HAVE had top-100 players before, though they may not have been "recruited." IIRC one of them transferred from Duke under Coach K...

[DevilWearsPrada]

This is such a feel good story! I hope the video goes viral. The story made today's aol Homepage.

http://on.aol.com/video/northwestern-coach-surprises-walk-on-basketball-player-with-scholarship-517984647?hp=1&playlist=127164&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl16%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D395572

Northwestern Coach Surprises Walk-On Basketball Player with Scholarship - AOL On

I love the Mother and Sister's reactions to the scholorship with all the screams and Woo Hoos! Great Story!!! And to see Coach Collins and his team made the Aol Headlines!!!

[BlueDevilCorvette!]

Absolutely wonderful decision by Coach Collins! I loved hearing the joyful screams from his family. Gotta admit, I'd be yelling and crying too if my son or daughter were to get a scholarship to a notable university/college. This is a prime example that hard work does (and will) pay off!