It is a change that Gene Keady has seen in the past decade and one he isn't too fond of. Changes in society over the past decade have changed the way players are viewing the game of basketball, making them more of take the money and run type of players.

According to the men's basketball coach at Purdue, who spoke at the Builders Association of Kosciusko-Fulton County Monday at the 2517 Restaurant, players today are thinking less about getting an education and more about getting rich.

"Basically our society has changed so much, especially in the last 10 years, about education," Keady said. "When you were a player in the 80s, a degree would be first, and second while you are there, you want to win a national championship, and third, if they are good enough they would make the pros, overseas or even the NBA. Now that is all turned around, the degree is last and they think they will all go to the NBA because they play in the Big Ten."

Keady, who has coached Purdue to three straight Big Ten Championships, said in his speech to about 200 Purdue fans and alumni that the media and especially television have played a big role in the misguided goals of today's players.

"They have it hammered into their heads through ESPN, (Dick) Vitale, (Billy) Packer and all the basketball gurus," Keady said. "They pound it into their heads about making the NBA. It should be a goal, but it shouldn't be the reason you are going to college.

"It is amazing how TV has changed the game of basketball," he said. "Something has to be done about it. It has to do with us, the people who are running the school boards, the people who are running our courts, the people in our society needs to check their hole cards because they are training kids, and they aren't responsible or able to work hard."

It starts, according to Keady, at a very young age. When kids are in elementary and middle schools, the images seen on television are making for their priorities when they are in high school and college.

"The message is happening down at the fifth, sixth or seventh grades," Keady said. "They got their priorities all screwed up. I don't like it. A message needs to be sent down to them to start reading and have a priority of how important it is to have an education.

"The message now is if you watch ESPN if you are a sixth grader or up, what do you see when you go home at night - dunks," he said. "That isn't what basketball is all about. It is about footwork, it is about passing, hitting free throws and understanding the game."

Keady went on to say that it has made for some players that can jump, dunk players in the professional ranks that can really play the game.

"There are that not many good basketball players any more, not at the level it used to be like Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Glenn Robinson and Michael Jordan," Keady said. "They are few and far between because they don't stay in college, and they don't have a tutoring system where they can go build a career."

Also in his talk, Keady spoke of the rumors and stories that have been going around about his program and the alleged wrongdoings. Keady was especially unhappy about some sports writers in the Fort Wayne area that have continued to try to dig up the "dirt" on Keady and his program.

"That is what has irritated me more than anything about all this negative crap that has been going around about us breaking rules is if they would follow us around all year and see how hard we work and the things we did and how we emphasize integrity, they wouldn't have time to write those negative stories," Keady said. "I am not a very happy camper with some writers around the state because they are challenging my integrity. I tell you one thing, they are not going to whip me. Because there are courts that we can go to as well. I just want to be left alone and coach and stay the way I am right now, which is be happy and have fun at it."

Keady talked about a variety of subjects. Here are some highlights of what he talked about.

On IU coach Bob Knight

"I have always got along with Bob Knight, except twice a year. It has always been fun for me because I could be the orneriest thing in this state and still be second."

On class basketball

"The crowds are going to be smaller. I don't like it because I could go to another state and say Indiana has the best basketball tradition, bar none, because of their playoff system. Now I can't say that anymore because they completely destroyed that part of it. I think they have hurt the tradition."

On the Boilermakers this year

"Our style of play should change this year. But we are in an aura of change. We can shoot the ball, that is for sure. It should be an exciting year for me because I don't know what to expect from them."

On the Big Ten in the NCAA tournament

"We have to go from the hunted to the hunter. We are going to have to change our style in the conference. I think the Big Ten tournament, which will come in a couple of years, will be good for the conference." [[In-content Ad]]