Pattons shaping program

DeKALB - Michael Patton had a strategic plan to get an ideal christmas present. Finding time with his father wasn't an issue. His dad, Ricardo, is the head coach for the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team. As the starting point guard for the Huskies, Michael spends considerable time with his father. But finding the appropriate time, well, that was Michael's dilemma. Three days before Christmas, Northern Illinois suffered an 86-75 loss at Wisconsin-Green Bay, dropping the Huskies' record to an abysmal 2-9, with eight of the losses by double digits. Forget threading a perfect pass through traffic under the basket in crunch time, Michael's toughest assist would be presenting his father with his desire for Bose headphones. “I