DeKALB | Monday afternoon truly was a welcoming party to DeKalb for Ricardo Patton, NIU’s new men’s basketball coach.

Patton hadn’t visited DeKalb until that point, not counting guided DVD tours.

During his first day in town, the Northern Star had the chance to meet Patton and find out how he started doing tae kwon do, how his NCAA tournament bracket is shaping up and who he wants play on the non-conference schedule next season.

Northern Star: If you could pick one non-conference team for NIU to schedule for next season, which school would it be?

Ricardo Patton: Either DePaul or Illinois. Those are considered the big boys in the state, and in order to be a good team, you have to play the good teams.

NS: You said not being able to play in the band led to your career in basketball. What happened?

RP: I remember it like it was yesterday. When I got back to school and I couldn’t be in the band, I got myself a basketball and just started to shoot in the gym.

NS: March Madness is in full swing. Did you fill out a bracket — you know, just for fun?

RP: [Laughing] It’s illegal.

NS: Not one to gamble with; that is, do you have a bracket just for personal fun hidden away?

RP: No, I didn’t [make one]. I looked at it and thought about it at one point, and I thought well no, I haven’t done it, so don’t start now. I tell you why I didn’t do it: I wasn’t going to follow up.

NS: You said in the press conference that you are a fifth-degree black belt in tae kwon do. How did you get started on that path?

RP: In junior high school, I came home every afternoon and watched “The Green Hornet,” with Bruce Lee as Kato. That peaked my interest. I started practicing and training, and it became a way of life.

NS: In that case, what have you applied to your life most from tae kwon do?

RP: The concentration and the focus that it builds, a discipline to be able to tolerate a little bit more pain than the average guy, and the stick-to-itiveness it teaches you. It also teaches you to be humble. I think martial arts teaches humility.

NS: What do you enjoy doing off the court?

RP: Golf. I’m an avid golfer.

NS: Golf in a state with mountains and snow? The plains of Illinois must be a nice sight.

RP: Actually, Colorado has great golf. And, surprisingly, the courses stay open year-round. Now, this past winter was the worst winter in 14 years in Colorado. The year before that, I played golf on New Year’s Day and it was 70 degrees. There’s a real misunderstanding about the weather in Colorado.