In many ways, I find this year's Indiana Hoosiers basketball team to
be more frustrating than any of the teams during the Mike Davis era.
Right now I have rage and frustration directed at this team that I
don't think I've ever felt towards an IU team before. Oh, I'm still a
die-hard, mind you, but tonight's loss to Arkansas and their late
season implosion boggles my mind.
How does a team that began its year 17-1 and ranked in the top 10
fall apart so dramatically? They lost their coach, you may say. But I
don't buy (just) that. It's clear that this team lost its will when it
(rightfully) lost its coach. Whether it was the loss tonight to
Arkansas, the loss to Minnesota in the Big 10 Tournament, the loss to
Penn State, or the pasting they received in East Lansing, this Hoosiers
team clearly gave up a month ago and I probably should have quit
watching them then.
Grow up, Hoosiers. By giving up when your coach got caught cheating
you exposed your true loyalties - loyalties that in retrospect were
merely with one individual instead of with a university, its fan base,
or the tradition/religion that is basketball at the Hoosier state's
flagship institution. When Sampson left the school, many of you
skipped practice in protest. Cry me a river. Maybe I've become a
crotchety old fart, but I remember days when players were recruited to
universities and not just to individual coaches. So please, next IU
coach - recruit players who want to put on an Indiana jersey and play
for IU - not who are so absorbed with whomever you are that they'll
throw temper tantrums if you violate NCAA rules and get caught.
Oh, and Eric Gordon: just leave already.
Sigh.
Speaking of temper tantrums.
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