Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy "Blogaversary" Radley!
My friend (and fellow IU alum) Radley Balko is celebrating 6 years of writing the Agitator -- one of my favorite blogs and certainly the best I've seen on police abuse and legal corruption issues. If you haven't checked the site out, please do so here.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Bring Me the Head of Kelvin Sampson
Fire him, NOW.
Everyone knows how I feel about Bobby (and I did want to write something about his retirement, but work has been a mother recently) -- and many of my friends have been critical of my of my devotion to him. But this latest from Sampson illustrates why Bobby was indeed so great and so special.
Coach Knight, for all his imperfections, ran a clean program the right way. Indiana is a program that represents a team -- not individuals. I am proud that no Indiana jersey bears a player's name. I am proud that no jerseys hang from the rafters at Assembly Hall. Rarely did we have the most talented team in the conference, let alone the nation -- yet Coach Knight was able to deliver three national titles to Bloomington in addition to a slew of Big Ten crowns.
But Coach is gone and never coming back.
However, this does not mean we have to become like so many other major programs in America; essentially NBADL teams from which the pros can take their picks. I could not have cared less if we landed Eric Gordon -- he'll be gone after this year and then what? I want IU to field a team of good players who will grow into good men that graduate from college. It is far more important to run a team with honor and less-talented players than it is to win at all costs.
Sampson's actions have further degraded IU Basketball and he should be removed from his position immediately. To hell with the rest of the season -- IU Basketball is far greater and more important than one season lost.
This is not about Bobby. This is about restoring IU's tradition -- not just of winning -- but of playing basketball as a team and building up young men to become leaders, not cheaters.
Everyone knows how I feel about Bobby (and I did want to write something about his retirement, but work has been a mother recently) -- and many of my friends have been critical of my of my devotion to him. But this latest from Sampson illustrates why Bobby was indeed so great and so special.
Coach Knight, for all his imperfections, ran a clean program the right way. Indiana is a program that represents a team -- not individuals. I am proud that no Indiana jersey bears a player's name. I am proud that no jerseys hang from the rafters at Assembly Hall. Rarely did we have the most talented team in the conference, let alone the nation -- yet Coach Knight was able to deliver three national titles to Bloomington in addition to a slew of Big Ten crowns.
But Coach is gone and never coming back.
However, this does not mean we have to become like so many other major programs in America; essentially NBADL teams from which the pros can take their picks. I could not have cared less if we landed Eric Gordon -- he'll be gone after this year and then what? I want IU to field a team of good players who will grow into good men that graduate from college. It is far more important to run a team with honor and less-talented players than it is to win at all costs.
Sampson's actions have further degraded IU Basketball and he should be removed from his position immediately. To hell with the rest of the season -- IU Basketball is far greater and more important than one season lost.
This is not about Bobby. This is about restoring IU's tradition -- not just of winning -- but of playing basketball as a team and building up young men to become leaders, not cheaters.
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