Typically Long-Winded Diatribe on the State of Indiana Basketball

The excitement that flowed through my veins everytime I thought about Indiana basketball leading up to college hoops season produced enough endorphines to make a $400-a-day herion habit look like nothing but a bad investment. I was fortunate enough last year to get a look at Marco Killingsworth in practice and, not only was he the best player on the floor (but only slightly more talented than DJ White), he was the kind of guy that was demonstrating a lot of leadership and toughness that was sorely lacking with IU's last two teams.

So, the year starts and DJ White breaks his foot. He would be out for a couple of weeks and would be ready for the BIG Ten season. Indiana rolled through its non-conference schedule by essentially being outlasted by Duke at home by one JJ Reddick shot and a couple of free-throws down the stretch. The pummeled Kentucky, who regardless of talent this year, has always been a psychological wall for Indiana.

Hope were high, then DJ White, who was back for three games, breaks his foot again. Out for the season. However, while this wasn't a good thing, this team played Duke, without DJ White, tougher for 40-minutes than any team has yet (Georgetown got out to an early big lead, only to barely hang on at the end). I was convinced this team would be in spectacular shape for the Big Ten season and into March.

Well, Indiana over the last two games has demonstrated that there is something sorely missing. This team, who had convinced me that they had the talent and the desire to beat anyone who walked onto the floor with them, is coming apart at the seams. They inimically walked into Iowa last week to get beat by a team that had lost by 30-points to Michigan State the previous game. But if that was bad enough, no one could have foresaw Indiana following up this trough-like effort by going up to Minnesota (previously 0-6 in the Big Ten) and playing like a Division III school. They managed to shoot 30% for the game (23% 3pt fg), turned the ball over almost every other time down the floor, and were beaten to every loose ball. Again, this wasn't against Illinois and Dee Brown, it was a game against a team that was still staring at a goose-egg in Big Ten play.

More times than not, I like to listen to the game on the radio. Indiana has a gem of an announcer in Don Fischer, and I find that he is much more interesting and capable than most of the play-by-play guys on TV. After the Minnesota game, him and color-commentator, Todd Leary, were at a complete loss in trying to explain why this team is falling apart. It is very apparent what is wrong, no rebounding, too many turnovers, not enough effort, but no one expected this team to play this way, so why has it fallen apart? Well, if you are at a loss in explaining why, a lot of times is because there is a white elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge is there.

Before I lay-out what I think the problem is, let me lay-down where I have stood on the coaching drama in Bloomington. Bob Knight gave Indiana 28-years of amazing coaching, but I can be counted on as one of the many who was ready to see him leave in 2000. I personally wish that Bob could have "retired" so we could have sent him off the way he deserved, but in his typical fashion, couldn't stand not having the last word and, well, you know the rest.

I really love Mike Davis personally. He is a tremendous man and has been responsible for recruiting a lot of talent that would never have seen the arches in Bloomington during Bob Knights era soley based on what they think of Mike as a person. I actually enjoy watching a more athletic team who runs a more spread out offense than the old motion offense that can get you 20-wins, but no farther in today's game that relies on athleticism. I supported giving Davis a contract after he took Indiana to the finals in his second year, and supported them keeping him on this year in playing with a team as talented as any in the country. I had a hard time swallowing man-child, Greg Oden making his way over to Ohio State though, and most of that had to do with the uncertainty surrounding Davis's future. But I still thought it was the right thing to do.

Well Mike, if you've lost me, you're probably done. I've been rooting for you this whole time, and I'm now slowly convinced that you aren't going to cut it coaching Indiana's basketball team. There are a lot of factors that aren't your fault, but let me explain why I think there are problems that directly point to you as a coach.

IU played very well early. It was a team that unquestionably could play with anyone. IU was not only respected for it's talent, but mostly for it's depth of talent. You specifically have repeated that seven or eight guys on this team are capable of dropping 20 on any given night. There was some young talent on the bench that looked a little green, but they players like this are developed over time to play at a competitive level the Big Ten demands.

Well, instead of getting seven or eight guys who are capable of dropping twenty on any given night, there are a bunch of guys standing around looking at each other as the castle they've built is inexplicably crumbling around them. AJ Ratliff has managed to score 5 points total since dropping 21 in one half against Kentucky, and Marco Killingsworth, who used to scare the living crap out of opposing teams, looks like a deer in the headlights against the double-team in the post. Robert Vaden, who I think is one of most complete players in the game, throws the ball away far too much for a kid with his ability and acumen. The point guard play doesn't even exist. Our guards come up the floor without even a thought in their mind related to penetrating. I understand it is necessary to give Marco the ball, but the double-teams are going to keep coming unless you have some guards that penetrate into the paint to move your post defenders out of position.

Lastly, I must confess, I love this team. I think the character of the kids on the floor have rivaled any team Indiana has assembled. This team isn't plagued by a selfish Alan Iverson type like Bracey Wright anymore. With so much desire to see these kids succeed, I am having a hard time watching this team fall apart.

Coach Davis, this comes back to you. If you are unable to coach and teach kids with this quality of talent and personal character the adjustments that are inevitably required during conference play, then you can't coach anyone who will ever play at Indiana.

I'm not hopping onto the "fire Davis" bandwagon yet, as there is a lot of basketball left to play, but you're losing me. And if you can't get this ship turned around quickly to salvage a solid season, I'm willing to suffer through a few more tough seasons in mediocrity as we find another coach who can bring us back to where we need to be.

Coach? The ball's in your court.