2/7 News & Commentary

U recruit Eli Holman gets a quadruple-double. Getting Holman, Eric Gordon, and the rest of the Hoosier class in next year could make us a real-honest-to-goodness title contender, if DJ stays. And that's a moderate if. I don't think DJ would go, but maybe if IU does pretty well in the NCAA's, he might.

Watched a little of the Michigan at Ohio State game last night. OSU is so talented, but when Michigan is executing against you on your home floor, something about your defense is not championship-worthy.I gotta think Ohio State is not a final four team. They could be, but I just don't think they are consistent enough.

I gotta go with Wisconsin, UNC, Florida, and UCLA for my favorites, but Texas A&M, Butler, Kansas, and Ohio State for the Elite Eight. Nevada and Air Force would round out my top ten. I honestly don't think that highly of Memphis, Pittsburgh, and most of the Pac-10.

Current debate in ESPMSM: Oden or Durant for #1 in June?
I gotta say, it's just going to come down to which team is drafting, but if it's a team that needs everything, I think you gotta go with Greg Oden. You just can't teach height.

Terry Hutchens
sparks some debate asking about the "lovetap" Sampson gave to Calloway during the Iowa game.

I don't care, and wish these stories wouldn't take up print. I didn't care when Bob Knight was coach, I thought a lot of those incidents wouldn't have got much attention had it not been Knight doing it. I think those sorts of things, barring actual slapping or hitting of players, is more about the creation of a media story than any ethical issue.

In my high school soccer & swimming careers, I had coaches who were grimly quiet, coaches who yelled and loved everyone, and as well as coaches who yelled and hated everyone. My preference was for the ones who yelled and cried and carried on and put their hands on you, but loved everyone, and they let you know that they were on your side. And furthermore, those coaches also demanded that you represent yourself, your teammates, and your school with class. Kelvin may yell and grab Calloway or anyone else, but unless he's smacking them around, I don't care if he gets in a players face or grabs his jersey. That's between him and the player. Sampson demands professionalism from his players, and now twice has had them apologize after plays (AJ to the refs, Earl to Coach Painter).

I thought Mike Davis was generally a professional (if emotional) coach, but I don't recall Tom Coverdale or Marco Killingsworth ever being sent to apologize to anyone. I think I might recall Bob Knight doing that, but no specifics come to mind.

At the end of it all, I think Coach Sampson has worked his butt off, and been professional at Indiana. And he's winning. That's all I can ask.