Decision made with hope for a brighter future

He had his best season -- five wins is far from the word "best" deserves -- and he got fired. \nOr as IU's media relations department and Athletics Director Michael McNeely put it, the program is "changing leadership."\nYeah, he won 18 games in five seasons. No beating around the no-bowls bush here. Cameron got canned. Slashed. Fired. And it's the right move. \nLook, he's nice. He's likable. He's only 40. The upside is there. But the downside is way, way too hard to ignore. When a five-win season nearly saves your job, the program is in dire straits. \nMcNeely addressed those problems during Wednesday afternoon's press conference and foremost was IU's (lack of) attendance. Translation, right now, there are more people tying their socks around their knees and jumping over empty milk containers. \nAttendance averaged 32,605 (last in the Big Ten and more than the 2000 season average of just more than 30,000) and would have been lower if not for the Ohio State invasion that brought more than 47,000 fans. I suppose watching Antwaan Randle El jump over, run around and drop kick opponents isn't much fun. But, it's understandable, seeing IU hasn't experienced postseason success since 1993. \nWhatever the hell the problem is, it needs some fixing, and McNeely knows it. \n"We want someone who has experience in generating a strong support for the program in terms of interest, in terms of coming to the game, in terms of feeling connected to the program," McNeely said Wednesday.\nProblem now is, nearly no one feels connected to the program. People would rather mow their yards and knit sweaters than come to IU football games. \nMcNeely indicated he'd like to begin his search now and conclude it within a month. Vital recruiting time will be sliced, the athletics department needs to hurry, and whoever McNeely and his screening committee decide upon won't have it easy. He'll be starting from square one, without the backbone(s) of IU's previous four seasons -- players like Randle El, Levron Williams, Justin Smith, Craig Osika and Kemp Rasmussen. \nHe'll likely have to scrap the option and figure out who can play quarterback. He'll have to win over fans and get someone in Bloomington on Saturdays. He'll have to win.\nCameron's players backed him after the season-ending win over Kentucky Saturday and did the same Wednesday.\n"I love him," Randle El said of Cameron after what turned out to be the final IU game for both Randle El and Cameron.\n"Whatever happens happens," junior offensive tackle Enoch DeMar said Wednesday after an emotional team meeting at Memorial Stadium. "I wish him the best. I liked him, l liked him a lot. Every coach is going to do something you don't like, but he was a good guy." \nHe was, and he will succeed elsewhere. But five years was long enough. His trial run at IU is over, and it should be. \nMcNeely is pushing toward more attendance -- tying up potential fans and rolling them into Memorial Stadium in Hannibal Lecter's wheely-thing isn't an option -- and a Big Ten championship. The latter wish will take time. We'll see if Hoosier fans have enough patience. They put up with the end of Bill Mallory's career and now they've endured the Cameron era. \nCameron had his chance, and didn't produce. Football is the kingpin behind the athletics department's funding and it needs to be a centerpiece at a Big Ten school, even if basketball is more popular than Harry Potter and his magic stone or whatever the hell that is. \n"Five years is a very good measuring time in football," McNeely said. "It doesn't get real complicated: we either do or we don't. And in our case, we haven't excelled like we should."\nNo, you haven't. It's sad to see an Indiana guy with Hoosier roots pack up his bags, but it's good to see McNeely not standing for five-win seasons. They've been the norm -- or better -- far too long.