St. Valentine's Day massacre

Valentine's Day is better associated with tragedy than happiness.\nAl Capone's rivals learned that love meant getting pumped full of hot lead from the end of a Tommy gun. Others have found themselves stood up by a date, relegated to do nothing more than drink a bottle (or two) of wine by themselves and eat the rose petals that were meant for an unrequited love. For Red Sox fans, it meant their pathological hatred toward the Yankees increased tenfold as it was revealed the Bronx Bombers would decide to get a second all-star shortstop.\nAnd then there's IU, which brought its fans nothing but bitterness with a blowout loss to Purdue. Nothing from the game, save perhaps the hustle of Ryan Tapak, could be taken as a positive. If IU is Cinderella, the clock just struck 11:59, and I'm pretty sure my clock is running behind.\nWhen IU was on a five-game winning streak, George Leach was the difference. People did not want to go inside on the Hoosiers. Now they do so without hesitation, knowing that they will just pick up a foul and go to the line. With Sean Kline going down with a particularly nasty-looking injury, IU no longer has enough bodies to throw in if Leach continues playing lackadaisically.\nAs each game passes and a NCAA Tournament bid seems less likely, the anti-Mike Davis clique seems to gain numbers. While it certainly hasn't reached a critical mass, Davis' detractors are certainly letting their voices be heard.\nGranted, many of them have had it in for Davis since he took over for Bob Knight. Much like Ron Zook at Florida, he has had to cope with the pressures of taking over for a legend, which means some people will never be pleased. Another similarity he shares with Zook is that there is now a Web site calling for his head at www.firemikedavis.com.\nIt is true that Davis has been known to do some things in the middle of a game that make me and everyone else scratch their heads. I'm pretty sure Saturday represented the first time that I have ever seen a coach receive a technical foul after a personal foul had just been called on the other team.\nBut to fire someone who has never had a losing season? I guess it happens to people who manage the Yankees or coach Nebraska football, but if you think IU has fallen from grace, you should take a look at some other programs.\nRemember when Georgetown was a premier program? Under John Thompson, the Hoyas were an NCAA Tournament constant and the unequivocal big dogs of the Big East. Now, they have only made the Big Dance twice since 1997.\nOne of the few programs that has achieved more success than IU is UCLA. Yet times are lean in Westwood, and they are getting even leaner. After replacing slick-haired Steve Lavin with Ben Howland this year, things haven't gotten any better. The Bruins are 10-11 and in sixth place in a Pac-10 that is so weak that it makes the Big Ten look like the NBA Western Conference.\nEveryone is, and should be, disappointed with what the Hoosiers have shown us on the floor this year. But firing Davis is an incredibly quixotic solution for what ails IU. Don't forget that the top recruiting class in the country will be here next year. You really think they would still come if the coach weren't here?\nIf IU can continue landing classes like that, then Final Four appearances should be a regular habit once again. If not, expect a few more Web sites to pop up-and achieve their ultimate goal.