It's all about Hoosier love

If you can, even if only for a few moments, forget about all of the disappointment this season entailed. The losses will not resurrect themselves and turn into wins. \nForget about how you would have preferred to see someone who plays as tenaciously as Ryan Tapak getting in Devin Harris' grill Saturday and possibly holding the Badger guard to less than 26 points.\nForget that you found Saturday's officiating crew to be among the most incompetent that you have ever seen. Or that the swarms of Wisconsin fans that occupied patches of Assembly Hall (where did they come from?) tended to agree that the Badgers were getting the benefit of the doubt on any close calls.\nThat's not the story here. What happened during the game was all pretense. The real story involved honoring the seniors who have given their time to the IU program. Guys who have given sweat, blood and groin pulls for the benefit of you, the fan.\nIf you don't believe me, maybe you didn't see "SportsCenter" Saturday night. As per tradition, every college basketball game they showed featured nothing but highlights from the game. But when they showed the IU highlight, it was about 10 seconds worth of Wisconsin scoring. \nThe other half of the highlight showed the IU crowd chanting "A.J. Moye!" and A.J. stepping up to the mike to wave his approval. This tale is about the love affair Hoosier fans have with their players, no matter what happens on the floor.\nThe first player to speak was the "Rudy" of IU basketball, Jason Stewart. No, he never scored, and he never got out on the floor much. But like any kid who grew up in this state, he had a dream of playing basketball for IU. (Unless, of course, that kid grew up eating paint chips and dreamed of playing for Gene Keady).\nBy busting his tail, Stewart achieved that goal. Very few are able to turn their dreams into reality. For instance, until I drive a zamboni, my dreams won't turn into reality. But Jason Stewart earned his applause.\nNext up was George Leach. Throughout his career, Leach's play was often frustrating enough to make a preacher drop multiple f-bombs. But when you are the only big man in a four-guard lineup, it makes things that much harder, unless you are Shaq-sized or Yao-talented.\nThings worked out a lot better when he was playing in the frontcourt with Jeff Newton or Jared Jeffries. With or without them, he's always had the innate ability to block shots into the front row of the stands. Who could forget the two big rejections he threw back at Oklahoma in the 2002 National Semifinal?\nBut the indisputable man of the hour was A.J. Moye. Very few have worn the IU uniform -- or any uniform -- with as much pride as Moye. The number 2 should never be handed out to any freshman that comes to play for IU. It should be earned.\nFor a while, I found it hard to comprehend how Moye has managed to make it through this season with his held head high. The losses are hard enough for such a fierce competitor to swallow. Couple that with losing two family members in an Atlanta fire and seeing his father battle against illness.\nBut watching Moye's dad sneak up from behind to give A.J. a bear hug as he spoke and seeing his grandmother cheer wildly made it obvious where he gets his zest for life. It's all hereditary. You wish their enthusiasm could be bottled and given out to other people.\nMoye said he wishes he could play at IU for 10 years. I don't see why not, Brian Cardinal played at Purdue for at least eight years. But A.J. will have to move on, much to the regret of us all.\nIt seems unfair that some uninspired sack of swill like Vin Baker made it in the NBA when a guy like Moye is more deserving of the fame and fortune. But no matter what he ends up doing, I have a feeling A.J. Moye will do it well.