A stay of execution

Steve Alford, Rick Majerus, heck what about Isaiah Thomas? \nWith the losses compiling for the Hoosier basketball program, speculation has been rampant as to not if, but when, IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan will pull the plug on Mike Davis' coaching career in Bloomington, and the names being spouted off as possible replacements seem laughable. \nWith 13 games remaining in the 2004-05 season, it seems as most Hoosier fans have already thrown in the towel and given up on this team, and more noticeably, Davis.\nI, a critic of the Hoosier coach, realize it isn't plausible nor reasonable for Greenspan to lower the axe. After just firing football coach Gerry DiNardo, IU is forced to pay the departed coach more than $600,000. Now if Greenspan were to fire Davis, a $737,500 buyout awaits him. And whether or not rumors of IU alumni willing to pony up the cash are true or not, it doesn't make sense financially for an athletics department that has been mired in debt for years. The alumni aren't paying off DiNardo's bill, nor are they forking over the sums to pay new football coach Terry Hoeppner. So they'll pay for Davis' buyout? How about the new coach's salary? Names like Alford, Majerus or even Thomas won't come cheap. \nSo, step back and take a look. Be objective and put aside any personal feelings toward Davis. Hate him, like him, it doesn't matter. Davis doesn't deserve to be fired -- just yet, that is. \nIt's always tough succeeding a legend, and Davis was put in the position of filling some of the loftiest shoes in college basketball, succeeding a coaching icon will do that. \nIn only his second year, he won a share of the Big Ten title and guided the Hoosiers to the National Championship game. The argument that Davis achieved such a feat with Bobby Knight's players doesn't hold much water, seeing as the General, with those same players, hadn't been to the Final Four since 1992.\nDavis was being labeled a hero, a fresh face for IU to move forward and maintain its appeal as one of the nation's premier basketball institutions. Two and a half years later, with the school's first losing season in 34 years, and a mediocre start to this season, the luster has worn from Davis' star.\nA gauntlet of a non-conference schedule saw the Hoosiers drop six games, including losses to current No. 3 North Carolina (14-1), No. 9 Kentucky (11-2) and No. 12 UConn (9-3). The Hoosiers six non-conference losses came against teams with a combined 64-17 record, good for a .790 winning percentage. Among the six losses, the Hoosiers average margin of "loss" was a mere six points. Not too bad compared to the competition facing the cream and crimson. Losses to Charlotte (11-2) and Missouri could have, and should have been, IU wins, but with a young team which starts three freshmen, close games going the other way can, and should, be tolerated. \nThe Big Ten schedule entered the picture with a disappointing display at Northwestern, but a big home win against a game Wisconsin team has renewed some optimism. \nAnd the schedule which haunted the Hoosiers in November and December gives IU a stay of execution with a visit to hated in-state rival Purdue (4-9, 0-3 Big Ten). In Gene Keady's final season along the Boilers' sidelines, the Gene Pool and Tippecanoe County can sympathize with IU fans, having faced tough non-conference foes with a similar success rate as the Hoosiers. However this weekend, the winner will be rejuvenated and the loser buried.\nEven if Davis can't salvage the 2005 season, there will be renewed optimism in 2006 with the Final Four just up the road in the RCA Dome. Did I just say Final Four, Mike Davis and 2006 in the same sentence? I did. This is a team that doesn't start a senior and will welcome big man, powerhouse transfer Marco Killingsworth into the fray, along with the very talented Aussie Ben Allen. Davis has loaded his team with the necessary weapons to make the disheartened forget and forgive.\nThe 2005 season will mark the end of Gene Keady's tenure in the Big Ten and if Mike Davis wishes to avoid a similar fate, the coach will need to do one thing -- win. Because next year if the Hoosiers -- with their loaded lineup -- make a run to the Final Four, we wouldn't want to use the excuse, "Well, he did it with Mike Davis' players"