Stop whining, start cheering

So I guess it's time to panic.\nSitting at 13-7 overall, 5-4 in the Big Ten and after losing four out of their last five, apparently the Hoosiers are done. There's no chance, all is lost. Let's just blow up the season and look toward next year. I mean, being a game and a half out of first place in the Big Ten is absolutely insurmountable. At least, that's the attitude of most people around these parts and I think it's crap.\nCall me an optimist, but I don't see this season as a lost cause. Maybe my math skills are a little rusty, but last time I checked, a game and a half wasn't a huge deficit. Sure, it isn't an ideal position, but you play with the hand you're dealt. So should we all give up with more than a month left to play? Hell no, what are we, Cubs fans?\nLook, this team was dealt a serious blow when D.J. White was lost for the season. The unfortunate side effect has been the destruction of Ben Allen's confidence as White's brief foray back to the team in late December relegated the freshman to the pine. Now, the Hoosiers need Allen's versatility more than ever and he simply hasn't played like he's capable of. Lately, Big Ben has looked more lost than Ray Charles in a maze. He simply needs a shot of confidence, one good game and I feel like he'll be back.\nLook people, there are plenty of things that could be going better, we all know that. But panicking and calling for coach Mike Davis to be fired is irrational and idiotic. I mean think about it, if we fire Davis do you really think the players who love him would stay here? Why would D.J. White stay when Davis was his reason for coming to IU? We would likely lose our recruiting class and we'd have no shot at five-star prospect Darrell Arthur, who has said Davis is the main reason he would come here. \nAnd if we get rid of a coach all of our players love, who would we replace him with? \nThere aren't a whole lot of great, realistic options out there. The main names associated with the IU job have been ESPN analyst Rick Majerus and Iowa coach Steve Alford. Alford, a great former Hoosier player, honestly isn't a decent coach, just ask any Iowa fans and they'll agree with me -- wow, does it make me feel uncomfortable saying that. As far as Majerus goes, anyone who calls it "Oh-fense" shouldn't be allowed to comment on national television, much less coach a storied program. Plus, what's to stop Majerus from taking the job and then quitting a week later because of "health reasons"? \nSo to all of you students planning a "Black-Out" (in support of the fire Mike Davis movement) at Saturday's game against conference-leading Iowa, sit down and shut up. Either cheer for the team or don't show up. Regardless of what you think, you're not a real fan. A real fan would support the coach for the entire season, not just until things got bad. After the season, if you want to bring up the discussion, then go right ahead. But right now these kids (and their coach) need our support. \nReal fans don't abandon their favorite team when it needs them the most.