Summer daze not without IU sports news

The long summer months now plague IU and its sports fans, bringing a sense of boredom and a great many complaints about the professional sports world, which will enter the long and grueling MLB season after the NBA playoffs. Headlines dedicated to contract negotiations will cause some to reconsider the legitimacy of the pros, the conclusion of which will include vomiting. And we’ll sit around and wonder when-oh-when our college sports will return.\nBut have no fear, IU supporters, because believe it or not, those who keep a watchful eye on their school or alma mater might find some action that will hold their attention longer than a Gatorade commercial featuring Kevin Garnett. Here are some IU story lines that might warrant your attention this summer.\n1) Terry Hoeppner is “The Rock.” \nWhen Coach Hoeppner joined the IU football team in 2005, the expectations for the program went from being among the lowest of any school in the nation to the belief that a bowl game within the next few years could be a real possibility. Bringing with him a 3-ton piece of limestone and dubbing Memorial Stadium “The Rock,” Hoeppner’s focus on fan support is winning back a formerly disenchanted fan base that is now poised for a post-season berth. He is the current face of IU football, and as he continues his leave of absence due to medical reasons, the fans will eagerly and respectfully await the return of the anchor and wish him the best of luck.\n2) Assemble the construction workers.\n The IU board of trustees is considering either the replacement or refurbishment of Assembly Hall. Comments from the group and others, including IU President Adam Herbert and head men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, have seemed to support the initiative and it appears that it will be approved. The logistics of this construction should be interesting to watch, even for non-sports fans. \n3) Will the Big Ten Network work?\nThe Big Ten Network is preparing to launch in August 2007, causing many to wonder whether it will be readily available and if it will even be a benefit to their sports-watching experience. Fans will have almost a month to see if the network can be an effective tool in future summers to make up for the lack of publicized sporting events before students return for fall classes August 27. Given the confidence the Big Ten has shown in its new television network and the apparent excitement of those responsible for its launching, its success seems likely. \nSo as fans sit and yawn after a long day of work with no evening basketball game or college sports commentary on the tube, it will be worthwhile to dig into some news sources and track these stories as they progress. With no game broadcast on the radio and the lack of screaming and swearing accompanying it, at least reading about the latest developments at IU will keep disgust at the capitalism of professional sports to a minimum. But if stories are slow to develop and no new ones replace them, we’ll just have to deal with reports about who put a needle in their arm so they could get paid more. Sorry.