Crean has it right

Tom Crean’s IU basketball debut gave “starting from scratch” a whole new meaning. Predictably, record-setting losses are occurring.

Doomsday in Hoosierdom? Hardly. It’s a strange and wondrous thing, the way Assembly Hall fans keep coming and keep cheering.

It used to be that a rare home-court loss would inflict terrible hurt. It might take a week (or, at least, until the next game) to get over it. Nowadays, Hoosier patrons blissfully leave the Hall after yet another loss in no apparent pain.

Why is this? Mr. Clean Tom Crean is doin’ it right. He, too, brings infectious energy, enthusiasm and positivism that resist immunity. Players will buy into his way of doing things. An often reckless kamikaze offense that squanders ball possessions will be corralled. Tom Crean’s teams will be Big Ten-tough.

Chicago’s North Side-adoring fans have their Cubbies – caught in a longtime World Series drought. Now we have our own lovable losers. But they won’t be losers for long. Out-on-a-limb prediction: IU goes to the Final Four before the Chicago Cubs again visit baseball’s big dance.

Jerry Gregory
IU Alumnus