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(05/31/09 11:55pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Blue is the color of choice for most basketball fans living in the bluegrass state. During the last two years, it also served as the appropriate feeling of the Kentucky faithful toward the program.And for good reason. When Kentucky fired Billy Gillispie after just two seasons and missed the NCAA tournament in 2009, the program was in shambles. Jodie Meeks, the 54-point wonder, declared for the draft along with his bruising teammate Patrick Patterson.That’s when former Memphis coach John Calipari packed his bags and headed north for Lexington, Ky. And in just a matter of weeks, he lifted the program from rock bottom to what some analysts classify as a Final Four contender.“Cal,” as Calipari is commonly called, signed three five-star recruits in just more than a month. Patterson withdrew from the draft, and Meeks has still gone without hiring an agent.A good couple of months’ work, I’d say.With the Kentucky fans, boosters and administration feeling better than ever about their program, now comes the question of baggage.This past week, the Memphis basketball program was hit with “major violations,” stemming from more than $2,000 provided by Memphis for travel and board for an “associate” of one member from the 2008 team. In addition, an athlete was accused of cheating on his SAT. According to the NCAA, the player was only part of the program during that season.In other words, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is the accused and, for all intents and purposes, guilty, party.Now, the 38-win tally and championship game appearance in 2008 is at stake along with Cal’s reputation.While the Rose allegation is by far the more publicized of the two sanctions, I personally think Kentucky needs to have some concern over the money issue. It’s easy to see how Cal may not have known about Rose either deciding to have someone take his test for him or somehow cheating the system.Last time I checked, it wasn’t required of coaches to come by the test room and make sure their future star was present. Why would Rose ever bring it up to Cal, Memphis, the athletics department’s academic personnel or compliance?But the money? How does a coach turn a blind eye to someone’s constant presence at places like the team hotel, team meals and travel venues?On second thought, if Kelvin Sampson doesn’t know he’s on a three-way call when, according to recruits, he spoke to them and an IU assistant at the same time, it might be possible.If Cal did know anything, it might be best to come clean now. Take a lesson from the IU situation. Sampson embarrassed one of the most honorable athletic departments in the country and the outstanding people associated with IU athletics by his continuous, farfetched denial.By coming clean, I’m suggesting taking the blame, not admitting money was given at his will. If it were a recurrent act, why would just one instance be brought to the table by the NCAA? Cal’s Final Four run at UMass was never in jeopardy due to off-court problems, so he’s obviously got a knack for building a program clean.If Cal decides to lie at the hearing he is now required to attend and the truth somehow surfaces, Kentucky has really got an issue on its hands. No way could the seven-time national champion and winningest program of all time keep a coach who knowingly cheated and lied, even if he can make blue chippers sign as often as Cal writes his John Hancock.At his introductory press conference in Lexington, Cal said everyone he’s worked for knows that he is “about the school.” If that holds true, Cal spills whatever he knows relating to money or test scores at the coming hearing.Even so, the Tubby Smith ordeal in 2007 shows it’s the court of public opinion that can really make a difference in a basketball Mecca such as Lexington.
(05/27/09 10:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former Indiana Pacers and current Miami Heat forward Jermaine O’Neal had it right when he said 18-year-old men who are old enough to go overseas to fight and die for their country should be allowed to play professional basketball.Now, a mere four years later, NBA commissioner David Stern still can’t seem to figure it out.The NBA’s age restriction on entering the draft, requiring players to be 19 years old and a year removed from high school, hurts pro franchises and colleges who benefit and suffer at the same time by the presence of one-and-done superstars.Sure, attendance and revenues at the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, were boosted by the presence of freshmen sensations Michael Conley Jr., Greg Oden and Daequan Cook during the 2006-07 season en route to the Final Four. IU’s athletic department felt the monetary boost in 2008 thanks to Eric Gordon Jr. deciding not to cross the Indiana-Illinois border.But it goes deeper than purely athletics, which is what Stern is either not seeing or turning a blind eye to.Why require a future NBA superstar who could care less about an education to take up an enrollment spot at a well-respected university, when it could be used for an up-and-coming mind that has the desire to succeed in facets of life wherein an education is needed?In no way am I trying to stereotype by saying all one-and-done guys are only focused on basketball after high school, overlooking academics. Take Oden and Conley for example; both of whom are currently in Columbus taking summer school during the offseason. But, again, there are plenty who might as well list their major as Hardwood 101.The appealing thing about the Hardwood 101 majors is that no one goes to class after the NCAA tournament.From the athlete’s perspective, there’s really no point to spending a year in college, either.In today’s game, signing bonuses coupled with endorsement deals can cure any financial worries that top picks may have for the rest of their lives, pending common sense when it comes to money management.Ever hear the story about LeBron James’ kind gesture after he gained some spare change from Nike during his senior year? The story goes that after James signed his $90 million deal with Nike, he bought his St. Vincent/St. Mary’s High School classmates’ lunch the next day.That was even before he was formally drafted as the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland back in the summer 2003.You can say all you want about how invaluable an education is. While that is very true, athletes of James, Oden and Conley’s caliber are also invaluable to professional franchises and outfitters.If James wasn’t, would Phil Knight and Nike have invested that type of green in the King? That’s the world in which we live.What troubles me the most is Stern not seeing what damage this could do to American ball, with respect to professional and college hoops.The thought has been brought up, and I couldn’t agree more from a player perspective, of an athlete leaving the country for a year to play pro ball in Europe or Japan. After the year is up, he heads back to the United States just in time for the Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. That way, he’s got some cash under the belt in addition to having already played against some of the best competition in the world.Why make that option available to high school stars when some of them may consider going to college for two, maybe three years? It would take away from future faces of the month of March and the pageantry of college basketball. And then there is O’Neal’s argument. Why should someone be allowed to put his life on the line for this great country and not be allowed to live the American Dream at the same age? Sorry to say, but eight months in college probably aren’t going to make a kid come back to school when there are millions of dollars and fame waiting just down the road.Commissioner, why not make this easier on everyone, from prospective college students to players and fans?
(05/20/09 11:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With summer beginning and my shoulders still feeling the relief of the finals burden being lifted, I’m taking a break from my normal columnist duties and assuming Discovery Channel’s.Let’s go mythbusting.We constantly hear the generalizations describing a reason for the outcome of a sporting event or a stereotype pertaining to a type of team or athlete. As Midwesterners, we own a special set of these cliches, whether it’s what seems to be the irreversible curse of the Chicago Cubs or Notre Dame football’s deceiving schedule year in and year out.Reverse the curseThe curse of the billy goat has taken the fall for the Chicago Cubs’ 101-year (and counting) World Series title drought. In 1945, Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to remove his pet goat from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field due to its foul odor. An infuriated Sianis said the Cubs wouldn’t win anymore. Call him an outraged fan, but we can’t argue his prediction.Arguing the curse is quite the contrary. Black cats and selfish fans labeled byproducts of the curse, but throughout all the hype and pandemonium, the physical and, more importantly, the mental aspects of the game hold true. Just five outs away from the 2003 World Series, Cubs fans across the country could feel the end of the drought. Stars like Kerry Wood, a juiced-up, slammin’ Sammy Sosa and ace Mark Prior headlined the Cubs’ best team since its 1984 club, which also reached the National League Championship Series.An absent-minded, careless mistake began the momentum shift that probably cost the Cubs their first title in 95 years. The myth advocator would say I’m referring to fan Steve Bartman snagging a foul ball from left fielder Moises Alou, when in reality it was shortstop Alex Gonzalez bobbling a routine ground ball that started the Florida Marlins’ comeback.Justification? The only thing professional athletes might be better at than their respective skills is tuning out the crowd. The snag understandably aggravated Alou, but what fan would not have gone for the ball? Gonzalez’s seventh-inning fumble should have been a gift, inching the Cubs closer to the pennant. Instead, a lack of experience understandably got inside the heads of the young team. If it happened to the Marlins, would we have conjured up a curse for them?There are no easy games in South BendEach year, the Fighting Irish football enthusiast who uses championships won before he or she was born as defense for the current “prominence” of Notre Dame football also speaks of how grueling it is to not have a conference schedule. The harsh reality is that the Golden Dome may not be so golden anymore.Sure, Notre Dame faces perennial powerhouse University of Southern California each year and throws in that of a Penn State, Tennessee, Georgia Tech or Florida State every so often. If my math serves me right, that makes up just under 17 percent of the schedule. Sorry, Irish fans, beating a storied Michigan program that has won two bowl games in its last seven attempts and won just three games this past season doesn’t count.A 10-2 record almost guarantees Charlie’s Army a Bowl Championship Series bid, while most other teams around the country need a record of at worst 11-1. Exposure, a second-to-none fan base and high revenue that comes with selecting the Fighting Irish makes them irresistible. Aside from a lack of team speed, depth and blowing double-digit, second-half leads, it’s the home losses to the likes of a winless Syracuse team, Navy and Air Force that send Notre Dame back to frigid South Bend prior to New Year’s Day.The bottom lineEven though mythbusting is an off-the-field operation, it’s almost always on-the-field matters that prove to be the difference.
(05/17/09 11:57pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the country’s elite high school basketball players in Bloomington this weekend for the adidas May Classic, basketball fans received a glimpse of what could add to IU coach Tom Crean’s mission of restoring Hoosier basketball back to prominence.In order for that to happen, Crean and his staff have to work some more of the recruiting magic we saw them put on display this year after landing a top-10 class despite just a single conference win last season.The current task of landing some of the now-Assembly Hall-familiar athletes might be the greatest Crean has faced since his tenure began. That is saying quite a lot, given the circumstances the storied program has faced since mid-February of last year.However, there may be some light at the end of the dark, narrow tunnel Kelvin Sampson sent the Indiana program down 15 months ago.There were plenty of talented players to go around this weekend, and it worked out that a good amount of them call Indiana home. Calling Indiana their home school is yet to be determined, but remains a hope of the Hoosier nation.That stands true for Marquis Teague, a junior-to-be from Indianapolis’ Pike High School and brother of Wake Forest standout Jeff Teague. Marquis Teague felt the weekend’s experience was as good as it gets for a basketball player.“Assembly Hall is a great basketball venue,” he said. “It was great to play close to home, especially somewhere where the atmosphere is always good.”Considered a top guard by many scouts and recruiting services, Teague is exactly what any motion-offense-oriented coach wants. He put on display his ability to shake defenders at the top of the key, opening up the lane against a man defense and isolating teammates against a zone.It was enough to knock off 2011 IU commit Matt Carlino and his Indiana Elite One team Sunday morning, as the Spiece Indy Heat, Teague’s team, advanced before falling to Indianapolis’ Lawrence North and Dominique Ferguson, a 2010 top-10 recruit, and the SYF Players. The loss came despite 19 points from Teague.Right now, it seems the chances of IU landing Teague hinge on the efforts of Rick Pitino, who coached Teague’s father at Boston University, and Pitino’s future at Louisville.If IU were able to land Teague in 2011, Crean could have a 1-2 punch for the ages in Bloomington. It was clear to the scouts and recruiting services present at Assembly Hall on Sunday that Carlino’s court vision and instincts were second to none.Anticipating where teammates would be and the movement of the defense, Carlino was able to quickly find open teammates with excellent looks at the basket.Teague liked what Carlino brought to the table, saying his range and leadership abilities were equally high. “Matt’s a great leader, and he can shoot from outside really well,” Teague said.With one piece in place to what could be an unbreakable puzzle in Carlino, Hoosiers fans can only hope added visits to Bloomington and the tradition at IU can lead Teague down State Road 37 in just two short years.
(05/14/09 12:15am)
This weekend, the recruiting stakes have been raised, as top AAU players from across the country converge on Bloomington to play in the adidas classic.
(05/08/09 2:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Each February, the hype regarding the NFL Draft begins to heat up with the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Fresh off the previous season’s Super Bowl, scouts, coaches and administrators from each of the 32 teams throughout the league gather in downtown Indianapolis to start looking for what they hope is “the next big thing” for their franchise.General managers and player personnel officials do this one of two ways. The first is selecting the best player available when a team’s pick rolls around, regardless of a team’s needs. Second, team officials can go for what they desperately need, even though the best player that would fill their hole might not rank among a draft class’ overall best.Nowadays, more scouts are vouching for the latter because of the spread offense and air attack becoming more prevalent in the league. In particular, it’s offensive tackles stealing the spotlight from the glitzy wideouts, sub-4.4 running backs and ball-hawking safeties.Each year, ESPN pitches its coverage of the draft with retro commercials showing current commissioner Roger Goodell and former commissioner Paul Tagliabue stepping to the podium and revealing the inaugural pick of a past year’s draft.In weeks leading up to the draft in 2008, fans expected to hear a name such as quarterback Matt Ryan of Boston College, running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas or possibly behemoth defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of Louisiana State University as the first name called on draft day, with the possibility of offensive tackle Jake Long out of Michigan.First-year Miami Dolphins Executive Vice President Bill Parcells and the Dolphins front office decided on Long, signing him to a five-year, $57.75 million deal and guaranteeing him $30 million without him ever putting on his shoulder pads.Long was the first offensive tackle selected first overall since Ohio State’s tackle Orlando Pace in 1997.The emergence of offensive tackles hasn’t been just a thing of recent times. Since 1990, 20 tackles have been selected with the first top ten picks in the draft. This year, Jason Smith of Baylor, Eugene Monroe of Virginia, and Andre Smith of Alabama were all selected in the first ten slots.Why are teams electing for the trenchmen – guys who practically never score or make an explicit game-changing play?Protection.Since the passing game has become so much more prevalent in the NFL with forms of the spread starting to take place, offensive tackle openings are becoming popular on the football market.Teams including, but not limited to, the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots are stepping away from the smashmouth, up-the-gut style of play because of the presence of much greater athleticism on both sides of the ball.Tom Zupancic spent 15 years as the strength and conditioning coach for the Colts before taking a front office position as the team’s director of business development. He witnessed the importance of linemen through his playing experience in college and his work in the professional ranks.Zupancic, who is now the senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Colts, said a quality offensive tackle is invaluable.“The most important offensive lineman is the left tackle, because he protects the blind side of the quarterback,” Zupancic said. “They say it’s won in the trenches, and it’s really very true.”Just use Zupancic’s employer as an example. Two of the offensive linemen on the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Colts team, center Jeff Saturday and left tackle Tarik Glenn, were elected to the Pro Bowl roster, with Saturday as a starter and Glenn as an alternate. “Twenty years ago, offensive tackles were some of the lowest paid guys on a team,” Zupancic said. “Now, they’re some of the highest paid.”Although the top pick usually garners the most money of anyone who’s drafted, offensive linemen must always keep that blue-collar, lunch pail attitude when it comes to football.“I always loved seeing them come into the gym because I knew they were there to work and get better, to get used to the level of hitting and speed of the game,” Zupancic said.
(04/29/09 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Think back to the spring of 1998 and the jeers ringing from the Indianapolis Colts’ fan section at the NFL Draft. These antics, directed at first-year Colts General Manager Bill Polian, were instigated by the team’s selection of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning over Washington State’s heralded quarterback Ryan Leaf with the team’s first overall pick. Despite leading the Volunteers to a 39-5 record as a starter and the 1997 SEC Championship, Manning was coming off a 42-17 curb-stomping at the hands of Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The Vols’ inability to win big games landed them outside of today’s Bowl Championship Series games three times, and in the Citrus Bowl twice. This earned the infamous quote from South Carolina coach and former Florida head man Steve Spurrier, “You can’t spell Citrus without UT.” On that note, don’t forget Manning never beat archrival Florida.And then there was Leaf, a first team All-American (edging out Manning), passing for almost 8,000 yards in just three years, and leading his team to its first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1931 season. Like Manning, he was a Heisman Trophy finalist.Needless to say, the unpopular choice proved to be the right one.The three-time MVP Manning led his team to the 2006 Lombardi Trophy and five AFC South titles while rewriting franchise and league record books. As Manning cemented his spot in NFL history and continued to punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame, Leaf got caught up in physical exchanges with the media, moving around the league and ultimately retiring to coach golf and football at West Texas A&M University. History almost repeated itself the next year, as Polian and the Colts opted for Miami running back Edgerrin James over Heisman winner Ricky Williams of Texas. While James racked up yards, Pro Bowls and division championships, Williams spent time in jail contemplating his religion as a result of drug charges.Now, after multiple seasons of mediocre rush defense and the unpredictable availability of safety Bob Sanders, the Colts nation has been calling for someone. Someone big. Someone nasty. Someone with an attitude. Someone who would add bulk to an undersized defense. When the Colts were on the clock Saturday with the 27th pick in the draft, it looked like the blue nation’s wishes could come true. USC inside linebacker Ray Maualuga (easily a guy who meets the above requirements) was surprisingly still on the board, as was Florida State defensive end Everette Brown.Polian again went against the crowd and took Connecticut running back Donald Brown. A running back? For the fourth time in 15 years?Although no boos rang from the crowd, there was some obvious curiosity among Colts fans as to why both a probable first-round linebacker and defensive end were passed up. Here are three reasons to buy into the pick.1. After watching highlights from Brown’s career at UConn, it’s easy to see he is a physical back who runs hard downhill, adds depth and could solve some of the sideline-to-sideline running problems the Colts have had since the James days. 2. Mind you, embarrassing performances in rush defense have haunted the Colts for the past three regular seasons and past two postseasons. The Colts, who finished in the bottom half of the league in rush defense over the last three seasons and dead last in 2006, needed something to end the agony after the 2008 wild-card loss at San Diego. The decision of Jim Caldwell, the Colts’ coach, and the front office not to renew the contract of former defensive coordinator Ron Meeks without many personnel changes shows they think there may be something to work with in terms of the physicality and run-stopping abilities of the defense. If there is, new coordinator Larry Coyer must make sure it happens fast; else he might be out of a job and Polian’s draft magic might be put on hold to aid an ailing defense that must complement a young, promising offense. 3. Ever heard the cliche “You’ve got to run the ball in January”? Talk to some guys like Marshall Faulk of the 1999 St. Louis Rams, Corey Dillon of the 2004 New England Patriots and Willie Parker and Jerome Bettis of the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers. Each of these three teams made the Super Bowl, and in each of those Super Bowls, the winners’ backfields produced a net of more than 110 yards.The question of whether or not Polian’s untouchable draft reputation will hold out is yet to be answered. Just as was true with Manning and James, only time will tell.
(03/30/09 2:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS – To many in Indiana, there are four holidays in the calendar year: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s sectional tournaments for boys basketball. This is the opinion of Bob Hammel, IU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and former sportswriter for the Bloomington Herald-Times who covered IU basketball from 1966 to 1996. The tournament ended after four state champions were crowned in Indianapolis this past weekend.Hammel covered high school sports in Indianapolis before his tenure in Bloomington, living not only through the newly formed four-class postseason system but also the era when a single state champion was crowned.The latter is nationally renowned, due largely to the Milan Indians’ run to the state championship in 1954. The improbable event served as the basis for the movie “Hoosiers.”Bobby Plump’s buzzer-beating shot in the 1954 state championship game, lifting the heavy underdog Indians to a win against Muncie Central, has been enshrined as the figurehead of last-second shots on the hardwood.The single-class postseason was modified after the 1997 season by dividing schools into separate tournaments based on school enrollment. Hammel said he thinks Indiana’s early crowning system was a cornerstone for the present.“The old tournament was key,” Hammel said. “It generated the border-to-border enthusiasm we have today.”IU coach Tom Crean said the quality of coaches, players and people associated with the game are second to none.“The passion of the fans leads to the support,” Crean said. “The kids play so hard, and the coaching is top quality.”Many of Indiana high school’s greatest players took up residency in Bloomington after their high school days were done.Names forever etched in IU hardwood history such as Kent Benson, Landon Turner, Steve Alford and Calbert Cheaney are only a few of those who left high school ball for Final Four glory at the next level.Current Buffalo Bills wide receiver and former IU standout James Hardy said high school basketball in Indiana is different than in any other state. Hardy played on Fort Wayne Elmhurst’s runner-up team in 2003 before spending a portion of his athletic career playing for former IU basketball coach Mike Davis.“Coming out, I always wanted to be successful,” Hardy said. “I still love basketball, still watch it, still play it. Coming down to Conseco Fieldhouse to play was a dream come true.”Although the format of crowning champions has changed, feelings regarding the game have not.The late Tony Hinkle, who coached football, baseball and basketball at Butler for almost 50 years, has a quote painted on Conseco Fieldhouse’s wall, encapsulating the state’s obsession: “Basketball is not a craze in Indiana, because a craze is something that lasts temporarily.”Former IU coach and player Dan Dakich watched from the crowd as future IU player Jordan Hulls and Bloomington South won the Class 4A championship. Nearly speechless after the 69-62 finish in which South cemented a perfect 26-0 record, Dakich simply said, “There is absolutely nothing like Indiana high school basketball. Absolutely nothing.”
(03/24/09 3:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>NASHVILLE, Ind. – While three national championship banners and a picture of former IU coach Bob Knight are the only remnants of his 29-year tenure in Bloomington, the “Bob Knight Chair of Honor” is just one of what seem to be infinite tributes to “The General” in nearby Nashville.After stopping in for a bite at Larry Hawkins’ That Sandwich Place in Nashville, Ind., people will find they have just visited a Hoosier-hoops Mecca inspired by the legendary coach. Hawkins, a Nashville resident and long-time IU fan, is not only a close friend of Knight and former players like Kent Benson, Steve Alford, Pat Graham and Dane Fife, but also most of the community.“People take away a lot of memories from here,” Hawkins said. “It’s great to see friends come back with their friends, parents and even grandparents.”Offering a menu primarily made up of American food, Hawkins takes pride in the hamburgers, tenderloins and signature “Hi-Calorie Salads” he has served to his countless customers throughout the years.Despite the plethora of pictures of “The General,” signed team photos and memorabilia recalling the motion offense in Bloomington, Hawkins’ theme for his eatery was not always Hoosier Hysteria.“We started by just putting antiques on the shelves, but then I received a painting from C.W. Monday, an artist who still lives in Carmel today, that inspired me,” Hawkins said.The painting depicts the starting five “Hurryin’ Hoosiers” from the 1976 national championship team; the last men’s collegiate basketball team to complete an undefeated season. Monday’s work of art served as a cornerstone for a shrine to Knight and Indiana basketball.Loyalty is important to Hawkins, and it is a trademark at his restaurant.Knight, who has his own chair and round table in the corner of the shop for when he comes in to visit his friend, always demanded loyalty from his players, assistants and friends.Hawkins, who sat behind the IU bench at every game for 20 years until Knight was fired, values the loyalty and countless relationships he has built with co-workers and customers, a loyalty that grew out of the Knight-inspired atmosphere of the restaurant.Jeni Moberly can attest, as she has been Hawkins’ right-hand man – well, woman – for more than 30 years.“She really runs this place. I just do all of the PR stuff,” Hawkins said jokingly. “I told a friend once that she does 90 percent to my 10 percent.”Moberly has found a second home in the restaurant as well, attributing Hawkins’ charisma to its success.“He’s the greatest guy to work for,” she said. “The atmosphere here is just wonderful.”Sam and Sharon Alford, the parents of former All-American Steve Alford, are two of the IU-tied relationships Moberly has built through the restaurant. On occasion, Moberly heads down nearby Clay Lick Road to Lake Sweetwater to help the Alfords around the house.“I go over to their house and help them about once a year,” Moberly said. “I’ve just met so many people and friends during my time here.”Lexi Dollens and Lance Padgett, both of Anderson, Ind., also took notice of how committed Hawkins is to his work on their first visit to Nashville. “The food is great, and it brings back memories of me and my dad watching IU basketball games,” said Padgett, 20. Dollens, 20, never grew up a big basketball fan, but was still in awe of the eatery’s environment. “It’s our first time here,” Dollens said, “but you can just tell the owners put their heart into this place and are like a family.”
(02/26/09 5:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every team has its role-players – athletes who are committed, but rarely see the spotlight of competition.The No. 18 IU wrestling team is no exception.The Hoosiers (15-7-1, 2-5-1) head into the Big Ten Tournament next month relying on the preparation that will ready grapplers like No. 5 Angel Escobedo, No. 13 Kurt Kinser and No. 15 Trevor Perry for the competition in collegiate wrestling’s toughest conference.Those names are familiar, but what about the unsung heroes who grind it out on the mat each day for the sake of the team, not getting the media and fan hype more notable wrestlers receive?Scott Kelly, a senior and 141-pound member of the IU wrestling team, knows all too well.Kelly, a native of Carmel, Ind., and four-year member, rarely competes in meets but practices regularly.Many would wonder what would make a former Carmel High School state champion like Kelly put in the work and sweat for no chance at competition.Kelly said his payback is anything but nonexistent.“I love Indiana, and I love this school,” Kelly said. “I always knew I wanted to wrestle because of the lessons it taught me and because I loved it.”Going undefeated his senior year at Carmel, the former Greyhound could have gone to a smaller school and held a bigger role throughout his four years, but his love of IU and the wrestling coaches landed him in Bloomington.“The coaching staff here treated me better than any other school did throughout the recruiting process,” Kelly said. “The guys here are role models, and I thought to myself that they are people I want to be like when I grow up.”That’s not to say there were never bumps in the road for Kelly, but the family-like atmosphere of everyone in the IU athletic department, as well as the lessons wrestling taught him, kept him going through the tough times.“All of the athletes here have always been great to me, and I’ve made so many friends,” Kelly said. “I had to keep going for them.”This past December, Kelly’s payoff came through the pride he had in his school, peers and the respect he earned. That is when the unexpected came his way.At the Midlands tournament over winter break in Evanston, Ill., Kelly competed for the Hoosiers and placed eighth in his weight class, aiding IU in a fifteenth-place finish. The win at the Midlands only reinforced Kelly’s belief that one has to look at the big picture when tempted to quit or focus solely on the wins and losses.Just last week, Andrae Hernandez, Kelly’s practice partner, upset No. 2 Alex Tsirtsis of unbeaten Iowa in the 141-pounds matchup, and Goldman said he felt Kelly played a large part in it.“He’s pushed Andrae very, very hard, and it has really helped him. I think he has put the work in and has really become the best wrestler he can be,” IU coach Duane Goldman said.Goldman said Kelly’s contributions to the IU wrestling program are invaluable.“The thing Scott brings is inspiration through his work ethic,” he said. “We know we’re always going to get a solid effort from him.”Kelly said wrestling has given him more than he has given the sport.“The harder you work, the more directly it will impact your success,” he said, “and that’s something I’ll always carry with me.”
(02/12/09 4:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When it came time for sophomore Kurt Kinser to choose a college, he didn’t want to go far.A graduate of Bloomington High School South, Kinser said he wasn’t interesting in leaving the state.“I’ve always liked the atmosphere of the city, and it was just as good of choice as any other would have been,” he said.While most kids get their first taste of sports around the age of six or seven, Kinser was on the mats by the age of four. “My dad wrestled in high school, and that’s what got me going,” he said.Kinser’s background in wrestling equipped him for a high school and Amateur Athletic Union career most wrestlers only dream of having. While a sophomore in high school, Kinser took runner-up at a AAU wrestling event. At Bloomington South, Kinser went 5-5 his freshman year and lost only once his junior and senior years. That sole defeat came in the state championships as a junior. A year later, Kinser won the state championship.“I look back on that as one of the most memorable moments of my career up to that point,” Kinser said.IU coach Duane Goldman and Kinser’s teammates have trouble putting into words what Kinser, who was ranked No. 12 in the 157-pound weight class as of Feb. 6, means to the team.“With his physical approach to his matches, he brings a lot of emotion and energy to this team,” Goldman said. “He’s a good role model for the guys because he’s got qualities that are good for wrestling.” Teammate Paul Young, a sophomore and 165-pound grappler, said Kinser’s dedication is unmatched.“His will is hard to describe because it’s the strongest I’ve ever seen,” Young said. “When I see how much heart and emotion he puts into this team, it really makes us get into it.”Young also attended Bloomington South and has been friends with Kinser since second grade. “He’s easily the toughest guy on the mat, but then the nicest guy off of it, which is something every wrestler should try to be,” Young said. Kinser said his high school wrestling coach, Royce Deckard, and his father prepared him not only for the next level of wrestling, but for life.“The game builds character, and Coach Deckard had our program set up great where we conditioned hard and focused on the fundamentals,” Kinser said. After graduation, Kinser said he hopes to enter the service industry.He said he is looking at criminal justice, and he might go to theology school.Whichever career Kinser chooses, Young said he believes Kinser is equipped to be as successful as he is on the mat. “He’s just a great kid all around,” Young said. “You just know whatever he chooses to do, he will be successful at it.”
(02/04/09 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>To IU wrestling coach Duane Goldman, the Hoosier wrestling program has taken great strides in the last 17 years, but he hopes that equal steps have been taken toward enriching the lives of all of his athletes. Goldman, who is in his 17th season at the helm of IU wrestling, is what many would call a “lifer” of the sport. Beginning his wrestling career at just 10 years old in Colorado Springs, Colo., Goldman started his involvement with the sport at a local YMCA.“My dad wrestled at the University of Wyoming and got me involved in it,” Goldman said. Goldman’s accolades began accumulating as his career got underway at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs. Winning the state championship twice and earning a runner-up spot his junior year, Goldman compiled an 82-25 record at Cheyenne Mountain. After Goldman’s high school career ended, he was unsure where the best place to continue wrestling would be. “I had offers from Oregon State, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa State,” Goldman said. “My high school coach’s brother was best friends with Coach (Dan) Gable at the University of Iowa.” Gable is a name familiar in the wrestling world. Serving as coach at Iowa from 1977 to 1997, Gable went 355-21-5 (.932) during his tenure as head coach. He amassed 21 Big Ten titles while coaching 152 All-Americans and 45 NCAA Champions. One such champion was Goldman in 1986.“Iowa at the time was winning national titles, and I wanted to be the best wrestler that I could possibly be,” Goldman said. It didn’t take long for Goldman to realize he would be pretty good at the collegiate level. He recalled the most memorable moment of his wrestling career was during his freshman year at Iowa when a dual meet at Iowa State came down to his match.“I came in at 9-and-6,” Goldman said. “My opponent was an All-American, and I ended up winning that match, and it gave us the opportunity to go on and win that meet. From then until the NCAA finals, I didn’t lose,”Goldman would finish second each of the next two years before winning the 190-pound (class) NCAA National Championship. But an NCAA title still couldn’t keep Goldman from hitting the mats after college. Participating on the USA National Team, Goldman’s body began to feel the effects of competing in the sport for over a decade. “The training aspect was getting burdensome, and I started to have some nagging injuries,” Goldman said. It was then that IU came calling, offering the young wrestler an assistant coaching position. At first Goldman declined, electing to serve as an assistant at West Point.However, after just a year the Hoosiers targeted Goldman again. This time he accepted. “After that first year, I decided to go to Indiana, and two years later was fortunate enough to become the head coach,” he said. Since accepting the position, Goldman has transformed IU wrestling into a nationally recognized program at a school more known for its basketball and soccer programs. IU assistant coach Pat DeGain attributes Goldman’s success to the intangibles. DeGain lettered three years for the Hoosiers while taking third place in the heavyweight class at the 2005 NCAA Championships.“He’s a great motivator and has an exceptional understanding of how to read the athletes,” DeGain said. “He’s a scary and intense guy, but you know he’s going to get the job done and be successful at whatever he does.”It’s Goldman’s ability to read athletes that has landed him many highly ranked recruiting classes.Trevor Perry, who is currently ranked No. 15 in the 174-pound weight class, is one wrestler Goldman recruited. “He played a big role in my coming here,” Perry said. “I liked the fact that he was straight to the point and is a very honest man.”To Goldman, success on the mat is only part of why the job is so rewarding.“When I got here, IU wasn’t respected on a national level,” Goldman said. “I think we’ve built a program that is respected on that level.”