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(11/15/12 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Today against Sam Houston State, for the first time this season, sophomore forward Cody Zeller will have to pick on someone his own size.In IU’s first two games this season, wins against Bryant and North Dakota State, the 7-foot Zeller has yet to face an opponent within three inches of his height. The Bearkats, though, boast Michael Holyfield — a 6-foot-11-inch, 255 pound sophomore center who figures to be Zeller’s primary opposition in the post.“He poses challenges with his girth and his strength,” Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson said. “He runs the floor a lot better than you may think he would. I know he made strides last season when they had some injuries. We’ve been watching him on film, and he’s a great screener, he contests shots and he did a great job of rebounding the other night.”Through two games, Holyfield is averaging only 5.5 points a game, seventh on the team, but he leads the Bearkats with nine boards per contest.Like IU’s first two opponents, SHSU relies heavily on perimeter shooting, though Johnson said Holyfield’s presence and a more up-tempo offense pose a different challenge for the Hoosiers.“This team is a tad bit faster paced overall, and the perimeter is going to be surrounded with shooters,” Johnson said. “They are going to have shooters at all four spots, no matter who is in the game opposite (Holyfield). With us being probably a tad more spread out and him having more space to operate, he can pose a little bit more of a threat.”Perhaps the most dangerous shooter for SHSU is guard Darius Gatson, who leads the team with 14.5 points a game and 60 percent shooting from 3-point range while also commanding the offense at point guard.“Darius Gatson really pops out on film when you watch him,” John said. “You can tell a floor general when you see one, and he makes that team go.”He’s far from the only threat IU must watch for from three, though. SHSU averages 25 three-point attempts a game, with five players each averaging at least two.“I think they have a team with maybe five or six guys that I consider to be shooters,” Johnson said. “A lot of times on film when you are preparing for a scout, you can identify one or two guys that you can key in and say, ‘We want to make sure we run this guy off the three point line,’ but they have a team full of guys that are capable of knocking down shots.”Today’s matchup, the first ever between the two teams, is IU’s third game in a seven-day span to open the season. The rapid succession of games could pose a challenge to the freshmen, junior forward Will Sheehey said.“They’ve just got to take care of their bodies and, most importantly, take care of their minds,” Sheehey said. “If you play well, you keep the mindset, and if you play bad, you forget about it and move on to the next play.”
(11/13/12 5:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There was no sophomore slump Monday night. Not for IU in its second game of the season and certainly not for center Cody Zeller or guard Remy Abell.The second-year players led IU to an 87-61 home victory against North Dakota State to push IU’s record to 2-0 on the season.“There’s nothing bigger than energy and toughness, and it’s got to be there constantly,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “I thought once we figured that out ... we played pretty well.”Zeller led the Hoosiers with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting and nine rebounds. He was also 6-for-10 from the free throw line with all but one of his attempts coming in the first half, when both teams were mired in shooting slumps. His early free throws helped IU stake a lead it would never relinquish as the team’s shooting recovered to the point of posting a 48.3 shooting percentage for the game.After the game, Crean revealed Zeller was sick before the game and was no sure bet to play Monday night, something the center never mentioned himself.“He probably should have stayed home in bed,” Crean said. “He’s just got that type of toughness. He didn’t have a great defensive game, and he knows that, but he was tough to deal with on the offensive end.”A fastbreak off a missed NDSU free throw that ended in a Zeller dunk brought the crowd to its feet late in the first half, and IU took a 42-29 lead into the half.In the second half and after early threats from the Bison that cut the Hoosiers’ lead to single digits, IU began to pull away. A fastbreak dunk from Zeller followed by a block at the other end and 3-pointer by junior forward Will Sheehey allowed the Hoosiers to turn a 15 point lead into a 20 point advantage in a matter of seconds.Then, it was another sophomore’s time to shine.In a period of 80 seconds in the second half, Abell scored eight consecutive points for the Hoosiers, helping the team keep pace with a handful of Bison jumpers.The sophomore guard finished with 14 points, tied for second on the team and was a perfect 5-for-5 on the night from the field. Abell has yet to miss a field goal this season, hitting all seven of his attempts, including five from beyond the arc.Crean said Abell worked on shooting with his high school coach in the summer, and the results show.“That was definitely something big for me,” Abell said. “I know I can get to the rim, but my teammates and coaches have really helped me work on my jump shot.”In addition to his shooting prowess Monday, Abell also ran the offense at times. He and senior guard Jordan Hulls both took charge for freshman starting point guard Kevin ‘Yogi’ Ferrell at times, as Ferrell had an off night, in Crean’s estimation.Senior forward Christian Watford, coming off 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in IU’s opening win against Bryant, forced shots throughout the evening and missed several open looks when he had them. He finished with six points.On the other hand, freshman forward Jeremy Hollowell filled much the same role Watford had in the first game, playing center in a small, speedy lineup the team employed for much of the second half. He tied Abell with 14 points of his own.“There’s conventional, there’s unconventional and then there’s what we did tonight,” Crean said. “We played. It didn’t become about matchups as much as it became about putting guys out there and saying ‘Let’s go.’”All told, 30 of IU’s 45 second half points came from the bench.“I don’t look at very many of these guys like they’re bench players,” Crean said. “I look at it right now like we’ve got at least seven guys with room to grow.”The Bison were led by 16 points from forward Marshall Bjorklund, who racked up four personal fouls while playing physical defense on Zeller for much of the game.“(Teams are) going to try different strategies, try to out-physical me, out-physical some of our other guys, try to get us in foul trouble,” Zeller said. “We’ve just got to keep our composure.”
(11/13/12 12:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite some forced shots and off nights from a few veteran players, Indiana pushed its record to 2-0 on the season with a 87-61 win against North Dakota State Monday evening at Assembly Hall.The Hoosiers outscored the Bison by 13 in each half, playing a cleaner second half in a game that saw them force 16 turnovers while committing only 10 of their own.Cody Zeller led IU with 22 points while Remy Abell chipped in with 14 points, 8 of them coming within less than a minute int he second half.IU overcame a slow shooting start to shoot 48.3 percent as a team.
(11/12/12 5:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Not 15 minutes had passed since Indiana’s season opening 97-54 trouncing of Bryant, and IU Coach Tom Crean could already reel off a laundry list of areas for improvement he saw in the win.“Ball screen defense,” he said. “Communication, especially on the weak side. Even better activity off the post double...”Minutes later, senior guard Jordan Hulls was up with his own list, citing rebounding at both ends of the floor and turnovers as flaws from the Hoosiers’ Friday performance that they need to correct.Today, just three days later, they get their chance.In the first of IU’s four games in the Progressive Legends Classic, the team hosts North Dakota State at 7 p.m. today at Assembly Hall.“They have really good players,” junior guard Victor Oladipo said. “So it is going to be good for us, now playing every other day, or every two or three days, and it feels like we are in the full swing of things.”The Bison were picked to finish second in the Summit League this season and began the season with a blowout victory of their own on Friday, a 93-47 drubbing of Valley City State.They return their top five scorers from last year’s 17-14 squad, including guard Taylor Braun, an All-Summit League pick with 15.4 points per game and 6.6 rebounds. Both marks led the team.“More than anything, we have to do a great job of knowing where we are at on the floor defensively — when to pressure them and when to back off,” IU Associate Head Coach Steve McClain said. “And we have to do a great job on the defensive boards because they do a great job of going to the glass hard.”The Bison have several links back to Crean and the Big Ten. In 2006, the Bison, with current head coach Saul Phillips as an assistant, upset Crean’s then-No. 8 Marquette Golden Eagles 64-60.Additionally, Will Ryan, an NDSU assistant coach, is the son of Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan.“They have a Wisconsin flavor to them in how they play offense and defense,” McClain said.As part of the Legends Classic, IU will play Sam Houston State on Thursday at home. The tournament then takes the Hoosiers to Brooklyn for a matchup with Georgia on Nov. 19 at the new Barclays Center. Depending on that day’s outcome, they get either Georgetown or No. 13 UCLA the next day.During today’s game, IU will honor former Hoosier Bill Garrett and the 65th anniversary of him becoming the first African-American player in the Big Ten.With more than a week between the IU’s lone exhibition game and its season opener, today’s game is a comparatively quick turnaround. This is nothing new to veterans such as Hulls with postseason experience. He and his fellow upperclassmen find themselves in the position of giving advice to the team’s freshmen.“Take care of yourself. Make sure you get some sleep, a lot of fluids,” Hulls said Friday after the Bryant win. “We were focused on this game. Now we’re focused on the next game. We’ve just got to approach it that way.”
(11/11/12 6:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>According to multiple media outlets, Noah Vonleh became the sixth member of IU’s 2013 recruiting class Saturday evening.Vonleh was at IU Friday and Saturday for his official visit and attended Friday’s season opener against Bryant, where he was seen wearing an IU hat. He has since cancelled the remainder of his scheduled visits.Vonleh, a 6-foot-9-inch, 222-pound power forward, is a five star prospect according to Rivals.com and ranked seventh in the 2013 recruiting class. He is the third five star recruit of the Tom Crean era, joining sophomore center Cody Zeller and freshman guard Kevin ‘Yogi’ Ferrell. Vonleh is ranked higher than either Zeller or Ferrell were when they were coming out of high school.Vonleh recently reclassified from the 2014 class. Originally from Haverhill, Mass., Vonleh attends New Hampton Prep in New Hampton, N.H.The sixth member of IU’s 2013 class, Vonleh joins guard Stanford Robinson, forwards Troy Williams, Devin Davis and Collin Hartman and center Luke Fischer.Syracuse and Ohio State were considered the other top candidates for Vonleh’s commitment.— Max McCombs
(11/09/12 4:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior Christian Watford has played power forward on numerous occasions in his first three seasons at IU, so when senior forward Derek Elston sustained a torn meniscus at Hoosier Hysteria, Watford seemed an obvious candidate to pick up the slack in the post.In Friday’s season opener against Bryant, though, Watford will fill in for his fellow senior in another way as well, wearing Elston’s No. 32 jersey instead of his customary No. 2.“I really didn’t want y’all to know that,” Watford said. “He’s a senior, and he’s been with me for a long time. I just want to come out there with him. He can’t come out and actually play on the court, so I wanted to do that for him.”Watford approached Crean about the number switch last weekend. After checking the legality of such a move, Crean was happy to oblige.“I thought it wan an incredibly noble gesture. I really did,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “And he was dead serious about it ... I think it goes to show how close these guys are in ways we can’t even imagine.”Watford joked that if he plays well Friday, he may be reluctant to return the number to Elston once he returns.All kidding aside, though, Watford’s increased presence in the post may be needed early this season.Elston had surgery two weeks ago, and while reports indicate his recovery may be somewhat ahead of schedule, he will miss at least the first several weeks of the regular season.Compounding the team’s lack of frontcourt depth, freshmen forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea and center Peter Jurkin were suspended nine games each Tuesday after an NCAA investigation into alleged improper benefits from a booster.“There is a high level of disappointment because I know what we do, and I know how we have done it,” Crean said. “My greatest concern is for them. It has been, and it will remain that way. They don’t deserve this.”The team is appealing the players’ suspensions, but in the meantime, Crean said he will explore several options for temporary post depth.“There will be some conventional and there will be some unconventional,” Crean said. “You learn a lot over your period of time at Indiana, from 2008 on, and the one thing that you learn is you don’t sit there and worry about what you don’t have.”By Crean’s definition of “conventional” or, as IU Associate Head Coach Tim Buckley put it, “next man up,” walk-on junior forward Jeff Howard would be in line for a boost in playing time before his teammates return. Howard has played all of 39 minutes in his first two seasons with the Hoosiers.“I still think that he is not quite bought into the fact that we want him to play, but he will,” Crean said. “He will be out there. He does some really good things.”More “unconventional” options on Friday could include Watford and freshman forward Jeremy Hollowell, who has battled illness this week, playing more at larger positions than originally planned.Watford said he is even prepared to play center in smaller lineups — when sophomore center Cody Zeller is on the bench — if need be. That could be the order of the day against the Bulldogs, who do not have a single player on their roster taller than 6-foot-8.“Where they get a little bit smaller is when you get to the power forward, and then usually the small forward is more of a guard,” Buckley said.Still, down three frontcourt pieces, there is pressure on the remaining players to not take themselves out of the game through careless fouls.“You don’t want to get into foul trouble, but you have to stay aggressive and get after it,” Zeller said. “You do have to be a little bit more careful.”
(10/26/12 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Thursday, the Big Ten announced that a panel of conference media had named the Hoosiers as the Big Ten favorite heading into the 2012-13 season. Michigan and Ohio State followed Indiana in the conference preseason rankings as second and third, respectively.Sophomore center Cody Zeller received another stream of awards, being named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year by the same panel. He also was a unanimous choice for the preseason All-Big Ten Team, joined by Michigan’s Trey Burke, Ohio State’s Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas and Penn State’s Tim Frazier. IU Coach Tom Crean said even with all of Zeller’s awards and praises during the offseason, the sophomore has been able to keep a level head.“Cody Zeller epitomizes so many things about the program, and number one is the humble spirit he has,” Crean said. “He’s confident, but he has a humbleness, and he has a desire to improve.”IU senior forward Christian Watford said these new team and individual accolades, along with several others the Hoosiers have grabbed this preseason, show just how far the program has come since Crean came on board in 2008.“It was a great step, ‘cause we’ve finally gotten some respect over the last couple years, ‘cause we’ve been picked at the bottom, but we’ve moved up the ladder, and it shows that our hard word really pays off,” he said.A day after news broke of his torn left meniscus, senior forward Derek Elston was present at the media day and confirmed once again that the root of the ailment dated back to high school. His surgery is scheduled for Friday.Crean said they cannot fully predict a timetable for his return until after the procedure, but reiterated that Elston is fully expected to see the court this season.“The disappointment is for him in the sense that he’s been playing at a good level, working hard, improving,” Crean said. “I don’t see this taking away a season or anything like that.”During Thursday morning’s press conferences, a handful of photographers snapped photos of the conference’s coaches sitting onstage answering questions.New Nebraska Coach Tim Miles decided to flip the script.After about 10 minutes of fielding questions, Miles ended his press conference by whipping his iPhone out from a pocket and taking a panorama photo of the assembled media before him. The photo was on his Twitter page within minutes.It was far from the only moment of Miles’ press conference that drew puzzled reactions. The first-year Cornhuskers leader unleashed a number of one-liners from the podium, clearly enjoying his first moment in the Big Ten spotlight.From the moment he sat down and commented that the media looked in need of some coffee to noting that the Big Ten was on one of the two television channels he got growing up in South Dakota, no one was safe from his humor, not even himself.Miles, already at his fifth head coaching stop at the age of 46, said his rise through the ranks of rebuilding programs, most recently Colorado State, directly contributed to his graying hair.In between the humor, though, the coach unveiled parts of his plan to put the Huskers back on the basketball map for the first time in years, including his recruiting Texas and Colorado for hidden gems and the team’s new training complex.Even then, though, he could not resist a joke.“We would invite you all to come, but then you might,” Miles said. “So I’m not going to.”Even though his team struggled last season, going 12-20 — including a 4-14 record in the Big Ten — Penn State men’s basketball Coach Patrick Chambers was able to stay out of the critical spotlight because of the events that surrounded the school’s football program.But Chambers said he knows it’s been on the mind of every recruit, as well as their family members, and Chambers has decided to take the issue head-on.“I talk to the parents about it and the kids about it, and I don’t want it to be the elephant in the room,” Chambers said. “If they’re okay with it, then you are going to get amazing kids that are serious about getting degrees, that are winners and that want to help build this program.”Frazier said the situation has brought the whole athletic program together as they rally around the football team this fall.“We’re truly sorry for the victims and everything that happened, and as far as everything that happened to the university, but we just have come together as a family and move on and move in the right direction,” Frazier said.
(10/26/12 4:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At Thursday’s Big Ten Media Day, coaches weighed in on everything from preseason expectations to creative solutions for rebounding issues.“Our team has had to deal with a lot of other hype that wasn’t necessarily positive.”IU Coach Tom Crean about past preseason expectations“The fact that four of our brethren are ahead of us, that’s OK. There’s a lot to play before December and early January.”Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan about the Big Ten“Everything they’ve so far been able to accomplish, they’ve earned and they’ve done it the hard way.”Purdue Coach Matt Painter about IU“As far as his team, his players, he needs to be patient, go through it one time — he’s a great coach but knows it’s difficult on the road here.”Penn State Coach Patrick Chambers about new Nebraska Coach Tim Miles“Winning on the road in the Big Ten might be the most daunting task in college basketball.”Ohio State Coach Thad Matta about the Big Ten“Just throw out some raw steaks on the court.”Northwestern Coach Bill Carmody about improving rebound tenacity“I would like to thank Rick (Boyages) and the Big Ten for starting us at home against Michigan State ... Thanks, Rick. Santa is going to give him some coal.”Nebraska Coach Tim Miles about his team’s conference schedule“There are a lot of things that he had to deal with last year, and I think he has that under control, both mental and physically.”Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith about Trevor Mbakwe’s legal and injury woes“I knew somebody would ask that. Why ruin a good day?”Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo about the number of highly-ranked teams in the Big Ten“I think the biggest obstacle is the other teams aren’t going away.”Michigan Coach John Beilein about the new Big Ten teams emerging“The ones that excel are oftentimes not necessarily the ones that are the most talented. They’re the ones that are the most mature.”Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery about player development“Coaches will take consistency over greatness any day of the week.”Illinois Coach John Groce about guard Brandon Paul
(10/22/12 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a quest for choice seats at Saturday evening’s Hoosier Hysteria, particularly dedicated IU basketball fans camped outside Assembly Hall more than a day in advance.Their efforts were rewarded.Doors closed when Assembly Hall reached its capacity of 17,472 at 5:37 p.m. Saturday, nearly an hour and a half before player introductions began at 7 p.m.“As happy as I was seeing so many people get in, I also feel for the people who weren’t able to get in,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “I don’t think any of us envisioned that it would move that fast today. I was just hoping for a packed house.”The turnout came as no surprise to senior guard Jordan Hulls.“The fan base has always been huge for us,” Hulls said. “Maybe not to this extent, but I didn’t see an empty seat in the house, and that was pretty special.”Hulls has now taken part in four Hoosier Hysterias during both high and low times for the program. The evening’s emcee, ESPN SportsCenter co-anchor and IU alumna Sage Steele, had an even larger frame of reference and said the hoopla and excitement for the season kickoff now is far beyond what it was in her college days.“As (Director of Basketball Operations) Calbert (Cheaney) and I were talking about, it was different then,” Steele said. “Coach (Bob) Knight would come in, and everybody would watch practice, and it was cool and fun and there were thousands of us, but not 18,000, and not lines of kids outside.”
(10/19/12 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Saturday evening, Hoosier basketball fans throughout IU’s campus, Bloomington and the country will have a chance to see the men’s and women’s basketball teams in-person. IU Coach Tom Crean’s men’s team is ranked preseason No. 1 in polls across the country. The women’s team enters its first season under new head coach Curt Miller. Both coaches will address the crowd.The event is a week later than it traditionally has been so as not to coincide with fall break. Potential recruits for both the basketball and football teams are expected to attend.“It’s always been exciting, going back to year one, but I’ve never heard it talked about like it is right now,” Crean said. “I think it will be huge for recruiting, I don’t think there’s any question about that. We moved it back a week with one goal in mind: to give every student at Indiana the opportunity to be at it because of the fall break (last week). I think we’ll have a lot of fun.”Here are a few tips to ensure IU basketball fans have a chance to enjoy Hoosier Hysteria to the fullest.Arrive earlyAssembly Hall’s doors will open at 4 p.m., and tickets are free. Fans will be admitted until all seats in the arena have been filled. The IU-Navy football game will be screened on the video board.Although the event is free, fans are encouraged to bring a canned food item to benefit Hoosier Hills Food Bank.AutographsHoosier fans can bring one item they wish to have signed by players during an open autograph session from 5 to 6 p.m. before the official event begins at 7 p.m.Sage Steele as emcee ESPN SportsCenter co-host and IU alumna Sage Steele will serve as emcee for Hoosier Hysteria, announcing activities including a dunk contest, a three-point contest and men’s team scrimmage. Participants for the dunk and three-point contests have not yet been announced.Student contestsBefore the event officially begins at 7 p.m., students will be encouraged to register for a Big Head contest and the Craziest Fan contest. The Crimson Guard will select students to compete and bring them onto the floor. The lists will be narrowed down for the finals, which will take place between the dunk and three-point contest. Winners will be awarded IU Varsity Shop gift certificates.
(10/17/12 4:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the first time since 1993, IU is No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.This is the fourth time in IU history that the team has been ranked No. 1.In the poll released Wednesday, the Hoosiers claim the top spot and 21 of 31 first-place votes. Louisville and Kentucky are ranked No. 2 and 3, respectively, and each garnered five first-place votes.IU is one of five Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, the most of any conference. Three are in the top five, with Ohio State at No. 4 and Michigan at No. 5. Rounding out the contingent are Michigan State at No. 14 and Wisconsin at No. 21.North Carolina, which IU will face Nov. 27 as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, is No. 12.In the Legends Classic Finals on Nov. 20, IU could take on No. 13 UCLA, depending on the outcome of the Hoosiers’ matchup with Georgia the day before and the Bruins’ tilt with Georgetown.IU’s No. 1 ranking is the highest in the Tom Crean era and the first No. 1 ranking for a team coached by Crean.IU opens its season Nov. 9 against Bryant, though there is an exhibition game with Indiana Wesleyan Nov. 1. Hoosier Hysteria starts at 7 p.m. this Saturday in Assembly Hall.— Max McCombs
(10/10/12 9:09pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I reside in a small apartment by myself, which results in a frustrating little problem. On one hand, my lack of a roommate allows me complete control of the kitchen. On the other, that kitchen is tiny, limiting me more than you might think.Thankfully, there is the burger, a true bastion of American cuisine and a meal that the home cook can take in any direction with minimal effort.While the grill is perhaps the classic heat source here, it’s hardly the only one. Burgers can be griddled, broiled, even steamed. Plus, if you think about it, aren’t meatloaf and meatballs not too distant cousins of the burger? And those can both be baked.If you’re fortunate enough to have a choice among these cooking methods, take your pick. As for me, in the confines of my small kitchen, I opt for the ever-reliable cast iron skillet. It’s outrageously simple. Your only interaction with the burger during cooking is a flip of the patty and maybe a sheet of tin foil over the top to hold in the heat.With just a sprinkling of salt and pepper on each side before cooking, the patty can develop a nice light crust on the outside while remaining a nice, juicy medium-rare on the inside.Regardless of cooking method, there are even more directions to take your burger topping-wise. Let the games begin.Of course, you can go with classics like lettuce, tomato, raw onion, ketchup and mustard, but I find those a bit old and tired.Practically no condiment is off-limits, from salsa to soy sauce. Try choosing one condiment first, then let that inform the other toppings. If you go with a nice green salsa, for example, then natural additions might include pepper jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream. If you know you’re taking this direction from the start, why not mix a little taco seasoning into the ground beef before cooking?Feel free to get weird. Though I haven’t tried any of these myself yet, I have heard of toppings as far-fetched as peanut butter, sauerkraut and maple syrup. I have, however, topped a few burgers with fried eggs in the past and can personally attest to their deliciousness.My personal favorite, which I refer to as “the Max-burger,” calls for white American cheese (an ode to my grandfather that melts beautifully), onions and/or mushrooms sautéed in the same skillet as the burger and flavored with worcestershire sauce, a few dashes of steak sauce and, if I’m feeling fancy, a strip or two of bacon.I find this particular combination utterly satisfying, but I have no doubt there are folks who think it sounds revolting. And that’s OK. That’s the beauty of burgers. For the home cook, the burger is the ultimate blank canvas, a dish whose versatility lends itself to both ease of cooking and a range of possibilities. There’s no excuse for not making the exact burger you want.The Max-burger (Makes 1 burger)8 oz ground beef, formed into a fairly plump patty2 strips thick-cut baconHalf of a small onion, sliced into half-ringsA few small white button or cremini mushrooms, each cut into four slices1-2 slices white American cheese1 large burger bun, the more resilient the betterWorcestershire sauceSteak sauceSalt and pepperFry bacon in a large cast iron skillet. Once crisp, remove and set aside.Season patty on both side with salt and pepper to taste, then add to bacon grease in skillet. Cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes, then flip, drop heat to medium, lightly cover skillet with tin foil and cook another 9-10 minutes for medium-rare. Just before serving, flip burger and put cheese on top.Meanwhile, in the same skillet, add mushrooms and onions. Sautee until nearly done, stirring occasionally, then add a few dashes of worcestershire sauce.Lightly toast the bun, then put onions and mushrooms on bottom bun. Top with the patty, then the bacon, steak sauce and top bun.
(09/07/12 4:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even with nine of 13 scholarship players returning, IU Coach Tom Crean expects to see a new face dot the starting lineup this season.“I probably wouldn’t put it in the Sharpie pen just yet, but I might use a fountain pen that we’re probably going to start a freshman,” Crean said. “That’s probably what’s going to happen ... The battles are on. The battles are on. All of our players realize that. You’ve got to bring it.”If Crean’s premonitions prove true, it will be far from the only change in this year’s incarnation of IU basketball.Crean, entering his fifth season as IU’s coach, touched on a variety of topics in his Thursday evening address of students and the public at the IU Auditorium. From family values of education instilled in his youth to his high hopes for IU football to the mysterious energy drink in his water bottle during games, any subject was ripe for discussion before the cheering crowd awash in red.Eventually, though, talk turned to the upcoming season, Crean’s voice booming through the auditorium as he described his visions for the year, including a speedier offensive tempo.“I see all this great Hoosier gear out there and these candy-striped pants they can’t keep in stores,” Crean said. “You want to start something? Go find a neck brace, put them in candy stripes and sell those. Some people are going to need them if we play as fast as we really hope we’re going to play.”Running will be nothing new to the Hoosiers this season, especially after their offseason training work. Among that regimen was the VO2 Max treadmill test, an endurance challenge employed by Crean in his past coaching stops and by previous IU coaches for many years.Crean said junior forward Will Sheehey shattered the previous school record, staying on the speeding belt for more than 14 minutes before jumping off emphatically.“A couple guys that were in there, they were convinced he could go another 30, 45 seconds to a minute,” Crean said.Crean said Sheehey and sophomore forward Cody Zeller, a frequent name in early national player of the year chatter, were neck-and-neck as the players who have made the greatest strides this offseason with junior guard Victor Oladipo not far behind.“(Zeller) is so good in his fundamentals and so secure at reading and not predetermining what’s going to happen that he just takes his game to another level,” Crean said. “If your best player, a guy like Cody, can lead the way with that fundamental improvement, then everybody else has got no excuse. That’s exactly what’s happened.”Crean touched several times on the team’s four freshmen, especially point guard Yogi Ferrell, a candidate to take over the starting spot vacated by the graduated Verdell Jones III.“He’s had to come in here and now, all of a sudden, he has to guard people one-on-one full court in our drills, and man, it’s not even September yet when we’re starting that. He’s doing it,” Crean said.The coach did not shy away from another notable difference for the coming season either.The first question of the night asked for Crean’s thoughts on if and when the annual series against Kentucky might be revived. The two teams will not play this season for the first time since 1968. Crean was effusive in his belief that the series will eventually return in a home-and-home format.“We’re just going to sit here and wait for them to come to their senses,” Crean said.
(08/27/12 11:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fred Glass, athletics director, announced a revamped priority points system for determining student seating at men’s basketball games beginning this season.The system aims to reward student loyalty with prime seats for premium home games.Students will receive five points for each set of season tickets they have purchased for football or men’s basketball while at IU, with a maximum of 10 points per year. Students with the most priority points will be given seats in the lower bowl of Assembly Hall for highly anticipated home games.This season’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup against North Carolina will be the first such game with the lower bowl seats going to the approximately 3,900 season ticket holders with the most priority points.A loyalty point system has also been implemented that tracks how consistently students actually use their tickets. Loyalty points will determine which students can purchase tickets for postseason games.On June 28, the athletic department announced it would cap the number of student season tickets sold at 12,400 and that students would receive tickets to 10 of the team’s 16 home games during the academic calendar.Glass said since then, there has been an increased push from students for assurances of tickets to certain games for students who have purchased tickets consistently in the past.“I think it had been a bit of a murmur until the student section was oversold and then it became a loud cry,” Glass said.The new system came about after meetings between Glass, Indiana University Student Association, the Student Athletic Board and the ticketing office.“When the sellout status of the student section first came out, students had some concerns and said, ‘Can’t you figure out some way for students to be rewarded?’” Glass said. “We started working on it internally and floated the idea by the SAB and they gave us some ideas.”Glass said he is working with the ticketing and bursar’s offices in the hopes that student ticket sales will not be capped next year. However, he said the fact that capping sales was necessary this year is a positive sign.“This is good news that we’ve got the challenge of being oversubscribed and have students coming out and going to the games,” Glass said. “I think this priority system is a good way to reward our most loyal students.”
(08/15/12 8:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ron Patterson, a member of Indiana’s 2012 basketball recruiting class that came to be known as “The Movement,” will not join his fellow recruits in suiting up for IU this season due to not meeting academic standards in his summer school classes and will transfer from IU.Patterson, a 6-foot-3-inch guard from Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, committed to IU two years ago Wednesday, becoming the second member of “The Movement” after center Peter Jurkin.Chris Hawkins, one of Patterson’s coaches with the Amateur Athletic Union team Indiana Elite, confirmed there is no NCAA eligibility issue at play in this case.“We think very highly of Ron and will continue to work with him as allowed to help him reach his goals,” IU Coach Tom Crean said in a statement released Wednesday. “He has the chance to do some special things for himself and his family, and we will be supportive of whatever he chooses to do.”Patterson is exploring a number of possibilities, including attending a preparatory school for a year or transferring to another four-year university.Hawkins said several prep schools have already contacted Patterson to inquire about his situation and his interest in playing for them.He has not yet been released from his IU scholarship, but Hawkins said he thinks the process will occur soon. The final verdict on Patterson’s status came Wednesday morning.Hawkins said this development is unrelated to the team’s oversign of 14 players for 13 scholarships.If he attends a prep school for a year, Patterson could theoretically commit to IU again as a member of the class of 2013. However, Hawkins said IU already has four commitments in that class and could only lose three players to graduation if Maurice Creek returns for a fifth year at IU. The team is also known to already be recruiting several more players for the class of 2013.Hawkins said this is not the first instance in which academics threatened to derail Patterson from joining the team and that Patterson knew for several weeks of the possibility that he would not be allowed to play.Hawkins said Patterson was “devastated” that he cannot play for IU this season but was prepared to move forward.“You’ve got to understand you’ve got to do what you’re supposed to do,” Hawkins said. “Now you just sit back, think about everything and go from there. Lesson learned.”
(04/26/12 3:36am)
WEEKEND previews this summer's big upcoming albums
(04/26/12 2:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford — The Colts replace Peyton Manning with the NFL’s best pro-style passer since ... Peyton Manning.2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor — The Redskins paid a pretty penny for the right to draft Griffin, but the Heisman winner looks like he has the talent and maturity to be worth it.3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, offensive tackle, USC — I’m not buying the talk that the Vikings are looking elsewhere with this pick. I think it has been set in stone for months.4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, running back, Alabama — Richardson is as sure a bet at running back as Luck is at quarterback.5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, cornerback, LSU — Though the Bucs’ need at corner isn’t as pressing as it was before free agency, Claiborne is the best player on the board and could be the heir apparent to Ronde Barber.6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, wide receiver, Oklahoma State — The Rams would have taken Blackmon even if they still had the second pick.7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, wide receiver, Notre Dame — Jacksonville wanted Blackmon, but they will settle for the fast-rising Floyd.8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, quarterback, Texas A&M — A risky pick, but with Mike Sherman in Miami, this is a logical landing spot.9. Carolina Panthers: Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle, Mississippi State — Not the best tackle available but the best fit at the three-technique for the Panthers.10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, offensive tackle, Iowa — The Bills fill their glaring need at tackle with the solid, high-floor Reiff.11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, defensive tackle, Memphis — The workout warrior could play a Vince Wilfork role at nose tackle for the Chiefs.12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, middle linebacker, Boston College — The Seahawks get a steal in Kuechly to be the anchor of their linebacker corps.13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, outside linebacker/defensive end, South Carolina — Arizona has some solid players at outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme, but no top talent like Ingram.14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, safety, Alabama — Barron gives the Cowboys the playmaker at a safety they have lacked for a few years.15. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinton Coples, defensive end, North Carolina — Philly can afford to make a value pick here, and there is no one left with more talent than Coples.16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, outside linebacker/defensive end, Alabama — The Jets can reload their aging 3-4 defense with Upshaw, who is best suited to play linebacker in the pros.17. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Brockers, defensive tackle, LSU — The Bengals could use an interior defensive line upgrade, and the talent-laden Brockers would fit with their habit of taking boom-or-bust players.18. San Diego Chargers: David DeCastro, offensive guard, Stanford — The Chargers were used to having a top-notch guard in Kris Dielman. Without Dielman, they will move quickly to replace him with another guard.19. Chicago Bears: Stephon Gilmore, cornerback, South Carolina — Gilmore has been rising on draft boards recently and would be a perfect fit for the Bear’s thin secondary.20. Tennessee Titans: Janoris Jenkins, cornerback, North Alabama — The ultra-talented but troubled former Florida player could be an ideal replacement for Cortland Finnegan if he keeps his head on straight.21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, wide receiver, Baylor — The Bengals need another weapon to take pressure off A.J. Green, and Wright could fit the bill.22. Cleveland Browns: Cordy Glenn, offensive tackle, Georgia — The Browns could stand to bolster their line with the massive Glenn to help Richardson.23. Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, cornerback, Alabama — The cornerback run continues with the talented Kirkpatrick, who could team with Chris Houston to give the secondary some stability.24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont’a Hightower, inside linebacker, Alabama — Hightower is a logical replacement for James Farrior.25. Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, defensive tackle, Michigan State — Worthy is both the best player left on the board and a perfect upgrade at the three-technique.26. Houston Texans: Stephen Hill, wide receiver, Georgia Tech — The Texans can always use another receiver to pair with Andre Johnson and gear up for a playoff run.27. New England Patriots: Chandler Jones, defensive end, Syracuse — With the Patriots experimenting with the 4-3, Jones’ versatility could make him a logical pick.28. Green Bay Packers: Nick Perry, outside linebacker/defensive end, USC — The last time the Packers filled a hole at outside linebacker with a USC product, it worked out pretty well. Why not try again?29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, center, Wisconsin — A product of the massive Wisconsin offensive line, Konz is the clear-cut top center this year and a logical successor to Matt Birk.30. San Francisco 49ers: Kevin Zeitler, offensive guard, Wisconsin — The second Wisconsin lineman in a row to be drafted, Zeitler could slide into the starting right guard slot from day one.31. New England Patriots: Amini Silatolu, offensive guard, Midwestern State — A small-school prospect with a huge upside, Silatolu could sit for a season before taking over for Brian Waters in the future.32. New York Giants: Lavonte David, outside linebacker, Nebraska — The Giants have the luxury here of taking the best player available.
(04/26/12 2:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At this point in the NFL offseason, some teams are feeling pretty good. Others, not so much.With the curious exception of Cedric Benson, the marquee free agents all have new teams, and it’s safe to pass judgment on that portion of a team’s offseason. Some teams, such as Tampa Bay and Buffalo, did quite well. Others — Atlanta — have yet to make much of a splash.Even for teams in the latter designation, though, all is not lost. Free agency is important, but it largely provides stopgaps, short-term solutions.Tonight’s NFL Draft will be the real determinant of teams’ fortunes for years to come. As the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s proved, a draft can almost single-handedly provide the core of a team for better or worse. The draft is the long-term building process.The draft, above all, represents hope. For the bad teams, this is where their new foundation comes from. For the league’s top teams, this is where they draft for value, reloading at the positions they are already strong at, trying to become dynasties or at least as close to that as is possible in this day and time.This wonderful, annual optimism is but one reason the NFL Draft reigns supreme among all off-field events in all of sports.It is situated in that perfect part of the offseason in which there is nothing else in football happening. There is no free agent frenzy, spring football is done and the recruiting year is generally in a lull. Football fans need their fix, and this three-day free-for-all fits the bill.Don’t get me wrong. I’m generally captivated by the NBA Draft as well and even loyally follow the MLB draft online when it comes around.That said, those drafts often have little imagination to them. The NBA Draft is so short there is little room for surprise or intrigue in its two short rounds while baseball has become an almost mechanical balancing act of talent versus signability.The NFL Draft, on the other hand, can have players rise and fall several rounds away from their projections. There is ample room to discuss reaches, sure things and sleepers.Ah, sleepers, the source of so much obsessive speculation. The NFL Draft, with its seven rounds, offers teams the luxury of taking chances. Be it a 380-pound lineman who dominates lower classifications despite subpar fitness or a former college basketball player being reinvented as a tight end (think Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham).This speculation offers so much more room for discussion, and in the midst of the football-barren late spring, that is exactly what the NFL wants.
(04/19/12 1:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As hard as it might be to believe, summer is nearly upon us, and with it, the 2012 London Olympics.I forgive you if you had not noticed. The nation, even the world, is being conspicuously quiet about the upcoming games. I have a hard time figuring out why.By nearly all accounts, London is ready, even with nearly 100 days until the torch is lit. Frantic stories of a city scrambling to finish facilities and stadiums are sadly an all-too-common occurrence in the days leading up to an Olympics. There are even reports that Rio de Janeiro is already in trouble for 2016.But it sounds like London is ready to go, and so am I. Without the negative speculation about the facilities, we now have time to focus on the sports and story lines themselves.The international basketball climate continues to improve and provide stiffer competition for the USA team that continues to show it finally knows the right way to build a team, not just compile a bunch of stars. Barring a monumental upset, the USA will win gold, but it will not be a 1992-style cakewalk.Michael Phelps, the most marketable face of the U.S. Olympic efforts, is back for what is likely his final Olympics. Will he swim off into the sunset with more gold medals in tow, or will Ryan Lochte finally overtake him and tarnish Phelps’ legacy?Usain Bolt, arguably the world’s most electrifying athlete and still only 25, will be back. No one doubts he has the capability to shatter his own records. He easily could have bettered his own time in Beijing in 2008 had he not slowed at the end of a race in celebration. I hope that does not happen again, and I think Bolt knows many people feel that way. A sub-9.50-second 100-meter dash is not out of the question if he is in top form and motivated.There are even some IU angles to watch for. Several current and former Hoosiers should populate the USA swimming contingent, while alumni such as Eric Gordon and Angel Escobedo could represent the country in basketball and wrestling, respectively.And those are just a few of the budding story lines. My point is that there is much happening and much to look forward to this summer. Even with the games themselves not starting until July 27, Olympic trials are already well underway. The wrestling team will be determined this weekend, while late June and early July will bring the swimming, track and gymnastics trials.We have the opportunity to concentrate on these trials this year like never before, without the specter of stadium issues looming over the impending games.We truly could be on the cusp of one of the all-time great Olympiads. All the pieces are in place.So let’s sit back and just enjoy the games. And maybe talk about them a bit more.
(04/12/12 1:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I will be the first to admit I am not an avid golf fan, despite the best efforts of my late grandfather.For a time this past weekend, though, I found myself on the bandwagon, and I am not ashamed to admit it. When 52-year-old Fred Couples was tied for the lead at the Masters after two rounds, I spent the evening reading numerous articles about the man, the event and golf in general.I doubt I was the only one who went from casual observer to avid fan and back — after Couples fell out of contention on Day 3 — in the course of less than 24 hours. A win by Couples would have been huge for the PGA, a surefire way to turn many casual fans into much more than that.This got me thinking. Sports today are in fairly decent shape. There are scandals and slumps, sure, but after a year of looming lockouts and ugly allegations, things could be a great deal worse. That said, every sport, now as much as ever, could benefit from a select few things happening, something that captures the interest of the public and makes people stand up and cheer for all the right reasons.Here are what I consider to be the best things that could happen soon for a handful of sports.Golf — A player older than 50 wins a major.Tiger Woods is not what he once was and might never be. His scandals command more attention than his play. Despite much hype, other players, such as Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, have yet to seize on the opportunity to become the faces of golf.The sport needs to stop hoping that will happen and instead capitalize on the small magical moments that golf seems to provide. From Couples this past weekend to Tom Watson at the British Open in 2009, Champions Tour veterans can occasionally find themselves squarely in the running at majors. Sooner or later, one will pull through and shatter the unbroken 50-year barrier.Baseball — At least two players with more than 50 home runs in a season.It’s not just chicks that dig the long ball. Home runs have long captivated baseball audiences like nothing else.In this post-steroid era, an apparent age of dominant pitching, home run totals are not reaching the marks they used to. There have not been multiple players with more than 50 homers in a season since 2007.That needs to change. A compelling home run chase that reached at least 50 would almost certainly capture the nation’s imagination in a distinctly nostalgic way.Even better, what if the race was between two players from the same team, such as Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, who both play for the Detroit Tigers?Football — Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III live up to their billing.With the draft fast approaching, discussion still almost exclusively concerns the top two picks. Luck and Griffin are near-locks to go with those picks, and the order is not really even in doubt but still the talk persists.It is far from the first time that multiple quarterbacks will go near the top of the draft, and these debates, merited or not, have happened many times. As Peyton Manning’s headlines and Ryan Leaf’s criminal record remind us, though, some signal callers pan out, and some don’t.The NFL would love to see both Luck and Griffin become the stars they are capable of being. Each has shown himself to be a stand-up guy. These are the kind of players the league wants at the podium postgame after leading their teams to wins. It’s rare to have two characters with this level of talent at the quarterback position in the same year, and it would be a real shame if both cannot reach their lofty potential.