On his first swing, Indiana University athletic director Scott Dolson swung as hard as he could and missed an unhittable Brad Stevens breaking ball. Then, he choked up an inch, got the Mike Woodson batting practice cheese he was looking for, and got a rally going as he strung together multiple hits. That’s the way life […]
Building a career as a college or professional basketball coach is tough – really tough. The combination of luck, timing, work ethic, and strategic acumen needed to get ahead is dizzying, and I don’t wish a career in that business on anyone. There is no more cited example of how young coaches make good than […]
People working in sports media normally operate in a world where being wrong is inconsequential. Debates rage about where Tom Brady will play and whether LeBron is better than Giannis. Host A takes one side, and the Host B argues the opposite. Televised sports arguments are a frivolous exploit that reflects and services passion. There is no […]
Yesterday, Butler University hosted a celebration for the life and legacy of former basketball player Joel Cornette. It was attended by a couple thousand of his closest friends. There were 13 speakers, and all told different versions of the same story. Passionate teammate whose level of belief in friends led to their rising to meet challenges on […]
There may come a time when Frank Vogel, Mike Brey, Matt Painter, Chris Holtmann, and Tom Crean qualify to be listed among the all-time greats in a state that is well known for its love and mastery of basketball. But that day is not today. This list – like all lists – is imperfect. Qualifying […]
Indiana won again last night. They beat a short-staffed Nebraska team at Assembly Hall by 16, but a win is a win and because they have won 11 of 14 Big Ten games, the Hoosiers are tied for the conference lead with just four games left to play. Some fans and media folks, including me, […]
We were tragically reminded yesterday of the bond that continues to exist between Brad Stevens and the players he coached at Butler University prior to his accepting the job as coach of the Boston Celtics. Brad visited Andrew Smith last week to say goodbye, and spoke of his passing with eloquence and raw emotion in a […]
Yesterday afternoon we heard Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens would miss his team’s game last night to tend to a personal matter in Indianapolis. We know now that he came home to visit Andrew Smith, one of his former players who is battling cancer. Stevens would prefer no one knows why he is in Indianapolis, […]