Pugh: ISU Welcomes Mike Sanford

Two weeks after Trent Miles leaves for Georgia State, Indiana State lands a new leader. ISU Athletic Director, Ron Prettyman, announced the hiring of Utah State Assistant, Mike Sanford, Friday afternoon. A formal news conference welcoming Sanford to the Sycamores will happen on Monday.

Courtesy: MyLVSports.com

Mike Sanford has built a very impressive resume over the last few years. He's currently the Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs/Tight Ends Coach at #22 Utah State. The Aggies finished the season 10-2 and will play Toledo Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Utah State currently ranks 37th in the nation with 191.7 yards per game.

2012 was Sanford's first and only season with Utah State. Previously, he spent two seasons at the University of Louisville as an Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach. Prior to being a Cardinal, Sanford was Head Coach at UNLV from 2005-2009, with a 16-43 record in Vegas. His coaching resume was one of the big reasons he was high on Indiana State's list.

Sanford will inherit a different Indiana State team than Trent Miles did back in 2008. The Sycamores are no longer one of the nation's worst programs. They are also coming off three straight winning seasons for the first time since the 60's. Indiana State will have some holes to fill next season, but there's still plenty of talent around Sycamore county. Pairing one of the best running backs in the nation with an offensive minded Sanford could mean big things for the ISU offense in 2013.

Mayer: Why Not Expand the Crossroad Classic?

The Crossroads Classic, being played this weekend, was a fantastic idea that went very well last year and looks to build on that success this weekend. We will have coverage from the Classic game between Indiana and Butler. Notre Dame will face off against Purdue as well. The four schools kicked off the first year of the double header held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse last year with Indiana defeating Notre Dame and Butler sneaking past Purdue.

Courtesy bankerslifefieldhouse.com

To think it took this long for someone to come up with a day where the major Indiana college basketball teams meet to play at the NBA arena in Indianapolis is surprising. After all, this is the "basketball state". Yes, most would say that Indiana is known for its high school hoops, but what fan of basketball would not want to see the Hoosiers, Boilermakers, Bulldogs, and Fighting Irish square off in a rotating double header at the home of the Pacers each year. (Although, it should be noted that the rotation is not complete because IU and Purdue avoid playing each other due to their mutual conference). It's as simple as it is brilliant, especially with all four teams making significant strides or having a national presence in recent years.

My questions is this: Why limit the Crossroads Classic to just four teams? There is tremendous basketball being played all across the Hoosier State and I would be extremely surprised if other schools wouldn't jump at the opportunity to get in on the fun at Bankers Life. Not only that, but there are some really good teams other than the "big four" that would give fans plenty of reason to make the Crossroads Classic a two day event.

Courtesy cbslocal.com

Now, I don't want to leave any schools out, but the writing is on the wall which squads would be a perfect fit to expand and enhance the college basketball derby in Indy. Those teams are: Indiana State Sycamores, Ball State Cardinals, IUPUI Jaguars, and Evansville Purple Aces. Think about it, a two day event would bring in fans from every corner of the state in a celebration of Indiana college basketball.

My first choice would be to make this a tournament which would just be too much fun. The seedings would be based on rank and/or record (with power of conference a factor). Unfortunately, this might not be a realistic option due to the high amount of scrutiny and detail placed on every team's scheduling in college basketball. It's fun to think about though.

I propose a two day event and two "brackets" within the Classic. The first bracket would be IU, Purdue, Butler, and Notre Dame while the newcomers Indiana State, Ball State, IUPUI, and Evansville would make up the second bracket (Since Indiana State and Evansville both reside in the Missouri Valley Conference, the second bracket would act similarity to the first with those two schools not matching up). Taking a realistic approach and understanding ticket sales and TV ratings drive sports, the two bracket system is the best option.

Courtesy bankerslifefieldhouse.com

In regard to scheduling, both brackets would play on Saturday and Sunday which would ensure that all teams are able to play in front of a sizable crowd. Let's pretend that the expansion took place this year (Scheduling would be altered before hand with knowledge of the Classic. ISU already played Ball State and actually plays IUPUI this weekend) So, let's keep Saturday's already scheduled game of IUPUI and Indiana State as the opener followed by IU vs. Butler. Sunday would start with Ball State vs. Evansville followed by Purdue vs. Notre Dame.

It's a pretty simple set up and would only make the Crossroads Classic more entertaining and inclusive for all of  Indiana. Of course, this really does pale in comparison to an eight team seeded tournament. When discussing the idea with Jeremiah Johnson, who you all know from his time at WTWO and current work at Fox59, he came up with the best proposal of all. The eight team tournament taking place to open the season at Lucas Oil Stadium using the half stadium configuration. That's something I'll be day dreaming about for a while.

Courtesy skyscraperpage.com

Mayer: ISU WBB Take a Big Step, MBB with a Big Test

An important week for Indiana State basketball (the women and men) started with a positive note as the Lady Sycamores went on the road to Saint Louis and pulled out a late come from behind victory. To no one's surprise Anna Munn played the part of hero making the go ahead basket with under a minute left in the game. The ISU guard scored 14 points and teamed up with forward Rachael Mahan who led the team with 23 points.

Courtesy ISU

There are two main points that should be recognized in the victory. First, the Sycamores won the turnover battle. ISU gave the ball away 17 times and had 13 assists compared to 23 turnovers and 11 assists for the Billikens. Now, I won't go off preaching that it's acceptable to turn the ball over 17 times. The ISU women must continue to improve, but it's a step in the right direction. Indiana State has been battling turnover problems from day one and coach Teri Moren has continually stressed a need to limit give aways.

ISU is clearly a team based around defense and relies on the majority of offensive output from two players. If a basketball team is built in that fashion, they must hold on to the ball; it's essential to having success. A higher rate of turnovers is more acceptable for a team that continually pushes the ball down the court, scores points easily, and has a high possession percentage. That is not the Sycamores, so it's good to see them limit turnovers in an important game.

Courtesy ISU

The second major point to take away from the victory is location. ISU has struggled on the road for some time now. This is the Lady Sycamores first win away from the Hulman Center this season (including a pretty bad loss at IUPUI). In fact, ISU has only won two games under Teri Moren (this is her third season). So, Indiana State got an important victory addressing a couple of key weaknesses. It was exactly the kind of win necessary to build confidence in the players and momentum for the team.

Courtesy The Daily Bruin

The Sycamore men have a major test upcoming on Saturday as the New Mexico Lobos come to town. The ISU men have been on a roll ever since losing their opener in Los Angeles to a then  highly ranked Bruins squad. Anytime ISU faces a nationally ranked team it is news, but especially welcoming such a talented opponent to Terre Haute.

The last two times Indiana State faced ranked opponents at the Human Center was in 06'/07' against Butler and 05'/06' against the Hoosiers. Despite the big loss to UCLA there is more belief that ISU can compete with the Lobos (although that has more to do with the Sycamores then New Mexico.) ISU has not lost since facing UCLA and has stacked some impressive victories including a road game at Ball State. Indiana State has a very young squad with key transfers and players returning from injury last season, so they are still learning to gel and that process seems to be improving each week.

Courtesy ISU

So, at the highest point of their season to date, the Sycamores will face the #25 ranked team in the nation at home. This is a serious test of where ISU stands and if they should be considered one of the better teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. Remember, the pre-season rankings had ISU finishing 7th. Greg Lansing will have his squad ready for former coaching partner and Indiana great Steve Alford. After the game, we might know a lot more about the rest of the season.

Could the Colts Seize the South?

NBC 2 videographer A.J. Schub looks at the Colts chances of a division title.

Courtsey si.com

A three game lead with five games to play.  In the NFL that sort of a cushion is exactly what a division leading team should hope for with a little more than a month remaining in the regular season. That kind of a lead is as hard to give away as it would be to hand out a pair of tickets to see the Kansas City Chiefs play at the Cleveland Browns during Week 14.  That collapse would be of epic proportions, but not unheard of.

Let us take a trip in our DeLorean back to the year 1993, and to the city of Miami. The 'Phins were leading the AFC East by one game over the Buffalo Bills (not exactly the same scenario as the Texans/Colts in 2012, but hear me out).  Miami had just cruised through its ninth win of the season defeating the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving (the Texans just beat the Lions on Thanksgiving for their 10th win, the irony!) and the Bills were coming off of a loss to playoff bound Kansas City. Five games to play in the season, the Dolphins had a one game lead with their next three at home, including one contest against the Bills.  Then Miami collapsed.

The Dolphins would go 0-5 down the stretch and were outscored 165-115, including a 47-34 loss to the aforementioned Buffalo Bills.  That is just one case in the last 20 years where a stellar team has collapsed and found themselves out of the playoff race, but it is not the only one. 

The Houston Texans could be the next team to inexplicably falter and cave into the pressure. They may finish the year 5-0.  They also could easily drop three of their last five, lose the division and still make the playoffs.  If you're a Colts fan, that is what you hope for.  You hope for the Colts to beat the Texans both times they play in the next five weeks and for Houston to drop at least one of the games they play against the Titans, Vikings, and Patriots. That, however, wouldn't secure anything for the Colts.

hark.com

Indy would need to end their year rolling off five consecutive victories (six if you start by counting last week's win versus Buffalo, the same team to surpass Miami all those years ago....) against three teams that combine for a current record of 9-24, and then two games against Houston. If the blue and white tame the three bottom feeding teams and knock off Houston once, the Week 17 match-up between the top two teams in the South could very well have division championship implications.

The scenario involving the Colts and Texans is very similar to that of the Bills and Dolphins two decades ago. Miami, like Houston, controlled their own destiny but lost to the team behind them in the standings.  Indianapolis hopes to pull off a miracle of their own by beating the division leading Texans two times in the final three weeks of the season to get a chance at the division crown. I would tell Colts fans to believe in miracles, but the funny thing is that they already do. It's a miracle that the worst team from the 2011 season is in the hunt for a division title. It's a miracle the team has held it together for their coach as he battles cancer. It's a miracle that the loss of one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation did not cause the franchise to wallow in the NFL's cellar for half a decade. This Colts team thrives on beating the odds. Yes, they need a bit of help, but it's not impossible.

Mayer: ISU Will Go as far as Jake Odum Pushes Them

Courtesy ISU Athletics

Forgive me if I'm late to the news, but Jake Odum is very good at basketball. I'm still new to Sycamores (and for that matter Wabash Valley) hoops, but Odum has jumped right off the screen. While covering the Sycamores in their last two contests against Truman State and Ball State, Odum has been the ISU leader in every sense of the word.

I'm sure most people who follow hoops around these parts are not surprised by Odum's success. He was a great player at Terre Haute South and continued his productive ways as soon as he stepped foot on the Indiana State campus. For someone new to the area, Odum immediately distinguishes himself on the court in a myriad of ways. 

Purely from a basketball standpoint, Odum gets the offense going and seems to be taking on the role of most dangerous scorer as well. He has an incredible ability for finding spots to drive hard to the hoop. Even more impressive is the body control Odum shows while in the air. He is able to adjust into seemingly awkward positions in order to finish at the rim or get a shot off. A couple of his hard drives that turned into fade away jumpers off the glass against Ball State left me thinking...WOW.

Of course, scoring is not Odum's first job as a guard who often has the ball in his hands setting up the offense. He is seen directing teammates and is constantly moving, never letting the defender rest. Every pass from the guard is crisp and is usually followed by a quick cut, screen, or other movement that helps continue the flow of the offense.

The energy level that number thirteen brings to the Sycamores cannot be quantified. Basketball is a game largely based on momentum. Most teams need an emotional leader that can get get teammates fired up and create ways to stop runs from the opposition. Odum has admitted he knows this is his role as a veteran of the young Sycamores and he has done nothing but excel. Two instances from last night's victory over Ball State perfectly exemplify what Odum is capable of. After a Cardinals player ran the floor, but failed to finish at the rim, Odum snatched the rebound darted down court and scored with numbers in Ball State's favor. Later in the game, he sunk a late three which truly put the game away and gave a quick salute while running back on defense.

There's a big difference between confidence and cockiness. Odum is confident, has an endless motor, and is not afraid to show his emotion on the floor. To put it frankly, he's got swagger. You'll find this same characteristic in many of the best leaders in sports and especially basketball. He is the perfect person to take the reigns and lead ISU. That is meant in a literal sense as he has shown his superior all around game and an emotional stand point as well. If a play needs to be made or a message needs to be sent, coach Greg Lansing knows where to turn first. 

ReuKnighting Bobby and the Hoosiers

NBC 2 Videographer AJ Schub, who covered the Hoosiers for the last four years, gives us insight into IU's tumultuous relationship with their famous ex-coach. 

Courtesy si.com

 So the news broke yesterday that legendary Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight will partner up with Dan Shulman (a voice that many Hoosier fans will recognize from covering the famed Indiana-Kentucky game from last season) to call the semi-final round of the Progressive Legends Classic featuring Georgia and Indiana.  No the sky has not fallen, Hell has not frozen over, and Brett Favre isn't coming back to quarterback the Philadelphia Eagles (but if I were Mike Vick I'd be worried). Bob Knight will be talking about Indiana Basketball for 40 minutes of game time.

  




September 10, 2000, the last day Bobby Knight had anything to do with Indiana University.  That was the day that Miles Brand, then Indiana University President, announced that he had fired Knight for violating a zero tolerance code of conduct policy enforced by the school.  Kent Harvey, then a player, told school officials Knight had grabbed him by the arm for disrespecting the coach.  Hoosier nation was divided.  Should Knight have been fired, or given every opportunity to stay until he decided to hang up his whistle? The decision was not theirs to make and Knight would leave Bloomington for good not long after he called for 2,000 students camped outside of Assembly Hall to calm down and go home.

For the last decade plus Knight has avoided the words "Indiana University" and "Hoosiers" as if he was a religious man who refused to use the lords name in vein.  A couple of years ago Knight led a segment for ESPN analyzing the Ohio State Buckeyes, and in particular, Jared Sullinger.  Who was the team Sullinger and the Buckeyes were beating up on in the highlight?  The Indiana Hoosiers.  Knight constantly referred to IU as "the other guys" or "that team" as if to say he still was not ready to even mutter the dirty word, Hoosiers. 

Courtesy The Herald Times

Indiana University, and Athletic Director Fred Glass have taken a proactive approach to reconnect the university with Bob Knight, but they have also been careful to not anger or push the knowingly stubborn coach.  Knight was inducted into the IU Hall of fame in 2009, and of course, was not present.  I attended a sports communications class at Indiana University last fall where Glass spoke about the relationship he was repairing with Coach Knight.  He confirmed that he and Knight had spoken in Indianapolis, but there was little progress made.  Knight did respect that Glass reached out, but he still was not ready to have a role with Indiana. 

Tom Crean has also embraced the history of the Indiana University Basketball program since taking over the head coaching job in 2008.  He understands that the program was able to turn around and be competitive so quickly partially because of the foundation that Knight already laid. Crean, along with Glass, brought back the 1983 Big Ten Championship banner that hangs above the north side of Assembly Hall.  It was a gesture to Coach Knight.  The 1983 banner was known as "The Fans Banner" and that team meant a great deal to Coach Knight.  Crean also brought in the 1987 National Championship team last season to honor their 25th anniversary.  The entire team and coaching staff returned, minus Knight.  His face did sit atop a commemorative poster of the group.

Courtesy NYTimes

So has Bob Knight finally taken a step on his own to rejoin the Indiana basketball family?  He may have been contractually obligated and does need money for his grand children's college funds. Maybe ESPN told him he had to announce this game or he would be fired.  He also may just not care. This isn't Knight going to Bloomington and announcing an IU game inside Assembly Hall. This is a neutral site game (Coach Cal's favorite!) featuring the number one team in the country.  Knight can no longer avoid Indiana because they are no longer in the cellar. They will now be a fixture on ESPN for years to come if Tom Crean keeps doing his job right. If that is the case, then Knight needs to be ready to call Hoosier games.  He can't pretend IU doesn't exist forever. Maybe this is step one in an overdue process to reunite the coach with his people, maybe this is just an assignment that Knight is forced to work, or maybe Knight will back out of the gig and this post will be meaningless. Guess we will find out sometime before Monday November 19th at 5:30 EST.

Can D'Antoni Phil the Void in LA?

NBC 2 videographer AJ Schub takes a look at the coaching madness for the Lakers and asks if Mike D'Antoni was the right choice. 

The world of basketball was relatively stunned Friday morning when the  Los Angeles Lakers announced the firing of head coach Mike Brown just five games into his second season with the club.  Brown came under intense scrutiny when his team, headlined by four all-stars and three potential hall of famers, started off 1-4; The worst start in 20 years for the L.A. Lakers.

Courtesy scpr.org

Almost immediately after the firing of Brown attention turned to the former Lakers head coach, and winner of 11 titles, Phil Jackson.  Both fans and media anointed Jackson as the leading candidate to take the job.  Jackson, however, was not the lone candidate vying for the prestigious title of "Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach".

In surprising fashion, team owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchick announced  Monday morning that Mike D'Antoni would be the next head coach.  D'Antoni did not come out of nowhere to snag the job. His name came up with  Jackson's from day one, but rumors swirled saying it was Phil's gig to lose.

Courtesy si.com

Jackson, was "stunned" when he found out he did not get the job.  Supposedly he had plans to be in LA on Monday to finalize the contract. So why D'Antoni over Jackson?  Phil seemed like the obvious choice, but was he the best?

The roster of the '12-'13 team is similar but not exactly like the roster from '10-'11, the year that Jackson last coached. Kobe, Pau Gasol, and even Metta World Peace still remain, but the additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard into the starting line up may have complicated a transition to Phil's iconic triangle offense. Supposedly the team was worried how well Nash and Howard would fit in the triangle, and noted that the team took too long to learn Mike Brown's Princeton Offense.                         

I would argue that Phil Jackson is a basketball genius and there is more to him as a coach than just the triangle. Phil would make the necessary adjustments to make the team play cohesively. Jackson would also bring the locker room together and keep everyone on the same page, with the same goal; a championship.  Phil Jackson would not have attempted a return to the NBA without that lone goal in mind.  I believe that the championship-less Howard and Nash would respect and be willing to work with Jackson and his system if a championship was on the line.

Speaking of championships, as stated before, Phil has 11 of them. Twelve if you count the ring he won with the New York Knicks in 1973.  He has won the NBA title 11 times in 13 tries. He has been to the NBA finals 13 out of 20 years that he has been on the bench.  That means 65% of the time Jackson has been a head coach he has at least played for an NBA title.

Courtesy si.com

How about Mike D'Antoni? Zero NBA Titles, and zero conference titles. He has been an NBA head coach for eight full seasons, and parts of 10 seasons overall. D'Antoni has made the playoffs in five of those ten years.  Four of those five seasons he had Nash anchoring his back court and collecting MVPs. That, unfortunately, was half a decade ago and Nash is no longer the same player.

Coach D'Antoni was pushed out of a big market as Knicks head coach when he was unable to coach a team with Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Amare Stoudemire to an above .500 record.  The talent level on the current Lakers team is far greater than that Knicks squad, but there are similarities.  Carmelo and Kobe are both superstars that command the ball. Chandler and Howard are both anchors

on the defensive side, and former Defensive Player of the Year winners. Dwight is light years ahead of Chandler on offense. Finally, Stoudemire and Gasol are both offensive minded power forwards who

lack defensive intensity.  Don't get me wrong, I would pick this year's Lakers over last year's Knicks any day, but the similarities are there. If D'Antoni couldn't get those Knicks to be winners why does the Lakers brass have so much confidence in him now?

Kobe made it clear to the Lakers higher-ups that he wanted Phil, but would not be upset if D'Antoni was hired.  Bryant grew up in Italy when D'Antoni was a superstar in the European basketball league and looked up to Mike as a youngster. He, along with Dwight Howard, played under Coach D'Antoni in the 2008 Olympics. Both players were fond of the then assistant coach in Beijing. Steve Nash is used to being the man in D'Antoni's system, but will now have to take a bit of a backseat to Kobe and the crew.

Nash was asked over the weekend by ESPN LA his thoughts on a possible reunion with his
long time Suns coach and said, "Obviously I think everyone knows how much I love Mike."
"If (D'Antoni) were to coach, it would be seamless and terrific for me, and I think the team as well."

Courtesy heinnews.com

So we will now wait and see how this hiring works out for the Los Angeles Lakers in a season which seems to be categorized as "Championship or Bust". The deal is reportedly three years and $12 million, with a fourth year as a team option. Kobe has two years left on his deal, Nash has three, and Howard and Gasol are free agents after this year. I am guessing D'Antoni has a shorter window than three seasons to prove he is the right man to lead L.A.

Mayer: The President of Sports

In case you didn't notice we just had a presidential election come to a close yesterday. This got me thinking about a potential President of Sports. So, basically someone that is the head hancho of sports everywhere; from little league to Yankee Staduim, from high school soccer to the Premier League, the Olympics, cricket, skateboarding, football, and everything else you can think of. I haven't gone through the process of figuring out how this sports government would work because it's not really necessary for this exercise. However, we won't call this Sports President a dictator. Commissioners and players from every league would have some kind of say and ability to veto the president and vice versa in a similar fashion to the United Stated Government.

Moving on. I, Lucas Mayer, do hereby accept the position as the first ever Sports President and swear to honor the traditions of sports while helping to grow all sports to the best of my ability.

Usually it would be a good idea for the President of Sports to start slow and bring up bills and new laws that in time will help sports excel. However, as my first act as President I must take immediate action.

Courtesy theunticket.com

EXECUTIVE ORDER #DEATHTOTHEBCS
    My first act as President is to dismantle the BCS. Effective immediately plans for a four team playoff will take effect and discussion about a possible expansion of said playoff will take place after the season. This could not be more perfect with Alabama, Oregon, Kansas State, and Notre Dame still undefeated ( as well as Louisville) along with a slew of talented and deserving one loss teams.
   Additionally, the way in which bowl game revenues are distributed will be changed. Bowls will now take volunteers, that's right volunteers, to be in charge. The absurdity of men doing little work and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars to "organize" bowl games is a thing of the past.
   There will be great outrage and backlash from certain people among this matter, but I should have the support of the fans, players, and coaches. In my sports government money doesn't buy votes, so deal with it fat cats.

Courtesy intothefuture.onmason.com

THE GREAT AMERICAN PASTIME BILL
   I will propose that instant replay will start effective 2013 for Major League Baseball and all other baseball outlets from college up. Strikes and balls will stay in the umpires hands, other then that anything can be replayed. The call for replay will come from an extra umpire who sits above the field. He will page the head umpire if a call is questionable and the chief umpire will take a look. In addition, if a manager feels a call was wrong and the replay umpire does not initiate replay, said manager will have one "challenge" each game. The manager simply has to inform the umpire he's using a challenge.
  This might take some time to be passed as many have not accepted replay as a necessary part of baseball, but give me some time and I'll convince them.

Courtesy ncaa.org

THE NCAA IS A JOKE BILL
  If there was ever an entity that defined the wrong way to deal with discipline it's the NCAA. Everything is backwards, idiotic, absurd, or unfair. Reggie Bush accepted impermissible benefits at USC so Trojans playing at the school half a decade later are punished. Sexual assault allegations against Jerry Sandusky result in 14 years of vacated Penn State football victories. As of yesterday, Hanner Perea and Peter Jurkin must sit out because a legal guardian bought some IU stickers before either player was born.
  We'll need to create a special committee to fix everything that's wrong but to start.... the notion of vacating wins is over. NCAA athletes will be given a monthly stipend equivalent to the hours they would be able to work if time was not consumed by athletics. Therefore, future teams will no longer be penalized if players accept illegal benefits that go beyond their stipend. Instead the NCAA will make deals with all professional sports that will punish the player at whatever time the evidence comes forward. Better reason for teams to do thorough background checks. Coaches who commit recruiting violations will suffer the same fate wherever they are currently coaching, the future team will not be penalized. I'm going to stop here, but we could go at this one for days.

Courtesy blakestreetbulletin.com

THE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUG ACT OF 2013
  This is pretty simple. The loopholes are being closed effective immediately. All athletes from high school up will be tested by urine, blood, hair, or any other form at anytime without warning. This may be a little too "Big Brother" for you, but it's time to eradicate the virus that is cheating through drugs in sports. All athletic and personal trainers for any team or athlete are subject to investigation if there is suspicion and must go through a rigorous performance review each year and in order to be certified. If found positive for any performance enhancing drug, the player will be suspended from the sport for a year for first offense, two years for second offense, and banned for life after the third offense. There will be an extensive appeals process put in place in case the result is faulty.

Courtesy the-cool-table.com

THE SPORTS NETWORK BILL
  The process of creating a channel for almost every sport in the mold of the MLB and NFL networks will begin. Some of these channels already exist, but for the major sports that are still waiting, their time is now. Smaller sports that can not carry an audience by themselves will be grouped together. Possibly Olympic Sports and Extreme Sports type channels. In addition, a general sports network will be created to rival ESPN. Since the "mother ship" has become so transfixed on entertainment, leaving us with Tim Tebow and Skip Bayless 24/7, a network that refocuses on the actual sports will be made. Some of what ESPN does is incredible, some of it is a whole lot of fluff. Each of these networks will be highly involved, online and with social media.

This is only the beginning! During my four years as the first Sports President I hope to create a Sports World that gives us the best out of all sports and provides for fans as much as possible. Thank you America!

Pugh: ISU Women's Basketball First Glance

It's that time of the year again. A time for the Hoosier state to celebrate as basketball season begins. We continue our basketball blog coverage with a look at Indiana State Women's Basketball.

Courtesy: ISU Athletics

Head coach Teri Moren begins her 3rd season at the Hulman Center when the Sycamores host Bellarmine Friday night in an exhibition contest. The regular season gets underway next Friday, November 9th, against Eastern Illinois. It's also a brand new staff for Moren this year as she welcomes John Marcum, Sara Riedeman, and Joey Wells as assistant coaches, as well as Andrea Jones as a graduate manager.

Courtesy: ISU Athletics

With only 2 starters returning from a season ago, this Sycamore squad will need some of its younger players to step up and fill key roles. Gone are Shannon Thomas, Brittany Schoen, and Deja Mattox. All 3 of these players left their mark on the program with more than 1,000 career points each. The 2 starters returning from last year, Taylor Whitley, and Anna Munn, have plenty of experience and can step into that leadership role left behind by the big 3, but they can't do it alone. Whitley is the only senior on the team, and looks to finish her career on a strong note.

Just like the men, these ladies were picked to finish 7th in the MVC standings. They have a strong non-conference schedule with trips to Assembly Hall, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and IUPUI. These tough road trips will help prepare them for the conference season. New assistant coaches and a younger core of players will bring some new energy to this team, but only time will tell if they can turn that into wins and finish higher than predicted.

Mayer: NBA First Look

Let's get this out of the way. The 2012/2013 NBA season will end with the Larry O'Brien trophy on a beach. Whether it basks in the sun on South Beach or in Malibu remains to be seen. The Heat and Lakers have put together mini all star teams.

Courtesy jbcstyle.com

Courtesy soflanights.com

Arguments can be made that a number of squads will have a chance at winning the NBA Title this season and all have merit, but I can't see anyone making it over the LA/MIA mountain.

The Thunder would have been grouped with the two heavyweights if not for their recent trade of James Harden. Kevin Durant will play out of his mind and the negatives of Russel Westbrook are nowhere near the positives he brings to the court. Whatever your opinion of the deal, Oklahoma City is not as good this year without Harden. He may have struggled in the Finals, but the sixth man of the year was an integral piece to the Oklahoma City puzzle.

Courtesy celticslife.com

The Boston Celtics have gone back to a Big 3 and are still extremely dangerous. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett still have some years and talent left and Rajan Rondo will officially be the best player and number one option in Boston. They bring in Jason Terry who will play a crucial role supplementing the loss of Ray Allen.






Tim Duncan comes back alongside Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker to give it another go round with the Spurs. If there's one lesson we have learned, never underestimate Greg Popovich and his core guys. However, they have shown us that something will need to change in order to reach the pinnacle despite regular season success.

Chicago also would have been high on the list of championship contenders, but the heart of the Bulls, Derrik Rose, won't be back into halfway through the season and who knows how long it will take for him to be back at full strength.

Courtesy nbacircle.com

The Indiana Pacers have one of the more interesting and complete teams in the league. They are deep and play a sound brand of basketball, but you need to be almost perfect to win in the NBA without a star player (if not three). Indiana has a couple of great players and a bunch of good players, but it's just not enough to go all the way.

The Los Angeles Clippers have really turned the franchise around. Blake Griffin is the centerpiece and I hope Chris Paul sticks around. The high flyers are immensely talented and should only be better after the acquisition of veterans Lamar Odom (who I expect to get back to form)  and Grant Hill. Once again, good team, but I can't honestly say they are close to good enough to get past the Lakers or Heat.

These are the only teams I can see posing a true threat to the MIA and LAL. .

Miami is coming off a championship and a year in which Lebron James finally seemed to get over the hatred that spawned from "The Decision". They come back a year older and wiser, not to mention finally understanding their uptempo form of basketball will work without a true center. The Heat play suffocating defense and push the ball in transition like no other squad due to their other worldly athleticism. Now they bring in Ray Allen, who spaces the floor for James and Wade and will have a field day running around the perimeter, while defenses are focused on guarding the middle against drives. Don't forget about Rashard Lewis, it was not so long ago he was considered one of the better complimentary players around and could find his groove again on a team where he has much less responsibility.

The Lakers went crazy this off season. They came out of nowhere to snag Steve Nash, something most Western Conference fans thought they would never ever see. Nash is exactly what Los Angeles needs out of a point guard. Nash may be old, but he still has some of the best vision and instincts in the game. Kobe will not have to worry about setting plays up as much and Nash will not have to worry about scoring which should help both of them. Then there is the whole Dwight Howard thing. How LA got Howard without giving up Pau Gasol is beyond me. The Lakers have supreme talent all over the place that allows each player to focus on what they do best.

Courtesy LA Lakers

 I hate to say it because surprisingly, despite being an LA native, I am no Lakers fan. In fact, I have a strong dislike for the team. I'll still go with LA to win the whole thing. A starting five of Nash, Kobe, Artest, Pau, and Howard is hard to fathom. The bench is strong as well, hello Antawn Jamison. I'll say Lakers over Heat in 6 games. 

Pensky: ISU Men's Basketball First Glance

At first glance, the 7th place finish that's predicted for Greg Lansing's Sycamores seems a bit insulting, since the Coach and top player are still around from ISU's 2011 Missouri Valley Conference title team. Upon further review, I think the Sycamores are in a perfect position. There's no denying they have some extremely talented newcomers that will be added into the mix. The top two newcomers, Khristian Smith and Manny Arop, each had to sit out last season, so expecting them to be at their best, right off the bat is probably too much to ask. 

More importantly, expecting a team that will be forming a new identity to be properly gelled early on, is also too much to ask. Hence patience is needed from Sycamore fans early, while it is easy to see how someone outside of Terre Haute, might look at the roster, and wonder what this group will be like without regulars Lathan, Richard and Printy.

The good news is the brief track record of head coach Greg Lansing. When he took over it was not an overnight process for him to instill the toughness, mindset, and practice habits he wanted for this program. He also inherited a team that had a brutal early season schedule. The result might have been a 3-5 start, but once this team forged an identity, they went on to become a respectable 3rd place team in the regular season, and eventually a conference tournament champion.

This season's schedule is not easy (at UCLA, New Mexico), but it also isn't as harsh as the 2010-11 slate. It will take some time for Lansing to figure out roles, and rotations, and for Smith and Arop to get their bearings as they return to competitive basketball. The optimistic, glass-half full side of me, knows that they have more talent than most people realize. I know Jake Odum is healthier than he was last year, and I know they don't have a senior on the roster. This is a process with this group, one that will be worth watching unfold, and one that should have many good times ahead, over the next couple of seasons and beyond.

Mayer: A Giant Success

The San Francisco Giants are really good. As a Dodgers fan, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. There aren't many things in this World I despise more then those orange and black #HalloweenIdiots, who played follow the leader many years ago traveling westward behind the Dodgers. Sorry, but if I'm going to write a positive blog post about the Giants some insults need to be thrown in.

Courtesy USA Today

I tweeted before game one of the World Series that Detroit had a better team on paper. San Francisco has the superior defense and bullpen, other then that it's Tigers all the way. Before the season began you would put a check mark next to the Giants starting pitching, but not coming into the World Series. Detroit's rotation has been stellar through these playoffs while the Giants have relegated Tim Lincecum to the bullpen and pulled Madison Bumgarner out of the rotation.

Obviously Bumgarner got back into rhythm last night, but that doesn't change my opinion. The Giants are simply executing better. In fact, San Fran may be playing the best baseball of any team all season. I mean, it's almost comical how fundamentally sound the Giants are. They make every play. Every. Single. Play.

Some have pointed to multiple breaks going San Francisco's way, which is true. In baseball, when a team is playing so flawlessly, this tends to happen. No one, including the baseball Gods, are handing out a championship. The orange and black are playing immaculate defense, hitting every cutoff man, stealing every crucial base, making every pitch, moving every runner over, hitting every sacrifice fly just far enough...you get the point.

High school coaches are giddy watching these guys play baseball. When you pay attention to details and hustle on every play, good things happen. Beyond their on field performance, what a great group of players. The Giants have fun and just won't go away. They truly work until the last out and seem to have a Charlie Hustle at every position.

Courtesy TIME

They have already written themselves into the history books coming back from the brinks of elimination in the NLDS and NLCS along with Pablo Sandoval's three homer performance in Game 1. Simply put, San Fran does it the right way. The coaches coach it the right way and the front office builds the roster in the right way. Heck, even the fans do it the right way, setting an example for every other club on what building a beautiful ballpark that is well maintained can do for attendance and enthusiasm.

By no means is this series over. The Giants and Tigers both know that. Detroit still has Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and  Prince Fielder returning home for three games. However, the Tigers will have to overpower the Giants. Meaning, the pitchers will have to dominate and the hitters will have to knock some out of the park because San Francisco won't be out executed on the smaller stuff.

Courtesy SB Nation

I hope the Tigers stars turn it around and I expect the series to get back to the West Coast. Although, at this point, I'm preparing to see another parade in San Fran. It's disgusting and makes me envious in so many ways, but as a baseball fan, it's nice to know a deserving franchise is having success.

Hysterical Hoosiers

NBC 2 Videographer AJ Schub, who covered IU Basketball for four years, gives insight on Hoosier Hysteria and asks if this team has more hype then the 91' Hoosiers.

Hoosier Hysteria Video

There were plenty of things showcased during last weekend’s Hoosier Hysteria.  It was the first practice open to the public--unless you count the nationally televised hour-long opening practice that spotlighted the Hoosiers—where Indiana fans were able to spill into the cream colored mecca of Hoosier Nation, Assembly Hall, and watch the pre-season #1 team ball so hard.  

Cody Zeller impressed the full house with a trip to the finals in the long shot contest, where he defeated Johnny “Cash” Marlin.  Zeller’s win was even more impressive because he only put up half court shots against Austin Etherington in the round leading up to the finals.  Let’s not kid ourselves; the “long shot” contest was not about Zeller’s ability to shoot a three pointer, and more about lucking into a few half-court shots that were worth ten points each.  It was nice however, seeing Zeller hit enough shots from a distance to propel himself into the finals.   

Senior Jordan Hulls also looked sharp despite being knocked out of the long shot contest early on.  He had a great scrimmage scoring a Cream squad high twelve points, and keeping his team within striking distance of the Zeller led Crimson group.  It is also clear early on that Hulls is playing a crucial role in the development of highly regarded freshman Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell.  Earlier this week Ferrell credited Hulls on impacting his defensive skill set by forcing him to guard closer on screens, in effect helping him stay with the player he is guarding.  Look for Hulls to mentor Yogi throughout the year especially in the thick of Big Ten play when the spotlight is sure to be on the Hoosiers.

There was plenty of glitz and glamour, hoopla and horseplay throughout the evening.  The player soaking in the spotlight the most?  You guessed right, Victor Oladipo.  Vic, a starting guard for the #1 team in the country is also the clown, the crowd pleaser, the energizer, whatever you want to call him.  He is a big part of the personality of this team.  When he was supposed to be on the sidelines he was center stage with ESPN personality, and former Indiana undergrad, Sage Steele to the point where I was confused who the emcee of the event really was.  Vic was pumping up the crowd, interviewing players, and even getting Coach Crean involved on the microphone.  Look for Victor to bring the same energy as he brought last year regardless if he’s on the court or the bench.  When this team needs a spark, or a big defensive stop he’ll be the guy the Hoosiers look to make a play.  

All of that being said, this “practice” was not for the players, not for the coaching staff, and not even for the media.  Hoosier Hysteria was put together for Indiana’s hysterical fan base, a fan base that has been waiting a long time for a team as promising as the 2012-2013 group.  They have been waiting longer than Tom Crean’s four full years, longer than Kelvin Sampson’s tainted tenure, even longer than the half decade of Mike Davis.  You would need to go back 20 years to a Bobby Knight coached team to find a preseason surrounded with as much hype as this one.  

The year was 1991, and Bob Knight’s number two seeded Indiana Hoosiers were coming off of an 83-65 loss to the third seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16, who would eventually lose to Duke in the championship game.  The bitter loss left fans hungry for more.  The 1991-1992 Hoosiers started the season as the second ranked team in the nation ready to take down any team that stood in their path.  The group was led by the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer Calbert Cheaney, future All-American Damon Bailey, and freshman phenom Alan Henderson.   The team came back from the tournament loss to go 27-7 on the year and earned a spot in the 1992 final four where they were edged out by Duke 81-78.

It’s been 20 long years since die-hard Indiana basketball fans had a team with as much promise as the 2012-2013 version of the Hoosiers, and the fan base sure did show their support at the first chance they got.  Students lined up as early as Thursday morning to get a chance at the best seats inside Assembly Hall for Hoosier Hysteria. Two and a half days before the doors would open to let them in!  By 8 a.m. on the Saturday of Hoosier Hysteria the line to get in wrapped around Assembly Hall, and the doors did not even open until 4 p.m.!  Did you try to get into Assembly Hall at 5:30 p.m., an hour and a half before the practice began?  You were turned away because the Hall was full by five o’clock.  These fans deserve this group; they stuck around watching teams that won a total of 28 games over three years.  They helped Tom Crean and his coaching staff build this program.  Crean was quoted in a video that kicked off the Hoosier Hysteria festivities, “They say it takes a village to raise a family.  Well, it took a nation to rebuild this program.  THANK YOU HOOSIER NATION.”

The similarities between the 91-92 group and this year’s group are well deserved.  Both teams are coming off of a Sweet 16 loss to a team that would eventually play for a national title, both teams retuned the majority of their starting line up from the previous season, and both teams added a dominant freshman to their rotation (Henderson in 91, Ferrell in 12).  This brings up two questions: Are the expectations for the 2012-2013 Hoosiers higher than those of the 1991-1992 team, and if so, would this season be considered a disappointment if the current Hoosiers suffered a loss in the Final Four like their predecessors of two decades ago? Hysterical Hoosier fans, let’s hear your answers!

Mayer: Rivalry Games in the Playoffs Are Special

 Rivalry games are consistently some of the most epic and memorable contests in any sport. The passion from fans and players are raised to another level, often with more then a victory on the line. There's always bragging rights, but the pride factor is consistently elevated in match ups against a chief rival.

The list of best rivalries will change depending on who you talk to. I always start with Dodgers vs. Giants and Packers vs. Bears because of my favorite team biases. If I jog my memory, The Yankees and Red Sox have had a few memorable games over the years. Flyers vs. Penguins, Michigan vs. Ohio State, Nadal vs. Federer, Ali vs. Frazier, Lakers vs. Celtics, Duke vs. North Carolina,  you get the point.

Rivalry games often ignite that extra sense of urgency and passion that can only be brought out by higher stakes. Higher stakes...like the playoffs perhaps. The atmosphere is charged, the venue is packed, and everyone feels like the game is life or death. That description could be used for both a rivalry game and a playoff game. So, what happens when serious rivals get the rare opportunity to face off in the playoffs? Often, fireworks and moments we never forget.

This thought obviously stems from the sectionals match-up the Wabash Valley will be tuned into this upcoming Friday. Through a random draw, the Terre Haute North Patriots and Terre Haute South Braves were aligned and high school football fans across Terre Haute squealed like little girls receiving a pony as a birthday present. Really? We get the Victory Bell battle 2.0? YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!! Ok, I had to get that out of my system.

I've been working at NBC 2 for just over two months now. You would think that with my limited exposure to high school football in The Valley that a rematch wouldn't get me so excited. You would be wrong. The lead up to the first game was too much fun. The passion from both sides is contagious. This football season has been filled with all kinds of story lines, drama, and great games. In fact, one of the biggest plot lines going is the Terre Haute North Patriots. What a season North has put together compiling a winning record in the MIC alongside the monster schools of Indianapolis.

I'll never forget the build up in week two for the Victory Bell Battle won by the Patriots in front of a huge crowd at Memorial Stadium. So here we are, just a couple of days away from two fierce rivals facing off to extend their seasons. Winner goes on loser goes home. This is do or die. It's gut check time. *Other cliche sports saying to get my point across*. Throw the week two contest out the window now, whoever wins this game will not only have bragging rights, but a place on top of the rivalry record books as well. Any playoff game would be critical for both teams, but the emotions will be on another level before the first ball is kicked. The Braves and Patriots will have a moment to stare each other in the face and understand what they're playing for. #HEREWEGO