My mother's hometown of two thousand was a force to be reckoned with back in the mid to late 70's when her cousin coach took the team to the state finals twice, once winning runner up. He coached his team to the finals against the state's largest schools. The good people of Loogootee, Indiana adore the move Hoosiers since they can relate to the David and Goliath theme.
Fans were fanatical. Including my mother who would nearly beat us kids to death in her excitement when the games would be on the radio.
This small town high school basketball coach continues to hold the title of the most winningest high school basketball coach in the state. His game was called, "Stall Ball" or Butcher Ball.
Time stopped when Indiana's high school basketball sectionals began and it only started again once a State Champion was crowned.
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The Indiana Pacers spent several years at the top of their game when Reggie Miller played shooting guard. He fueled the passions of this basketball crazed state bringing the Pacers front and center of the national spotlight.
His 57 point game still stands today in the Pacer records, but that paled in comparison to 1995, when during the last 8.9 seconds of game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks, he scored a jaw dropping EIGHT points. That was 8 points in 8.9 SECONDS, not minutes. He single-handedly won the game to the dismay of Miller's long time public enemy, Spike Lee.
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| Miller taunting director Spike Lee during a game in which Miller was forcing the NY Knicks to choke. |
But then basketball changed. And so did Indiana's obsession.
It started back in the 1997-98 season, when it was decided that it wasn't fair that smaller schools have to battle against the odds to win a championship. So high school basketball was divided into classes.
The term "Class Basketball" is largely uttered with a sneer on one's face here. Instead of generating a feeling of equality, it's better known for taking the hysteria out of Hoosier Hysteria.
The state championship is, for the most part a ho-hum event. The exception was this year when my mother's home town FINALLY snatched up a win when they were barely on the radar screen for rankings. But it leaves one wondering if they could have also "gone all the way" and beaten the other classes.
This picture captured several of my family members at this year's state championship when Loogootee won it's first state championships. This give me hope the spark isn't dead yet.
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The next death knell came with the Pacer's reputation. Indiana's small town, home town hero, Larry Bird returned to his native Hoosier roots becoming the Pacer's coach for three years and now as it's president. Although he led to the team to a franchise win record, he is better known locally for allowing the reputation of the players to deterioriate.
The last several years the Pacers have become VERY well known locally for their shooting skills.
Not their basketball shooting skills, but their shoot OUTS at the local strip clubs. It seemed that nearly every week there was some story about the Pacers being involved in late night shoot outs in the strip clubs parking lots.
In 2004, a HUGE brawl erupted during a game between the Pacers and the Detroit Pistons fans. Three Indiana Pacers entered the stands and began a dangerous altercation. The three were immediately suspended. The next day, the NBA suspended Forward Ron Artest for the remaining season, 86 games. An NBA record he continues to hold this day.
While the Pacers developed their reputation of thugs, we watched Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy turn Indiana's hysteria to football.
The next season Artest asked for a transfer from the Pacers.
The people of Indiana were more than happy to be rid of him. But the bad behavior of the Pacer players didn't stop.
Then retired Reggie Miller took Bird to task during an interview, shaming him that he allowed his players enough free time that they could manage to spend half their nights at strip clubs and bar room brawls.
It will take years to repair the damage exacted upon Hoosier Hysteria.
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Which (FINALLY) leads me to the whole point of this post.
Three days ago Metta World Peace, the Laker's Forward delivered an unbelievably nasty elbow to the head of Oklahoma's James Harden, leaving him with a concussion.
Yesterday the NBA announced Metta World Peace would be suspended seven games.
Seven games.
Mr. Metta World Peace is well known here in this unenthusiastic basketball state. He is none other than the former Pacer Ron Artest. I'm shaking my head at the sick irony of his new legally changed name.
As long as the professional sports teams condone this type of behavior they can no longer expect to get throngs of fans rushing the doors to get to their precious season tickets.
There's a reason our state convicted and imprisoned boxer Mike Tyson when he raped a young girl in his hotel room in downtown Indianapolis
We don't tolerate this behavior.
I'm sick of hearing stories of the thugs in the professional world of basketball.
Hey NBA!!! Are you LISTENING????
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4 comments:
One solution is to make them wear helmets, padding and observe the lack of enthusiasm when they waddle around the court and try to play basketball.
The other solution is to fire the player and pursue criminal charges for assault and battery.
Nobody is so damn good at anything they can physically assault somebody with impunity.
Reggie was one helluva player and it pisses me off that Peyton is now a Bronco.
But Metta WORLD PEACE is another example of a one trick pony with a sense of entitlement.
At least there's still the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard to be proud of.
First I heard that that's really Artest.
Thanks for 'splaining that.
Jess: Until the NBA gets serious about this stuff and begins to suspend the players permanently, nothing will change. I have no doubt if one of Dungy's players had done even half of what Artest did he would never wear a Colts jersey again. If the NBA won't set an example, Bird should have.
Dana: I've never been what could be referred to as a big sports fan, but Reggie fever had everyone excited. And the dignity of Dungy and Manning can never be lived up to again here. Hard to get excited about Andrew Luck since no matter how good he is, it's highly unlikely he could come close to not only their success, but their incredible charity.
Ed: I was surprised you didn't know it was the same guy, but then again Artest's name is practically profanity here and probably not-so-much to the rest of the country.
A few years back after Artest was history, my "transplanted" boss was given tickets to the Pacer game. She took her young son and was surprised when she was able to buy a real Pacer jersey at a bargain rate of $10.
The jersey? Artest's. I suppose they hoped for those not aware of the fracas, otherwise they probably would have to pay someone to take them.
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