Just throwing this out there. Are there any of you out there that think that maybe this was all staged by Bob Knight and company? "Let's take any attention away from Indiana and their new coach making his debut tonight by doing something comical." I'll get back to the Bob Knight affair at the end of the column, but I got more e-mails about the attendance at Conseco last night than I did about the Bob Knight saga.
For Sampson's debut, it was empty--very empty--at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Last night's attendance was 8,037. And let me tell you, that was stretching it.
A part of me can't believe it. Obviously, there's the obvious reason that Indiana was playing bottom-feeder Patriot Leaguer Lafayette.
And obviously, that's coming from fans that aren't necessarily IU diehards. Indiana basketball fans will tell you that they are the most loyal in the country. I'll be honest, I was very surprised at the lack of 'loyalty' from IU fan.
But after the show today, the biggest reason I got from IU fan for the lack of attendance at Sampson's first game was that the game was not publicized very well. Excuse me?
Don't get me wrong, the NIT Season Tip-Off was very 'under-promoted' by everyone. ESPN decided to promote college football (and Big East college football at that), and their Monday Night Football package. There's only so much promo room to go around on the ESPN family of networks. But for IU fans to use the publicity excuse for not showing up at Indiana's first regular season basketball game of the year... I liked the first excuse better, frankly. That's for sure.
Here's my theory. Yes, IU fans need a loyalty check... or maybe they need a different kind of check--the money kind. The kind you get after a hard week's work.
It seems as though IU fans are maybe sticking out the IU football season, one that is one Oaken Bucket victory away from bowl madness. Are IU fans holding out for that? Is it too expensive for IU fan to go to more than one IU sporting event a week away from Bloomington? I wonder.
Let me just put it this way. I would gamble any amount of money that the IU fan base, whose evidently torn now between going to a football game or going to a basketball game, would undoubtedly be here at Conseco Fieldhouse in droves tonight if Hoeppner's bunch was 3-8 at this point, instead of on the brink of Insight Bowl 'stardom'.
Could football really reign supreme in Bloomington?
As far as the Bob Knight situation, let me just put it this way. It would be treated a lot different by everyone if it were someone other than Bob Knight. Yes, it was a very small slap. I don't want him to get fired or anything. Substitute Rick Pitino's name in place of Bob Knight and this maybe gets a small mention at best.
But he should be reprimanded. If I'm the AD, hey Bobby, I know your history. This is your slap on the wrist. I've seen it go farther than this before in Bloomington, so I'm reprimanding you now so it doesn't get to that point ever again and give our university bad pub.
Sorry Coach, but if you don't like it, you can quit. But you dug your own hole there thanks to Neil Reed and disrespectful-college-student-on-the-street guy, and if I'm the AD, I'm sure we talked about you not putting yourself in these situations.
So, a punishment is due. A game, a couple games, whatever. But if you are an AD in this situation, knowing what you already knew about Knight, you have to nip this in the bud. Simple.
OK, Dick Vitale is here in the media room talking to me and Terry Hutchens from the Indy Star. No, seriously. Gotta go.
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Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Post JF Chron Dispatch
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Yes, as previously advised, I’ve been away.
I’m baaaaaaaaaack and . . .
. . . here just to report as a quick check in. Don’t have much b-ball news
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