Parakeet Jones

I'm kind of glad we're not ranked at this point.  I want this team to have to earn it like we did Cody's freshman year.  (I do realize we're ranked in the coach's poll.)  

This Pacers team is one of the most enjoyable basketball teams I have ever watched.  They have a great feel for playing together and they share the ball tremendously well.  There are no egos on this team and they are stone cold locked in on getting that one seed in the East.  60+ wins is a real possibility.  

UW - 62 IU- 28

Going for eight straight.  Glad to see Quinn back on the broadcast tonight.  

  I agree on that.  It has to be called consistently regardless of a team's reputation.  My big fear is that a team like Louisville that bumps and gets handsy a lot, but has a reputation for being tough defensively will not be called as close as Somewhere St.  

  Teams can still play defense.  They just have to do it by moving their feet and not clutching, grabbing, wrestling, and molesting (e.g. Badgers, Wisconsin & Boilermakers, Purdue) like they have been getting away with for the last several years.     Teams that are long, quick and athletic, like our Hoosiers, will still be able to be excellent defensive teams because they will be able to keep players in front of them without the use of the hands.  

Big night last night for the Pacers.  Not only did they get a huge win in Brooklyn, but Miami lost as well.  As of now the Pacers are at least 3 games up on every other team in the Eastern Conference.  I love how this team is not shying away from the fact that they are after the number one seed in the East.  They are legit contenders this year.  

Well that didn't go as planned.  

It's going to be ugly in the short term, but in the long term it is going to make for the betterment of the game.  Now teams like Wisconsin and Purdue will actually have to learn how to play defense and not just how to mug and wrestle.  How beautiful will it be to watch a game against Bo Ryan's Hitler Youth Program where they won't be able to grab guys and bump cutters?  

The high water mark was four of us.  One was watching on a severe delay so that took it's toll.  

Imagine what goes on at Purdue.

Winning doesn't change the fact that Mallory still has to go.  

Even we can't lose this one now......I think.  

Hoosiers 91 Bennie's boys 60

Hoosiers 89 Long Island 65

This was the first time I have got to see Devin Davis play and I was impressed.  Sneak and smart, a great combination.  I don't see him ever being a star, but he will have a solid four years in Bloomington.    The key to the universe this year is defense.  We will only be as good overall as we're good defensively (I hope that makes sense to someone besides me).  

I hate him.  

First game day of the season.  I told my wife last night that it was like Christmas Eve with tomorrow (today now) being the first game of the season.  

I'm all in favor of the new emphasis on calling hand checking.  The game has become WAY too physical imo.  I just hope the hand check is being called as consistently in February and March as it is in November.     In theory, yes this new emphasis should benefit us. Physically we will be able to play D with our feet due to our length and athleticism.  I'm sure since they are so young CTC would tell you they still have a lot to learn about positioning and such.     I really believe that how good this team is or is not this year comes down to how good they are or are not defensively.  

1.  Can we put together 40 minutes of good play even if it is against weaker competition.   2.  As most everyone else has said, how much do we turn the ball over.   3.  Division of minutes and combinations of guys used. 

It confirms mine more than alters it. 

I'm getting  really tired of Noah's griping to the refs.  

Probably the same fans that trampled the Playboy model. 

The big one is tonight, Chicago at home.  We've got them twice in the next two weeks.  It's time to put some separation between us in the division early on.  Programming note:  the game will be on FSN IN as well as ESPN if you want to avoid the D-Rose love affair. 

15 pt. lead, down to 1.   :mad: