Julie Sturgeon

After all the great basketball games in the tournament and cheering for three teams to make the Final Four for the first time (I think we can give Oregon that distinction after 78 years), we have to watch them crown the team that cheated. It does make you bitter tonight.

Last I read, they dropped the charges against the football and basketball team and planned to make the other sports take the brunt of the punishments. Then they reinstated them against those sports on December 22. But I haven't heard a word about that during the tournament because ... don't speak ill of the team with money who is winning?

Coach, thank you for showing us what it means to roll up your sleeves and try. Thank you for showing us that you can put together a competitive basketball team without cheating. Thank you for putting these players in the classroom and dazzling us with the degrees they've earned collectively. Thank you for making me proud to be a Hoosier again. Most of all, thank you for having the courage to wade in where others were afraid of failure. You have the heart of a lion, and I've been your fan from the day they introduced you. Wherever you land, your team will be my second favorite ... as in I'm buying the sweatshirt and putting that school's ornament on my Christmas tree.