This week has a sense of foreboding. We're anxious. Nervous.
Hoosier fans know what is happening this weekend and are desperately attempting to squeeze in some last-minute repents to the basketball deities: Please, sweet gods of the hardwood, be merciful on our already crushed Cream and Crimson souls.
This Friday is the NCAA Infractions Committee meeting. The climax of our emotional rollercoaster. The meeting between the new (head coach Tom Crean), the old (former coach Kelvin Sampson), and the older (former president Myles Brand).
Although no ruling will be released this weekend (or this month, for that matter), Hoosier country knows that this Saturday is when Crean, President Michael McRobbie, and Athletic Director Rick Greenspan will finally get the chance to plead their case. What is discussed in that room in Seattle, Wash. can and will mean volumes for the future of Indiana basketball.
We can only hope that our attempts to self-correct were sufficient in the eyes of the NCAA. Sampson and staff are gone; compliance officers from Sampson's era are no longer working in compliance; trouble makers were removed from the team.
Even the aura of the team has been altered. While Sampson seemed to be willing to do anything to attract talent, newly-hired assistant coach Tim Buckley recently said something about the character of the team that all Hoosier fans will find refreshing: "We prefer that (players) have it and not be it. I don't think you can sacrifice character for talent."
It has been comments like these and the optomistic attitude of Crean that have helped ease Hoosier Nation into acceptance, the fifth and final step of the Kübler-Ross model for coping with grief. We've seen it all:
First, there was denial...
"No, not Kelvin! He is an excellent coach and he is here to restore the program!"
...then there was anger...
"What were you thinking, Kelvin?! Fire him now!"
...then bargaining...
"They were just phone calls. At least we weren't buying them houses (cough cough USC.)"
...then depression...
"We're screwed. We might as well just forfeit next season before the NCAA does it for us in June."
And now, acceptance. Acceptance that we are at a low point in our history. Acceptance that the NCAA tournament may not be in our near future, post-season ban or not. Acceptance that Sampson's hiring was a mistake, and we got burned for it. Acceptance that we must deal with our missteps and face the NCAA.
Let's just hope we don't need to start the grieving process over in August.
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