Bleacher Report - Articles by Christopher Meece

A Refreshing Day in Tampa

Christopher Meece — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:54:36 -0400

Senator Barack Obama held a rally in Tampa Bay today, and some members of the heading-to-the-series Rays joined him onstage. It was a fitting moment, and Sen. Obama's moniker of "change" took on dual meanings. The resurgent Rays stood with a "transformational" (as said on Sunday by General Colin Powell) candidate, how fitting.

Obama's rise is nothing short of amazing. He personifies the American Dream in nearly every sense, and his historical significance needs no mention. At this point, it is a miracle that he has managed to stay above the Republican campaign machine, and he has done it with a sense of calm and grace that has impressed even the stoic conservative archetype Pat Buchanan.

In this country, where we are barely 40 years past the grizzly decades of the civil rights movement, it is a testament to progress that we are sitting where we are today. However, the fight has not ended, and the crooks and the thieves could still steal this thing. The story is still without its final chapter, and everything up until now only qualifies as a moral victory.

The Rays sit in a very similar position. Fresh off an ALCS Game Seven win, they slipped out of another Red Sox baseball trivia punchline by riding the arm of a young man who was a collegiate pitcher at the same time Obama was wrapping up the democratic nomination.

All year long, the Rays have stood up to every test that they were supposed to fail.
They won what is possibly the most competitive division since the the advent of the three-division system. They held off the stalwarts, and despite a mediocre September, went into the playoffs as the Cinderella team to love.

We all have seen how the talking heads love their sexy Cinderella picks, but most weren't willing to suspend reality so far as to think that they would actually out-duel the veteran Red Sox in a theoretical ALCS matchup, if they could even get past the White Sox.

The Rays took care of those White Sox in Chicago, but after losing Game One against Boston, it was clear that the fairy tale had went far enough. They had a great year, but it was time to come back to earth you silly Rays, with your crazy coach and your lovable lot of young stars-to-be.

Baseball is a game based around accepted ideas. New ways of doing things are frowned upon, even downright ridiculed, because you cannot dare assault the integrity of the national pastime. Clubhouses are shrines of arrested development, and coaches all teach the same set of techniques they have for years.

They motivate mostly through fear and degradation in the same way that WASP fathers have motivated their sons for decades. I have seen it first-hand, having been involved with baseball for more than 20 years as a player and high-school coach.

Joe Madden is different. His enthusiastic and encouraging style is perfect for a set of players who have yet to realize their potential. The Rays were attempting to cultivate a winner, not by the standard combination of a couple rookies coupled with a majority of proven veterans, but by intelligently using the draft to build a stable of stars in the making.

But to most, they were in no way expected to contend this year. However, Madden refused to set a ceiling over their heads, and he never mentioned that they could be good "next year." For Madden, there was no time like the present, and he was unbelievably correct.

Halfway through the game last night, my friend Derrick mentioned how relaxed, to the point that they appeared bored, the Rays seemed. I couldn't help but agree and think that this had to have something to do with the atmosphere that Madden has created.

It is a testament to their coach and themselves that the Rays could have an abundance of confidence in such a pressure-packed situation after they had blew a 3-1 series lead, including the improbable Game Five in Boston when they blew a 7-0 lead late in the game.

Which leads me back to Sen. Obama. His composure in the face of a multitude of negative circumstances is astonishing. Lesser men have walked this road only to be dusted aside by the hands that be (see: Al Gore, John Kerry). Politics is an ugly game, but Obama has made it look dignified again.

But none of this will matter if the Rays can't finish the Phillies, or Obama can't put away McCain. The Rays will prove that they weren't quite ready after all, and Obama will prove he was just a pie-in-the-sky democrat. I, for one, am excited about the possibility of a pie in the heavens; it's much better than F-16s; and if the Rays can win the series, maybe big-market teams will realize shelling out $20 million a year to 33-year-old sluggers with diminishing skills is not always the solution.

Until then, we idealists can dream, for change and for hope. Amen.

Playing in The Shadows: Indiana University Plays Football, WKU Only Spectators

Christopher Meece — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:35:38 -0400

"Does what God say ever change his mind...when the president talks to God?"

Bright Eyes

The long drive to Bloomington, IN from Lexington, KY lends itself effortlessly to long thought. Everyday, I somehow find time to ponder a new scenario in which McCain unbelievably wins this election; this particular drive allows time for an election scenario, a scandal, and the subsequent failed impeachment. All told, it makes me want to eat two handfuls of loose dirt.

I have tried to distance myself from this election for months, mainly to avoid the disappointment. It never works out, I am not wired that way. I have to care.

Regardless of your political bent, it is easy to feel small when following big time politics. Democracy, while designed to empower, harbors complacency. It is easy for some to trust that humans, as a collective, will do the right thing when faced with a watershed decision. This thought leads to apathy, and apathy will kill us all.

Unfortunately, the "right" thing rarely happens. The political outcomes, possibly because of how they are covered, seem scripted and fake. This leads to further apathy and a country where 50% of its citizens vote. I suppose that bourbon was made for times like these...

While IU football doesn't have the same "weight" as our political landscape there is a parallel.

Upon arriving to Memorial Stadium in Bloomington one things was clear: the athletic department is going all out to make this place on par with the rest of the conference.

There are new graphics of Indiana greats (there is such a thing, promise) plastered on the outside of the stadium. Visual proof that success can be had within the confines of the Rock.

The renovation is not finished but still impressive in its infancy, much like this football team, a true work in progress.

The Hoosiers showed signs of real improvement, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They return the nation's leader in sacks from a year ago, DE Greg Middleton, and there is real speed and size from top to bottom. They look like an authentic Big Ten defense, which hasn't happened since Bill Mallory was roaming the sidelines.

Kellen Lewis was once again the best player on the field. It is feasible that Indiana might not have won four (much less seven) games last year if it wasn't for their star quarterback.

He constantly bails out his offensive line and running backs by making things happen with his legs and arm. His performance against WKU, while awe-inspiring, also caused this response from my friend Derrick:

"Indiana once again proved that they are not there yet. As long as they rely on Kellen Lewis to win games by himself, they will just be mediocre. Good teams will make adjustments and not let him beat them."

Very, very true. It was only a matter of moments, however, until we had unearthed the true source of our post-victory malaise: there was an announced crowd of 30,000 (let me qualify that by saying that if they were to average the number of people throughout the duration of the contest it would be more like 19,000).

This was the home opener coming off a surprise bowl appearance, after a season dedicated to their fallen coach, which happened to be their first postseason appearance since 1993. The stadium should have at least been at 90% capacity. Anything less is, and was, an embarrassment.

Terry Hoeppner understood that part of what makes a program successful is their fan base. Imagine The Big House at 50% capacity. Not quite as imposing. Hoeppner used his sharp marketing skills to create a particular environment. He energized a dormant fan base even when he knew the product was not where it needed to be.

Last season saw the Hoosiers become a good (but not great) football team. They were finally getting over the hump. More importantly, the Hoosier fan base was finally rewarded for making the trip with wins.

They are so close to shedding the mediocre tag they have held for so long. If you are a fan, now is not the time to pass the buck. As a culture, we have become accustom to sit idly by while thinking that someone else will eventually do something when we don't feel like it.

Believe me, I know there are much more pressing things affecting our lives than college football. However, the story of this program's overhaul is a perfect example of the usefulness of sport. It is a team overcoming all odds, against overwhelming circumstances, working towards a common goal. It is why we connect to sports so easily with such passion.

Sports is one of many microcosms of our everyday life, except on a much grander scale (a macrocosm, then?). They teach us about triumph and adversity from a safe distance, but with no less meaning. They inspire.

Regardless, as a citizen or a fan, we should take responsibility of the outcomes of things that we can affect instead of griping when it doesn't go our way after the fact. As a wise (and old) man once said, "In a democracy, the people often get what they deserve."

Indiana Basketball: The Fall of Kelvin Sampson

Christopher Meece — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:48:01 -0500

This morning Indiana University announced that the NCAA sent them five major rule
infractions in addition to what IU's own investigation found last fall.

The allegations include that:

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson knowingly participated in three-way phone calls with Assistant Coach Rob Senderoff and prospects Yancey Gates, William Buford, Dejuan Blair, Demetri McCamey, Ayodele Coker and Devin Ebanks. He also participated in speakerphone calls with Senderoff and recruit Marcus Morris.
Sampson was present during one or more recruiting calls placed by Senderoff to prospect Kenny Frease in which Senderoff made phone calls to the student-athlete, then handed the phone to Sampson. Sampson also spoke with the mother of prospect Bud Mackey via Senderoff's cell phone while Senderoff was with Mackey's mother.
Records showed Senderoff also used his home phone for impermissible recruiting calls on a number of occasions despite Senderoff telling investigators that he had not used his home phone for recruiting calls. In actuality, Senderoff placed at least 30 phone calls that were violations from his home phone.
Sampson and Assistant Coach Jeff Meyer impermissibly recruited Derek Elston during a two-day sports camp June 30 and July 1, 2007. During that event, Meyer told Elston's high school coach, Travis Daugherty, that Elston would be receiving a scholarship offer from Indiana in the near future. Elston, however, had not completed his activities in the camp, which made contact with him impermissible, and Elston returned to camp activities the following day. It was during this contact that Elston received the t-shirt and backpack in violation of NCAA rules.

The last accusation (and make no mistake about it, the most important) deals with Sampson lying to IU and the NCAA saying he did not know that he was on the three-way calls.

Indiana has not had a major violation in 48 years.

You can view those four bullet points however you wish, but the bottom line is that they are your garden variety slap-on-the-wrist infractions. When the coach begins lying to the University and the NCAA, however, he has entered into scary territory and he probably won't make it back.

I have had the pleasure to meet the last three Hoosier coaches (Knight, Davis, and Sampson), and I liked Sampson the most. He is a very humble and soft-spoken man. He values hard work and toughness and he insists those characteristics be absorbed by his teams.

When IU announced last fall that he and his staff violated the sanctions from his tenure at Oklahoma, I was stunned.

How could he have been so careless? I know that this is cheating, but these calls garner no advantage. These infractions are sloppy, and they give the impression that no one is in control.

The tail end of the Knight era and all of the Mike Davis tenure was mired in mediocrity not seen in the program since the 60's. When Sampson was hired in 2006, it was a head-scratcher to some, but Sampson's career numbers were incredible. He was a 20+ win per season machine.

Through recruiting and the installation of his system Sampson has returned Indiana to the elite. But at what cost? He will most likely be fired, and there is no way to guarantee that this team stays together after he's gone. Not to mention the looming actions of a grumpy NCAA.

IU Athletic Director Rick Greenspan might not survive this either.

He hired Sampson knowing that he was bringing the phone call violation baggage with him. Greenspan's dismissal could be the real tragedy, he was the one who brought in Terry Hoeppner to transform the barely-breathing IU football program.

As most know, Hoeppner didn't survive his battle with cancer, but the IU football program continued in the right direction, making a bowl game for the first time since 1993.

Indiana is faced with a tough decision: support their embattled coach, fire him immediately, or fire him after the season.

It looks like we will know the answer sooner than later. IU has scheduled a press conference for 5 PM EST. This is not good news for Sampson, there wasn't one originally scheduled.

*UPDATE*

AD Rick Greenspan's press conference is wrapping up and it appears that no decision has been made on the future of Coach Sampson.

I will say that he has left the door of firing him wide open.

Greenspan has shown the propensity to be patient in times of urgency, and that discretion is probably wise. There are a lot of decisions to be made in this situation and you can't go around firing people until this situation is properly reviewed.

He also made it clear that he couldn't fire him anyway, he only makes "recommendations" that are sent to University President McRobbie.

One note. How unbelievable would it have been if Greenspan was doing his presser and all of a sudden the lights dim, the music starts, and out walks The General himself? This would be the one (and only) case where real sports should be like wrestling.

Just a thought (to be clear, I do not think that hiring Knight would be a good idea).

The Bob Knight Problem

Christopher Meece — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:52:11 -0500

Not one for conventional thinking, Robert Montgomery Knight stepped down as head coach of Texas Tech University last week with 10 games remaining in the regular season. His son Patrick, who was named the successor several years ago, will coach the remainder of this season.

Since last week, ESPN has ran its obligatory Knight highlight reel, which we have all seen thousands of times.

If you are even slightly aware as a sports fan you know that he threw a chair, yelled at reporters weekly, punched a cop in Puerto Rico, etc.

Amidst those highlights, however, Coach Knight also granted a few interviews. During one with ESPN announcer Jay Bilas he hinted that he might not be done patrolling the sidelines and that we should "never say never."

As a lifelong fan of Indiana University, I suppose his resignation doesn't seem askew from his normal behavior. I can't see The General on a farewell tour, begrudgingly accepting some widget or what have you on every Big 12 school's home court while he waves disingenuously at the throngs of people trying to live a little piece of history. That spectacle would only soften the image of the man, take away the edge of what made him a winning machine.

Some would argue that his image needs to be softened in order to properly accept him as our winningest coach in major college basketball history. He's too rough around the edges for mainstream adulation and consumption. They're probably right in some way.

The legend that is John Wooden is a perfect example. Known as a classy and intelligent gentleman, Wooden was the pinnacle of what a coach should be. His UCLA teams were dominant for an entire decade. He saw the beauty of college basketball and taught it to his willing disciples. His brand of basketball was great, but it required talent. We know the names, Walton, Abdul-Jabbar, and the list goes on. Wooden combined his knowledge with talent to create greatness. His teams were glossy, almost too good to be real.

Knight was different—a flawed genius, like US. Knight worked hard his entire career. As a player at Ohio State he played in the shadows of John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas, two immensely talented individuals. Lucas would later remark that Knight's playing days at OSU shaped his frame of mind for the rest of his life.

Knight was a warrior but he didn't have the talent to be a star on that team. However, he didn't believe that talent was everything, and he would prove it as a coach.

Knight devised an offense centered around constant motion and screens. If executed properly the offense didn't require star players or even a dominant big man, only shooters and slashers. He needed guys who could knock down the open shot and get to the free throw line.

On the other side of the ball he taught a suffocating style of man-to-man defense that emphasized "helping" out your teammates. He understood that it doesn't take talent to defend, just will and tenacity.

Not to say that Knight didn't have any talent, he did, but his teams produced one NBA star of note—Isiah Thomas. The others were exceptional college players, but that was their ceiling.

Knight proved that you could win a basketball game through strategy, a system, and guys who bought into it. He voraciously recruited from the rich soil that is Indiana high school basketball. Indiana players knew what IU basketball meant; they had bought into it when they were children.

Knight would continue making himself into a star. With every win came more fame. In Indiana in the 70's and 80's, Knight could have murdered someone in broad daylight in the parking lot of a busy grocery store without so much as being approached. As his ego grew, so grew the idea that he was untouchable.

His court side behavior became more animated and ferocious. Knight seemed to believe that during every game you were competing against two forces: the other team and the officials. He would ride officiating crews like he was negotiating the safe return of his soul with the devil. It worked. Knight's teams often made more free throws than their opponent attempted.

After giving that famous chair the ride of its life, Knight's image was forever in conflict with his ability. We all knew of his incredible talent, but we also knew of the dark side that lived very near the surface, waiting to show its despicable face.

I think that everyone could deal with the anger. All coaches get upset during a game. The most curious trait inside that very complex man was the constant contradictions. He demanded respect from others but rarely gave it, required his players to carry themselves in an appropriate manner but rarely carried himself in a positive way. He came off as a bully. The rules applied to everyone but him.

Because of those issues it becomes increasingly more difficult to place him in his proper historical context, especially when the specter of his demons casts a much larger shadow than the numerous good things that he has done for others as a coach and as a man. In Indiana, however, you need only say two words: Landon Turner.

Knight once remarked that Turner "had the talent to become the best player he had ever coached." With that in mind, it is not surprising that during his career he spent a lot of time in Coach's proverbial "doghouse." Knight had to squeeze every ounce of talent out of every player, and if he felt that you weren't holding up your end of the bargain you would be put on notice.

Turner came into his own during the 1980-81 tournament run as he emerged from the "doghouse." He was named MVP of the semifinal game and a member of the All-Tournament Team. Several months later he was involved in a traffic accident that would leave him paralyzed from the waste down.

Coach Knight's dedication to keeping Turner in the IU family was legendary. He kept Turner around the program and most importantly in school. Turner received his degree from IU in 1984 and has gone on to lead an inspirational and amazing life. He never hesitates to praise Coach Knight if given the chance.

Knight's graduation rates were always near 100 percent. No coach was more dedicated to teaching not only basketball, but life lessons to his players. There are men all over the country who will say that outside of their family, no one has made more of a positive impact in their lives than Coach Knight. Quinn Buckner just said it last week.

I know the rest of the sporting world will remember Coach Knight more for his faults than his achievements, and that's their prerogative. I, however, don't remember hearing that college basketball coaches had to be so perfect anyway.

Bob Knight is no greater or worse of a person than anyone of us. He is flawed and imperfect, just like everyone else. As a coach, there is no other who has outperformed him. He has equals, but no masters. That is how we should remember Bob Knight.

We don't require our architects, artists, or entertainers to be great people—we judge them on their work. On his work alone, Robert Montgomery Knight is a master.

Big Ten Race for Conference Supremacy Heats Up, Nation Unimpressed

Christopher Meece — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:20:11 -0500

It is nearly February and the Big Ten's best remain untested in conference play. That is slated to change however, as co-leader No. 11 Wisconsin (16-2, 6-0) travels to West Lafayette on Saturday to face a feisty Purdue (14-5, 5-1) team that is contending despite their youth. The Badgers then turn around and host the team they are currently locked in a first place tie with, the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers (17-1, 6-0).

The next week will either separate one team from the rest or clog the top even further. If the home teams hold serve, we could be looking at a four-way one-loss tie between IU, Wisconsin, No. 10 Michigan State, and Purdue.

In fact, the Spartans (16-2, 4-1) appear to be the team that will benefit (or suffer later, possibly) from a soft five game stretch in which they play the basement teams before a Feb. 12 rematch against the Boilermakers, giving them the opportunity to slide into a first place tie or at least keep pace.

However, if Wisconsin or Indiana were to remain unbeaten, it would give one of them the inside track to a league title.

The big question is: Should the college basketball nation care? The Big Ten's annual decimation in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge has left the league looking weak once again, which will certainly hurt come March as they struggle to get five teams into the Tournament.

While the overall talent level is lower than the usual, it's too early to tell if the criticisms are warranted.

Illinois (9-11, 1-6) is the best 1-6 team in conference history and they are sure to pull an upset or two at home. Their defense is smothering but they just can't score. Their performance has initiated more egregious sideline behavior from Bruce Webber; he falls somewhere between "uncomfortable to watch" and "Little League parent who believes the high school kid umping is somehow trying to screw my son and/or his team."

Iowa (9-11, 2-5) and Michigan (5-14, 1-6) are similar mediocre/bad teams that can keep games close at times, while Penn State (10-8, 2-4) was poised to make the jump from terrible to "twice as good as Northwestern (6-9, 0-5)" until All-Big Ten stud Geary Claxton was lost for the season with a knee injury.

Ohio State (13-6, 4-2) and Minnesota (12-5, 2-3) will be bubble teams for most of the year, probably winning most of their home games and losing their fair share of road games.

Purdue will cool off as the schedule gets tougher, but expect them to finish fourth and make the tournament.

So yeah, the Big Ten is top heavy, but I don't see much difference between the non-contenders in the Big Ten and those of the other power leagues. In actuality, the Big Ten standings look very similar to the others—several powerhouses followed by a gaggle of mediocrity, finished off with several cellar-dwellers.

One reason for the perceived uncertainty toward the conference is the untested Hoosiers. They have played TWO games so far against Top 25 teams in the RPI (via the excellent kenpom.com) and their strength of schedule as of today was an eye-rolling 160 (again, kenpom.com). They also have a tendency to show their youth against inferior talent and turn the ball over too frequently (second worst in the conference at around 15/game).

However, they arguably have the best duo in the nation with the phenom freshman guard Eric Gordon and the monster forward D.J. White, who will probably be the league MVP. Their defense is much-improved and their offense appears to be fluid once again. Kelvin Sampson is the kind of coach who doesn't let you get complacent and, considering this team's inexperience (last night they started 3 players new to D1, a sophomore, and senior D.J. White), they should continue to get better as the year progresses.

One thing is for sure, they have the best roster in the conference and will be a dangerous team on a national level come March. We will know exactly where they are next week following games against Connecticut at home and the Badgers on the road.

Bo Ryan has his Badgers playing some very good basketball again despite the loss of the one-man wrecking crew Alando Tucker. They have balanced scoring and they run a patient offense that somehow creates quality shots regardless of the defense being employed. Their defense is the best in the league (54.4/game) and they usually do not turn the ball over. Brian Butch is playing more physical inside, but it would be nice to see him develop a deeper cupboard of post moves. They're a good team, but it is tough to say how good.

They went to Texas and escaped with a huge win, but Duke dismantled them and Marquette came to their home floor and won. Further, they struggled at home against the lowly Wolverines this week—Badger fans hope it was just an aberration. If they can go to Purdue and win and hold home court to beat the Hoosiers next Thursday you can safely say that they are a legit elite team and favorites to win the Big Ten.

Michigan State looks tough at times, but when they struggle, it's ugly. Witness the 43-36 loss to Iowa...36 points, seriously? They are another team that has issues with turning the ball over (around 14/game) and they can inexplicably go ice cold from the field. They have depth but no real force down low and their bigs have a tendency to get their points off of offensive rebounds.

Goran Suton has improved but is not a proven go-to guy. Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan are the backcourt leaders and Chris Allen can knock down the open shot.

The Spartans' other loss was to UCLA early on and their marquee win was against Texas. They defend you and Coach Tom Izzo instills a nasty rebounding streak in his players, both keys in March. This team goes as far as Neitzel and Morgan can take them, and since they only play Wisconsin once, anything less than a 14-4 Big Ten finish would be a disappointment.

One thing that shouldn't get overlooked is the fact that Big Ten teams of late get overrated early then underrated late, followed by strong NCAA tournament showings. This can most likely be attributed to the stable of excellent coaches in the conference. Besides Penn State and Northwestern, the league has extraordinary talent at the head coach position.

Accordingly, Big Ten teams typically go through a large amount of growth as the year progresses. This leads to some early laughers like Wisconsin's performance at Duke, but also to strong showings later in the year.

The Big Ten has three teams that would perform admirably against any team in the country. Now it's time to see which one rises to the top of the pile. After this week's action, we'll have a better idea who that number one contender will be.