The Past Is The Present: The Pacers Need To Make Some Changes To Salvage Season

As a Pacer fan from my earliest memories, I have seen them at their highest and their lowest. I remember their ABA successes, their 61-21 season in 2003-04, much the same as their nightmarish time as cellar-dwellers during much of the 1980s. I certainly would like to see them playing as their former selves but am reminded constantly of late that they are losing again.

They seem to have finally found someone who is worthy of leading the team in Danny Granger, but seem to have trouble escaping their horrendous recent past. With the exception of Jamaal Tinsley who is on inactive reserve, the Pacers have ridden themselves of the thugs who marred their recent past. Yet, they seem to be on a treadmill, going nowhere.

I blame their woes to the incompetence at the top. Larry Bird, although one of the best players in NBA history, is a lousy president, showing little focus as to which direction he wants to see the team go. It certainly makes me wish Donnie Walsh came back, because he had focus, he masterminded good trades and turned a team longing for its ABA days into a team worth reckoning with.

The only thing nonchalant-Bird is focused on doing is shelling out serious money to keep Tinsley on the sidelines. Has there been even any hint of making a move to get a center who can own the interior or get an actual point guard? I mean, Roy Hibbert and T.J. Ford are not going to cut it. Larry, you will need to shake things up in a hurry to improve the sorry state of Pacer basketball or you will be the next head to roll.

Other than Granger, there are no other players who seem to want to take things to the next level. Even Granger has issue with playing a complete game, as was noted in a recent win against Toronto. He scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half and did nothing until the waning moments to ensure a Pacer win.

The team lacks a Reggie Miller-type who can take the team by the shoe laces and play a consistent full two halves, much less to win consistently. The team lacks good supporting cast members, the way Dale Davis, Rik Smits, and Derrick McKey were in the past. All you have are a bunch of malcontents playing as if it was a job and not a passion. It isn't going to cut it if your aim is to only get paid; you need to show results because your boss is the entire fan base.

There are things they can do to salvage the season, but if the clueless leadership doesn't see them then Pacer basketball will be doomed for a long time. It is best to leave basketball completely, Larry Legend, because the blame of this mess is solely at your sneakers.