Crean and Crimson

Let me preface this by saying this much:  This is Timmy Hickle's optimism.  Everyone else on the face of the earth is skeptical of this Hoosier team, assuming the worst, but I believe.  I believe not because we have the best team in the world, but because we are Hoosiers, and when you have the Hoosier mentality, nothing can keep you from a banner.  Last night was the first time I saw that Hoosier mentality since 2002, so call me crazy, but I can see the light.  Now onto the blog...

Last night in Assembly Hall, I witnessed two things...

1.  I witnessed the worst home loss in our school's history, and to Wisconsin nonetheless.
2.  I witnessed the moment that will live in our hearts when we raise Banner Number Six.

For those of you who missed the game, we were getting handled by the Badgers.  Our performance was sloppy at best and the officiating was ugly as it's been all season.  With 9:53 remaining, Tom Crean chewed out an official for the second time in the past minute.  The official ejected him, but Crean wouldn't go quietly.  He continued to argue, continued to fight, until he was escorted out...

BUT WAIT, HE'S NOT DONE!

He then stormed back on the court and began to scream again, as the crowd grew louder and louder in his favor.  As he was escorted down the hallway, there is video of him hitting things as he walked down the hallway.  The team continued to be overwhelmed by a Wisconsin team that, I would argue, was not more skilled as much as they were more experienced and organized.  To the layman, this appears to be a disaster... Just another season of destruction in the post-Sampson era.  To the true Hoosier fan, however, we noticed something...

While we couldn't hear what he said to the refs, any lifelong Hoosier fan heard a couple things going through their head...

"I'm sick and fucking tired of losing to fucking Purdue."
or,
"When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here have past, I want they bury me upside down so my critics can kiss my ass."
or maybe even,
"If the NBA were on channel five and a bunch of frogs making love was on channel four, I'd watch the frogs, even if the frogs were coming in fuzzy."

I'm not saying Tom Crean is the new General, but last night, for the first time since a Bobby Knight team graduated (under Mike Davis) we saw the Hoosier spirit reincarnated.  We saw something that really resonates with Hoosier Nation.

You talk to me about one-and-dones?  Bad memories.

You talk to me about big recruits?  Bad connotations.

You talk to me about my head coach being thrown out after an emotional outburst?  NOW we're talking about Hoosier basketball.

I just want to end this with one thought from Coach Crean after last night's game...

"I will never, ever apologize for my passion for believing what I think is right. The passion is the overriding emotion. It's not anything else."


Well, Tom, we're not asking for an apology, we're giving you a standing ovation.  Now take that passion and make these guys ache in practice.  I believe in them, you believe in them, it's your turn to make the nation believe in them.