We have seen it happen in sports time and time again.
A hometown hero returns to display their skills at the professional level and is immediately deemed the saving grace of a franchise, placing them on an unrealistic pedestal, and expecting way too much of them in the process.
Who can forget Jeff George floundering with the Colts and for a large portion of his career until the maturation process kicked in, allowing him to post all -pro type numbers during brief stints in Oakland and Minnesota. Rick Mount, arguably the best shooter in the history of Indiana high school basketball, went straight from an All-American career at Purdue to purgatory with the Pacers in the ABA. While both contributed to their own demise, the expectations placed upon them were undoubtedly a large part of the problem as well.
When the Pacers acquired George Hill from San Antonio on draft night,
many here in Indianapolis began to assume(Make that expect) he could lead the ongoing quest for respectability that this once competitive franchise is currently involved in. While Hill is a promising young player, how realistic is it for the spotlight to be placed on him as the cure for what ails this struggling team? Ludicrous to say the least I would imply, and here is why.
Hill is not a superstar and that is what it what the Pacers need to be a serious title contender. Can he come in and contribute right away? Certainly.
He will also provide a much needed push to an inconsistent Derrick Collison and compete for the starting point guard job. By virtue of his versatility, Hill will give the Pacers some minutes at the shoot guard position as well.
All in all, a great pickup and as a bonus, his presence will (Initially anyway) sell some tickets to boot. But in reality, we should not place the burden of resurrecting this team on the shoulders of a player who has been in the NBA for just three seasons. While he has indeed shown promise, Hill by his own admission has quite a ways to go before he can rest on his laurels.
The Pacers were smart to go after a player such as Hill, and I do feel he can be a part of something long term here if he remains focused and healthy.
Lets look at his acquisition as a needed part of the puzzle and not the key component, and let the chips fall where they may. One thing is for certain, he will either be a hero or a goat before too long. I would settle for something firmly in the middle, and most realistic fans will do the same.
Welcome home George Hill. I hope your stay is both successful and lengthy.
Just play your game and compete every night, and do not worry about those who feel you must be the answer because you are one of us. Win or lose, as long as you leave it all on the floor every night, everything will be just fine.
Danny Bridges, who thinks the Pacers should continue to tinker with their roster and bring in more new talent, can be reached at: (317) 578-1780 or at (317) 578-1780
