Undoubtedly you have heard the cries for help from the Hoosier Nation regarding the Indiana University Men’s Basketball program and its alleged penchant for cold beer.
Back in February, it was Hanner Mosquera Perra driving around after enjoying some libations after hours and getting a tour of the Monroe County Jail as a result. About two months later, Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell and Stanford Robinson were retained for presenting false identification in exchange for some suds in downtown Bloomington. Over the past weekend, Devin Davis and Emmitt Holt played human bowling pin after a six-pack in the shadows of Memorial Stadium.
I am happy to say Davis is expected to make a complete recovery after a reported concussion and some abrasions.
Clearly it could have been much worse, and with the start of the season this week against two exhibition opponents, the consensus amongst the large majority of the media is Coach Tom Crean has allowed his program to get out of control and he alone is ultimately accountable.
Many feel Crean was not tough enough in the first two incidents and therefore set a lax standard in terms of a first-time violation. Please allow me this opportunity to distance myself from those who feel the need to tar and feather the same guy who resurrected the program to a point beyond respectability, and who at this time is greatly concerned, but certainly not embattled.
It is hogwash to assign total blame at Crean’s office door and even more preposterous to think he hasn’t ridden the first two offenders hard since their transgressions. Sure, at some point you say the young men need to accelerate the maturation process, and yes it is critical they learn the perils that go hand in hand with driving drunk.
While I can dismiss some of these shenanigans as boys being boys, I look to their respective families and parents when assigning the responsibility for their actions instead of Crean. It is insane to think any coach can monitor a player day and night, and quite honestly, he shouldn’t have to.
I get the whole “scholarship athletes are held to a higher standard,” but in reality they are the same as their classmates who will from time to time bust open a 12-pack in their dorm.
I cannot say with any degree of certainty that the parents of these players have not done enough to correct this behavior, and how they go about it is really none of my business. It is, however, time to be realistic about the responsibility they hold in these matters instead of pinning the tail on Crean. Something tells me the five players involved in these escapades the last eight months or so have learned a lot more from it than they could ever learn in a lecture hall or a lab.
We do not know how tough their coach has been on them and never will. I do know that each one of these individuals should fear the wrath of their parents more than their coach and I hope that is occurring.
Mom and Dad coming down hard on them is a lot more effective than running the stairs at Assembly Hall or sitting out games.
It is time for the heat from home to be turned up more and allow Crean to be a secondary source of discipline. Hopefully that will start happening before someone loses their life or kills someone else.
Danny Bridges, who was guilty of underage drinking in college without a scholarship, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
