May 4
GOOD DECISION FOR HOOSIERS
Indiana coach Mike Davis definitely listens to Hoosiers fans. According to insiders, the coach received a number of calls, asking for the Indiana uniform to remain the same, with no names on the back of the jersey and the INDIANA on the front.
The fans knew Davis was considering a change. He decided to listen to those fans, and that was a good decision.
TAR HEELS FACE TRANSITION
With North Carolina likely to lose All-American Joseph Forte to the NBA draft, next season is going to be one of restructuring for Matt Doherty's team.
Diaper dandies will have to be influential right out of the gate. Guys like Jawad Williams, Melvin Scott and Jackie Manuel will have to contribute immediately. The Tar Heels have a number of holes to fill. Brendan Haywood is gone in the middle, Forte is expected to leave a gap at the wing and Julius Peppers may concentrate on football and the NFL draft, forgoing college hoops.
Veterans Kris Lang and Jason Capel will have to step up and become primary scorers. They used to be the third or fourth options, but that will be different in 2001-02. Adam Boone will have to develop at the point-guard slot. It won't be easy running the multiple offensive and defensive systems in Chapel Hill.
FANTASTIC FIVE AT MICHIGAN STATE
Tom Izzo should receive tremendous praise for his five seniors. Charlie Bell, Andre Hutson, Mike Chappell, David Thomas and Brandon Smith will graduate.
The keynote speakers at commencement in East Lansing are Izzo and Michigan State hockey coach Ron Mason. They will offer their insights on what it takes to win in life.
TALKING WITH KIRK GIBSON
Speaking of Michigan State, I sat down with Spartan alum Kirk Gibson recently in Arlington, Texas. We shared time talking about sports and it was really enlightening.
Gibson, who works on radio in the Detroit area with Gary Danielson, has many opinions on sports. He is not afraid to share them.
He also talked about his magical moment in the 1988 World Series, when he could barely walk. Gibson still found a way to hit the game-winning home run off of Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 against the mighty A's. He said visualization helped; he went out and dreamed about hitting the shot.
It was a fascinating conversation.
April 27
BRUINS EYE FINAL FOUR
UCLA received some good news (as did all of college basketball) when Jason Kapono said no to the NBA. Kapono and teammate Dan Gadzuric are going back to Westwood.
Kapono said he has a thirst for college basketball and he wants to go further in the NCAA Tournament than the Bruins advanced the last two years (Sweet 16 twice). He said that, with the potential of the team for next season, the opportunity is there for a shot at the Final Four.
It's big news for coach Steve Lavin. Having that 1-2 punch of Kapono and Gadzuric, plus the addition of recruit Cedric Bozeman, makes UCLA very dangerous. Bozeman is considered one of the premier incoming guards in America.
Both Kapono and Gadzuric made the right decision. They know they have parts of their game to work on before making the jump to the NBA.
HAMILTON IS AVAILABLE
I have to believe administrators will stand in line and chase after Leonard Hamilton. He's the latest college coach to get the ziggy on the NBA level -- tell me about it, I went through it too. We have seen the return of John Calipari and Rick Pitino to the college game, and now Hamilton is waiting in the wings.
He did a fine job at the University of Miami, creating basketball enthusiasm on a campus where football reigns supreme. Don't forget, he also did a solid job in building the foundation at Oklahoma State before Eddie Sutton took over.
Hamilton belongs on the college sidelines and someone looking for a coach will think about his availability.
ALL-MARCO POLO CANDIDATE
It is about PT, playing time, baby!
Ivan Kartelo, the 6-foot-11 Croatian, felt he didn't get enough of it under Mike Brey at Notre Dame. Kartelo decided to transfer, staying in the state of Indiana, going to Purdue.
The Boilermakers won the battle for Kartelo, beating out Northwestern and North Carolina. Remember, Matt Doherty originally recruited the big man to Notre Dame. Kartelo was part of the Irish rotation as a diaper dandy. Kartelo felt his chances of more playing time were better at Purdue.
Another transfer, former Connecticut guard Marcus Cox, landed at Massachusetts. Cox will play for another former Big East coach, Steve Lappas.
