Over the Back, Reaching In, Technical, Personal, Holding, Illegal Screen. . .I'm sure everyone just witnessed IU losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes today. The Big Ten Conference is known for tough play and being an aggressive conference. Fact is, we're not in the ACC where the referees are there to protect the J.J. Reddick's of the world. In today's game, if I recall, 56 fouls were called in total, in which Mike White, A.J. Ratliff, and then D.J. White all fouled out. The pace of the whole game seemed as if a whistle was called on every other play. The fouls were called equally on each team, 28/28, but being a fan, having to sit there and watch it made me want to watch Pros vs Joe's instead. If that isn't bad enough, although the calls were even, the Hawkeyes shot an unprecedented 37 free throw attempts while our Hoosiers only attempted 23. Something wrong was cooking in this game, and I believe it was some home cooking. Of course we could have played better and definitely rebounded better, but we played like a bunch of Ben Allens. I dont know if that's because any movement made on the court was called a foul, or if that softy Aussie has influenced everyone to play to his "capabilities"
I remember when I was a freshman, and everyone was excited with the "Aussie Aussie Aussie" cheer and he was the new flavor of the week. Now, the pride and joy of the Mike Davis recruiting era, is the laughing stock of the back up to D.J. White. Just today, when I thought he finally did something good and got a single rebound, he gets stripped and Iowa scores seconds later. I was in a rage; first of all because I despise Ben Allen as a basketball player, and second of all because it was during a key point in the second half of the game. I never know if he's fully awake or pays attention on the court. It always looks like he just took a nap and reminds me a the melancholy nonchalant Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. I don't know if anyone else has as much hatred for Ben Allen on the basketball court as I do, but I do allow all new comers.
On a more positive note, I leave you with a little something to remember for the weekend:
Our Papa
Who art a Bear
Hallowed by the fame
The championship come
They play be run
As home as it is away
Give us this day our Sunday win
Ans forgive us our turnovers
Though we pounce on those who turnover against us
And lead us not into fourth and long
But deliver us from Krenzel
DDDDAAAAAAMEN
Go bears
6 comments:
I spent six months abroad in Australia last spring and the bottom line is they dont play basketball there. The only equivalent is netball. And really, it is not the sport of choice for many.
The only reason Allen was on the National team reppin the greatest country in the southern hemisphere was because there was nobody else. The big man should stick to what he grew up learning, rugby and cricket.
I'm as sick of Allen as anybody, but fans shouldn't start booing him. A buddy of mine pointed out that Allen is now in Sean Kline territory when it comes to fan opinion.
But no matter how bad he's playing, don't turn on your own team. And am I the only one who thinks Sampson should cave and let Allen go back out on the 3-pt line? At least he can contribute out there. I don't see him being a back-to-the-basket, banger type player.
I wouldn't mind seeing him hanging around on the 3pt line a little bit. He just looks so unbelievably uncomfortable trying to play with his back to the basket. I remember watching a game he played for Austrailia a couple years ago and he definitely looked better than he does now. Maybe that has something to do with the talent he was up against, or just the fact that he doesn't fit in well playing Sampson's style. I'm not sure.
I definitely agree on how idiotic our fans are that give him the Sean Kline treatment. It was stupid then and its stupid now. I'm not ready to completely give up on him...but I just really can't see his playing time going up at all with the recruits coming in next year.
I do not approve of the slam at JJ you slid in there.
I agree with you Tim on everything that you said except for Ben Allen being effective from beyond the arc. He can't play in the post on offense or defense, but he really isn't that great of a perimeter shooter either. It may be because he feels the pressure to do something productive in the 2 and a half minutes that he's out on the floor, but if IU is going to shoot 3's, there are plenty of better options than Ben Allen.
Hey, Kevin. I agree that IU has better 3-pt options than Allen, but the big Aussie shot pretty well from beyond the 3-pt line last year. He ended up shooting 17-for-43 on the season, including that hot shooting at Indiana State.
All I'm saying is the Hoosiers might get more production out of him that way than they are now. Don't get me wrong though, with the game on the line I'll take Wilmont, Bassett, or Stemler shooting a three before Allen.
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