Comments on: Former Indiana Hoosiers Star Eric Gordon Injures Ankle http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2008/10/eric-gordon-injures-ankle/ A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2008/10/eric-gordon-injures-ankle/#comment-336 Jerod Morris Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:37:11 +0000 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=319#comment-336 I like your optimism. The more I think about it, the more the I feel that IU fans ended up taking out some of their frustration with Kelvin Sampson and the spiraling season on Eric Gordon - because he was the one who was supposed to lead us to so many great things in his only season. It was unfair, but not entirely unexpected after the way that Jared Jeffries was, in my mind, also unfairly treated during his time at IU. I am excited about Elston. He is the type of solid player that all the great IU teams were built around. He may never be an All Big Ten player or an All American, but it seems like has versatility offensively and can guard 3 different spots on D. Plus, Crean wants to play up-tempo so Elston's athletic ability will fit in. And, most importantly, he will be a four-year player who can provide leadership and stability like DJ White did. I'm excited for the freshness of next year, regardless of what our record ends up being, and I am ecstatic for the years ahead because I think Tom Crean can build something special. I like your optimism. The more I think about it, the more the I feel that IU fans ended up taking out some of their frustration with Kelvin Sampson and the spiraling season on Eric Gordon – because he was the one who was supposed to lead us to so many great things in his only season. It was unfair, but not entirely unexpected after the way that Jared Jeffries was, in my mind, also unfairly treated during his time at IU.

I am excited about Elston. He is the type of solid player that all the great IU teams were built around. He may never be an All Big Ten player or an All American, but it seems like has versatility offensively and can guard 3 different spots on D. Plus, Crean wants to play up-tempo so Elston’s athletic ability will fit in. And, most importantly, he will be a four-year player who can provide leadership and stability like DJ White did. I’m excited for the freshness of next year, regardless of what our record ends up being, and I am ecstatic for the years ahead because I think Tom Crean can build something special.

]]> By: Mr. WhoHitYa http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2008/10/eric-gordon-injures-ankle/#comment-335 Mr. WhoHitYa Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:30:21 +0000 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=319#comment-335 Well said. Gordon was a fantastic talent that in these days only lasts one year in college. I went to a few of his games in high school, and was more impressed with his game than I was with Greg Oden. Speaking of Oden, I will from now on only refer to him as "Wise". Dude looks 40. Anyway, the lack of respect that Gordon got from IU fans was frustrating. I think it was because of the great start and the 1-2 punch that the Hoosiers possessed with him and D.J. that made the fans place such high expectations upon the team, and Gordon. I think last year's team had the potential to take it all the way, but Satan, I mean Sampson's actions of the court had become to much to ignore, and his warranted firing was the worst thing that could happen to that team. I must say that, although he broke the rules and could not be applauded for his work at Indiana, the team that he assembled played excellent under his leadership. They were great at both ends of the floor and put together a few runs during games that extinguished their opponents will to play. And it was the teams willingness to play for Sampson that I knew that no coaching change that late in the season would end in a championship, or anything close to that. Now this is not to say that I thought they would lose to Minnesota, I still don't know what the hell happened there. But all in all, I think IU is on the right track. They have a proven coach in Tom Crean, who is also a great recruiter (Dwayne Wade, Dominick James). They also have a support system of fans and alumns who just won't give up on them, no matter what. So I look forward to seeing the next few years of IU basketball, and hope that they can once again return to national prominence. And I want to add that I have personally played some ball with Derrick Elston, the 6-8 recruit from Tipton, IN, and can say that the dude is going to surprise some people. He's long, athletic, can shoot, rebound, pass, and put the ball on the floor and take it to the hole. He is not an Eric Gordon caliber player, but I have seen his game improve over the last few years, and I know that he is very far from reaching his potential. Watch out for this kid in the next few years. Well said. Gordon was a fantastic talent that in these days only lasts one year in college. I went to a few of his games in high school, and was more impressed with his game than I was with Greg Oden. Speaking of Oden, I will from now on only refer to him as “Wise”. Dude looks 40. Anyway, the lack of respect that Gordon got from IU fans was frustrating. I think it was because of the great start and the 1-2 punch that the Hoosiers possessed with him and D.J. that made the fans place such high expectations upon the team, and Gordon. I think last year’s team had the potential to take it all the way, but Satan, I mean Sampson’s actions of the court had become to much to ignore, and his warranted firing was the worst thing that could happen to that team. I must say that, although he broke the rules and could not be applauded for his work at Indiana, the team that he assembled played excellent under his leadership. They were great at both ends of the floor and put together a few runs during games that extinguished their opponents will to play. And it was the teams willingness to play for Sampson that I knew that no coaching change that late in the season would end in a championship, or anything close to that. Now this is not to say that I thought they would lose to Minnesota, I still don’t know what the hell happened there. But all in all, I think IU is on the right track. They have a proven coach in Tom Crean, who is also a great recruiter (Dwayne Wade, Dominick James). They also have a support system of fans and alumns who just won’t give up on them, no matter what. So I look forward to seeing the next few years of IU basketball, and hope that they can once again return to national prominence.

And I want to add that I have personally played some ball with Derrick Elston, the 6-8 recruit from Tipton, IN, and can say that the dude is going to surprise some people. He’s long, athletic, can shoot, rebound, pass, and put the ball on the floor and take it to the hole. He is not an Eric Gordon caliber player, but I have seen his game improve over the last few years, and I know that he is very far from reaching his potential. Watch out for this kid in the next few years.

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