Author: Cliff

Purdue’s Ricardo Allen, Kawann Short on Bednarik Award watch list

From Purdue Sports Information WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue’s Ricardo Allen and Kawann Short have been named among the 65 Football Bowl Subdivision players to the watch for the 2012 Chuck Bednarik Award. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the nation’s top defensive player since 1995. Allen, a junior cornerback from Daytona Beach, Fla., […]

Purdue legend Gene Keady to return to Mackey for Boilermakers’ alumni game

From Purdue Sports Information WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Legendary former Purdue head men’s basketball coach Gene Keady will once again stalk the Mackey Arena sidelines on Aug. 4 when he leads one of the teams in the Boilermakers’ inaugural alumni game. Current Boilermaker head coach Matt Painter will head the other squad in the precursor […]

Vaden, Kramer, Ben Hansbrough, Plumlee highlight Pacers summer league roster

From the Indiana Pacers: INDIANAPOLIS – Veterans Jeff Pendergraph and Lance Stephenson, along with first-round draft pick Miles Plumlee and second-round pick Orlando Johnson (acquired in a draft night trade with Sacramento), are among 13 players on the Indiana Pacers’ rookie/free agent roster, which starts camp Thursday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The roster is […]

George Hill to re-sign with Indiana Pacers

By CLIFF BRUNT ISL Editor The Indiana Pacers and point guard George Hill have agreed to a new deal, Hill’s co-agent, Michael Whitaker, wrote in a text message on Tuesday morning. “Yes it’s true,” Whitaker wrote. “George is excited about his return to his hometown Pacers.” Hill, 26, a restricted free agent, will sign once […]

My top 10 white Indiana Pacers of the Larry Bird era

By CLIFF BRUNT ISL Editor As a black man, I was fascinated by the overwhelmingly negative response on Twitter to Indiana’s selection of Miles Plumlee. Many of them, from my Caucasian brethren, focused on the untrue belief that outgoing team president Larry Bird had once again found a slow, unathletic white guy to add to […]

No. 1 Indiana Pacers white guy: Jeff Foster

1: Jeff Foster, F/C, 1999-2012 (Texas State) Foster played his whole career in Indiana, and ironically, was the opposite of the stereotypes about Bird’s players. He was extremely athletic and couldn’t shoot for most of his career. The hustle stereotype holds true — he is the Pacer against whom all hustle players in the future […]

No. 2 Indiana Pacers white guy: Troy Murphy

2. Troy Murphy, F/C, 2006-2010 (Notre Dame) Murphy was one of the most versatile Pacers in recent years. He averaged 14.3 points and 11.8 rebounds in 2008-09 and 14.6 points and 10.2 rebounds the next year. He could drive to the basket and was especially dangerous as a trail post behind the 3-point line. Occasionally, he […]

No. 3 Indiana Pacers white guy: Mike Dunleavy

3. Mike Dunleavy, G, 2006-2011 (Duke) Dunleavy might have been No. 1 if not for injury problems. His best year was 2007-08, when he averaged 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He started all 82 games that year and made 42 percent of his 3-pointers. He never played more than 67 games or started more […]

No. 4 Indiana Pacers white guy: Austin Croshere

4. Austin Croshere, F, 1997-2006 (Providence) Croshere gets extra credit for being on the NBA Finals team in 2000. That year, he averaged career-bests of 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His versatility was just the right fit for those Reggie-led teams. He also gets credit for longevity. He remains visible as a commentator […]

No. 5 Indiana Pacers white guy: Tyler Hansbrough

5. Tyler Hansbrough, F, 2009-present (North Carolina) Pacers fans booed this pick, but quickly fell in love with this hustle player. Hansbrough was a bull in a China shop as a rookie, but he eventually developed a mid-range jumper and some passing skills to go with his reckless drives and offensive rebounding prowess. He missed […]

No. 6 Indiana Pacers white guy: Josh McRoberts

6. Josh McRoberts, F, 2008-2011 (Duke) McRoberts was a reserve for most of his stay with the Pacers, but the leaper from Carmel, Ind. was a fan favorite for his highlight-reel dunks. Former coach Jim O’Brien often grew tired of getting questions about why McRoberts didn’t play more. He only started three games his first […]