More Hoosier News

[WVRed]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3777010

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Indiana standout Eric Gordon believes drug use caused a rift on last season's Hoosiers, according to a story posted on The Indianapolis Star's Web site Wednesday night.

Gordon declined to identify which players allegedly used drugs, but said D.J. White and two others still on the team were among those who did not.

"It was the guys that were doing drugs that were separate," Gordon told the newspaper.

Gordon, who left after his freshman season and now starts for the Los Angeles Clippers, said some players' drug use led to friction on the team. Gordon said he spent time with a family friend in Bloomington because of the atmosphere surrounding some players.

Then-coach Kelvin Sampson tried to stop the drug use, Gordon said, but Sampson "was just so focused on basketball and winning and everything."

"Sometimes it felt like it wasn't even a real basketball team because of all the turmoil that went on," Gordon said.

Former Indiana guard Adam Ahlfeld said players were aware of the drug problem.

"I wasn't really with those abusing drugs, so I can't say what was really going on," Ahlfeld told the newspaper. "I wasn't involved in any of those things."

Indiana athletic department spokesman J.D. Campbell declined to comment on the story Wednesday night.

"It would be inappropriate for us to have any comment on that," he said.

Current coach Tom Crean also declined to discuss the drug issue, citing privacy laws.

"We're doing our best to move ahead from a very difficult time for Indiana basketball and focus on doing that in the best light we can," Crean told The Indianapolis Star.

Indiana started 17-1 last season, but things began spiraling out of control as allegations surfaced about a recruiting scandal involving Sampson. The Hoosiers lost their first game of the Big Ten tournament and were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The school bought out Sampson's contract in February. Last month, the NCAA put Indiana on three years' probation for recruiting violations.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[BRM]

I was just going to post this article.

Sampson is going down as the worst, most despised coach in IU history.

[Hoosier Red]

My money's on Stemler.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

My money's on Stemler.

He's one of several players I'd put money on.

[WMR]

Are we talking happy smoke or colombian nose candy?

[BRM]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

Are we talking happy smoke or colombian nose candy?

I don't think anyone knows for sure. Here's what Inside The Hall has to say about it.

I’m sitting on my couch now — I tend to do that a lot in the evening — and I’m watching Eric Gordon for the first time this season, as his Clippers are taking on my Bulls. I had almost forgotten how he played, but his first drive to the bucket snapped my memory back to its right place: he’s so strong, so smooth, he just looks like he belongs on a basketball court. This is what he was born to do. I love his game.

So, it was sort of random happenstance that Jeff Rabjohns of the Indianapolis Star dropped this exclusive interview with Eric Gordon this evening. And, in agreement with that Sports Illustrated article from October, it looks like a lot of kids were doing drugs on the team. So much so, that it was a detriment to the season.

At this point, there’s really no need to dig much deeper here: it is what it is. We knew some of these kids were troubled, and we were pretty certain DJ and Eric rose above it. (Oh, and Kyle Taber and Brett Finkelmeier too.)

Here’s my only comment: How much drugs were all the other guys really doing? I mean, the way Gordon makes it sound, it’s like when these kids weren’t on the court, they were high all the time. To the point where you wouldn’t even think to see them or hang out with them, because they were smoking, or snorting, or injecting or doing whatever.

Yeesh. Was it really that bad?

[SunDeck]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

Are we talking happy smoke or colombian nose candy?

You been hanging out with my dad?

"Are you kids doing pot down there?!"

By the way, the drug of choice in Btown seems to be heroin. At least that's what most of the busts seem to have been lately.

[dabvu2498]

Watching them play I would say some of them were smoking crack.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Watching them play I would say some of them were smoking crack.

[redsfanmia]

What does Gordon gain by going public with this information? I think he loses trust in his locker room, if I were playing with Gordon I would question what I say to him in fear that he would run to the press. I am an Indiana fan who really did not like Eric, his game was selfish IMO but I am not a fan of one and done guys. EJ should have done himself a favor and went to Illinois and stayed away from the Denim shirt criminal.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

What does Gordon gain by going public with this information? I think he loses trust in his locker room, if I were playing with Gordon I would question what I say to him in fear that he would run to the press. I am an Indiana fan who really did not like Eric, his game was selfish IMO but I am not a fan of one and done guys. EJ should have done himself a favor and went to Illinois and stayed away from the Denim shirt criminal.

Kinda hard to fault him being one and done given the situation.

The other thing to keep in mind is, Eric Gordon is 19 years old. I would guarantee that if there is any veteran leadership on the Clippers team, he may be getting a talking-to.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Kinda hard to fault him being one and done given the situation.

The other thing to keep in mind is, Eric Gordon is 19 years old. I would guarantee that if there is any veteran leadership on the Clippers team, he may be getting a talking-to.

I dont think there is any veteran leadership on the Clippers, they are the Clippers you know. Who would mentor him Baron Davis?

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

I dont think there is any veteran leadership on the Clippers, they are the Clippers you know. Who would mentor him Baron Davis?

Marcus Camby, Brian Skinner, and Ricky Davis all have more than 10 years experience on the team. I would say that constitutes as "veteran", wouldn't you?

My point is this, he is still a teenager and he is still going to make mistakes. I believe we tend to put athletes and other celebrities on a pedestal without fully realizing that they are just as human as we are.

On the other hand, he could be taking a page from his parents in seeking attention. When the people you look up to are wearing a t-shirt saying "Got Gordon? We do" to the Illinois-Indiana game in Champaign after he renegged on the Illini, it might not be the best influence.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Marcus Camby, Brian Skinner, and Ricky Davis all have more than 10 years experience on the team. I would say that constitutes as "veteran", wouldn't you?

My point is this, he is still a teenager and he is still going to make mistakes. I believe we tend to put athletes and other celebrities on a pedestal without fully realizing that they are just as human as we are.

On the other hand, he could be taking a page from his parents in seeking attention. When the people you look up to are wearing a t-shirt saying "Got Gordon? We do" to the Illinois-Indiana game in Champaign after he renegged on the Illini, it might not be the best influence.

Amazing a kid with parents like that would make poor decisions. Add in the fact that he has been a basketball god his entire life and you've got the perfect recipe for a humongous attention *****.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Marcus Camby, Brian Skinner, and Ricky Davis all have more than 10 years experience on the team. I would say that constitutes as "veteran", wouldn't you?

My point is this, he is still a teenager and he is still going to make mistakes. I believe we tend to put athletes and other celebrities on a pedestal without fully realizing that they are just as human as we are.

On the other hand, he could be taking a page from his parents in seeking attention. When the people you look up to are wearing a t-shirt saying "Got Gordon? We do" to the Illinois-Indiana game in Champaign after he renegged on the Illini, it might not be the best influence.

Marcus Camby I will give you, but Ricky Davis are you serious? What is Ricky Davis going to teach him? How to intentionally miss a shot and get your own rebound to get a triple double? EJ is a good kid and I have nothing against him and I am sure he will be fine but my point is he had nothing to gain but distrust by saying what he said about the situation at IU. He should have said there were problems but what is in the past is in the past.