Through Bob Knight, Mike Davis, and Kelvin Sampson, IU's on-court fortunes have varied from season to season. The constant, of course, is that Indiana basketball is a soap opera. It seems unlikely that Tom Crean will ever match Knight's legendary temper, Davis's arrogant incompetence, or Sampson's disregard of NCAA and academic obligations. Still, Crean was considered by other Big East fans to have a bit of a temper and is known for in-game, well, enthusiasm, so who knows where that will lead us.

Still, at least in the first soap opera moment of his career, Crean seems to have been the victim. As the IDS basketblog reported yesterday, Eli Holman lost his temper during a meeting with Tom Crean to such a degree that someone called the IUPD. Holman, who played a few games before missing the rest of the season with a wrist injury, was widely expected to return, and given IU's frontcourt problems, was considered a player who would have to play a role if IU were to have a decent season in 2008-09. As has happened before in the basketball office (allegedly), "The IU Police Department was dispatched to Assembly Hall at 3:40 p.m. after a man threw a potted plant in the men’s basketball office, IUPD Spokesman Jerry Minger said, reading from a police report."

While I'm making light of the situation, it's pretty sad. I've been following the Eli Holman saga since he committed to IU. Holman came from a rough background and has shown a hot temper before--he was suspended for most of his senior season for bumping a high school referee as a junior--but came across as an intelligent and thoughtful person. I was particularly impressed with an audio interview of Eli conducted by Mark Montieth of the Indianapolis Star, which may remain somewhere on the Star's website. Obviously, he has some demons, but I really do hope he works it out and is able to continue his basketball and academic careers somewhere.