Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 December 2005 — Page 28

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D SECTION FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2005

COLTS DEFENSE DOMINATES STEELERS Talk of perfect season heating up

Marvin Harrison catches a 80-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning. The catch was the duo's 91st and longest completion. (Photo/W. Thomas)

GAME POINT

Defending the right to play basketball By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writers

Being judgmental can be damaging. Probably all of you reading this column judge people on a daily basis. You judge their weight, who they’re dating, what they’re eating, how they’re eating, where they work, how much education they have, it goes on and on. I’m pointing the finger at myself too. No one is immune from judging or being judged. But I was recently involved in a discussion that taught me just how injurious judging something or someone can be. I’m the biggest fan of the WNBA. I love the competition, the aggressiveness, the joy and the attitude of women’s basketball. If I have a daughter I want her to play basketball. It’ll teach her about teamwork, friendship, the importance of trust, how to get back up when she falls down and never to give up in ways I won’t be able to show her. But these days girls can’t play basketball without being judged - namely by people who’ve never picked up a basketball, who don’t know one-on-one defense from zone defense, have never been to a women’s basketball game or watched a game on television. ► See POINTS, D8

By BARATO BRITT Recorder Correspondent

After 11 straight victories, it should be a surprise to no one that the Indianapolis Colts are finding ways to win that defy conventional perception.

Though this year’s incarnation appears to be leaps and bounds improved from even last year’s record setting team, the undefeated Colts toughness maybe the team’s most significant upgrade. A team that for years had

been considered soft, the Colts are now beating foes down to the ground, hitting harder and intimidating teams on both sides of the ball. And, on their final Monday night appearance of the

season, they out toughed one of the toughest teams in football. In a match up dominated by their front seven, the Colts rolled over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 26-7 primetime drubbing at the RCADome. A far cry from their performance in week 11 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, another AFC North foe, the Colts defense held the Steelers to 219 yards of total offense and had second year QB Ben Roethlisberger on his heels all night. The effort, according to head coach Tony Dungy, should have effectively squashed notions that this defense cannot guard against run heavy offenses. “We played hard, we did a lot of good things out there; that’s an excellent football team we beat,” Dungy said. “For us to play like we did and win the game the way we did, that was special. “We heard so much about how this was going to be a physical game,” Dungy added. “I think we wanted to prove that we were going to be physical and tough and not back down.” Now that they have clearly distinguished themselves as the team to beat, Dungy said the Colts will have to learn howto approach each oftheir last five regular season games in a manner that utilizes their energy in a positive manner. The team’s final five match ups will be their opponents’ biggest games of the season, and as they are finding out, teams are far from lying down. Their opponents are in fact relishing the opportunity to knock the Colts off of their charge toward a perfect regular season. At times throughout Monday’s victory, Dungy observed the team may have gotten a little too charged by the electric atmosphere, lead-

ing to a series of penalties to which even savvy veterans like Marvin Harrison could not escape. Collectively, the Colts committed 12 penalties for 106 yards. “The thing I told our guys in the locker room was that we have to channel our emotions and our energy,” Dungy said. “We’ve still got a lot of young guys and we didn’t play with a lot of composure out there. We’re going to get into bigger and bigger games and we’re going to have to play with the same intensity. If we can eliminate the penalties and the dumb plays, I think we have a chance to be very good.” Despite mental mistakes, however, the Colts displayed they appear to be ready for the continued challenge of winning each of their final games, one weekend at a time. Unlike years past, however, they plan to do it by augmenting their high-powered offensive output with ferocious defense. “Every week, we look to go out and just do what we do: play physical, play hard, play smart and fast and just play Colts ball. Today we did that more so I think than any other game we played this year,” said safety Bob Sanders, who led the team with nine tackles this week. “We were amped up, but you’ve got to take that intensity and play well on the field, handle your responsibilities” added defensive end Raheem Brock. “Sometimes you can get out there and get all excited and start messing up. But I think our guys are doing a good job of coming out there and doing everything we’re supposed to do.” Undefeated with the season’s final quarter approaching, it’s hard to argue the Colts have found that groove ► See COLTS, D7

Hoosier basketball legend returns home to lead ABA franchise

Greg Graham, former Warren Central High School and Indiana University basketball player now coaches for the ABA Indi-

ana Alley Cats. (Photo/J. Hurst)

Alley Cats off to blazing start By BARATO BRITT Recorder Correspondent

Greg Graham is certainly no stranger to the tradition that is Indiana basketball. The former Indiana University standout has lent his talent greatly to that tradition, helping lead IU to two Big Ten titles and a Final Four appearance in 1992. Graham followed his hoop dreams to the NBA and to Europe, but has returned full circle to the state where it all started. The head coach of the Indiana Alley Cats, a new American Basketball Association franchise based in Anderson, Graham brings his experience to an up-and-coming league that is catching the attention of Hoosier basketball faithful. Graham has embraced the opportunity not only to coach, but to run the team as its de facto general manager, vice president of basketball operations, and even ball boy when necessary. Importantly, he’s enjoying every minute of it. “I’m loving it, I’ve got a great staff, great team, great ownership, I’m just a happy individual right now,” Graham said. “We’re one big happy family right now. It’s early in the season, but we’ve been together for over a month now, it’s hard at times, but the guys have battled

through. We’re comfortable with the way we’re doing things right now.” Under Graham’s leadership, the monthold franchise has blazed out of the gates to a 6-0 start, the best mark in the 46-team league. Though the franchise is still in its infant stages, expectations are that the Alley Cats can and will compete for a championship soon, if not this year. “This team has already far exceeded my expectations,” Graham said. “Not to say they couldn’t do what they have already accomplished, I just didn’t know that we would gel this soon. It’s kind of sending a statement to the rest of the league that we’re serious, and I’m taking this opportunity seriously, my players are taking it seriously and our ownership is taking it very seriously. And I think that’s why the results are the way they have been. There’s no dissention, nothing wrong with our financials, guys arehappy and when players are happy, they play well.” Such expectations are not unfounded when considering Graham’s pedigree. Warren Central High School’s all time leading scorer; Graham experienced a stellar collegiate career under Bob Knight, the quintessential Indiana basketball coaching legend. Graham brings to the franchise a work and professional ethic that rivals head coaches in the NBA, but unlike the fiery Texas Tech coach, Graham brings a smooth style that his players have embraced. “You always want to teach the things you were taught,” he said. “I like to consider myself a players coach for the simple fact that I was

a player. I think the fact that I was a player, guys respect that aspect of it. I try to take the things I was taught and pass that on to them to help them grow not just as professionals, but as individuals. “I was taught by the best, and I’m trying to pass that stuff on to my guys,” Graham added. For Graham and his coaching staff, which includes Carlos Knox, a local legend in his

own right, the opportunity to represent Indiana basketball in the ABA was simply too attractive to

pass up.

In a state where basketball is king, it is simply not enough to field a squad. By picking up the ABA banner, Graham, his staff and their players understand their obligation as ambassadors, representing the Hoosier tradition in a manner that is fitting the legendary league for which the new ABA is

named.

“We try to instill a professional attitude, this is not high school, and it’s not college,” said Knox, who put IUPUI on the basketball map as a player. “A professional attitude

is needed in the world of

professional sports; that

means bringing it every day working hard and perfecting your skills to the best of your ability, As long as this team buys into the attitude that Greg is providing, we shouldn’t

have any problems.”

Additional information on the Alley Cats can be found online, www.indyalleycats.com or by calling 765-608-3838.

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