The Oj Mayo incident kinda touches on this in ways. Oj had been known to have issues. There were alot of questionable things going on. They chose to ignore it and play dumb. We can bring in a guy like this who is alot like Holman. We can try and coach him out of acting like this but it doesn't always work. Look at Pitino and D. Caracter. Pitino gave that kids chance after chance and finally said enough. Are we at a point right now at IU where we want to take a chance on this kid? I Don't think so. I've played football and coached football. There is nothing you can say to justify him hitting someone. Heat of the moment anyway you spin it doesn't justify it. Why do you think MJ and Bird were so good at trash talking? It takes other off there games. This is kid can obviously fall prey to that. He has alot of maturing and mental things to take care of.

I dunno if this kid is one of the guys that Crean said he was going to recruit or not. You remember? The kids who know why we wear the candy-striped pants, and so forth. I understand that emotions run high in basketball, but that's exactly where you separate a good player from a bad player. Mental toughness is really underrated in today's game. If someone gets under your skin that much, someone half your size, and you elbow them in the jaw as you walk off, then you're not going to be able to take what the rest of the Big Ten is going to give you. Jamelle Cornley was talking trash to DJ White the entire Penn State game last year, yet you didn't see DJ walk up to him and throw him a left hook.

This video makes me sick, this kid is a punk. If TC brings this clown into the program I am really going to be disappointed.

The elbow is bad enough, but the fact he could not stop jawing with the other player speaks volumes about this kids character.

So what I kid gets elbowed in the chops for talking some smack.......this is what exactly we need next season....wait....KS isn't the coach anymore, sorry send this kid to the Bucks and let KS deal with him......

Guys I think you're viewing this out of context here. The guy was actually choking on his gum and Leon by elbowing his throat dislodged the gum and saved his life. This is completely the type of kid we need, quick thinker under pressure, not afraid to step up...

nice

Have any of you played basketball....sometimes emotions run high, none of us have any idea what happened the entire game and what the other person did. Basketball can be a physical game and it would be good to have a player willing to stand up for himself and his teammates, something thats been a huge problem at IU. Every team under Davis was creampuff soft. I don't condone hitting people but hey sometimes it happens on the court.. Its pretty pathetic 80% of the people on here see a player and call him a "thug". Remember these kids are 18, I think some of you are too old to remember how you acted at 18.

I agree with you to a point. I played basketball in high school and college and these things definitely do happen more than people think. The difference is a smart player finds a way to get a shot in when no body can notice. This guy blatantly and right in front of the refs gave the other kid an elbow to the face and it hurt his team.

When I was in these situations I would find a way to let the other guy know how I felt, but maybe give him a little extra elbow to the gut when under the basket fighting for a rebound or boxing out during free throw. You can't let your emotions hurt your team.

Heat of the moment or not, we as a University do not need it. If he does something like that and costs us a Big 10 game, I doubt anyone will be saying "oh, he just got rattled." The kid he elbowed looked to be about 5'5" and a buck twenty. If you let him get into your head to the point of a deliberate elbow, you are an idiot. Jeopardizing your team by getting yourself thrown out of a game is never the right thing to do. I don't care what the other kid said or did, dominate them on the court and prove your point. 18 years old or not, if that happens out on the street that is assault. The last thing this team needs now is anything negative.

I find it so amusing that the fan base that glorifies the role model for physical and verbal abuse in basketball ("RMK") would take such umbrage to a little physical abuse on the court.

Look, how old was the kid when this happened? Do we even know what was said? Sometimes people deserve to get popped in summer basketball. Has he matured since this incident?

The kid had an issue qualifying before - I am not one to cast him away for that and am not sure why others would. It would appear he did not do what was needed the first time, got his affairs in order, and has since meet the academic demands placed before him. What's the issue?

Until someone has sat down with the kid, as I am sure Coach Crean has or will, let's allow Coach to do his job, make the character and athletic evaluation and trust him to do what's right - we have no reason not to as a fan base. Comments left after the video and the posting of the actual video are what give our fan base such a bad name - Leonard elbowed someone in a basketball game! We better not recruit him!

The kids not applying for the Papacy here folks, everyone relax and let our Coach do his job.

This isn't the only issue he's had. There have been other incidents as well. I've talked to several people whom I trust about Washington and not one of them has had good things to say about him. Surely there are better options out there than a kid with a past that is less than impressive.

I understand that, however, we have nothing in Crean's past that says he can't judge character so I'll take what our Coach thinks over anyone's inside sources.

In the event we ever did sign Washington, we don't need a band of angry Hoosiers outside Crean's door because they were inflamed by old videos and hearsay from folks with the "inside" word. This is what Crean is paid to do - let the process run its course.

the last time we "let the process run its course" the coach was fired, 80% of the basketball team was dismissed, IU handed down self-imposed sanctions, and a century of program integrity went in the toilet.

that being said, i fully trust coach crean to do the right thing and it's his call. but, judging from all the negativity surrounding this kid, i doubt he ever wears cream and crimson.

Covey, quick history lesson...we unfortunately have not had a clean program for the past century:

"The 1960 Hoosiers stood on the brink of humiliation. Allegations of severe recruiting violations summoned an NCAA investigation, followed by sanctions. IU’s violations included the offering of free plane tickets to several athletes along with financial stipends, according to an NCAA report, while other recruits were delivered envelopes filled with cash." (http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=49238...)

50 years isn't bad -- although the RMK issues in the last 5 years of his tenure weren't exactly full of integrity either.

actually, if you read a bit more carefully, you'll find that those violations were committted by Phil Dickens and the IU football coaching staff. the basketball team as well as every other varsity sport paid the price with postseason bans because of the football team's trangressions.

"Swimmers, baseball players, runners and the beloved Hoosier basketball boys all paid the price for the alleged sins of Dickens and his staff. But, the University stayed faithful to its coach, and Dickens remained on the Hoosier sidelines for another five years. "

p.s. i don't need any IU basketball history lessons.

Agree with you on your point about letting Crean do his job and I think when it's all said and done, Crean will steer clear of Washington.

That not only leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I could throw up! If TC gets that guy, it will pretty much ruin everything he has worked to get in the last month

you know the problem is here....is we don't have enouh big guys to back up a trash talker like that

I see several things wrong here:

1. wrong time to throw the elbow .............. play stopped and refs looking
2. wrong player to hit.............. a little guy who could be replaced
3. selfish play, no assist ............did not talk a teammate into doing it
3. too weak ...............did not hurt the kid .

...................so why do we want him ?

You are absolutely right. IU doesn't need that type of thug on the team.

Maybe he will go to Detroit mercy to join the rest of the felons.

I don't think any of them are felons.

great logo

Would have to agree that characterizing them as felons is too harsh, tberry.

OK.... Future Felons. You probably think we were to hard on Sampson too. I know... He is not a felon???

That is correct... in order to be considered a felon, one must commit a felony. From what I understand, Mr. Sampson is not being charged for breaking common law.

‘Sleazebag’ may be better suited for the aforementioned coach.

On the other hand, while I agree that maybe this young man may not be what the program needs now (or ever, for that matter), I don't think it’s justifiable to tag them with these kind of names. Misguided and foolish sound like a nice adjectives for this fellow.

MIght want to add 'thugs' to that list as well

Why even deal with it? We have had enough bad pub i the last few years....lets get away fom it. I agree Detroit Mercy would bea gret place for him.

Not my kind of Hoosier! Let's pass on this one.