The ballots have been counted and it’s time for Inside the Hall’s countdown of the greatest Indiana players of all-time. Today: No. 5: Steve Alford.

Years at Indiana: 1983-1987

The numbers: 2,438 points (19.5 average); 385 assists (3.1 average); 178 steals (1.4 average); 53.3 field goal percentage; 89.8 free throw percentage

Career highs: 42 points (February 4, 1987 vs. Michigan State); 8 steals (March 15, 1985 vs. Butler)

Notable achievements: All-American (1986, 1987); First team All-Big Ten (1984, 1986, 1987); Indiana team MVP (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987); Indiana Hall of Fame (1997); Big Ten co-champion (1987); National champion (1987)

The case for Alford: One of the best shooters ever in the state of Indiana, Alford is the second leading scorer in school history. And if the three-point line, adopted in 1986, would have been present during his entire career, his career totals would have grown considerably. Alford’s 23 points, including seven three-pointers, led the Hoosiers to a 74-73 win over Syracuse in the 1987 championship game.

I’ve long held the belief that those who push for a Steve Alford hire are among the silliest the IU fan base has to offer. Because Alford was once an outstanding college basketball player, in the eyes of some he is now qualified to coach one of the most storied programs in that sport’s history. “He’s an Indiana boy!” “He played for Coach Knight!” All nonsense — stupid, illogical nonsense.

It’s especially dumb because Alford has had a chance coaching a Big Ten team, and has failed rather spectacularly. His career conference record at Iowa? 61-67, with three NCAA appearances and three NITs. He never got past the second round in either tournament.

Now he is banished to the desert, where failed Big Ten coaches go. And yet, inexplicably, Alford still has enough rep to get fawning columns written about him in the Albuquerque Tribune. To wit:

In evaluating the possible Steve Alford-bolts-to-Indiana scenario, let’s begin with a three-part hypothesis:

1. Indiana President Michael McRobbie will pick integrity over wins, and send Kelvin Sampson and his cell phone packing.

2. The Hoosiers will be wise enough to go after Alford with open arms and open wallets.

3. Alford will be homesick enough to drop the Lobos like a hot rock and go home like Ulysses returning to Ithaca.

You can’t help but look at an Alford/Indiana match and see sweet things. This is Lucy and Ricky, Hope and Crosby, Doris Day and Rock Hudson.

First of all, I’m loathe to pick apart a columnist’s work bit by bit. It’s a bit mean. Also hilarious, but mean. But it’s this sort of clueless rhetoric we get any time Steve Alford and Indiana is brought up. It’s as though people are so willing to get a “storybook” hire at IU they’ll ignore his negatives (his abysmal coaching resume) and invent new positives (“integrity,” as if anyone who enabled Pierre Pierce can be lauded for integrity). Also, they’ll apparently use references so old — seriously, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby?! — that dropping Ulysses feels fresh by comparison.

Continue reading this post »