News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Editorials

February 17, 2010

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: ISU men’s team an inspiring success

TERRE HAUTE — In some instances, above-average performance is considered routine. That’s not the case with Indiana State University men’s basketball.

Since Larry Bird finished his ISU career in 1979, the Sycamores have finished above .500 only five times. One of those seasons was 1979-80, when Bird’s former teammates registered a modest 16-11 record. A 17-season dryspell followed, before first-year coach Royce Waltman’s squad went 16-11. His next three teams posted winning records, too, and his 1999-2000 and 2000-01 units won Missouri Valley Conference titles and NCAA berths.

Then, another drought set in — until Tuesday night.

That’s when the current Sycamores beat MVC rival Bradley 75-69 in overtime. That victory gave ISU its 16th win of the season, guaranteeing an above-.500 record for Coach Kevin McKenna’s team. Presently, the Trees’ stand at 16-11 with three regular-season games and the MVC Tournament at St. Louis remaining. They can end up no worse than 16-15. That’s a significant accomplishment, considering Indiana State hasn’t been above water in nine years.

Even more inspiring is the Sycamores’ uphill battle to reach that plateau. During the conference portion of the season, they lost their top three scorers to injuries. The remaining eight players regrouped, and turned in strong performances. They defeated Drake convincingly on Saturday, and followed up with the thriller against Bradley.

The campus community deserves a bit of good cheer right now. ISU faces a $10.5-million cut in state funding over the next 18 months, forcing the elimination of 108 positions at the university. Such a hefty reduction is hard on morale for the staff, students and surrounding city. A revived basketball team certainly can’t erase that economic hurt, but it offers an outlet for a bit of spirit-boosting.

The Sycamores play their home finale Feb. 27 against Missouri State. A large, vocal crowd could give ISU an edge against the Bears and send the team into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with momentum. That would be fitting. With a downsized roster — because of those unfortunate injuries — the Sycamores have persevered, succeeded and broken a barrier. We can all take heart in their tenacity.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorials
  • EDITORIAL: Indiana 641 — slow but sure

    One could state that observing the construction of Indiana 641 through southeastern Vigo County is like watching paint dry. But that would not be accurate. Paint dries more quickly. Much more quickly.

    February 14, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Drug-testing bill lacks fairness and decency

    The current session of the Indiana Legislature has produced plenty of initiatives that play well to the majority party’s base.

    February 12, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Keep religion out of science class

    An uncertain fate remains for an Indiana Senate bill that would, if it were to become law, allow public schools to teach creationism and other origin-of-life theories in their classes. But this fight may have already been grounded.

    February 10, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Delivering on infrastructure

    With national, state and local economies showing distinct signs of recovery from the Great Recession of 2008, it is good to hear Mayor Duke Bennett sounding optimistic about Terre Haute and its immediate future.

    February 9, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Volunteer ‘army’ serving the needs of children

    You know, of course, that casa means house. But do you also know that its all-capitals cousin, CASA, means home?

    February 6, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Big dreams do come true

    Consider this Super Bowl Sunday to be proof that anything is possible.

    February 5, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Big ‘kick’ from a native son

    Every player in Sunday’s Super Bowl is from somewhere. But not every player remembers where he’s from and reaches out to consistently help those back home. Not like Steve Weatherford. Make that not like Terre Haute’s Steve Weatherford.
     

    February 3, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Smoking ban good enough

    When it comes to getting things done in the Indiana General Assembly, progress is often measured in baby steps. Indeed, it can take years to achieve even meager accomplishments.

    February 2, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: United Way’s strong reputation helps sustain community trust

    It would be foolish in any community to take “positives” for granted, but it’s easy to understand how a casual observer would assume that United Way of the Wabash Valley will always come through with flying colors.

    February 1, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Nothing sexy about human trafficking

    When kickoff comes at the 2012 Super Bowl, expectations will be high for a fun, competitive, fanatical contest between the two survivors of the NFL’s regular season.

    January 29, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: The law’s good ‘Shepard’

    Under the radar and against the backdrop of the fractious right-to-work battle going on in Indianapolis, one of state’s leading public servants delivered his valedictory in typical understated, even quiet, style two weeks ago. And before Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard slips away into retirement, his work needs to be acknowledged and praised.

    January 26, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Cops at risk

    Indiana lawmakers are playing with a loaded gun in a bill that passed the Indiana Senate Monday, 45-5.

    January 25, 2012

  • TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Helping your community, a few mouse clicks at a time

    When you type WabashValleyGives.org into your web browser, hundreds of opportunities to help your local community will open on the screen before you.
     

    January 24, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Raves around the town

    To begin the week, we are raving about these recent pieces of local news:

    January 23, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Let Hoosiers have a say on right-to-work bill

    Indiana legislators, both Republican and Democrat, may claim to know the will of the people on right-to-work.

    January 22, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Thin ice winter’s deadly scourge

    Six-year-old Trevor Wayne Young of Nashville, Ind., and 50-year-old Allen D. Johnson of Galva, Ill., probably had little in common — except the way they died.
     

    January 20, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Meeting needs at St. Ann's

    The caliber of a community often is revealed by its efforts to help its least fortunate citizens.

    January 18, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: A sweet deal for Amazon.com

    That loud lip-smack on the cheek you heard echoing from Indianapolis last week was the sound of Gov. Mitch Daniels kissing off on what amounts to another sweetheart deal between Indiana and Amazon.com, the online retailing giant.

    January 16, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: A new era for growth

    The promised announcement of a major new industry for the former Pfizer property in southern Vigo County turned out to be well worth the wait.

    January 15, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Transparency a worthy goal

    Do taxpayers have the right to know specific details of contracts between elected school boards and superintendents they hire to run their operations?
     

    January 13, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Shakir Bell’s success gives boost to Sycamore football

    Hope inspires progress. It’s the fuel for a better future.

    January 12, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Inspiration for the future

    Hope inspires progress. It’s the fuel for a better future.

    January 12, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Put teeth in public access laws

    Indiana’s laws governing public access, as good as they are, lack something important — teeth. There are no significant consequences for agencies or employees who intentionally violate them.

    January 11, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Time for teamwork in Sullivan

    The beginning of a new mayoral term in any community is — or should be — a time when the talk of the town is rife with ideas, improvements and changes.

    January 9, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Lawmakers should leave IHSAA, high school basketball alone

    In an idyllic world, Indiana could restore its fabled single-class high school basketball state tournament, and thousands of fans would pour into gymnasiums from Angola to Corydon in hopes of witnessing another “Milan Miracle” year after year after year.

    January 8, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: ‘Anthem’ proposal way off key

    Remember Faith Hill’s impassioned rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl in 2000?
     

    January 6, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Back from the access brink

    It took almost a week, but Gov. Daniels finally stepped up and did the right thing on Wednesday, rescinding new rules aimed at restricting the number of people allowed in the Statehouse during this session of the General Assembly.

    January 5, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Poor decision by local Dems

    By a little after 4 this afternoon, Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett will have been sworn in for a second term and City Councilman-elect Robert All will have taken the oath of office for the first time.

    January 2, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Be it resolved …

    Resolutions for 2012 are top-of-mind today.

    January 1, 2012

  • EDITORIAL: Another slice of Classic history

    Baseball is the so-called American pastime, but to Hoosiers and to our Illinois neighbors, it’s basketball that gets a community’s blood pumping. And no form of roundball does that any more intimately than high school basketball, whether boys or girls. College hoops is great, but nothing quite beats the packed, overheated confines of a high school gym when a tight game turns on every possession, every shot, every rebound, every pass, every defensive position. The sing-song of cheerleaders, the shrillness of a ref’s whistle, the squeak of gym shoes on hardwood, the shouted instructions from the benches, the aroma of popcorn — those form a Midwestern tableau unlike any other.
     

    December 30, 2011

Latest News
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Join the Conversation
Helium
Front page
AP Video
Raw Video: Biden Greets Chinese VP for Visit Authorities: Houston Found Underwater in Tub Raw Video: Kim Jong Il Statue Unveiled Whitney Houston Funeral to Be Invitation Only Raw Video: Heavy Shelling in Homs, Syria Trial Opens for Ala. Man in Bride's Diving Death Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches Raw Video: 5 People Injured in Bangkok Blasts Raw Video: Hearse Arrives at N.J. Funeral Home Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J. New Details in Search for Missing Utah Mom First Person: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance Obama's New Budget: The Winners and Losers Gregoire: Marriage Equality Is Right for Wash. ShowBiz Minute: Houston, Grammys, BAFTAs Spy on the Wall: Video Conferencing at Risk Raw Video: Duchess Kate Visits Liverpool
NDN Video
What Happened Inside Whitney's Hotel Room? Saying 'I Love You' With a Sewage Plant Tour Watch: Whitney Houston's Golden Hearse Kate Upton MLB 2K12 Commercial Olympic Swimmer Proposes on Podium After Big Win Scarlett Johansson's Bikini P-D-A Man Allegedly Drowns Wife While Scuba Diving Glee Pays Tribute to Whitney Wash. becomes 7th state to okay same-sex marriage Romijn's 60 Pound Weight Loss The 'Celebrity Apprentice' Cast Meets Donald Trump Kissing contest heats up Hugh Hefner's Son Arrested Jacqueline Kennedy's personal papers released Did Tyler Perry Have a Secret Wedding? Baltimore's 'Crime Stopper' Is a Basketball Star Police: Houston Found Under Water, Unconscious Iran denies Israeli embassy bombings 'Bachelor' Free Falls into the Ocean Facebook Parenting: Father Posts Video Responding to Daughter's Post
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News