Cliff’s Notebook: The weekend in Indiana sports
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
Ahmad Bradshaw ran really angry against the San Francisco 49ers.
Who could blame him?
How would you feel if you were the guy who was supposed to take your new team’s running game to the next level and all of a sudden, the Colts trade for Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft? (I’d feel worse if I was Vick Ballard, but that’s another story.)
Well, Bradshaw showed us how he felt about it. He showed the 49ers how he felt about it. And he showed Chuck Pagano and Richardson how he felt about it. Bradshaw finished with 19 carries for 95 yards in Sunday’s 27-7 victory, with many of those yards coming after contact. On one play, he propelled himself into the air while trying to reach the end zone. It was one of the most inspired efforts I’ve seen from an NFL player in a long time, one that went well beyond the typical football stuff.
“Out there on the field yesterday, Ahmad (Bradshaw) was extremely emotional and was just having a great time running, and that kind of feeds through to everyone else,” tackle Anthony Castonzo said. “We just get excited blocking for a guy who’s going to get excited every time he gets a couple yards.”
Ultimately, here is Bradshaw’s message to the coaching staff, in my words because Colts players don’t say controversial things:” I don’t care how good this new guy is, this is a platoon situation. Richardson will not be a workhorse back. You will play me. Got it?”
The Colts were happy with Richardson, too. He scored on his first carry and gained 35 yards on 13 carries, but perhaps most important, adjusted the way the 49ers played defense.
Still, Bradshaw made the biggest statement.
A really angry Bradshaw and a talented Richardson are very bad news for the rest of the AFC. What a two-headed monster. Brings to mind combinations like Mack and Byner in Cleveland and Craig and Rathman in San Francisco back in the day.
Now, the Colts are one of the top rushing teams in the league. If I’m Peyton Manning, I’m keeping an eye on those guys with horseshoes on their helmets.
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Fever win when it counts
The Indiana Fever advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday, proving once again that postseason success trumps regular-season success.
Chicago finished the regular season 24-10 while Indiana was 16-18, yet when it came down to it, the Fever, the defending champions, beat the Sky by a combined 35 points in a shocking, masterful two-game sweep.
I said early this season that if the Fever got into the playoffs, they’d be a threat to win the title again. Chicago had never been to the playoffs and the top player for the Sky is a rookie. Yes, Elena Delle Donne is great, but she hasn’t had the confetti rain down on her. Indiana’s entire starting five from last year’s finals is back.
No matter what Chicago’s record was, Indiana still had the belt.
In a strange way, Indiana’s losing record and 1-7 start might have been a blessing in disguise. Many teams become complacent after winning a title. Indiana’s record and struggle to get into the postseason created a hunger that most defending champions don’t have.
I hope this helps the league do away with the best-of-three series forever. I don’t think that’s enough games to choose a true winner. Still, kudos to the Fever, the winners, and still heavyweight champions of the world.
Next on the agenda: the Atlanta Dream, who defeated the Washington Mystics on Monday to advance. These two teams have had quite a rivalry the past two years. I fully expect the Fever to win this series too.
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Rising Indiana pro hoops star not named George
I can understand all the excitement about the Indiana wing player who stepped and had a bigger role because of an injury to a teammate, was a first-time All-Star, won the Most Improved Player Award and reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
No, no, I’m not talking about Paul George. I’m talking about Shavonte Zellous of the Indiana Fever.
Zellous had a breakout season after Katie Douglas, a former All-Star, was knocked out for much of the season with a lower back injury. She received 30 of 39 votes from a panel of national and local sportswriters and broadcasters. She nearly doubled her scoring average in 2013 (14.7 ppg) from 2012 (7.5 ppg), and also improved her rebounding numbers in 2013 (3.4 rpg) from 2012 (2.7 rpg). She also took her overall field goal percentage up from .369 in 2012 to .415 in 2013.
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IU’s Williams hurt
Indiana freshman Troy Williams (Hampton, Va./Oak Hill Academy), a 6-7 forward, will miss the next few weeks after suffering an injury to his right hand during a workout.
“Troy has been rising in all areas of his game,” said IU Coach Tom Crean. “While this is a setback, it is a minor one in the scheme of things.”
Williams came to IU after playing for head coach Steve Smith at Oak Hill Academy. He was ranked No. 47 by Rivals.com and No. 10 at his position, ranked No. 67 overall by Scout.com and No. 17 at small forward, and ranked No. 57 in the ESPN100 rankings. He scored 21 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists in just 18 minutes at the Derby Festival Basketball Classic, where he was named MVP. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Virginia and led Oak Hill Academy to a regular season record of 34-5 and an appearance in the National High School Invitational. He averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks during the regular season, compiling nine double-doubles and played in the Jordan Brand Classic.
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Colts Coach of the Week
Shane Fry of West Lafayette High School has been named the Colts/NFL Coach of the Week, a program presented by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Fry was selected to this honor for his efforts in leading the Class 3A No. 4 Red Devils to a 5-0 start in his first year as head football coach. On Friday night, they went on the road and defeated a tough Tipton team 34-10.
West Lafayette averages 43 points per game on offense while allowing just 10.6 points per game on defense. The Red Devils will have another big test this Friday as they take on an unbeaten Rensselaer Central team.
The following coaches were recognized as honorable mentions for Week 5:
| Region 1- Phil Mason – Andrean | Region 6- Brian Crabtree – North Vermillion |
| Region 2- Russ Radtke- New Prairie | Region 7- Tim Able – Triton Central |
| Region 3 – Chris Svarczkopf – Bishop Dwenger | Region 8- Kyle Ralph – New Palestine |
| Region 4 – Winner | Region 9- Scott Buening – Southridge |
| Region 5 – Mark Hartman – Maconaquah | Region 10- Brian Glesing – Floyd Central |
