Montieth: Harkness was a long-shot artist in and out of basketball
Harkness, who passed away early Tuesday morning at age 81, had a knack for being part of history. He also had a knack for making it himself when necessary.
Mark Montieth
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Q&A with Scott Tarter, who’s turned ABA fandom into business and charity
An attorney for Bose McKinney and Evans LLP, Tarter has initiated business ventures that raise funds for the Dropping Dimes charity, which distributes money to former ABA players in need.
Mark Montieth: Floor of Hinkle Fieldhouse has no ceiling for historic significance
Imagine an 89-year-old basketball floor, used continually—other than a break during World War II—by the host school, Butler University, but also sporadically by high schools, NBA and WNBA franchises, and all-star teams from all levels of the game.
Mark Montieth: Reviewing draft picks can be sobering
History, though, tends to dash cold reality on any company’s warm-and-fuzzy hires. It’s especially cruel in the NBA, where executives not only have to evaluate a worldwide assortment of young talent but predict their future as well.
Mark Montieth: There’s no formula for draft picks, but history offers key insights
The Pacers have the 13th overall selection this year, a middling first-round selection for a team coming off a middling season.
Mark Montieth: Carlisle’s second chance will be good for the Pacers
It’s something of a redemption tour for him, although nobody blamed him for how things ended last time. It’s also a break for the man who hired him, Kevin Pritchard, whose last hire survived but one season.
Sports: Indy 500 fan attends 78th race (or 79th?)
Dr. Richard Bennett’s perfect-attendance mark for the race is a wonder to behold, a feat of devotion likely unmatched by any fan of any sport in any place.
Mark Montieth: Legalization of sports wagering dangerous for some
Billy isn’t his real name, but his gambling problem was as real as the loans he was taking out to finance his habit and as real as the weekly Gamblers Anonymous meetings he now attends to ward off the demons.
Mark Montieth: Change in transfer policy will have major impact
Boundaries—particularly regarding transfers—that were stifling but also stabilizing are being dismantled piece by piece.
Mark Montieth: Slick Leonard had people skills, gift of leadership
His trademark shout of “Boom Baby” after every made three-pointer became ingrained within the vocabulary of sports fans throughout the state, shouted on driveways, putting greens and anywhere else a long shot of some sort dropped.
Counting the seconds: Timekeeper works 21 NCAA games (oh and Pacers games, too)
Randy Fishman had the best seat in the house for Monday night’s championship, located courtside and smack dab in the middle. Friends watching the game on television would have seen him just above the black line running across midcourt.
Montieth: Hiring Woodson was the right choice for IU—despite what detractors say
He’s not just an IU guy; he’s a state of Indiana guy, an Indianapolis native and a Broad Ripple High School graduate who never lost contact with his homeland.
Fans celebrate return of NCAA tournament, despite its smaller scale
Capacity was limited to no more than 25% and bands and cheerleaders were noticeably absent. Still, most of the elements that make the NCAA Tournament America’s most beloved sporting event were on display Friday in the games played around central Indiana.
Mark Montieth: Miss suits on the sidelines? Sorry. Sweats, other changes might be here to stay.
The changes the COVID-19 virus has forced upon the sports world involve not only the way games have been played and attended but also how they’ve been covered by the media.
Mark Montieth: A tale of reboots
Whether it’s a need for better health, a better circumstance or simply more opportunity, reclamation projects have found this to be a welcoming city over the years.
Mark Montieth: McGinnis and former Pacers trainer still a team
More than 50 years after meeting George McGinnis, David Craig is still playing a major role in the rehabilitation process.
Mark Montieth: Ticket brokers confident they’ll make a comeback
The pandemic that wiped out the nation’s sporting and concert events in one fell swoop did serious damage to a lot of bottom lines in 2020, particularly those of Circle City and Fanfare.
MARK MONTIETH: Here’s the huge change 10 years can bring
Consider the dramatic turns experienced by Butler and the Colts, Pacers and Fever.
40th anniversary: Indianapolis bootstraps its way into sports elite
The city’s sports landscape was sparse, indeed, in May 1980. That was before the city adopted a sports strategy that led to the Pan Am Games, the NCAA and Indianapolis Colts moving to the city, and a string of high profile events including the Super Bowl and several Final Fours. Today, the city is a sports powerhouse.
MONTIETH: If past is prologue, new coach will give Pacers a boost
By injecting a first-year coach into the mold of an established roster, Kevin Pritchard has hit on the formula that has worked eerily well for the Pacers throughout their history.