56.2 F
Indianapolis
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Expectations for Pacers remain high

More by this author

I’ve never been one to put a ton of stock into what certain experts say, and maybe you put my columns in that same bin. That’s fair game and quite understandable, so when seeking projections for the upcoming Indiana Pacers season, I took it upon myself to talk to those who unlike myself, pay to root for their beloved Blue and Gold.

I found a wide range of thoughts being offered and none of those who took the time to “educate” me had anything less than great optimism and predictions of success.

“I believe the Pacers will win the Eastern Conference this year offered Joe from Irvington as we chatted outside one of our favorite eateries.” They’ll win at least sixty games, he added as he scurried off to catch his ride. ‘Interesting,’ I thought as I drove away, and while he cited no specific reasons for his prediction, he was passionate and quite confident in what he proclaimed. Later that day I stepped into a Broad Ripple watering hole and asked if there were any Pacer fans in the house and what they expected to occur this season. “Victor Oladipo win the MVP award and the Pacers will get the number two seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, just behind the Boston Celtics,” said Margaret from Rocky Ripple. When I asked her why she felt that way, she simply stated it was their time and mentioned some guy named LeBron no longer being in the East, which when you think about it, does have some great significance.

The next day my journey took me near downtown to my favorite delicatessen where I invaded the space of a group of retirees who had commandeered a large table and were more than happy to offer their respective opinions on the matter.

“The Pacers have finally found a real superstar in Oladipo, and I like the fact they did not resign Lance Stephenson,” quipped Robert from the near east side, as he devoured his Reuben sandwich. “If they stay healthy, they could win it all.” His colleague Harold from Speedway simply said, “They can’t let Myles Turner shoot so many three pointers this year,” as he polished off his cheesecake, and as I left their lunch gathering, Bill from Fountain Square added, “They are fun to watch, but the salaries are insane.”

To finish my research, the next day I visited one of my favorite breakfast hangouts, just 20 blocks or so north of the Indianapolis Recorder, to find the regulars holding court over eggs and coffee. “I don’t pay any attention to the Pacers until the NFL season is over,” proclaimed Leonard from Haughville, who along with Joseph from Carmel have attended Pacers games for over 40 years. They both stated they like head coach Nate McMillian and the Pacers could win it all with some luck.

As I drove home it dawned on me that all these good people had disregarded the fact that the Pacers are not a good defensive rebounding team, and for that matter, not a particularly good three-point shooting team as well.  Those facts aside, their enthusiasm for the upcoming season was genuine, and it made me think about how long it had been since such optimism had rang true through the streets of Indianapolis, and what those expectations mean to the players. While I will save my conversations with those who will run out on to the floor on opening night for a later column, it’s obvious this community expects more from the franchise this season. One thing is for certain, if they start slowly, the tone in the aforementioned establishments will change quickly, and if they don’t, well this quasi-love affair will only become more torrid. Stay tuned, and hopefully, I won’t consume 10,000 calories again writing the follow up.

 Danny Bridges, who is grateful to all those who spoke with him, and did not receive a free meal in the process, can be reached at (317) 370-8447, or at Bridgeshd@aol.com

- Advertisement -
ads:

Upcoming Online Townhalls

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest local news.

Stay connected

1FansLike
1FollowersFollow
1FollowersFollow
1SubscribersSubscribe

Related articles

Popular articles

Español + Translate »
Skip to content