It’s always interesting to learn the side effects of major news stories. Sometimes they don’t crop up for months. Take, for instance, when Luke Recker left IU last spring. Without a doubt this was one of the major news stories of the past year.
To recap for the new students among us, Recker was a member of the men’s basketball team and a Hoosier native. This potent combination made Luke’s departure all the more dramatic and frustrating for Hoosier basketball fans.
Certainly men’s basketball coach Bobby Knight felt the effects of Recker’s untimely departure from IU; although nothing ever came of it, Knight was vilified by the local media and by fans for driving a rising star out of the state.
Another group of people who felt a tremendous sense of loss with Recker’s departure was the media itself. The media had lost its hometown hero who had assured them of improved ratings whenever Recker showed up on their newscasts.
Of course, there was another actor in this game: the IU Athletics Outfitters stores.
It seems that the very day Luke announced his departure in April, a shipment of basketball jerseys with the number 4 appeared on the loading dock of the Outfitters.
The decision to restock jerseys with Luke’s number was based upon comments Recker made at the end of the season that he was planning to stick around and play another year at IU.
Consequently, for those of you interested, the Outfitters shop at Kirkwood and Indiana has a huge sale on Indiana Basketball Jerseys. For $16 you can get a bright red jersey with the number 4 on it. That’s half off the regular price of $32.
Naturally a lot of people wouldn’t be seen in a jersey that bares Recker’s number, but I think for any true Hoosier basketball fan, this is an opportunity that ought not be passed up.
The list of men under Bobby Knight who have worn the number four jersey consists of only three players: Lyndon Jones (1988-91), Chris Rowles (1996) and Luke.
But there is the future to consider as well. IU basketball and its amazing tradition is not going to vanish overnight. Other players will wear this jersey and will shine in it as well.
Not to mention the women.
Described as an “unselfish player who has the ability to find an open teammate with a no look pass,” Dani Thrush wore number 4 for the women last year. Certainly she was a credit to the team, playing more than 30 minutes per game for most of the games and averaging 9.8 points per game. In the basketball media guide, she even listed “Playing with my dog Fulton” as her favorite way to spend free time, so she can’t be all that bad.
And for those who care, she was a better free throw shooter and rebounder than her fellow number 4 of last year.
With her eligibility up, she won’t be on the team this year, but if I were her, I would run down to the store and stock up on these jerseys that will hold much significance to her memories as time goes by.