Hoiberg Recruits, Roid Derby, Law Abiding Crap

• Fred Hoiberg's NBA pitch is already paying dividends for Iowa State. Hoiberg knows the team with the best players usually wins, and he's going for it---even if it means taking on a guy with baggage.
• Royce White is a potential difference-maker for the Cyclones, if, and it's a big if, if White stays out of trouble--- something he didn't do at Minnesota under Tubby Smith, a coach with a good rep. I think Hoiberg has to take a chance on some players, just as Tim Floyd did, though I doubt Hoiberg will work the gray areas with the gusto Floyd did. If you want to win at Iowa State, or Iowa, you have to give some second (or third) chances.
• Fans rationalize when their team brings in a kid with a troubled past. Those fans would kill their rival for doing the same thing. It's universal. Same goes for arrests of current players.
• Hoiberg still hasn't coached a game yet, but he has shown he can recruit. That's a great start.
• We're in the sports dead zone. All-Star break. I did watch the Home Run Derby, which has completely changed now that the players are (seemingly) off the juice. Remember that Roid Rage Derby at Fenway Park in '99? Should have known something was up when McGwire hit one over the Green Monster with his forearm.
• As I'm typing this, I'm also watching "Law Abiding Citizen". Who exactly are we supposed to root for in this movie? Disturbing. Thumbs down.
• I loved the continuous action of the World Cup on television, even if it occasionally bored me. It's hard to go back to commercials every few minutes.