Now that Tyler Hansbrough has joined the Indiana Pacers there are seven caucasian players currently on the roster.  Seven.  This is simply astonishing and without precedent during the past couple of decades as far as I can recall.  

Despite lacking in athleticism at several positions, Larry Bird and the Pacers opted to go in a different direction last Thursday night at the draft.  In my latest top ten list over at Sir Charles In Charge, here is what I wrote about the Pacers pick:

Tyler Hansbrough being selected by Indiana at #13 - Although Hansbrough had a very solid college career, I don’t see him being anything more than a combination of Brian Scalabrine and Matt Harpring in the NBA.  Perhaps he’ll be able to give the Pacers an occasional double-double, but Larry Bird needs more than a rich man’s Mad Dog Madsen to get back to the playoffs. 

Clearly, I felt that Indiana failed to select a guy who could help them get to the next level.  My main problem with the pick was that I didn't think Hansbrough was athletic enough to have any kind of positive impact on the team's performance. 

Others agree with my assessment...but for an entirely different reason.  In a very provocatively titled post called The Whitewashing Of The Indiana Pacers, the issue of race is brought into the equation and I have to say that I agree with most of the author's points.  Here is that post and to give even more credence to the assertions is former Pacers guard Reggie Miller in an audio clip talking about the same issue with Dan Patrick. 

Although I had long given up my dream of playing professional basketball, I'm now beginning to think that there still might be a glimmer of hope.  One of the seven white players on the Pacers roster happens to be Travis Diener.  At 6'1" and 175 pounds, Diener is almost exactly my size.  

Is it completely out of the realm of possibility that I could get into shape during the next couple of months to be in a position to become the eighth white guy on the roster?  Admittedly, I've made some hyperbolic statements on this blog during the past year.  However, I believe I can really do it and Larry Legend is going to help make my dream come true!