iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Bobby Plump of the historic game-winning shot in Milan High School’s 1954 state championship victory turned 90 a few days ago. A celebration was conducted today. Here he is (right) with two of his teammates. Half of the players from the team are still with us.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Tickets are available for the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame banquet on October 3 at 11 am at the downtown Indy Crown Plaza Hotel. I will present on behalf of Angelo Angelopolous, one of five new inductees. Go to www.ijhf.org for more information and to purchase tickets or tables.

ijhf.org

Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Spent many hours recording albums without the songs I didn’t like or putting theme recordings together. Get the right brand of blank tape and it sounded better than buying a cassette tape of a record.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Had lunch with these three gentlemen yesterday - Derrick McKey, Donnie Walsh and Austin Croshere. Walsh traded for McKey and drafted Croshere and made both multi-millionaires. I continued the nostalgic nature of the afternoon by calling Travis Best while driving Walsh home.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

I will be at the Indianapolis Public Library - Central Library - at 2 pm on May 31 to discuss early Pacers history, leading up to the "merger" of 1976. I'll have the new revised and updated softcover edition of my book, "Reborn: The Pacers and the Return of Pro Basketball to Indianapolis" with me.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Just returned from an author presentation for this book. It’s a serious journalistic effort worthy of your attention. It’s not a biography of Bird as much as a look at a unique moment in time and all the people touched by it.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

This is the 35th anniversary of Travis Best’s 81-point game in high school in Springfield, Massachusetts. He had 48 at halftime.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Sometimes someone comes to your house and ruins the evening. A look at some examples in basketball games played in Indiana, courtesy of Keaton Wagler, Evan Turner, Mo Williams, Super John Williamson and Austin Carr. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Super-frosh Wagler is the latest player to erupt on the road in Indiana - Indianapolis Business Journal

That’s particularly true in basketball, where home-court advantage is an overwhelming factor.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Imagine a 15-year-old girl convincing a professional sports commissioner to stop playing games on Christmas Day because she wanted her father to be home. It happened in 1971 when the daughter of the Pacers' coach wrote a letter. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Coach’s daughter cried foul when ABA scheduled Pacers road game on Christmas - Indianapolis Business Journal

One of the games included the team her father coached, so she asked that the schedule be changed.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Media access has changed a lot over the years. Reporters rarely sit courtside at NBA games now. Many interviews are manipulated by media relations departments. Strange to think it once was OK for a photographer to visit a player in his hospital room and take a picture of publication.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Sometimes a "failed" athlete finds new life in a new place with new coaches and teammates. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones is the latest example, but there have been others in Indianapolis. My story in this week's Indianapolis Business Journal. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Daniel Jones is just the latest pro athlete to enjoy a career resurgence here - Indianapolis Business Journal

The Giants’ pariah is the Colts’ Superman—one who has the power to cool the seats of his general manager and head coach and perhaps extend their employment beyond this season.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Larry Lannan and I talked sports, mostly on whether or not the Pacers will miss Myles Turner and Rick Carlisle's evolvement as a head coach. soundcloud.com/podcasts-by-...

soundcloud.com

Lannan & Giles: Unscripted August 22, 2025

Duncan Giles could not make this week's podcast, so Larry welcomes local sports author Mark Monteith

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

You reach a stage in life where you realize that with the possible exception of socks and underwear, you’ll never need to buy another article of clothing. Unless you shrink into a smaller size.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 02/08/2025

Bob Hammel was a homer in his coverage of IU sports, no doubt about it. But he also was talented, prolific, smart and a genuinely nice man. That made for some interesting times in his coverage of Bob Knight's basketball program. Even the chair throw was excused. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Sportswriter Bob Hammel wasn’t a paragon of objectivity, but he remained true to his kind nature - Indianapolis Business Journal

Bob Hammel might qualify as the biggest homer of all sportswriters in Indiana, if not beyond, during his 30 years as sports editor of the Bloomington Herald-Times (which was named the Daily Herald-Tel...

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

Costco has put Halloween items on display. Don’t know what took them so long.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Rick Mount has been conducting shooting camps for 45 years. He swears Wednesday will bring the final day of his final one. He doesn’t get around like he once did and can’t put on shooting exhibitions any longer.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Surprised Denver not on there, despite the fact it’s practically in a different area code than downtown.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

The Pacers play the 20th game seven in franchise history Sunday at Oklahoma City. (That includes game five of a best-of-five series.) They are 11-8 in those games, 6-2 in the ABA and 5-6 in the NBA. Rick Carlisle is 2-0 with the Pacers, both wins coming on the road. Was 1-2 with Dallas.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

I covered the Pacers' run to and through the NBA Finals in 2000 for The Indianapolis Star. Here's a look back at a memorable season filled with playoff drama. Nearly lost to Milwaukee in the first round, took the Lakers to six games in the last. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Pacers in 2000 were a few bad breaks away from championship - Indianapolis Business Journal

The Indiana team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals and took Chicago to seven games in 1998 might be sexier, but the 2000 squad had the guts and clutch shooting to go farther.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Wasn’t that a John Lennon quote?

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

These are probably the two greatest players who called Indianapolis home. That means they were from a city high school or played for the Pacers. Oscar Robertson is undoubtedly the greatest hs player from the city. You could argue the Pacers had better players than Reggie but none had a better career

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

You’ll find nonconformists in every crowd. Just throw it over your shoulder if you’re not feeling like one of the masses.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Nancy Leonard has been a fixture at Pacers home games since her husband Slick became the coach in 1968, aside from a period in the early 80s after he was fired and before he became a broadcaster. Health issues have kept her away most of this season but she was back for the last 2 playoff games.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Today brings the fourth edition of Pacers and Racers, as the Pacers host a playoff game on the same day as the Indianapolis 500. The two sporting neighbors have a long history together, as I wrote in the latest edition of the Indianapolis Business Journal at www.IBJ.com.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

The New York tabloids are not known for their subtlety.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Pacers were outrebounded (as usual) by the Knicks, 46-39, but only committed seven turnovers and outscored New York 27-4 off turnovers.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Gene Keady turned 89 yesterday. Someone once mailed this article to me. When I brought it up to Keady he said, “No wonder I’m crazy.“ Notice they gave him different ages in the headline and story.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Of the 23 playoff series the Pacers have won in the NBA, 14 were clinched on the road. That’s appropriate for team that won all three of its ABA titles with road victories. Don’t preach to them about homecourt advantage.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

The gold standard. For many years.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

The Pacers are 7-22 in NBA playoff series when they open on the road. They have only won one of them when they lost each of the first two games. That was last season against New York.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Lance Stephenson returns to the Pacers. As a fan.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Great gathering in West Lafayette today with former Purdue beat writers, former sports information department members and coach Gene Keady. He’s aging but still has his sharp sense of humor. Referring to his former wife, he said, “Pat liked you guys. She told me, ‘You’re the only asshole in there.’”

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

The Pacers have the name of every player who has appeared in a game for the franchise on the wall in their practice facility. Even Darvin Ham, who played in one game for five minutes. There are a lot of names, but it’s really a pretty exclusive group in the grand scheme of things.

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Reposted by Mark Montieth

50501 Movement Washington State @50501washington.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Great advice. Do not speak his name.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith is shooting .915 from the foul line, and is their best clutch shooter. Locked up tonight‘s game with two of them. He’s on a 50-40-90 pace. And is probably their best defender as well.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

My uncle Bob with Jesse. He said whenever he competed against Jesse he stayed right with him - until the starter’s gun went off.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

I wasn’t planning to go strictly with 1 seeds for my Final Four when I begin filling out my brackets, it just turned out that way. So I have a shot at a shining moment.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Interesting broadcasting merger today of two guys with polar opposite backgrounds who played in the state of Indiana. Purdue’s Rob Hummel and Pacer Jalen Rose.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Obi Toppin hit a fading three-pointer from the left corner for the game-winning shot as his teammates watched with great anticipation.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

I can’t remember a Pacers win that was more surprising or impressive than the one in OT at Minnesota tonight. Four starters sat out, the other one got kicked out and the 6th man fouled out. Those missing bodies could learn a few things about tempo and ball movement from the guys who played.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

It might seem like Robbie Hummel broadcasts a college basketball game every night, but he'll do "only" 84 this season. There's a reason he's fullcourt pressing, and I wrote about it in this week's Indianapolis Business Journal. No paywall on this one, I'm told. www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Hobbled in college, Robbie Hummel could make Final Four as a star broadcaster - Indianapolis Business Journal

He will have worked 84 games by the time his broadcasting season ends, which is about 35 more than the industry norm for elite announcers.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Here’s the moon eclipse as it looked in Indianapolis.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Sorry to hear the passing of John Feinstein. His first book, A Season on the Brink, was groundbreaking and eye-opening. He was a great reporter with a great work ethic.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

And to think he once looked like this.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Hardly any court, pool, room or building in the sports world goes unnamed these days. Some naming rights are sold, some are awarded, but there's a prevailing question: what's left for the next round of athletes, coaches and administrators? www.ibj.com/articles/mar...

ibj.com

Mark Montieth: Naming sports facilities is all the rage. What happens, though, when colleges run out of available real estate? - Indianapolis Business Journal

When attaching a name to something is done as an honor, it makes people happy.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Not big news anywhere but at Purdue, but Rick Mount plans to attend tonight‘s game against UCLA. He made his college debut against UCLA in 1967 as a sophomore against Johnny Wooden’s defending national champions. He has not been to a game there since they had a bobblehead night for him in 2015.

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Mark Montieth @markmontieth.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Grateful that my job enabled me to see some great moments in sports. Like Bob Knight throwing the chair, anti-disco night at Comiskey Park and the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

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