After Sunday, let’s start talking about the Pacers

Okay, I understand all the Super Bowl excitement in Indianapolis this week. And, of course, since the Super Bowl deals with football, I would expect there to be a lot of talk about Colts QB (for now) Peyton Manning. But when it’s all over, I expect to hear the next big discussion about Indiana and sports to involve the Pacers.

Because, chances are you haven’t even noticed, but the Pacers are good again.

At 16-6, they’re only a game and a half behind the league best Bulls. And last year’s Eastern Conference champs the Miami Heat are just a half game better.

Yet, you don’t hear anyone talking about the Pacers, who have finally recovered from Rumble in the Palace that dismantled a potential championship team. Since that nasty brawl with the Pistons and their fans — how many sports brawls have their own Wikipedia entry? — in 2004, the Pacers had been on a downward slide. They were 41-41 the year after the fracas, but have suffered five straight sub-.500 seasons since. This from a team that had made the playoffs 16 of 17 years thanks to Pacer favorites like Reggie Miller, Dale Davis and Rik Smits.

But last year, the Pacers — despite another losing season — showed signs of hope, giving the Bulls a tough time in Indiana’s first playoff appearance since 2006. And to show that wasn’t a fluke, the Pacers have been red hot this year, scoring impressive wins against tought teams like the Bulls, Orlando, Atlanta, the Lakers and Dallas.

Yet, still, the sports media focus is on the Bulls, the Heat, the Thunder, the Lakers and the upstart Clippers.

Well, for starters, this is a team of no-names. Danny Granger is easily the star, but he’s always been a quiet star. This year, with a better team to support him, he’s even quieter, averaging more than seven points a game less than he did in 2005. After Granger, the most recognizable name is probably Tyler Hansbrough, even though he’s only the sixth or seventh best player on the team. And, let’s face it, you don’t see a lot of ESPN highlights from Roy Hibbert, Paul George, Darren Collison, or David West. But, to use a sports cliche, these guys get it done.

West is a 2-time all-star. And Paul is a star of the future, known for his dunking prowess and ability to nail the three. Collison can also hit the bomb. And on the court, Hibbert just looks... big.

These Pacers might not be ready to knock off the Bulls or the Heat just yet, but given how quickly they’ve improved just since last season — not to mention their youth — this is a team that should be tough for a while.

For Indiana fans, its promising basketball future is exciting enough to forget about its woeful football one.