Indiana fans won’t hear the voice of Dan Dakich calling IU basketball games on ESPN anymore, but at least for those based in Indianapolis, they might be hearing much more from the 1980s IU basketball guard in the future.
Dakich recently parted ways with ESPN. He’ll no longer be calling college basketball games on television, opting instead to add a two hour weekday show on Outkick 360 to his three-hour Indianapolis-based radio show on 107.5 The Fan.
But it wasn’t his radio or television gigs that opened Dakich’s eyes to yet another potential job opportunity.
As he tours the city of Indianapolis making Door Dash deliveries, Dakich has had an up-close and personal look at the state of the city he calls home.
“I’ve been Door Dashing for literally the last six months, and I’ve done it every single week,” Dakich told fellow college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb on his “All Ball” podcast last week. “I’ve delivered Door Dash since March 28.”
What Dakich has witnessed over the last six months has him considering a run for Mayor of Indianapolis.
“I’ve been around the neighborhoods here in Indy and I really want to help guys, gals and families that don’t have much,” Dakich told Gottlieb. “I really want to help the African-American community. We have a terrible murder problem here. We have a terrible leadership problem here.”
Although nearby Chicago garners the headlines due to its sheer volume of violent crime, recent reports suggest Indianapolis has a higher murder rate on a per capita basis.
Dakich’s food deliveries have at times led him directly into the parts of the city experiencing the spike in crime.
“I’ve been all over this city, and I don’t just do it in the rich neighborhoods,” Dakich said. … “In fact I did it in a place and I watched the news that night and there were two murders in the place where I had just been.”
So is he really considering a run for mayor?
“I’m in the process of finding out what is wrong and what can be done,” he said.
“I’m not saying I’m any kind of savior, I just want to find out. Personally I don’t think I’m that popular, so I don’t think I’d win, but I do think I wouldn’t be afraid to ask some questions.”
Dakich’s popularity — or lack thereof — would certainly be an interesting element of any candidacy for mayor. Even in IU basketball circles he has at times been a polarizing figure, often viewed by a portion of the fan base as too harsh of a critic of the program.
But Dakich’s reach extends well beyond IU basketball. He has had three hours on the Indianapolis airwaves for a decade and he covers all of the Indiana based college and pro sports teams. He certainly has more local name recognition than most politicians, and although some don’t like his sports takes, that doesn’t mean they disagree with Dakich politically.
The 59-year-old originally from Gary, Ind. has imagined how he might commence his campaign.
“If I can figure it all out I want to sit at Monument Circle in Indy at the top of the stairs and give people a little hope and give people a little direction because I know people think Indianapolis is this idyllic sports town, but it’s a mess right now,” Dakich said. “Murder rate is beyond Chicago, it’s a freaking mess.”
Dakich’s commentary on the radio and his social media posts suggest he leans to the conservative side of the political aisle, something that would be a challenge in Indianapolis. The city gave more than 70 percent of the vote in the 2020 race to Democrat Joe Hogsett.
Regularly the topic of debate in the media because of his opinions, Dakich doesn’t appear to be the type who will toe a party line or expect significant support from the political establishment.
“I get killed from both sides,” he said.
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