Adios Tom Crean

[Bapak2ja]

IU basketball has not been interesting since Bobby Knight was exposed for beating/manhandling his players. Recruits saw that and decided to play elsewhere. Left IU with second class players. Second class players results in second class coaches.

Beyond the demise of Indiana BB, I have noted a demise in the game in general. It is no longer entertaining to watch basketball, college or pro. I see a consistent pattern emerging from what I used to call "alley ball." Someone inbounds the ball, the other team members go under for the rebound. The guy with the ball makes a couple moves and drives to the basket. He either dunks, scores or gets shut down by the big wood inside and throws it back outside. This guy makes a couple moves and drives to the hoop. Scores or throws it out to #3. Repeat ad infinitum.

Eventually, somebody throws up a long shot. Rebound and repeat. Repeat. Alley ball.

College ball has gone the same route. So has pro. They do add the occasional race down court for a layup or dunk. Boring.

Tell me again why we watch this? Almost as exciting as watching a firearms expert on YouTube tell me why Taurus is junk or argue that the only good AR is made by BCM.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

You never know about this stuff. A friend who is pretty well connected at IU told me a year or so ago there are some really well-heeled IU supporters with check book in hand ready to buy out Crean's contract as well as Brad Steven's Celtics contract. Yeah, I know that would take millions but that kind of money is out there! That said, I think Alford is a more likely possibility.

But why would Stevens want to leave? He's coaching at the pinnacle of the sport, with a top 5 team, and with more draft picks than he knows what to do with. Apart from GS and CLE, BOS would have to be the most desirable coaching job in the NBA. No reason to leave that to coach at a team who just isn't that notable anymore.

 

[historian]

My big concern with this is that the IU boosters seem to think that this is a top four job in the country, while top coaches are more likely to think of it as a top 20 job.

I just hope they didn't fire Crean in order to replace him with Dane Fife, etc.

This is my fear. The biggest problem is that every coach is expected to hang banners, and that is just too hard. Look at KY. They build excellent squads, but still can't get it done. I'm not very high on Alford, I saw what he did at Iowa. Now he is at a recruiting powerhouse that sells itself (hey, kid from the midwest, want to come to sunny and 75 all year round?). He already has pressure, why add to that at IU where he would be expected to be the messiah? Stevens won't come back. He is in too good of a gig. My biggest fear is that there isn't a better coach out there.

 

[two70]

Steve Alford, is on top, of the list .....

Brad Stevens, also on the list .....

You're dreaming on Stevens. Alford may be a possibility but with his history at Iowa and lack of tournament performance, I sure hope not!

IU needs to make nice with Coach Knight while they can. Bury the hatchet, whatever it takes. Call me superstitious, but I don't think IU can fix their basketball program without fixing the situation with Knight.

People say that Knight is too hard headed to ever come back on campus, but while Knight might be done with IU, I don't see him turning his back on the students and greater community.

You may be on to something with your superstition but Knight is not coming back. IU has tried repeatedly to make nice with him and he rejected every attempt to extend the olive branch. He recently affirmed this himself just prior to wishing every involved with his firing was dead. He is though, more than happy to make paid appearances all over the state (except at IU) including at Purdue fundraisers with Gene Keady to take advantage of those fans still clinging to his memory.

You never know about this stuff. A friend who is pretty well connected at IU told me a year or so ago there are some really well-heeled IU supporters with check book in hand ready to buy out Crean's contract as well as Brad Steven's Celtics contract. Yeah, I know that would take millions but that kind of money is out there! That said, I think Alford is a more likely possibility.

Why in the world would Stevens leave $6+ million a year job with the historically best NBA team where he doesn't have to recruit(by his own words his least enjoyed part of college coaching), has relatively little pressure and has pretty good job security for a cut in pay, a return to recruiting, and intense pressure?

 

[Woobie]

Bobby Knight is the reason the program got screwed up in the first place.

Crean was the right guy to turn the program around, and I appreciate what he did. But he isn't the right guy to take it to the next level. The question is whether the right guy will be hired.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

IU basketball has not been interesting since Bobby Knight was exposed for beating/manhandling his players. Recruits saw that and decided to play elsewhere. Left IU with second class players. Second class players results in second class coaches.

Beyond the demise of Indiana BB, I have noted a demise in the game in general. It is no longer entertaining to watch basketball, college or pro. I see a consistent pattern emerging from what I used to call "alley ball." Someone inbounds the ball, the other team members go under for the rebound. The guy with the ball makes a couple moves and drives to the basket. He either dunks, scores or gets shut down by the big wood inside and throws it back outside. This guy makes a couple moves and drives to the hoop. Scores or throws it out to #3. Repeat ad infinitum.

Eventually, somebody throws up a long shot. Rebound and repeat. Repeat. Alley ball.

College ball has gone the same route. So has pro. They do add the occasional race down court for a layup or dunk. Boring.

Tell me again why we watch this? Almost as exciting as watching a firearms expert on YouTube tell me why Taurus is junk or argue that the only good AR is made by BCM.

So you're saying the only options are layup/dunk or some form of a jump shot? Genius. Tell me, Mr. Wooden, what are the other options? Should there also be a minimum amount of passes you have to make before you can take a shot?

 

[CHCRandy]

My burning question..........how does the State justify paying a guy $3,000,000 a year and why are they state employees? If you look at the highest paid state employees.....it's always coaches, every state. What am I missing?

 

[Woobie]

My burning question..........how does the State justify paying a guy $3,000,000 a year and why are they state employees? If you look at the highest paid state employees.....it's always coaches, every state. What am I missing?

Supply and demand. Demand is high for people who can put butts in seats. Supply is clearly low.

 

[CampingJosh]

My burning question..........how does the State justify paying a guy $3,000,000 a year and why are they state employees? If you look at the highest paid state employees.....it's always coaches, every state. What am I missing?

Well, it is one of very few state jobs that generates a profit. And it's paid for by the Big 10 Network and boosters, not student tuition or taxes.

 

[CHCRandy]

Why are they state employees though? I don't understand why they call them state employees......

 

[BE Mike]

I feel bad for the guy. He did an excellent job righting the ship after the cheater Sampson ruined our program. He recruited well but I don't think he was a great "in game" coach. He accomplished a lot but lacked consistency with his teams. This year was an unmitigated disaster but a lot of that is owed to injuries. No Hartman at all. OG out when it counted. Blackmon, Howard, etc. had injuries also.

I can't say it isn't the right move; I believe it is the right thing. I owe a debt of gratitude to him for the turn around in our program. Godspeed Tom Crean.

I can't feel sorry for someone who probably earned close to a third of a billion dollars (well maybe not that much, but big bucks) in 9 years playing a game. It's especially easy to see them go bye-bye when you look at some combat veterans living a meager existence (some in nursing homes). Coaches come and coaches go. None of the top coaches are going to the poor house any time soon.

 

[Bapak2ja]

So you're saying the only options are layup/dunk or some form of a jump shot? Genius. Tell me, Mr. Wooden, what are the other options? Should there also be a minimum amount of passes you have to make before you can take a shot?

No claim to being a genius; but when I see the same play run dozens of times in every game, it gets boring. Might as well watch soccer.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

No claim to being a genius; but when I see the same play run dozens of times in every game, it gets boring. Might as well watch soccer.

Same reason I can't stand football. Every play is some variant of a run or a pass... Boring!

 

[Woobie]

Same reason I can't stand football. Every play is some variant of a run or a pass... Boring!

No purple required. Football is more boring than curling.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

No purple required. Football is more boring than curling.

 

[Woobie]

True story.

The game clock has 60 minutes, but 1/2 to 2/3 of that is eaten up between plays. Then there is the rest of the time when the clock isn't running at all.

The rule book reads like the Federal Tax Code. I have enough rules in my life, thanks.

There is a reason the announcers are always trying to spice it up by making everything "historical". "This is the first time in 12 years that a 2 point conversion has failed in the last two minutes of the first quarter when the home team was up by at least two scores." Give me a break. Go make your own history instead of living vicariously through some guy in tights.