IU BBall

[Irishman]

While it is mostly for this season, with the passing of Coach Knight, I did not want to include the year in the title as I am sure there will be a lot to post in the coming days and weeks. 

 

So let's start with this 

Saw another post and thought ok, who would it be without looking at the article. From the entire Knight era; name the all time starting 5. 

In no certain order:

Isiah Thomas

George McGinnis

Calbert Cheaney

Steve Alford 

Scott May

[Irishman]

Tough call between May and Benson......I went with May because if he stays healthy during his career, the undefeated thing reaches a far more epic level. 

[Bobref]

I was in Bloomington from the Fall of 1974 to the Spring of 1977, probably the best 3 seasons for IU basketball. Scott May was the best player in college basketball. Benson a dominant force in the middle. But the engine that made the whole thing run was Quinn Buckner.

[Irishman]

2 hours ago, Irishman said:

While it is mostly for this season, with the passing of Coach Knight, I did not want to include the year in the title as I am sure there will be a lot to post in the coming days and weeks. 

 

So let's start with this 

Saw another post and thought ok, who would it be without looking at the article. From the entire Knight era; name the all time starting 5. 

In no certain order:

Isiah Thomas

George McGinnis

Calbert Cheaney

Steve Alford 

Scott May

I have to edit. McGinnis was set to play for Knight when Knight took over. But George's sophomore season was the season before that. Knight encouraged him to go pro because of family financial issues. 
 

[Irishman]

On 10/15/2023 at 6:03 PM, EasyEJay said:

5- star Liam McNeeley commits to IU over Kansas . 
 

attends Montverde Academy in Florida (HS of JHS and Malik Reneau) . 

And it is now in ink. 
https://247sports.com/college/indiana/Article/five-star-forward-liam-mcneeley-officially-signs-national-letter-of-intent-indiana-iu-hoosiers-basketball-219841081/?fbclid=IwAR37VnBdiM90rXVCEr_5jEQOxgxtkFSdOsqykmpUHSGhGcZwOwSNgAzB9l8_aem_AT9NW1dnfARAE09T1bokSHj6c50ptooopXaAjKFQIeH2P3cfHYmF2u6LM4QcB6_Yxkc

[EasyEJay]

Also 5-Star Teammate Derik Queen will now NOT make his decision during the early signing period. Most reports say this is a good thing for all finalist besides presumed favorite Maryland. 

At one point it was thought to be a two horse race between the Terps and Hoosiers , with Houston in a distant 3rd  but Kansas was also added to the list of finalist. I think the Hoosiers are in a good spot if this recruitment goes into the spring obviously Woodson as a track record of grabbing 5-stars off the board late (Reneau and Mgbacko). 

As for Tuesday night Hoosiers were tested vs a very good FGCU team, Iu should have little trouble with Army on Sunday then an uptick on competition before heading to NY to play the defending Champs and UCONN BUT can't afford to over look Wright State this early in the season. 

regardless of the outcome against UCONN , Hoosiers should leave NYC with a W (most likely getting in shambles U of L if they lose to UNCONN game 1 ). Then Harvard in Bankers Life could be a nice 4-1 before Conference play sneaks a couple of early ones in. 

[EasyEJay]

Well here we are a week later , Hoosiers have not really looked the part in two games vs Army and Wright St (without their leading scorer) Better on Offense but lack of defensive intensity at times has kept them from blowing either team out. Also the 3pt shot and inability to close out on switches as led to team feasting on 3s so far at SSAH. Oh and 3 sure things in life Death, Taxes and a kid from Indiana coming into IU  goes unconscious against them from 3 for no reason at all 🙃.

With many questions and concerns nothing says get right like a date with the defending national champs in NYC YAY! oh and 6th year senior PG got hurt, bright side is we should come away from NYC at least 1-1 with U of L in the 4 team field though Id imagine it will be a rather close game based on our first 3. 

On a positive Note , I do love what I've seen from Ware for a guy that has "motor Issues" at Oregon he been solid through the 3 games also good for Queen to see another big guy flourish at IU. Reneau has been the 16 and 8-9 guy I thought he would  be. Love the hustle of Cupps off the bench PG is in good hands for 3 years (Boogie who?). Gallow and Johnson have been pretty good as well just have some let downs .

 

Mgbako has been as disappointment ok on offense and dreadful on defense often not on the floor in crunch time. Walker who I thought might be a big piece off the bench has proven why Miami was fine to let him go from a Final Four team. And CJ Gunn is suppose to be a shooter but Airballs a 15 footer on the baseline...… He does some nice things at times but too often forces the issue let the game come to you dude. Banks looks the same , and just not enough of a sample size to register an opinion on Sparks yet. 

1-1 in NYC , beat Harvard in Indy and Maryland at home and could head into the first road trip to UM at 5-1 might have this team feeling a playing at a higher level. TBD 

[Coach Nowlin]

Who ranks the Rankers?  

 

[Impartial_Observer]

23 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Who ranks the Rankers?  

 

Apparently someone without a great deal of basketball knowledge. 

[Coach Nowlin]

Painter has always stated that these rankings that are industry standards are bogus because there are WAY too many grassroots teams, players, events that you CANNOT in any certainty scour the entire pool and create any sort of system that is valid. 

 

[Irishman]

On 11/30/2023 at 2:04 PM, Coach Nowlin said:

Who ranks the Rankers?  

 

Ben Franklin

[EasyEJay]

Well been as sad couple of performances keep all the analytics out of it, I just don't think this team is very tough or tough enough to win games against great teams (Home, away, neutral, close games , blowouts, and everything in between). If this was last years Big ten I may say time to focus on 2024, BUT clearly the Big Ten is down down this year especially in consistency outside of Purdue at applies to every team. at 7-3 (2-0) Here's just a gut feeling. 

 

Win                                     Loss                                 +/-  

Moreheas St                      @Nebraska                     @Neb 

North Bama                       @ Rut 

[EasyEJay]

Well been as sad couple of performances keep all the analytics out of it, I just don't think this team is very tough or tough enough to win games against great teams (Home, away, neutral, close games , blowouts, and everything in between). If this was last years Big ten I may say time to focus on 2024, BUT clearly the Big Ten is down down this year especially in consistency outside of Purdue at applies to every team. at 7-3 (2-0) Here's just a gut feeling. 

 

Win                                     Loss                                 +/-  (Could win or lose) 

Moorhead St                      @Nebraska                     @Neb 

North Bama                       @ Rut                                @ Rut 

OSU                                   Pur                                     Pur 

Minn                                  @ Wisc                              NW 

Iowa                                  @ Illnios                            Wisconsin 

Penn St                             OSU                                 MSU 

NW                                    @ PUR 

Nebraska 

@ Penn ST 

Wisconsin

@ Mayrlaynd 

@ Minn 

MSU 

 

Ceiling 24-7 ( 16-4) (Ncaa tourney yes) 

Projection 21-10 (13-7) (NCAA Tourney maybe : First four again) 

Floor 18-13 (10-10)  ( hello CBI) LOL 

Time will tell  

[Impartial_Observer]

How many embarrassments in that lot? 

[Impartial_Observer]

X

Edited December 18, 2023 by Impartial_Observer
Double poste

[EasyEJay]

Likely my final IU basketball discourse,

in the age of NIL , and when donors have paid almost 40 Mil to tell a FB and BBALL coach to go away. Their is 0 excuse for this poor of guard play for poor roster construction.  

Indiana has had 1 basketball coach since Bob Knight capable of elevating the program to the level of sustained success it should have (Winning multiple Big Ten titles, making the tourney every year, and talented enough for a possible Final Four run some years) His name was Kelvin Sampson and he had the shortest tenure of any coach. 

In an age before the transfer portal or NIL Sampson finished with 20 + wins, 3rd in the Big Ten and Tourney berth/ Tourney win (took #7 UCLA to the wire in round 2) IN YEAR 1. In year 2 he signs Eric Gordon to pair with another All American in DJ White a roster of solid role players. They were 22-4 when Sampson was fired...........

Now at 68 years old Sampson has built non power conference Houston into a top national program with a final four. 

Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Sean Miller, Jim Harbaugh in Football, heck Bob Knight himself. Just win that's it just win and you don't have to do it with a bunch of choir boys 

[Impartial_Observer]

1 hour ago, EasyEJay said:

Likely my final IU basketball discourse,

in the age of NIL , and when donors have paid almost 40 Mil to tell a FB and BBALL coach to go away. Their is 0 excuse for this poor of guard play for poor roster construction.  

Indiana has had 1 basketball coach since Bob Knight capable of elevating the program to the level of sustained success it should have (Winning multiple Big Ten titles, making the tourney every year, and talented enough for a possible Final Four run some years) His name was Kelvin Sampson and he had the shortest tenure of any coach. 

In an age before the transfer portal or NIL Sampson finished with 20 + wins, 3rd in the Big Ten and Tourney berth/ Tourney win (took #7 UCLA to the wire in round 2) IN YEAR 1. In year 2 he signs Eric Gordon to pair with another All American in DJ White a roster of solid role players. They were 22-4 when Sampson was fired...........

Now at 68 years old Sampson has built non power conference Houston into a top national program with a final four. 

Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Sean Miller, Jim Harbaugh in Football, heck Bob Knight himself. Just win that's it just win and you don't have to do it with a bunch of choir boys 

And you’ve hit on the point where IU and I parted ways. Sampson is a cheater. IU knew that when they hired him and he came in and continued cheating. Izzo’s post Northwestern rant was spot on. The guys IU is recruiting may well be four or five star AAU guys, but in what limited time my wife has forced me to watch this crap, they’re soft, they’re not competitors, and they’re lazy. Mediocrity is the bar at Bloomington and it has been since the Glass administration. 

[Irishman]

11 hours ago, EasyEJay said:

Likely my final IU basketball discourse,

in the age of NIL , and when donors have paid almost 40 Mil to tell a FB and BBALL coach to go away. Their is 0 excuse for this poor of guard play for poor roster construction.  

Indiana has had 1 basketball coach since Bob Knight capable of elevating the program to the level of sustained success it should have (Winning multiple Big Ten titles, making the tourney every year, and talented enough for a possible Final Four run some years) His name was Kelvin Sampson and he had the shortest tenure of any coach. 

In an age before the transfer portal or NIL Sampson finished with 20 + wins, 3rd in the Big Ten and Tourney berth/ Tourney win (took #7 UCLA to the wire in round 2) IN YEAR 1. In year 2 he signs Eric Gordon to pair with another All American in DJ White a roster of solid role players. They were 22-4 when Sampson was fired...........

Now at 68 years old Sampson has built non power conference Houston into a top national program with a final four. 

Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Sean Miller, Jim Harbaugh in Football, heck Bob Knight himself. Just win that's it just win and you don't have to do it with a bunch of choir boys 

Yeah, this team and the program just are not worth the energy to comment on any more. I am not sure they recover honestly, as you said in this age of NIL and the portal. 

[EasyEJay]

I know what I said last time BUT I say a lot if things haha no in all seriousness I think tonight is a massive turning point in the tenure of Mike Woodson one way or the other...…

reality regardless of what people say about the conference this year, a win tonight puts Woodson 4-1 vs the Boilers (and a dumb Xavier Johnson half court shot with 8 secs left away from being 5-0) and his arguably least talented roster in sole possession of 2nd place in the Big Ten. Lose tonight and ? 3-2 vs Purdue will be 3-3 by the end of the season and jammed in the middle somewhere with 0 quad 1 wins in late Jan and NET ranking that could slip into the 100s OUCH. 

I like Coach and want him to succeed but I feel like his ego is a little exhausting something I didn't realize he had (but then again anyone willing to coach the NY Knicks has to have an ego tbh) .

In the coaches show last night he decided he wanted to play the martyr by saying " I Love the fans at Indiana, and I hope they love me too." fair enough BUT less than 24 hours earlier he gets crappy with reporters when asked about his rotations? Come on Coach look you fired your best assistant coach because you didn't like people talking about him as the next HC an him questioning your methods. You've been back to the tourney but absolutely embarrassed in 2 losses and constructed a roster of guards in the age of NIL that would ride the bench at any other power 5 school. Answer the tough questions you haven't earned that right yet. He's finding out the hard way IU fans don't really care how many points you scored in an IU uniform in the late 70s and early 80s. 

For better or for worse I think we could look back on tonight as that pivotal moment 

FWIW 

Archie's - Home loss to Purdue in Coach Knights return should have fired in in the locker room ! 

Crean's - Don't think he had anyone one moment really, extreme disappointment of 2013 coupled with the inconsistency of missing the tourney all together after Big Ten title seasons 

[Impartial_Observer]

3 hours ago, EasyEJay said:

I know what I said last time BUT I say a lot if things haha no in all seriousness I think tonight is a massive turning point in the tenure of Mike Woodson one way or the other...…

reality regardless of what people say about the conference this year, a win tonight puts Woodson 4-1 vs the Boilers (and a dumb Xavier Johnson half court shot with 8 secs left away from being 5-0) and his arguably least talented roster in sole possession of 2nd place in the Big Ten. Lose tonight and ? 3-2 vs Purdue will be 3-3 by the end of the season and jammed in the middle somewhere with 0 quad 1 wins in late Jan and NET ranking that could slip into the 100s OUCH. 

I like Coach and want him to succeed but I feel like his ego is a little exhausting something I didn't realize he had (but then again anyone willing to coach the NY Knicks has to have an ego tbh) .

In the coaches show last night he decided he wanted to play the martyr by saying " I Love the fans at Indiana, and I hope they love me too." fair enough BUT less than 24 hours earlier he gets crappy with reporters when asked about his rotations? Come on Coach look you fired your best assistant coach because you didn't like people talking about him as the next HC an him questioning your methods. You've been back to the tourney but absolutely embarrassed in 2 losses and constructed a roster of guards in the age of NIL that would ride the bench at any other power 5 school. Answer the tough questions you haven't earned that right yet. He's finding out the hard way IU fans don't really care how many points you scored in an IU uniform in the late 70s and early 80s. 

For better or for worse I think we could look back on tonight as that pivotal moment 

FWIW 

Archie's - Home loss to Purdue in Coach Knights return should have fired in in the locker room ! 

Crean's - Don't think he had anyone one moment really, extreme disappointment of 2013 coupled with the inconsistency of missing the tourney all together after Big Ten title seasons 

I agree with everything you said. I heard in the radio this morning they were playing, and I really feel like this is a must win for IU. Then I immediately realized that if IU is playing tonight, my wife will be watching that and I can get back to my Justified binge. No clue what happens to IU, but it’s a win/win for me. 

[Bobref]

3 hours ago, Impartial_Observer said:

I can get back to my Justified binge.

Raylan is the best!

[EasyEJay]

18 hours ago, Impartial_Observer said:

I agree with everything you said. I heard in the radio this morning they were playing, and I really feel like this is a must win for IU. Then I immediately realized that if IU is playing tonight, my wife will be watching that and I can get back to my Justified binge. No clue what happens to IU, but it’s a win/win for me. 

Need a new show to binge watch and I love me some Timothy Olyphant (he was awesome in Deadwood and Santa Clarita Diet) and Walton Goggins. Thinking Friday night at about 8:30 is a perfect time to start! 

[Impartial_Observer]

I’m just catching up on stuff I missed when my kids were around. I had a daughter with a softball habit and a son who was going to be a rock star. 

[EasyEJay]

On 1/17/2024 at 9:44 AM, EasyEJay said:

Need a new show to binge watch and I love me some Timothy Olyphant (he was awesome in Deadwood and Santa Clarita Diet) and Walton Goggins. Thinking Friday night at about 8:30 is a perfect time to start! 

Update just finished season 2 absolutely hooked watched s3 episode 1 last night and you know when Neal McDonough shows up in a show or movie your watching it’s about to hit the fan ! Haha 

[Impartial_Observer]

11 minutes ago, EasyEJay said:

Update just finished season 2 absolutely hooked watched s3 episode 1 last night and you know when Neal McDonough shows up in a show or movie your watching it’s about to hit the fan ! Haha 

I won’t give anything away, but his existence on the show takes an unexpected turn. 
I highly recommend finishing it. One of the best series endings ever. I think there is as much understood as what is said. 

Edited January 26, 2024 by Impartial_Observer