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Jeff Goodman released his 2018-19 College Basketball Preseason Top 25 Rankings. Has IU at #20 https://watchstadium.com/news/jeff-goodmans-2018-19-college-basketball-preseason-top-25-rankings-09-10-2018/

I was talking to a returning position player a few weeks ago and had a pretty interesting conversation. It's probably not worth starting a new topic, but thought I'd share a bit for those following IU baseball. Trying to recall what he told me, but the main points were Mercer's coaching philosophy is more of a "professional baseball" approach that Lemonis. He said that there isn't much emphasis on bunting and "small ball" in general. Essentially, from what I gathered, hitters are looking to drive the ball regardless of count and situation (with some exceptions, I'm sure). Overall, there's a lot more BP, weight lifting, and emphasis on nutrition and conditioning. He said that team chemistry is good right now and that the new coaching staff has been well received by the players. Of course, it's hard to keep everybody happy during the season, so I'm sure some things will change in that regard. But, it sounds like so far, so good from his standpoint.

@INBBallSource: Indiana and Notre Dame will watch Blackhawk Christian forward Caleb Furst (2021) today.

Ben Stinar‏ @BenStinar Can confirm per source: former IU star Robert Johnson will sign with the Milwaukee Bucks for training camp. [Stinar is an NBA writer and reporter]

That’s ridiculous. Whether one is likely to get caught or punished is not justification for cheating.

He committed to Uconn Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

The no scrimmage talk worries me a little bit. I feel like that’s the only part of the event with any substance and though it’s just a light scrimmage it can give you a feel for how the team is meshing together. This coming from a younger person who doesn’t really care for the dunk contest or any of the antics. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

That is correct on Randolph and there is more on that one as well. Like the fact that he never took an SAT of ACT.

“Within the rules” It’s relative. Technically Kentucky and Duke have been within the rules. Villanova knows the tricks as well, they have landed some studs that indicate that. They are the new MSU to me. Izzo looked squeaky clean and admirable for a while too. What I mean by the MSU comparison is they are succeeding while hiding under the veil of other programs that are skirting rules more egregiously. Just my opinion. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals150/2020 Rivals updated 2020 rankings Leal-80. Up 42 spots Galloway-133. Down 52 spots Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

I definitely want to win with integrity. Maybe I'm naive, but I still think it can be done, although it is much more difficult. Hoping for the playing field to level out is most likely a pipe dream as long as the NCAA is running the show. They've shown their true colors time after time. Their view is clouded by $$ and they will do nothing to anyone who is making them lots of it.

Good job by Ken...whoever he is! http://www.kensrankings.com/

Definitely true. At the same time it would be nice to take care of home and start dropping the moral victories. If we carry momentum over we should be 4-0 then 5-0 before the gauntlet. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

My opinion? If you want to get paid, don't go to college, go get paid. If you want to go to college, you'll wait to get paid.

Here's the thing though, there is nothing that says they have to go to college. They get more than just the scholarship money, the stipend, the free meals, clothes, etc. they get a chance to build their brand. That's why you don't see more kids going overseas or to the G-League from high school. That and the extra money they can get through committing to a school. How much do NBA owners make compared to what they pay their players? How much do schools make compared to what they spend on scholarships, world class facilities, top notch trainers and coaches, stipends, housing, food, transportation, etc.? Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

I am sure he is. But I know for a fact Zac Randolph was paid. Dude had an Escalade with rims coming from a very poor family in Marion. If he didn’t get paid by MSU the other school was totally screwed. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

Looks and reads like a Purdude - not sure I trust him ;)

" I got a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics with an emphasis in Statistics. I chose this major because I love identifying patterns. I decided to create this website to merge my love of sports with my love of math" ....I guess the numbers don't lie, the Hoosiers are the 3rd. best team in the country! We'll see you in January Bama!

Two things about this charade of recruiting violations: 1. Even in the rare instance when the NCAA investigates and acts on recruiting violations, it's so long after the infractions occurred that their "punishments" have little effect or deterrent on the offending school. 2. It seems the CBB world acts as if the sanctions UL received were for what happened with the FBI related cheating. Same goes for the UL fans and recruits - as if cheating Ricky resigning is enough to erase their sins. The FBI investigation will only affect those who were breaking tax law. The feds have no interest or jurisdiction in enforcing recruiting rules. The NCAA has jurisdiction but also has no interest in enforcing recruiting violations (particularly if it concerns one of the more popular teams). I know this is just "preaching to the choir", but I had to say it.

I agree. I don't want a leg up on other schools, I just want a level playing field. Playing by the rules today is akin to bring a knife to a gun fight.

Another visit. @madd1escherr: Had a great visit at IU the other day! Thank you to @TeriMoren & the rest of the staff for having me! @IndianaWBB

IU opens as a 4.5 point dog.

Apologies. Should be an “are not relative”. You are 100% correct. Terrible typo. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

A free college education and access to top of the line facilities and trainers is worth a pretty penny. As a parent of 3 kids, I could only hope one of them gets a free college education.

I get a little sick of the cheating issue. I know it's happening, I just don't find it all that interesting. The game would be better without it, but at the same time I do think these kids should be compensated for what they provide, just like any other entertainer that can fill a gymnasium, and secure multi-million television contracts and gambling fodder and merchandise sales. Also, it makes March a whole lot more fun when Loyola-Chicago can charge through, or Butler, or George Mason, beating the larger programs. And honestly, when our desperate fanbase starts whining about the cheaters, it makes us look a little pathetic. The other thing is people tend to lump all cheating into the same bucket. The coach isn't writing checks from his University checkbook. Except in the worst cases, he's not negotiating with shoe companies. Pitino got caught because he's careless and arrogant, and frankly the money was too good for him personally. I think the actual system is a little more nuanced than how it is discussed. The smarter programs limit a head coach's exposure as much as possible, keeping plausible deniability and really just to make sure the program can keep its coach. Money and favors change hands through cash transactions or in-kind goods and services coming from persons not connected to the university. Miles Bridges is from Flint, and went to MSU. Did his family receive some kind of benefit? Probably. Was Izzo the guy arranging for this to occur? Probably not. Do I view Miles as a cheater, or somehow wish I could stop his family from receiving the money? No way. I'm guessing when someone inadvertently provides proof of this stuff to Izzo, he has to make some official and documented statement stating that he is against it and won't tolerate it, etc. And this is known, so he's kept in the dark. Did Drewfus buy Darius Garland a car? Obviously not. Did some wealthy family from Brentwood have a channel to get funds to Garland and his family? Very likely so. Has Louisville continued to get recruits after Pitino was fired? Yep, because that framework is still in place. Of course the question is whether or not Indiana is involved in this. From what I've learned Archie keeps his nose out of it. And so Archie is not a cheater. Do the players receive benefits from elsewhere? Pretty naive to think otherwise. I don't think Indiana is bad relative to the other programs, and I don't think any part of the coaching staff is connected to it. I also don't think our failure to cheat is the reason for our middling success.

Wasn’t it Izzo that said only 20 % of the top 20 we’re doing it without cheating? I’m sure he put himself in the 20% category. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

may be, but i know i thought of him as a guy that ran a clean program for a while. needless to say, my opinion of him has changed dramatically.

IU 28 MSU 21 I am voting with my heart, not my head this week. My heart says IU covers the spread, my head tells me that IU gets beat by 2 touchdowns or more.

Several CB picks to Texas Tech the last few days...that along with 2 recent SG type players committing. Gotta think Louisville is possibly out for Ramsey, thus the CBs to TTU. Like a previous poster said, if we can get him onto campus and at HH, we have a real shot bc it looks like our main competition may be TTU at the moment. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

Makes me sick. Their fans are still moaning about the vacated title.The only thing worse is the Chapel Hill farce.

Arizona is landing five stars again. Lesson learned is fbi scandals mean nothing. Same as it ever was. Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

They're just finding new ways of getting money to the kids and families. It's been that way for ages and will continue to be that way. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

I know the FBI is involved in the legal aspect of things but when the organization (NCAA) handing out penalties is corrupt to the very core the should really be no expectation of change.

U6 now has a 4 star SG and SF that is someplaces listed as SG. Wonder how hard they are after Ramsey. Or was this recent one a conditional after Ramsey said no?

The Bears can't seem to realize that Jordan Howard is by far the best player on that offense.

Well darn! But this isn’t much of a surprise Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

He was top 5 in yards per attempt last season. Far bigger issue would be if Gordon can stay sober, he hasn't played a full season in 5 years because of that.

Once i got this i laughed way to hard. [emoji3] Sent from my SM-G920V using BtownBanners mobile app

Not worried. Tommy has to be willing to throw vertically. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

This is a very important game for our bowl hopes. Before the season, I thought this would be reallly tough. I have watched MSU and come away fairly unimpressed given the expectations that came with them. In other words, it's going to be very winnable. That coupled with the fact that we get arguably one of the worst two teams in the conference next week (Rutgers), who lost against another miserable team Kansas by a lot and we could be starting off 5-0. That would be incredibly exciting and the level of optimism about the program and outlook on the season would soar.

Zagoria - Indiana and Maryland were at @VTAcademyHoops today for 2020 City Rocks Point Guard @EGB_ST4 Symir Torrence.

Very refreshing to see that he has a set timeline. List cut by September to 5. Officials in October. Decision in November. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

Archie with an in-home set for Wednesday along with Arizona, Kansas St. and O$U also with in-homes this week. http://www.zagsblog.com/2018/09/17/2019-big-man-zeke-nnaji-has-big-week-of-home-visits/

Just win baby! If Ramsey throws for 100 yards with an average of 3 yards per attempt while IU wins I couldn't care less. We just need him to not turn it over and be a dual threat. I do think Penix has more zip on his passes and will be able to get it downfield better in the future.

Except Dakich is right. Dakich knows more about basketball than Parrish could dream about knowing. Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

I don't know why Iugradman gets so much pushback on the things he says. In the vast majority of situations there isn't one specific reason why a recruit picks a school. It's usually a combination of things. So no, things like Hoosier hysteria being boring, the locker rooms looking crappy, or the dreaded 'drop ceilings' aren't the specific reasons why a recruit doesn't pick us, but they're all factors that go into the decision. Players want good coaching, they want good facilities, they want a good culture that they fit with. Him wanting IU to improve on things is just him realizing that the more variables in IU's favor, the better.

Sadly...there is lots of slime that remains.