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First, you guys are hilarious. Reading the pages I missed on a long travel day is great. I guess I missed the chance to drop the bomb that coaches were informed yesterday that Woody is being retired. Better to come from established sources so those on this board who question inside info so diligently wouldn’t have to post responses. Should be an announcement officially tomorrow. Told it was supposed to happen today, but Woody is being difficult about ending the season - and some of that has to do with getting the most out of his contract. This all follows several weeks of work by Dolson, and his witnessing a fight in the locker room that had to be broken up, with an assistant coach yelling at Woody “this is why they’re firing you!” Want to watch the women’s game now, so will save some additional nuggets for later. But Dolson is retaining a search firm just to check the box, but we’re getting our guy. Numbers have been discussed. I’d expect that to be announced after the season right before the tourney starts. I’ll add more later. Sorry my travel didn’t spring this last night before it hit the media but had some family things going on. Things are about to turn around for IU and our fans in a big big way. Alright, go Lady Hoosiers!

I'm going to say this. We're not going to be talking to a guy since late November about our job coming open. Discuss salary, give NIL assurances, make sure they feel comfortable coming here this time, and then the first weekend the job opens the person goes yeah NO Thanks. Scott and his team, have put a lot of time in effort in this back-channeling to try to give us the best shot possible at landing him. He has listened, given us feedback, asked for certain things, and told us he's considering it. We haven't even gotten to the formal part of the job interview yet and won't for some time. Not like Stevens needs to interview but we're not going to sit down with him for some time. He might say no. All of you people who have said Stevens is 100% not coming to IU will be able to post I told you so. But to say we have no chance, you're flat-out wrong. Nothing is happening with any candidate this month I can tell you that. So relax watch some games, go outside and get some air. Mike Woodson is not the coach next season and an upgrade is on their way. Go Hoosiers!!

First thing's first, congrats to the IU women on the 4-seed and hosting opportunity. Tough draw, but they call it madness for a reason. Secondly, love you guys and this community, but goodness you're not shy about using the private message feature. Sorry for ghosting many of you but easier to just post publicly. And, now that I've effectively buried the lead, Woodson is back next year with a couple caveats and interesting details: - Meeting Tuesday happened as scheduled and talk was future of the basketball program and specifically how Woody fits in that plan - Though Dolson and BoT disagree about it happening now, consensus was that this isn't the bridge hire they'd hoped for and this is his last year barring some miracle B1G championship or FF run next year that would make for bad optics. - Woodson was given the opportunity to retire and go out amicably but said no and that he thinks he can use the portal to put us in a better position to transition to another coach after next year. - Dolson laid out expectations for portal results and win/loss results next season that would result in letting Woody go; just my opinion but it sounds like Buckner, boosters, etc. got him the 4th year but Scotty Dolson has his finger on the eject button and Woodson knows it. Fully expect him to announce a "planned retirement" next year so he can go out on his "own terms" - For what it's worth, Dolson did put out feelers and got positive feedback on interest from 2 of his top 3 potential replacement candidates; think we can get May with a text message, Pearl has serious interest but wouldn't make a move if his team makes a FF run or wins a natty. - I think we as a fanbase/board are higher on Dusty than the administration/BoT; sounds like they're only interested in a homerun hire, win now guy if they do move and risking a third straight miss isn't something they're willing to do and just because he has IU ties and made a good tourney run, feeling is May isn't a guarantee at this level. That's what I've got that I'm able to share comfortably right now. Not what myself or anybody on this board probably wants to hear. Moral is one more year is 95% likely (everyone root for UCONN in the S16, and a miracle!) It's kind of messy internally and they're trying to move on to get IU back to a top tier program while letting Woodson ride into the sunset having left the program in a good place and "stepping aside" for the good of the program. ??

Yes. Obviously. Anything could happen. People have free will, situations could change. There’s no guarantees in life. But I believe what I’ve been told. I know the facts about what has been done and we’re preparing to do are in place right now. And if it does happen to go a different way unexpectedly, I’m very confident and happy with our “miss” scenario. This is much different than ‘21 replacing Archie. Coaches were looking at IU and saying I’ve got to go in there and be successful with those players, and even recruit some of them to come back - and I need to be competitive year one and two. NIL wasn’t in play yet. Flipping a roster wasn’t a thing like it is now. A coach now says, I’ve got more resources than almost every team in the country and will be able to get whoever I need to fit my system. And I get to be a hero for one of the most storied programs you could choose from. We had to scramble last time and heard “no” more than thrice. This week we’ve got major names in coaching reaching out to express interest. So yes. Objectively, we might get another kick in the dick. But I feel good right now we have our guy. We can’t miss this time. I myself am excited. All is good.

The “compromise” by Dolson to let this go down this way saved us some good cash on the buyout. Lot of litigation today. Make no mistake about it, this was not Woody’s decision to retire.

Once again I feel like I have to share this every couple of years. I have never said I'm an insider, I've never said anyone should believe anything I say, I've never pushed anything I've heard as fact. I've never said you need to read anything I write or hear. All I have ever said is I will always share what I hear. If the mods want me to stop doing that I'm fine with that. I didn't show up yesterday with an agenda. I've been here for many years. If you feel the need to take your shots at me, go for it, I'm a big boy. As someone told me yesterday I should disappear and come back with a different name. But I enjoy this board and the many friends I have made over the last 10 years.

It’s all happening.

Let’s just watch this game knowing we’re most likely to have a new coach next season. Hopefully will have more later. Trying to get some clarification on a good rumor.

Don’t steal my lines. :)

First post here - long time lurker on BTB. I watched the senior day "festivities" and felt like I needed to let my opinion out somewhere. I've been a donor and supporter of IUBB since I graduated a decade ago. Good team or bad. I watch or record every game and make plans around them. I'm known by friends and family as a die-hard fan. It's part of my identity. Prior to this evening, I merely felt that Woodson didn't have the team on a good trajectory and that it would be better served going in a different direction. Today was the first time I ever felt like a fool for my support. I got told by the head coach that I wasn't a true fan for wanting what I thought was best for the program. That same coach has refused to answer any question regarding the program's future or acknowledge that he would be willing to make any change to get a better outcome. That coach then told me he's done his job and that it should never be in question while sitting in 6th the worst Big Ten in ages with very few prospects of success this season or next. Some are saying they just took the comments as Woodson defending himself. I took them as him dancing on the graves of those who wanted him out. I won't abandon the team entirely, but I'm sad and angry that I'm not considered a fan by the program I love and have withdrawn future donations to IU Athletics as a result. Frankly, I'm disgusted by Mike Woodson as a person and, valid or not, I feel personally insulted and I feel like my time, energy, and money has been wasted. Anyway, this post is too long but I'm glad I got that off my chest. My wife says I'm being dramatic but I guess she's a true fan.

You don’t come to IU and say you’re going to compete for Big Ten and National Championships then by the end of year 3 you’re not making the tournament. We’re on the bubble for the NIT. Add in recruiting is a disaster. Don’t go to HS or AAU games, don’t know anyone’s name. Just need a full reset.

From my brief experience as a low-level employee in an SEC Ath department decades ago, most buyouts originate from donors since they typically aren’t considered “salary “ or “compensation” in the sense of belonging in the same lines of a university’s budget. But that’s not ironclad, as Jimbo Fisher’s buyout proves. The raise/buyout info re: Woodson was public record info ever since it was announced a year ago, and as soon as I saw it I thought “Dolson’s trading a smaller total buyout amount on April 1st of 2025 for the opportunity to amortize a larger buyout amount over 8 years OR (given Woodson’s age) another opportunity to renegotiate the new buyout amount down.” Reading what few actual tea leaves seem to be out there at the moment, I get the impression that 1) Dolson wants to move on, 2) Buckner wants to stay put, and 3) Pres Whitten may not yet want to be involved (but may soon have to be nonetheless). I have no idea if Pearl (or, more accurately, Pearl’s agent) is now involved, or if Dusty May’s representatives have been fully engaged, but perhaps things have reached some sort of standoff between the folks who want Woodson retained (Buckner, Cooks, Simons, some former players?) and those who strongly feel a change needs to be made (possibly Dolson, some other donors, some other former players, most of the fanbase?). If that’s where matters are at this point in time, history tells me that some sort of exogenous or “outside” event may have to happen to break the stalemate. It seems to me that the most likely event fitting that description might come from the one group directly embroiled in this that possibly has the least concern about what the BOT and donors think: players on the current roster. If enough rumors are true and a “critical mass” of players plan to leave AND Dolson can convince others of that likelihood, maybe that could break the logjam and persuade Pres Whitten, enough donors, and if not QB himself then enough other Trustees, that the status quo is no longer sustainable, and as a result could possibly force the change that so many of us feel is desperately needed. If such a chain of events led to Bruce Pearl, so be it. If it brought home a “native son” like Dusty May, so be it. If I could talk with either of them for 5 minutes I would say “whatever else you do, hire ASAP someone like Matt Graves on your staff because in-state recruiting is on life support and he can do the CPR necessary to revive it.”

I think the few remaining people Woody had on his side he lost last night. Anyone can see what IU means to Trey, and how hard he works during the game, then you're going to call a timeout to rip him a new one for getting beat once. Then blame him for the loss because he had 6 turnovers. To also say we would be much better off if we had Xavier. We have all watched him play and we wouldn't be that much better. No one will want to get on a sinking ship

I’ve heard his top guy is a go and his back up was always a yes

He’s done at the end of the season regardless. The admin is just being cautious about a mid-season change because not every coach and media person in the country has been watching for four years and understands. It’s maybe not a good look as a program to be moving on from a coach with a winning record and above .500 conference record. Unless a string of games or bad loss is in the forefront of things. Just let it play out. Our schedule is about to get hairy, and Woody isn’t learning to coach suddenly in February.

Well, you all may remember me fondly as the Woodson defender from last spring. Let it be known that I am now 100% firmly planted in the "Fire Mike Woodson" camp. You all were right. I was wrong, and I'm man enough to admit that. I was at the game on Tuesday. The vibe was off before the game even started. Get rid of him now.

What a great night of sleep. Feel good for the weekend. Things are about to change around here.

Definitely fair. Player recruiting is so much different to predict though. I’ve been hoodwinked a few times (Trey Kaufman comes to mind). Kids just aren’t as formal and they tend to run their mouths for attention which can lead to things changing for one reason or another. Administration stuff and coaches, with the agents and lawyers and brand deals, etc. are a bit easier to follow with higher levels of certainty. And before the last negotiation with BS gets brought up, it WAS a done deal. As close as it can be when it’s in the pre-contract phase of the talks. We blew it in a lot of ways that have been beat to death. But at the time, that wasn’t bad information. It should have been believed. It just didn’t work out in that instance. Just my two cents for some reference as someone who is on record as saying we will get our guy. It’s all happening.

Student callers on Hysterics livespace says they've talked to a team manager, who said: "Woody was told he was going to be forced to retire yesterday. Today Woody walked in and said "I'm done - I quit." "Kenya Hunter will take over the team."

Give me Dusty, Abernathy, Matt Graves, and LaVall Jordan as assistants and let’s see what happens. You have everything covered. I still feel a change will be made.

Trilly just confirmed the Galloway info I posted here last week (and initially about 3-4 weeks ago). That is why BTB is the goat. I posted that here and you guys took a very relaxed and logical approach - "this sucks, lets see what happens" I posted it at Peegs and immediately - "FRAUD!, NO POSTS, etc" Already canceled by Peegs membership and staying right at home here.

I'm sorry but not going to argue with Katchy about this but I got a text from someone higher than her last night that said some serious conversations are going on right now at the highest levels about ending this nightmare immediately.

Not sure if I should share this or not but the feedback IU is getting from the portal so far, from kids who should be a layup for IU is not going well. When a player's camp tells you that you need to change your offense and pay them a lot of money to get them it's not good.

Saw on the other site that Trilly said Dolson met with some notable former players today and their message to him was that they want Woodson gone.

I can 100% say that the job was never offered to Pitino or Oats. I wish we would have spoken to Oats. From what I’m hearing a couple of very big donors are at least open about talking about replacing Woodson this season. Dolson has a very good pulse on who all would be interested. We’ll see.