Leaderboard

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. ??

MR, MM, KW moving on/entering the portal moves the needle probably. Combined with an early exit by Auburn it gets more interesting.

The source wasn’t Dolson.

Scott is definitely fighting the good fight, but the headwinds have been substantial. I think he will get this right in the long run personally. He knows what needs to happen.

Just braindead. If the only thing saving him is a B10 title or a FF next year; just cut him loose now. Barring a miracle, next year is just a lost year at this point and another year of apathy and the IU program sinking deeper into the depths of mediocrity. Go get the guy you want now and get started on the rebuild. Thanks for the update.

The Godfather has arrived! Thanks for the update Jerry. Man, if Pearl really wanted to come here after a, say, S16 loss, it’d be nice if we could sit Woody down and say look, I know you want to leave the program in the best spot possible, and the best way to do that is retire and let this guy take over. Because he’s the best option we’re gonna have this year or next.

Man....Seriously, F Mike Woodson for putting his ego in front of the future of the entire program. The more I read about this guy, the less I like him. He's not in it for IU, he's in it for Mike Woodson.

Appreciate the intent, but that name getting out would lose me my sources pretty quickly.

Maybe it's time for you to relax about this thread. Nobody's forcing you to read it. The mods are more than capable of determining when to lock or shut down a thread.

Didn’t he call it a no brainer at the time? And he was exactly right.

https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/mike-woodson-indiana-job-not-done-01hrbxhtz0r9

So they have basically fired Woodson but effective next year?!?! WTF. Nothing says incompetent more than willfully agreeing to endure another poor season while also being willing to negatively impact recruiting for the next 2 seasons. The administration has to exit the echo chamber of “we must tread lightly with Woody” and look at the big picture. At this point they are on the verge of taking the worst path possible (other than extending him).

Someone needs to protect Woody from CMW. If he wants to go out on a high note it won’t come via wins and losses. It will be about leaving at the right time… ie the moment Bruce Pearl says he’s ready to come north.

Seems like having zero commitments after year 3 would be an indictment on him and his system.

So, in the BoT’s “wisdom”, the chosen path to success is to try to get an incredible level of talented players who are willing to take money to play in a terrible system under a mediocre coach, then somehow overachieve and perform at an elite or championship level. Which would require Woodson to suddenly do everything he has failed to do in three years. Then, even if it were miraculously successful, it would be completely unsustainable. Or, if it’s not successful, they’ll fire him later for the same things they’ve already decided he deserves to be fired for now, they’re just not ready to do it yet. As opposed to making a change now and getting a coach who has the skills and experience to get started now, and do this in a proven and more successful way. Sounds like a great plan… what could go wrong? God help us…these people don’t know what the ______ they are doing, IMO.

With all due respect, Mike Woodson (the coach) has not earned the right to dictate his own terms. He's accomplished very little as the head coach of Indiana - one trip to the second round. This is not a Jim Boeheim situation, with a coach slipping off at the end of a Hall of Fame career. It feels like Woodson will be retained as the IU head coach because he was a great player here 45 years ago. The same reason he was hired in the first place.

Thanks for sharing the insights you have. It makes this board a lot of fun! To any of us who dreamed about playing basketball for the Hoosiers, this next year might be our opportunity! I still have some eligibility left. Could bring some wisdom to the team.

NO

To me there's 1 person that makes a ton of sense after next season because they will bring some players with him and likely have some 2025 in state kids ready to commit or flip to IU to play for him. He obviously doesn't have the resume at this point of some other coaches but he is a very well respected coach and is a great recruiter. Not saying he'd be my first pick but he would make some sense.

Fire Scott Dolson too then.

Put a team together that looks like it has a reasonable chance to compete next year. If we straight up strike out in the portal, with the resources we have, I think it will be seen as an indictment on Woody and players wanting to play for him and in his system.

Sara is a lovely gal -- but those colors just don't do her justice. This is much better!

This whole “fix it in the portal” strategy seems flawed for several reasons with two of them being: - It seems to presume that talent was the problem and getting talent will fix the problem. I’m not at all convinced of that. Even if we end up with more or better talent, it may still flounder in a flawed system. -It also seems to be based on the presumption that better or more talent can actually be obtained from the portal, which I’m also not at all convinced of.

Mighty thanks for the update, but it seems the circus continues. Zero HS recruits and a boatload of portal transfers gets IU in a better place for the next coach. In what freaking universe?

Got a Trilly Gif of Death too. It was a fun ride. Have a bad feeling about the NIT now.