mdn82

Please play nice today, lol.  

I apologize for being late to the party.  I had to work today.  As you guys have discussed for a couple of hours now, our turnovers were the story of the game.  To me there were a few items that caused the outcome of the game.     1.  Turnovers.  We had like what?  100 for the game?  If we continue to have the boneheaded turnovers we have had over the last few games more than early on, we won't win more than 7 B1G games.  There is no way you can turn the ball over close to 20 times per game in this conference and win.  We had 23 in this one.  That is downright disgusting.  If we hit 3s at a normal clip for us, we get beat big.  A better team beats us by 20 if we do that.     2.  We got to the foul line in a manner we will have to if we want to compete against most teams.  We got there 30 times.  We have to do that in conference, because quite honestly our offense isn't any good.  Crean has everybody moving in a hectic pace, which is fine.  At some point you have to run something that involves setting picks away from the ball.  We don't do that.  We set easy picks to defend at the top of the key.  Whomever has the ball is always going one on one.  It is frustrating watching the ball movement for the sole purpose of making a move one on one.     3.  Law of averages.  For the first 30 minutes we hit plenty of shots we should not have and normally won't hit.  We were also hitting shots that just aren't good.  For a team that is void of good shooters, I would hope we would take an extra effort of getting guys in position for an easier shot or lower stress shot.  Not a contested 3 at the top of the key, over and over again.  Yes they fell early, but if I am any coach in the B1G, I am telling my players to keep letting us take that.  They will eventually not fall.     Unfortunately, I don't have too many nice things to add to the game.  I was really happy Crean released Stan a little.  His stat line wasn't great, but things happen when he is on the court.  That aspect of his game reminds me so much of Vic as a Freshman.  I know Troy is the ultra athletic kid Crean likes to compare to Vic, but Stan is the kid who reminds me most of Vic.  Dude is just where the ball is every time he is on the court.  That is what I remember more than anything about Vic.  Noah was an absolute beast when he was on the court today.  Unfortunately he fell into a little foul trouble today.  Many teams will try and go right at him to do just that.  If you take Noah away, we will not win.  We will see in the future the importance of this game.  Until then, we get a team on Saturday who we can only hope is looking forward to their top 5 showdown with OSU.  Unfortunately, they have a coach named Tom Izzo who won't allow that.  

I should add, if anyone has seen the deal, it is a 3 year guaranteed deal with 4 option years at the end.  3 years/$54 million Guaranteed, and 4 very expensive option years.  At most this is a 3 year deal.  He will either re-negotiate, or be released after his $18 million per year, which is an increase of $3 million per year.  That is of course if he got no signing bonus, which we all know that is not the case.  His per year salary is actually less than what it was last year.  So, that is why I am saying its a great deal.

I am a Bears fan.  I am not so much a fan of Cutler.  That said, I still think it was the right deal if we were going for it, which we are.  We have an offense in place, and cheap.  We have a clean slate on defense.  We have a GM who built this offense for the most part in under 2 years.  The key players on this offense have a window in the same area as Cutler.  Getting a young QB doesn't make sense.  There isn't a FA QB better than Cutler.  Trestman has done wonders with Cutler in his one year.  I am excited to see what he can do beyond.  I guarantee this isn't just an Emery decision.  Trestman was brought here for Cutler.  If he couldn't do anything with him or felt like he couldn't, he would have got that contract.  Everywhere Trestman has been, the QB has played better than before he got there.  I don't think he plays out the contract either.  Only one QB who has signed a big contract has in the last 20 years.  Usually, they restructure after a couple of years or get cut.  That is what will happen here.  He won't even get that big of a bump in pay from before.  I know people don't realize that.  That is why I honestly am not that stressed about this. 

  Bears got to one with Rex Grossman/Kyle Orton.  I think Cutler could do fine in that argument lol.  I agree with you there.  

  I wouldn't go that far.  I have seen plenty of people happy over it.  Only one of these mega-deals has actually been played out I remember hearing this year.  If I am not completely nuts, I am thinking it was Ben Rapelisberger.  This is a deal for a window.  We won't draft high enough over the next couple of years to get a stud QB.  Its not my money.  I am a Bears fan.  I understand why they did it.  Emery does things his way.  So far, he hasn't been wrong often.  Hopefully this is one of those things.  

I think as a Bears fan it shows they are going for it.  Every player from the offense is coming back.  I would be willing to bet McCown is coming back if he isn't retiring.  As a player, the weapons believe in Jay.  The way the contract is set up gave them the flexibility to make moves on the defense.  I would assume they are releasing Peppers due to the cap hit they would take.  Melton is a long shot, but may be cheaper due to the injury and recent arrest.  Ratliff is interesting due to how he played down the stretch.  They also signed Jennings, but wouldn't be surprised if they went Corner or Safety in the 1st round.  Everyone keeps saying d-line or corner.  I think there are enough players out there we could find on the d-line in FA.  Sounds like you will see the Bears very active in FA on the Defensive side of the ball.  Emery built that o-line and got other pieces in one year.  I think he can do the same on the D side in 2.  For Jay, that contract is as good as 3-4 years if he doesn't perform.  That is their window anyway with Marshall, Forte, Briggs, Jennings, and Bennett.  That is why I think its a smart move.  

I am all for a fast paced team.  But, when it is causing more harm than good, you need it to slow it down to your personnel.  I understand the fast break, and the secondary break is our offense at this point.  Once you get in a situation you understand you aren't scoring with the break, slow the offense down.  What is our offense at this point?  Everyone complained the last few years because of our lack of movement.  Comparing this team to the 4 years prior and those 4 years might as well be RMK motion offense compared to this.  Crean has to work with these guys on offense.  I don't know if he was so used to having to teach defense to his last couple of teams, and not offense, that he does not spend as much time as others.  To me its like having a rookie QB.  You minimize the playbook and get them comfortable.  We need to do that at this point cause this isn't working.  IMO

I would like to see Evan shoot more.  

  They are a completely different team and roster.  That is why I didn't comment on them not improving much in the article.  Groce had a lot of turnover on the roster.  

Yeah man, it really does suck.  Unfortunately, I would feel wrong wiping him from IU history because I am butthurt.  Not fair to him or anyone else.  I wish he was still here, but that wasn't the hand that was dealt.  We just have to move on.  

  Yeah, we have our opinions as every person does.  We are IU fans as you guys know.  At the same time, we try and allow you guys the space to say your peace either way.  Now, if its something that becomes a distraction of the mass or just plain annoying over time, we step in.  Luckily we haven't had to do that much.  People here are pretty cool about that.  

  Crean has to sell the kids on this point.  I think this was a coin flip game we had to take to make tournament.  Whether or not that is true will be determined later.  There is some good to be taken from it however.  If you take the game film and show them every turnover, then show them the score, that is all that is needed.  Clean it up, and that is the difference between winning and losing today.  

I agree with both.  

  Couldn't agree more.  Loved the effort, but its rough to watch.  This year will be tough to swallow, but we must remember they are young.  I agree with DD during the game where he said this far into Crean's tenure, you can't go through another rebuild which is what he is selling everyone on.  IU fans aren't as patient as they were 3 years ago.  I definitely agree with DD there.  I don't think we make the tournament this year.  Next year we need to win, but I don't think that will be a problem at all.  

  I would agree he did not stand out.  It is unfortunate that if Crean doesn't run plays for him, he gets lost easily in the shuffle.  This should have been a game he has an impact.  I can't really go nuts over his 3 assists, and 1 block.  His rebounds were a positive.  He was 0-6 from the floor and had 4 turnovers.  We had 5 players with a negative assists to turnover ratio.  They had 2.  Wasn't trying to single him out or anything, but he did have 0 points on 0-6 shooting, 3 assists to 4 turnovers, 6 boards and 1 block.  

83 - 68 MSU

Damn 3pm gametime...  I work until probably about 5.  Set the DVR, and I won't be on until I watch it.  Please be good lol.  Pretty pretty please Charlie.  I want to enjoy the game or hate it?  I have the feeling even though Luke was in no way a distraction or cancer this transfer will refocus the staff and they will play out their ass.  I am honestly feeling the Hoosiers today.  Crean can spin things like no other.  You know on the way up to Champaign he is using this as motivation.  Lets get this!

F*** Bo Ryan

He was smart.  Understood a solid gameplan, and made good adjustments on the fly.  Not sure how he is at recruiting.  Couldn't even get Bruce Wayne to stop being Batman in the last movie.  He does admit mistake however.  He might be good at a lot of things, but not great at everything.  I think I have heard that before…..

The one thing I think we will have to take out of this is this young team and how they rely on everyone else due to depth.  You take the depth away, and someone is going to have to become assertive and take his production.  Luke is a good player.  I have said a few times over I thought he would be our most productive 4 year player from this class.  He is not a Hoosier anymore.  We have the talent to make up for his loss.  Our depth is what takes a hit.  We can't go big anymore.  We will go smaller at times and I hope this means Stan and Devin get some of those minutes.  We will be better for it.  We won't be better if we start forcing more minutes on Hanner or Jeff Howard.  Maybe move Jeremy to the 4 where he played at times last year, and bring in the kids.  

  Who is Steve Alfred?

  I don't go to this extreme, but yeah.  If he doesn't want to be here, neither do we.  I only wish him happiness.  At the same time I only want kids that want to be here.  Being a Hoosier isn't easy.  Glad Crean didn't pull a Ryan on the way out.  I honestly don't care if he transferred to UW.  Let him go where he wants to.  Gonna miss that potential though.  

  Oh, I DVR the ppv, then went back and recorded it on my phone to send it out to people who couldn't watch it.  I am not judging lol.

  This is kind of why I was more surprised he came back last year.  Dude will be 22 this season.  He will make Evan Gordon and his 2 transfers look young by the time he is a senior.