TrueHoosier62

What has confounded me about IU's football team is that while our defense has sucked, our offense has been able to put points up on just about anybody not named Wisconsin. Like many of you, I thought that if we'd just have an average defense, we'd net out an additional two or three wins a year, and that ought to put us in a good position for post season play. Well, our defense showed improvement last year, from wretched to merely bad. Of course, it was then our offense's turn to tank, with Sudfield going down, and a freshmen forced in to action, way ahead of schedule. What can we expect this year? Even with so many question marks, and negative history surrounding our football team, we ought to be 3-0 heading to Wake Forest. Whether or not we can beat Wake remains to be seen. They sometimes field a decent team. With a bit of luck, and a revived offense, we might be 4-0, coming home to face....Ohio State? I'd like to think we start out the Big Ten 1-3, making us 5-3 at the bye. Then we have Iowa at home, a rebuilding Michigan at home, Maryland on the road and the scum of the earth in West Lafayette. Surely, we can find one more win out of that motley crew. If I don't have confidence, than at least I have hope.  :yes:

Damn it. At my age, I can't be expected to catch em' all. lol

It just so happens that my second cousin, (twice removed), works as a carpet cleaning technician in Rochester, NY. Actually, Ignatius or “Iggy” (as he’s called at family reunions), owns a Bissell B00007 turbo powered steam extraction cleaner and goes door to door asking to clean your carpet. He's a budding entrepreneur in the carpet cleaning industry, with business cards and everything. He's got a lot to learn about marketing though, as his company's motto of "For $50, we'll suck anything" while reflective of the power of his extraction equipment, might be misconstrued in some circles; but I digress.  As it turns out, he happened to be in the living room of Thomas Bryant, (working on a particularly difficult animal stain), when Tom Crean walked in. Being very clever, if not very good at marketing, he jotted down a brief transcript of their recent conversation.   TB: Hey coach, howya doin’ man? CTC: Ah man, I’m doin’ fine, doin’ fine. Just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop by TB: Just happened to be in Rochester?! CTC: Yeah, well, um., well, how’s the family? TB: You mean my mom? CTC: Yeah, how’s your mom? TB: Oh, she’s good. Still wishes I’d gone to Syracuse, but you know. CTC: Well, we’ll try to make her proud of your having chosen IU instead. And you have chosen IU. Haven’t you? TB: Huh? Of course I have. I’m pumped man; I mean coach CTC: *Laughs*, Yeah, I know you have. I was just kiddin’. TB: *Laughs*, CTC: You’re such a good player, and a great prospect for us, and I can’t tell you how much I’ve been thinking about you. I mean, I’ve been thinking about you a lot, my man! TB: Right, okay. whatever CTC: I know you may find that some coaches still want to bother you, recruit you, and slobber over you like some love sick bull, but at IU, we’re not like that. Because, well, It’s Indiana. TB: Yeah, I guess. CTC: And if someone, say, like John Calipari, were to show up, trying to pitch his woo your way, I know you’d see through his cheap ass attempts, wouldn’t you? TB: Of course, coach, like I said, I’m coming to IU. CTC: Oh, good. I mean, yes, I’m sure you would. TB: Well coach, is there something I can get you to drink? CTC: No Thomas, I’ve got to be running for now, but just wanted to say “Hi”, and let you know that I can’t wait to see you in candy stripes TB: That’ll be a lot of fun coach. So where are you going now?   CTC: Oh, I’ve got to catch a flight to Ohio. I’m checking out a point guard who’s at a junior college. TB: Oh, needing some depth behind Yogi? CTC: Uh, yeah, that’s right, Thomas. Need some Depth.   By the way, Iggy told me to say that the nick in Thomas Bryant’s coffee table was already there.

Daaammmmnnn. I wanna go fishin' for cats like that! Mercury level is probably through the roof, but screw it. lol

I wish we could say that Yogi was the lousiest of great defense, instead of the greatest of a lousy defense. It would mean a bit more. As it is, they were all underwhelming on that side of the ledger, so no one should come away unscathed. 

Just intercepted this on the net, going to Thomas Bryant.   @Jim_Boeheim: Dude, I've been dreaming about you a long time. I mean, really intense dreams. Of course, I can't provide details or stuff like that or the NCAA will be up my ass again, but I've had them just the same, and you need to know it. I've "Creaned" some guys from the team, (thought you'd get a chuckle out of that one) just for you, so you'll be the star attraction. And in case you've forgotten, your mother wants you here too. I'll see what I can do about the Mazda.

I see a post like this and I have to wonder if the Mods are setting me up. lol I'm not bitin'.

I wish I had your faith or your flask and you had my eyesight. lol JBJ was the worst of the lot, but hardly the only offensive defender, (now there's a paradox!). Yogi, with all his speed and quickness, was caught countless times napping on defense. "Help" defense, which as the name implies, depends on others helping out, was nowhere to be seen. Ultimately, in order for us to win another championship, we have to play lights out on defense, and I have strong doubts that this coach has it in him, or has the ability to transfer it his players.

There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, that a kid like Bryant could do next year to rectify a team so completely devoid of defense. Lew Alcindor at 18 couldn't fix this ship. This is a systematic issue, not a talent or athletic issue, and it's just too bad that we likely have to go through yet another year of false hopes, and wasted time, waiting for Fred Glass to learn what everybody else already knows. I need a nap.

:lol: Well played sir.

Nice!

Are Redfish good to eat? They look almost like a first cousin to a Carp.

I see from ESPN's bracket analysis page that we have <1% chance of winning the whole thing this year. Thank God. For a moment there I thought all hope was lost.

Thank God. At least there will be someone who can administer last rites on Friday.

Arguments like the one made in the diatribe by catsh*t, mean nothing at this point. Until Crean either gets the sack or takes a walk, he's the coach at IU. IF or when he leaves, it'll be for many reasons:   The AD finally came to his senses. The trustees, never in full possession of any sense, still know what diminishing cash flow means. The Alumni, seeing that Crean's continued employment at IU is senseless, began to throttle back donations The fans, rich in common sense, pointed out that mediocrity at IU is unacceptable.   None of this, by the way, denotes a classless fan base, including teenagers acting like teenagers at a high school basketball game. Classless is poisoning ancient oak trees on your closest rival's campus, like Alabama did to Auburn, or repeatedly throwing the players under the bus to cover up your own shortcomings on the court.

I read an interesting blurb about the coaching vacancy at Alabama today. Of specific interest was this excerpt:   "Alabama disagreed and parted ways with Grant on Sunday. Grant arrived at Alabama with high expectations after his tenure at VCU that saw the Rams upset Duke in the NCAA Tournament in 2007, but those results at the mid-major level didn't carry over to the SEC.   Grant went 117-85 in six seasons at Alabama, reaching the NCAA Tournament once in 2012. The Crimson Tide brought in highly touted prospects during Grant’s tenure but struggled to translate recruiting successes into wins due to off-court issues, transfers or injuries".   Sound familiar at all?

On name alone, the kid would look good in Cream and Crimson. I hope to hell he comes around to thinking the sun sets in Wilson's ass. We need more talent on this team.

You got it Trav!

I honestly don't know a thing about this Thomas Bryant,  but I've watched a bit of tape, and seen some photos of him. He doesn't look to be all that "intimidating". Is it just me or does he look particularly sophomoric? I think if we're hoping he comes to IU as some savior for the team and Tom's job, he'd better come here with jets on his ass and a lot more muscle. But I could be wrong....

I think you're right.

Yes, she was. I'll never forget that day as long as I live. If you're old enough to remember the show, this lady was the spitting image of "Maude", including her attire.

I'm still optimistic about the football team. I will again predict that we'll end up in a bowl game this year. Hell, eventually, I have to be right...

This year's basketball team has probably done more to generate IU football fans than anything Wilson and Co. have done the past few years. :biggrin:

Not once have I ever exposed myself at an IU game. :lol:

If the players are so thin skinned that they're emotionally shattered upon hearing boos, OR vulgar obscenities, then they're got bigger problems than shoddy play on the court. Ditto for any coach who can't take the heat. Have we really gotten to a point in our society where negative messages and pronouncements must be censored or eliminated; the person fired or banned because those on the other side of an argument are so insecure in their person, so sensitive in their mind that they cannot deal with criticism or fiery debate? I find the same problem in the workplace and in forums like this one. Debate is stifled or stunted when someone, towards whom the offensive post was not even intended, takes exception to it's wording. I worked for a company years ago where we each took up residence in those lovely little things called "cubicles". There was a woman who's cubicle wasn't within 15 feet of mine, but she overheard a private conversation I was having with my wife. I was eventually called in to the office, then HR, because I'd used the word "babe" in a sentence. Over the phone. With my wife! I didn't get written up, but was told to refrain from such language, as "Winifred thought it belittling of women". People really need to grow up, grow a pair, and only worry about opinions when they happen to be the actual recipient of such criticism. Just my opinion.