BGleas

I know I'm brining up my own experience a lot here, but it's what I have to draw on. As I've said in this thread, when I played I severely cut back on my drinking during the season (usually only when we had an off day the next day), and I almost always kept it to having people over at my own apartment as opposed to going out. Even when I was over 21 I wouldn't go to the bars, except for rare occasions, during the season. If I did go to the bars in season it was always when we had an off day the next day. We were always instructed by our coach that we were targets. He knew guys were going to drink, but we were always instructed that we were targets and we had to be smart about it. I don't think that's too much to ask for these guys, as they're much bigger targets than we were where I played.

I'm not sure I agree with your first paragraph. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I played basketball in college, and while I did my fair share of drinking, I always made sure not to go out the night before games, scrimmages, etc. I of course had teammates that did go out nights before games, but I can tell you it definitely strained our team and caused major problems between guys. It's just a lack of respect for your teammates and coaches.

Interesting take from Rick Bozich. http://www.wdrb.com/story/27182977/bozich-despite-creans-efforts-new-indiana-season-starting-the-way-last-season-ended

I can't disagree with that part, though I'm not sure that's a reasonable rule for college kids. Like I posted earlier, there's no reason to be out the night before a scrimmage or game, but I also think we need more facts, and also in what seems like more of a freak accident than anything else, not make Emmitt fall for the sins of other guys. But again, we really need more facts before we make a ton of judgements.

But what if Crean gave a 12:30am curfew and the players actually were following the rules, as it appears this was a freak accident and they were on their way home?

Why? It sounds like this was a freak accident.

I understand where you're coming from, but as someone that played college basketball, I've always hated the inference that the athlete didn't work extremely hard as well. I always had people say to me "you're so lucky, I had to work to get here". "You had it easy, you got a scholarship, I had to work hard and get good grades to get into college". Well, there's a reason so few people play college sports, because it's extremely hard and you have to work your butt off to be that good. Hours in the gym, weekends at camps, tournaments, etc. Skipping things (parties, etc) that other kids are doing to workout, etc. Yes, there's some god given athletic ability involved, but that exists with kids that are naturally smart and good in the classroom as well. Again, I hear where you're coming from, just wanted to present the other side. Also, congrats to your daughter, she sounds like a great kid!

Thoughts and prayers with Devin and Emmitt. What a terrible things to happen and I hope Devin is ok and injuries end up not that serious. On this one, it's not even about the alcohol exactly, it's why do these kids think it's ok to be out this late when they have a public scrimmage the next day? That's a complete lack of respect for the coaches, their teammates and really the fans too. Kids in college are going to drink and stay out late, I get that. I played college basketball too and did my fair share of drinking, but would never go out the night before games, scrimmages, etc. and usually I'd only go out if we had an off day the next day. It's just completely disrespectful. Save that stuff for the offseason or at least when you don't have a game/practice the next day. Edit: my overall point still stands, but when I made this post I thought I had read the accident happened at 2:30am, it was actually closer to 12:30-12:45am which isn't that late for college kids, especially since it sounds like they were barely drinking and potentially were on their way home.

Of course the Zeisloft, Priller and April signings are unrelated, but the fanbases reaction isn't. The fact is Zeisloft was the third straight off the radar signing. The reaction was a collective reaction to a poor season and three straight off-the-radar signings, after swinging and missing on several higher priority targets. What position they we're is really irrelevant to the reaction from the fanbase.

Well I'm just speaking for me, not everyone else. For me, the two thoughts aren't related. I was down on the signing, for some of the reasons listed above, but that has nothing to do with my opinion that he should start at the beginning of the year. In my starting prediction I also said I'd expect RoJo to take over at some point. Really my prediction of Zeisloft to start says more about how I feel about Stan than I did about the Zeisloft signing.

I was critical of the Zeisloft signing, and also picked him to start. But, I don't think those opinions really have much to do with each other. Most of the angst of the Zeisloft transfer wouldn't have happened if we had signed initial targets in the Spring, but the fact is we swung and missed on a lot of guys in the Spring and Zeisloft kind of paid for that in terms of the fans reaction. It was the third kind of "huh" singing in a row. As far as him starting, I think he's a better fit with Yogi and JBJ than Stan is. Stan is a bit selfish offensively IMO and I'd much rather the ball becin the hands of Yogi and JBJ. I think Zeisloft is a guy that moves the ball, make smart plays and not turn it over. I prefer that with JBJ and a Yogi over Stan trying to barrel into three guys when nothing is there. I'll take that from Stan when one of, or both of, Yogi and/or JBJ are sitting.

I'm going to guess 11-2 with losses to Louisville and Georgetown. I would definitely predict 10-3 but with the guys SMU (and the guys SMU is missing) and Pitt being, and the turmoil at Butler with their coach out on leave, I think we should win those games.

I'm going with the standard Yogi, JBJ, Troy Hanner, and then the 3rd guard spot I'm going to say Zeisloft at the beginning of the year with RoJo working his way in at some point. I prefer Stan as a 6th man. He's so focused on scoring, that I think we need him in bursts but not long stretches. Basically sending him in for stretches and having go all out on both ends as a spark. I also think we have too many shooters/scorers, so I need to see him reign in the driving into 3 guys and throwing up a wild shot thing he does.

There's not really a double standard. IU didn't get the death penalty from the NCAA, we got the death penalty from Kelvin Sampson. If his teams didn't have numerous failed drug tests and all the failing grades, Dakich and then Crean wouldn't have had to kick everyone out. We would have survived the probation just fine. If Sampsom had left good kids behind and we don't have too kick everyone out, Crean or whoever may have come aboard, would have had a decent team when they took over, and would have been able to better add to it in the '08 class or even convinced Ebanks and Holloway to stay.

The NCAA tournament is an "any given Sunday" type of thing. Who knows who we'd play, how the match ups would play out and if Yogi/JBJ might have a "can't miss" game. If we overachieve and get in, anything can happen. I'm not predicting all this will happen, I'm just saying if it does (which I think it's with the realm of possibility), then with everyone staying and adding Bryant we'd be positioned really nice for 15-16. Also, I don't look at it as replacing Noah. This is a completely different team. It's not last years team without Noah. But with that said, I share your same concerns on our inside game. A lot of guys have to step up and a lot of question marks all have to go our way for us to overachieve, but we are talented and with a certain style of play we can be one of the surprise teams this year. Again, it's not my prediction, but it is within the realm of possibility IMO.

We were talking about next year, if everyone stays and we add Bryant.

The only main difference is both Villanova and Illinois were veteran teams. All the main contributors on the 'Nova team were all seniors or juniors. Otherwise, mimicking the style makes perfect sense.

I don't think those are crimson colored glasses. If we progress this year (overachieve in conference and win a game or two in the tourney), and bring back Yogi, JBJ, Troy, RoJo, Stan, Devin, Hanner and Holt, while adding Bryant, that seems like a top 10-15 team to me.

I'm not sure I buy the whole "I didn't know what I was going to do until right when I picked up the hat" thing. Who selects their college that way? Why even schedule the announcement if you don't know what you're going to do?    It doesn't really matter now, but it's just always made me curious. Who send their kid in front of a national audience like that without knowing what the decision is already? 

Completely agree, it's not even about Lyle in particular, adding anyone that point, especially in an already crowded backcourt, could really mess with chemistry.

Sean Miller is absolutely on fire on the recruiting trail. He has something like 1 3* recruit since 2011 and every other one has been 4 or 5* (for those that will chime in, yes I understand that rankings aren't everything). I think he's had at least two 5*'s in every class since then too.

They had former players attend and "present" all the new players with their candy striped pants. It's was one part cool and one part a bit cheesy IMO.

Yeah, great new tradition, and maybe it was just the video and was different live, but I wished they did a better job of introducing the former players.

Definitely huge news! I'd assume he's coming from Huntington, which is in West Virginia. 

Mike and Mike just did a segment on this and they said this was an issue with a few academic advisors and had nothing to do with the athletic administration or coaches. They basically brushed it off saying that UNC has fired the academic advisors involved.