BGleas

Feel terrible saying this, but I honestly don't even really care about this season. I'm so detached from this roster and coaching staff, all I care about is whatever gets us to a coaching search in March/April.

I'm with you! We're supposed to feel good that it took Mike Woodson 3 years and a complete and utter collapse in recruiting to realize that he actually has to try and put in any effort at his job?

Didn't you hear? He got it all figured out yesterday. We're in good hands now. He's ready to work now.

Yeah, and it's like Woodson is in this position by design. This isn't a strategy, this is an, "oh crap, we're screwed. What do we do now?"

Good luck with that. He doesn't seem all that competitive at this point, or IU wouldn't be in this situation. He's completely mismanaged this program at this point.

His will to win as a player is irrelevant. That was almost 50 years ago. He's the head coach and his system is brutal. He's all of the sudden doing a complete 180 on how he coaches? As someone said above, he's spent all season complaining about having a "young team" and "10 new players" (which wasn't accurate) and now all of the sudden he's going to lead a team full of transfer to the promised land? Color me skeptical.

Even if a miracle happens and the staff hits a grand slam in the portal, which is highly unlikely, they'll still be coached by this staff. That's the flaw in the plan.

Literally open the thread to this post at the exact second I was watching this scene on Comedy Central!?!?

Here's the thing about McNeely and the offense. It's pretty simplistic to just say that the offense wasn't an issue in his decommitment because he knew what the offense was. While the offense hasn't changed much in three seasons, Mike Woodson spent two seasons telling the fans/media that he wanted to play 4-out/1-in and that the style the first two years was because he had to take advantage of TJD and Race. He spent two years telling us that it was actually his teams in Atlanta and NYC that ushered in the 3pt era in the NBA. It's not a huge logical leap to assume that he was selling McNeely on that. I think as fans we were also expecting the staff to add guards and wings in a shift to that style this season. Then he spent the entire season this year extremely defiant when questioned on these things. I'm sure it's not the only reason, but its not a big leap to assume that a 3rd season of a poor offensive system played a part in McNeely's decision. I actually think this also plays a big part in why the fans have turned on Woodson so quickly. I know it does for me. From a system standpoint, I kind of feel like Woodson has pulled a bait and switch.

Cant find the exact tweet, but I go back to Woodson's quote last year about getting Miller Kopp (the only reliable 3pt shooter on a bad shooting team) more shots/3's, and Woodson got defensive and said, "it's not my job to get Miller Kopp shots." To me almost a fireable offense right there for being so stupid, but as a shooter why in the hell would you ever agree to play for that coach?

My bad, you're right! This is all a smokescreen because we're holding out until after the NBA Finals in June when Brad Stevens will be available.

I dont think they're trolls. Just think "insiders" are very far removed from what is actually happening. It's like the telephone game from people 4 spots removed by the time stuff gets to a message board.

Nothing happened. Unfortunately, they just announced Woodson is coming back. All the rest was just internet fodder.

Even throwing a healthy XJ in there doesn't really make it feel much better.

This is some of the lamest sh*t I've seen in all the years I've been on these various boards. Insecure much, guy? And yes, that was a bad take I had there.

Yup, IU needs to get back to recruiting tough, skilled basketball players that care about winning, care about getting better, etc., regardless of where they're ranked. Not saying you don't recruit highly ranked, NBA type guys, you need some of them, but they need to fit the mold of the first paragraph (Zeller, JHS, TJD, etc).

Agree. That was kind of the point of my original thought. The only thing that matters is whether people, specifically the people in charge, think Woodson can fix this. If the powers that be do think he can, then I hope they're making him present a detailed plan. If they don't like that plan, then you also need to make a move. But like you said, he'll be back next year so it's all really irrelevant.

8 double digit losses. Ridiculous.

I think whether Woodson deserves another year is irrelevant. I think he probably does "deserve it", but that's not the question the AD should be asking. I think most agree a roster overhaul, to a certain degree, is needed or at least happening this offseason. Many others feel like a system overhaul is needed as well. The only question that matters is if the powers that be think Mike Woodson is the guy to successfully oversee and execute those overhauls. If you think he is then you give him one more year that he may "deserve". If you don't think he is the guy for that then you have to make the move this offseason. I personally don't think he is the guy and now is the time.

He still cares about IU basketball. For the crap Crean sometimes takes from fans, he still often posts and engages with IU fans, shares clips of great moments during his tenure, tags IU basketball when sharing pics of him with former players, etc. He's been pure class since leaving IU.

I think the point is that Bates is now in a system that supports guards and wings breaking out.

All good! Want to make sure we're on the same page, my comments weren't intended to disparage you or your information. Not at all. I believe you heard what you're sharing from whoever your sources are, etc. In this case, based on what I've heard from extremely relaible people in Boston, I don't think it's accurate.

Yeah, Stevens was never coming to IU the last cycle. He's an NBA guy at this point. Like I said earlier, the person I spoke to in the Celtics org didn't even hesitate with an emphatic "no" when I asked if he thought Stevens would ever go back to the college game. It was a flatout no. This is not a guy that was having a family debate about coming back to the college game, even at IU.

I'll be really, really surprised if Stevens ever comes back to college again. He's an NBA guy at this point. Shortly after Woodson was hired I spoke to someone in the Celtics front office. I didn't specifically ask about the IU job, but asked if they thought Stevens would ever come back to college basketball and the answer was an emphatic no.

Agree, but would add that it's also a lesson in patience. Harbaugh didn't come in and immediately start beating OSU, win Big Ten Titles and go to the playoffs. It took him time, and it wasn't too long ago that some had Harbaugh in the hot seat.