cthomas

I'll take a shot at McCracken and Watson. For McCracken I'm going with Jimmy Rayl. He was the definition of the Hurryin Hoosiers. Was in range anywhere across the time line. Considered the VanArsdale twins as well. So many great players though to be fair my memory only goes back to about the Archie Dees period. Don't really remember Slick Leonard or he may have been my choice. As far as Watson is concerned, I think I'll go George McGinnis. He was part of a great class that never, to me, lived up to their potential. I think that may have lead to his demise as coach. All of this goes with the caveat that I'm pushing the limits of my memory here. Others with first-hand knowledge of that time period may have other/better choices.

Bates may be even more important to CMW than Langford was to CAM. His skills are a perfect fit for what we are trying to do.

CAM seemed snake bitten the whole time he was here. CMW seems like a guy who will make his own breaks.

Runs the floor well, catches and goes to the hoop, and hits the three. I don't see what you don't see. Don't want to get into a debate. I'll just respectfully agree to disagree.

Cody Zeller with a three point shot. Would be a great get.

That's about what I ran. Can you imagine me at 5'6" dueling it out with him heading to finish line?

I was really pulling for Smith to be a player at IU. I would rather he would have ended up anywhere except Purdue. We hired a big time staff with an NBA oriented head coach. Did anyone expect that Smith, no matter how good we think he is, would be a top priority for this staff? They are obviously aiming higher. If they get the guys they want, we will be in the national conversation every year. That is what we have been asking for since Knight was fired. Being at that level comes at a price. The local feel good story doesn't always have a place unless as a walk on. Obviously, he's better than that so I wish him the best except against IU.

Doesn't sound like the type of player that would fit CMW's up tempo style. But what do I know. Sometimes talent is talent. If he is Shaq like, maybe you just throw it in to him and let him go to work.

Painter seems like an easy guy to like. He is building something pretty good at Purdue and could see how that would appeal to Smith. Style of play could be a factor also. I'm a Westfield alum myself. Of course we only had 66 kids in my graduating class.

I always liked Hunter, but not sure he has shown much that makes him a fit going forward. He has a chance to improve with better coaching and I really hope he does. Bates seems like a real threat to his minutes given his mentality on offense and defense. I just see Hunter as someone who could get lost in the shuffle.

Obviously the kid can play. The only question is does he fit with what CMW is trying to do. I have no doubt that Smith will be a high level player no matter where he ends up. If not IU, I don't want to face him against another conference team. I think he is the type of player that just kills us on opposing teams. I hope we find room for him, but those kinds of decisions are way above my pay grade.

I think everyone who buys into what CMW is trying to do will be better than they were a year ago. The new guys should excel, especially Bates. I expect a really good product on the floor once they figure out how to do what coach Woodson wants them to do.

OSU fans respect us as a cute little, pretty good program as long as we don't threaten them. We take one of theirs, they'll just replace him with someone as good or better. When we start beating them, the attitude will change. This is a great pickup for a program on the rise who just happens to employ his dad. When we can start getting these kind of players on a regular basis, then we will be in the top ten conversation year in and year out. Don't get me wrong, I am happy as can be. I just want us to take that next step and I think we have a chance to do that.

Do we know that for sure? He was probably not going to play much, even if healthy, and I would expect the staff to be honest with him about that. At that point, it is up to him to make the best decision for him. As a manager, I asked for trust from my employees and gave the same to them. From my experience, trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. I believe that trust will be essential to what CMW is trying to do. I have no clue what the nature of the conversations with the players have been, but I hope they have been honest, upfront, and caring. To me, that is the path to long term success.

Seems like IU is in the mix for a lot of talent in the years ahead. We could be really good going forward. I don't know how CMW could have assembled a better staff. Connections all over the place. I know, results are all that matter.

This is heartbreaking. Anytime a young person's life is cut short, it is a tragedy. I remember things like this happening when I was in high school and I'm not sure I understood the true meaning of it. Now, it just takes away my ability to make sense of anything. I can only hope his family and friends can find some peace.

I'm not saying that someone won't choose to go somewhere else to find more playing time. What I was saying is that CMW can't recommend that to a kid who wants to be here and establish the kind of culture he said he would have. Wanting a family atmosphere and developing trust are not compatible with encouraging kids to leave. We can't have it both ways.

Doesn't seem like the 'family' atmosphere he has said he wants to create. I get that's the way it is most of the time. I just don't see that as something CMW can do and create the type of trust he is talking about. Just doesn't fit the narrative.

I don't see Brooks ending up at IU. We have a full roster and I don't think CMW is the kind of person who forces someone out after convincing them to stay. If he does, then I have misjudged him. Someone will have to seek another opportunity on their own for there to be a spot.

I don't hate on previous coaches. I appreciate what they tried to do here, but for whatever reason, it didn't work out. I'm even glad that Sampson has found some success. I don't blame him for what happened here, I blame the administration that hired him given what was known. I like Mike Davis the person, just not the coach. I want CAM and coach Crean to find success also. Nothing wrong with wanting fellow human beings have a happy life.

We, myself included, get locked into a way of thinking about who and what a good coach should look like. CMW violates just about all of the conventional wisdom. But, he has intangibles that can't quite be quantified. He is a mature, finished product as a man. He is confident in what he knows and what kids need. I think we can see already that his message connects. He is genuine in a business full of snake oil salesmen. He has built the best staff we have had in.....forever. Still, we are sceptical and, given the history, I get it. Just maybe, we have finally made the right hire. At this point, I would not trade CMW for Brad Stevens. I think we hired up not down. The results are still to be determined, but I'm willing to take my chances. This guy knows what he is doing.

We are already on the slippery slope. College basketball is going to look a lot like the NBA going forward. I don't like it but think we are perfectly positioned to take advantage of it. The kids who have come to IU in the last few weeks have all referenced CMW's NBA experience as a reason for choosing IU. Those who panned IU hiring CMW are going to be on the outside of the new nature of college basketball.

I think we'll see a significant improvement from the 3 point line. We have guys who can shoot, they were just never put in a position to succeed. That all charges with CMW. Plus, he went out and got guys to shoot the 3. CMW is going to change the nature of IU basketball.

At this point, if Kopp is the guy CMW wants I'm not questioning it. I'm 72 years old and I can't remember when a staff was put together and got results as quickly as this one. Coach Woodson obviously, at this point, connects with people. The last question is can he coach. Given the people he has around him, I'm not the least bit concerned. We finally have a direction and a leader who can execute the vision.

I'm expecting a lot more out of CMW and his staff. We have been down so long that we no longer have expectations. This staff is a new thing in college basketball. We are the innovators now. CMW is bringing a new way to play the college game just like coach Knight did so many years ago. Hopefully, we will see the same results.