Magnanimous

Gonzaga would be a top ten team on a near annual basis regardless of their conference affiliation. Undefeated all the way to the championship game? Unlikely, but it’s not a fluke them getting there.

I’m excited for what Woodson and the program are doing so far, and hopefully we get Franklin and a few transfers in here, but these players have a lot of work to do before I get too optimistic about next season. I’d almost feel more comfortable about immediate results if there was more roster turnover. However, I think our freshmen have a lot of potential and am anxious to see what real coaching does for their development over the next few years. I’m thinking we’re a bubble team as things stand now.

IU fans watching this game like Mercury Morris watched the 2008 Super Bowl.

That was a great game. Nice to see two teams play great basketball on a big stage. Feels like it’s been a few years since seeing a game like this.

Since the coaching candidate threads are now locked, I’ll post here my Ben McCollum updates. Duke article pretty much saying the same thing: Link

Losing to the Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology three times in two seasons and it’s not even close.

Super teams are nothing new in college. The blue chip prospects have been congregating at a handful of programs for decades. The transfer rule is annoying, but I’m not up in arms about it. I do think you should have to sit a year if you transfer twice, but overall kids should be allowed to change schools like any other student. If you have the right coaches in place it’s the other guy’s problem. The biggest thing is getting rid of one and done. That goes and a lot of the problems plaguing CBB go away. The second biggest thing is not letting today’s high school players ever watch James Harden play.

They had a hall of fame caliber replacement already in the college ranks last time. We never did. Having said that, I don’t see Carolina falling to our lows regardless of who they hire.

It’s front and center on ESPN.

Tarhole, which isn’t a word. My phone auto corrects it to Rathole. Same meaning.

No. But it would be interesting if they ever got sent back to Bloomington during his tenure for the ACC/Big Ten challenge.

I hope Stevens goes there.

Stealing this from someone on Rivals... It was just a dream.

A dying blue blood living in the past with a larger, more passionate fanbase.

Only example I can think of is Johnny Majors leaving Pitt for Tennessee after winning the college football championship in 1976.

Seeing score updates on my phone. Is this game not over?

Never want Michigan to win in anything.

I think the big thing those individuals who are critical of Woodson’s age are forgetting is that he turned 63 last week. He may as well be an old 62. Just so we’re all putting this hire in the right context...

I barely had time to comment on this hire since I was out of town when the news dropped, so apologies for laying my random thoughts 98 pages into the convo... I think this is a good (enough) hire given the circumstances, and those circumstances are it wasn’t going to be Brad Stevens and there’s no other sure thing out there at the moment. I’m not concerned that Coach Woodson has never recruited or coached in college. If it was another HC with a similar background that would concern me, but between his NBA ties and love for Indiana, I think he’s going to be ok on the recruiting trail. Half of what I see in college basketball is so lacking today that at this point I’d settle for someone who just knows how to play basketball... More than anything, I think Woodson is going to connect with players’ parents. It really feels like an adult is in the room now who can show these kids a different side of things compared to so many sleazy coaches out there, and that may go a long way in recruiting. I’m not concerned that he isn’t “Penny Hardaway” or “Juwan Howard.” Their parents will know who he is and if the parents are willing to listen, that’s half the battle already. I agree with others who said his assistants are going to be crucial, and Matta coming is huge. That lessened my concerns a lot over this hire. Matta is another accomplished voice in the room and has a ton of connections throughout the region. I guess he’s doing what Urban Meyer did for OSU football after stepping down? He also may be able to step in in a pinch if this doesn’t work out a la Barry Alvarez. It’s reassuring to see our AD craft out a new role in the administration specifically dedicated to MBball’s matters. From what I’m seeing, we’re going to have a fair amount of attention from the “inside” basketball world. Think Dwyane Wade supporting IU but on a larger scale. Woodson is very close with a good portion of the NBA and will also get more former Hoosiers around the program, and not just for halftime anniversary honors. One thing that’s certain is our players are going to know what Indiana basketball means and feel like they’re part of a continuing legacy. This isn’t a home run hire because home run hires are rare, but like I said earlier, this is good enough given the circumstances. I’d assume that the biggest reason some were upset about this hire is because (besides it not being Stevens) it isn’t a long term solution. Mike Woodson will in all likelihood not be coaching here within ten years. He’s not the next Bobby Knight or Coach K. He’s also not a seasoned veteran college coach. But he brings gravitas to this role and will help the program from spiraling the drain, and that’s ok for now. We don’t need a long term solution, just a solution.

It’s the smart move. Tessio was always smarter.

And the worst part of it is, literally no one gives a **** about it. After baseball, the NBA is the most tone-deaf sports entity out there. The product stinks. I can't call half these guys basketball players anymore with how badly they play together in the half-court. This is a very random reference, but remember that movie Eddie with Whoopie Goldberg and Malik Sealy (RIP) playing Stacy Patton? That's half the league now. It is a top heavy pile of crap full of chuckers. Every time a team passes three times in the half-court take a shot. You'll be lucky to get four drinks in all season. (Queue the NBA guy on here with the "you must not watch the NBA because you don't know what you're talking about." I don't, and neither does anyone else because we're not watching. The product is bland and uninspiring.)

Teri Moren, Tom Allen, Todd Yeagley, Tracy Smith / Jeff Mercer, swimming and diving coaches, massive facility renovations, no FBI scandal...Can we finally admit that Fred Glass was not a bad AD?