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@Chris007 Without providing specifics, wink if you see options A - D in the list below. Amir Abdur-Rahim Dusty May TJ Otzelberger Scott Drew Tommy Llyod Mick Cronin Greg McDermott Tony Bennett Grant McCasland Nate Oates Bruce Pearl

I know. I've been here for years. I'm just having fun at how we're all await word from you about CMW's future.

This is @Chris007's board. Everything else is just noise. ; )

I love what he did to expose Illinois paying players.

Just to be clear, is Trilly saying IU has reached out to Pearl?

Nearly each institution in the BigTen has more money than they know what to do with. The new TV deal, big donors, etc. make almost anything feasible--if it is wanted badly enough. Also, if IU is willing to fork over $15+ million to get rid of a bad football head coach, then less money to move on from a bad coach in the beloved sport that has been the university's athletic identity for more than 85 years won't be an issue--if they really want to. These buyouts sound like big money, and they are huge deals. It's just that the wallets are getting so fat it can be difficult to comprehend.

He has been very impressive.

I'm just speculating--I'm not advocating. @Chris007 - Do you think Dolson would try to work a coach-in-waiting situation for May? Kind of like a one year deal that smooths the transition? Gives Woodson one more season to get thngs back on track but also secures the future. (Again, in Dolson's mind.) Similar to the Keady, Painter situation? Obviously, Painter had just one year at SIU and then made the jump. May is much more advanced in his career. Curious to get your thoughts. Is this something you think Dolson would pursue? Isbit something either coach would be amenable to?

Just to your comment that Woody didn't actively recruit guards, I've heard that IU did really try to get more guards from the portal last spring. One of the major issues was many of the guards were turned off by having X and Trey--two starters--return.

He's complicit in Zag boosters buying top tier talent out of high school. NIL wasn't great for Few and his bagmen as it put other programs on more equal footing in terms of buying commitments.

He's definitely not a guarantee. In fact it's closer to a cinch that he'd turn to crap if he came to IU. Our administration has that effect on folks.

May didn't have D. Wade to ride the team to the FF. May actually had to coach a bunch of kids that aren't lottery picks.

Wonder if this explains why Willard did a blow by in the handshake line.

It's also a ridiculous question. There's no good answer to something like this. It's bait that coaches shouldn't take.

I agree with you, and that wasn't the point. I disagree with the previously stated position that the 10-15 difference makers in the portal come spring are enough to offset the swings and misses with high school recruits in the fall. It's easier to maintain success, show development, create a culture and much more when successfully reeling in high school kids. I like the portal. I can be a great boost for a program. I just don't believe it has the same sustainable benefits as being great at recruiting high school kids.

Only 10-15 potential difference makers across the 60 or so high major programs that will all potentially be vying for them makes for really tough odds.

The strategy part that perhaps needs reconsidering is such an intense focus on the DMV (and to a lesser extent NC). I really like coach Hunter. It's just that we've swung and missed a lot in that region and that's his base.

Interesting. Thanks.

Hey, @Chris007 - I don’t mean to single you out by any means--I'm open to any response. Why do people think he is an insider? I'm not being flippant. I'm really curious. Everything I've ever seen him post is vague, so he can squirrel out of his predictions. Or his posts are nonsensical. When someone calls him out, he whines about it and hides. I know a little bit about him. Perhaps he's a really great source for high school men's lacrosse in the Chicago suburbs. I've just not seen why people think his content--message board posts, Twitter posts, emails--are insider information.

One specific thing that demonstrates his attitude while on his IU visit: He was reposting people's pics of him at Maryland (his visit there) while meeting with IU's staff, touring facilities, etc. He didn't care to be in Bloomington and he had no tact or class.

It's not just that he's from there. There are friends and family that want him close to home after being away during high school. Local businesses have promised a lot of NIL to him. These are businesses with connections to family and friends. UM has shown him the most love and the most consistent love. They promise they'll run things through him. There's something to be said for all of this. He may or may not go there, but there are plenty of reasons for people to consider UM the leader. He's clearly interested in other programs and the opportunities they present. It's reasonable to think him has UM in the lead but wants to check others out because there are things to like about other schools. He's being deliberate and weighing the schools against each other.

The collectives are part of NIL opportunities for athletes. The collectives pay the players for their name, image, likeness, etc. by having them do charity work, for example. All those Utes need to have done is something small like pose for a picture that goes on the dealers social, web, etc. Then if the dealership wants to give them a car for that appearance, it can.

Agreed that Woody and staff did a great job with Mack. Self really had to play catch up with Liam, and so far he can't over come our long term dedication to him. Self did take Flory though and our staff really wanted him.

Most insiders think Maryland is the destination for DQ because they have prioritized him like we did with Liam. Also, he's from the DMV so there are a lot of local connections that make Maryland a good spot for him. We've prioritized DQ too, but not to the same extent Maryland has. For a while we flirted with Flory and weren't keeping up with DQ as regularly. Also, Maryland and Maryland supporters are rallying around DQ with really enticing NIL because he is homegrown talent. So much so that they may have taken themselves out of the running with others because they don't have enough NIL to go around. No one thinks IU leads for DQ, but they maintain that IU and Houston continue to be a threat to Maryland.

Woody went to NY a week ago or so before Ya did. Woody knows the kid wants the head coach involved and his he making his presence felt. May be Boogie goes to IU, maybe not. But Woody and his staff have put everything into this.