ziggyiu

Mark is currently a consultant for programs and coaches. He's not being vetting as a coach. He is one of our fact-finders, if I'm understanding the situation correctly.

30K foot interpretation IU is conversing with Brad and his associates, but lower-key fact-finding is also in the works with a few other candidates. Perhaps we've gotten a little too ahead of ourselves as a fan base with how far along the conversations are with Brad.

I prefer Dusty to Greg and Mark. All are significant upgrades, but I like that Dusty is 12 - 14 years younger. I like that took over an FAU team with no resources and created a program. Not a one year wonder. Also, in the last three years he won the C-USA and went to the FF, then placed second in the AAC and returned to the tourney, and now he has UM competing for a B1G title with a bunch of new kids he had to recruit with UM's restrictions.

Dusty

Can you share a link to the video?

The school being in the red doesn't have much to do with resources--natural (like kids want to play there because it's LA and because they routinely have a pro presence) and manufactured (there's still an allure to UCLA, like with UNC, UK, etc.). Their NIL wasn't good initially, but that's not the case any more. I used to work in sports comms/marketing, and am fortunate to have firsthand experience and maintain contacts. Like with IU, UCLA has tarnished their brand some, but they have enough resources to make FFs with Ben, go to S16s with one Steve and win conference and conference tournaments with another Steve, etc. The coaches have changed but a level of success that IU hasn't been able to sustain has been achieved across multiple coaches. UCLA is still a really, really good gig, and in my opinion Mick isn't producing enough to make me think he can elevate IU to where I'd like to see it.

Cronin would be the most mid thing IU could do. He has been fine at UCLA, a place with so many resources. He had a fluke Final Four appearance from a First Four position. I'd rather see IU take a chance on someone whose had success at a school with fewer basketball resources. Cronin has already shown what he can do at an upper-echelone school, and I want more than that for IU. His antics on the court are comically juvenile. His offenses are mostly pedestrian--and sometimes brutal to watch. At their best his teams do play great defense, which is fun to watch. I'm not saying he is terrible, but I am saying he is what he is at this point, and ultimately while certainly an improvement from what we've had, he is not the person to get us where we want to be.

If it's Brad we want him in place before March 24 when the spring transfer portal opens and likely the week before when the tournament starts so we can jack that news cycle.

I can't see my initial post, but I think I noted he's an upgrade and that he's in his first year at UM and he doesn't have a pg. I think his teams have a difficult time playing with leads. Even good coaches have things they can improve.

I agree. They've lost double-digit leads in 4 of their 5 loses. Dusty is an upgrade over Mike. I know he's in hear one with UM and doesn't have a point guard, but this is something of his MO as this happened at FAU too. It's like his teams don't know how to play with a lead.

Any good crowd chants like, "We want Dusty!"?

I didn't read the Rabby hit piece, but I caught some of the fallout. I did read the Mike Decourcy fluff piece, and understand the intention behind it. Bottom line is Fife wants to coach. He didn't stop on his own accord. He has plenty of contacts in college basketball that know him well. If his personality wasn't an issue and if his basketball acumen was really valued (enough that other coaches could look past his personality) he'd be coaching.

@KathywithaC - Is the athletic department working with the men's basketball program on how to handle negative fan reactions, like chants of "Fire Wiodson"? Surely the powers that be are aware of the fan displeasure, how it's manifesting itself, and the negative impact it has on the program. I'm not surprised to learn a change will not be made during the season, and based on how quickly things move after the season one must surmise that the athletic department, the president, board, donors and other stakeholders are already in conversations about how to move forward in March. Would you say this is accurate? Nothing official being done, but conversations among this group and research being conducted now to move quickly when it's time to be official.

I'm guessing by "officially" start IU is already vetting options for how to deal with the buyout, how to handle the PR-related issues of letting go of Woodson, vetting replacement options, etc. There must have been conversations directly between coach and AD or to and from coach and AD via intermediaries that things aren't going well and the consequences.

Logically I understand there's no discernable difference between letting Woodson go during the season or after. One could argue that since we won't go quietly that losing in February and March is necessary for him and his supporters to understand how he isn't right for the job. Though conversely keeping him risks exposing the public to our most outspoken contingency who will serenade us with in game chants and social media rants. These scenes won't help the outside perception of our program which could negatively influence the coaching search. Emotionally it's difficult to know he's still the coach. Our administration and big donors have mismanaged IU basketball for so long that releasing Woodson now gives me faith that they too are aware of the issues and want to correct the problem. Each passing day with him as coach gives me more concern that there aren't enough decision makers who understand the damage he has caused--not just with wins and loses but by denigrating fans and separating us into true fans who are loyal to him and fake fans that are committed to a better basketball program even if it means admitting he isn't the answer. #BTBTherapy

There are a lot of teams with a lot of transfers getting great NIL money and playing hard. IU's situation is about it's own terrible culture, not the current landscape of college sports.

I wouldn't mind Dolson having a cup of coffee with Utah St. or Vandy's coach. They won at lower-level DI and they didn't waste anytime winning where they're at now.

No one saw Oats either. That's why he landed at Alabama. Oats won't the last good mid-major coach to do well at the high major. IU won't hire any of those good coaches, but don't worry. They are out there.

It sounds like they are fine with letting this get uglier.

1.Being convicted isn't the point. 2. Th pictures of her injuries are gruesome. 3. Him beating his fiancée senseless isn't his only issue. He can't control his drinking, and I don't want IU in a Huggy Bear situation.

I've been curious about this too. Initially Brad gave a radio interview where he addressed it. He was soft spoken and kind. He said stuff like Indiana is a great place for basketball, I still have a lot of friends there, honored and humbled to be thought of so well back home, etc. It seemed to raise suspension that perhaps there was traction with our pursuit. Then not long after he delivers an in-person interview wherein he is much more definitive about his commitment to the C's, I'm a masshole, etc. Those two interviews were so close together in time but worlds a part in tone. Was he genuinely flattered and wanted to let IU down gently when speaking with Boston media the first time, but his pleasantries were misconstrued by Boston media as meaning he had real interest in the IU job? Thus is had to do a little better PR for the Bostonians to more definitively state he's committed to Boston?

For sure, Quinn had tremendous sway, but that sway could diminish this winter and spring as his time as president of the board concludes this spring. Also, the donors didn't give Woodson $6 million yesterday. That money was donated in March of last year. They've now had time to see that buying Woodson a really good roster wasn't the solution. All of this is to say I completely understand why we all are skeptical that IU will do the right thing, there are murmurs that suggest reasons for cautious optimism.

Everything is a negotiation. He can "retire" as season's end and IU can give him a "care package." That way he saves face, or so he'd think, and get the extra coin; and IU gets to move on. Woodson having and keeping the job isn't solely on Quinn. It's so much more involved than that. Also, the group that was fond of hiring him doesn't feel the same today.

I miss Birdman.

Seemed like I heard on the TV a smattering of boos, just a few times. Is that accurate?