BottomLine

Instead of taking wild guesses and wishful thinking, maybe the best approach to figuring out the new coach is to apply a bit of logic and maybe read a bit between the lines. So let's look at a few of the facts. 1. The decision to let Archie go was probably made before the last two or three games. It takes so time to put the buyout together. Archie's job was toast before we lost to Purdue and Rutgers. 2. While the AD made the decision the odds are good that he may have been approached by alumni before the end of the season with an offer to help. It seems more likely that the offer of money would have been made before the school started scouting around to find money. 3. Whoever coughed up the money probably had input into the identity of the new coach. If I was giving up that kind of money I would certainly want a say on what happened. 4. Since there is no blue ribbon search committee, the AD knows who the coach is going to be. 5. If the new coach is not currently coaching an announcement should come sooner rather than later and negotiations are underway and have been underway for several weeks. There is little to be gained by protecting the identity of the party. 6. If the new coach is currently employed he probably has a team in the NCAA tourney. Thus, the announcement would not come while his team is still playing. He would not want to upset team chemistry while they are still playing. The longer it takes to make an announcement the better the possibility that this is the case. 7. One big advantage of having donors pay for Archie's severance is that it makes it possible for the university to buy out a contract for a coach who is currently under contract. Paying both a severance and a buyout both would probably be prohibitive. 8. After four unsuccessful tries since Knight was fired, the AD doesn't want to get it wrong yet again. I'm not expecting another mid-major coach. The AD is talking to someone with a proven winning track record. I'm leaning toward someone that is in the Big Dance this year. I won't believe anything that any coach says while their team is still competing. Anyone that has picked up on any other clues please chime in. I'm all ears.

I'm still waiting for the mail in ballots from the large urban districts to be counted. Figure I can still win this thing - NOT! Don't think I've every given up on an IU team like this year.

Been there all year, I've reached the spot where I expect to lose and calculate my score based on 75 points. Then I give myself a 50 point bonus if I picked the winner. Picking the winner is so much more important than picking the score and this team is so unpredictable, to me, that they are breaking my back. I figure they owe me about 300 points.

Why give up now? Might as well play out the streak one more time. Hoosiers 75 - Other guys 70

IU 75 Purdon't 70

Not sure I care much any more. We are pretty pathetic. IU 75 - other guys 70.

I think Al is nearing the 1000 point club. I think he at 974 so he he has 26 to go. Who would have thought that possible 4 years ago? If I have the numbers wrong please correct.

Not going to win any bragging rights, so what the hell. Hoosiers 75 - The other guys 70

Only 52 players in IU history have reached the 1k mark. Al should end up in the top 50.

Since three of our starters scored a total of 2 points, I'm glad Al showed up tonight. Nice to see him looking for his shot.

Hoosiers 78-70

I've dropped back in the pack and I'm no longer in contention. Drat all those close finishes that went the wrong way. So I'm not going to strain the brain in a fruitless effort. Time to pull up and gallop out to the finish and save some energy for next year. I spent 18 years coaching Spartans, not the ones in Michigan, and have some sentimental attachment. Never the less give me the Hoosiers again 75-70.

Well, I turned on my TV last Sunday and did a search for the IU game. Couldn't find it anywhere. Then I searched on the Intranet and discovered that I missed the game. I guess you could say that my interest for this season is starting to decline. Getting hard to move forward. I'll take the Hoosiers on WEDNESDAY 75-70. Just hope it is an enjoyable game.

The Hoosiers are breaking my back. I'm guessing every close game the wrong way. Time to start a winning streak! We took Illinois into overtime and beat Iowa twice. We should be able to handle Northwestern. The Wildcats can't possibly be as hot from 3 as they were the lest time we met. Hoosiers 75 - Wildcats 70

Don't have a lot to say about this one. Can we expect Iowa to shoot that bad again? Don't think so. Hawkeyes 88 - Hoosiers 75. From this point on the games are more winable.

Man those overtime games are killing me, a 50 point slap in the face every time we don't finish. On to Iowa!

Can IU catch lightening in a bottle twice in the same season? Over/under for this game is 141.5 and Illinois is a 2 or 3 point favorite. That makes the implied result somewhere around 72-69 Illinois. I'm wondering if this is a classic bounce game for Illinois. They just squeezed by Iowa and could be set for a let down against a team that they have already beaten. While Indiana is only 4-4 at home this year, Illinois is only 3-3 on the road and certainly susceptible to the upset. Meanwhile IU has had over a week to get ready and heal. Just like before the Iowa game. Turn one of the overtime losses around and both Illinois and Indiana would be looking at 10-6 records, instead of 10-6 and 9-7. I'm looking for an Indiana upset in a game where Illinois might not be their sharpest. I make it 76-71 Hoosiers.

This game has all the classic signs of a bounce game or a trap game. IU just knocked off a top 10 team and enters a game where they are favored by a small margin. How much of a let down will it take for Rutgers to slip by IU. I'm thinking not a lot. The difference between winning and losing and be so random. IU plays a team that shoots lights out (Purdue) and we lose. IU plays a high scoring team that can't throw a beach ball into the ocean and we win. Live by the 3 - die by the 3. Or, free throws. Rutgers is desperate and in a bad losing streak but they have talent. IU is a 4 or 5 point favorite in a low scoring game. o/u in Vegas is 135.5. Implied score would probable be 70-65. I'm thinking that the o/u is too low. I'll take the Hoosiers 77-70.

Al Durham. Coming down the stretch, when IU was shooting under 50% from the line, he was automatic to clinch the win.

Iowa is one of the few teams in the Big 10 that Indiana usually plays well against. Vegas says and o/u is 153.5 and Iowa is a 10 point favorite. Thus the implied would probably be 81-71 Iowa. I think IU plays better defense than Iowa and that could help our final total. On the other hand Iowa has a much better offense than IU. Garza will be a load to stop and if the IU front line gets in foul trouble against him, things could get ugly very quickly. We know Iowa can shoot the 3. They always do. Sorry but I don't think we will be able to hold them in check unless Garza gets in early and deep foul trouble, but we can't count on that. Iowa could score a hundred if we fall apart. On the other hand I expect our offense to improve, especially if Franklin is back to full strength. I make this one 83-73 Hawkeyes. Would love to be wrong.

I get tired of writing, "well this is another close one", but here we go again. I wonder how the lack of a crowd will impact the game. I know the home crowd for IU-Purdue games can get crazy and certainly impact the outcome. We hate each other. Do the players feel the same? Don't know. Hope so. This looks like a close game and frankly IU doesn't do well in close games. We just don't finish well. If we did we would have 4 or 5 more wins. None of our guards can take anyone consistently off the bounce at crunch time, Franklin might but he isn't playing. Phinisee won't and Durham just doesn't have the physical skills. Don't remember Jackson-Davis ever hitting a shot of free throw with the game on the line in the final seconds. Down the stretch recently we have depended on Hunter and Leal to make the plays. Can we win a close game against Purdue? Vegas has the O/U at 130.5 and IU a 4 point favorite. That makes the implied 67-63. That just feel right to me. I'll take the margin, despite our troubles finishing but I think the o/u is low. My Crystal Ball says 75-70 IU

Nebraska has a history of giving us fits, even when we are big favorites. so what is new, that seems to be everyone. They have great size but don't seem to be able to shoot the ball, as opposed to us just not being able to shoot the ball very well. We could walk away from this team but we have a record of not being able to walk away from anyone unless they are a bottom dwelling team. Aren't you tired of playing everyone close and then not being able to finish at the end? Me too! Would like to win this one big but I don't see that in my crystal ball. I do see a Hoosier win, but it will be more of a struggle that I think it should be. I'll take the Hoosiers 75-66.

I don't know that much about Wisconsin but that doesn't make much difference. Wisconsin just has our number, especially in Madison. I hate to pick against the Hoosiers because that means that I'll be rooting against myself at game time. Unfortunately this IU teams is not the team that was expected. The loss of Brunk leaves us dangerously shorthanded in the front line. The loss of Franklin leaves us shorthanded at guard. That is just too much to overcome. I hope I'm wrong but I fear I'm not. Wisconsin 78 - IU 70 and I hope it doesn't get much uglier than that.

Knew you couldn't pick against the Hoosiers.

I really don't like Maryland. I understood adding Penn State and Nebraska to the conference. Even Rutgers seemed like an OK fit. Maryland reminds me of a gold digger just out for the money. I just don't think the attitude is right. I don't like the players they get. I don't like how they play. They still look like an ACC raider to me. I just simply don't like Maryland and I certainly don't wish them well. I just can't see them helping build on Big 10 traditions. Are we looking at a Penn State clone in this game. Maryland plays up tempo and can shoot the 3 with volume and accuracy. Our guys better guard the line because Maryland can be very streaky. I think IU does well when we can get out and run too. I see a slight offensive edge to Maryland and a bigger defensive edge to the Hoosiers. Las Vegas says 70-65. I think both teams can score better than that. My cloudy crystal ball sees a 75-70 Hoosier victory.