IndyFife

I have seen various references to Adam Howard and "what happened to him". I mean, I know who he is and what happened to him - but never paid attention to the underlying root causes. Just assumed he got Dane Fife'd and Thad Matta'd by Big Smoke. Realize it is probably just rumors and innuendo but anybody care to fill me on whatever the backstory might be there?

I have an even more personal story that aligns with this on the very day he was announced: a buddy of mine from undergrad grew up in Wisconsin and was a HUGE Marquette guy. Entire family went there and his uncle played ball there. Got a call from him the second it hit the wires with hysterical laughter and a comment that basically everyone wanted him fired anyway. And an ominous: good luck.....lol

Great article from the star. And serendipitous! Almost 100 years to the date of us hiring our first real ball coach in a very long time, Naismith made the comment that basketball may have been invented in Massachusetts, but "it was made for Indiana"! There was a comment made here recently that virtually all of the Top 25 coaches have significant baggage and we may need to follow suit. But at the end of the day, we ARE Indiana. We are different and I don't think we need to do that, especially with this new coach. I'm ready to ride this wave and get back to what it means to BE Indiana. Basketball in Indiana exploded 100 years ago, with James Naismith watching

Well, you are in luck..... And, maybe, Behind the Bench will find similar Zen in 2025! Is Chi-Chi's coming back? Mexican restaurant chain to reopen in 2025 | wthr.com

As I begin to transition and pack for Florida, I can confidently state that: for the first time in 25 F---NG YEARS, an IU coaching search will NOT ruin my vacation! LOL

Wait, WHAT??? I had not heard that one…

I’m actually as optimistic about this hire - more than any since RMK was let go. He is the first legit basketball mind we have had in AH in 25 years. I am hugely optimistic he will coach fundamentals and coach “Indiana” style basketball…team ball. HOWEVER, until he proves otherwise, we are basically UNCLE F-ING RICO and just need to accept it. As such, I’m gonna eat a gottdam steak at Zagrabs this Friday. So, feel free to randomly ask strangers if they are me if you happen to be there - and I’ll buy you a glass of wine so we can toast to future good fortunes together!

BS - Crean was always a clown. Airballed a free throw on live TV in Maui. Never played ball past middle school. Syracuse game EXPOSED him - it wasn’t the beginning of the end. Any good IN high school coach would have known to flash CZ instead of running him along the baseline or planting him in the paint. Sorry, my Cherokee Parks PTSD manifests itself at inopportune times.

University of Indiana. Buh Bye 4 Eva.

I met Archie @ 1933 Lounge before he ever coached a game. He as with his wife and I was with mine. Mid-Saturday afternoon and nobody else there. I ate my dinner and let him eat his in peace. On the way out, I stop by and say: I’m a Hoosier born and bred, Hoosier grad, and lifelong bball fan. I wish you the best of luck. You will do great if you just coach the hell out of those kids and respect our traditions, you will be well loved. I **** you not, I got a mediocre “thank you” and the dumbest f—ng look I’ve ever seen in my life. I told my wife on the way out: something ain’t right with that dude and he won’t last long. No personality, no charisma, just a dumb blank stare. All that to say: DD is not that dude.

Well, let's check in on our last 5 head coaches: 1. MD - journeyman who hasn't sniffed the big time since and was never qualified 2. Sampson - Ok, maybe one coach capable of coaching IU 3. Crean - fired from Georgia and likely won't coach again. Coached an NBA HOF'er 4. Archie - sucks at RI and will likely never do much of anything again. Was worse at his Dayton than his predecessor. 5. Woodson - likely permanently "retired". I would argue 4 of those guys were never "qualified" to be IU's coach and here we are 25 years later. They don't necessarily get me super excited from the outset, but I would argue they are more qualified than 4 of the 5 and at least have some tangible results behind them that would at least INDICATE success from their coaching abilities and not just what they stepped into or recruited.

This time is different and here is why: 1. Mike Davis could not coach - period 2. I'm still dubious Kelvin Sampson can really coach - he brought in a bunch of knuckleheads that could ball but never really thought they were well coached (and have felt hot and cold on his Houston teams actually being well coached) 3. Tom Crean - Dude never even played ball. Airballed a free throw on TV. How can you get elite athletes to respect you? I felt he was a moderately decent coach but felt that Syracuse game and his inability to understand how to adjust to that zone exposed him. He then spent the rest of his career recruiting athletes and letting the inmates run the asylum. 4. Archie - His Dayton teams never really exceeded what his predecessor did. You could very much argue any success he had there was really holdover success. And once he got here? Again, he let the inmates run the asylum and never held them accountable. For someone who was so tough in his playing days not to hold his team accountable is just unforgiveable. 5. Woodson - see above. Archie part 2. In fact, think about what happened AFTER his retirement was announced? He finally let the three Indiana kids play extended time. And they magically made a run of it. Yeah, there were some let downs at the end. But he finally started to hold the roster a bit more accountable - and he played the kids that wanted to be on the floor and have that script across their chest. Why I think this time is different? I don't care what level they were at but both DeVries and McCollum have legit coaching pedigrees. They have truly made something out of nothing. And while I believe BM is more of a true X and O savant, you absolutely cannot discount what DeVries did at Drake or did in one year at the dumpster fire he inherited at WVU. I want a white whale but just do not believe we will get one. But we seemingly have two true coaching talent options first and foremost. And believe that, based on their backgrounds, they would not likely fall in love with simply recruiting athletes that can't play in a system. Both feel like guys that can take marginal rosters and turn them into system guys.

If you are dropping that much bank shopping in Indy, then I'll see you at K@C here in a couple of hours when I get there. LOL

Map Foundation is a non-emergency medical flight company.

Dude is from Iowa. Went to UNI. Coached at Drake. My first child went to UNI undergrad and went to Iowa for grad school. It is beautiful in Iowa - far more than people give credit. And if you are from Iowa, it is culturally ingrained in you probably more than even us Hoosiers understand (esp those of us from the hills of Indiana). Yes, it is a half-step up from WVU, but I would argue this is something akin to a destination/dream job for him.