Old Friend

Indiana Agriculture College Northwest 84 Indiana University 73

IL 83 IU 75

Anyone who says that has absolutely no idea why Cignetti and IU succeeded. It's an easy take....lazy, but easy

It wasn't a comparison. Just a reference.

With an entirely new roster and coaching staff, my response and opinion boil down to one thing : We're getting better. Improving. And have won a few games late we wouldn't have previously. That improvement didn't happen under Mike Woodson. Is the roster perfect? No. Not close. But I can't find great fault in DeVries because we're improving and he is likely going to make the NCAA Tournament with a very different set of circumstances than Woodson had. DeVries didn't have the luxury of a group that had spent ANY time together. TJD, Race Thompson, Phinissee, Galloway, Leal, and Geronimo were all at the very least familiar with each other. DeVries isn't perfect like Cignetti has been, but I am definitely encouraged.

We 83 They 67

Of this entire list, the pick I love the most is Riley Nowakowski at TE. That dude was an unsung hero and as a Colts' fan, I want him on my team for the next decade. Lot of people would have overlooked him. Kudos. Hard for me to put Jordan Howard over Levron Williams in any scenario. Williams in 2001 has 1890 yards from scrimmage and 19 TD's. He was also a 4 year player at IU in one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Howard had ~ 1300 yards from scrimmage in his one year at IU. Certainly good, but I can't put him ahead of Williams. I gotta' have Kaelon Black as honorable mention, too. Leave alone his running ability and I get he was part of a platoon, but that guy was the best blocking RB I think I've seen at Indiana since Anthony Thompson.

I think we're learning on the fly that "in state" doesn't carry the weight it once did.

Hoosiers 84 Rodents 71

Speaking for my home state only 1) Indiana has one. 35 point lead/deficit in the second half...running clock. I think most states have similar 2) See above. Careful what you wish for. 3) Officials have left the profession in huge numbers because of sh*t parents and coaches. This isn't a battle - in my opinion - worth fighting. 4) Play by play in the gym or on the air? If in the gym, whoever that person is should be immediately relieved of his/her responsibility. Less is more.

Here's the question. Many schools can't get a competent person to work the scoreboard and game clock. Now we need to find 700+ competent people to run the shot clock, too? Asking for problems. Be careful what you wish for.

Where's the help defense? High and low. Nothing there. No fan of Coach Boling, but his kids let him down. No way they were coached to leave the lane wide open. Happy for Alan...but damn.

Indiana 82 USC 74

UCLA 73 Indiana 65

Morbid curiosity. I don't post much anymore...where do we disagree?