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Old Friend

Senior Member
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Everything posted by Old Friend

  1. Old Friend

    2025-2026 IU Roster

    We have everything a team truly needs to be successful. We have experience. We have ball handlers. We have willing defenders. We have speed. We have shooters. We don't yet know about culture, leadership, and we know we're not big, I'll take my chances with experienced kids who know how to play and who are tough. I believe we have THAT, too. What is an "unheralded roster?" That makes no sense to me. We have had plenty of "heralded" players and that hasn't worked out very well. DeVries has been our coach for...what, 4 months? And "the fit" is already being discussed? The brand of IU basketball is top 3 in the country. What are you talking about? In terms of revenue it is behind only Kentucky and Louisville. Indiana is a sleeping giant and I have gone over time and again how the University intentionally made it dormant and is responsible for self-inflicted wounds. Culture is not built or re-built in 4 months and referring to our brand as "bad," with all due respect is grossly out of touch. We do not need and I am not interested in building a "heralded" roster because we spent the most money on players who are HERE for the money, don't care about Indiana, and have no idea how to play the game or play together. You HAVE been watching for the last several years, right?? You want MORE of that bullsh*t?? We finally have a coach doing things right.....pragmatically and with a plan, and you're envious of others?? This makes no sense to me. What higher hopes did you have? You want Mbako back? Reneau? Ballo? Guys who come for "their bag?" You're envious of Purdue's roster? That's a 20+ year culture and a coach who recruits SPECIFICLALLY to be "unheralded" for the most part. You think our football roster a year ago was "heralded?" No. But the pieces fit and everybody pulled in the same direction. There were no individuals. That's how you build a winner and that's what's happening. DeVries is recruiting to HIS "fit" Not to win an off season popularity contest. I LOVE what he's doing and it's about damned time. I promise..our brand is and will be just fine.
  2. Old Friend

    2025 IUFB RECORD PREDICTION Thread

    11-1 Will be better than expected.
  3. Old Friend

    (2027) - C Isaiah Hill

    Saw him twice this past season. Even talked to his coach (Jeff Teague) about him. My take away was very simple : He's raw, but this kid will play in the NBA He has a LOT of work to do, but compared to kids like Xavier Booker, as an example, this kid is a FAR better prospect. He's far tougher, far more athletic, and I would LOVE IU to land him. Guys like Rabjohns who describe kids as he did above don't give the full picture. This kid needs work and has things to develop - positioning, rebounding with something other than athletic ability, etc. But....he's going to be REALLY good eventually.
  4. Old Friend

    (2026) - Anthony Thompson

    Crazy that recruits know it's "Indiana University," but Malik Reneau didn't.
  5. Old Friend

    2025-2026 IU Roster

    Never...EVER in the history of "pundits" or media has there been better proof that these idiots are nothing but knowledgeless blowhards who know absolutely nothing. Why does ANYONE listen to these nacho cheese eating, parents' basement living, "never competed in anything" morons?
  6. Old Friend

    Transfer Portal w IU Interest

    I care solely about the modern ear and since 2000, this is the first of 6 men's basketball hires made without restriction or influence from people and things who/which had no business influencing it. We can agree, with a "but..."
  7. Old Friend

    Transfer Portal w IU Interest

    Equally entertaining the number of people who either don't know or won't apply the "why" to anything. IU hasn't hired a good fit for its men's basketball coach since 1971. That's true, but it doesn't stop there. There are reasons for that and without applying them, making the blanket statements I've seen here are comical.
  8. I'm GLAD we only have 3 players right now. (DeVries, Sisley, Enright...right?) We have proven we're not very good with those other bums. I don't want kids only at IU for their money.
  9. Old Friend

    Transfer Portal w IU Interest

    Perceived is the key word. Fans don't know a damned thing and the sexy picks aren't generally what coaches want. Coaches (good ones) want kids who can play together...not mercenaries.
  10. You need to go do some digging on why this is. It's not at all this face value simple. I detailed it a month ago and we have hired the wrong guy - most times on purpose - time and again, and this is the first true unobstructed hire since 1971. Mike Davis just finished a 1-31 season. A horrible coach. Crean recruited with a shotgun and wore everybody around him out. Sampson set IU back a decade. Archie was terrible at Rhode Island. Mike Woodson was arrogant, entitled, and lazy. Had no experience or interest in coaching college basketball. There is a "why" to your last statement; and it's valid.
  11. They do a whole lot more than hand out money. They also coach and develop. Every single one of the losers and quitters who just left were at IU solely for the money. You saw what that "bought." Money cannot be the only reason or we might as well hire a 7 year old girl to coach the team.
  12. Agree. Had we had a discussion 2 months ago and I'd told you we would be hiring a midwestern guy who comes from a middle class athletic family, played basketball at the D2 level and was a team captain, focuses on defense and efficiency, has won everywhere he's been and has experience turning teams around, and whose brother is a former walk on defensive tackle who still leads the University of Iowa in tackles for loss.....and followed that up by saying we're going to support him with as many resources as he needs......what else does anybody need? I don't care if we win the press conference and I'm thrilled the trash has been taken out. Handing out money can't be what IU basketball's about.
  13. The negativity here surprises me. If for no other reason, Scott Dolson has earned a "trust me" and it sounds like this "search" began a long time ago. He has hit the ground running getting to know Indiana high school coaches; he has ringing endorsements from several coaches we've heard of; he focuses on defense, efficiency, spacing, movement, and shot selection (I'm pretty sure that formula worked here at one time); and he understands he has to recruit to his system. With resources and support, unless the guy's a fraud and Dolson whiffed it (with his career on the line if he did....which I don't believe for one second), I think he'll be really good at IU. He wasn't the sexy hire and won't ever win the press conference, but I don't understand the high level of skepticism and doubt.
  14. Old Friend

    General Coach Candidate News

    It's only a risk if you're looking to make it a risk. Tom Izzo had never been a head coach at all, for example. I understand different time now, but I also know a great coach can load his staff with people who can do things on his behalf. The guy has won > 81% of his games as a head coach and just went 30-3 in D1. I'll gladly take my chances.
  15. Old Friend

    Scott Dolson Thread

    Because you know more than he does and you've got all the information he does, right? How about we don't act like children who don't get what they want, and trust the guy that just a year ago hit a bases empty grand slam?
  16. Old Friend

    Scott Dolson Thread

    Scott Dolson should be fired if he doesn't hire who I want him to hire! I know he's done his diligence and knows how important this is. I know he's more invested than me or anyone I know and I know he's a former manager, absolutely understands where he is, and just hit a home run across the parking lot. I know he knows WAY more than I do and I know he's been in it for months. I know he's vetted candidates and I know he understands his career will be defined by THIS hire. But dammit, I manage TWO Jersey Mike's sub shoppes, and if he hires a guy I don't like because I assume I know more than I do....and because I know more than Scott Dolson....he should be fired!! How incredibly ridiculous.
  17. Old Friend

    Scott Dolson Thread

    Brownell gets a bad rap, I think. He's not my first choice, but Clemson doesn't exactly support basketball down there. His NIL budget is about the same as Northwestern's, so I'm told. Goins is a complete clown. How he was given that gig is an indication to anyone paying attention that just because someone has the ability to hire doesn't mean a whole lot in terms of how smart they are. Someone decided to give him that gig.
  18. Old Friend

    Scott Dolson Thread

    I have and he's the best I've heard. So many of these guys pretend they know and just LOVE having their press credential. Tom Brew knows nothing, doesn't understand sports, has no idea that people are on to him and know more than he does; and he's an arrogant jack*ss. Jacob Goins is another absolute disaster with his fake voice and uneducated opinions based on whoever he decides to parrot on a given day. Talk about a guy who doesn't know anything. Just bblleechhh.
  19. Old Friend

    Scott Dolson Thread

    No sh*t. That dude is a clown. So is every podcaster I've seen. It's like literally none of them understand anything and don't actually dig past the very easy first layer. Tom Brew is painfully obtuse and un- necessarily arrogant
  20. Old Friend

    General Coach Candidate News

    He "won" what? His last 3 seasons there with his own team were 21-10, 19-10, 22-11. He's made it past the round of 32 once in his career. Won what?? Where are the standards?? I'm seeing people in huge support of some very mediocre coaches who haven't ever done a damned thing. Why do we want another guy who, save a single season, had records similar to Woodson in what was then an either equal or inferior league? Cignett's not an a$$hole. Watch the documentary. And you don't think fans here would be unhappy with similar results????? Come on.
  21. Old Friend

    General Coach Candidate News

    Watch the documentary. Not at all the same. Cignetti's arrogant. Wade's an a$$hole.
  22. Old Friend

    General Coach Candidate News

    That would be catastrophic. Will Wade would be the antithesis of Curt Cignetti. Unlikable and just not a good guy. Watch "The Scheme." He comes across as a complete a$$hole and not a guy IU would support....at all. No thank you.
  23. Old Friend

    General Coach Candidate News

    How does anyone know who Scott Dolson's top targets are beyond Stevens? I'm sorry, but I just don't think Dusty May was a clear #2. He had 6 seasons at Florida Atlantic, only one anything special and his first 4 were.....not very good at all. This season his team completely pee'd down their proverbial legs late and lost a championship which was theirs to lose. Yet somehow he's a better candidate than McCollium who has by far the best resume of any coach in college basketball save Danny Hurley or maybe Tom Izzo? I don't buy that for a second. I don't think guys like Buzz Williams or Mick Cronin fit Indiana at all, but I'm not about to believe we settled regardless of who we get unless it DOES happen to be a retread like that who's never won anything. Hell....I'd take Dane Fife with a great staff over Cronin or Williams.
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