Old Friend

Then what in the holy hell are you so upset about??

You know how media is. The "underdog" isn't the story until they are. Indiana is not the story for ESPN or ABC, and you nailed it with your quotes around 'neutral.' They weren't overly critical of Indiana...they were simply looking to promote a team that might benefit the ESPN mother ship. Having said that? It wasn't difficult to focus on the negative because mental breakdowns cost Indiana that game. Mental breakdowns continue to cost Indiana games. The punt after their 1st drive? Took the ball away from us and gave them a touchdown. Dumbest fake punt attempt since Chuck Pagano? Gave them another touchdown. Dropped TD pass by Hale takes 4 points off the board. Even with the obvious things that held our offense back today, we still should have won the game. Of all the complaints people have had about Tom Allen, the one thing his team needs to clean up is the maddening consistency of mental errors; but the program is absolutely on the right track. We get those dudes in Bloomington next fall. Indiana's talent is right there with almost anyone. The depth isn't there quite yet; but Indiana is a good football team. Mental midgetry holds us back as much as anything.

I tried to tell you, fellas. Lots of people coming around to things a little late around here.... Time to raise the game a little!! =)

You should be bugged by it. If there's one thing about Tom Allen I think we can all agree on, it's that his team makes consistent mental errors that cost them. Whether it's a play like that or a personal foul for a late hit or something else; his teams have largely been undisciplined and do things like THAT which cost them wins. A completely ridiculous mental error a team like Indiana simply can't have. Great answer....yes. But we SHOULD be up 7-0. Don't apologize for being right!

Agree. The results will come. "Get old and stay old," and a couple guys won't even give us the chance to get old.

You are beyond hope. You are Veruca Salt. Before...when I said it's not that you don't know anything? I was wrong.

Okay.....we're getting somewhere. I've been coaching at the high school and AAU level for 22 years. It's very possible, and I acknowledge I watch and see things differently than some fans do, but I disagree with you on progress....and here's what I mean. 1) DeVonte Green. I have been very hard on that kid. Late last season? His decision making and shot selection, and frankly his fundamentals improved dramatically. 2) We lost Langford for the NIT and still played pretty well, winning 2 games in that tournament. Defense was better, effort was better, and I saw better continuity. I see the same thing now...only better. We were still WAY under-sized, and had few shooters. Both of those problems have either been corrected or are being corrected. Progress 3) In today's Amazon Prime, at your door tomorrow, 30 minutes or less, need it right now, speed is everything society, it's very easy to expect results to reflect progress. But..it's not that simple. They eventually do and they have to; but facts are facts. Indiana's roster, through no fault of Archie's, was limited. A new coach walking in the door doesn't automatically mean "results." Sometimes, that takes a while. Couple of you wanted Tom Allen fired because you didn't like his credentials. You didn't like the results that happened last year and couldn't see the progress....until....oh. Yeah. Go Tom Allen! 4) Archie Miller has landed 2 straight Indiana Mr. Basketball's and likely has a 3rd in Leal already in the fold. His recruiting has made Indiana longer, faster, deeper, more balanced, and more athletic. Does that translate yet into a national contender? No; but that would be unrealistic. Next season? Not so much. Again..the journey. Progress is in the journey, not always the results. 5) Your standards are your standards. Mine? I want Indiana to be in the conversation for Big Ten champion every season. That happens? The rest will take care of itself. I think we're a year away from that being reality; but I also think this team is much better than people think and will end up making you happier than I think you believe you'll be. My real point? Look at what's being built. Look at HOW it's being built. Look on the floor and tell me you see the same kind of team you saw last season or the year prior. If you can, I'd say you're being intellectually dishonest. Give it ENOUGH time. If it doesn't develop, Archie will be held accountable. If it does, you'll be pleased. We're not stuck. IU Basketball is in good hands. It's just not Amazon Prime.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah........ You really aren't able to process reality are you? You're hung up on Archie's first game as IU's coach and games 2 years ago with a team full of kids he didn't recruit?? The absolute pathetic mature of that is consistent comedy. Do yourself a favor and look up Dr. Adler. You could really benefit. (Hint : get out of the past and what made you unhappy. You'll live a happier life. You know nothing. We all know nothing. The past is the past. We memorize those facts. The future is a blank canvas...there's no story there. In the here and now, things are different. You can't see them. You're stuck. Get unstuck. Now...go read.)

It's not that I think you don't know anything. I think you fail to understand there is more to the story than I think you see most of the time, and other perspectives show and tell different things. The first 2 teams I remember went 63-1 over 2 seasons and won an NCAA title. So....if you think I don't want IU basketball to be good, you are outside your mind. All I'm telling you is I think your immediate satisfaction expectations are unrealistic. I don't think you can see past the nose on your face sometimes, which makes you negative, and you haven't yet shown an interest in seeing the good in the journey because you're only interested in the good in the results. When those kids of yours become teenagers, your perspective will be very different than it is now. A wise person once told me the beauty of a rose is only half the magic. I grew up with the 1975 and 1976 teams. Let that sink in before you assume you're the only one that wants IU to be good.

Penn State 34 Indiana 17

Indiana 84 Troy 68

Same 3-4 guys...in every thread. Regardless of topic, regardless of sport.

So plan clearly was getting the ball inside and getting TJD to the foul line. All he did was get the whole NAU front line in foul trouble and shoot 15 FT's. Poor game planning?? Really, fellas?

Poor game planning?? Really, fellas?

I really have to laugh. Indiana has scored 46, 43, and 47 points in respective first halves, allowed 25, 33, and 40 (total of 136-98, so a 38 point differential); and we have people saying they think the problems in the 1st half are due to bad game plans. We led by 21 at halftime of game one and allowed 25 points. Were you complaining about a bad game plan, then? Other teams do scout Indiana. And other teams also have very good basketball players (unless you believe getting to the D1 level is easy). Here's a fact for you. Only ~ 1,020 high school players every season go on to play division 1 basketball. There are ~ 37,000 high schools in the US, which mean there are probably close to 155,000 high school senior basketball players. We're talking about < 1%, boys and girls. So if you think for one minute the kids playing at North Alabama or Portland State are bad players who can't execute and play well, you need to think again. This will be offensive to some, and I really don't care. Do you guys have any idea at all what you're talking about? I saw the Marquette game listed as an exception....so when WE make everything from the field (including the hated Evan Fitzner), it's a good game plan; but when we get a little lost on defense and leave shooters open; and THEY make shots...a couple of which were very well contested....it's a bad game plan? Regardless of whether we're scoring over a point a minute and shooting over 50% from the floor on the season and have taken 26 more FT's than opponents in 3 games..but had some turnover problems tonight along with a couple of blown defensive assignments.....and some are blaming game planning for a couple of closer-than-desired halftime scores? The reasons and depth of the problems (which are correctable and for the most part get corrected) seem to escape some guys in favor of the easiest possible answer, regardless of circumstances or bigger picture. "Blame the coach....we should have hired someone else. We suck. Archie isn't doing his job" Blah, blah....Good grief. For example, tonight, 3 starters are new to Indiana's program. Indiana started the game with its two point guards on the bench...one in sweats. NAU made some really tough shots, and good for them. Last season and the one before that, Indiana struggled to score because there was little depth, lots of injury, and players playing out of position. Sometimes, fellas? It's not all on the coach. Sometimes, sports just happen. Was Calipari's game plan a bad one tonight?? That's just WAY too simple. No wonder so many people think all of our coaches should be fired.

Read the last one. (and I can't believe you're this obsessed) There's not one thing in that which is incorrect. It's also from last season, and he's a little better this season. Is your skin so incredibly thin that you have to be told every time you think you might have scored a point? Do you want a cookie, ice cream, or both?? There is a reason he lost his starting job. And those things I wrote? They were true then and they're true now. He is a good backup quarterback. But Indiana was and is limited with him. Are you arguing against that or just fishing to feel better about yourself?? Grow. A. Pair. Edit : As for the middle one, I was clearly pissed after a game. Would you like me to go back and post the idiotic sh!t you've posted when you were upset with games? Good Lord, man. Get a life.

I have said all year he's a great backup QB and have given him credit several times. I also stood by the reasons he lost his starting job; and those things are still true. You can go back and read what I've written. Or..not.

This also isn't true. You jokers have absolutely no ability to comprehend what people write nor any objectivity. No wonder nobody takes you seriously.

How was I wrong about Peyton Ramsey? Everything I said about him is exactly true. I know how badly you want me to be wrong, but I'm not. And I haven't been.

Indiana 91 North Alabama 60

FIRE TOM ALLEN!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Gleas.... Define smaller for me, please. To me, it seems we play pretty well with TJD, Smith, Thompson, and minutes from Brunk. Davis looks to be an odd man out except against big teams; but we have at least 3 bigs (including Smith) who run and/or space the floor pretty well and another in Brunk who seems more than capable of 15-20 solid minutes every game. We out-rebounded PSU by 17 and dominated points in the paint. Their guards had 58 of their 74 points today. Just want to understand how you're defining "smaller."

Disagree. One more season and I agree. I think Indiana will make the tournament and it'll all be moot, but he's obviously trying to build for the long term; and I think he at the very least deserves the opportunity to build an experienced roster before he's judged. Some of you are in such a "win now" mode without taking into account the factors that go into that. Things are going in the right direction whether we get Garcia or not. Nothing ever hinges on one player; and it's exhausting every single season when some new kid is THE MUST HAVE! or it shows something much bigger is wrong. As with Tom Allen and the football program...take a breath and be patient. It's moving in a good direction.

PSU has a very quick point guard (who was the conference freshman of the year 2 years ago and preseason Big Sky 1st team, and preseason POY), and can make shots (made 7 three-pointers a game a year ago and made 8 today, plenty of which were contested. ) Also a team that can get to the FT line and make shots when they get there. If that's the 277th best team in the country, I'm Tom Cruise. Indiana controlled the game, led by 16 a couple of times; and we have people complaining that - in game 2 with a brand new team that's obviously growing and will get better - we didn't win by enough. Yes...there is a lot to improve, but damn, folks. Every minute won't be pretty. I don't think Kenpom means anything at this point in the season. And comparing Indiana to Duke is meaningless. Why??

Call back of sorts to a controversial and very "developed over time" character on another board. Had some friends...had some enemies. And definitely have some stories and know where a few bodies are buried. Resurfaced here as an "old friend" to some, just a reference to others. The character was a tribute to Marvin Harrison.