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Everything posted by Old Friend
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I didn't know a thing about the post game press conference nor the question asked of DeVonte Green until I got on here 5 minutes ago. I read above some knucklehead called Doyel "a piece of sh*t." (This board is really going downhill..mods, cut this crap off, please) First of all....he's not. At all. One of the best and most vulnerable and completely transparent human beings I know...and I do know him. He's done more good for people here and in Cincinnati that 99% of people here or anywhere; and he's been through a personal hell I wouldn't wish on anyone. Complete lack of knowledge and a weak, gutless, chicken sh*t move on your part, whoever made that comment. Same knucklehead said "convince me I'm wrong." No....you need to check yourself and stop hiding behind a keyboard. Get out there and in the open like he is, put yourself at risk, do the hard things. Write the hard stories like he does; then you can judge. Until then? You're a punk and that's an idiotic statement/request. Stop it. Second of all, I don't know if Doyel asked the question or if he didn't. But why is everyone bent about it being asked? I'm more upset why he hasn't been repeatedly asked by his coaches. It's more than fair having watched the same thing from him for 4 years, and the same people complaining about player development are the ones complaining about Green being bluntly asked why he hasn't. Awkward? Maybe. But Green's 22. Probably less than 3 months from being asked a whole lot of hard questions by a people a whole lot more important than a newspaper columnist, and he needs to have a better answer for his maddening swings except "inconsistency." DeVonte Green owes HIMSELF an answer to that question. He owes his coaches and team mates an answer to that question. Gregg Doyel (or someone) asked a very hard, awkward, and yet very fair question of a young man who should be able to answer it because he's now over 100 games into the same pattern. Some want repercussions for a guy who asked a hard question?? How soft are you? More questions like that need to be asked of people, and especially of soon-to-be college graduates. "Convince me I'm wrong."
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(2020) SF Jordan Geronimo to Maryland
Old Friend replied to ccgeneral's topic in Indiana Men's Basketball
I'm not even sure it's that good -
(2020) SF Jordan Geronimo to Maryland
Old Friend replied to ccgeneral's topic in Indiana Men's Basketball
If anyone in Indiana takes the gyms here for granted...see video above. -
Prediction League (Game 24 - Iowa 2/13/20)
Old Friend replied to Str8Hoosiers's topic in Indiana Men's Basketball
One more time.... Indiana 77 Iowa 65 -
And as I said above, I think they are the worst seniors in my lifetime. I've heard more than one former player talk about "cancer" in the program, and it's no secret who that is. Smith and Durham are not his players either, regardless of how you spin it. You can call it an excuse all you want. That IS easier.
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Firing your 5th coach (Davis, Sampson, Dakich, Crean, Miller) since 2006 when said coach is in year 3 before his recruits become upper classmen "could also really hurt the program." I'm not here to sell Archie, but a whole lot of this mess is on the players, too. I think he deserves one more season to show real progress AND that success is sustainable. One man's opinion, but this team's seniors are the worst in my lifetime, and I think that matters. Indiana Basketball needs a coach similar to Donald Trump, only in that whoever he is, like Bob Knight, can't care one bit what people say about him and can't cave to the peanut gallery OR the players. He needs a very thick skin, needs to want the spotlight, but can't listen to the chaff. Glass can't hire the next coach. That would be the worst thing for this program; especially if Chris Reynolds is being considered. A former player, if he's the AD, should be the one who decides the direction, in my opinion.
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For what it's worth, I've seen a lot of Comer, and I think he's good but very over rated. Cathedral's team is solid and deep. To beat them by 11 is an accomplishment in itself, but Galloway is a better player than Comer. I'd expect this result.
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I still don't get the hatred for Dakich. His style may or may not be "for you" but he has the highest rated mid day show in the country and he sure as hell isn't wrong a whole lot as it relates to IU Basketball.
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Juwon Morgan has played 44 minutes in the NBA. Like I said, you're cherry picking. If this is all you've got...you can stop the fight. It's over. You're basing a comparison of rosters and trying to convict Archie over Crean because a single player played a grand total of 44 minutes in the NBA on an injury call up. This is....really...all you've got?
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So you're going to his first game as Indiana's coach? When not one of his recruits was even on campus and no player had played a game in his system? The same problems occurred this season? Who is our bad loss this year? I'll wait. Dude, this is pathetic. Even for you. Living in the past and in hindsight is cheap. Bob Knight had a team that lost to Pan American. Thank God the administration didn't call you and ask your opinion.
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If we count Morgan, we count Watford. Otherwise, you're cherry picking and making points that really aren't relevant. Morgan had an NBA cup of coffee, Watford has been G league; but Morgan has spent plenty of time in the G League, too.
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The why absolutely matters if you want to fire a guy in his 3rd season. Crean had 9 seasons. Archie's had 2 and a half. What are you talking about, man? Archie's results so far have very reasonable "why's." They're not excuses...they're facts. Why didn't IU win in his first year? I dunno, maybe because Indiana had no front court beyond Morgan? You think that doesn't matter? YOU try winning with Josh Newkirk, DeVonte Green, Zach Mcroberts, and Freddie McSawin. Morgan and Robert Johnson were our best players...and Morgan played out of position all year because we had nobody else. You think that doesn't matter? I disagree. This is not a lifetime pass...it's a "let's be realistic and give it time" pass. You don't fire a guy after 2-3 seasons when his recruits aren't even juniors yet.
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I'd say that's probably true, and I also think we'll make the NCAA tournament this season. We only need 3-4 more wins. 4 and we're a lock, so I think that expectation will be met. Very few teams will have records like Indiana had in its best seasons under Knight. It's only February 6th, and just 5 teams have less than 3 losses. Only TWO of those (Baylor and Auburn) from power conferences (Gonzaga, San Diego State, and Dayton are the other 3). It's not like college basketball is conducive to teams dominating in power conferences. WAY too many good players, now. Indiana isn't yet "different." I want IU to be different, and I've been wildly criticized for it around here. I don't come at you any harder than you have come at me. Some of the guys you seem to attract come across to me as clueless, agenda driven guys who don't know what they're talking about. I don't feel that way about you necessarily, but I don't know that I've been harder on you than you have on me. To me? The roster matters. Injuries matter. Experience matters. Chemistry matters. Indiana lacks shooters. Indiana lacks consistency. But look for example at Hunter. He was counted on a year ago coming into the season. He goes out and never plays, only NOW getting healthy. The eyeball test shows what that guy can be. Phinisee has been hurt more than he's been healthy, but when healthy is a terrific on ball defender, capable finishing at the rim, and does a decent job leading on the floor. His turnovers have made me nuts this season, just like Green's always have. I dunno', maybe I look forward differently than most, but a year from now, assuming everyone's back who should be, I see a whole lot of depth and enough shooters to play with about anybody. Thus, I'm not gloom and doom when a still-imperfect team. Next season? Yep. I'm with you. Next season, Indiana needs to be a top 3 team in the Big Ten, and that needs to become a frequent spot for them. NCAA tournament success will come if that happens.
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Who are your NBA players on Archie's first team? Morgan and.....who? Juwon Morgan had to play out of position that season because Davis and Hartman got hurt. Zach McRoberts played the 5th most minutes on that team. 4 of the top 5 were guards, the 5th was Morgan, who was 6'7". You want to try to win in the Big Ten with your best post player a natural "4" who's out of position, and your backup ends up being a JUCO transfer who couldn't make a jump shot into a dumpster? You and your cronies do a GREAT job of ignoring the why and looking simply at the end result, regardless of circumstances. That's very elementary, but at least you're consistent. And Archie's first year, he won 16 games. Crean won 6. In Crean's 3rd year, he won 12 games with 2 NBA players including an all star. Archie will likely win 19-21 before it's over. What exactly is your point? You're the best I've ever seen at reaching. This comparison leaves out so much of the truth, it's impossible to take seriously.
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I have consistently said next season has to be the turning point. So yes, Year 4. The team needs to jettison some players that still anchor it. His recruits need to be upper classmen. They need to be healthy. The effort question is puzzling, but I also think there is far more to the story (including Archie's inability to handle things the way he'd like due to things beyond his control) than anybody knows.
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The best part for me? The same guys just LOVE everything critical of people they disagree with. Posting stuff that pushes their buttons is like shooting fish in a barrel. Alford-Bailey? 2017? Chicken Sammich. Josh. Same guys. Every time. And they almost always respond. Their likes are all for each other. It'd be a great experiment sometime if anyone in some sociology class wanted to expound on the human condition or write a thesis on misery loving company.
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Crean's 3rd year, Indiana was 12-20. Archie's 3rd year will be significantly better. Apples and oranges. Archie has more top 25 wins in his first three years than Crean had in his first 5. The two are not comparable, but to believe Archie had even close to a full deck when he got to IU is ridiculous. Zach McRoberts played the 5th most minutes on his first team. That should be enough for anyone to understand.
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Prediction League (Game 23 - Purdue 2/8/20)
Old Friend replied to Str8Hoosiers's topic in Indiana Men's Basketball
IU 68 PU 57 -
No..they're not. They were recruited by Crean. Their skills are what their skills are, and I promise I've coached longer than you have. It's all but impossible to teach a kid different skills than he has or raise his basketball IQ unless he works hard at that. He can improve. He can develop. But neither Durham nor Smith came in here as high basketball IQ guys (same w Green), defenders first who could play well in Archie's offense. (If you want to say Archie should/could have adjusted some things, that's fair) And they both show flashes, but neither is consistent. You can spin it however you want to convince yourself, but neither were recruited by Archie. That's a fact. Archie took Green out of the starting lineup. He has benched him twice, Spin THAT however you want as well; but that's something different than "nothing." You and so many others can only see what's in front of your face and have no ability or maybe interest in looking beyond what you see and actually think through a problem and use your brain. You'd rather be negative, critical, call for jobs, etc... Nobody's happy with the results so far. Nobody. But....when Crean got here, the cupboard was bare. Nobody here. And people gave him 3 years before they whined.about results. In year 3, his record was 12-20; 11th in the Big Ten. Archie came here and lost Deron Davis and Colin Hartman his first year. He counted on Zach McRoberts heavily....that kid played more minutes than all but 3 or 4 players that season. Curtis Jones transferred. Freddie McSwain played a lot. Josh Newkirk played a lot. DeVonte Green played big minutes. So did Durham and Smith as freshmen. Stop me when you think that team should do much? Last season, they lost Phinisee for a long time, and he wasn't right for weeks after his concussion, on the floor or not. Hunter (who Miller was counting on) never played due to injury. Race Thompson was out most of the year. Deron Davis was awful, slow, and couldn't do much. Morgan got doubled every time he touched it. Romeo was hurt a lot and exposed for not having a left hand. THIS season, Indiana's results, while not up to past standards, are STILL a lock right now for the NCAA Tournament, have several quality wins, and they'd have at least one more (Maryland) without incredibly stupid decisions by.....Green and Durham. See above. Those things are real. They're not fabricated and they're not spin. Archie is in year 2 of his players. Fact. The results aren't there yet...I acknowledge. But that doesn't automatically extrapolate into "fire him....he sucks." Unless of course you can't use logic.
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He's not going anywhere for at least another season or two. That's not hope.
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1) Archie isn't going anywhere until his contract's up. Nor should he, yet. I think the roster is a group of disparate parts right now, in large part due to what was left over. Green and Davis are bad leaders. Let's just call that as it is. They're not good seniors. May be great kids and I wish them well; but they have not helped this program grow nor have they led. Al Durham is mediocre at everything. Justin Smith is unrealized potential and a bad offensive player. Archie didn't recruit any of them and all 4 play significant roles on this team. I don't know this to be true, but I have heard a couple of times he was told to try to keep them (and Clifton Moore). Which means HIS players are now sophomores or younger. (And let's also face that he recruits far different types of players than Crean did) You've all seen the picture where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet, right? Sometimes, things don't mix. This team doesn't mix very well; and I'm willing to give him enough time to build and develop his own roster before I cast him aside as a wrong hire because Indiana has also had significant injuries to deal with. Hunter in particular because that kid was a bucket getter, only now rounding into his own. But also Phinisee and Thompson. Those to some will look/sound like excuses. They aren't. They're reality. 2) Indiana's best lineup lately has been Phinisee, Hunter, Franklin, TJD, and Brunk. That group looks like they enjoy playing together. A rarity among this team, and you'll see a very noticeable absence of any upper classmen, save Brunk. That may not be popular among the "fire every coach who doesn't win to my level of expectation and in my time frame" crowd, but that's how I see it. Edit : Saying Archie "could have" filled the open scholarships is an easy argument, but nobody knows his plan. Nobody knows how he wants to build his roster or this program. A 12th player wasn't necessarily a good replacement for Green. Heck, Green was pretty good last February/March. He's regressed, and that's on HIM. Not Archie.
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Because next season, his recruits are upper classmen and he gets rid of all of the poison. Certainly you understand the importance of all of that? You and everyone else who doesn't like him can stop trying to convince everyone else how awful he is any old time. Most of you haven't acknowledged the bigger picture which DOES include health; DOES include on-court leadership - which we don't have. DeVonte Green is a captain. Let THAT sink in. I agree with the effort and offensive stuff, but unless you;re blind; you can see the differences when Green's in the game and when he isn't. Also, unless you're blind, you can see Indiana gets plenty of good looks...Archie can't make layups or uncontested 3's for them. No coach can design an offense to get wide open dunks every possession. His strategy is to get old and stay old. His recruits are now sophomores. That's why next season is critical.
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The admin changes next year, so we'll see. I still submit Indiana has suffered from injuries/team health; perhaps the worst senior leadership in program history (see : their act on the bench last week, injuries to Davis and his never fully recovering, and the DeVonte Green experience among other things), having to fit square pegs in round holes (Green as a primary ball handler as an example); inexperience (Indiana playing several kids every year first year in a system and a few used to playing or recruited to play in a completely different one); lack of depth at the PG position (having coached as long as I have, it's really difficult to ask your ONLY primary ball handler to also be your ONLY primary on-ball defender; especially if he's not fully healthy; and Phinisee hasn't been); contagious shooting problems; and general bad timing - catch OSU yesterday after a week to prepare, same as Penn State on Wednesday, etc.. Basically, i think this team is a group of disparate parts right now. Part of that's on Archie. Part of it's not. For me, next season is the telling season. Is Indiana on the right track or not? I still think this team can go win a game or two in the NCAA tournament. Or...it can lose to about anybody. 4 more wins and Indiana is solidly in the field. Here's hoping.
