Old Friend

Yeah, I got a large coffee today. It lasted a while. Sorry, =)

Okay, help me. I need to make sure I have this right. * Illinois football is bad. In far worse shape than Indiana. That cannot be argued at the moment. But we're using them as a comparison that means we should fire both our coaches in football AND basketball, along with our athletic director. * Illinois hired a "big name" who has a record of 11-31 in his tenure there. Yet he's somehow better than Tom Allen....... * Who was a DC at Ole Miss where he turned around a defense ranked last in FBS to one of the better ones in several categories. Who was DC at South Florida where his defense ranked #1 in its conference. Who turned around Indiana's defense in a single season, but many b*tched that we hired a high school coach (never mind that many schools hire successful coordinators as their coach...I don't remember those people b*tching when we hired Wilson...who was a successful OC with zero head coaching experience).... I digress. * Illinois has a bowling alley and a slide (a slide....) in its football facility, which is supposed to mean something for the future, and we're comparing Indiana dis-favorably to Illinois because of it? * Yet the positive things that are happening in our program and in our basketball program which indicate a more positive future are ignored so we can fire OUR coaches? (this one's important....I need to understand whether or not the positives at Indiana are even noticed. My guess for some is "no.") * If Indiana adds a teeter totter, a 4-square court, and a merry go round; and maybe a sand volleyball pit or tether-ball, it will mean we're keeping up with the Jones's? * Indiana needs everything every other school has, or we're not providing enough "amenities." That about the size of it?

After year 2 and only year 1 with any of his recruits playing at all; given the roster, recruiting, and everything else you see; do people really want Archie fired now? Or...if not, do you want his seat hot enough that he feels it this season? That would be a huge mistake in my mind. 1) If "get old and stay old" is a strategy we agree on unless we can get 3-4 five star kids every year, doesn't it make sense to at least let us GET old? 2) Whoever we'd hire would be the 6th coach in 14 years. (Davis, Sampson, Dakich, Crean, Miller, and _____). Who would we legitimately attract with that carousel and obvious "win now or else" pressure? 3) If you do want him fired now, what is it you don't see happening which makes you think he needs to go? I know the records of his first 2 seasons. Leave those out. I think the "why" matters, and the "why" is legitimate in my mind. As of this moment, given what you see and what you know.....about now and what you can surmise about the future, why do you think he needs to go NOW? My 2 cents? He has recruited back to back Indiana Mr. Basketball and is likely to have a 3rd in a row already in hand. He has 2018 Ohio Mr. Basketball healthy, which I think is an "X factor" this season. He is building depth. I happen to know a former player pretty well (who remains close enough to the program for me to trust) who's told me the players are 100% bought in to Archie. The chemistry is allegedly 180* different than the poison a year ago. Everyone (according to the players) is on the same page and on the same agenda. Not true a year ago, even if I realize he had to recruit Romeo. We have depth (and perhaps the deepest front court in the Big Ten), a growing basketball IQ, players who work hard, and I saw a much improved team late last season compared to earlier in the year. And I saw HIM grow last season given play on the floor, some things that changed on the floor, and the fact that he jettisoned some dead weight. I prefer good coaches who will stay above a carousel of coaches because fans are impatient. I see no reason to fire him now or even have the discussion. I see no reason to light the match under his seat at this point. I think he needs at least another year, and maybe 2; and if given that time, I see consistent success in Indiana's future; and by that I mean consistent 22-24+ wins and top 3-4 conference finishes and NCAA tournaments every season. Results will be what they'll be beyond that; but Indiana will be in the discussion consistently. If that doesn't begin to manifest in the next 2 seasons, I can see the discussion having some merit; but I think those discussions now are premature and frankly pretty short-sighted.

He has consistently been at the bottom of the power 5 conference in YPA. A year ago he was last among starters. His receivers also were top 5 in yards after catch, and I've said from the beginning he struggles to get the ball down field and he did again today. What's your point? On top of it, I wasn't even aiming that anywhere near your general direction, but hey.....why miss an opportunity, right? After all, it's an easy mark and you've had a bad day. I get it.

Remember when I told you when the basketball team succeeds and the football team goes to a bowl game this year (and Tom Allen finishes the season with the highest winning % of any coach in IU history over his tenure), you'd have nothing to b*tch about and you'd melt down? I would imagine many of your posts would begin with something like "oh, shove it." I can see it coming a mile away.

On another note, I did have to laugh. Ramsey completed 4 passes and averaged 2.5 yards/attempt.

Maybe you should have taken proactive measure and cleaned that up, yourself?

Yeah, we only averaged 6.8 yards per carry and ran for 260. We suck.

I'd far rather see him on the block with his back to the basket a-la Juwon Morgan than try to develop an outside game. Why can't he be Dennis Rodman? Why can't he be Stacey Augmon? Why can't he be Juwon Morgan (the on the block version)? Why can't he be Horace Grant? I don't need to see him shooting more than 15 three's all season.

Texas Tech didn't have a single top 100 recruit on the roster and made the Final Four. We had a top 25 talent a year ago. We had Noah Vonleh at one time. We had Bracey Wright at one time. We had Eric Gordon at one time. We had Thomas Bryant at one time. Give me depth, experience, basketball IQ and length. Top 25 guys on a team with only one or maybe two almost always have different agendas and that has a tendency to divide a team. We DO have Ohio Mr. Basketball for 2018 and Indiana Mr. Basketball for 2019. We have plenty of talent. That's not bent out of shape. That's me saying top 25 guys aren't the end all, be all. How many recently successful teams can we name who haven't had one? Again, it shocks me that the focus tends to be on what we don't have; and then extrapolates into "fire so and so" because we don't. Do we want a team with one or two and done NBA guys or do we want to build a "get old and stay old" program? I much prefer the latter, but that means fewer top 25, different agenda guys. We don't need a top 25 guy. We either need 4-5 of them every year, or we need players who will stay 3-4 years. Those are the formulas for success. Having a single "proven top 25 guy" has proven non-successful, and I wonder why that's what people want.

Indiana 45 Rutgers 20

You all are selling him way short. I won't say any more than that. Granted, from 3 games; but you can see the skill set. (#5 is Cam Jordan. He's a high level football recruit (WR) and a good friend of my son's. Kid worth rooting for if you're so inclined)

Re-read what I said. I didn't say I think he'll produce the same; I said I don't know of anything Romeo could do that Franklin can't as a freshman. Very similar skill set. Romeo may be have been more experienced against better players in the summer, but he was also over rated. He wasn't a top 10 player. Hell, by one service's rankings he was rated 6th. Zion Williamson was 5th. All I said was Franklin will contribute and he's a better player than many have given him credit for.

I am one opinion based solely on what I have seen, but Franklin is very able to help immediately. He can play the 2 or 3, can shoot, he's athletic and very strong, good finisher, great defender, and I saw him get an easy 30 against Lawrence North in the sectionals last year ...and LN had 3 D1 kids on the team. I don't think he starts, but I absolutely think he plays meaningful minutes. I have said and I'll stand by that I don't know what Romeo can do that Franklin can't.

I don't think there's any question DeVonte starts. He was named a captain, and his play the last 2-3 weeks of the season a year ago really encouraged me. FAR less "bad DeVonte" and far fewer bad shots and poor decision making. His defense was also better. I've been as hard as anyone on him, but he really impressed me and I hope that player continues to develop. He's a tough one because he's not a pure point and a little small to be a 2; but that's what he is on this team. That will likely force us to go bigger at the 3, which makes Durham the odd man out. I think we'll end up starting Phinisee, Green, Hunter, Smith, and Jackson-Davis. I think Brunk will play 18-20 minutes every night; I think Davis will play 15, I think Franklin is capable of much more, but I think he'll only play 12-15 minutes or so; Durham is the one I think will end up getting 20+ minutes off the bench. Not sure what Thompson and Anderson will get, but probably not 15 minutes between them. Indiana has good problems and not a whole lot of drop off because I think we have 8 starters. (Brunk, Durham, and Franklin the other 3 who I don't believe will start) Man, I hope we stay healthy.

Sigh. I have said this in one way or another 100 times. If he doesn't produce, you'll all get your wish. If he does? You'll have to eat crow. Why does the past matter one bit? We have different players and different coaches. I sincerely don't understand why that's been so difficult to understand. NO coach has ever won until he has. If he doesn't, he gets fired eventually. It's not as if Indiana gave the guy a lifetime deal. 'I AM saying the past is the past and has nothing to do with where we are now. Not every coach wins immediately or with someone else's players and scheme.

The past has nothing to do with where we are now. Depth and Penix make a huge difference. We're better than Illinois and Purdue. As good as Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern, and I think competitive with Iowa. In the East, there are 3 NCAA football blue bloods who will ALWAYS spend more money than Indiana and will ALWAYS have far greater recruiting clout. While some in the west have more clout, I'd argue none have nearly as much as the "big 3" do in the east. Indiana got screwed w divisions. There's really no way around that, but damn, I want to beat Michigan.

My point East v West is in the West, there are no teams about whom I can reasonably say "Indiana cannot and will not ever consistently reach that level." In the East, there are 3. Indiana can and likely will beat those 3 every now and then, but more often than not, Indiana will lose those 3 games. That's just reality, and it's very simply a far more difficult division for Indiana to expect consistent success. As I mentioned earlier, if Indiana takes the "throw money at it" approach and gains on those 3 programs, it's foolish to think they would simply stand pat. All 3 would make immediate changes if they - by their standards - "dropped" enough to let Indiana catch them and stay there. That's why I don't think Indiana is that far off from its reasonable ceiling. It's NOT reasonable to start with those 3 games and then go undefeated in the other 9 on a regular basis. 7-2 is more reasonable and 6-3 is probably more realistic. 6-3 makes us 6-6; and that's a pretty good season for Indiana. 8-4 would be a GREAT season for us. It's hard for me to believe it's reasonable to expect 8-1 in our other 9 games on a regular basis. I'd love a show of hands to see who really believes Indiana can regularly beat Ohio State, Michigan, or Penn State.

To be very honest, I don't remember one thing from you. I have no idea what you've said or haven't said. But if you're in that group, I'll put you there if you want to be. If you believe "throwing money at it" is the solution, I'll refer you to my point above and you can put yourself in whatever category you'd like. How's that?

No. I don't know why you keep assuming so. If it was pointed at you, I'd quote you. Relax and smile.

The record in the past is completely irrelevant to this discussion. Indiana is better now than we were in the past. We are easily deeper than our bowl teams from a few years ago, and we have come out of the tunnel from a QB who limited us offensively. My biggest gripe about Tom Allen was his insistence that we start Peyton Ramsey over Penix a year ago. Penix was DeBord's guy and he got over-ruled. Recruiting is better. No, it's not with Michigan, OSU, PSU, etc., but it's also not going to be. Indiana will never be on that level as a football program...or not consistently. Those of you who think "throw money at it" is the answer, what happens when we get close to that level? You think those programs are going to stand still and just accept it? They have a hell of a lot more money to throw at it than we do. Indiana football - right now - is in good shape relative to our standards. If the record doesn't show it this season and/or next? You'll get your wish. But....firing Tom Allen now is nothing more than a vindictive wish because some don't like him. There is no justifiable reason to fire him now....regardless of what our history is and regardless of what you think of Fred Glass. What you want from him and his actual job are different things

What isn't true? Do you have any idea what you're talking about or is all you have "fire ______!"? I'm starting to believe you've never set foot in a locker room and don't know what you're watching....or you're so buried in "fire _____," you can't be objective. Speaking of narratives.... And it's not a narrative on my end. It's simple reality you refuse to accept because of your.....um....narrative. It's a hell of a lot more reasonable than "fire _____" with absolutely zero reasonable rationale for doing so. I'm not all in on Allen, but I'm also not convinced it was a bad hire. How many times do you need to be asked the question "who can we go get?" before you'll answer it? If I'm dug into a narrative, that should be a pretty easy question to answer. You'd be great at dodgeball. And for the last time....Glass isn't my buddy. I just think it's idiotic to say "Fire ______" because you don't care for one small part of his job you don't think he did well. The state of IU athletics and IU football is far better than you think, and I've never seen anyone so "all in" on failure so he can be "right" in his own mind with a bunch of people he doesn't know.

1) The 3 point lead isn't at all what I'm referring to and it's also not the point. The punt return with the hold away from the play in the 3rd quarter stands without the penalty, we easily take a 2 score lead and their defense was gassed. Done. Very different outcome without the penalty. 2) Narrative? No. Just the real state of the program where it is right now. You guys can deny it all you want, but Indiana is far better now than we have been in a long time.