Striper

The flip surprised me given that Crean has a close relationship with the VA coach.  He has gone up there to work coaching clinics.  Hopefully the relationship will bear something in the future.

I am loath to get too excited about the class.  Some of us still remember "The Movement".

Good luck to anyone who has to spend time in Bensenville, IL!   But especially IU hockey.

Sarah Palin disapproved after her 1987 experience.

The hand lotion has been put away.  This year I will be thankful that it wasn't needed by the mods.

He's got a workout, the second favorite thing I heard him say.

You give him more credit than I.  What sticks in my memory are the final three seasons with double digit losses, the Muhammad recruiting (I don't care if it is a parent, handler or player that instigates the trouble, the head coach should know better), other questionable recruiting, underperfomance of a much hyped 2012 recruiting class, strife amongst the team and transfers.  And I don't by the argument that nothing was ever proven, there was certainly smoke, and the only reason the NCAA never found fire was the ineptitude of their own investigator requiring them to back off.

Not that Howland has a history with these sorts of things...cough cough...Shabazz Muhammad...cough cough.

This assumes that Thon makes his own decisions.  From what I have seen Ed Smith makes all decisions and Thon is just along for the ride.  Given that Ed is likely looking for a liquidity event, I don't see Thon staying anywhere if he can get highly drafted, despite what Thon may want or desire.

Is the hand lotion on the table part of the preparation?

Heard he has bad hands.

If you put sophomore Vic vs. sophomore Troy I would easily take Troy.  Better stats almost across the board on a worse team.  I agree, the junior year of Vic skews one's view.

You know, like West Lafayette! :no:

Don't think Howland will end up at IU, just saying that I highly doubt he will be at Miss St for the entirety of DD's career if DD is is including coaching stability in his decision process.

Desperate people forget quickly, look no further than Petrino, Rodriguez, Eddie Sutton, Kelvin Sampson, Pearl.  Coaches may fall down a rung, but they are immediately looking to move back up it again.  And someone on the next rung is always willing to give that second chance.

The problem is that Howland's time in Miss St. will end one of two ways.  With low expectations he will do great and jump ship a la Petrino.  No way does he voluntarily stick around a football school any longer than is necessary to jumpstart his career.  Alternatively, Miss St. continues their current ways, and he ends up fired and coaching DIII at Depauw.  If I am Davis, neither of those things sound pleasurable to me.  Just as much risk with Howland not being there after 2 years as there is that Crean is gone from IU (granted, Crean may be out one year earlier).

They seem to be really deep in it.   Can't see this ending well.

Seems to be a theme this year (see the Penn State and Notre Dame games).

Two freshmen from the Purdue football team were arrested for stealing bikes.  Think they will claim they were just training for Little 5?   http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2015/09/17/2-purdue-football-players-arrested-bicycle-theft/32543615/

Why is it that recently it is our transfer players that have stepped up in leadership roles and have understood the meaning of planning ball at IU?  Sad we only end up getting these guys for a year or 2 and don't build on their appreciation.

Sexy Rexy pleads guilty.  I guess this is the result of the fine UK education.  Don't see BBN touting this one.   http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13615202/rex-chapman-pleads-guilty-apple-store-shoplifting-case

That's okay, because I would never let Illini fans live down the fact that Lou Henson is their claim to fame.

I still see the same three, Kentucky, Purdue, and Illinois.  Maybe it is because I am becoming an old timer.  Purdue is there mostly as a historical reference, that rivalry seems to have dwindled in recent years.  Illinois because they suck (I hate Illinois like no other in the Big Ten, except maybe Ohio State).  And Kentucky, even though we don't play them anymore, is the closest thing I have seen to true hatred that involves the IU fan base.  Big Blue Nation thinks so as well given that they pepper IU boards with comments.  Hell I even have a friend whose young son, on drives to Florida, makes sure to go to sleep before they cross the Ohio River so as not to have to witness the woefullness that is Kentucky.

Watching this makes me feel like the kid is making the NBA jump, or at least all current work is towards that plan.   http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/meet-the-personal-stats-analyst-who-helped-kevin-durant-win-the-mvp/