Aaron

Besides what I have already said, my policy is side with no one in this situation. The Hysterics are arrogant and have cut off many people who don't tote their water much like Woody did to them. Both Woodson and the Hysterics have massive egos and it was bound to end with hurt feelings. In the end the Hysterics get cut off from the program which is sorely needed and Woodson better win big this year. Woodson can think he has support of everyone and if he wins he can do what he chooses. If not, the people who he thinks are his friends will turn on him one by one as well and no one is invincible no matter what Woodson thinks and he will be shown the door. No winners here and we have two people (Eric and Woody) cut from the same cloth who are thin skinned and eventually these personalities eat each other up as happened here. The Hysterics airing this dirty laundry in public confirms they have as big an ego as Woody. If the Hysterics did not have an ego they would keep the meeting in house and not vent publicly. If Woody did not have such an ego he would not have called the meeting and chewed them out. Both are wrong in this sense.

I think if we want change we need to vote in the trustees election right now. It is all intertwined starting at the top. I don't have a particular favorite (well actually I do but will not endorse a candidate in this post) but most important is to get Jeremy Morris the incumbent out of there and get new blood in there. He singlehandedly hijacked all of last months meeting which is another peak into the world of dysfunction in the current administration. Any of the other 11 candidates would be a welcome change and any IU alumni can vote at this link: https://dataforms.iuf.iu.edu/trustee-election/vote

It is important to note that when a university has the dysfunction described above, that sports are often what bring it to the surface and force changes (see the Indiana State Baseball team declining to host among other things). This is likely what will lead to changes at IU as well eventually. It's why I see next season as a "can't lose situation" in many ways. If Woodson does well and wins it will be fun to be a fan again. If he fails it forces a much needed house cleaning from top-to-bottom likely starting with Buckner.

Its a trend throughout the University. No one in the current administration (athletics and academics) at the top can handle any criticism and will remove or marginalize anyone who calls them out just as happened to the Hysterics (albeit they deserved it way more than others who have been given this treatment). The University will lose more great people going forward (I know of at least three wonderful people in their current leadership roles who are leaving this fall due to their disgust with how the school is currently run) until major changes are made and they are currently being replaced with 'yes men and women'. Athletics are the least of the issues right now but definitely a microcosm of a much larger issues starting with Buckner, the trustees, and the current administration. Speaks to a lot of insecure people in charge including Woodson.

Absolutely and it speaks to everyone moving in a different direction as I said. IU needs a complete house cleaning at the top and many other Universities are laughing at the school right now and pulling donations. It all started with Quinn being put in charge of the trustees which he was totally unqualified for and has spread around to all levels. Reminds me of the Herbert days again and eventually like with him there will be a complete house cleaning. McRobbie was far from perfect but was the best leadership IU has had since the 90's much like Tom Crean. Both were flawed, but more successful than anyone else since then despite lots of issues. All of this speaks to how poorly the University and board of trustees has been run the last 30 years and Buckner and the current administration are just the latest example of it and maybe the worst of all or at least close to it.

Two things are true and somewhat mutually exclusive in all of this. 1. The Hysterics guys are a major issue and not having them around the program as much going forward is a VERY good thing. 2. The IU Administration is a dysfunctional mess right now starting with Quinn, the trustees, the president and it goes right on down. Until house is cleaned from top to bottom at IU more and more of this dysfunction will come out in public with everyone moving in different directions. All of this is interrelated to very poor leadership at the top that goes right on down and dirty laundry is now being aired in public from all angles and won't stop until their is a house cleaning of the trustees, Quinn, the president, Woody, and other administrators at the top. All are interrelated despite the university and athletic department being separate entities officially and many of the best people at IU have been removed by this administration (the Hysterics don't fall into this boat of being 'the best' but same idea of being tossed out) for daring to speak up against them. A couple more examples of the disfunction: https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/iu-trustees-arent-unanimous-on-letter-supporting-pres-whitten.php https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/iu-trustee-meeting-interrupted-by-protests-calling-for-whittens-termination.php This is all I could find, but more of this type of dirty laundry will likely be aired going forward until major changes are made at the top and eventually it will come from much more respected and better people than the Hysterics.

Last time IU had a Dickerson it worked out pretty well and he even managed to have a decent pro career in MLB after:).

Some systems rely on elite pitching or even a lot of extra bases with less homers. Also lower average with lots of homers can be done as well. Lower averages with no dingers is not a system anyone would ever use:).

That's an elite pickup. Was injured last year but hit nearly .375 with double digit home runs two seasons ago. Should fit Shonda Stanton's system perfectly that is offensive heavy and relies on high averages and a lot of bombs.

People need to please stop with this 'Fire Mercer" stuff. He has been to three NCAA Tournaments in five seasons and was one game from making it four in five. Overall the program has been to the NCAA tourney eight times in eleven seasons and has been far and away the most successful Big Ten programs the past decade. I have no argument the pitching has been frustrating at times and it needs to be more consistent and add depth. However, this powerhouse some people in Hoosier Nation seem to think needs to be built is called out of control expectations. The Big Ten is basically the Mountain West or Atlantic 10 in basketball terms and IU is far and away the flag carrier of the league right now. Mercer is getting as good of if not better results then anyone would at a northern school. If it were this easy someone would have taken over and dominated the Big Ten and Indiana is the closest to doing that recently despite being far from it. He deserves kudos for figuring it out each season and producing a solid product. Now team needs to be better from the get go and especially on the mound going forward and if anyone watched the presser on IU's YouTube channel after today it is clear he knows that. As long as this team is going to postseason nearly every season as they are now there is little to complain about other than a few tweaks with the pitching that need to be shored up and hopefully will.

There is already a thread for the weekend here as an FYI: https://btownbanners.com/topic/14489-iu-baseball-ncaa-regional-may-31-june-3-knoxville/

I'm not buying it. The fact only two stolen bids occurred, they may want a third Big Ten team as the no. 4 RPI conference, and Dolson being on the committee are the only things in IU's favor and gives them a fighting chance. Still not optimistic though. D1 Baseball and Baseball America have them as the last or second to last team in. Looking at who they left out, D1 baseball, has IU as second to last team in. Problem is their first team out in Georgia Tech is an ACC squad with same record and a few spots higher in RPI. I would be stunned if committee puts them in over the Yellow Jackets and the last team in Florida is not getting bumped with a top-30 RPI in the SEC. Who IU needs to beat for that last spot in my mind is Charleston who is paper-tiger Mid Major with a 42 RPI and 112 SOS. It should be noted they have Coastal in as well as in last four who IU beat. However, a top 40 RPI and high strength of schedule isn't bumping them out. Baseball America has Georgia Tech in and IU as very last team in at the expense of Kansas St and Charleston. I don't know how they leave the Wildcats out with a top-45 RPI in the number three conference (D1 has them safely in) meaning that is Indiana's spot. Also Charleston is out. Basically it is IU or Charleston maybe for the last spot and that assumes no one higher in the RPI is taken who the projections have way out such as Georgia Southern. Softball was in same position and squeaked in but my gut was they would be in last four in. My gut here is first four out but hope I am wrong.

Thats baseball. Sometimes offense doesn't have it and you have to plan for that. Especially against a starter who is really really good on his best days and really really bad on his worst. Unfortunately, for the Hoosiers they go the very good version. I put that as much on Nebraska's very deep pitching and what he did, as much as the offense struggling and it won't get any easier tonight.

When a team has four quality starters that is something you have to consider and not waste your best arm in a driver's seat situation.

Not a good decision to waste Bothwell now in a game you didn't need to win. Now need 18 innings from up and down bullpen while Nebraska can go back to their Tuesday guy now. As I said I am almost always team throw your best guy, but in this scenario where you are facing elimination and your opponent isn't you hold back best arms for later as Mercer did in Sunday game in Lexington last year. Big question now is with Huskers locked into a two-seed at a Regional elsewhere, do they go back to said Tuesday guy on short rest or try to piece it together with a bullpen game. If it is the latter, IU might be able to out score them. If Nebraska goes all in with starter, Hoosiers and season are cooked.