Deserthoozier

Over half the roster is FR & SOPH…can’t wait for Woody’s response that ‘we’re a young team’ when facing struggles and missing expectations in January. Many new folks too…so ‘we’re still learning each other’ when struggling in February. Oops, wrong thread…sorry! Hope this works and we win…got my knife and fork polished and on the ready to eat crow!!

Gotta view it as win, win! If we get great talent and do really well…well then it’s tough to root against. If we get talent, or not, and Mike’s mediocre again…then he gone!!

Disagree strongly! Over the past 20-30 years, that small cheating ‘minority’ has solidly been the UK’s, Duke, Kansas (since forever), UNC, Arizona, Louisville..probably MSU in the B1G… and others that are continuously lauded as the true blue bloods with the top tier coaches. Strong argument to be made that having a really good cheating system in place has had more impact on winning than having an outstanding coach. Open up no rule NIL and player transferability where everyone’s able to compete on a more level playing field-and surprise…all of a sudden there seems to be a great deal of parity as we’ve seen immediately in the past 2-3 years. Even some mid-major boats have been lifted. I get it’s out of control, creates mercenaries for hire chasing the top $$$, creates farm system of mid majors, compromises team/player continuity that we all historically have enjoyed. But, the second a ‘cap’ is instituted there’s going to be a meeting of Kansas boosters directly connected to Bill Self to determine how they can ‘help’ overcome any potential cap obstacles - just like they used when there was a very specific cap…$0! Someone mentioned above-likely move is to a model where players are employees and have formal contracts. Agree, and thats fine - we just better be competitive in the process for determining how much to put on the table…and for finding ‘supplemental’ revenue streams..cause that’s where it jumps to - immediately. Or we can dwell in middle of the road…and keep pointing to the ole banners for another 40 years.

Putting a cap in place would just revert back to teams that will/have aggressively cheated in the past to find ways around the new ‘rule’ - and pay over it, under the table. Not sure about your faith in the NCAA’s ability to enforce rules equitably, but mine is less than zero! The wild west is liberating to programs like IU…who have major fan bases and financial supporters—but didn’t have admins willing to do things under the table like most of the elite teams over the past 30 yrs. Wild West (free market) has at least provided us with an opportunity to swim in the same pool with some recruits, and maybe even be competitive. FYI .. it was never the drop ceilings! I get that free market ruins the purity of the game, wrecks continuity, potentially crushes mid-major long term competitiveness…but this is big business now, not idealistic amateurism. That still exists…just in non-revenue college sports!

It smells bad in West Lafayette! Only 5 more until parity!!

100%!

Converse…I think the news just made it up to the big guy (gal) in the sky that he’s being forced on us for another year…so he/she decided to pull the sun. ; )

I might argue that ‘getting hell bent’ on going after folks in a Fire MIke Woodson Forum who take a shot or two at a golfing tweet photo of a perceived unengaged coach w/half a roster and at best marginal success, kind of misses the point completely. Making the same argument 25 times…well, will just say maybe, let it go!

Actually they can’t meet in person (schedule campus visit or perform in home visit) during the ‘dead’ period, but they absolutely can, and do, still communicate and recruit via phone, text, etc. I think folks are trying to explain that you’re completely missing the point…things got ‘shut down’ so the coaching staff could focus on portaling — and $6M was put up for them to do such. Thus far, ZERO results…while teams known to successfully portal already had guys lined up day 1 (oats alabama, Sampson Houston, drew Baylor) and appear to have been working all season on ‘portal scouting and relationship building’ many while still making substantial tournament runs. Meanwhile, our top recruit who was the closest to filling the gapping roster hole we have (outside shooting) de-committed - rumored at least in part due to head coach lack of continued communication & connection. I’m sure using, and then publicly standing firm on an antiquated system…‘inside out’ that doesn’t appeal to the thing we need most - shooters - impacted things w/both him and other targets. Adding fuel to the fire, the said coach is obstinate and attacks fans at year end…all while ALOT of programs w/similarly marginal results, and certainly less historical success and expectations, pull the trigger and look to improve by bringing in new coaching talent - whatever it takes $$$, bad optics - anything. iU fans meanwhile get told to chill, and that maybe they aren’t ‘true’ fans and that our success will be in portaling w/a big bag of cash. So, if folks get a bit razzed up about a golfing tweet in the ‘Fire’ forum - maybe let it go. In and of itself probably not a big deal…but everything Wood does, or doesn’t do until he shows the ability to be successful or in the very least bust his a55 trying is going to be under a microscope. if you don’t like this, wait until next year with marginal results and lack of a competitive system.

Maybe we’re hoping to get future credit for an NCAA rule violation by self imposing a scholarship ban - and then looking to double down by imposing it again a 2nd year in a row- so the violation can be a really bad one, or cover a multitude of things. Also, same reason we declined an embarrassing NIT bid…pre-violation post season ban to bank for the future! Y’all just don’t get it, Dolly is totally playing 3D chess with this stuff. Pam and Quinn should extend him and give him a major raise like w/Woody last year. And now, we’ll be able to do some real nasty stuff to get ahead and have pre-paid the consequences!! I know, I know…the new rules are there are no rules…but, just in case, we’ll certainly be top 5 Kenpom in banked credit. Our athletic dept leadership team is def top notch!

Dolly should be kicking Woody’s pointless extension money to Coach Terry…sweet sixteen 3 out of 4 years.

Sadly, Shaka’s not coming to IU…as folks have detailed extensively, numerous reasons why-just not realistic. BUT, someone’s buy out should NEVER be a consideration for us in basketball anymore if we are a program truly committed to success and winning. We, along w/the rest of the BIG teams will be bringing in $55-70M per yr, solely from the Fox Sports broadcasting contract. We, along with the rest of the BIG will also be bringing in $23M per year solely from the new CFPB playoff broadcast rights (SEC gets a mil or two more, of course). All of that is before you add in $1 one from ticket, apparel licensing, adidas $$, and everything else! If big donors aren’t on board w/the strategy - shouldn’t matter…money’s coming in…be a good manager and find a way to make it work. FFS, Tx A&M bought out Jimbo Fisher for $90M this year—didn’t mind offending folks or care about optics, just cut a check to send Jimbo (someone w/top 20 coaching success in college football) packing to take a RISK on another coach they think MIGHT be better — solely b/c they thought Jimbo couldn’t get it done. Yes, they have oil $$$ and stuff, but heck, we’ve got mall, med supply and Cuban $$$ and more cash coming than all but about 30 something schools lucky enough to be in the SEC or the BIg. A critical point here is to NOT get over our skis, in the grand picture of that $$ and the impacts of realignment. The next phase of realignment will likely decimate if not wipe out the ACC (F. St., Clemson, UNC desperate for that TV and CFPB cash and think they’re above the bottom dwellers in ACC). The following phase will be to get rid of the dead weight teams that don’t at least equal their payouts in the BIG and SEC, or in the least, push to pay them significantly less than an equal share - already happened w/the dissolution of the PAC-12 and some teams joining BiG12. If your OSU, why should you subsidize bottom dweller teams, especially in FB…but, also in BB. Sorry folks, but the way things are being run…that is us - especially in FB, but lately in our historical relevancy card - men’s basketball. Long winded way of saying, we have the cash to do what ever we need to — we just need to have an administration who runs things like a business, not a family network of trying to placate and make the right people feel good. Another year of suffering through Woody, and then a rebuild where we can maybe pick up another marginal coach b/c what’s left is a complete dumpster fire —- is a big risk to really set IU athletics back permanently. I know it’s super likely done for this year. Just pissed at the seemingly eternal mismanagement that keeps missing the big picture. Sorry for the long winded rant.

Watching Marquette/ Colorado… Marquette has some guys, but all five on the court are hyper active/engaged on both ends of the floor…making cuts, concise passes, sets themselves up for good shots from outside and/or to slash inside for a solid layup. Don’t even notice subs coming in b/c everyone is on the same page and equally engaged, invested and committed. Exiting as hell to watch. This system seems sooo superior to anything we’ve run in forever. Certainly some talent, but almost more certainly coaching and system. We are super far from that, and Woody has shown no ability to get close to it. Probably would never come, but would take Shaka in a heartbeat.

Agree! Is there really still anything that qualifies as NCAA rules ‘baggage’ anymore? UNC - fake classes for 20 years -lawyered up, zero penalty. Dean and Roy HOF coaches lauded by everyone. Nike has been kicking them EYBL players and related $$$ since the club league existed. KU - payed top $$$ for talent, for like ever — completely exposed and in cahoots w/triple stripe, lawyered up won. Assistant pays a fine, or went to jail. Where has triple stripe been landing us some dudes if we’re one of their best? ok don’t answer, but it certainly wasn’t close to what they did for KU). KU literally then sued adidas for ‘tampering’ and a month latter adidas re-signed them w/ over $100M contract. lol! Multiple sexual assault charges in the bball dorm, multiple yrs - swept under the rug. Self = HOF and lauded as one of the greatest. MSU - Izzo buried a bunch of sexual assault/rape charges - certainly was competitive in the pre-NIL $$. Lauded as Mr. March and the best in the Big. Future HOF. Duke - systemically best institutional hidden under the table pay for play school in history (ok UK and KU arguably right there). K - viewed as Mr. clean, lauded as best coach ever. Alabama - Brandon Miller was textbook definition of accessory to MURDER ffs!! Teammate texted him along the lines of ‘things are getting hot, bring me my joint, there’s one in the chamber’. He drove the gun to the scene where his teammate grabbed it and killed a young mom. Tuscaloosa PD gave him a pass - no charges — Nate Oats didn’t sit him a single game..explained it as ‘wrong place, wrong time’. miller 2nd pick in draft, Oats viewed as one of the top 5 coaches in the country. Could fill 1000 pages with sooo many other examples. The real NCAA rules are aggressively fight any charges, privately, publicly and all around - run out the clock and or create enough pressure to for them to give up..or in the worst case take a penalty - typically only pulling coach for a cupcake game or two. Do I like, or even respect this? Absolutely not! But, it’s the pragmatics of being successful in college (really professional) sports. Pearl had an unauthorized bbq, and had the rifleman mildly involved in the fbi scandal I think. Child’s play. He’s not my #1, but he’s pretty good and I’d take almost anything over having to suffer through Woody’s system, attitude , ineptitude and excuses for another year watching the program further burn. Also realize the chance a change is made is negligible. Oh yeah - fire Mike Woodson.

This ^, plus the more I watch well coached/disciplined mid and low major teams execute really well — and WIN - with mid talent…the more depressing it becomes that we’d even think about ‘running it back’ next year with this staff while losing our NBA first rounder and having 7+ spots to fill!!

Grow a pair and do what it takes Scotty…beam up Bruce!!! Loudly expose any naysayers…let them know you’re going to fight it loud, publicly and proud! Show that you have the leadership and are willing to lay down for doing what’s right to win, not what supports ‘optics’ to appease connected old timers. Your legacy depends on it!!

Maybe he’d come w/Boogie…and we could get another round of Bruiser too! Still - would be some hope. Also, he could renegotiate the terms of the four game series, so that we’d get a twofer in B-town instead of Lexington.

For anyone who dips into the Big Blue Nation boards, please share some snippets…misery loves company and I’m certain they would make us look like child’s play with vitriol and toxicity!!!

Keeping the thread fresh! A lotta big time decisions coming up for the guy purportedly in charge.

Uhmmm…thinking like a brain transplant?

Well, they also had Jay Wright. Clearly we’ve got nothing close!

We’ll get a mid one, pay $500k+ in NIL, promote him like he’s a diamond in the rough potential All Big team b/c he was 12pts 5 ast in the Summit — and then blame it all on injury when he comes out with one of his wrists wrapped with a piece of tape mid-season after we struggle to beat buy teams and start to tank in the Big. We’ll then be told to chill and that we’re not true fans when they try to run it back again with what is another obvious sinking ship year/coach/administration in 2025 - or reactively start a coaching search with the culture/program so broken, we’ll have to make a desperation hire again and get to start the cycle over! Enough! This athletic administration is desperate for ‘true’ leadership, not fans. Fans are the only thing that has kept the program afloat/relevant. F around like this, this far down the years of dysfunction with your marquee program, this administration might sadly find out.

Greg Byrne, AD…doesn’t F around! Knows how to manage winning, $$$ on all levels (institutional & NIL), alum/fan support, national image/media pr and 100% gets behind schools programs. Has 100% authority to perform his job - he earned it through experience and success. Does what it takes to set up winning and proactively gets ahead and manages issues - cut his chops via promotions to bigger AD roles progressing to bigger schools/programs. Make’s IU’s operations across the board look like amateur hour. In no way would allow external influences to force the program’s hand to suffer through a Hail Mary by running it back w/Woody. We do this to ourselves - on going administrative malfeasance!!

Too many cooks in the kitchen! (Pun is convenient, if not intended). Major college athletic departments with hugely successful major programs (in both $$$ and winning) have a one way channel, typically between university presidents and their athletic directors. Their objective is 100% aligned - win and maintain/increase major program status. At these places, it is implied in taking a board spot that it requires 100% loyalty to give leadership full leeway to do what is necessary to win (hiring, firing, aggressively fighting alleged NCAA violation charges, recruiting, NIL development, etc.) or in the least, a clear understanding not to get in the way. Many actively help facilitate AD and Prez leadership direction to get things done - implied part of the board role. Places where this unity in commitment to winning and the leadership behind making key decisions is lacking often get dysfunctional (Auburn football, Nebraska football, UCLA bball n football, and sadly, probably IU basketball). Keeping Woody, and not going for a grand slam - or even triple, or double if that’s where we end up - would be a watershed moment - in a no bueno historical way. The batting record v expectations and future prospects are on tape — and that decision would be strike out city!! I have to believe this is common knowledge among a solid amount of the kitchen crew. They just can’t be too outwardly public w/it at this point. Clear the kitchen, with a few elbows if necessary, find a winning vision and execute - damn the torpedoes!

100% conspiracy bs.