Honkyman

Yogiballsin--Funny guy. You quote me while lambasting fans for giving up on Damezi Anderson. When I call you on it, you deny it. OK. Whatever you say.

I guess Yogisballin didn't read my post. In response to the suggestion that IU concentrate on players in the 150 range rather than the top 100 high school players, I wrote that players in that range don't always turn out as well as those ranked higher. I mentioned Victory Olidapo and Rob Phinesee as players who showed promise right away and Damezi Anderson as one who had not "at least yet." It is a fact that Damezi Anderson has not yet played up to the level of others. Nobody said anything about writing him off. So there is no need for your overdramatized mischaracterization "sad if you ask me." It might help if you read before you comment.

I agree with the statement "we have to get better with the players we have." We apparently don't have a choice since after Quinones IU is not in the mix for any 2019 high school graduates or 2019 graduate transfers. Further, we aren't going win many recruiting battles for top 100 players until we play better, i.e., until we are a tournament team. There are many reasons for our disappointing 2018-19 season. But recruiting is bottom line for most players--players want to know if they are going to a program that is going to win when they are there. Based on the past season and the returning players, that is not something that IU can realistically promise. Its not a sure thing TJD would have committed to IU if he had waited until spring like Brooks did.

It is preposterous to claim that Archie lost a recruit to FaceTime. If Quinones indeed commits to Memphis, it is because he is convinced it is in his best interests as a player. Given that we came in late with this recruit and we had a lousy season in 2018-19, we were lucky to get in the mix. Time to move on. Hopefully the returning guards improve their long range shooting or 2019-2020 could be a long season.

I'm fine with Michael Jackson, John Mellencamp, Hoagie Carmichael & Cole Porter. But this list leaves out some great blues and jazz musicians who were the best at what they did: Leroy Carr--blues piano Wes Montgomery--jazz guitar James "Yank" Rachell--blues mandolin Then there are the overlooked Hoosier born rockers--Lonnie Mack & Rick Derringer

Players ranked in the 150 range sometimes work out and sometimes don't. Victor Oladipo was a great find at 136. Damezi Anderson not so much at 125--at least so far. Rob Phinesee could wind up being a very good point guard at 136. Even the best ones usually take a season or more to contribute consistently. Phinesee had some good games and some not so good games. The bottom line is that college teams need talent to make it into the NCAA tournament and the best talent will usually be found in the top 100 range. Players ranked below 50 can often contribute right away. That's why Lester Quinones is worth going after. If we get him, he will be able to help right away. If he goes to Memphis, c'est la vie.

Lester Quinones ended up 49th in final 247Sports rankings.

Keion Brooks ended up ranked 14; Trendon Watford is 19th; Trayce Jackson Davis is 27. Lester Quinones is ranked 49.

It's very very unlikely that Quinones would play on a national championship team at either school. I'm just hoping we make the NCAA tournament while Quinones is at IU--if he comes.

Hey HoosierFan--You thought Matthew Hurt and Isaiah Stewart were coming to IU? Really? They never even took an official visit. There is nobody on your list I thought would select IU 4 four days before the announcement (Watford hasn't officially picked any school but I don't know anyone who thinks it will be IU). Everybody knew Darious Garland wasn't picking IU in the days leading up his announcement. Same with Keion Brooks. Everyone had to know Anthony Harris would go to North Carolina since that was his last visit, closer to home, same conference as Virginia Tech. DJ Carton going to Ohio State was the only surprise on your list but he never said it was down to two schools--IU and someone else. The names on your list aren't comparable--four days out and IU is in his final two. Like I say, I could be wrong but I wasn't wrong on any of the ones you listed. I'm surprised anyone was.

If his parents prefer he attend IU--and by his Lester's quotes that seems to be the case--I think it will be IU. Why wouldn't his parents prefer IU? IU provides a better education which is something most parents are concerned more about. The program seems more stable, cleaner, greater tradition. These are all qualities that would normally impress parents. And, if Lester bonded with the IU players (Green, Davis), it is not like the parents would be pushing a program the son doesn't also like. I could be wrong, but everything in the quotes tells me it will be IU. BTW, I think it is ridiculous to say that IU is included just to show a player is interested in a clean program. Lester had Michigan on his top 5 which is also a clean program. IU is in the mix with these players because IU has something to sell.

Both Franklin and Newman will likely have good college careers. Newman is a very shooter. I think he will fit in well in Purdue's system. Undoubtedly, he will burn us on occasion.

"We don't know the details.." Yes, that's the problem. Too often adults on this board are engaged in character assassination of high school kids without knowing the details. These are kids. If the coaching staff thinks a player has sufficient character to play for IU that should be enough.

The short answer as to why IU didn't have a better season with a front court of George McGinnis, Steve Downing, and Joby Wright plus Indiana All Stater John Ritter and high school All-American Ed Daniels is coaching, which is why the school made a coaching change at the end of the year. Lou Watson didn't seem to know how to handle all that talent and kind of let them do what they wanted to do. No discipline was a common complaint. Most of those players were young. Freshmen were ineligible at that time so McGinnis, Downing, Ritter and Daniels were playing their first year of college ball as sophomores. They were 17-7 overall and 9-5 in conference play. Today that would have been enough to win an invitation to the NCAA tournament and that team could have gone on a tournament run. They had the talent to make it to the Final Four. I had student season tickets. Even with a disappointing record, they were amazing to watch. McGinnis led the Big 10 in scoring (29.9 ppg) and rebounding (14.7 rpg). In my opinion, George McGinnis is the most talented player to wear an Indiana uniform. Bobby Knight took many of those players to the Final Four during Steve Downing and John Ritter's senior year--two years later (Daniels transferred when Knight was hired). McGinnis expressed regret later that he couldn't stay to benefit from Knight's coaching. His father died in a construction accident and the family needed money so he signed with the Pacer's after one year at IU. A Knight coached team with George McGinnis and Steve Downing would likely have won a national championship.

I'm an 'old guy' (Lou Watson was coach when I attended IU) who loves this kid's energy. IU's 2018-19 team was energy deficient. IU needs players like Lester Quinones who are tough and confident. The folks on this board who are shamefully trashing Quinones will eat their words if we are lucky enough to land him.

I'm glad to read that Lester Quinones was impressed by what he saw and heard during his official visit to IU last week and hope we land him. He would be an important addition to an IU team that is losing most of its reliable scoring in Romeo and Juwan. Obviously, Quinones is not in the same class as Keion Brooks. But he is a top 100 player with scoring ability--something we sorely need if we hope to avoid sliding further down the Big 10 standings.

I don't quite get the pessimism. He had good things to say about each school. With respect to IU, he said the home visit with Archie was "really good." I'm not sure what people expect out of an interview like this. I didn't read positive or negative about any of the schools. He just wasn't tipping his hand. We've been a bit of long shot all along and we'll know soon enough.

Penn State actually makes sense for Jake. He wouldn't lose two years eligibility. That is mistaken.

UNC posters have good reason to be optimistic about recruits since they get more than their share of targets. You have to assume they are the favorites with just about any recruit when going up against any school except Duke, Kentucky and maybe Kansas. Harris could be an exception. We have three returning guards who started at various points in the season. But any guard who can shoot has an excellent chance at significant playing time next season at IU.

Exactly my point. Ease up on the criticism of these high school players. No need to be so judgmental.

Why would anyone care about Watford canceling his scheduled announcement date because it won't be televised? All but a handful of these players want their school announcements to be on a big stage. It reflects not one bit on what kind of person or player Watford or anyone else who wants a big audience for their college announcement. Not a good look? Gives you pause? If that bothers you, maybe you should follow a different sport?

What does this ridiculous discussion about Archie Miller's record have to do with Trendon Watford?

The New York Knicks won't be pulling a random name out of a hat in the 2019 draft. Romeo hasn't hired an agent but he has met with prospective agents. He is taking his time deciding which agent to hire just as he took his time choosing a college.

Six months since this came about and Hunter still cannot do workouts involving contact. No official comment on what was wrong or when or if he might be available to play. Not very encouraging.

What is the problem with some IU fans and twitter? Some knucklehead gets in a twitter fight with Keion Brooks' mother? Another idiot goes after Lester Quinones because he needs to reschedule his official visit? Outside of Indiana (and probably inside of the state), Indiana fans have a reputation of being uncivil and out-of-control. I regret to say that lately it seems deserved. If it hasn't hurt recruiting yet, it will. Let's get it together guys!