LamarCheeks

Archie said on last night's radio show that they were getting ready to increase Race's workload in practice to get him ready to possibly see some minutes soon -- and he was sick and couldn't practice. This team just can't guy a break with injuries! Also, Rob said the concussion really set him back. "It's annoying -- not remembering everything like you usually do." He said last week was probably the most normal he's felt in a while.

Plenty of folks expressed interest in Graham Harrell. Don't know if he ever was on the IU staff's radar, but it looks as if he's done OK for himself ...

Jay Wright has 'Nova rolling and already has won two nattys. And he came from -- gasp! -- a mid-major (Hofstra).

A famous quote from one of our former coaches: "You f----ing guys will run until you can't eat supper. ... Now you better understand that right now. This is absolute f---ing bulls---t. Now I'll f---ing run your a-- right into the ground." I'm not necessarily a proponent of RMK's methods, but maybe this is what they need. Or, like Crash Davis said in Bull Durham: "They're kids. Scare 'em."

I'm still pissed at one Michigan player pushing Juwan into another Michigan player and Juwan getting called for an illegal screen. If not for that call, we might have only lost by 21!

Michigan State is missing wide-open look after wide-open look. They're looking like us in Toiletmaker Arena.

Right now, the Toiletmakers are having their way with Sparty. Geez, can there be any more detestable programs: The PUs -- the team I can't stand more than any other -- against the school that for years allowed a team doctor to molest young women and has football and basketball coaches that cover up their players sexually assaulting women. Is there a way both teams can lose???

14-0 run by the Twerps. Dang. We just can't buy a bucket.

How did the administration save money? Archie is the 10th-highest paid coach in the country. He's making $3.2 million a year. And from No. 10 to No. 5 (Izzo), there isn't that much of a jump -- from $3.2 mil to $3.65 mil. Then it jumps to $4.7 mil at No. 4 (Self, Kansas). Maybe Archie was the right choice, maybe not. I still think he can be an excellent coach. But money isn't the issue here. ... Now if you wanna talk football and being cheap, that's another story ...

This was a quote from Juwan in an AP story: "I don't think any team is 23 points better than us," Morgan said. "I think we have a lot more fight in us than that. I think there's a lot of talent in that (locker) room. I'm angry about it. I know every guy in that room is. ... Everybody is embarrassed." Well then, here's what you do Juwan: You're the big dog, the top senior! Get on these guys' a$$es and get them ready to go. Show how angry you are by not getting in a 17-0 hole the next game. I saw a couple times tonight where it looked as if he had just quit. Every game, I keep thinking "This is the one we'll turn it around," and every game, I'm disappointed. How can we destroy a pretty good Marquette team, gut out a win over a pretty good Louisville team -- then play like a youth basketball team taking on the '96 Bulls ever since. We are NOT this bad. I just don't get it. I'm flummoxed.

FWIW, I just saw someone post on a fan page that per a source inside the program, we could be getting a very nice commitment this weekend. Again, it just just a post on a fan board -- so take it for what it's worth. And please, don't kill the messenger. I just saw it and thought I'd pass along the info.

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who used to date the bartender at Kilroy's Sports. Davis ordered two Shirley Temples and Green started with a virgin Mary and followed with an O'Doul's. No harm, no foul. It's all good.

I tried to listen to Archie's news conference today, but he stood and wasn't near the microphones, so I couldn't hear very well. But it looks as if De'Ron might be done for the year -- or at least out a good while. And I did see someone post that -- no surprise -- Green remains suspended.

I'm not necessarily upset with the Nebraska loss -- OK, that's not true; I am. But what really pissed me off is that Nebraska led from buzzer to buzzer, we never really seriously challenged and our guys just seemed uninterested. I hate cliches, but the plain and simple truth is that we did not show up for that game. Is that on the coach? Maybe. You really shouldn't have to coach effort, but it certainly didn't seem to be there.

DeBoer seems like a really solid hire, but given the fact that we did not make Hart the OC, I'm not surprised he's interviewing elsewhere.

No. 1 Tennessee and Vandy are tied with 32 seconds to play.

That's what I meant!

I believe we have won twice at the Breslin Center -- in 1991 (I was there) and 2012.

I'm guessing this was covered a bit in the N'western game thread, but Race Thompson has been cleared to play. Unfortunately, he hasn't practiced in 10 weeks, so he's probably not in very good basketball shape. But to get another body back is welcome at this point.

Larry Brown also would've had us on NCAA probation a year after he left! ... Remember after Crean was fired, the rumor that supposedly Brown floated the idea of he and Mike Woodson coming to B'town as a package deal? ... I really believe that when it comes to on-court basketball, Brown is one of the truly great coaches. But he never stays for more than a few years and as far as college goes, he's committed NCAA violations just about everywhere he's gone.

Coincidence that your scores are years we won nattys? And that Michigan's is the year we beat them???

Want to go with the upset, but I haven't seen anything to convince me it'll happen ... Maize & Blue 73 Cream & Crimson 64

Williams inherited a roster that included three first-round NBA draft picks. I'm guessing that helped a little.

There are three things -- well, more than that -- that have really bothered me about this season. But I'll keep it at three. 1. Where is our heart? We go through too many stretches where we just seem uninterested. The Nebraska game was the worst example. This is a team we should beat every time we play them in the Hall -- and we never led. We simply did not show up to play. There also were times we looked really uninterested against Purdue. How, when you're playing your No. 1 rival, can you just have stretches in which you look as if you just don't care. Though we led for a bit in the first half, the Toiletmakers' intensity was there from buzzer to buzzer. Our's wasn't. 2. Why are we so stupid? We continue to try to force things that just aren't there. Sometimes it's Al trying to work his way between two defenders and getting stripped. Sometimes it's Rob driving to the bucket against a couple 6-8 guys when he's got no chance. Sometimes it's Justin getting too far under the bucket and still throwing up some inappropriate shot. Sometimes it's Green trying to make a pass that clearly shouldn't be made (though that might not be a worry anymore). Sometimes it's Romeo barreling toward the bucket and getting a very obvious charge call against him ... Last night, every time we had a chance to make it a one possession game -- or even tie it -- we made a really stupid play. Smart play can make up for a lot of other deficiencies. 3. The Marquette game. ... Where did that team go? We beat the snot out of a pretty good team with no Green, no Thompson, De'Ron playing just 15 minutes. That team looked like a solid B1G contender and possible Sweet 16 team. We reached a pretty elite level of play in the game and I'm just not understanding why we haven't been able to come close to that again. I know we've had injuries, but we played that game with pretty much the same group we have now (no Green, no Thompson, no Hunter, De'Ron very limited). Like the original post, I'm willing to give Archie a break, but a lot of this stuff seems to fall on coaching and seem to be things he can and should be able to correct. I just don't get it! I'm still not over the Nebraska game -- that was shameful.