LamarCheeks

Pardon my ignorance, but who is Shoulders?

I was fully in Archie's corner, but am starting to have second thoughts ... This team does have talent. We didn't beat the crap out of Marquette and beat Louisville and Michigan State by mistake. But there clearly is something wrong (the understatement of the season). Whether the players hate Archie or hate each other or whatever -- somewhere along the way, this train went off the rails, big-time. And it's incumbent upon Archie to fix it -- and he hasn't done that. I never thought we were a Final Four team, but we sure as hell aren't a 13-12 team. Early in the season, I honestly thought we were an NCAA team that could possibly play past the first weekend. Is it that Romeo is being coddled? Or maybe the perception among teammates is that he's being coddled? Is it perhaps that Justin Smith is lazy and has an attitude problem? Is Devonte the problem? Is there an assistant that the players can't stand -- and/or vice versa? Was Fitzner a bad addition (in relation to chemistry)? Is Archie not instilling enough discipline? Is he trying to instill too much? From 12-2 and in the Top 25 to 13-12 -- so many freakin' questions. So few answers.

I don't think I even want to tune in Tuesday night.

I remember watching the Cubs a few years back when they were really struggling down the stretch of a season in which they were supposed to be contenders. It looked like many of the players just didn't care. Bob Brenly, the analyst at the time, said: "This is a dead-a$$ team." Folks, this is a dead-a$$ team.

I guess Romeo isn't a very good shooter off the dribble? ... I see several opportunities for him to drive at the bucket, then stop and pop from 15-18 feet -- and he never does.

Why is that when somebody launches a crazy, beat-the-shot-clock, no-chance 3 against us -- it always goes in???

We lead the free world in getting called for illegal screens. ... Either the refs are calling those too tight or we aren't learning from our mistakes!

In the first 1:46, Green has two fouls and a turnover.

Down by 9 with 15 seconds to play and you're fouling? ... Really?

Interesting story on Sampson ... https://sports.yahoo.com/kelvin-sampson-revived-career-turned-houston-final-four-contender-065511600.html?fbclid=IwAR2Rpb_4NAtqMbM-_kKq2q_BOgQZFjpf5G6ehfSKDdurTBcRmd8r2Eqj4n4 It does mention that not only did he commit violations at Oklahoma -- and got punished for it -- but he continued to do so at IU. But what it doesn't mention is what several have pointed out here: That pretty much with the exception of D.J. White and Eric Gordon, the players didn't go to class and didn't seem to behave particularly well. I do recall when Crean took over, when he checked the players' grades, there were something like 19 F's. To me, that what Sampson did back then is no longer illegal is irrelevant. Those were the rules and he continually and knowingly broke them. The article also mentions that Sampson learned a lot by coaching under Scott Skiles in the NBA. I wrote on another thread on this site that I thought Skiles would've been worth a look as a potential coach here -- both when we hired Crean (I think he was between jobs then) and when we hired Archie.

I didn't write that I did. I wrote at least on the surface ...

This is the one thing I find very puzzling about Archie. ... After one display of laziness by Justin, Bob Knight would've grabbed him, thrown him on the bench and after the game, told him he should transfer because he'd never play another minute for IU. Granted, that wouldn't have necessarily been an appropriate response, but still ... Even Tom Crean would've busted Justin's a$$ for some of the things he's done this season. ... But form Archie -- nothing. At least on the surface ... And Archie is a guy who had very little athletic ability, but because he was tough as nails, knows the game and busted his butt, became a pretty good ACC point guard. Why does he accept anything less from his players???

I'm not sure if this is a rhetorical question or not, but I'll answer anyway: Mississippi State hired him (Chris Lemonis) away from us.

Speaking of Cody's freshman year, I've written this before, so please excuse my repetitiveness, but this remains my favorite moment from that season (well, behind beating Kentucky): We're playing the Toiletmakers at home in the regular-season finale. Matt Roth had come off the bench and already hit two first-half bombs. Matt Painter implores his defense to keep an eye on him. ... Cody gets the ball on the left side, just outside the lane and takes a couple dribbles. All the sudden, there are three PU guys on him. In the meantime, Roth had sneaked -- unguarded -- either around the top of the key or along the baseline (can't remember exactly) and set up -- unguarded -- right in front of the PU bench. Cody looks over the top of the triple team, sees Roth all alone and fires it over to him. Right as Roth launches a 22-footer, Gus Johnson (who did B1G Network games back then) screams: "LAYUP!" And the ball has barely left Roth's hands when Painter raises his arms in frustration. Of course, the ball found nothing but net. ... Another reminder of just how much we miss having a shooter.

As far as I know, Calbert's only role at IU under Crean was director of basketball operations. That's a non-coaching position and I believe if that person coaches, it's allegedly a violation of NCAA rules. Although breaking down video and studying video and presenting video might fall into the DBO's province.

Louisville blew it big time, but they won't care -- there will be still be strippers and hookers at the post-game party!

The Louiville kid takes the inbound pass, dribbles all the way upcourt, takes the shot and misses. I HATE WHEN TEAMS DO THAT. Pass the damn ball. Does nobody practice end-game situations in which you have the ball and need a bucket to tie or win? When only one guy touches the ball, it's way, way too easy to defend. It's kinda like a game I saw Sunday in which the ball never left a guard's hands in the final 8 seconds and he got trapped and had to chuck up a 35-foot prayer!

Man, Louiville guard slips in puddle of Zion's sweat, loses control of the ball and essentially hands it to a Duke kid for a layup. And a few seconds later, we're tied.

Louisville's gonna blow a 23-point lead if they don't kick it back into gear pretty soon. Still a lotta game left.

And an Oladipo. And a Zeller. And a Hulls. And a Yogi. And a Sheehey.

I wish Justin would look at tapes to see the difference between Victor the sophomore and Victor the junior. Victor the sophomore was a great athlete who couldn't throw the ball into the ocean, but he busted his a$$ after the season and over the summer and became a really good shooter and superstar his junior season -- and ended up as the No. 2 draft pick. Justin can't ever be as good as Victor, but he could make a similar type improvement during the offseason. I'm just not sure he cares enough to try to do so. The one thing about Victor was that he pretty much gave 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time. Justin seems to give 100 percent effort about 5 percent of the time. That's what is so frustrating watching him: so much ability, but -- and maybe I'm wrong; I wish I were -- it seems like he just doesn't care.

Aaron Wiggins (Maryland) has the ball outside the 3-point line on the left side. He takes a couple dribbles to his left, then takes a hard step toward the basket, throwing his defender off balance, then steps back and fires a 3. Nothing but net. We have nobody on our roster who can make that play. Nobody.

At which IU player do I yell at most on TV? Usually, it's whoever has the ball!

Bring back Calbert or bring in A.J.! ... Just curious -- why would Bruiser leave? Is he not happy? Is Archie not happy with him? ... Not that I'm clamoring for him to stay -- I'm just wondering. ... After getting fired at Drexel, he took a year off before coming to IU, and before that, he was a head coach for 20 years. Has an overall winning record, but only two NCAA bids in those 20 years (and that was pretty much with Calipari's players at UMass). I figure it's gotta be tough to go from the top dog to an assistant after all those years.

Yep. Outscoring opponents by 18 points a game, being ranked No. 4 in the country and having a 21-2 record (with both losses to the No. 2 team) is pretty boring. I'd rather be 13-11.