KathywithaC

This is about Woody being petty to a couple of fans who’ve done nothing but support the program. He bullied them out the door over a perceived act of disloyalty, which was nothing more than having Brian Evans come on their podcast and say what several other basketball alumni have been saying for a couple of years. Woody won’t want to say any more about this because he doesn’t understand or care how it makes him look, but others aren’t so willing to ignore it.

Goofy or not, they’re true dyed-in-the-wool fans, and they really live for IU basketball. They aren’t vindictive because they love IU, and they aren’t so mad that they’ll try to hurt their school. I don’t know them but have been told that they’re more childlike than childish, and that they’re often forgiven for their crazy behavior because they’re heartfelt in their support of IU. Believe me, Dolson tried to keep this quiet, and that was one of the reasons why.

Would your view extend to the head basketball coach?

I don’t think it’s as simple as Woody “not being allowed to provide a public rebuttal.” If he doesn’t say anything, it’s because he decided to not address it. Put another way, no one is trying to keep him quiet, and no one will even try to do that.

I’m surprised they went public with this since Dolson tried very hard to keep this quiet. There may be more, from other people, than just this podcast.

Chris, Happy to make this a sidebar chat, but I haven’t heard that, especially the first part of it.

Never once did I defend any of it but I did, on multiple occasions, attempt to explain to you how the process works. Your frustration is rooted in your disagreement with the process and / or your inability to understand how and why it exists, as well as the fact that it hasn’t produced the outcome you desire. It’s why I cautioned you to not conflate an explanation with a defense, which you continue to mistakenly do.

I get that. These people haven’t traditionally been wallflowers, though. Many have been huge fans of the program but they’ve always kept a respectful distance. Look to the SEC and B12 for examples of a more engaged BOT, and it’s rarely been a good thing.

I’m expressing opinions based on information gleaned from people directly involved, past and present, and that includes trustees. They don’t take formal votes on basketball hires, something a few here can’t seem to accept.

Thanks for your perspective. I would be surprised if your time as a fan isn’t dissimilar to that of Jersey and Golf, as well and based on their posts.

They do, at least in a general sense. They’re all fans for sure and want us to do well. Some are much deeper into it than others, but they all want us to be good.

I’ve told you how decisions are made, I’ve answered every question you and others have posed, yet you’re still unsatisfied. I understand you don’t like the process, but your displeasure changes nothing about that.

So not firing Woody means everyone is fine with the results? How has that kind of perspective helped shape the program over the last 25 years?

Not okay with it at all - our program hasn’t been very good, with a very few exceptions, for 30 years. We have a leadership problem throughout the University that is the overwhelming cause of this level of performance, in my opinion. Different administrators, different coaches, same results.

How did you think we’d do this year?

Everyone thinks everything is fine? Who said that? Not firing him means everyone thinks everything is fine?

No.

I don’t think an extension is contemplated in any way. Look, I’m sure some people have flipped ahead to next season and are wondering what happens if we’re in a similar spot this time next year. If we are, Woody will leave, one way or the other, in my opinion.

I was much closer to 40 than 15 because, like you, I never thought our guards were good enough to move us up. Poor backcourt recruiting last year and the year before put us where we are today.

What did I say that wasn’t accurate?

Nah, just the truth.

Lol - now they’re liars! By your logic, they’ve been lying every season for the last couple of decades. How did you think we’d do this year?

I was being straightforward, to be perfectly honest. You’re unhappy because IU hasn’t fired Woody. Nothing I say will change that until you get the outcome you think is appropriate here. Futilely, I was trying to explain to you the “how” and, to a lesser extent, the “why”. Short of firing MW, none of that matters to you, which I get. In short, people at IU don’t agree with your assessment. Further, they don’t make decisions the way you wish they would. It happens.

I think another reason people are upset is that they looked at the roster for this season and thought we were going to contend in the Big 10, which was never a realistic view. Im keeping up with the conversation just fine, by the way. Taking a different view of the dialogue doesn’t mean I don’t understand it. I’m just trying to provide you with a perspective from how this is viewed from within the University as opposed to how it might be viewed by some fans. As for the notion of votes and consensus leading to unilateral decision making, I think you’re going to believe whatever fits your narrative, regardless of whether there’s any validity to it (there isn’t).

Not a bot, though that did make me laugh. I understand the frustration though I’m a bit surprised that this is so confounding to a few of you, especially in light of claimed business experience, as well as affiliations with IU. The current scenario is far from new, which is why I wondered whether any of the group pushing back had much time around the IU program.