KathywithaC

I agree. We were both really good and a little bit lucky in getting Cignetti, and the results are beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. I think some of the stereotypes of coaching hiring were blown to bits when Cig and IU experienced the success we did this year.

The notion that they don’t know basketball or don’t care deeply about IU is really beyond reason. I understand everyone’s disappointment with the results, but these aren’t people who are devious or in it for ulterior purposes.

Agreed but, as I’m sure you know, that change doesn’t come easily at IU, and it’s been complicated by the overt influence of NIL. We’ve done an excellent job of playing that part of the game, but it’s not something that many within in the University find much satisfaction in.

Agree. I’ve been around it for a number of years and it’s as frustrating for you and me as it is for the newer fans who are arguing (rightly) that it shouldn’t be that way, at least any more. I do believe Scott is gaining influence and independence and will flourish in the years to come.

His influence hasn’t been entirely bad, and it included moving a coach out over the objections of the AD. If you liked that guy, which perhaps you did, you didn’t care for Buckner’s influence then, either. Many felt otherwise.

It’s not a defense of Bucker but instead an explanation of how and why things have happened. There are lots of mouths to feed in this kind of environment and lots of people who want / demand a say. Of course IU “should” know better, but it’s been done a certain way, with some variance, for decades. I know that’s frustrating for plenty of us and confounding to those who don’t know the people that have served and the structure under which they’ve operated, but it’s been the way for a long time. Consistently poor leadership.

Correct.

I’m not defending Quinn, I’m telling you how and why something happened. I understand you don’t like the process, but that doesn’t change a thing.

It cost the AD, too. There weren’t any winners in that deal.

No, the victory came at a cost for both QB and his BFF.

He made sure a coach went when the AD wanted him to remain.

You’re telling me how it ought to be in your world, but the fact of the matter is the IU world has historically been much different. Buckner isn’t the first non-AD to assert considerable influence on the.process. By the way, not all of QBs influence related to hoops has been bad.

Buckner thought he was the right hire, period. You can disagree, but it wasn’t for any other reason. And it’s not Indiana tax payer money that’s been spent.

It wasn’t my understanding that there was ever an agreement. We definitely made a written proposal, or at least the broad provisions of one, but it was always a moving target and nobody on the IU side ever felt like he / they were going to say yes. We also had several people on our side who thought they knew how to close the deal, and they were more talk than action.

Among others.

No issue with your disagreement or what you do or don’t believe but I do take issue with your statement that I post elsewhere, which isn’t true. I would’ve sent this to you privately but I have no problem stating it clearly for anyone here to see.

That wasn’t my understanding (signed contract) but I was told directly that Mrs. Stevens was a challenge, to say the least. We also had several cooks in the kitchen, each of whom thought they had the code cracked on what it would take to get Stevens. In the end, I don’t think the code really existed.

Last evening, I listed our last half dozen Athletic Directors. Most of them had never been ADs when we hired them. When I talk about consensus building and relationships and you talk about the seriousness of our administration, go back to that list. Most of them weren’t / aren’t bad people, but IU has always been an extremely provincial culture, and that includes the athletic department. Decision making has been a team sport there for quite some time. It’s a big reason why Bob Knight demanded that he have full control of the basketball program during his tenure, and why he began to bristle when anyone tried to insert themselves. John Ryan, Bill Orwig and Ralph Floyd got it and were very respectful of that, which led to Knight respecting them. That began to change when those guys left.

If you’re going to take a shot, it would help to have a basket to shoot at. We didn’t.

The “pursuit” of Stevens was a cluster F from the start, so much so that it never should’ve occurred. A few people thought they could move mountains and didn’t want to listen to anyone but themselves.

No, that’s not what I’m saying. Plenty of moving pieces on it, though.

Glass put himself in a huge hole before, during and after the Crean termination. He never dug out in the eyes of several influential people.

Not trying to offer a defense of Woodson.

Cig very much his guy while he wanted to keep searching on the basketball side. Wouldn’t go so far as to say he didn’t want MW but he definitely wanted to run the traps on other possibilities, and that didn’t happen as much as he probably would’ve preferred.

It’s not my process but it’s the way things get done at IU. You’re obviously free to like it or not, but that doesn’t change any of that. Not sure why people are so offended by that.