PartyintheVillas

I am adamant that we don't need an inspiring hire. Inspiring or not, the coach has to win games (and not embarrass the university off the court.) We don't need to win the press conference or off-season. We need a basketball coach that will win games.

It's like the Beard RMK connection being talked about. It doesn't matter, tons of coaches have RMK connections and most of them wouldn't be successful at Indiana. These are not good criteria for hiring coaches.

I think there's an argument for Brownell. He's had high success the past two seasons in the NIL/transfer portal era while some coaches have quit (Wright, Bennett) or struggled a bit (Self, Drew.) He's from Indiana and has some recruiting connections and relationships already because of that. He could be a unique fit of right guy, right place, right time. A little Mark Pope. I'm not saying his argument to be the Indiana coach is the best one, but you can squint and see it being successful.

Cashy coming in here acting like an insider with specific information: You all don't understand, there is a process. We are contacting agents and representatives. There will be a new coach at the end of the season. None of you know that very particular information that I have unique insight on. Are you effing kidding me dude?

Cashy was steadfast that process was about firing Mike Woodson and he would not be fired during the season, not hiring a new coach. KathwithaC doesn't know a damn thing and is just an antagonistic fake insider. Cashy loves to sound above us all and tries to encourage professionalism and then immediately insults people. I believe Cashy as much as I believe any random Purdue jockstrap. Woodson sucks, Cashy can't face it or admit it, and that's kind of it. Everything else is Cashy acting like a spoiled teenager who thinks they know everything.

So many people were 100% sure.

McCollum isn’t going to excite many people, me included. He’s a wait and see hire, but I’m kind of wait and see with anyone. We’ve been down this road before. So many off-season banners are hanging in Assembly Hall. D2 championships mean absolutely nothing to me as an Indiana fan, but if Dolson and whoever he is getting advice from think McCollum can get it done, I’ll be on board… until the Fire Ben McCollum thread pops up.

This years team only beat the 26th ranked team. No way we could have beaten a ranked team like Illinois, right?

I do know that Pike has a fairly large buyout through the next few seasons. I know that he is very supported within the university administration. I know the university is much more focused on replacing their athletic director, since their current AD is interim, and their university president as well as capital projects. I know that I don't need to currently live in NJ to understand all of that.

Yeah I wouldn't be exactly excited, but we have done worse and can do worse. I can see a Mark Pope type transition with him.

But that's in your opinion, what counts is the opinion of the Rutgers administration.

Don't tell me what to do!

If you want inconsistency, Collins is the guy. It doesn't matter how down the ACC is, he made the elite 8 and his computer rankings still have him top 20 both seasons regardless of how down the ACC is. Brownell has equaled Rick Barnes at Clemson.

Yeah but I was only comparing Collins and Brownell, so reading comprehension?

We win the off-season every year. We don't need instant juice. We need actual wins during the season. I don't care if we don't make a sexy and exciting hire as long as the guy comes in and wins games.

If Brownell took Indiana to the elite 8 last year and had them in the top 10 this year, how would you feel? I'm not saying I would be doing cartwheels for BB, I definitely would not, but if we're comparing Brownell, Collins, etc. You don't have to squint to see the case for Brownell the past 2 seasons.

No one does. Also, we have had rumor after rumor about everyone but plenty of rumors have been to get other coaches extended and paid. Plenty have been people just guessing. Almost everyone says that they don't really know and Dolson has kept info tight.

I would much rather have Brownell than Collins. Brad has an elite 8 and a top 10 team in the past 2 seasons. He is at least trending up. Collins has never done either and is treading water at Northwestern with a tournament appearance every 3-5 seasons. He looked completely cooked a few years ago and brought on an assistant that completely changed their defense. That concerns me if he doesn't have that assistant.

He has plenty of leash left at Rutgers. They were the worst power program in the country when he took over. They have 8 total ncaa tournament appearances and hadn’t made it since 1981. He’s made it twice since 2021. They hadn’t even made the NIT since 2006. In their first two seasons in the big ten (2015, 2016) and prior to Pikiell, they won 3 games combined. 8-46 in conference the 3 years before him. He’s got some more leash there.

You mean like he's going to get fired?

Tom Crean is still available. I don't know if he'd ever take the Indiana job, but he's been to 4 sweet 16's and a final four. Plus, he's won his conference 3 times. He also landed Anthony Edwards, so you know he can recruit.

They have enough 5 star and high 4 star talent. You need players. The Jimmies and Joes matter as much as the X's and O's.

He'll be able to prove it (or not) in the tournament

Purdue has made exactly 1 final four in 40+ years using this strategy. Yes, there is a rotating list of schools to make final fours without 5 star type talent, but the ones who consistently make it consistently get 5 star talent whether that's from high school or the portal.

and BYU wasn't a high major for 4 of his years.