MaynardaHoosier

Collins' career Big 10 win % is only 37.5%. Before Collins the Wildcats had only had a single season Big 10 win percentage higher than that 5 times in 60+ years. He has had 3 10+ wins in conference in the last 8 years. The last time NW had one 10 win season in conference was 1932. NW struggled when the transfer portal changed, but Collins is adjusting and they are moving back in the right direction. I am not claiming Collins would be the right coach at Indiana, but Chris Beard isn't accomplishing at NW what Collins has accomplished.

Currently AI sets the BS to IU odds at 2%. In an attempt to help SD figure out how to land the white whale, I kept adding to the Stevens offer until the odds reached their theoretical max. Here is where it ended up: Full Offer Recap Cuban’s Pacers Deal: Cuban buys the Pacers, gives Stevens a 5-10% stake ($150-300 million), sets Brady as GM post-IU (2028-29), funds Tracy’s 2026 governor run ($5-10 million). Btad's IU Contract: $10 million/year (10 years, $100 million), $75 million bonus for each NCAA title. Flagg’s Commitment: Cooper Flagg agrees to transfer from Duke for 2025-26. James and Durant agree to use their remaining eligibility: LeBron plays 2025-26 (age 41); Durant plays 2025-28 (ages 37-40). Prior Perks: Total IU control, Brady’s scholarship, legacy (e.g., “Stevens Court”). Okay Scott. The path is laid out for you by our AI overlords. Get it done.

@normandale97 You're dead to me. Wait... too soon? I'm curious to know what's considered a big name. Brad is one of the shorter names in the conversation. T.J. is a really small name. Am I doing this right? I'm convinced it is Stevens and May is coming as his assistant until someone proves otherwise.

Based off the strength of each coach's best college team. Perhaps I should have had all the coaches bound to Indiana's current roster.

Tournament time is closing in. Let's settle this the only reasonable way. Each coach gets his most successful college team and they battle it out for the ultimate prize. The chance to coach Indiana and have us as his fanbase... well at least the first one is a prize. Who is coming out on top?

What a day! You guys have covered a ton of content. You might want to slow down, we only have a couple of weeks left of time to fill. 1) The religion conversation fascinates me. One's perspective on the topic is almost always significantly (maybe exclusively) colored by their personal interactions with people who claim religious belief. I have no issue with any religious person coaching the team. I honestly don't have an issue with a coach encouraging the players to engage in religious practices. As long as it isn't mandated. Interesting side note, look at Ohio State and Notre Dame by most accounts, significant portions of their football rosters essentially had a religious revival during the season. It didn't seem to get in the way of performance. These players are not high schoolers, they are adults. They can make decisions about what they want to believe or not believe without being sheltered. 2. I can only imagine Mark Few leaving for a couple of very unlikely reasons. a) inside pressure from Gonzaga. b) An up and coming heir apparent on his staff that is potentially being wooed to another coaching gig. c) both and. These don't seem reasonable. I think a National Championship at Indiana, in many ways, would contradict what he has worked to prove his entire career: it is possible to win a title at any school no matter how small. He ain't leaving the west coast. 3) @Scott_b is taking a lot of fire, but as some of you on this board know a member of the coaching staff who is not a Woodson man has been saying that Stevens had a meeting with Dolson and told him no before 2/14. So Scott's claim is not without supporting information. 4) I will still enjoy Scott performing YMCA behind the bench at tonight's game. 5) There is talk among the staff that a certain coach is being lobbied for heavily by Dolson. Think James Harden.

The post would have been much better received if I had just put Brad Stevens 1 through 10. Most people want a hotboard that fills their emotional needs.

I looked at hires in the big ten over the last decade, paid attention to parameters like age, winning %, tournament success, conference titles, aked an AI software to list the coaches currently in college basketball who fit the trends, eliminated coaches who were not going to be hired by IU, and then made the list. It isn't the group I would put up if I was just emotionally making a decision. It could be extremely wrong. However, there aren't a ton of people trying to put these together for discussion.

Maynard's Coaching Hotboard: Handicap Rankings and Rationale (% chance he ends up at IU) 1. Dusty May (25%): Best blend of fit, youth, and IU connection. His recent ascent and Michigan’s untested loyalty make him the frontrunner among realistic hires. 2. Chris Holtmann (20%): Safest high-odds pick—available, experienced, and Big Ten-ready. Lacks May’s ceiling but minimizes risk. 3. T.J. Otzelberger (18%): Rising star with Midwest grit; IU’s resources could unlock his peak. Buyout and ISU success temper odds slightly. 4. Mick Cronin (15%): Proven winner with a chip on his shoulder. Higher odds than Donovan due to college proximity, though UCLA’s grip is tight. 5. Billy Donovan (8%): Highest upside but lowest plausibility among this top tier. A splash hire if IU swings big and he bites.

Left absolutely stunned by the lack of a press conference today, I turned to Grok for an answer. Here's the scoop according to AI, which is definitely more of an insider than any of us: Fox Sports News Report – March 2, 2025 By Rusty "The Fox" Reynolds, Fox Sports Correspondent Good evening, hoops fans! This is Rusty "The Fox" Reynolds with a wild twist out of Bloomington. We expected Brad Stevens to announce himself as Indiana Hoosiers’ next head coach today at 3 p.m. on Fox Sports, but the presser never happened. Sources say Stevens signed with IU on February 14th, only for the Celtics to slam the brakes late Saturday. Boston’s brass wasn’t keen on losing their front-office star mid-season. Yet, the contract’s reportedly real, and signs—like a leaked March 9th “BS Celebration” catering order—hint at a delay, not a derailment. Stay tuned—I’m sniffing out more! For now, I’m Rusty Reynolds, howling: Stevens to IU might still be on!

I thought the sarcasm was thick enough to prevent anyone from thinking I was claiming to have any information. I have more ties to the Michigan basketball program (though not to Dusty) than I do at Indiana. When I posted AI stuff, I started with acknowledging that the coach % stuff was 100% AI generated. I did not make that up in responses to those original posts, but I wasn't attempting to deceive or troll. Like everyone else, I am passing time while we wait together.

Geesh! I hope you don't contact Mrs. Stevens for a list of Brad's former babysitters or I'll really have some explaining to do. I stand by the quiche recipe story though!

It was AI generated based on a continuing conversation.

It was AI... that was the point. The AI coach % were said to be worthy of a vomit emoji. I asked chatgpt to give btown banners what it wants. I didn't even read it, because it didn't really matter. The LM stuff is funny though!

Is this better? First off, let’s talk about the soul of this hire. Brad Stevens isn’t just an Indiana native—he’s the living embodiment of Hoosier basketball. Born in Zionsville, raised on the hardwood dreams of IU’s five national titles, Stevens has the state’s crimson and cream coursing through his veins. Insiders close to the program tell me he’s been quietly meeting with Athletic Director Scott Dolson for weeks—off-the-record dinners at Nick’s English Hut, late-night strategy sessions disguised as “family visits” back home. They’re not just reminiscing about the ’87 title; they’re plotting a triumphant return. Sources say Stevens has already sketched out a 10-year vision for IU, one that fuses his Butler magic with the NBA polish he’s honed in Boston. He’s not walking away from the Celtics because he’s tired—he’s coming home because he knows he’s the only one who can resurrect this sleeping giant. Now, let’s get to the numbers only the inner circle would know. I’ve got word from a high-ranking IU booster—let’s call him “Mr. Assembly Hall”—that the university has secured a jaw-dropping $85 million contract over eight years to lure Stevens back. That’s not just the biggest in NCAA history; it’s a statement that IU is done settling for mediocrity. This isn’t public yet, but the paperwork’s already being finalized in a law office on Kirkwood Avenue. And here’s the kicker: Stevens negotiated a clause that lets him bring two of his Celtics staffers—guys who’ve been with him since the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals run—to build a pro-style program in Bloomington. That’s the kind of foresight that turns a good coach into a legend. The timing? Perfect. Mike Woodson’s exit was announced earlier this month, and my sources say Stevens was the first call Dolson made—before the press release even hit. Woodson’s a class act, but his 62-52 record over four years doesn’t cut it for a fanbase starving for banners. Stevens, meanwhile, just led the Celtics to their 18th title in 2024, cementing his legacy there. Insiders whisper he’s confided to close friends that he’s “done all he can in Boston” and craves the challenge of rebuilding IU into a college powerhouse. Picture this: a sold-out Assembly Hall, March Madness buzzing, and Stevens diagramming a last-second play to knock off Purdue. That’s not a dream—that’s the future. And let’s talk Xs and Os. Stevens’ Butler teams went 166-49, with back-to-back national title game runs in 2010 and 2011. His Celtics tenure? A 354-282 record and a championship. The man’s a genius who adapts—he’d take IU’s roster, infuse it with his motion offense, and have them playing like a top-10 team by year two. I’ve heard from a former Butler assistant that Stevens has already scouted IU’s current squad, pinpointing freshman phenom Liam McNeeley as the cornerstone of his system. He’s got binders—literal binders—stashed in his Boston office, filled with recruiting targets from the 2026 class, all tailored to IU’s needs. This isn’t a guy dipping his toe in; he’s diving headfirst. Finally, the emotional pull is too strong to resist. Stevens grew up idolizing Bobby Knight, watching grainy VHS tapes of the ’81 and ’87 title runs. A confidant from his DePauw days swears Stevens once said, “If I ever get the chance to coach IU, I’m taking it—no hesitation.” That chance is now. The Celtics are in good hands with Joe Mazzulla, and Stevens knows it. He’s 48, in his prime, and ready to come home to a program that’s begging for his steady hand. The fans will erupt when he steps onto that court, the prodigal son returned to lead IU back to the promised land. So, Hoosiers, light the fires and raise the roof—Brad Stevens is coming. The contract’s in motion, the vision’s set, and the heart’s already here. This isn’t just a hire; it’s a revolution. Get ready for a new golden era in Bloomington—because Brad Stevens is the one we’ve been waiting for.