TOM CREAN FIRED

[KelleyHoosh 2,263]

Personally, I would not hire Bryce Drew to be even an assistant here. I also cannot accept settling for CTC. Its more than 2 titles in 4 years. Its actually 1 in 7, going for 2. He is not ever going to take us to the top. Why settle?

Who would you bring in? Realistically. I'm not trying to settle either, but when thinking of who is actually feasible to bring in, nobody is clear cut better than Crean in my opinion. And I'm not talking about his tenure as a whole, I'm talking about in the last four seasons (if we get at least a share this year) he will have two B10 titles. Considering the rebuild job he had laid out in front of him, thats not half bad. 

 

I know Crean isn't God's gift to the coaching world. Everyone here sees that he has a lot of room to grow. But from a stability and winning standpoint, we can drop off significantly if we get a new hire who turns out to be a dud. The next hire HAS to be a top coach IMO. I'm perfectly fine hanging around the top 20 in the mean time. 

 

Obviously, if we have more years like last year and the year before, any hire would make more sense. But we will see what truly is the norm for Crean going forward

[X-Hoosier 529]

More food for thought, Indiana fans are not going to be satisfied until we have sustained success. Because of Branch McCracken and Bob Knight, that means multiple national championships over the course of a multi-decade career. We want Coach K, plain and simple. Here are all the coaches in HISTORY who would have satisfied Indiana fans, and we've already had two of them:

Titles - Coach
10 - John Wooden
5 - Mike Krzyzewski
4 - Adolph Rupp
3 - Bob Knight
3 - Jim Calhoun
2 - Branch McCracken
2 - Henry Iba
2 - Phil Woolpert
2 - Ed Jucker
2 - Denny Crum
2 - Dean Smith
2 - Roy Williams
2 - Billy Donovan
2 - Rick Pitino

It isn't necessarily multiple national titles though that'd be great. But we should be competing with Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina. Not trying to compete with Wisconsin. Do you see the difference? The sustained success of a Kansas is what we should want. They've won 1 title under Self. But been to two national title games. They went to the Elite in 12-13. Won a share or won the Big 12 outright the past 11 years and going on 12. That is the sustained success we want. Every year competing for a Big Ten title. Not once every 4 years. Every year being considered a national title contender. Not once every 10 years. Winning 25+ games a year. Not just hoping 20 can get us in the tourney. Not worrying about who is leaving because we know what is coming in is highly talented and can keep the consistency going. Does this make sense?

[Brass Cannon 25,176]

So you're willing to settle for another mediocre hire?

See what I did there?

We wouldn't know it was mediocre till we tried. We KNOW Crean is mediocre.

With all of Creans added resources here at IU he is only a paltry 12 spots above drew in Kenpoms rankings.

Drew can coach defense what it takes to win. Hire him and a good offensive assistant and see what they can do. I bet they can get us 7-11 next year which could very possibly happen with Crean

This desire by some to keep Crean seems to be a great case of escalation of commitment.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

It isn't necessarily multiple national titles though that'd be great. But we should be competing with Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina. Not trying to compete with Wisconsin. Do you see the difference? The sustained success of a Kansas is what we should want. They've won 1 title under Self. But been to two national title games. They went to the Elite in 12-13. Won a share or won the Big 12 outright the past 11 years and going on 12. That is the sustained success we want. Every year competing for a Big Ten title. Not once every 4 years. Every year being considered a national title contender. Not once every 10 years. Winning 25+ games a year. Not just hoping 20 can get us in the tourney. Not worrying about who is leaving because we know what is coming in is highly talented and can keep the consistency going. Does this make sense?

Do you honestly think the way IU gets there is by hiring a guy who has had success in the Horizon league?

[Striper 192]

More food for thought, Indiana fans are not going to be satisfied until we have sustained success. Because of Branch McCracken and Bob Knight, that means multiple national championships over the course of a multi-decade career. We want Coach K, plain and simple. Here are all the coaches in HISTORY who would have satisfied Indiana fans, and we've already had two of them:

 

Titles - Coach
10 - John Wooden
5 - Mike Krzyzewski
4 - Adolph Rupp
3 - Bob Knight
3 - Jim Calhoun

2 - Branch McCracken

2 - Henry Iba
2 - Phil Woolpert
2 - Ed Jucker
2 - Denny Crum
2 - Dean Smith
2 - Roy Williams
2 - Billy Donovan
2 - Rick Pitino

Speak for yourself.  Adolph Rupp was a raging bigot, and this IU fan would want no part of him in our history, 4 championships or not.

[X-Hoosier 529]

Do you honestly think the way IU gets there is by hiring a guy who has had success in the Horizon league?

I never said anything about Drew.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Speak for yourself.  Adolph Rupp was a raging bigot, and this IU fan would want no part of him in our history, 4 championships or not.

Haha yes, I didn't want to dive into the moral dilemma of the Indiana fanbase that would have cut that list in half.  

[Brass Cannon 25,176]

Do you honestly think the way IU gets there is by hiring a guy who has had success in the Horizon league?

I think Brad Stevens could do it sure

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

The varying perceptions of the health of the Indiana program are interesting to follow... It's almost as if some are rooting for a collapse/bad recruiting so their POV will be validated in their minds.

All I know is, Indiana now has class balance and a "normal" program/roster makeup. We cannot forget where this regime started. We cannot take for granted the impeccable job Crean did in bringing Indiana out of the abyss. Some seem to write that off now. Look at our recruits. Is Bryce Drew or Archie Miller going to be getting Indiana in the picture with the players Crean does? Not at all likely.

It would take Crean 5 minutes to find a high BCS job.

As has been stated, see it through. Don't cut the head off now when there's literally no one better available. In another year or two, it might be a totally different conversation.

Bottom line, there is no hot seat. Even a first round loss is irrelevant when you do what IU has done this year. Crean is going to make it a decade at Indiana, much to the chagrin of a certain segment of fans. After that, who knows. A fan base like this won't keep coaches around in the social media age. At this rate, fans should be more worried Crean will leave on his own accord and IU will be left to a Drew, Miller, etc.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

I never said anything about Drew.

Then realistically who?

[Brass Cannon 25,176]

People like to insult Drew because he's in the Horizon league but then forget that's where Stevens came from.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

I think Brad Stevens could do it sure

Brad Stevens has a young, good nba team that has tremendous upside AND top picks in the draft for the next few years through trades AND the team is one of the most historic basketball franchises in the world. 

[X-Hoosier 529]

Then realistically who?

I have no idea. Stevens and Donovan are not realistic or close to it. We're going to have to take a chance with someone if there is a chance. If he's not good enough.. fire him quickly.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

People like to insult Drew because he's in the Horizon league but then forget that's where Stevens came from.

Brad Stevens went to the Championship game in back to back years.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

Brad Stevens got lucky that Gordon Hayward blossomed into a lottery pick. Just like Crean with Dwyane Wade. Right? Right??

[Brass Cannon 25,176]

Brad Stevens went to the Championship game in back to back years.

Tournament success isn't what we are judging according to the Crean supporters because Crean looks like crap when looking at that.

[KelleyHoosh 2,263]

What is mediocrity? IMO, its not 22-6 and leading the B10. Nobody could call this season mediocre. Last season and the one before that? Sure. If he has those seasons regularly, I'm all on board with hiring Bryce, Archie, or whatever flavor of the month mid major coach there is. But I'm content writing them off as outliers for now. Maybe I'm wrong and this is just an "up" year for him. We will see. 

 

We've seen coaching improvement this season from him. Thats enough for me to try and be positive about the program considering he isn't going anywhere. May as well try and be optimistic, but I understand thats my personal preference so I won't push it on anyone. Just sharing my two cents. 

[KelleyHoosh 2,263]

Tournament success isn't what we are judging according to the Crean supporters because Crean looks like crap when looking at that.

I'm less impressed with his back to back championships and more impressed with his teams on court performances over the course of those seasons

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

Tournament success isn't what we are judging according to the Crean supporters because Crean looks like crap when looking at that.

That is true. Same could be said about Drew.

 

I am not saying Crean doesn't have his issues. I am saying that firing him for the sake of taking a chance on a coach that has 0 wins in the tournament seems kind of circular argument.

 

Take it easy and enjoy the season.

[Brass Cannon 25,176]

That is true. Same could be said about Drew.

I am not saying Crean doesn't have his issues. I am saying that firing him for the sake of taking a chance on a coach that has 0 wins in the tournament seems kind of circular argument.

Take it easy and enjoy the season.

Consistent regular season success though.