TOM CREAN FIRED

[Class of '66 Old Fart 87,950]

Even if The General were still coaching, I'd wager there would be a "Fire Bobby Knight" thread or something darn well equivalent to it.  I'm sure Coach K, Slimeball at pUKe, etc., have their share of people who want them gone for one reason or another.  And besides, after 4,600+ posts, we can't just stop this thread cold turkey!  It may well be the only thread some members follow.

[HoosierAloha 30,100]

Lol Aloha if that happened would you pay an all expenses trip to Hawaii? Some have already said they would.

 

Would you pay an all expenses trip back to Btown?  (in spring or summer)

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Yes there would be. Because if we have another year like 13-14 or 14-15.. he should be gone.

Not if he wins a National Championship this year. Winning a National Championship pretty much gives you a free pass for about two seasons (see UConn and Kevin Ollie).

[Old Friend 8,562]

I don't know if there have been harsher critics of Crean than I have been.  Since the Verdell Jones days when I watched our offense just stand around and stand around some more, settling for bad shot after bad shot; I was very hard on the guy.  Even until early this season, I was very critical because I saw the same mistakes.  The same bad shots, lack of movement, and lack of adjustment getting us beat time and time and time again.  The same lack of defensive focus.  The same laziness and carelessness with the ball.

 

Coincidence or not....James Blackmon gets hurt, and something changed.  I can't blame Blackmon because I have no idea if he is part of the problem or if his injury was simply part of a catalyst that brought about changes.  But Indiana is different now.  They play differently.  The execute better.  They are better defensively.  They don't turn the ball over as much.  They don't take nearly as many bad shots.  They look like they're having fun.  They move the ball more and to better spots.   People move more and move with purpose.

 

Example : a few weeks ago, we were talking about how we might better use Troy Williams.  I don't remember what comment I made, but Hutch asked me specifically what I'd like to see from Troy.  I felt he was handling the ball way too much and trying to do things a little outside his skill set.  I said I wanted to see him used more as a cutter.  Off the ball, with the ability to make plays when Yogi or someone else drew help; especially with him (Troy) on the baseline.   I'll be damned if the very next game, that's exactly what his role was.  Purdue, I think.   And he blew up.  Not that I know anything, but it was pretty obvious Troy was pressing and had the ball too much.  Someone else saw that, too.

 

Point being, Crean's making adjustments and making changes to the team I think have been almost universally positive.  I used to (again, as recently as December) care very little if I missed a game because I didn't like watching us play.  That's not true now.  And it's not because we're winning.  We are Big Ten Champs.  And that's my bar.  To be in that conversation year in and year out.  Winning at a higher level will take care of itself.  I am not a "national championship or bust" guy.  Too many variables.  But if we get to a point where we're a player in the Big Ten every year, post season success will happen organically.

 

Crean backed off the players.  He's allowing them to be fresh and also to play more "free."  Within their own skill sets, but with ability to make plays.  Things have changed, and whatever happens tonight shouldn't affect Crean's status.  Unless Brad Stevens wants the job, Crean should be the coach at Indiana for as long as he wants it...assuming this is the new normal; and that's a huge assumption.  I've come around enough with him.  I reserve the right to be hard on him and criticize him, but I am off the "fire Crean" bandwagon.  He's earned the position.    Just in time, and his seat was getting blistering hot; but he made the changes, and I give him a world of credit.  

[HoosierAloha 30,100]

Yes there would be. Because if we have another year like 13-14 or 14-15.. he should be gone.

 

No, there wouldn't be Xavier.  Look at the 2004-2005 season.

[X-Hoosier 529]

No, there wouldn't be Xavier. Look at the 2004-2005 season.

Mike Davis was also just a couple years removed from a Final 4.

[HoosierAloha 30,100]

Mike Davis was also just a couple years removed from a Final 4.

 

No, more like 1996-1997.

[X-Hoosier 529]

No, more like 1996-1997.

And Tom Crean isn't Bobby Knight.. he better work on his tossing skills.

[Dalton26 17,034]

So.. do we get rid of this thread after a win tonight?

Do we fire him tonight if he loses?

[Class of '66 Old Fart 87,950]

I don't know if there have been harsher critics of Crean than I have been.  Since the Verdell Jones days when I watched our offense just stand around and stand around some more, settling for bad shot after bad shot; I was very hard on the guy.  Even until early this season, I was very critical because I saw the same mistakes.  The same bad shots, lack of movement, and lack of adjustment getting us beat time and time and time again.  The same lack of defensive focus.  The same laziness and carelessness with the ball.

 

Coincidence or not....James Blackmon gets hurt, and something changed.  I can't blame Blackmon because I have no idea if he is part of the problem or if his injury was simply part of a catalyst that brought about changes.  But Indiana is different now.  They play differently.  The execute better.  They are better defensively.  They don't turn the ball over as much.  They don't take nearly as many bad shots.  They look like they're having fun.  They move the ball more and to better spots.   People move more and move with purpose.

 

Example : a few weeks ago, we were talking about how we might better use Troy Williams.  I don't remember what comment I made, but Hutch asked me specifically what I'd like to see from Troy.  I felt he was handling the ball way too much and trying to do things a little outside his skill set.  I said I wanted to see him used more as a cutter.  Off the ball, with the ability to make plays when Yogi or someone else drew help; especially with him (Troy) on the baseline.   I'll be damned if the very next game, that's exactly what his role was.  Purdue, I think.   And he blew up.  Not that I know anything, but it was pretty obvious Troy was pressing and had the ball too much.  Someone else saw that, too.

 

Point being, Crean's making adjustments and making changes to the team I think have been almost universally positive.  I used to (again, as recently as December) care very little if I missed a game because I didn't like watching us play.  That's not true now.  And it's not because we're winning.  We are Big Ten Champs.  And that's my bar.  To be in that conversation year in and year out.  Winning at a higher level will take care of itself.  I am not a "national championship or bust" guy.  Too many variables.  But if we get to a point where we're a player in the Big Ten every year, post season success will happen organically.

 

Crean backed off the players.  He's allowing them to be fresh and also to play more "free."  Within their own skill sets, but with ability to make plays.  Things have changed, and whatever happens tonight shouldn't affect Crean's status.  Unless Brad Stevens wants the job, Crean should be the coach at Indiana for as long as he wants it...assuming this is the new normal; and that's a huge assumption.  I've come around enough with him.  I reserve the right to be hard on him and criticize him, but I am off the "fire Crean" bandwagon.  He's earned the position.    Just in time, and his seat was getting blistering hot; but he made the changes, and I give him a world of credit.  

 

I can't disagree with most of what you wrote and I have to admit that I've weakened on his firing.  However, I can't agree with your comment "Unless Brad Stevens wants the job, Crean should be the coach at Indiana for as long as he wants it...."  There is still the fact that his track record isn't all that great and we truly don't know if this year is a new norm going forward or merely a one year aberration (because it's a Leap Year?).  Short of the whole team being arrested, he'll be back next year and I'm good with that.  We have good recruits coming in this fall and I fully expect that next year better be a mirror image of this season at a minimum.  It's the inconsistency of his coaching, and his team's on and off court performance that's driven many of us crazy and if he can finally begin to deliver us a consistent product on the court, the number of new posts to this thread will greatly diminish.  Like the phrase "show me the money"; I want CTC to show me the consistency.

[fwgreenway 511]

Old Friend's post above really hits it on the head at this point in time. Coach Crean deserves a ton of credit for the changes we've seen since losing Blackmon for the year. Unfortunately we won't know until next year if this is the way of the future. I hope for the program it continues. Otherwise this thread may go on and on.

[mdn82 25,918]

Do we fire him tonight if he loses?

We have yet to see a "negative" person say if we lose xxxx game he should be fired.

[Old Friend 8,562]

I can't disagree with most of what you wrote and I have to admit that I've weakened on his firing.  However, I can't agree with your comment "Unless Brad Stevens wants the job, Crean should be the coach at Indiana for as long as he wants it...."  There is still the fact that his track record isn't all that great and we truly don't know if this year is a new norm going forward or merely a one year aberration (because it's a Leap Year?).  Short of the whole team being arrested, he'll be back next year and I'm good with that.  We have good recruits coming in this fall and I fully expect that next year better be a mirror image of this season at a minimum.  It's the inconsistency of his coaching, and his team's on and off court performance that's driven many of us crazy and if he can finally begin to deliver us a consistent product on the court, the number of new posts to this thread will greatly diminish.  Like the phrase "show me the money"; I want CTC to show me the consistency.

You know what?  You're absolutely right about consistency.  I let myself get caught up in the hype a little bit, and I don't normally do that.   You are 100% correct and I agree with you.  Thanks for the shove back to reality.

[TrueHoosier62 1,692]

I don't know that he should be fired if he loses tonight, but there's no denying that a loss to Iowa would reinforce in many people's minds, (mine included), that he's about at the ceiling of his capabilities. He is the poster boy for the "Peter Principle". The fact is, there are a LOT of coaches out there, like Crean, who're very good, but only to a point, and no further. Lou Henson was one. Gene Keady was one. Thad Matta is one. Bo Ryan was one. Ray Meyer was one. Bob Huggins is one. All very good coaches, but with limitations that keep them from winning it all. And at Indiana, it's about winning it all. Not just games, not just BTTs, not the NIT, but the whole thing. Until he wins one, there will always be a "Fire Crean" thread, and really, there should be.

[FortWayneHoosier 6,493]

It was a Gary Parish article on CBS. http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25500806/ius-tom-crean-is-one-win-away-from-winning-another-outright-big-ten-title

I've never read that article lol....my response was off the top of my head thank you for the link though

[8bucks 7,076]

For those of you that set standards at the beginning of the year for him to hit in order to have your support to return - have you lowered that bar? We did lose Blackman and RoJo for some games but all teams have injuries.

I thought he needed to finish top 4 in BT, top 4 in BTT and elite 8 in NCAAs. BT - check, BTT I still hold to the top 4 expectations. For the NCAAs I may back off the elite 8 with Blackman and the late injury to RoJo but it is time for Crean to coach a team that over achieves in the tourney. We need to be the matchup nightmare. We need to capitalize on a very good BT season by doing something in March.

[colonel06 1,944]

Post Iowa thread anywhere?

[BtownBanner6 1,298]

Post Iowa thread anywhere?

Yeah it says we are the champions

[colonel06 1,944]

Yeah it says we are the champions

i know but would like to chat !

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

i know but would like to chat !

here
https://btownbanners.com/index.php?/topic/9346-We-Are-The-Champions-IU-vs-Iowa-Post-Game-Thread