Mike Woodson to be next IUBB coach. Thad Matta to be associate AD

[HoosierAloha]

I agree people can convince themselves of things. Human nature. But isn’t that what the Chicken Littles are doing here? I’m not talking about people questioning things. I’m talking about people saying this is lunacy and can’t work.
For example, I have asked people who are dead set against this hire why they think Woodson won’t be able to recruit well other than he hasn’t been a college coach. Do they think he can’t recognize talent? That he can’t develop relationships with the players and parents? But I haven’t seen a good answer to those questions. It’s simply....kids don’t know who he is. As if kids today are too stupid to look up who he is. 
Yet people who are excited about this hire are the emotional ones trying to convince ourselves this will work.
I’m not saying this is guaranteed to work. Nothing is. And I’m not saying Woodson should have been peoples first choice. But the minority of IU fans who think this hire is terrible are being just as emotional about this as people like me who are really excited.

Penny, Patrick Ewing, hell look on here how people were trashing the Howard hire. While all those hires, just like every other hire that’s ever been made, are different they can be grouped together in some ways.

I’ve never said it was a terrible hire. I’m saying the chances of success is way lower than they should have been for what should be an elite program.

Woody seems like a great dude and has the coaching chops to put himself in a winning position. He might be able to sell kids on being the grandfather figure that some of these kids don’t have. He stated he needs to build relationships with the high school coaches in the state because that’s who runs the players in the state. While that’s probably closer to the truth for Indiana than other states the type of recruits he needs to reach the ultimate goal are mainly controlled by the AAU coaches.

As with everything, time will tell.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

[Trish]

I know I'm beating a dead horse but I think the rumors of the coaching search were pretty straight on.

- I think the Matta situation was indeed real. Offered the job and failed a physical, makes too much sense. You don't just think of Thad Matta randomly flying home from New York lol. Matta was on the list and for whatever reason, he "decided" to pass down on coaching and recruiting..

- The Woodson rumors were pretty strong after the Brad Stevens talk calmed down.

- BRAD STEVENS! The rumors were there, there had to have been fire. At least we reached out boys! 

Scott's order (IMO)

1. Brad ******* Stevens

2. Thad Matta

3. Mike Woodson

 

I'm sure he reached out to current CBB head coaches to gain interest, etc. But I think that was his short list. 

[mdiu28]

10 minutes ago, Banksyrules said:

I’m not going to get into the who at this phase. What’s done is done at this point. I just know that amount of money could have convinced many.  It convinced Roy. I know he loved UNC and all but that didn’t stop him from having a private bidding war with Kansas.

Love it.

You: "I'm pissed we didn't get a better coach"

Him: "Ok. Who do you think we could've gotten?"

You: "I'm not gona answer that!"

You have every right to question the hire but come on, man. You're just complaining. He's only been on the job 48 hours. Be patient. 

[Banksyrules]

I just don’t like the mentality that I have to be excited for anyone the administration choose. It serves no purpose to me to be a puppet and it’s good to question power to wield better results.   I like the man and I wish nothing for the best for him. The goal should be to have these kids do well in their basketball/real life and to win.  They’re major risks though with this hire and did not like the process (from only the information I gathered)our AD took to make this hire. 

[Banksyrules]

2 minutes ago, mdiu28 said:

Love it.

You: "I'm pissed we didn't get a better coach"

Him: "Ok. Who do you think we could've gotten?"

You: "I'm not gona answer that!"

You have every right to question the hire but come on, man. You're just complaining. He's only been on the job 48 hours. Be patient. 

I agree to this but I already did answer those questions in the thread. At some point I have to move on. But to humor you Drew ( does not like being possibly a third fiddle in Texas), Beilein (only 3or 4 years older than Woodson) would have taken that money or less to coach at IU. 

[IUBBx5Banners]

4 minutes ago, Banksyrules said:

I’m not going to get into the who at this phase. What’s done is done at this point. I just know that amount of money could have convinced many.  It convinced Roy. I know he loved UNC and all but that didn’t stop him from having a private bidding war with Kansas.

I think my point is that I don’t think a big offer like >$5M is prying away many of the coaches we coveted.

I think we underestimate how much value the status quo carries. For a random coach making $3M, is 1-2 more million/year worth leaving a program they’ve built, the family life they’ve established there (especially if they have kids they’d have to uproot), the job stability, etc. for a job in a tough conference with a fan base that has (perceived) unrealistic expectations? I don’t see it 

[mdiu28]

16 minutes ago, Banksyrules said:

I just don’t like the mentality that I have to be excited for anyone the administration choose. It serves no purpose to me to be a puppet and it’s good to question power to wield better results.   I like the man and I wish nothing for the best for him. The goal should be to have these kids do well in their basketball/real life and to win.  They’re major risks though with this hire and did not like the process (from only the information I gathered)our AD took to make this hire. 

I agree with this entirely and I'm not completely sold on it either. The alternatives not named Brad would've been guys that, when you really think about it and come down from the disappointment of Woody being hired, are just as risky. Oats, Musselman - what have these guys won? They're simply hot names right now. We've gone down that road. 

Guys like Bennett, Wright, Few (he's never leaving Zaga, I'm 100% convinced of this), etc - I too hope Scott at least reached out and floated a large number. Drew is a name I think would have come here if offered enough. But 7 mil? That's almost tripling his salary.

Beard is the one guy I would've been cool with from the beginning. His personality seems to fit what everyone is looking for. BUT - outside of those two years, he's been mediocre. Risky.

What I do know is kids eat the NBA **** up. Go look at Juwan Howards incoming class. Why do you think those kids want to go to UM? It certainly isn't bc of his coaching experience! And the "experience" factor when it comes to recruiting is bull. I know plenty of people that have had drivers licenses longer than me, that doesn't mean they're better at driving - in fact, in most cases - it's quite the opposite. 

I'm hopeful this works out but too am cautious and setting initial expectations lower than I'd like. 

[Banksyrules]

4 minutes ago, IUBBx5Banners said:

I think my point is that I don’t think a big offer like >$5M is prying away many of the coaches we coveted.

I think we underestimate how much value the status quo carries. For a random coach making $3M, is 1-2 more million/year worth leaving a program they’ve built, the family life they’ve established there (especially if they have kids they’d have to uproot), the job stability, etc. for a job in a tough conference with a fan base that has (perceived) unrealistic expectations? I don’t see it 

I think the coaching lifestyle itself leads to the reality that you will move from place to place.  Some people can do it sometimes some people can’t. 

[IUBBx5Banners]

8 minutes ago, mdiu28 said:

Guys like Bennett, Wright, Few (he's never leaving Zaga, I'm 100% convinced of this), etc - I too hope Scott at least reached out and floated a large number. Drew is a name I think would have come here if offered enough. But 7 mil? That's almost tripling his salary.

Exactly. Few has never lived outside the Northwest. Wright isn’t coming for $7M, which is only a $1M raise. We’d probably have to offer Bennett $5M+ (and then we’d immediately complain about his offense)

The one guy I actually was curious about was Bill Self. Arguably the best coach last 20 years and he makes $3.5M. I wonder whether a Stevens-type offer would have got him here..just a fun hypothetical 

Edited March 31, 2021 by IUBBx5Banners

[pumpfake]

So, this is how the "Mike Woodson to be next IUBB coach. Thad Matta to be associate ADMike Woodson to be next IUBB coach." thread dies - endless bickering about hypotheticals and speculation.

On to something more substantive!

[Hoosierfan1901]

Assistant Coach filled, welcome back Hunter!

 

[Hillsdale87]

Interesting journey. It appears he's been more of a defensive minded coach as an AC. I wonder if he brings in an offensive minded AC? Obviously college basketball is different than the pro's, I wonder what schemes he'll bring defensively. 

Under his coaching the Hawks went from 29th to 2nd in offense, and his 2012-13 Knkcks team had the highest offensive eating in the league. I don't know if that was because of assistant coaches, but I think he knows what to do to put together an offense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[8bucks]

Remember how relaxed the team was under Davis vs RMK?  I think the same could happen here. I don’t know that these guys ever bought into Archie and some of that may be on them but if Woodsons style is more open and free then that alone could unleash some things we did not know guys were capable of

[Trish]

Just now, Free Jurkin! said:

 

Under his coaching the Hawks went from 29th to 2nd in offense, and his 2012-13 Knkcks team had the highest offensive eating in the league. I don't know if that was because of assistant coaches, but I think he knows what to do to put together an offense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Basketball was different then, so I'm not taking too much of that into account. I mean.. NBA players don't shoot mid-range jumpers anymore like 2013.

The Knicks were Top 3 that year in 2013. 

[Hoosierfan2017]

4 minutes ago, Trish said:

Basketball was different then, so I'm not taking too much of that into account. I mean.. NBA players don't shoot mid-range jumpers anymore like 2013.

The Knicks were Top 3 that year in 2013. 

He did say that he used to hate the three ball but learned to adapt to the modern game. The Knicks led the entire NBA in 3 point attempts in 2013 and were fourth in percentage. 

[IUc2016]

4 minutes ago, Trish said:

Basketball was different then, so I'm not taking too much of that into account. I mean.. NBA players don't shoot mid-range jumpers anymore like 2013.

The Knicks were Top 3 that year in 2013. 

They also led the league in 3's made and taken. Were 4th in %. Do Player's still take 3's today? 

[woodenshoemanHoosierfan]

I was listening to a dolson interview on B1G SiriusXM radio 372 a little bit ago. He said Matta had no interest in coaching and when asked about this job that was being created, his interest was very high

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[HoosierFan1994]

16 minutes ago, Hooserfan1901 said:

Assistant Coach filled, welcome back Hunter!

 

Good deal. His first little victory. I assume Stewart stays. Keep TJD along with Lander and/or Franklin. That would be big. 

[Hillsdale87]

Basketball was different then, so I'm not taking too much of that into account. I mean.. NBA players don't shoot mid-range jumpers anymore like 2013.
The Knicks were Top 3 that year in 2013. 

The Knicks led the league in 3s and makes. He made Steve Novak a legitimate offensive threat. He was ahead of the game in running a modern offense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Trish]

4 minutes ago, IUc2016 said:

They also led the league in 3's made and taken. Were 4th in %. Do Player's still take 3's today? 

That is the NBA, they have the best players in the entire world. 

Woody needs to prove himself with worse players in comparison at the D1 level.