The nation's perspective on IUBB

[Never Daunted 398]

I always wonder how the rest of the sporting world currently sees Indiana Men's Basketball.

I think the easiest way for me to gain perspective on it would be to compare our situation to another school's. For example, I feel as though we are a team with a very rich history, crazy fans, and championships, but not exactly relevant as of right now.

Because of this, I feel like we are the college basketball equivalent of the college FOOTBALL Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Are we the college basketball equivalent to the Cornhusker's football team?

Feel free to make your own comparison into any sport, league, etc. and explain why.

[MikeRoberts 6,909]

Maybe, ND would be my first thought


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[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

We're the College Basketball Equivalent (CBE) to the Chi Bears. Well-loved by fans, rich and fun traditions, had some totally awesome moments in the 80s with one coach that they've never quite duplicated, sometimes a laughing stock because of their complete inability to succeed in the long-term, just barely good enough to convince their fans "this is our year" every single year.

[Never Daunted 398]

Maybe, ND would be my first thought


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I like that one. Us having the #1 seed recently and them playing for the title a couple years ago makes for a good comparison. I still think ND football has the edge on us with their program being relevant again with Brian Kelly at the helm.

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

Oh, though more generally, we're a huge laughing stock. Not just among rival's fans, but things like "I've been thinking about you" were all over when Snapchat was allowed for recruiting purposes. That Crean shocked face. Cutting down the nets. Sweet Sixteen rings. I get tons of crap from people for that stuff across the internet and in-person. We haven't played well enough recently to get away with that kind of crap.

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

The IU Brand is still strong---everywhere I travel across the US---if people see the IU gear---they always want to stop and talk basketball.

 

When people think basketball---they think Indiana.  The name alone lets us make the top 5-10 of many elite national recruits each year---- or no way we could even get our foot in the door with our lack of recent success.

 

I agree we are not thought of as highly as we once were because we have not been winning at such a high clip-----but we are still thought of!

 

If we start winning more---we will be back to our rightful place in no time!  :ninja:

[WayneFleekHoosier 47,722]

I don't know where to put this but my 8 year old was singing all the words to "This is IU" and when I walked in he said "What? I like this song".


Lol. Great stuff. However, as time goes by the Tom Crean reference may not hold weight.

[LIHoosier 25,583]

I wouldn't compare IUBB to Husker football now, considering Nebraska just axed Bo(and his cat) and wasn't willing to accept just being good.

 

Our situation seems closer to Michigan football in that the traditions/successes are similar and the fan bases/alumni want an "IU guy" or a "Michigan man" to run the program. Also, the respective teams are currently laughingstocks while their local counterparts are achieving national success; IU with pUKe and Louisville and UM with OSU and Michigan St.

[Josh 12,492]

We're the College Basketball Equivalent (CBE) to the Chi Bears. Well-loved by fans, rich and fun traditions, had some totally awesome moments in the 80s with one coach that they've never quite duplicated, sometimes a laughing stock because of their complete inability to succeed in the long-term, just barely good enough to convince their fans "this is our year" every single year.

 

They were good in the 80's,  IU has NCAA championships in 4 different decades.  I don't like your comparison. 

 

The Notre Dame one is good

[BGleas 7,880]

I don't know who we compare too, but I know not having lived in Indiana in over 22 years that when I talk to people in other parts of the country (not IU fans) they always say things like "what's going on at IU? You guys should be right up there with Duke, UK, Kansas, etc.".

The perception is that IU is a sleeping giant and they question why we're not getting it done.

[coonhounds 8,768]

I don't know who we compare too, but I know not having lived in Indiana in over 22 years that when I talk to people in other parts of the country (not IU fans) they always say things like "what's going on at IU? You guys should be right up there with Duke, UK, Kansas, etc.".

The perception is that IU is a sleeping giant and they question why we're not getting it done.

tell them were not playing good fundamental basketball and dont have any toughness that is why.

[crazywillie 192]

Michigan football without a doubt. Hoke made a bus bowl his first year and the people found out he couldn't coach. He can recruit and says the right things. Perfect face for a program but he cant coach. Lots of parallels with crean and the iu program. Lloyd Carr to rich rod to hoke is similar to knight to davis to Sampson to crean. Both programs are dumpater fires currently for a variety of on and off the field problems.

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

 

 

They were good in the 80's,  IU has NCAA championships in 4 different decades.  I don't like your comparison. 

 

The Notre Dame one is good

 

There aren't going to be perfect comparisons. If you rephrase it "haven't been successful in decades" then it works better.

I was going to go with my Niners, but their "couple of years where we think everything is going to be great again before disappointment sets in" were a lot more successful than the Zeller years. They at least sniffed the championships.

[Alford Bailey 12,331]

Interesting, as I was watching Notre Dame get spanked by USC again I thought what the heck has happened my in state favorites ( IU basketball and ND football). Both have kinda become a joke in their respective sports. Many fans still act like these programs are running with the big dogs but really they have become irritating little yapper dogs. ND may be a little more mind boggling though as they are recruiting at a high level.

[Alford Bailey 12,331]

I don't know who we compare too, but I know not having lived in Indiana in over 22 years that when I talk to people in other parts of the country (not IU fans) they always say things like "what's going on at IU? You guys should be right up there with Duke, UK, Kansas, etc.".

The perception is that IU is a sleeping giant and they question why we're not getting it done.

My hope is we are one great hire away from doing what Bama did in football.

[theriverpilot 5,589]

My hope is we are one great hire away from doing what Bama did in football.

I think Bama a lot. Only in the sense where they finally got the right guy to put their program back in prominence. They were only 1 hire away the entire time. Just how I feel the IU basketball program is...1 hire away.

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

I think Bama a lot. Only in the sense where they finally got the right guy to put their program back in prominence. They were only 1 hire away the entire time. Just how I feel the IU basketball program is...1 hire away.

 

If Crean can't right the ship---the big question is-----who is that 1 hire?  Lots of debate about that already and not much consensus.  It needs to be a homerun or we risk having this same debate in a few years again.
 

[JSHoosier 19,734]

If Crean can't right the ship---the big question is-----who is that 1 hire?  Lots of debate about that already and not much consensus.  It needs to be a homerun or we risk having this same debate in a few years again.
 

My problem with that question is that no matter who we name the other side will always say that person wouldn't take the job for one reason or another.  Neither side knows for sure one way or the other, and we would never know unless we pick up the damn phone and make the call.  The coach could laugh at us or say they're interested, we won't know one way or the other.

 

Bob Kravitz has said Izzo emailed him wanting this job.  I've heard Pitino wanted it at one point before Crean was hired.  I have no idea if either is true, and I could see it them not being true considering both have very good gigs going, if that's true I'd have to believe we can attract a top tier coach.  We still offer everything a coach needs to be successful, and a candidate would have to look at the peak not the valley.

 

Thing is it's not for us to make the decision on who the right hire is.  We can't sit around content and slip further and further though.

 

EDIT:  I can name coaches I feel complete confidence could get the job done, but that would never be good enough for the other side.  It will always be met with "they won't take the job" no matter who is named, until we get to coaches that none of us would want.

[theriverpilot 5,589]

If Crean can't right the ship---the big question is-----who is that 1 hire? Lots of debate about that already and not much consensus. It needs to be a homerun or we risk having this same debate in a few years again.

And that's the magic question.

[schoosier 3,451]

My hope is we are one great hire away from doing what Bama did in football.

This! They went thru a stretch with the wrong coach and found the right one who had already won a championship. Billy D, come on down.