Post Game IU vs. Northwestern

[colonel06 1,913]

Is Crean possibly pushing them too hard this late in the season?   All the signs are there:

 

Individual looks of desperation ie. Blackmon throwing his arms up in the air when 3 IU defenders were caught in the corner while Olaf (sp?) dunked with no one within 8-10 feet of him.

 

Lack of concntration on foul shots, 3-17 on 3's, leaving both foul shots and jump shots short off the rim and finally, perfunctory attempt at defense.  Just sayin.'

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

Is Crean possibly pushing them too hard this late in the season? All the signs are there:

Individual looks of desperation ie. Blackmon throwing his arms up in the air when 3 IU defenders were caught in the corner while Olaf (sp?) dunked with no one within 8-10 feet of him.

Lack of concntration on foul shots, 3-17 on 3's, leaving both foul shots and jump shots short off the rim and finally, perfunctory attempt at defense. Just sayin.'

That all is a possible explanation , as we have heard of this prior. But, most of us are only guessing, an educated guess.

[southernindianahoosier 422]

Dakich said today that Sampson talked about how Crean's teams always wore down at the end of the year.

[GloryDays 5,913]

Is Crean possibly pushing them too hard this late in the season?   All the signs are there:

 

Individual looks of desperation ie. Blackmon throwing his arms up in the air when 3 IU defenders were caught in the corner while Olaf (sp?) dunked with no one within 8-10 feet of him.

 

Lack of concntration on foul shots, 3-17 on 3's, leaving both foul shots and jump shots short off the rim and finally, perfunctory attempt at defense.  Just sayin.'

 I think they look tired and confused.

Leaving shots short ,shaking their heads and playing scatter shot defense.

Looks eerily like like last year and they've given up.

[HoosierTrav 7,731]

I was enjoying a nice three day business trip in sunny San Diego and came back to this crap.  At least I was in the Temecula wine country. It was bad enough that I got re-routed through Dallas.  I was able to watch the first half of the game in the airport only to find out that they laid an egg in the second half when I landed in Fort Wayne.  Thanks for ruining the week guys. 

Every single time I leave San Diego, I feel like I'm leaving home. I love that place. Good amount of Hoosier transplants there as well. I remember being on Mission beach and having numerous people break out into "HOO HOO HOO HOOSIERS" after seeing me in my IU jersey.

[HoosierTrav 7,731]

Dakich said today that Sampson talked about how Crean's teams always wore down at the end of the year.

Sampson spoke about Crean recently? Or when he was here at IU?

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Remember when we used to be excited for an IU game? It's getting to the point where watching this team is almost a chore. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 47,942]

Hey, Charlie with an appearance.  Shout out.

[IUfan_Charlie 3,867]

Hey, Charlie with an appearance.  Shout out.

I'm 1 strike away from a permanent ban, mostly lurking these days. 

[LazOffTheBench 3,638]

FWIW, JBJ does not look happy. Ever.

[coonhounds 8,787]

FWIW, JBJ does not look happy. Ever.

I have noticed this also and can't decide if that is how he is or if he is truly unhappy. I got blasted at the beginning of big ten for thinking there could be a issue.

[WayneFleekHoosier 47,942]

I have noticed this also and can't decide if that is how he is or if he is truly unhappy. I got blasted at the beginning of big ten for thinking there could be a issue.

thats his persona mostly but remember he wants to be a one n done and anything short of that is a disappointment to him

[coonhounds 8,787]

thats his persona mostly but remember he wants to be a one n done and anything short of that is a disappointment to him

yeah well hate to tell him but he better get way tougher or he will never ever be in the league. He has a great shot but has to get consistent and also needs to figure out how to not get blocked all the time lol

[bnkepner 1,509]

I hope Crean is running them hard in practice. Thats no fault of a coach. They are athletes and while not professionals, this is what they DO. If they are giving up because they are being practiced too hard…suck it up. By all accounts they are all stars in practice but can't back it up on the court when it counts. I just wish we had a squad filled with guys who gave it their all. Too many times last year and this year I saw a team that when push came to shove they just seemed to put their tails between their legs and quit. This years squad was A LOT better than that at the beginning of the season, but they've completely disappeared. 

[Feathery 4,005]

I hope Crean is running them hard in practice. Thats no fault of a coach. They are athletes and while not professionals, this is what they DO. If they are giving up because they are being practiced too hard…suck it up. By all accounts they are all stars in practice but can't back it up on the court when it counts. I just wish we had a squad filled with guys who gave it their all. Too many times last year and this year I saw a team that when push came to shove they just seemed to put their tails between their legs and quit. This years squad was A LOT better than that at the beginning of the season, but they've completely disappeared.

Actually a lot of coaches have lighter practices to save their players for the games this time of year. But when walk through are tougher than most other practices that tells me he is wearing them down. Hell they do walk throughs the day of games.

[moyemayhem 1,283]

I hope Crean is running them hard in practice. Thats no fault of a coach. They are athletes and while not professionals, this is what they DO. If they are giving up because they are being practiced too hard…suck it up. By all accounts they are all stars in practice but can't back it up on the court when it counts. I just wish we had a squad filled with guys who gave it their all. Too many times last year and this year I saw a team that when push came to shove they just seemed to put their tails between their legs and quit. This years squad was A LOT better than that at the beginning of the season, but they've completely disappeared. 

 

There is a big defense between working a team hard in practice and over working a team.  You can absolutely train too much and consequentially hurt your performance on game day.  Coaches are monitoring physical stress on athletes very closely now in both the NBA and NFL to ensure guys are not over worked.  All you need to do is look at how the Spurs have kept their players fresh throughout the season and playoffs the last several years by deliberately giving them games off, and limiting practice and game time.  I have no idea if over training is having any impact on IU's team, but it certainly can't be discounted and is something that any high level athlete should be very aware of.

[HoosierAloha 30,024]

Actually a lot of coaches have lighter practices to save their players for the games this time of year. But when walk through are tougher than most other practices that tells me he is wearing them down. Hell they do walk throughs the day of games.

 

I don't think game day walk throughs are anything new

[AKHoosier 6,739]

I've heard Knight say in multiple interviews that his goal towards the end of the season was to make sure his players got plenty of rest to keep them fresh.

 

I think Crean's doing the opposite, I've heard he's fond of long, arduous practices.  It keeps us well conditioned during the early part of the season, but not so much at the end.

 

If that's true, then I don't know, Crean seems pretty content on doing things his own way.  He seems willing to go down with the ship.

[HoosierTrav 7,731]

I'm at a crossroads. I don't want to stop supporting the team bc of the players. I really love the players. They deserve our support. They have a ton of pressure at such a young age, playing for Indiana. I feel like Yogi Ferrell is a championship caliber PG who was built for March. He may miss the tournament for 2 of the 3 years he's been here. On the other hand, it's impossible to get excited about IU basketball going forward. I feel like I'm being forced to either accept mediocrity or be shown the door. I grew up playing and having an immense passion for basketball. I played on very successful teams and have been around some excellent coaches. I feel like when I watch an IU game I'm being taught my ABC's once again, only in Mandarin Chinese this go round. It's like I'm being told that everything I have learned about basketball was wrong. It's frustrating beyond measure. Does anyone else feel like Tom Crean is continually trying to reinvent the wheel? The fundamental principles of the game on the court and on the sidelines, doesn't need gross change. Tom Crean is not innovative!!!!! That win against Maryland at home was not innovative genius. It was an anomaly. We shot 80% from 3 and over 60% from the field. If you go back and watch the game, you will maybe see 3-4 shots that weren't contested. Now I don't want to come off as a pretentious prick that thinks that I could be a better coach than Tom Crean. I couldn't. What I am saying is that I know basketball well enough to see that this doesn't work. It's dysfunctional at best.

[8bucks 6,347]

I don't think game day walk throughs are anything new

He did not say that. He said when walk throughs are tougher than practices. Many analysts have described our walk throughs as very intense. Dakich related a story today on how Sampson used to tell him that Creans teams usually wore down at the end of the year. Stephen Bardo was asked a couple years back after he commented on our intense late season practice pace if he thought it contributed to our being tired and he said he thought it did as well.