I want Tom Crean to stay

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

He's bringing IU into the 21st century. .

This is such a generic and lame comment. If you are comparing him to Knight, sure. It means nothing. And if that is what you want to call it, he is doing an extremely average job at it. Extremely.

[Alford Bailey 12,386]

Until the know-it-all fans ran him out of town because he wasn't good enough for them anymore.

Looks like a pretty good move for them right now.....

[redherring 42]

This is such a generic and lame comment. If you are comparing him to Knight, sure. It means nothing. And if that is what you want to call it, he is doing an extremely average job at it. Extremely.

Not comparing anyone.

IU has become a destination for players hungry to improve (similar to MSU's culture--which Crean helped build) thanks to Tom Crean. Not because it's IU. Not because of Cody Zeller. Not because of Cook Hall. Because of Tom Crean and his staff.

Why wasn't IU a destination for all of those years? What changed? A respected coach came in.

Results are a wholly separate conversation. But the lifeblood of the program is recruiting and no one will work harder at it for IU than Crean. That's clear. IU doesn't sell itself anymore. If it did, we wouldn't be in this position.

The hallmarks of IU's program during RMK's heydey... It just doesn't fly today. IU has to decide what it wants. I think most here want to win more than they want to watch the Indiana of old. But there's definitely a huge generational gap thing going on at this program.

[JSHoosier 20,232]

He's bringing IU into the 21st century.

Not sure what this is supposed to mean other than some weak attempt at making it sound like IU is holding Crean back. Sure we've been pretty average the last 20 years, but having average at best coaches for 13 of those 20 years has nothing to do with it I'm sure.

Welcome to the 21st century, where you cut down the nets after a loss and give out Sweet 16 rings.

[BGleas 7,903]

Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson had great recruiting classes also. IU has always had really good recruiting. I also see almost nothing similar between IU and MSU right now.

MSU plays more than one big at a time. MSU improves as the season progresses. MSU players are mentally and physically tough. IU doesn't do any of those things.

Not comparing anyone.
IU has become a destination for players hungry to improve (similar to MSU's culture--which Crean helped build) thanks to Tom Crean. Not because it's IU. Not because of Cody Zeller. Not because of Cook Hall. Because of Tom Crean and his staff.
Why wasn't IU a destination for all of those years? What changed? A respected coach came in.
Results are a wholly separate conversation. But the lifeblood of the program is recruiting and no one will work harder at it for IU than Crean. That's clear. IU doesn't sell itself anymore. If it did, we wouldn't be in this position.

[JSHoosier 20,232]

IU doesn't sell itself anymore. If it did, we wouldn't be in this position.

If it didn't Mike Davis wouldn't have gotten All Americans.

Stop fooling yourself, the coach does have to work at it but the brand absolutely helps.

[BGleas 7,903]

Yeah, it's like we never landed DJ White, Josh Smith, Bracey Wright, Eric Gordon, Devin Ebanks, most likely Kevin Jones, etc. under Davis and Sampson.

If it didn't Mike Davis wouldn't have gotten All Americans.
Stop fooling yourself, the coach does have to work at it but the brand absolutely helps.

[redherring 42]

The recruiting of Davis and Sampson pales in comparison to Crean. I mean, it isn't even close...

You didn't see mental or physical toughness on the journey to a Big Ten championship? That team didn't improve? The 11-12 team didn't improve? I mean, I get that they have had February losses but that narrative is really interesting. It's just not a real problem.

It's shocking that the IU faithful are so sure the only coach to build success since Knight needs to be gone. Huge risk. Could pay off. Not likely to pay off.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

@MikeMillerHT: Jason Williams during McDonalds game: "Indiana did the right decision keeping Tom Crean."

[redherring 42]

@MikeMillerHT: Jason Williams during McDonalds game: "Indiana did the right decision keeping Tom Crean."

I change my mind. Lol Jay Williams is clueless

[Old Friend 8,389]

Kinda' hard to say we landed players who never set foot on the court at IU, isn't it?   We didn't land Josh Smith.  (Who's Kevin Jones?)  

 

But the point's good.   There are still lots of kids who will look at Indiana because of the brand.  Lots don't KNOW the brand, and that's the sad part.   To allow Max Hoetzel and Robert Johnson to arrive on campus without knowing the tradition and legacy here is absolutely unacceptable for any coach, let alone the guy who said he took the job "because it's Indiana."

 

It's one thing to walk into a kid's living room with "Minnesota" on your shirt.   It's another to walk in with "Indiana" on it.   Nobody takes a job "because it's Minnesota."    Indiana was on national TV 7 times in 2008-2009.   Think any other program with just one returning walk-on would be on national TV that much?  This is a special place....always will be.  But it becomes just a little less so with each passing season we settle for mediocrity.

[BGleas 7,903]

I'm pretty sure Josh Smith signed an LOI, didn't he? That's landing him. Or did he just committ? Kevin Jones played at WVU, where Ebanks ended up after the Sampson fiasco. A lot of reports were that he was going to pick Indiana along with Ebanks, again until the Sampson fiasco.

But like you said, the point still stands. Indiana largely recruits itself. Crean has done decent job recruiting, but almost any coach is going to recruit well here.

[ashmgee 193]

Not comparing anyone.

IU has become a destination for players hungry to improve (similar to MSU's culture--which Crean helped build) thanks to Tom Crean. Not because it's IU. Not because of Cody Zeller. Not because of Cook Hall. Because of Tom Crean and his staff.

Why wasn't IU a destination for all of those years? What changed? A respected coach came in.

Results are a wholly separate conversation. But the lifeblood of the program is recruiting and no one will work harder at it for IU than Crean. That's clear. IU doesn't sell itself anymore. If it did, we wouldn't be in this position.

The hallmarks of IU's program during RMK's heydey... It just doesn't fly today. IU has to decide what it wants. I think most here want to win more than they want to watch the Indiana of old. But there's definitely a huge generational gap thing going on at this program.

First off, I'm not sure Crean "helped build" MichSt's culture. He was an assistant coach there. Izzo is his friend and won't say anything against him.

 

Second off, not sure how young you are, but the Indiana of old won. The Indiana of new, does not, unless they have Cody Zeller on the floor.

 

Unless you are trolling hard.........

 

Crean will probably be here next year, so we will get to see the team and the result. I hope he recruits real hard for the season after though. If he doesn't have a solid product on the floor after next season I see no reason to believe there will ever be any consistency with his recruiting/coaching.

 

That being said, I will root for the Hoosiers regardless. I'm just a little sick of the losing, and accepting. 

[Old Friend 8,389]

Don't remember exactly.  I just know he never put on so much as a practice jersey and was never going to play in college.   I don't even remember Kevin Jones.....  Crean has done nothing more than a decent job.  He's able to convince kids to say yes, but he has never built a roster or a program that can succeed consistently; and his roster turns over every season when he sees that next shiny thing.   Reminds me of Davis' "help is on the way" comments during the 2001-2002 season.   Help was on the way, but THAT team went to the final four, and the "help" (Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland) were two of the greatest under-achievers in the history of this program.   Crean seems to think that next kid is going to be the one...    And he's always going after the kids he thinks can make an immediate impact without considering the future or building kids up like Michigan State does.    He doesn't look at 2-3-4 year guys, or at least doesn't work on developing them.  The formula (if you're not Kentucky) is right there in his own conference with Wisconsin and MSU.   Maddening.

[sddowning 146]

Josh Smith did sign a LOI and then bailed for the NBA

[redherring 42]

First off, I'm not sure Crean "helped build" MichSt's culture. He was an assistant coach there. Izzo is his friend and won't say anything against him.

Second off, not sure how young you are, but the Indiana of old won. The Indiana of new, does not, unless they have Cody Zeller on the floor.

Unless you are trolling hard.........

Crean will probably be here next year, so we will get to see the team and the result. I hope he recruits real hard for the season after though. If he doesn't have a solid product on the floor after next season I see no reason to believe there will ever be any consistency with his recruiting/coaching.

That being said, I will root for the Hoosiers regardless. I'm just a little sick of the losing, and accepting.

Izzo is his best friend. That right there should tell you something. He absolutely helped build MSU. Ask Morris Peterson about Coach Tom Crean. Or Jason Richardson. Or Charlie Bell. Or Cleaves.

Don't get me wrong. IU has to win the Big Ten and land a big 2016 class for Crean to stay here past next season.

[sddowning 146]

Izzo is his best friend. That right there should tell you something. He absolutely helped build MSU. Ask Morris Peterson about Coach Tom Crean. Or Jason Richardson. Or Charlie Bell. Or Cleaves.

Don't get me wrong. IU has to win the Big Ten and land a big 2016 class for Crean to stay here past next season.

Can't imagine us winning the big ten next year. Maryland is going to be a really really good team with Stone committing and Trimble coming back

[ashmgee 193]

Don't get me wrong. IU has to win the Big Ten and land a big 2016 class for Crean to stay here past next season.

Well if those things happen I will be smiling in the short term. Prolly cussing in the long term...

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

As much as I think Crean is an average coach, if we lucked$$$ into Thon and Bryant it would be a fun/interesting year of IUBB. Crean would have to figure out how to use them and that would be a MAJOR concern but that kind of talent and size would be absolutely incredible.

[colonel06 1,917]

Hopefully, Coach Crean could at least see fit to attend some CCE (Coaches Continuing Ed.:) classes over the summer to get some refresher points in strategery!