Is Banner 6 a realistic possibility?

[rick.eagan.75 13]

I really feel like this is the most talented team we have had in the Crean tenure. However, I just don't know if CTC can recruit well enough to cover his shortcomings as a coach. Its my belief that he could have lost at LEAST 6 or 7 games if he had UK's roster last year. Just signing TB is not enough. Remember Cody and Vonleh....yeah, me too! I can't count how many times that I lost my voice screaming for them to at LEAST touch the ball on the offensive end of the floor. CTC has not proven that he even remotely knows how to use a big down low. All of this being said, I hope that I am wrong completely. But ya'll know the old saying...a tiger never can change his stripes.

[jmsgws 2,181]

Maybe we should start printing the 40-0 shirts now.  :)

I guess I would call it a possibility.  I would take the word realistic out, however.

[Parakeet Jones 4,012]

1.) Who the hell is Gordon Bloyer? I don't even see a post in this thread from which to "quote" him.
2.) Do we have a realistic shot at winning it all next year? That depends on if you can believe that Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Louisville, North Carolina, and about five other teams, all fail to qualify for the tournament. To me, that doesn't seem realistic. If they do make it, then you have to believe that a Crean coached team can out play, and out smart any of those teams, and their coaches. Is that realistic? I don't think it is.
Listen, I'd love to hang another banner in my lifetime, and I love the fact that Thomas Bryant is coming to IU. I love the fact that Yogi is staying and saying feisty things. But as long as Crean is the coach, I have a hard time believing we'll be able to field a team capable of beating even one of those teams when it counts, much less two or more, as would likely be necessary.
Sorry if I sound like a wet blanket, but I'll reserve my optimism and hope for next year's team until I see them do something that Crean's teams have yet to show in seven previous years; sustained tenacious play, lights out defense, and mental toughness.

Mike Davis beat Coach K in the tournament so stuff happens that isn't exactly realistic. I'm not sold on him either but the pieces do seem to be in place. If we can tighten the D up next year goes from interesting to VERY interesting for me.

[Parakeet Jones 4,012]

Maybe we should start printing the 40-0 shirts now. :).

I still have my "We're back" shirt. Should I get it back out?

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

I still have my "We're back" shirt. Should I get it back out?

I still have a bunch to sell...

[Dalton26 17,207]

Do we have the talent? Yes.
Do I think we have the coach to lead us there? No.

[Brass Cannon 25,345]

I really feel like this is the most talented team we have had in the Crean tenure. However, I just don't know if CTC can recruit well enough to cover his shortcomings as a coach. Its my belief that he could have lost at LEAST 6 or 7 games if he had UK's roster last year. Just signing TB is not enough. Remember Cody and Vonleh....yeah, me too! I can't count how many times that I lost my voice screaming for them to at LEAST touch the ball on the offensive end of the floor. CTC has not proven that he even remotely knows how to use a big down low. All of this being said, I hope that I am wrong completely. But ya'll know the old saying...a tiger never can change his stripes.

This is a very good point.  Creans trademark 6 minute droughts have got to become a thing of the past. 

 

With Bryants passing ability he should touch the ball every single play.  And more often than not kick it back out but every single time he should have a chance to beat his man.  How many times did we see Zeller guarded by some 6-9 guy and not even get to touch the ball.  Way too many.  BTW 1 is too many.  

[OliviaPope40 7,437]

If this group couldn't get #6 then I don't know who could.

[IUHoosier5 2,140]

I knew Crean would be mentioned at some point, but I guess he really is the biggest question mark other than our desperate need of a better defense. I don't think Ollie from UCONN is a great coach, but they went on a run and ended up winning it all. Maybe that happens to us. Who knows. I'd like to believe that could happen

[Stuhoo 88,457]

Is Banner 6 a realistic possibility?

 

He11 yes.

[HoosierSadaseci 2,988]

Need to play as a team, not selfish individuals looking out for themselves. If Crean can make that happen...we have a chance.

[swatford 1,235]

12-13 team broke my heart. I'll be cheering hard for my Hooisers, but I'm going to be cautiously optimistic.

[bleedhoosier 3,627]

Definitely possible... I often wonder if we slightly over hype zeller and crew. We were all stupid excited with our first real team in years and in love with Hoosier basketball being the cream of the crop all over again. We gotta see what TB looks like first but I almost want to give the edge to this team "on paper". I definitely feel like the bench has one up'd

But first things first.. Crean.. Stop running ur guys into the ground!!!

[N_duff22 6]

How will anybody compete with duke?

[Magnanimous 5,359]

If they make the necessary defensive jump, this will be most well-rounded IU team with a senior PG in a long time. No need to be cautiously optimistic because 2013 was a let down come tourny time. If there's one constant in college basketball, having a great PG will take you a long way. This should be a fun season.

[JSHoosier 22,195]

On paper, sure the pieces are there for a run. Do I think Crean is good enough to get the team to that level? Not just no but hell no. And setting aside my feelings on this "coach", the trends we've seen are very worrisome.

[Bobman1 2,913]

All depends on our side of the bracket come tourney time. But yes, we could win the Nat'l championship because I don't feel like there's a team above the rest. Duke, UNC, Nova, Maryland, they'll be good, but not on a different level then us.

[Old Friend 8,659]

Kids have to believe they can win; and that's not easy - especially in a season's time.  Indiana loses so many close games  (6 this season by 5 points or less), and is so inconsistent, and defends the perimeter so poorly; I think that's a lot to overcome in one season in order to go win it all.   Purdue, for example, beat Indiana twice this season; once badly; and they lose just Octeus.  What makes anyone thing we can go beat THEM, let alone win a national title?   We gain Bryant, an 18 year old kid who will be playing against 22 year old men in the Big Ten; we didn't get anyone to help us defend the perimeter.  Our offensive system will likely stay the same...

 

We will be better.  Maybe even top 15 good.  But a national title is a huge reach for this team.   And Gordon still can't accept legitimate criticism or simple reality that you don't have to be a blind loyalist to be a fan.   Bless his heart.

[HoosierAloha 30,102]

Kids have to believe they can win; and that's not easy - especially in a season's time. Indiana loses so many close games (6 this season by 5 points or less), and is so inconsistent, and defends the perimeter so poorly; I think that's a lot to overcome in one season in order to go win it all. Purdue, for example, beat Indiana twice this season; once badly; and they lose just Octeus. What makes anyone thing we can go beat THEM, let alone win a national title? We gain Bryant, an 18 year old kid who will be playing against 22 year old men in the Big Ten; we didn't get anyone to help us defend the perimeter. Our offensive system will likely stay the same...

We will be better. Maybe even top 15 good. But a national title is a huge reach for this team. And Gordon still can't accept legitimate criticism or simple reality that you don't have to be a blind loyalist to be a fan. Bless his heart.

Let's not create a picture that every player TB will go up against is 22. Maryland, OSU, and MSU will all have contributing frosh bigs that are around TBs age. Hammons will be an older big but who else that is dominant?

[IUHoosier5 2,140]

Let's not create a picture that every player TB will go up against is 22. Maryland, OSU, and MSU will all have contributing frosh bigs that are around TBs age. Hammons will be an older big but who else that is dominant?

On top of that, to me age isn't as big of a deal with Thomas Bryant.  He will only learn from playing the older bigs, but his basketball IQ is already superb.  He also seems to take his craft seriously.  He has a good head on his shoulders whereas Hammons did not his freshman year, and he still had that great game against us.