Dakich: Blackmon couldn't guard a chair

[MartintheMopMan]

Has Crean? Crean has had several years to prove his competence. DD went 3-4 after the departure of Sampson. They lost 1st round of B1G tournament, something Crean is notorious for and they lost as an 8 seed to a 9 seed in the NCAA. That, is a very common occurrence. So, coach gets fired, players are beyond out of control and he still managed to finish the regular season 3-2. Yeah, what was Crean in year 1? It is a lame argument to imply DD was a failure of a coach at IU given the only sample size was 7 games after Sampson was run out of town. By your standard, Crean should have been fired midway through season 1.

I don't really get what Crean has to do with it.

 

Like everyone else said, Dakich didn't just coach 7 games in his life. I know what kind of coach he was and there is no way he should ever have been our permanent coach. He needs to let it go and realize he wasn't the answer either.

[USMCHoosier]

You may be right that he wasn't the right man for the job. My point, which you commented on, was that it is understandable why he would be bitter. Maybe you have never experienced a situation where you felt betrayed. Whether or not he should have, based on your view, he certainly did and I can at least understand why.

[BGleas]

If I'm remembering correctly, two of JBJ's offensive rebounds were the on the same play (got his own offensive rebound twice) and it was a play where he made an awful drive and he had Bryant wide open for a dump-off dunk, but he instead drove into two guys and threw it up. That's an instance where stats alone don't tell the story. 

 

I'm not enamored with JBJ's overall play especially on defense, but yesterday he was our second leading rebounder with 8 total boards of which 3 were offensive rebounds.  And, he only turned it over twice vs. Yogi's 4 and Troy's 5.

[Josh]

I'm not enamored with JBJ's overall play especially on defense, but yesterday he was our second leading rebounder with 8 total boards of which 3 were offensive rebounds.  And, he only turned it over twice vs. Yogi's 4 and Troy's 5.

Who got credited with the turnover when Yogi threw the ball to Blackmon while he wasn't even looking at the ball for some reason? Sorry...I'm done with him as anything more than a 3 point specialist. The rest of his game is frustrating.

[Miller'sTheMan]

Blackmon has to be better defensively, whoever he is guarding can blow by him with ease and when you have a game like yesterday when he goes 3-11 from the field offensively he becomes a glaring weakness on the court. Whatever it is he HAS to get better at keeping his man in front of him. Maybe we need to roll with that match-up zone a bit more, it looked good yesterday. 

[MartintheMopMan]

You may be right that he wasn't the right man for the job. My point, which you commented on, was that it is understandable why he would be bitter. Maybe you have never experienced a situation where you felt betrayed. Whether or not he should have, based on your view, he certainly did and I can at least understand why.

And all I'm saying is, if you're bitter because you weren't capable of performing a job and they went with someone who seemed more capable, then you're an idiot. If you apply for a job that is looking for people with a Masters, and you only have a Diploma, you don't get to be bitter they hired someone who was at least a college grad and starting their Masters classes.

 

Yeah, maybe in the future you can say the person they hired wasn't right, but you can't pretend you would have been better. Dakich has to grow up. Being bitter about that is childish.

 

There was no betrayal unless they told him the job was his and then suddenly hired someone else. If you take a temporary position and they hire someone more qualified to replace you when your contract ends, you weren't betrayed.

[Old Friend]

There are 50+ former IU players who feel betrayed and who are bitter about what's happened down there.  There is a long story behind all of this; and I don't know that I've got every detail right; but I promise this is pretty close, and the Pitino point I'll make is absolutely 100% fact, though I doubt many know about it.

 

Many don't know the story, so here it is...   When Knight was fired and replaced with Davis, many former IU guys thought after that season, IU should have done a search and included a few of them.  At the time, Alford was the name flying around, but Woodson was mentioned, Wittman was mentioned, and I think others were suggested.  Smart, maybe....don't remember.  Alford was never contacted, and I have heard multiple times he and Wittman both contacted IU, but were not called back.

 

Then, when Davis quit, again, they felt like an IU guy should be considered or at least be given an opportunity.  At that time, the overwhelming name was Wittman, and many of the old players contacted IU on his behalf including many on the 1976 team.  You may have heard Kitchell's dis-pleasure at the time, but he in particular was very vocal.   Another guy IU could have had at the time was Rick Pitino, who absolutely knew what he was asking for, and he'd have been okay with most of the former players because he would have had several IU guys involved.  His best friend was and is very active on the IU Foundation, and Pitino pro-actively called IU telling them he wanted our job.  Indiana instead says no thanks, and hires Sampson because he's a minority.  That's what happened.  Adam Herbert wants to keep the NAACP off his back and show the world Davis' forced resignation was not racial; but in reality, he never should have been the permanent coach in the first place.  Since he was, Herbert (who is an abject moron) felt he had to make a statement.

 

Sampson gets hired, and you all know the mess that happened with Benson, etc. Dakich was as upset as anyone both times because he too felt Indiana should have kept things in the family, but was upset - as many players were - because the administration kept making decision after decision NOT to.  But...Sampson comes calling when the sparks start to fly.  Needs stability on his staff, and Dakich swallows the sword.  Takes a job on Sampson's staff.   

 

Sampson's situation explodes, Dakich is there to break the fall and takes over a complete mess of a program, which he begins to clean up because he knows it needs to be done...and most importantly, understands WHY.   What was going on is not okay at Indiana, and he knew it.  Goes to work on hitting the reset button, even though he knows it'll cost IU games and probably a season.   Gets rid of bad apples (guys smoking pot in the locker room, not going to class, etc) like Armon Bassett, etc..  Turns everything over so the cupboard is bare, and Indiana can start over.  Only he's not given a chance at the job.  No "IU guy" is granted as much as a phone call, let alone an interview.   So he's upset...as are many former players, and they have every right to be.  Hell, I'M upset.  And I understand without question of any issue at all.  I agree with all of them.

 

You all can make this solely about Dakich, but it's not.  It's not about his being the right fit or not.  It's about how things have been handled, and how the program's been handled and dealt with since Knight was fired.  These guys all built the program all of us want back.  They feel like they should have some voice in how the program moves forward, and it can be argued whether or not they deserve it; but the way they've all been treated is flat disrespectful in their eyes, and I agree with them 100%.  

 

The fact is, Indiana's decision to hire Mike Davis was a bad one, and IU has never recovered.  They've continued to make bad decisions, and the Sampson hire was the straw that broke the camel's back.  More and more former IU players came out against it and many said they'd never return...including Benson and Scott May, who was also unhappy with the way his son Sean was or was not recruited by Indiana.  The players are very upset at past and current administrations; and even Crean's hiring and devoiding his bench of IU guys was not well received, until he hired Calbert Cheaney.  He has since reached out to most all of the former players, but the reality is most still see the off court crap and lack of discipline, along with the lack of local recruiting focus and kids coming here who have no clue where they are; and they're still upset.  And I don't blame them.  I know a few personally, and they feel the same way Dakich does.  Dakich just has a radio show and is on TV a lot.  Brian Evans is not.  Michael Lewis is not.  Tom Abernathy is not.  Etc.  

 

This is not about Dakich being the coach or not being the coach.  His coaching record is 159-144 and he has zero post season victories.  He's smarter than that.  He knows his resume does not qualify him.   But he DOES understand Indiana Basketball and the culture it used to promote.  He DOES care about getting that back.  This is about an administration making conscious decisions to go away from their roots and away from their culture.  The more it fails and the more time that passes; the more they (and I, and many others) get upset because it's embarrassing.   Indiana is a special, unique place.  Dakich beliieves it, I believe it, and I know lots of others believe it.   Then you have the group that thinks he's pissed simply because he didn't get the IU head coach's job.  Most are likely younger and don't really know the whole story.  This ain't about Dan Dakich.  It ain't that simple;that's not why he's upset, and it's a lot deeper than that. 

[8bucks]

I just really don't see the bitterness like others see. DD makes so many positive comments about IU that easily outnumber his negative ones. The negative ones repeat much of the same gripes we have and there has been much to gripe about.

He makes positive and negative comments about all schools. Heck he ripped Yogi on one play and praised him on the next. He is an extremist and his job seems to reward him for that.

[MartintheMopMan]

I just really don't see the bitterness like others see. DD makes so many positive comments about IU that easily outnumber his negative ones. The negative ones repeat much of the same gripes we have and there has been much to gripe about.

He makes positive and negative comments about all schools. Heck he ripped Yogi on one play and praised him on the next. He is an extremist and his job seems to reward him for that.

I don't see him as bitter either. I do think he's tough on Indiana, but I think it comes from a place of love not from bitterness. It bothers him more when we don't succeed because he wants us to succeed just like everyone else here. And I think he's kind of an ass when he does it just because he's kind of an ass. So, everything he does is done like someone who is kind of an ass would do it. I don't like the personality he displays, so I don't like him regardless of who he is talking about.

[Hovadipo]

I just really don't see the bitterness like others see. DD makes so many positive comments about IU that easily outnumber his negative ones. The negative ones repeat much of the same gripes we have and there has been much to gripe about.

He makes positive and negative comments about all schools. Heck he ripped Yogi on one play and praised him on the next. He is an extremist and his job seems to reward him for that.

Same. I've never heard even an ounce of bitterness in anything he's said. He just sounds like any one of us talking about the program right now.

[AKHoosier]

DD isn't wrong but something about an old man bashing college kids irks me. These kids aren't pros who make money off of playing ball. Just a douchebag move IMO

 

He's not bashing a college kid, he's just criticizing his ability to play defense, which is something he is paid to do.

 

If he said, "James Blackmon is ugly and has no friends," then yeah, that'd be different.

[coonhounds]

He's not bashing a college kid, he's just criticizing his ability to play defense, which is something he is paid to do.

If he said, "James Blackmon is ugly and has no friends," then yeah, that'd be different.

that was hilarious.

[Josh]

He has since reached out to most all of the former players, but the reality is most still see the off court crap and lack of discipline, along with the lack of local recruiting focus and kids coming here who have no clue where they are; and they're still upset

On this part, they're completely wrong. The problem with this team is the local kids. Hollowell, Patterson, Davis, Blackman, Yogi. I don't understand how anybody can ignore this. Our best players are Williams, Bryant, Johnson...three out of state kids.

[Old Friend]

On this part, they're completely wrong. The problem with this team is the local kids. Hollowell, Patterson, Davis, Blackman, Yogi. I don't understand how anybody can ignore this. Our best players are Williams, Bryant, Johnson...three out of state kids.

It's not all about the geography.  I could have worded that better.    Geographically, Crean has not focused as much as he could and in their opinion (and mine) should locally.  He doesn't ignore it, but he has at least an equal if not stronger focus on the east coast where most kids think of Indiana as just another school...which has not helped the local reputation.  He's allowed that to happen and much is on him.  Much is on Davis for doing the same thing, only he focused south.  It's about the right kids as much as the local kids.  

 

Hollowell had a horrible reputation as a selfish player with no work ethic when he got to Indiana, but Crean signed him anyway, and he turned out to be exactly what everyone said he was.   Patterson was always an academic risk.  Good kid, not cut out for college.  Blackmon can't guard and has never shown any interest in defense....even in high school and AAU.  Those aren't secrets.

 

The right kids...kids who understand the game and not just the sport.  Kids who don't always need the ball.  Kids who understand things like spacing and angles and help defense.  Indiana will never be a place where those things don't play and aren't highly valued.  See : Butler.  Crean doesn't work very hard recruiting.  He thinks he does because he spends a lot of time on social media, on the phone, and traveling; but he's not done a good job vetting kids and making sure their character fits what Indiana needs and what fans and former players expect.   The issue is lack of what they believe is proper focus on doing things the way they're expected at Indiana because that's the bar they set.  The tradition they built.  And it's been cast aside in favor of...what?  

 

That's the deal...not necessarily a sole problem with "local."

[rebelhoosier848891]

I agreed with most of your comments Old Friend until you stated "Crean doesn't work very hard recruiting".  That's plain bull. He may not be recruiting the players you want but he is one of the hardest working recruiters around. Ask about any top prospect we are after how much mail--personalized designs---contacts--visits--games watched---etc. the staff and Crean put in. We have had McDaAA's for several years in a row along with many other top prospects.  That doesn't just happen. That takes hard work.  He and the staff have put years of work in with many of the top recruits we are after or have gotten. Plus--most of them are or were sought after by other major programs in the country. Crean bleeds Indiana basketball and he works his tail off. The problem has not been how hard he works recruiting. The problem is how he coaches them after they arrive on campus.

[MartintheMopMan]

It's not all about the geography.  I could have worded that better.    Geographically, Crean has not focused as much as he could and in their opinion (and mine) should locally.  He doesn't ignore it, but he has at least an equal if not stronger focus on the east coast where most kids think of Indiana as just another school...which has not helped the local reputation.  He's allowed that to happen and much is on him.  Much is on Davis for doing the same thing, only he focused south.  It's about the right kids as much as the local kids.  

 

Hollowell had a horrible reputation as a selfish player with no work ethic when he got to Indiana, but Crean signed him anyway, and he turned out to be exactly what everyone said he was.   Patterson was always an academic risk.  Good kid, not cut out for college.  Blackmon can't guard and has never shown any interest in defense....even in high school and AAU.  Those aren't secrets.

 

The right kids...kids who understand the game and not just the sport.  Kids who don't always need the ball.  Kids who understand things like spacing and angles and help defense.  Indiana will never be a place where those things don't play and aren't highly valued.  See : Butler.  Crean doesn't work very hard recruiting.  He thinks he does because he spends a lot of time on social media, on the phone, and traveling; but he's not done a good job vetting kids and making sure their character fits what Indiana needs and what fans and former players expect.   The issue is lack of what they believe is proper focus on doing things the way they're expected at Indiana because that's the bar they set.  The tradition they built.  And it's been cast aside in favor of...what?  

 

That's the deal...not necessarily a sole problem with "local."

I honestly don't understand how anyone can make any form of the "local kids" argument in a thread about the defensive failures of a local kid. Good and bad kids come from everywhere, it has absolutely nothing to do with recruiting Indiana or Florida and everything to do with recruiting the right kids from everywhere. It's more about the right kids than it is local kids.

 

If it's not about geography, then there is no need for you to mention recruiting locally at all.

 

Not even going to mention the "local kids" all love and admire other schools, they don't have some magic love for IU. See Grant Gelon's favorite college team and players.

[VO5]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can make any form of the "local kids" argument in a thread about the defensive failures of a local kid. Good and bad kids come from everywhere, it has absolutely nothing to do with recruiting Indiana or Florida and everything to do with recruiting the right kids from everywhere. It's more about the right kids than it is local kids.

If it's not about geography, then there is no need for you to mention recruiting locally at all.

Not even going to mention the "local kids" all love and admire other schools, they don't have some magic love for IU. See Grant Gelon's favorite college team and players.

this.

[Old Friend]

I honestly don't understand how anyone can make any form of the "local kids" argument in a thread about the defensive failures of a local kid. Good and bad kids come from everywhere, it has absolutely nothing to do with recruiting Indiana or Florida and everything to do with recruiting the right kids from everywhere. It's more about the right kids than it is local kids.

 

If it's not about geography, then there is no need for you to mention recruiting locally at all.

 

Not even going to mention the "local kids" all love and admire other schools, they don't have some magic love for IU. See Grant Gelon's favorite college team and players.

I know there's a group of you that say things like this, and you "like" one anothers' posts all the time.  I'm not going to explain it again. You either understand the point or you don't.  You clearly don't.  Which is fine.  It's bigger than your post above.  Much bigger than this.  Much broader.  And Crean needs to do his homework.  Nothing is cut and dried and "universal."  You're making an elementary point from a very complex reality by ignoring the larger pieces.

 

If you want to understand, do two things.   Ask yourself why it is that major schools from all over the country have high school scouts specifically assigned to Indiana and why so many schools consistently pull kids from Indiana.  Why not Minnesota?  Why not Tennessee?  Why not Georgia?  Why not Oklahoma?   You know that answer and so do I; but they don't pull grade problems or PIA kids.  They do their homework on kids.  Crean does not.  And that's not just me spouting an opinion.  That's words from the mouths of AD's and coaches who've seen it first hand.   Who was the guy who told an old board all about Hollowell before he set foot on campus?  Think I just made it up?   When I ended up being exactly right, did I get lucky?  

 

Second, go take a look at the rosters at Purdue and Butler.  We all know that brand of basketball is what wins in the long run, and what all of us want to watch.  Purdue is a much better team than Indiana right now, and Butler just beat THEM.  Take a peek....and tell me what you see.  80%+ of the contributors on both teams combined are from a 200 mile radius of Indianapolis.  Think that's an accident?

Edit :  I''m not trying to be combative, just making a point, but....Ask yourself also why Dakich, Tolbert (who I talked to directly about this), Chuck Franz, Grunwald, Scott May, Greg Graham, Pat Graham, Witte, Marty Simmons, and many other former players agree with me.     And finally, ask yourself why Brad Stevens has a scout for the Celtics who lives in Indy and whose job is to scout not just the college teams but the high school teams here.  He does not have a scout in North Carolina or Florida, for example.  

[chitown hoosier]

Why does everyone keep thinking Butler only recruits local kids. They have 3 players from Indiana and 1 used to be on IU who thought he was better than the playing time he deserved. FYI, he isn't doing much better at Butler. If "local" is going to include Illinois and Kentucky than I guess a point can be made. But I'm from Chicago and I know for a fact that the type of ball mentioned is not what they play. If I remember correctly, IU beat a better Butler team last year with pretty much the same roster. I'm so tired of the argument that IU needs to focus locally more or get better local talent. If this program is ever going to get back to blue chip recognization, we need to keep pulling in talent from everywhere.

[VO5]

I know there's a group of you that say things like this, and you "like" one anothers' posts all the time. I'm not going to explain it again. You either understand the point or you don't. You clearly don't. Which is fine. It's bigger than your post above. Much bigger than this. Much broader. And Crean needs to do his homework. Nothing is cut and dried and "universal." You're making an elementary point from a very complex reality by ignoring the larger pieces.

If you want to understand, do two things. Ask yourself why it is that major schools from all over the country have high school scouts specifically assigned to Indiana and why so many schools consistently pull kids from Indiana. Why not Minnesota? Why not Tennessee? Why not Georgia? Why not Oklahoma? You know that answer and so do I; but they don't pull grade problems or PIA kids. They do their homework on kids. Crean does not. And that's not just me spouting an opinion. That's words from the mouths of AD's and coaches who've seen it first hand. Who was the guy who told an old board all about Hollowell before he set foot on campus? Think I just made it up? When I ended up being exactly right, did I get lucky?

Second, go take a look at the rosters at Purdue and Butler. We all know that brand of basketball is what wins in the long run, and what all of us want to watch. Purdue is a much better team than Indiana right now, and Butler just beat THEM. Take a peek....and tell me what you see. 80%+ of the contributors on both teams combined are from a 200 mile radius of Indianapolis. Think that's an accident?

get over yourself. The holier than thou attitude you post with is degrading and tasteless.