An Observation. Long Time IU Fans React

[Old Friend 8,389]

So I'm having coffee this morning with a couple of friends I haven't seen for a while.  One a long time Indiana Basketball junkie like the rest of us, the other an alumnus and casual basketball fan.  More a baseball guy.

 

Both grew up, like I did, with the Bob Knight era and that level of expectation.   The first told me how disappointed he was because the team had finally sucked him back in over the last 3 months.  They were fun to watch, won games against good teams, etc.   It had taken him that long to really get back into Indiana Basketball because of the complete comedy of errors it was between 2000 and 2010.  He, like many, was skeptical, even while Indiana was #1 3 years ago because he knew Crean was Crean.  Then, when we bowed out early in both Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament, his feelings...he felt, were validated.   I sure couldn't argue.

 

Next guy says the same thing :  "I was starting to pay attention again, and yesterday just punched me right in the gut because it's what Crean's teams always do.  Then, in the post game interviews, the players acted like they didn't care.   Well, I care.  Or I did.  Not so much, now."

 

I took two things from that.  The first being Indiana fans will never fully embrace Tom Crean.  He has a pattern...an undeniable pattern of being unable to win when it matters.  To give fans a thrill by going on a run because he consistently gets out coached.  Whether it was Bo Ryan time and again, Tom Izzo time and again, or yesterday, John Belein, he's just not a good game coach.  Can't adjust, and can't make changes to what's happening so HE has the advantage.  Seriously, when's the last time any of us said "wow, that game plan or that adjustment by Crean really baffled the other team/coach?"   

 

The other being how he seems so proficient at turning people off.  He was winning people back with the way his team played; but it now seems the schedule and circumstances were more to blame than he was.  He is the Big Ten Coach of the year, yet loses a first round game as a 1 seed to a tired 8 seed because he got abused from a coaching standpoint.  Purdue lays the wood to Illinois, who isn't much worse than Michigan, and we can neither score nor stop them from scoring; and we lose..both a game and a bunch of fans who were starting to believe in this man.  Then..the players have the audacity to blow it off.   Like they don't give a damn.  Look, boys...thousands of alumni who are paying your way to school DO give a damn.  I am embarrassed by their mouths and their attitudes, and by their coach's allowing that attitude to fester.  You cannot turn it on and turn it off when you want to; and yesterday was a 100% coaching loss.  

 

I've said several times that if Crean is responsible for 200 things, he's done well at 190 of them.  But, one of the things he's not good at costs Indiana games...time and time and time again.  He hasn't performed in the post season, and that should be his downfall here.  He;s now losing fans who had started to watch again for the very reason they went away in the first place.  Yesterday was a big loss.  A huge hit.  I wish he realized the importance of it.  They may well go on a nice run the next two weeks or so; but they may not.  Would have been a whole lot easier as a 2-3 seed than a 4.

[Trish 11,566]

Beautiful post. We will for sure be the favor of upset city for the 4-13 match up( at this rate ).

A post I remember from this board or maybe an old board, I forget. The post said

"Tom Crean would be a great car salesman"

[AKHoosier 6,923]

We won the freaking conference outright.

 

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

Good points Old Friend. Except, I thought the players were upset in the loss. At least, that was my perception.

[Trish 11,566]

We won the freaking conference outright.

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

Yesterday's game just provided NCAA teams with footage of how to beat us. Slow the tempo, ball screens, don't let yogi touch the ball.

[AKHoosier 6,923]

Yesterday's game just provided NCAA teams with footage of how to beat us. Slow the tempo, ball screens, don't let yogi touch the ball.

 

Does any of that footage include Robert Johnson? 

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

We won the freaking conference outright.

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

The point being, we fail more times than not in tournament situations, win or go home games.

[8bucks 6,454]

We won the freaking conference outright.

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

There are three seasons. BT regular season - great job. The BTT once again a major flop. NCAAs are next - who knows.

As good as the BT regular season championship was it just raises expectations for the tournaments. Crean has not had teams do well in the tournaments.

Underperform in the tournaments diminishes BT titles unless you are Purdue.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

Good points Old Friend. Except, I thought the players were upset in the loss. At least, that was my perception.

Exactly. How in the hell can anyone claim they didn't care? My god.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

There are three seasons. BT regular season - great job. The BTT once again a major flop. NCAAs are next - who knows.

As good as the BT regular season championship was it just raises expectations for the tournaments. Crean has not had teams do well in the tournaments.

Underperform in the tournaments diminishes BT titles unless you are Purdue.

Maybe wait til the NCAA is over to protest? We really care that much about the BTT?

[8bucks 6,454]

Maybe wait til the NCAA is over to protest? We really care that much about the BTT?

Absolutely care. Big stage and a chance to show what we can do.

Why would you not care about how we play

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

Absolutely care. Big stage and a chance to show what we can do.

Why would you not care about how we play

I do. But it doesn't change a thing about this season. One loss to a desperate team. It didn't send me into hysteria like so many. That's all I'm saying.

You guys wanna make it a big deal because it feeds into your fire Crean prophecy. It's blatant

[MikeRoberts 7,013]

There are 4 parts to a season. Non-conference, Conference, Conference Tournament and the NCAA tournament.

So far what do we have?
- non-conference - D
- conference - A
- conference tournament - D
- NCAA tournament - ?

[Trish 11,566]

Does any of that footage include Robert Johnson?

So you're saying if he plays, we win? He hasn't played in a few games. I'm worried he's going to be pretty rusty.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

I do. But it doesn't change a thing about this season. One loss to a desperate team. It didn't send me into hysteria like so many. That's all I'm saying.

You guys wanna make it a big deal because it feeds into your fire Crean prophecy. It's blatant

purdue beat that same "desperate" team today handily.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

purdue beat that same "desperate" team today handily.

I knew this was coming. It's a whole different set of circumstances! How can you compare the two!!?? It makes no sense to do that. We got beat. Has nothing to do with what they did against PU.

[dnb0214 16]

I agree w/ the original post to the thread, but caution against thinking this is the same old w/ CTC. We had many injuries (Rojo , Morgan, Hartman) and players were supposedly passing around the flu. I think we should keep that glass half full and see what happens in the tourney, no excuses!!! Elite 8 or better and Crean will have most of us

[dnb0214 16]

I knew this was coming. It's a whole different set of circumstances! How can you compare the two!!?? It makes no sense to do that. We got beat. Has nothing to do with what they did against PU.

Purdont is also completely healthy

[Brass Cannon 24,805]

I agree w/ the original post to the thread, but caution against thinking this is the same old w/ CTC. We had many injuries (Rojo , Morgan, Hartman) and players were supposedly passing around the flu. I think we should keep that glass half full and see what happens in the tourney, no excuses!!! Elite 8 or better and Crean will have most of us

Perhaps he shouldn't have been playing Hartman then. Rocket science I know.

[Alford Bailey 12,385]

There are 4 parts to a season. Non-conference, Conference, Conference Tournament and the NCAA tournament.

So far what do we have?
- non-conference - D
- conference - A
- conference tournament - D
- NCAA tournament - ?

Exactly! Post of the year. Says it all. If your kid gets an A in one class but fails 3 others do you just ignore it??