Old Friend Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. schoosier, Alford Bailey, biteoftheapple and 4 others 7 Quote
Trish Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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" Alford Bailey and ALASKA HOOSIER 2 Quote
Popular Post AKHoosier Posted March 12, 2016 Popular Post Posted March 12, 2016 We won the freaking conference outright. Yesterday's game changed none of that. ALASKA HOOSIER, ThompsonHoosier, scots07 and 6 others 9 Quote
biteoftheapple Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 Good points Old Friend. Except, I thought the players were upset in the loss. At least, that was my perception. hoosierfan6157, WayneFleekHoosier, southsidehoosier and 1 other 4 Quote
Trish Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. ALASKA HOOSIER 1 Quote
AKHoosier Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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? lillurk and MadAboutIndiana 2 Quote
biteoftheapple Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. Alford Bailey, 8bucks and southsidehoosier 3 Quote
8bucks Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. Quote
MadAboutIndiana Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. Quote
MadAboutIndiana Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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? Quote
8bucks Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 Alford Bailey and MikeRoberts 2 Quote
MadAboutIndiana Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 maxwell and lillurk 2 Quote
MikeRoberts Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 - ? Alford Bailey and pumpfake 2 Quote
Trish Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 1 Quote
WayneFleekHoosier Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 blatantpurdue beat that same "desperate" team today handily. Alford Bailey 1 Quote
MadAboutIndiana Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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. Quote
dnb0214 Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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[emoji3] MadAboutIndiana 1 Quote
dnb0214 Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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 MadAboutIndiana 1 Quote
Brass Cannon Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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[emoji3] Perhaps he shouldn't have been playing Hartman then. Rocket science I know. Quote
Alford Bailey Posted March 12, 2016 Posted March 12, 2016 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?? MikeRoberts and 8bucks 2 Quote
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