An Observation. Long Time IU Fans React

[Old Friend 8,389]

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

Injuries didn't affect his inability to adjust or Belien's plan working to perfection.   The way to beat Indiana was the same in 2010 as it is now.  Our half court offense is still inept.  That was true with Verdell Jones and it's true with Nick Zeisloft.    No excuse to lose to a better game plan when we have the talent and experience we do.  Injuries are not an excuse, especially when they're without THEIR best player (LeVert).

[Alford Bailey 12,350]

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.

Yep, Yep Yep.

[Alford Bailey 12,350]

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.

Yea, we wont see 100% Rojo til next year.

[Alford Bailey 12,350]

We won the freaking conference outright.

 

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

You are right. The loss doesnt change that. BUT, it was a text book example of tourney time Tom Crean. Leads me to believe he hasnt changed as much as we all hoped.

[8bucks 6,345]

We won the freaking conference outright.

Yesterday's game changed none of that.

Who said it did? Who said the season ended at the end of the regular season?

We are on to the next phase of the season now. One that we have done poorly at under Crean and like Charlie Brown and the football. We may be skeptical that Lucy will pull it away again but we still have hope.

Don't misunderstand the skepticism for hate.

[Gahoosierfan 272]

I love IU, but ! I will never be a Crean fan, even if he wins the national championship. His coaching is seriously flawed. I have prepared my self for a second round NCAA loss. This is usually the best we can hope for. Crean reminds me of UGA's Mark Richt. He was at UGA for 15 years and always won just enough to keep his job until this year when the folks with $ that supported the athletics department said enough is enough and Richt is now gone.

[Ranger78 1,293]

I would change non-conf to a c and BTT to an F. At this point, NCAA will tell the story for this year. I think they go on a run, but nothing really surprises or upsets me anymore.

[Ranger78 1,293]

What upset me about MICh was the only way we get the L is a bad performance by us. I could see us playing well and loosing to Purdue or Mich ST, because of match up. Michigan match up for us is a wet dream.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

What upset me about MICh was the only way we get the L is a bad performance by us. I could see us playing well and loosing to Purdue or Mich ST, because of match up. Michigan match up for us is a wet dream.

Agree

[Bobman1 2,909]

I agree, we have seen this script many times before. But a loss to a much more needy, on a tough shot that came at the buzzer, does not make me that angry or upset. Sure we are more talented than Michigan, but it was evident that they cared more. And there was reason for that, they needed that win, or they'd be in the NIT. We win, and we might get a better seed. I'm very cautious heading into this next week, and after many of us had thought Crean had changed his ways this season, he has another chance to prove to us he has. Make a deep run, no matter what seed we get, and win back these fans.

[coonhounds 8,787]

Let's hope crean changes some minds this season. He has a chance the kids just need to execute

[Bowhunter 2,693]

So yesterday at work I was able to watch the game on my phone. Don't tell anyone lol! All my UK, Duke, and Purdue Co-workers started rubbing it in as soon as they saw me. I was in a very bad mood and have been all weekend. I think a run in the tournament relies heavily on our health. Our coach let us down yesterday, but I thought our team let us down more. The big ten regular season was a great accomplishment and it seemed like we were still stuck in that celebration. I think we will respond well and make a run. If Hartman's hand is messed up, we are in big trouble.

[muckraker 61]

Hey, Old Friend, were you gocolts88 in a previous life?

[cjvz20 896]

I sat behind the Michigan basket yesterday and it seemed all they did was run the same play for the whole second half no adjustments from us on the screens. The call on TB when Walton fell down was absolute bs. But we still had a chance to win if we just made out fts. Think a lot of players tried to do too much yesterday. Maybe felt pressure of tournament play idk. We have been winning by everyone playing their role to a T. I understand injuries didn't help yesterday but I still don't know why niego played more then usually or all of the sudden burton was in. I just hope we can get back to winning and fast.

[HoosierAloha 30,024]

I sat behind the Michigan basket yesterday and it seemed all they did was run the same play for the whole second half no adjustments from us on the screens. The call on TB when Walton fell down was absolute bs. But we still had a chance to win if we just made out fts. Think a lot of players tried to do too much yesterday. Maybe felt pressure of tournament play idk. We have been winning by everyone playing their role to a T. I understand injuries didn't help yesterday but I still don't know why niego played more then usually or all of the sudden burton was in. I just hope we can get back to winning and fast.

 

That call was great for no other reason than TB got a block from his chest.  Kam Chatman also did a little shuffle which was pretty funny too.  It's so IU in the BTT though.

 

Link

[cjvz20 896]

That call was great for no other reason than TB got a block from his chest. Kam Chatman also did a little shuffle which was pretty funny too. It's so IU in the BTT though.

Link

yeah I yelled travel before he shot it guess no one else saw it. Terrible

[Old Friend 8,389]

Hey, Old Friend, were you gocolts88 in a previous life?

No idea what you're talking about.

[Alford Bailey 12,350]

That call was great for no other reason than TB got a block from his chest.  Kam Chatman also did a little shuffle which was pretty funny too.  It's so IU in the BTT though.

 

Link

Obvious travel but dang it we shouldnt have been in that position....

[cjvz20 896]

Nope should've made fts

[Trish 11,505]

No idea what you're talking about.

Old poster on the scout board if my brain remembers correctly.