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The Definition of Success for the I.U. Basketball Program

I've read several posts that have described this season as a successful basketball season because I.U. made the tournament. I beg to differ with that assessment. Was this season better than last? Probably, because our defense improved. We cut down on turn overs, and we did at least advance to the tournament. Nevertheless, I would not define this season as successful. I.U. used to be defined as a blue blood program which I no longer think it is. Would any of the other "blue blood programs" such as Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, or Arizona have been content with I.U.'s current status? I doubt it. Kentucky fans are up in arms simply because they were ousted in game one of the NCAA tournament. A "blue blood program" always assumes that they will make the tournament. They also expect to finish in the upper tier of their league, and they expect to advance, not simply get into, the tournament. Using this criteria as a measurement for success, I.U. has not been successful for years. Until they have these expectations, I doubt that they ever will be a successful basketball program again.

Rabjohns on 107.5FM

Jeff Rabjohns was just on with Jake and Kevin, interesting stuff:
- TJD about 25% to return, Race gone
-Geronimo will have options
-Woody needs to move away from NBA style hockey line sub pattern- NBA season longer than college where every game matters
-Woody did lean on NBA contacts like Jim Todd and Wittman
-Woody needs to focus more on player development in season
-when asked who’d be back he listed Galloway, Bates, and Leal
-when asked who might bolt he talked about Lander being not physically ready to guard, but now maybe we don’t focus so much on defense if guards and wings can score more

IU and the circus it has become...

I try to be optimistic when it comes to IU (key word try) but you just have to question who is running the show in Bloomington? I hope Woodson has a clear plan (my doubts are numerous) or this could get Nebraska ugly real quick. I'm 50 years old I don't want to learn to like another team, I'm too damn stubborn and old but this crap year in year out is dreadful. Every time I see a headline regarding IU a picture of the Titanic immediately comes in my head.

How’s the Big Ten doing so far?

As we await the end of the Wisconsin game, current B10 record is 6-3. Wins for Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, MSU, and OSU. Losses by Rutgers, Iowa, and of course indiana.

but really only Purdue and Michigan had what I’d call good wins. Illinois barely won, MSU really struggled to put Davidson away, and OSU was meh. Our game against Wyoming was ugly. We’ll see if Wisconsin can hang on but they’re getting all they can handle from Colgate.

In the ncaa tournament it doesn’t matter how you win, just survive and advance. No matter what Wisconsin does the B10 will exit the first round with a winning record. But it feels like this happens every year- B10 gets the most teams in, looks like shit, gets 1 team that goes deep, but no title. Hard to believe it’s been 22 years since a B10 team won a National title.

is it the grind of playing in such a tough conference? Conference tourney wearing the teams out? B10 teams overrated? Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

Xavier a better team than they seemed going into the IU series?...

Xavier was 5-12 entering the series with IU, and it looked like we could pick up some wins in the series, but we know what happened. Xavier just beat Michigan today, 8-2, and right now Michigan is seen as the second-best team in the B1G by analysts behind only Maryland. Michigan was 11-8 going into this game, but it was a midweek game, so the weekend starters were probably not used in the game for either team. You would have to think though that most if not all of the everyday starters were probably in the lineup. I just happened to see the score so I thought I would post it.
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