For fans who are not familiar with this team , I would suggest watching a few of their games. Some of us catch flack about being too hard on the team and program, however, once you see how this team team played, you’ll understand the frustration. Indiana is known for effort, fundamentals, and teamwork. And that has been the case since the 50s. And if you grew up in Indiana , you learned those three things at an early age. Effort and teamwork seem to be better now, fundamentals are still a work in process for the current team. We should never settle for less.
1992 Team
- Thread starter Kyser123
- Start date
Sure, because comparing a team that even that at its best was only a top 20 or 25 team (current) to a veteran team that was top 5 the whole season ('92) is a reasonable comparison. That team had much more talent on it than this one.
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Talent is separate from effort and fundamentals. IU has a history of role players who were less talented, but huge contributors by effort and fundamentals. And maybe you could explain how the 85/86 team went from “ a season on the brink” to national champions the next year. Did Knight get new players for that team ??? Or did effort and coaching make the difference. My whole point is we should expect to get back to that level and stop making excuses. And if you want to compare 3-4-5 star players from the two teams , you might be surprised.
I hate thinking about that '92 team because they should have hung the 6th banner. They had Duke on the ropes in the Final 4 and no doubt would have mopped the floor with the Fab 5 had they made it to the title game.
Actually, he did get new players- Dean Garrett and Keith Smart.
Yes, Knight got two new players for that team, both of whom started. One of them hit a pretty crucial sideline jumper.
Try coming up with a more imaginative response sometime. This particular one of yours is getting old and contributes nothing of interest for the casual reader who's time is valuable.
I hate thinking about that '92 team because they should have hung the 6th banner. They had Duke on the ropes in the Final 4 and no doubt would have mopped the floor with the Fab 5 had they made it to the title game.
The Zebras completely F'ed us. It was the worst hatchet job in tourney history. They should have just thrown a red card to get Henderson out of the game rather than their Bull---t whistles. It would have been more honest.
The Zebras completely F'ed us. It was the worst hatchet job in tourney history. They should have just thrown a red card to get Henderson out of the game rather than their Bull---t whistles. It would have been more honest.
The ‘92 team was something special. They played the game in such a way that any IU fan could be extremely proud of and we knew it would take a heck of an effort for an opponent to beat us.
They were fundamentally sound, talented, and had a lot of terrific pieces to make up a complete team top to bottom. Knight was still on top of his game. As before mentioned it was a bitter pill to swallow losing to Duke in the Final Four.
I understand the original post that we should hope for any IU team to aspire to the level of the ‘92 team. And as someone already pointed out we added Dean Garrett and Keith Smart for that terrific ‘87 run.
They were fundamentally sound, talented, and had a lot of terrific pieces to make up a complete team top to bottom. Knight was still on top of his game. As before mentioned it was a bitter pill to swallow losing to Duke in the Final Four.
I understand the original post that we should hope for any IU team to aspire to the level of the ‘92 team. And as someone already pointed out we added Dean Garrett and Keith Smart for that terrific ‘87 run.
While I agree with your premise... the 87 team had two huge additions that filled glaring holes of the 86 team.Here they are in case you forgot.
Dean Garrett C 6-10 11.4 Pts, 8.5 Reb, 0.6 Ast
Keith Smart G 6-1 11.2 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 3.2 A
When you say zebras, what you really mean is TV Teddy.
If it takes you a considerable amount of valuable time to read the word “dumb” then you might consider some remedial reading classes.
Not sure about "mopped the floor", but probably would have one. Those two years of MU, might be in the top five of didn't win it. The had great passing and IQ
Earth to Kyser123, the IU BB team is not in place to please you or serve you. You are either a fan or you are not.
The '85-'86 team while documented in "A Season on the Brink" was one of RMK's most over achieving squads. That team with Alford as the lead scorer, a 6'7" center in Daryl Thomas and Ricky Calloway, a freshman, had no business being in a tie for first heading into the last game. That year was a masterful job by coaches and players up until the final 2 games, at UM and Cleveland State.
The really bad year was the year before, '84-'85, that was mentioned some in the book. That year started promising, but then had Giomi being kicked off, Winston Morgan nearly being run off the team while glued to the end of bench the last 10-12 games and Marty Simmons eating himself out of the rotation before transferring. Throw in a not ready for prime time Delray Brooks too(He would transfer the next year).
The really bad year was the year before, '84-'85, that was mentioned some in the book. That year started promising, but then had Giomi being kicked off, Winston Morgan nearly being run off the team while glued to the end of bench the last 10-12 games and Marty Simmons eating himself out of the rotation before transferring. Throw in a not ready for prime time Delray Brooks too(He would transfer the next year).
Waiting for the scathing book on Knight that Giomi promised he was going to write after transferring to NC State is like waiting on Mueller's...oh, never mind. All I remember about Winston Morgan is that he was from Anderson and he had the body not unlike one constructed as a brick outhouse. I guess the same could be said for Marty Simmons, unfortunately for him. He had a better career at Evansville, as I recall. Highly sought after player in high school from just over the Illinois line....Effingham, perhaps?
in junior college, smart had a prominent arrow carved into his hairstyle. he showed up at iu with a clean shaven cut. when asked about it he said he didn't wait to be told to get rid of it. he knew knight wasn't having it. helps if you could have seen his doo before iu. never seen another like it
i remember winton morgan being built more like oladipo. maybe an inch taller. of course, my memory is going to hell
I'm thinking he was built like a poor man's Quinn Buckner. He was pretty tough underneath with a nice glide about his gait on the fast break. My memory isn't what it used to be either so I think we're entitled to remember it as we see fit. In commiseration, I have constant ringing in my ears with just about every joint aching at some point in the day or another, have to take a pill to power up the engine, so to speak, back hurts at night when I roll over between getting up to go to the bathroom 3-4 times/night, but other than those nuances of the aged life, it's still great and filled with fun of different sorts with quieter periods in between, reflecting on what it all means, if anything.
Winston had an interesting career. He started out as an energy guy coming off the bench. I can remember some bringing down the house dunks during the '83 conference title run. Then he got hurt. Then he got DEEP into RMKs doghouse. Then as a 5th year senior, he became the starting point guard for a team that played for the conference title on the final day and really was the steadying influence on that team.
Why yes, yes he did get new players. Knight brought Smart and Garrett in and without them they don’t win the title. If you recall, both were starters and Smart was the hero of the championship game. Their talents were instrumental!
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