Big Picture thoughts...

[MikeHoncho69]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

 

[HoosierJimbo89]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

I think college basketball needs the college baseball rule: go pro after high school or stay for 3 years. I think Romeo was more Vonleh than Gordon. You don't win championships without the Romeo's, but you also need the 4 year players that will run through a brick wall for the program.

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

I just think it’s an absolute crime that kids like Romeo are forced into making a decision like this in the first place.

 

[Hatchets7times]

So your saying no to Zion .Barrett..A Coby White..& Little at UNC.
Let tell you who don't understand big time college ball ..
Talent wins...Every Year..
Watch whose in Minneapolis ~

 

[MonvalleyJ]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

I agree with your overall post... kids should have the right to go to the NBA if they choose. With that said, I disagree in every way that Romeo Langford was the best player the state of Indiana produced since Damon Bailey.

Really? Think about that for a moment. Hell... the very next year, the state had 2 kids better than Damon. DB was really good so not taking anything away from him but the best player to play Indiana high school basketball in 29 years?

 

[ufo33]

I agree with your overall post... kids should have the right to go to the NBA if they choose. With that said, I disagree in every way that Romeo Langford was the best player the state of Indiana produced since Damon Bailey.

Really? Think about that for a moment. Hell... the very next year, the state had 2 kids better than Damon. DB was really good so not taking anything away from him but the best player to play Indiana high school basketball in 29 years?

In HS Romeo was as good of a HS player that I have ever seen. He had no weakness offensively. And played the best against the top competition. 46 points as a Sophomore vs #1 Southport and lead New Albany to a 4A State Championship as only a Sophomore. As a Junior Romeo scored 40 points against #1 in the nation Laporte Lalumiere and a roster full of D1 players including 2 McDonalds All Americans. And Romeo was the best player on the court.

 

[ReadHall84]

In HS Romeo was as good of a HS player that I have ever seen. He had no weakness offensively. And played the best against the top competition. 46 points as a Sophomore vs #1 Southport and lead New Albany to a 4A State Championship as only a Sophomore. As a Junior Romeo scored 40 points against #1 in the nation Laporte Lalumiere and a roster full of D1 players inckuding 2 McDonalds All Americans. And Romeo was the best player on the court.

Where'd "that Romeo" go? Not to Bloomington.

 

[h20pls]

My 17yo is about to join the army.
My 18yo started a moderately successful clothing reseller operation (whilst attending IU...carrying a full load at Kelley...on a full-ride scholarship nonetheless).

I don't understand why a kid shouldn't be able to get a job and pay taxes...just because his occupation is basketball.

 

[IU? I'm Fine]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

Wow...just wow.

A knee jerk reaction and certainly not big picture.

Romeo Langford was needed at Indiana for many reasons. He helped Archie Miller in validating Archie's inside/out recruiting focus.

Romeo, a freshman, performed as Romeo. Much good for a team that suffered from injuries and Crean's recruiting and IU's 2+ decades of mismanagement, and installing new offense and new defense of the new coach. Some disfunction of the team and team members has been debated on this site.

To lay that all at the foot of a freshman player is not correct.

Other 1&dones will perform differently and affect their teams differently.

And they may bring different intangibles...just as Romeo did.

 

[ufo33]

Where'd "that Romeo" go? Not to Bloomington.

Romeo led IU in scoring as a Freshman.

 

[MonvalleyJ]

In HS Romeo was as good of a HS player that I have ever seen. He had no weakness offensively. And played the best against the top competition. 46 points as a Sophomore vs #1 Southport and lead New Albany to a 4A State Championship as only a Sophomore. As a Junior Romeo scored 40 points against #1 in the nation Laporte Lalumiere and a roster full of D1 players including 2 McDonalds All Americans. And Romeo was the best player on the court.

I never wrote he isn't really good. He is beyond really good. With that said, to write DB and Romeo are the best players to come from the state in 29 years is just incorrect.

 

[IrishFanSam81]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

While I agree you always want guys who battle for the team, I disagree about the one-and-done stance. You need to find guys that fit in the program that are all in and that can still be one-and-done players. Zellar could have been a one-and-done and look how great his impact was freshman year. Archie needs guys like him, and not like Romeo or Vonleh.

 

[MikeHoncho69]

While I agree you always want guys who battle for the team, I disagree about the one-and-done stance. You need to find guys that fit in the program that are all in and that can still be one-and-done players. Zellar could have been a one-and-done and look how great his impact was freshman year. Archie needs guys like him, and not like Romeo or Vonleh.

Maybe I didn't articulate my point well enough. I usually don't come straight to the board after games, but did last night out of pure frustration. I don't have any issue with Romeo, and I'm not placing any blame for the trajectory of the season on him. What I'd like to see is a full roster of players who are 3-4 year guys who fit specific roles -- a few shooters, a lock-down defender or two, a bruising big man, etc. To me, that's the true make-up of a championship-caliber team. Right now, I feel as if we have a group of players who don't fit together...

 

[coachv jr]

Romeo led IU in scoring as a Freshman.

only because he took way more shots than anyone else

 

[coachv jr]

what is everyone here talking about? starting next year high school players can go pro without having to pretend to be college students for a season. am i the only one who knows this? one and done is about to be done

 

[mushroomgod_1]

Maybe I didn't articulate my point well enough. I usually don't come straight to the board after games, but did last night out of pure frustration. I don't have any issue with Romeo, and I'm not placing any blame for the trajectory of the season on him. What I'd like to see is a full roster of players who are 3-4 year guys who fit specific roles -- a few shooters, a lock-down defender or two, a bruising big man, etc. To me, that's the true make-up of a championship-caliber team. Right now, I feel as if we have a group of players who don't fit together...

Basically, you need a roster full of 35-70 rivals guys. In his heyday, that's what Izzo was doing. You get a minimum of 2 years from them, they're solid players, and you have a roster full. 1 or 2 of them will develop into absolute college studs, and you win a NC or two.

 

[RickyRoe87]

My 17yo is about to join the army.
My 18yo started a moderately successful clothing reseller operation (whilst attending IU...carrying a full load at Kelley...on a full-ride scholarship nonetheless).

I don't understand why a kid shouldn't be able to get a job and pay taxes...just because his occupation is basketball.

Yeah maybe, who cares????

 

[All4You]

So your saying no to Zion .Barrett..A Coby White..& Little at UNC.
Let tell you who don't understand big time college ball ..
Talent wins...Every Year..
Watch whose in Minneapolis ~

Yes it does, but I don't think anyone is advocating IU taking a unilateral approach and opting out of pursuing that kind of talent. I think what we all hope (Well, except for the handful or so of programs that rely on a steady pipeline of OAD level talent) is that the NBA and NBPA get their shit together and drop the minimum age to 18. It's past time really. With the minimum age @ 19, teams/programs are forced to compete in recruiting young men whose priorities are different than the average recruit. And these young men are forced to make decisions that quite frankly aren't in their best interests either short or long term. And I don't blame programs like UK, UNC, Duke or anyone else for their success in adapting to the rules as they currently are, but let's not kid ourselves here. These programs will still get those young men who fall just outside the NBA draft and their sustained success is a given. What it will accomplish is not forcing the ones who fall inside it to spend a year in school with one foot out the door, risking their future without also forcing the vast majority of programs to either participate or fall behind.

 

[ufo33]

I never wrote he isn't really good. He is beyond really good. With that said, to write DB and Romeo are the best players to come from the state in 29 years is just incorrect.

Romeo Langford
Greg Oden
Eric Gordon Jr.
Gordon Hayward
Mike Conley Jr.
Gary Harris
Calbert Cheaney
Glenn Robinson
Zach Randolph
Alan Henderson
Greg Graham
Tyler Zeller
Cody Zeller
Mason Plumlee
Damon Bailey

 

[iubud]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

A one and done player isn't a good fit for a team that is already young and rebuilding. It creates the need for another young player of possibly less talent to replace them. Once the program has class and position balance, a OAD player will be a good thing.

I don't like the opportunity for them to shut their seasons down when they are satisfied with their draft position. I don't know how Romeo feels about leaving after missing the last 3 games. That isn't how I would want to leave, but I don't see it changing his mind.

I don't know how injured Romeo was or if he could have played. I just know the legacy of IU basketball will not be changed by his season here and the program isn't better off with his time with the team. Juwan will be remembered fondly and I expect to hear how he impacted the younger players.

 

[HoosiersChamps]

My 17yo is about to join the army.
My 18yo started a moderately successful clothing reseller operation (whilst attending IU...carrying a full load at Kelley...on a full-ride scholarship nonetheless).

I don't understand why a kid shouldn't be able to get a job and pay taxes...just because his occupation is basketball.

Ummm, WHAT????

 

[ufo33]

A one and done player isn't a good fit for a team that is already young and rebuilding. It creates the need for another young player of possibly less talent to replace them. Once the program has class and position balance, a OAD player will be a good thing.

I don't like the opportunity for them to shut their seasons down when they are satisfied with their draft position. I don't know how Romeo feels about leaving after missing the last 3 games. That isn't how I would want to leave, but I don't see it changing his mind.

I don't know how injured Romeo was or if he could have played. I just know the legacy of IU basketball will not be changed by his season here and the program isn't better off with his time with the team. Juwan will be remembered fondly and I expect to hear how he impacted the younger players.

Juwan worked hard as a non-NBA talent.
Romeo has yet to peak as a player, and could blosdom into a star in the NBA.

 

[MonvalleyJ]

Romeo Langford
Greg Oden
Eric Gordon Jr.
Gordon Hayward
Mike Conley Jr.
Gary Harris
Calbert Cheaney
Glenn Robinson
Zach Randolph
Alan Henderson
Greg Graham
Tyler Zeller
Cody Zeller
Mason Plumlee
Damon Bailey

All great players... I don't understand the post. Is this your ranking of the players?

 

[ReadHall84]

Romeo led IU in scoring as a Freshman.

And disappeared in many games. Only "take charge" moment I recall was the winning layup at home vs MSU.

 

[bsmitty08]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

Meanwhile Duke will win the ncaa title with 4 one and dones

 

[kkott]

So your saying no to Zion .Barrett..A Coby White..& Little at UNC.
Let tell you who don't understand big time college ball ..
Talent wins...Every Year..
Watch whose in Minneapolis ~

I don't think Coby White, and probably not Little, will be OAD.

 

[ufo33]

All great players... I don't understand the post. Is this your ranking of the players?

Other Indiana HS players in last 29 years on par with Damon Bailey, they did not score as many career points as Bailey, but as HS players and beyond they were nearly or were his equal.

 

[h20pls]

Ummm, WHAT????

I''m referring to the lunacy of requiring an 18yo to go to college...if he can otherwise play in the NBA and pay taxes.

 

[Bligedy]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

Romeo isn't the issue.

The issue is that too much of the roster was/is too weak to be really good. Get players in bunches.

 

[IUHoopster]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

No doubt on the one and done but that doesn’t explain the rest of the team...the lack of effort, no diving for balls, on again off again intensity. This season’s issues were far greater than one player.

 

[chaboom]

Meanwhile Duke will win the ncaa title with 4 one and dones

Duke will not win the ncaa title. That will be Florida State

 

[areik22]

only because he took way more shots than anyone else

Romeo averaged only 1.4 more FGA per game this year than JM did.

 

[smk042]

My 17yo is about to join the army.
My 18yo started a moderately successful clothing reseller operation (whilst attending IU...carrying a full load at Kelley...on a full-ride scholarship nonetheless).

I don't understand why a kid shouldn't be able to get a job and pay taxes...just because his occupation is basketball.

Maybe the solution is to have no athletic scholarships and students can do any work they want just like students trying to make a life by going to class. Then universities can have student athletes or/and have a professional league where games are scheduled that allow students to go to school ie Friday night and Sunday games. Why should university resources be used for athletics? The professional league can be independent of the university and fund the salaries of those running it and playing in it and can even pay the universities for use of facilities.
My bet is that the nonprofessional games would be just as entertaining and we would then get back to students playing for a school and not themselves. Then Nike, Adidas, etc could openly go after those players that they wanted to wear their products for the professional teams.
Probably never will happen but then why aren't students doing research etc that makes significant advances paid as well by universities.

 

[abraxis]

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Romeo biggest problem is that he projects a lackadaisical personality by his quiet, polite demeanor. He needs to find himself some of that bad-ass attitude if he wants to make it at the next level. I want more from Archie, too. I want to know what makes him tick and what gets him ticked off. We know so very little about the man. I don't get too excited to listen to his post game comments with "Fish"...everything seems so robotic, so programmed and so predictable. He's going to have a long summer. I wonder if he likes to fish.

 

[ufo33]

Duke will not win the ncaa title. That will be Florida State

Duke has more talent.

 

[MKordIUBB]

Romeo was great for us this year. I don’t get why people are blaming him as the reason we were worse than expected this year. He had passion for our university the entire season. Watching him on the bench during the WSU game, he was louder than anyone else. He chose to come here and people want to criticize him. If I could clone a RL and put one on our team every year I’d do exactly that.

Also I’d like to add that it pisses me off when I see people comparing him to Vonleh. Even Vonleh still supports IU, he’s just not very upfront about it.

 

[TR32]

Romeo Langford
Greg Oden
Eric Gordon Jr.
Gordon Hayward
Mike Conley Jr.
Gary Harris
Calbert Cheaney
Glenn Robinson
Zach Randolph
Alan Henderson
Greg Graham
Tyler Zeller
Cody Zeller
Mason Plumlee
Damon Bailey

E'twaun Moore
Jason Gardner
George Hill
Sean May
Trevon Blueitt

 

[trailrunner]

Meanwhile Duke will win the ncaa title with 4 one and dones

Duke will not win the ncaa title. That will be Florida State

Watch out for Auburn

 

[ufo33]

E'twaun Moore
Jason Gardner
George Hill
Sean May
Trevon Blueitt

Jared Jeffries

 

[go_iu]

I’ll be the first to admit I was elated when Romeo Langford committed to IU. He was the best high school player the state of Indiana had produced since Damon Bailey. I knew he was a likely one-and-done player, but that didn’t temper my excitement for the season.

Fast-forward to the present moment. I NEVER want IU to pursue another one-and-done player ever again. I sincerely hope the NBA and the NBA Players Association can lower the eligibility age back to 18 so that one-and-done is no longer part of college basketball.

I want players who feel a sense of pride in wearing the Indiana uniform. I want players who will play with effort. I’d love to see guys battling for 40 minutes while diving for 50/50 balls and making the hustle plays you won’t see in the stat line. I want guys who are focused on playing for Indiana, and won’t use the program as a pit stop for the NBA.

Rant over.

Bullshit, its all about attitude, 1 and done is doing Duke and UK no harm. But wait, those teams have competent coaches who know how to utilize talent. Romeo perhaps regressed over the year