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New Aminu Mohammed crystal ball

One recent story had his guardian saying Mohammed might be interested in reclassing to start college in January 2021. IU has 2 scholarships available. Georgia and Georgetown, zip scholarships. Perhaps IU still appears to be in a strong position with this recruitment.
I did see that. Interesting how that might play out. So maybe he gets to play for IU for 3 months, then goes pro? Rent-a-player. Adds a few wins this year but doesn't do much for our long term future.
 
bs. If Archie finishes 10th or worse over half of the fans will call for his head. I’ll lead the charge.
That ain’t gonna happen tho. This team has way too much talent.

I am getting more bullish on this team by the day.
Well, I hope you turn out to be right. But, even if one is bullish on this season, it’s hard to not have concerns beyond that with the recruiting issues.
 
Let's just hope he gets the chance to play more than half of a season. As they begin play, C19 will be even worse than it is today with little hope of relief before March.

Pitino out calling for a delay in start of season, have tourney in May.
 
Pitino out calling for a delay in start of season, have tourney in May.
I think you’ll see other respected basketball people do the same, particularly as a vaccine starts to become available, hastening much greater control of the pandemic.
 
As you all know, Crean can get quite creative with his roster management. With that said, we are at 13 and I’m really not sure where a spot for Aminu would come from unless there was some weird Covid loophole I’m not aware of. This is all assuming Aminu does in fact enroll for the spring semester somewhere. Crean may just be recruiting him hard on the off chance Aminu decides to enroll after the spring semester. I expect him to sign elsewhere however.
 
Wouldn't be a surprise and would be a smart move imo.

I don't see how the season can start on time with the the way the virus is escalating right now.

Vaccines will not be of any real impact until April at best. Delaying the season won't change much unless they delay the season until summer. I suspect they will cut the preseason down to reduce team impacts but the season they do play will be hit or miss as the FB season has been.
 
Vaccines will not be of any real impact until April at best. Delaying the season won't change much unless they delay the season until summer. I suspect they will cut the preseason down to reduce team impacts but the season they do play will be hit or miss as the FB season has been.
I really hope not. Just like IU football, this is a basketball season, I am really looking forward to.
 
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I really hope not. Just like IU football, this is a basketball season, I am really looking forward to.

I wish it wasn't true as well but look at the calendar. This will be the first season in over 25 years that I have not sat in my seats at TAH. Heartbreaking and pisses me off.
 
I really hope not. Just like IU football, this is a basketball season, I am really looking forward to.
This is something that before a friend of mine got infected I had a very ignorant view on. I’ve always been for masks when going out in public but I thought college sports should go on as usual otherwise.

That said everything the Big10 does with this virus this season should be about the safety of the kids and coaching staff. As frustrating as that is for fans and players that should be the focus. This basketball season should be approached with caution.
 
As these recruiting failures mount, if Archie doesn’t succeed on the court this year it could spell the beginning of the end for him at IU.
He has this year and next, no matter what, unless he cheats. He may even get a 6th year, even if there’s no uptick anywhere over the next two seasons.
 
It's the Indiana way. Making millionaires out of mediocre coaches. Remember, Archie is in the middle of a major rebuild according to Surfer Boy.
 
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It's the Indiana way. Making millionaires out of mediocre coaches. Remember, Archie is in the middle of a major rebuild according to Surfer Boy.
Apathy does that. People get in the habit of making excuses for low performance, and then they lower their expectations going forward. We’ve been watching it for more than a few seasons. Miller is safe for the foreseeable future.
 
As these recruiting failures mount, if Archie doesn’t succeed on the court this year it could spell the beginning of the end for him at IU.

No doubt. No tolerance for poor performance when the tools are in place. Enough tools are in place for a big step forward. That will need to happen in the next season (if there is no season this year).
 
It's the Indiana way. Making millionaires out of mediocre coaches. Remember, Archie is in the middle of a major rebuild according to Surfer Boy.

He is way past the middle.

He has the tools to take a major step forward and will be held accountable by we alumni and donors. No way what happened with Crean will be allowed again. Glass waited two seasons too long to act and even then was stopped from firing Crean by the BOT. Actually delayed by a year until QB stepped in and supported Fred.
 
I have a question as to how the alumni and donors you reference do their evaluations? As an example would be how TC was criticized for poor relations with Indiana coaches. I never heard or saw statistics of how many Indiana coaches told their players not to attend IU or did not like IU. Is there a graph or spreadsheet somewhere that shows percentages?

I have no problem if the AD in charge of evaluating, hiring and firing for a University makes those decisions but the Alumni and donors holding a coach accountable for who he recruits would be like the school board holding a high school coach accountable because he or she did not put the board member's kids on the team.

A coach like any employee is hired to do a job in a way that best suits his or her personal style. To think that discussions by groups outside of the corporation/school should have any influence is scary and suggests the thought that colleges would better serve their students by not taking donations if they indeed are conditional. As a player looking to attend a college I wouldn't want to attend where I felt the coach was compromised to do what the donors wanted unless my dad was donating the most money :)
 
I have a question as to how the alumni and donors you reference do their evaluations? As an example would be how TC was criticized for poor relations with Indiana coaches. I never heard or saw statistics of how many Indiana coaches told their players not to attend IU or did not like IU. Is there a graph or spreadsheet somewhere that shows percentages?

I have no problem if the AD in charge of evaluating, hiring and firing for a University makes those decisions but the Alumni and donors holding a coach accountable for who he recruits would be like the school board holding a high school coach accountable because he or she did not put the board member's kids on the team.

A coach like any employee is hired to do a job in a way that best suits his or her personal style. To think that discussions by groups outside of the corporation/school should have any influence is scary and suggests the thought that colleges would better serve their students by not taking donations if they indeed are conditional. As a player looking to attend a college I wouldn't want to attend where I felt the coach was compromised to do what the donors wanted unless my dad was donating the most money :)
You want a graph or spreadsheet of how many IN HS coaches told their players not to attend, or didn't like IU? Sure thing, let me just get that for you... now where did I put that?
 
Wouldn't be a surprise and would be a smart move imo.

I don't see how the season can start on time with the the way the virus is escalating right now.


Rather than delaying the start of the season, why not just push back the tourney 1 month, thereby giving teams 2 more weeks to complete their NC schedule and 2 more weeks to complete their conference schedule-----more time to make up games, if possible.
 
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I’m afraid you’re probably right. As long as we don’t finish last or close to last in the conference, Archie is still probably safe.

We just don’t have very high standards anymore and a lot of people have bought into the whole “it’s gonna take a lot of time! Be patient!” garbage to excuse his poor results and anemic “improvement.”

But, again, Archie himself is not our problem. He’s merely the current manifestation of it.

Such a whiner. Your "we" is as imaginary as your narrative about IU lacking "culture". You still haven't provided a single concrete example of how anyone associated with the Program has failed to support/instill your exalted but elusive culture since Coach Miller was hired - just whining. There's your "current manifestation".
 
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Such a whiner. Your "we" is as imaginary as your narrative about IU lacking "culture". You still haven't provided a single concrete example of how anyone associated with the Program has failed to support/instill your exalted but elusive culture since Coach Miller was hired - just whining. There's your "current manifestation".

There’s no such thing as lacking culture. It’s like character - everybody has attributes which constitute their character...the question is whether or not it’s mostly virtuous.

So, of course our basketball program, like any other organization, has a culture. I just don’t think it’s one conducive to producing the results we all want. And the evidence of it seems pretty plain from the last 20 or so years of history — we have an excessive amount of tolerance for mediocre or even poor results. Our PTBs have demonstrated that clearly enough for now 3 coaching staffs.

But we don’t have any tolerance for illicit texts and phone calls to recruits. And I’m not really saying we should, BTW. I didn’t disagree with the decision to fire Sampson. But what I’d rather have seen is better oversight. I think we should want a coach who is going to be so aggressive and exuberant that they end up toeing the lines. We just don’t want them crossing the lines...and that’s where good compliance oversight should come in.
 
There’s no such thing as lacking culture. It’s like character - everybody has attributes which constitute their character...the question is whether or not it’s mostly virtuous.

So, of course our basketball program, like any other organization, has a culture. I just don’t think it’s one conducive to producing the results we all want. And the evidence of it seems pretty plain from the last 20 or so years of history — we have an excessive amount of tolerance for mediocre or even poor results. Our PTBs have demonstrated that clearly enough for now 3 coaching staffs.

But we don’t have any tolerance for illicit texts and phone calls to recruits. And I’m not really saying we should, BTW. I didn’t disagree with the decision to fire Sampson. But what I’d rather have seen is better oversight. I think we should want a coach who is going to be so aggressive and exuberant that they end up toeing the lines. We just don’t want them crossing the lines...and that’s where good compliance oversight should come in.

You're obfuscating. Again. You're repeatedly attacked the culture surrounding IU BB and made no secret of your opinion that it is wanting. Subsequently, you've been repeatedly asked to point to any specific failures evidenced during the last three years that support your stated view that this is the fault of Coach Miller, his Staff, the Admin ad the AD. As yet, and just as above, you have failed to offer a single shred of evidence in support/defense, just a lame 'this is how it was in the past so that's how it is now' argument. Fine, but at this point know that your commentaries carry about as much weight and wisdom as farts. I quit, except to repeat, there is no "we". Rave on.
 
I remember Watford playing down low when he clearly was a wing. He played within the coaches system. Kids now want to be outside shooters with little tangling down low. Archie should have never compared TK game to TJD game. Two different styles. I would say that turned TK off immediately. No matter how much fans were convinced he would come to IU. Archie needs to understand the type of kids he is recruiting or he will utterly fail. Just like to me Duncomb is more power forward than center. Archie needs a 6-11 240 type of recruit . I don't understand his penchant for wings alone.
 
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You're obfuscating. Again. You're repeatedly attacked the culture surrounding IU BB and made no secret of your opinion that it is wanting. Subsequently, you've been repeatedly asked to point to any specific failures evidenced during the last three years that support your stated view that this is the fault of Coach Miller, his Staff, the Admin ad the AD. As yet, and just as above, you have failed to offer a single shred of evidence in support/defense, just a lame 'this is how it was in the past so that's how it is now' argument. Fine, but at this point know that your commentaries carry about as much weight and wisdom as farts. I quit, except to repeat, there is no "we". Rave on.

- Well, yeah, the culture is wanting. That’s different from saying our program “lacks” culture. No such an animal.

-If you want to see an example of a positive cultural upheaval, look no farther than our football program. I mean, everybody loves to see the winning. But that’s really an end product, isn’t it? It starts with cultural changes like one discussed during the MSU broadcast. They quoted CTA as having said that anybody who doesn’t believe we can beat the royalty programs in the conference, that we can make a run at the B10 championship, etc. he’d just as soon transferred.

Allen is taking some flak for making bold statements that imply an expectation of victory in Columbus. I don’t know if it’ll happen or not. But the confidence to say such things is what matters most. I love his positivity and his high expectations. And, clearly, the players have bought in.

- I really don’t care how much weight you or anybody else give to what I say. It doesn’t make any difference. And it’s certainly not going to make me say something else that’s less upsetting to you.
 
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- Well, yeah, the culture is wanting. That’s different from saying our program “lacks” culture. No such an animal.

-If you want to see an example of a positive cultural upheaval, look no farther than our football program. I mean, everybody loves to see the winning. But that’s really an end product, isn’t it? It starts with cultural changes like one discussed during the MSU broadcast. They quoted CTA as having said that anybody who doesn’t believe we can beat the royalty programs in the conference, that we can make a run at the B10 championship, etc. he’d just as soon transferred.

Allen is taking some flak for making bold statements that imply an expectation of victory in Columbus. I don’t know if it’ll happen or not. But the confidence to say such things is what matters most. I love his positivity and his high expectations. And, clearly, the players have bought in.

- I really don’t care how much weight you or anybody else give to what I say. It doesn’t make any difference. And it’s certainly not going to make me say something else that’s less upsetting to you.

So essentially your whole argument boils down to Coach Miller not making the right noises and/or not making them loudly enough or some such nonsense, and that's the silver bullet that will restore IU Hoops to glory. Wow, who knew?

It's indeed fortunate that you don't care what anybody thinks, but for the record, the only thing even mildly upsetting is your capacity to double down on subjective and irrational BS that you can't substantiate. You and Ordy should maybe get a room.
 
There’s no such thing as lacking culture. It’s like character - everybody has attributes which constitute their character...the question is whether or not it’s mostly virtuous.

So, of course our basketball program, like any other organization, has a culture. I just don’t think it’s one conducive to producing the results we all want. And the evidence of it seems pretty plain from the last 20 or so years of history — we have an excessive amount of tolerance for mediocre or even poor results. Our PTBs have demonstrated that clearly enough for now 3 coaching staffs.

But we don’t have any tolerance for illicit texts and phone calls to recruits. And I’m not really saying we should, BTW. I didn’t disagree with the decision to fire Sampson. But what I’d rather have seen is better oversight. I think we should want a coach who is going to be so aggressive and exuberant that they end up toeing the lines. We just don’t want them crossing the lines...and that’s where good compliance oversight should come in.
This is excellently stated, though I think those who are conditioned to settle for less will push back against it. But you’re correct, as usual.
 
So essentially your whole argument boils down to Coach Miller not making the right noises and/or not making them loudly enough or some such nonsense, and that's the silver bullet that will restore IU Hoops to glory. Wow, who knew?

It's indeed fortunate that you don't care what anybody thinks, but for the record, the only thing even mildly upsetting is your capacity to double down on subjective and irrational BS that you can't substantiate. You and Ordy should maybe get a room.
Isn’t his realistic assessment better than the flowery, fact free ones you offer, though? Or did you pick us to finish in a tie for 10th last year?
 
Rather than delaying the start of the season, why not just push back the tourney 1 month, thereby giving teams 2 more weeks to complete their NC schedule and 2 more weeks to complete their conference schedule-----more time to make up games, if possible.
That could work, I wish the BIG10 would've done that in football as well.

One thing we can all agree on is that something has to happen, college basketball can't really be played in a bubble and it should be about the safety of the players first and foremost.
 
I did see that. Interesting how that might play out. So maybe he gets to play for IU for 3 months, then goes pro? Rent-a-player. Adds a few wins this year but doesn't do much for our long term future.
Ok how does this make sense . You come in half way through the season , having not practiced with the team . Rolls have been set on the team , players have learned how to play with each other . I don't think he is the 2nd coming of Michael Jordon so he will have to adjust to the speed of playing at the next level . Even the great players have to learn at the next level . By the time he would learn the system and what his roll was the season would probably be over . Also , would he expect to start over the players who had been there all year working to make the team better . I'm sure he is coming expecting to play , and pine time would not fit his agenda . If his plan is to play half a season and then go pro , I think it would cause more problems than he would be worth . Team chemistry is a big part of of a winning team , and lack of it is a big part of a losing team .
 
So essentially your whole argument boils down to Coach Miller not making the right noises and/or not making them loudly enough or some such nonsense, and that's the silver bullet that will restore IU Hoops to glory. Wow, who knew?

No. I cited this comment by TA as an outwardly visible sign of a culture reoriented towards winning -- not as the way to bring that about. These are exactly the kinds of things you'd want to hear from a coach who knows that he's inherited a program that has loooong been defined by futility.

That's a hard kind of definition to shake - especially in a conference like the B10 and even more especially after they added historically strong football programs like Penn State and Nebraska.

Getting his players -- most of whom didn't get offers from the likes of Michigan, OSU, ND, or other football bluebloods -- to believe they can beat those teams, that they can get a lead and hold a lead and finish the job, has to have been tough. But it's hard to escape the sense that it's taken hold.
 
No. I cited this comment by TA as an outwardly visible sign of a culture reoriented towards winning -- not as the way to bring that about.

No shit, because you've utterly failed to make a single suggestion on what anybody hasn't done, isn't doing or should be doing differently. You're still and simply contending that because you don't see/hear whatever in your insular world of chat rooms, web pages and armchair analytics, it therefore does not exist. Got it. If only Coach Miller, his Staff, the AD and the Administration actually cared about winning, maybe mentioned it in practice, tacked it to the bulletin board, considered it in decision-making, etc. Just brilliant, even a bit stunning since in reality there does not appear to actually be any 'there there'.

You should really write this up for something more prestigious than an internet forum. You could call it, "Bringing the Rah-Rah Back to IU Basketball". Am sure that sports gurus and national sports outlets would be awed by your keen insight.

November 25th and the chance to see IU's mediocre and deplorable lame-ass culture of underachieving losers can't get here soon enough.
 
Can you name me any instance where he has made a comment similar to what Allen was quoted as saying?

FWIW, I’ve never said that Miller or the AD or the players or anybody else didn’t care about winning or didn’t want to win...as if to suggest all they have to do is start caring about winning.

You really ought to consider reading up on organizational culture. It’s a real thing and a really important thing. You can scoff at it all you want. But I’d bet that most people who have a high level of success at leading any kind of organization could tell you about the org’s culture - even if they don’t use that term or consciously recognize their shared values and norms as being such.
 
Can you name me any instance where he has made a comment similar to what Allen was quoted as saying?

FWIW, I’ve never said that Miller or the AD or the players or anybody else didn’t care about winning or didn’t want to win...as if to suggest all they have to do is start caring about winning.

You really ought to consider reading up on organizational culture. It’s a real thing and a really important thing. You can scoff at it all you want. But I’d bet that most people who have a high level of success at leading any kind of organization could tell you about the org’s culture - even if they don’t use that term or consciously recognize their shared values and norms as being such.
Some people inherently understand this . . . Rikki isn’t one of those people.

 
Can you name me any instance where he has made a comment similar to what Allen was quoted as saying?

FWIW, I’ve never said that Miller or the AD or the players or anybody else didn’t care about winning or didn’t want to win...as if to suggest all they have to do is start caring about winning.

You really ought to consider reading up on organizational culture. It’s a real thing and a really important thing. You can scoff at it all you want. But I’d bet that most people who have a high level of success at leading any kind of organization could tell you about the org’s culture - even if they don’t use that term or consciously recognize their shared values and norms as being such.

You misunderstand. Not taking any issue with the significance/importance/existence of 'culture', only your earnest assumption/assertions that the culture that is IU BB/Athletics - one that you basically have zero actual knowledge or experience of - is somehow deficient along with the mindset of most everyone connected to same. If you'd ever actually spoken to Coach Miller, the Players or anyone actually connected to the Program, observed practices or had any experiential knowledge any number of events and personnel that you're dissing in your sweeping indictment of IU's 'culture', you might have a case supported by anecdotes at very least. Absent that, all you have is a theory that is unsupported, untestable and entirely subjective.

Culture is not a "real" thing - it's a collective product of real things . If you want buy-in that the recent and current inputs that are and will create IU's culture are flawed, identify the flaws, the real things that are sabotaging/hindering/preventing the desired expression. It's not a solution unless it solves a problem.
 
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