Succession Planning

[HoozierDaddy]

This whole mess started because IU never had a succession plan in place for the transition of RMK, regardless of when it happened. They then multiplied the problem by firing him quickly and were forced to react. We are still paying the price. All successful companies have a succession plan in place for top executives. I learned that at Kelley school and saw it in action during my working years.

What is our current succession plan? Even if Woody was killing it, he won’t coach forever, so what is the plan? Not sure what Dusty is currently making but why not bring him in, or someone similar, name them Associate Head Coach and pay the shit out of them and make it clear that they have a clear road to the top spot. Maybe that was supposed to be Dane Fife? I really don’t see who that would be now but it doesn’t seem like it’s any of the current assistants.

Instead, if Woody gets fired or god-forbid a health issue, we are back to placing a job posting on the internet and starting the hamster wheel all over again. I actually have a feeling MSU is headed down that same path with Izzo. You know who got it right? Unfortunately it was Purdue. Keady to Painter. They’ve been good for a really long time while we still pay for our lack of planning 25 years ago.

 

[the Donny Difference]

The PU / Painter transition wasn't all smooth at first. Painter has had some down years during his tenure, especially early on.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

This whole mess started because IU never had a succession plan in place for the transition of RMK, regardless of when it happened. They then multiplied the problem by firing him quickly and were forced to react. We are still paying the price. All successful companies have a succession plan in place for top executives. I learned that at Kelley school and saw it in action during my working years.

What is our current succession plan? Even if Woody was killing it, he won’t coach forever, so what is the plan? Not sure what Dusty is currently making but why not bring him in, or someone similar, name them Associate Head Coach and pay the shit out of them and make it clear that they have a clear road to the top spot. Maybe that was supposed to be Dane Fife? I really don’t see who that would be now but it doesn’t seem like it’s any of the current assistants.

Instead, if Woody gets fired or god-forbid a health issue, we are back to placing a job posting on the internet and starting the hamster wheel all over again. I actually have a feeling MSU is headed down that same path with Izzo. You know who got it right? Unfortunately it was Purdue. Keady to Painter. They’ve been good for a really long time while we still pay for our lack of planning 25 years ago.

Not sure where you are going with this...this is college basketball, not a car dealership. RMK was flirting with New Mexico back in the day because of disputes with the brass....and the fanbase brought out the pitchforks and torches. Remember that? He was here for 29 years and fired. He certainly didn't plan for that. You can't groom a head coach then expect to keep him without replacing the groomer in your "plan" timeframe. Those groomed will move on as the opportunities materialize. Coaches like Izzo stay as long as they want. Pearl was told he has a lifetime contract. To plan for his departure, we first have to figure out how long he's going to live. Not trying to throw cold water on your points....it would be nice and orderly if we didn't have to factor in wins and losses in planning a succession. Well, at least we don't have to worry about that at IU. So maybe things are fine just the way they are?

 

[rsomm]

The PU / Painter transition wasn't all smooth at first. Painter has had some down years during his tenure, especially early on.

Purdue has only missed 3 tournaments in Painters 19 years, during that span IU has missed 9!

 

[TR32]

I had always believed it was going to be Dakich. I'm pretty sure Dakich indicated it was going to be Pat Knight had RMK left on his own terms.

 

[Chicago-bound Hoosier]

Purdue has only missed 3 tournaments in Painters 19 years, during that span IU has missed 9!

Rent free. Again.

 

[Chicago-bound Hoosier]

I had always believed it was going to be Dakich. I'm pretty sure Dakich indicated it was going to be Pat Knight had RMK left on his own terms.

Either of those two paths would have been regrettable.

 

[Hatchets7times]

Purdue has only missed 3 tournaments in Painters 19 years, during that span IU has missed 9!

Mark Few has never missed getting in..

 

[GeorgeStrait IU]

The PU / Painter transition wasn't all smooth at first. Painter has had some down years during his tenure, especially early on.

Yep and even though he was in waiting, still needed time to get his kids. And he has done quite well. Early 2000s was nasty but he survived it and has done well other than when Crean had those two back to back good seasons.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

Mark Few has never missed getting in..

And he's not going anywhere. He completes at the highest level every year at a program he built.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

Yep and even though he was in waiting, still needed time to get his kids. And he has done quite well. Early 2000s was nasty but he survived it and has done well other than when Crean had those two back to back good seasons.

Even without the titles....Purdue beats the best teams in the country during the regular season (Arizona, Gonzaga, etc...). So Purdue has established a reputation of respect around the country and college basketball world. They will eventually hit on a title if Painter continues to restock his teams like he's doing. His teams are better than the individual parts....much like Gonzaga. If IU were as consistently successful as Purdue....I'd be a satisfied fan...knowing that a title is within reach. Something IU fans can't even imagine at this point in time.

 

[Hank Reardon]

I don't think a succession plan needs to have some coach-in-waiting riding your bench until you coach retires. How often does that happen?

Maybe IU does have a plan. Maybe all parties know that 24/25 is Woodson's last year and his task next season is to stabilize the boat for the next guy. Maybe Dolson and Company are vetting and reaching out to coaches at this very moment so that after the last ball bounces next year there isn't any scrambling around. We'd have the guy. Would that count as a succession plan?

Do I believe any of that? Not really. This is IU. But it could be so.

 

[TR32]

Even without the titles....Purdue beats the best teams in the country during the regular season (Arizona, Gonzaga, etc...). So Purdue has established a reputation of respect around the country and college basketball world. They will eventually hit on a title if Painter continues to restock his teams like he's doing. His teams are better than the individual parts....much like Gonzaga. If IU were as consistently successful as Purdue....I'd be a satisfied fan...knowing that a title is within reach. Something IU fans can't even imagine at this point in time.

Sadly, I agree. I remember how IU played in that S16 loss to UK in 2012, and I thought: "that was the best they could play. It was a good season". And they came back the next year ranked #1.

As it stands now I'm not sure Woodson will be coaching at the end of January, let alone April of next year.

 

[abraxis]

I had always believed it was going to be Dakich. I'm pretty sure Dakich indicated it was going to be Pat Knight had RMK left on his own terms.

That Pat Knight would have been IU’s coach had his dad not been fired is a myth perpetrated by those attempting to justify Bob’s incredulous firing. Bob would not have put his son in that position. Bloomington’s IU is not Lubbock’s Texas Tech. Alford and Dakich both know they missed out on golden opportunities for whatever reasons, out of their control…their big “what if’s” in life we all come to contemplate as calendars continue to crumble.

Just as there are good and bad years for notable “can’t miss” graduating high school players, so it goes with available college basketball coaches. This is not a good year for the latter. Be thankful Woodson was given another year to underperform.

These are not good times for IU basketball fans, but rest assured in the knowledge that meteorologists will tell you dark clouds often have silver linings. Bono of U2 will tell you after the floods, all the colors come out and next thing you know, it’s a Beautiful Day with The Edge really rock’n it. So what does this have to do with IU? Well, our beautiful day lies just beyond the eastern horizon, through the oil fields seen at first light. When you look facing the coming light, the darkness of shadows fall behind in the test of time. Franki Valli said it for us in a song I remember from 1975, Our Day Will Come.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

That Pat Knight would have been IU’s coach had his dad not been fired is a myth perpetrated by those attempting to justify Bob’s incredulous firing. Bob would not have put his son in that position. Bloomington’s IU is not Lubbock’s Texas Tech. Alford and Dakich both know they missed out on golden opportunities for whatever reasons, out of their control…their big “what if’s” in life we all come to contemplate as calendars continue to crumble.

Just as there are good and bad years for notable “can’t miss” graduating high school players, so it goes with available college basketball coaches. This is not a good year for the latter. Be thankful Woodson was given another year to underperform.

These are not good times for IU basketball fans, but rest assured in the knowledge that meteorologists will tell you dark clouds often have silver linings. Bono of U2 will tell you after the floods, all the colors come out and next thing you know, it’s a Beautiful Day with The Edge really rock’n it. So what does this have to do with IU? Well, our beautiful day lies just beyond the eastern horizon, through the oil fields seen at first light. When you look facing the coming light, the darkness of shadows fall behind in the test of time. Franki Valli said it for us in a song I remember from 1975, Our Day Will Come.

Are you sitting at a piano right now?

 

[abraxis]

Are you sitting at a piano right now?

Does a toilet count for anything? Some might call it a gaseous expulsion of “music” to the untrained ear.

 

[Chicago-bound Hoosier]

That Pat Knight would have been IU’s coach had his dad not been fired is a myth perpetrated by those attempting to justify Bob’s incredulous firing. Bob would not have put his son in that position. Bloomington’s IU is not Lubbock’s Texas Tech. Alford and Dakich both know they missed out on golden opportunities for whatever reasons, out of their control…their big “what if’s” in life we all come to contemplate as calendars continue to crumble.

Just as there are good and bad years for notable “can’t miss” graduating high school players, so it goes with available college basketball coaches. This is not a good year for the latter. Be thankful Woodson was given another year to underperform.

These are not good times for IU basketball fans, but rest assured in the knowledge that meteorologists will tell you dark clouds often have silver linings. Bono of U2 will tell you after the floods, all the colors come out and next thing you know, it’s a Beautiful Day with The Edge really rock’n it. So what does this have to do with IU? Well, our beautiful day lies just beyond the eastern horizon, through the oil fields seen at first light. When you look facing the coming light, the darkness of shadows fall behind in the test of time. Franki Valli said it for us in a song I remember from 1975, Our Day Will Come.

How long? How long must we sing this song?
How long?
How looooooooong?!?!

 

[HoosierJimbo89]

Or, IU could just have a competent administration that knows how to plan ahead, keeps a list of potential coaches, and is able to evaluate possible coaches? Our troubles are self-inflicted, which is tragic.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

Or, IU could just have a competent administration that knows how to plan ahead, keeps a list of potential coaches, and is able to evaluate possible coaches? Our troubles are self-inflicted, which is tragic.

IU's greatest liability is its basketball history.....and it should be its greatest asset. The liability lies in a false sense of "tradition" and "stature". At Indiana, those things are monuments, when they should be standards and goals. What we are getting as IU basketball fans each year is fresh cobwebs.

 

[Tammany Hall]

I don't think a succession plan needs to have some coach-in-waiting riding your bench until you coach retires. How often does that happen?

Maybe IU does have a plan. Maybe all parties know that 24/25 is Woodson's last year and his task next season is to stabilize the boat for the next guy. Maybe Dolson and Company are vetting and reaching out to coaches at this very moment so that after the last ball bounces next year there isn't any scrambling around. We'd have the guy. Would that count as a succession plan?

Do I believe any of that? Not really. This is IU. But it could be so.

There is a chance, probably not a big one, this is happening. Woody goes out on higher note and he can say he stabilized things for the next guy. Small chance.

 

[abraxis]

How long? How long must we sing this song?
How long?
How looooooooong?!?!

“Pay the man, Shirley!”

 

[Tammany Hall]

Sadly, I agree. I remember how IU played in that S16 loss to UK in 2012, and I thought: "that was the best they could play. It was a good season". And they came back the next year ranked #1.

As it stands now I'm not sure Woodson will be coaching at the end of January, let alone April of next year.

The ‘11-12 season you mentioned, along with ‘06-07 culminating in a hard fought loss to UCLA, were the only two years since ‘02 where I felt we generally maximized our team and did about all we could.