Or more to the point, why all the hate now? Isn't it a bit premature?
I think criticizing the buyout/extension is tough to do given the circumstances. I think people forget just how much momentum we had when it was announced. I made a post a few weeks back highlighting how this might be the quickest so much program momentum was lost without some kind of sanctions/penalty in modern collegiate athletics. We were the toast of college hoops with a very good team with experienced players and great young talent waiting in the wings, and - what was at the time - a tremendous recruiting pipeline, including the class of freshmen we brought in last year (i.e. that class was on the radar then). Even if Crean wasn't an elite game coach, we seemed to be primed for a multi year run of conference title contention and national relevance after he inherited an absolutely abysmal situation. The extension/buyout really wasn't that bad when viewed within the context of just how quickly the team and staff threw all that momentum away (it really is hard to quantify how mind blowing it is that we've given essentially all of it away in such a short period, a pace that is still hard to believe even though it's happened, let alone trying to predict that a few years ago) and the fact that, while not cheap, the buyout's structure of spreading over several years w/ salary offsets wasn't seemingly giving up a whole lot (at that point the intent of the buyout was to dissuade someone from poaching Crean or at least requiring a huge contract to accomplish that to leave us a big piggy bank for a replacement, not to encumber us from firing him in a few years). Even now, if we wanted to make a move the buyout wouldn't cripple us - it isn't cheap, but isn't a show stopper to making a move if we had the right candidate. Trying to think through it rationally, I think the criticism is a bit overblown. The bigger issue is whether recent results are acceptable to our AD. And on that front...
I think WAY too much attention is being paid to his public comments this season. What would you expect an AD to say? I would hope that he both publicly supports all of our coaches and does whatever it takes to not give the media more ammunition to create a circus atmosphere played out on the national spotlight. He did the same thing with Bill Lynch - he was incredibly complementary of Bill and made a big deal in public about how "contracts had to mean something at IU." A lot of people on here we're going nuts, but Lynch went away.
I guess the point is that Fred has done exactly what he was supposed to do so far - when he thought there was a chance of losing a bball coach who had us on the precipice of being elite again he ponied up the dough like an elite program (or one with elite aspirations) should, but left in enough protections for the school in how he structured it. When he had a football coach that he knew he was going to let go he was still very supportive of him (one could argue to the extreme end of the support spectrum) in public out of respect for his employes and to make this seem like an attractive climate for future potential hires. Now this year, we are struggling and seemingly at a crossroads and he has once again been very supportive ( one could argue to the extreme end of the support spectrum) and stood by his employee.
If Fred Glass is ok with how the bball program is being managed and let's this continue much longer then he deserves all the criticism he will get. However, isn't it a bit premature to expect anything either confirming Fred believed his statements or was just saying what he felt was necessary given that the season hasn't even been over for 48 hours yet? Isn't it fair/rational to give him an appropriate timeframe to either act or not act before crucifying him? Let's give him some time to do his job, and if it turns out he believes all the stuff he has been saying these last few months, then it would at least be appropriate/fair to hold him accountable.
I think criticizing the buyout/extension is tough to do given the circumstances. I think people forget just how much momentum we had when it was announced. I made a post a few weeks back highlighting how this might be the quickest so much program momentum was lost without some kind of sanctions/penalty in modern collegiate athletics. We were the toast of college hoops with a very good team with experienced players and great young talent waiting in the wings, and - what was at the time - a tremendous recruiting pipeline, including the class of freshmen we brought in last year (i.e. that class was on the radar then). Even if Crean wasn't an elite game coach, we seemed to be primed for a multi year run of conference title contention and national relevance after he inherited an absolutely abysmal situation. The extension/buyout really wasn't that bad when viewed within the context of just how quickly the team and staff threw all that momentum away (it really is hard to quantify how mind blowing it is that we've given essentially all of it away in such a short period, a pace that is still hard to believe even though it's happened, let alone trying to predict that a few years ago) and the fact that, while not cheap, the buyout's structure of spreading over several years w/ salary offsets wasn't seemingly giving up a whole lot (at that point the intent of the buyout was to dissuade someone from poaching Crean or at least requiring a huge contract to accomplish that to leave us a big piggy bank for a replacement, not to encumber us from firing him in a few years). Even now, if we wanted to make a move the buyout wouldn't cripple us - it isn't cheap, but isn't a show stopper to making a move if we had the right candidate. Trying to think through it rationally, I think the criticism is a bit overblown. The bigger issue is whether recent results are acceptable to our AD. And on that front...
I think WAY too much attention is being paid to his public comments this season. What would you expect an AD to say? I would hope that he both publicly supports all of our coaches and does whatever it takes to not give the media more ammunition to create a circus atmosphere played out on the national spotlight. He did the same thing with Bill Lynch - he was incredibly complementary of Bill and made a big deal in public about how "contracts had to mean something at IU." A lot of people on here we're going nuts, but Lynch went away.
I guess the point is that Fred has done exactly what he was supposed to do so far - when he thought there was a chance of losing a bball coach who had us on the precipice of being elite again he ponied up the dough like an elite program (or one with elite aspirations) should, but left in enough protections for the school in how he structured it. When he had a football coach that he knew he was going to let go he was still very supportive of him (one could argue to the extreme end of the support spectrum) in public out of respect for his employes and to make this seem like an attractive climate for future potential hires. Now this year, we are struggling and seemingly at a crossroads and he has once again been very supportive ( one could argue to the extreme end of the support spectrum) and stood by his employee.
If Fred Glass is ok with how the bball program is being managed and let's this continue much longer then he deserves all the criticism he will get. However, isn't it a bit premature to expect anything either confirming Fred believed his statements or was just saying what he felt was necessary given that the season hasn't even been over for 48 hours yet? Isn't it fair/rational to give him an appropriate timeframe to either act or not act before crucifying him? Let's give him some time to do his job, and if it turns out he believes all the stuff he has been saying these last few months, then it would at least be appropriate/fair to hold him accountable.
