Had a conversation with a friend within the IU Athletics department. It sounds like they and others are very frustrated with our hilljack lunatic fan base scaring off potential coaching hires. It's a circus atmosphere that doesn't appeal to big name coaches.
Just take the Matta situation as one example. One of two things is true:
1) The rumors about Matta's health and potential hiring are true and it's an awkward and undesirable leak for Matta, or;
2) The rumors about Matta's health and potential hiring aren't true and it's still an awkward and undesirable leak for Matta.
Either way, it's bad and annoying for Matta.
Take the Stevens situation as another example. Certainly if Brad were considering IU, he would want to keep things quiet and come to an amicable and classy end to his Celtics career. Brad is just that kind of guy. Lunatic IU fans stop all that, even if it were going to happen. Constant rumor mongering on twitter, media questions, etc make even the association with the IU coaching job to be a toxic public relations mess.
Let that sink in. The IU fans are such lunatics that even being wrongfully associated with the IU coaching vacancy is a headache with weird and strangely personal rumors flying around.
What coach in their right mind would even want to be associated with the job and subject to our lunatic fans' rumor mongering? What coach in their right mind would come to IU?
Just take the Matta situation as one example. One of two things is true:
1) The rumors about Matta's health and potential hiring are true and it's an awkward and undesirable leak for Matta, or;
2) The rumors about Matta's health and potential hiring aren't true and it's still an awkward and undesirable leak for Matta.
Either way, it's bad and annoying for Matta.
Take the Stevens situation as another example. Certainly if Brad were considering IU, he would want to keep things quiet and come to an amicable and classy end to his Celtics career. Brad is just that kind of guy. Lunatic IU fans stop all that, even if it were going to happen. Constant rumor mongering on twitter, media questions, etc make even the association with the IU coaching job to be a toxic public relations mess.
Let that sink in. The IU fans are such lunatics that even being wrongfully associated with the IU coaching vacancy is a headache with weird and strangely personal rumors flying around.
What coach in their right mind would even want to be associated with the job and subject to our lunatic fans' rumor mongering? What coach in their right mind would come to IU?