Darius Garland

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

Just now, StLHoosier said:

So in your opinion, is this a positive or negative for IU?  Just wondering your thoughts, as others have spun it a couple of different ways.

I take it as a positive. He could have announced for Vandy right before their game and then they would have had that positive press going on right at tip off. Instead he is announcing right before our game.

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

1 minute ago, HoosierCPA said:

I had the same thought in that it was originally believed they would be announcing Friday or Monday.  His father also indicated that DG had already made a decision earlier this week and that they were just looking for the right time/place to announce.  I just wonder why Wednesday seems like the most appropriate time, given that he already knows and if he wanted to do it before and IU game, I'd think he could do it tonight which would coincide with the original plan.  Ugh, I've been watching National Treasure too much.  Nick Cage is getting to me!

Tonight's IU game is on BTN+. Wednesday's game is on national television, FS1. Much higher profile.

[HoosierCPA]

1 minute ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Tonight's IU game is on BTN+. Wednesday's game is on national television, FS1. Much higher profile.

True.  I would agree with you then that this announcement can be spun as a positive for IU

[ephul]

1 minute ago, HoosierCPA said:

True.  I would agree with you then that this announcement can be spun as a positive for IU

I'm falling in this camp as well. Good way for DG to get a little extra attention on national TV. Waited until IU was on National TV

[5fouls]

Montana State also plays Wednesday night.

[slojoe]

14 minutes ago, StLHoosier said:

So in your opinion, is this a positive or negative for IU?  Just wondering your thoughts, as others have spun it a couple of different ways.

The timing of the commitment would be good publicity for DG as the IU game is on national TV.  A 2fer.

[jimsorgi]

14 minutes ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

I take it as a positive. He could have announced for Vandy right before their game and then they would have had that positive press going on right at tip off. Instead he is announcing right before our game.

And he's announcing the day after his first game after his father repeatedly said he would finish the process before Darius' season started. They chose Wednesday for a specific reason. Hopefully that reason is what we think!

[ephul]

5 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

And he's announcing the day after his first game after his father repeatedly said he would finish the process before Darius' season started. They chose Wednesday for a specific reason. Hopefully that reason is what we think!

This. Wednesday is very specific, as it goes against everything the Garland's said, time wise.

While many are viewing the timing as bad, it actually increased IU's chances in my mind. 

[madmax]

I can't help but see this as a positive development. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder, but I can't see him picking Vandy if he is announcing at the same time as we play a game. That just doesn't make any sense.

[HOOSIER1321]

Hope I'm wrong, but sure sounds like it's Vanderbilt to me.

[thirdgenhoosier]

I think it's kind of amusing how much a bunch of adults are analyzing a high school kid's decision.  But, hey, I'll play too.

Maybe 5:30 is the time due to 2 very simple family reasons.  First, his parents wouldn't have to miss any time at work.  And, second, 5:30 is right after his practice is over.  No missed school, no missed work, don't mess with practice.

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

1 minute ago, HOOSIER1321 said:

Hope I'm wrong, but sure sounds like it's Vanderbilt to me.

Is that based on the general pool of knowledge we all have, or something additional you've heard?

[KoB2011]

38 minutes ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

The key takeaway for me from the announcement date is that he is doing it right before IU plays Seton Hall. Could have done it on Monday, as the Garlands said would be the latest announcement date, before Vandy's game. But they chose not to.

I would also add that while it is at his school, he isn't doing it during school. Not that there would be a large Vandy contingent there, it's similar to how people would react to someone not picking Butler around Indy. 

[cybergates]

5 minutes ago, thirdgenhoosier said:

I think it's kind of amusing how much a bunch of adults are analyzing a high school kid's decision.  But, hey, I'll play too.

Maybe 5:30 is the time due to 2 very simple family reasons.  First, his parents wouldn't have to miss any time at work.  And, second, 5:30 is right after his practice is over.  No missed school, no missed work, don't mess with practice.

Fair points but doesn't address why he's announcing Wednesday instead of Friday or Monday, before his HS team's first game like his father said was the plan numerous times.

I'm optimistic that they chose Wednesday so that the "highlight" of his announcement can be played during the IU game!

[jimsorgi]

4 minutes ago, thirdgenhoosier said:

I think it's kind of amusing how much a bunch of adults are analyzing a high school kid's decision.  But, hey, I'll play too.

Maybe 5:30 is the time due to 2 very simple family reasons.  First, his parents wouldn't have to miss any time at work.  And, second, 5:30 is right after his practice is over.  No missed school, no missed work, don't mess with practice.

Sure, that's possible. They chose Wednesday for a specific reason, but that reason could just be it was the easiest day for his parents to both be available. I tend to think that's unlikely given the expressed preference to commit before his first game, but it's certainly possible.

It could also be because Vanderbilt plays Monday night and he has a high school game Tuesday, so Wednesday is the first day he'd be able to have the Vandy coaches available to talk to when he commits.

The main point is there's a reason they chose that day (it isn't just random). I tend to think the likeliest reason is the IU game, but that's far from a guarantee.

[thirdgenhoosier]

2 minutes ago, cybergates said:

Fair points but doesn't address why he's announcing Wednesday instead of Friday or Monday, before his HS team's first game like his father said was the plan numerous times.

I'm optimistic that they chose Wednesday so that the "highlight" of his announcement can be played during the IU game!

I know.  I was avoiding the day because I don't have a clue.

[tdhoosier]

7 minutes ago, KoB2011 said:

I would also add that while it is at his school, he isn't doing it during school. Not that there would be a large Vandy contingent there, it's similar to how people would react to someone not picking Butler around Indy. 

I was just going to ask if I was correct equating this to a 5 star in Chicago not picking Northwestern. haha. Big conference school with good academics, but he definitely wouldn't upset a gym full of high school kids. 

Yes, Vandy is still a step above NU basketball. Could anybody from/familiar with Nashville say this is a relatively fair comparison? 

I just don't think the timing or location can be looked into as the Garlands tipping their hand. 

[addictedtoIU]

"That makes the timing of the announcement interesting, to say the least. Indiana plays Seton Hall in a game that tips off at 5:30 on Wednesday. The initial word was that Garland would make his announcement either on Friday or Monday, both days that Vanderbilt has a game. Vanderbilt does not play on Wednesday."

This is what was written by a Vandy beat writer. I think we're trying to spin things in favor of IU, but honestly this makes more sense. Garland may have chosen Wednesday because he didn't want to be a distraction for Vandy's games. Time will tell, but I think Darius is gone.

[ephul]

5 minutes ago, addictedtoIU said:

"That makes the timing of the announcement interesting, to say the least. Indiana plays Seton Hall in a game that tips off at 5:30 on Wednesday. The initial word was that Garland would make his announcement either on Friday or Monday, both days that Vanderbilt has a game. Vanderbilt does not play on Wednesday."

This is what was written by a Vandy beat writer. I think we're trying to spin things in favor of IU, but honestly this makes more sense. Garland may have chosen Wednesday because he didn't want to be a distraction for Vandy's games. Time will tell, but I think Darius is gone.

I hardly think it'd be a distraction for the team. Not one person on the team would know a thing about it until after the game. They'd talk about it on TV during the game. But the team itself would have no clue.

[5fouls]

Just now, ephul said:

I hardly think it'd be a distraction for the team. Not one person on the team would know a thing about it until after the game. They'd talk about it on TV during the game. But the team itself would have no clue.

Meanwhile the  Montana State coaches are sitting back laughing their arses off.

 

 

[Hoosier987]

9 minutes ago, addictedtoIU said:

"That makes the timing of the announcement interesting, to say the least. Indiana plays Seton Hall in a game that tips off at 5:30 on Wednesday. The initial word was that Garland would make his announcement either on Friday or Monday, both days that Vanderbilt has a game. Vanderbilt does not play on Wednesday."

This is what was written by a Vandy beat writer. I think we're trying to spin things in favor of IU, but honestly this makes more sense. Garland may have chosen Wednesday because he didn't want to be a distraction for Vandy's games. Time will tell, but I think Darius is gone.

Possible - but also equally as possible is that he decided to wait for our first big game on National television against a ranked opponent for good press. Maybe someone can confirm, but I don't think Vanderbilt plays on national tv it's first two games - certainly not a top 25 opponent 

[Hoosier987]

Forget Vanderbilt . I think he has a better chance of going to Montana State - I'm starting to worry about them 

[jimsorgi]

The pro-Montana State chatter has definitely seen the most marked increase in recent days... that's something to monitor.

[Proud2BAHoosier]

If Jerry Meyer hasn't changed his pick, I'm thinking it's IU

[StLHoosier]

2 minutes ago, Proud2BAHoosier said:

If Jerry Meyer hasn't changed his pick, I'm thinking it's IU

Does 247 keep a record of the different people's picks?  I couldn't find anything in my short search, but I'd be interested to see their overall record on correct picks.