A Historically Bad Stretch

[IUCrazy2]

7 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

My question all of you is that if this is an administration problem where they are not placing as much emphasis on sports then what can we as fans or alumni do to stop this.  Also if this is a problem why are a lot of our other sports are thriving but the basketball program is struggling.

Indiana is approaching the big sports in the manner that it existed in the 1970's.  That is not how the college basketball world works anymore.  That can work on the sports that are not big draws, which is where we are doing better.  

I just don't think we are committed to winning.  Rabjohns gave an interview to JMV in Indy yesterday that basically said, in other words, that we want to operate like a mid major while continuing to put forth this idea that we are college b-ball royalty.

[IU Scott]

3 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Indiana is approaching the big sports in the manner that it existed in the 1970's.  That is not how the college basketball world works anymore.  That can work on the sports that are not big draws, which is where we are doing better.  

I just don't think we are committed to winning.  Rabjohns gave an interview to JMV in Indy yesterday that basically said, in other words, that we want to operate like a mid major while continuing to put forth this idea that we are college b-ball royalty.

I listened to most of that interview but must have missed that part

[IU Scott]

4 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Indiana is approaching the big sports in the manner that it existed in the 1970's.  That is not how the college basketball world works anymore.  That can work on the sports that are not big draws, which is where we are doing better.  

I just don't think we are committed to winning.  Rabjohns gave an interview to JMV in Indy yesterday that basically said, in other words, that we want to operate like a mid major while continuing to put forth this idea that we are college b-ball royalty.

So if that is the case what can fans do to protest this and try to get a change in the administration

[IUCrazy2]

2 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

So if that is the case what can fans do to protest this and try to get a change in the administration

Make Assembly Hall empty.

Money and optics talk.

[IUCrazy2]

3 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

I listened to most of that interview but must have missed that part

We don't want to do one and done, we want 4 year players, we are going to give at least 5 years until Miller has a full recruiting class even if we tank this year and next.

 

[IUFLA]

10 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

we want to operate like a mid major while continuing to put forth this idea that we are college b-ball royalty.

I'd like some context on this..."operate like a mid-major" in what sense? Financial matters? Our coach is well compensated...we have new, very impressive facilities...so that simply doesn't make sense to me...

[Radio Zero]

34 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

I have a similar situation.  I have an 11 year old, when I was his age I was fully into IU.  I would he outside pretending I was Alford with the shot clock winding down.  By the time I had finished middle school I was a complete diehard.  My son is barely interested...the games are just not fun to watch.  We play a fairly boring style and we lose alot.  That is not a recipe for winning new fans.

I also probably feed into things a little bit because life came along and I got busy.  I was working 2 jobs when Vic and Zeller were on campus, so I missed that game watching time with them.  Most of the other years he has been alive, IU has just not been good enough to be appointment TV.  I DVR most games anymore and the DVR losses get an auto delete from me.  When they lose nearly 50% of the games, that is quite a bit not getting watched.

The interviews that happened today on Indianapolis radio with Fischer and Rabjohns make me believe that we have an administration problem that does not look to be resolving itself anytime soon.  The Rabjohns interview was totally disheartening because with the things he said, he basically let out of the bag that Indiana is going to be an also ran by design, particularly when players start getting paid.

We are what we are now and for the foreseeable future.  If that is going to be the case, there are better things to spend free time and resources on.  I feel I care more about winning than the school does, so the basketball program, which has been frustrating for the majority of the past 20 years, is going to continue to be that way for me by the school's design.  

As mentioned above, I have already started to cut it out, I spend about as much time on these boards complaining about the team as I do actually enjoying a game.  I kind of feel like that couple heading for divorce.  You are slowly pulling away because you are not happy anymore but you keep dipping your toe in, just hoping that something may change.

In so many ways this describes myself, even down to finding it more difficult/less attractive to pay the same amount of attention to games that I used to.

 

It’s discouraging and I look back on IU from the mid-80’s to mid-90’s very fondly (I was born in 1972, so don’t quite remember the teams with Isiah, but idolized Alford, Hillman, Jay Edwards’ silky smoothness, Cheaney and the last group I truly see in a legendary light, etc.), while beginning to wonder more and more where it’s all now headed.

[IUCrazy2]

7 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

I'd like some context on this..."operate like a mid-major" in what sense? Financial matters? Our coach is well compensated...we have new, very impressive facilities...so that simply doesn't make sense to me...

We don't play the game in recruiting, we don't allow the coach total control over his own program, we are afraid of having a big personality....

Honestly, go listen to some of the stuff out there right now.  Rabjohns and Fischer are a good shot.  We play at being a big boy.  We spend money but we are not willing to do the real work.

[milehiiu]

15 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

 

Money and optics talk.

That would have worked before the BTN.  Was a time when Greenspan ran the department in the red. But not today. Equal shares of millions of dollars from the BTN assure the money will continue to flow into the department for years to come.

[Radio Zero]

I don’t live anywhere near Indy, so have to ask:  who/what is “JMV?”  (I get that it’s a dude with a radio show). I assume one can catch it online.

[IU Scott]

17 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

We don't want to do one and done, we want 4 year players, we are going to give at least 5 years until Miller has a full recruiting class even if we tank this year and next.

 

I mainly agree with that point because I don't want to be a one and done factory.  I heard that comment and actually agreed with that.

[milehiiu]

2 minutes ago, Radio Zero said:

I don’t live anywhere near Indy, so have to ask:  who/what is “JMV?”  (I get that it’s a dude with a radio show). I assume one can catch it online.

John Michael Vincent.  Been years since I have listened to him.  However, at one time, he was one of the few guys who always responded back to my e-mail questions and or statements.  And always in a very nice way.  Much unlike Dan Dakich.

[NotIThatLives]

1 minute ago, Radio Zero said:

I don’t live anywhere near Indy, so have to ask:  who/what is “JMV?”  (I get that it’s a dude with a radio show). I assume one can catch it online.

Indy' s ESPN radio guy at 3 pm.  Some people don't respect him because he's just a fat guy that never played sports.   

I like him because he has a likeable personality, takes shots at himself, doesn't think he's that important, and generally speaks like a fan and not an expert.  Brings in solid interviews and generally tries to be a fan of all locals and state programs.  

[Radio Zero]

Thanks, Mile and Not, and rico below.  He sounds all right.

 

Living up here in the far north of the state I often feel left out by the cool crowd.  😜

[milehiiu]

22 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

We don't want to do one and done, we want 4 year players, we are going to give at least 5 years until Miller has a full recruiting class even if we tank this year and next.

 

Just passing this along. Miller on Monday said they deliberately held two open scholarships for this Spring.  Looking at JC players, transfers, and even over seas guys.

[IUCrazy2]

5 minutes ago, milehiiu said:

That would have worked before the BTN.  Was a time when Greenspan ran the department in the red. But not today. Equal shares of millions of dollars from the BTN assure the money will continue to flow into the department for years to come.

Optics matter to Indiana.  An empty Assembly Hall will start to impact them whether the BTN money is coming in or not.  There is a reason that Glass turned down a home NIT game several years ago.  The only thing this program has left to sell is the fan support.  That is the only thing separating Indiana from any other mediocre program right now.  The last time we were consistently a player in the Top 15 was almost 30 years ago.

 

[rico]

1 minute ago, Radio Zero said:

Thanks, Mile and Not.

 

Living up here in the far north of the state I often feel left out by the cool crowd.  😜

I do believe it is 1070 AM out of Indy...yes, it can be streamed.  "The Ride with JMV"

https://tunein.com/radio/The-Ride-with-JMV-p339009/

[IUCrazy2]

3 minutes ago, milehiiu said:

Just passing this along. Miller on Monday said they deliberately held two open scholarships for this Spring.  Looking at JC players, transfers, and even over seas guys.

That's fine, why did they not do that last spring?  Our guard play was a known deficiency.  Not like most people did not know there was a likely issue going into this year.

[milehiiu]

2 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Optics matter to Indiana.  An empty Assembly Hall will start to impact them whether the BTN money is coming in or not.  There is a reason that Glass turned down a home NIT game several years ago.  The only thing this program has left to sell is the fan support.  That is the only thing separating Indiana from any other mediocre program right now.  The last time we were consistently a player in the Top 15 was almost 30 years ago.

 

You do make a good point.  On the flip side. I am having a hard time understanding how having an empty or near empty Assembly Hall is the answer.  Crowd support is what teams in the past talked about. And how it helped them.  Even opposing teams talked about how hard it was to play in AH.  Staying away, IMHO is not the answer.

 

[milehiiu]

1 minute ago, IUCrazy2 said:

That's fine, why did they not do that last spring?  Our guard play was a known deficiency.  Not like most people did not know there was a likely issue going into this year.

I'll leave your question as a hypothetical. I am not privy to any knowledge on the topic.  Just was passing along what Coach Miller said.

[IUFLA]

21 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

We don't play the game in recruiting

I was always under the impression that IU had one of the larger recruiting budgets in the B10...unless "the game" means these "gray areas" I'm always hearing about...is that it?

[NotIThatLives]

7 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

That's fine, why did they not do that last spring?  Our guard play was a known deficiency.  Not like most people did not know there was a likely issue going into this year.

It was a gross miscalculation in handing DG the keys to the kingdom.   One that may cost him his job.  Not the admins fault, no matter how or who spins it.  

[NotIThatLives]

2 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

I was always under the impression that IU had one of the larger recruiting budgets in the B10...unless "the game" means these "gray areas" I'm always hearing about...is that it?

Last I read our known and reported recruiting budgeted was like top 3 in the nation.  Stuff like putting Zions family in a half million dollar house doesn't get reported.   

[IUCrazy2]

1 minute ago, milehiiu said:

You do make a good point.  On the flip side. I am having a hard time understanding how having an empty or near empty Assembly Hall is the answer.  Crowd support is what teams in the past talked about. And how it helped them.  Even opposing teams talked about how hard it was to play in AH.  Staying away, IMHO is not the answer.

 

Then we have no recourse because I am not a multimillionaire.

[IUCrazy2]

11 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

I was always under the impression that IU had one of the larger recruiting budgets in the B10...unless "the game" means these "gray areas" I'm always hearing about...is that it?

Yes.