Coach Mike Woodson Megathread

[HoosierAlice]

11 hours ago, dgambill said:

I’d be interested in how many current IU players know who Woodson was when he was announced? This might play well in Indiana but how does it play in Texas...in Michigan...etc. Then take that to knowing the guy coached NBA and is the Indiana coach but what kind of system does he run...how to invision how I fit in it when he has no recent history of him coaching college kids. It’s a big difference then say what Holtmon...Painter...and Izzo will be able to do when going head to head for kids.

I get what your saying, but lets flip the coin.   Its a big difference when say Coach Woody says, this is what I did we Carmelo or RJ Barrett and I would like to put you in a similar role.  Compare that to Painter, Izzo, or Holtman saying this is what we did with Etwan Moore etc..   I think Woody's connections are going to play a huge role in his ability to recruit!

[dbmhoosier]

2 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

I get what your saying, but lets flip the coin.   Its a big difference when say Coach Woody says, this is what I did we Carmelo or RJ Barrett and I would like to put you in a similar role.  Compare that to Painter, Izzo, or Holtman saying this is what we did with Etwan Moore etc..   I think Woody's connections are going to play a huge role in his ability to recruit!

You could say the same thing about Pat Ewing.  I believe he was on Dakich and said he was baffled about how he was struggling so much with recruiting.  That he hadn't been able to pull a single player out of NYC despite being arguably the most famous Knicks player ever.  Kids in college care about getting to the league.  How many guys you put into the league is what matters not how many you've coached in the league. 

[Billingsley99]

1 hour ago, Indykev said:

I met Larry Brown once in my back yard. I lived in Hilton Head Island, SC for 16 years when I worked on the PGA Tour. A golf cart was riding around in my yard so i went out to say i didnt mind if they walked around looking for their ball but keep the cart behind the stakes. It was Larry Brown. He was playing with Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun.

Great story. I heard Larry speak at a few coaching clinics over the years. On of the coaches on my staff was a huge fan of Coach K and got his autograph one morning. That evening we were at the buffet and Coack K saw my friend Aaron and invited us to join their table.  Others at that table were Larry Brown, Hubie Brown and Pat Summitt. We were a little star struck to say the least. 

[HoosierAlice]

4 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said:

You could say the same thing about Pat Ewing.  I believe he was on Dakich and said he was baffled about how he was struggling so much with recruiting.  That he hadn't been able to pull a single player out of NYC despite being arguably the most famous Knicks player ever.  Kids in college care about getting to the league.  How many guys you put into the league is what matters not how many you've coached in the league. 

Would you like to compare Woody's previous coaching experience with Coach Patrick Ewings?   I know Ewing was a great player, but I don't think his coaching experiences are even remotely close to Woody's.

Edited March 31, 2021 by HoosierAlice

[ephul]

11 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

Would you like to compare Woody's previous coaching experience with Coach Patrick Ewings?   I know Ewing was a great player, but I don't think his coaching experiences are even remotely close to Woody's.

Exactly. Everyone wants to compare Woody to Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Juwan Howard, etc.

That's somewhat insulting to the work Woody has put in. He's literally been coaching for decades in the NBA. So when you see idiotic statements from Dan Wolken, Jeff Goodman, and all the national morons comparing him to these guys, just take it with a grain of salt. Woody has DECADES of coaching experience.

[IUBBx5Banners]

22 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said:

You could say the same thing about Pat Ewing.  I believe he was on Dakich and said he was baffled about how he was struggling so much with recruiting.  That he hadn't been able to pull a single player out of NYC despite being arguably the most famous Knicks player ever.  Kids in college care about getting to the league.  How many guys you put into the league is what matters not how many you've coached in the league. 

Doesn’t make me feel great about  Ewing beating us in the Aminu recruitment 😂😂

[NCHoosier32]

7 minutes ago, ephul said:

Exactly. Everyone wants to compare Woody to Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Juwan Howard, etc.

That's somewhat insulting to the work Woody has put in. He's literally been coaching for decades in the NBA. So when you see idiotic statements from Dan Wolken, Jeff Goodman, and all the national morons comparing him to these guys, just take it with a grain of salt. Woody has DECADES of coaching experience.

yeah.  i agree it is not a good comparison.  he does have a lot more coaching experience.  i would argue that there is a much better chance recruits would have heard of those guys than Woodson.  definitely different situations.  

[HoosierAlice]

4 minutes ago, ephul said:

Exactly. Everyone wants to compare Woody to Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Juwan Howard, etc.

That's somewhat insulting to the work Woody has put in. He's literally been coaching for decades in the NBA. So when you see idiotic statements from Dan Wolken, Jeff Goodman, and all the national morons comparing him to these guys, just take it with a grain of salt. Woody has DECADES of coaching experience.

Previous coaching experience - Penny Hardaway- High School Coach, Patrick Ewing 13 year NBA assistant, Juwan Howard 5 year NBA assistant

 

Mike Woodson 9 years as an NBA Head Coach and 13 years as an NBA assistant coach.

[ephul]

4 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

Previous coaching experience - Penny Hardaway- High School Coach, Patrick Ewing 13 year NBA assistant, Juwan Howard 5 year NBA assistant

 

Mike Woodson 9 years as an NBA Head Coach and 13 years as an NBA assistant coach.

The 9 years as an NBA coach (for two different franchises) sets him apart for sure. Not saying it automatically translates, but it's silly for national guys to compare them and act like they all were cut from the same cloth.

[dgambill]

44 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

I get what your saying, but lets flip the coin.   Its a big difference when say Coach Woody says, this is what I did we Carmelo or RJ Barrett and I would like to put you in a similar role.  Compare that to Painter, Izzo, or Holtman saying this is what we did with Etwan Moore etc..   I think Woody's connections are going to play a huge role in his ability to recruit!

Or you can go play for Jim Behiem or Coach K...who got those guys to the nba. My biggest worry is his ability to get up to speed in recruiting...making connections...learning the landscape. He needs a crack staff to help him recruit. I mean elite! He is starting from scratch going up against guys that have been doing it for years and some decades....many who have been studying these recruits for 3-4 years and have relationships already and phone calls etc. He is vastly behind in that regard....like to use nascar he is a lap down....he really needs to make head way in the portal to get his team back first and then supplement it. (meaning catching a yellow to get back on the lead lap). Then his 2021-2022 team will need to hit the ground running and be successful so he can start gaining ground on the leaders to get us back into contention. Not saying he can't coach...can't relate..any of that. Just saying he is WAAAY behind in the recruiting world...but in the end if he can be successful on the floor he will get us back. The best way to do that is get our best guys back and land a couple shooters in the portal. If he can turn things around it truly will be a mini-miracle. I don't think a coach will have as big a hill to climb then Mike. I'm pulling for him!

[dgambill]

Here is a question...what was Mike doing the past two years he was out of the league? Why didn't he have a job? Was he just wanting a HC position so he didn't accept assistant jobs and finally went back to NY because of relationships or was he undesired? Just wondering.

[ephul]

3 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Here is a question...what was Mike doing the past two years he was out of the league? Why didn't he have a job? Was he just wanting a HC position so he didn't accept assistant jobs and finally went back to NY because of relationships or was he undesired? Just wondering.

He's been an assistant with the Knicks up until his hiring at IU

[HoosierAlice]

5 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Or you can go play for Jim Behiem or Coach K...who got those guys to the nba. My biggest worry is his ability to get up to speed in recruiting...making connections...learning the landscape. He needs a crack staff to help him recruit. I mean elite! He is starting from scratch going up against guys that have been doing it for years and some decades....many who have been studying these recruits for 3-4 years and have relationships already and phone calls etc. He is vastly behind in that regard....like to use nascar he is a lap down....he really needs to make head way in the portal to get his team back first and then supplement it. (meaning catching a yellow to get back on the lead lap). Then his 2021-2022 team will need to hit the ground running and be successful so he can start gaining ground on the leaders to get us back into contention. Not saying he can't coach...can't relate..any of that. Just saying he is WAAAY behind in the recruiting world...but in the end if he can be successful on the floor he will get us back. The best way to do that is get our best guys back and land a couple shooters in the portal. If he can turn things around it truly will be a mini-miracle. I don't think a coach will have as big a hill to climb then Mike. I'm pulling for him!

I know the recruiting is a concern to some, but did Coach K really get Zion, RJ Barrett, etc.. to the NBA?   I am pretty sure if they could have gone straight from high school to the NBA they would have been first round picks!

[Fiveoutofsix]

4 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

I know the recruiting is a concern to some, but did Coach K really get Zion, RJ Barrett, etc.. to the NBA?   I am pretty sure if they could have gone straight from high school to the NBA they would have been first round picks!

Recruiting is about connections, relationships and lets be honest, fit/use and playing time.

Everthing will be fine.

[dgambill]

10 minutes ago, ephul said:

He's been an assistant with the Knicks up until his hiring at IU

No from 2018-2020. He had no nba job. Why?

[dgambill]

10 minutes ago, HoosierAlice said:

I know the recruiting is a concern to some, but did Coach K really get Zion, RJ Barrett, etc.. to the NBA?   I am pretty sure if they could have gone straight from high school to the NBA they would have been first round picks!

I'm sure they could have. Just saying just about anyone Woodson has worked with recently a college coach worked with first. No doubt he will have plenty of heavy weights in his corner and that will be a good thing. I guess it's kind of like....did the fact Victor Oladipo going to IU help Archie much...or really does using him as an example help Tom Crean. Every single guy Woodson worked with first navigated through college. Do I want the coach that did that for them or do I want the guy that got him after he became a star.

[dgambill]

8 minutes ago, Fiveoutofsix said:

Recruiting is about connections, relationships and lets be honest, fit/use and playing time.

Everthing will be fine.

Agreed....it's why I'm dying to find out who our assistants will be....because Woodson connections and relationships with AAU coaches/high school coaches is no where near what we had before or going up against in the B1G. Now he does have tools some college coaches don't have...like NBA connections that he would be able to get kids feed back from...so there is that on his side. I am just worried about us landing the type of kids we need to win. If I see that I will feel a whole lot better because I think the coaching/development will happen.

[IUDan93]

Kids who have a goal of getting to the NBA have family, coaches, handlers, etc. who help make decisions.  I doubt they care about name recognition as much as the story the coach has, the experiences with working with the NBA, and why they have credibility with getting players paid.  Listening to so many former players gush about Woodson gives me great confidence that recruiting will likely be a strength.  I bet high school coaches and coaches in the AAU cesspool will buy into him. In reading this board for years, it more often comes down to where the adults in the kids life "pushes" kids to go. That's part of the reason people say we need to go to Nike.  

[13th&Jackson]

2 hours ago, Indykev said:

I met Larry Brown once in my back yard. I lived in Hilton Head Island, SC for 16 years when I worked on the PGA Tour. A golf cart was riding around in my yard so i went out to say i didnt mind if they walked around looking for their ball but keep the cart behind the stakes. It was Larry Brown. He was playing with Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun.

So did you tell them to keep the cart behind the stakes?

[dgambill]

2 hours ago, Indykev said:

Sounds like the Larry Brown on the staff is happening.

Really...thought I saw a tweet from Woj saying IU wasn't interested and another college was reaching out. Can't find it now....oh well. Still waiting for confirmation on the assistants...that's got me intrigued. Not sure how Woody can talk to former players without having a full staff in place to tell them who will be working with them.

[dgambill]

2 minutes ago, 13th&Jackson said:

So did you tell them to keep the cart behind the stakes?

Yes...my first thought! 

[HoosierAlice]

11 minutes ago, dgambill said:

 

 

11 minutes ago, dgambill said:

I'm sure they could have. Just saying just about anyone Woodson has worked with recently a college coach worked with first. No doubt he will have plenty of heavy weights in his corner and that will be a good thing. I guess it's kind of like....did the fact Victor Oladipo going to IU help Archie much...or really does using him as an example help Tom Crean. Every single guy Woodson worked with first navigated through college. Do I want the coach that did that for them or do I want the guy that got him after he became a star.

I would wager that a large number of NBA players (stars) would have made it to the NBA without their one year layover in Lexington, Durham, etc..   The NBA drafts on potential.  UK/Duke gets nearly 5 new starters every year.  Kids leave who are no where near ready.   These players get far more development once they get to the NBA than they receive in college.  I would take the coach who develops the talent and keeps them in the league.

Edited March 31, 2021 by HoosierAlice

[Fiveoutofsix]

3 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Agreed....it's why I'm dying to find out who our assistants will be....because Woodson connections and relationships with AAU coaches/high school coaches is no where near what we had before or going up against in the B1G. Now he does have tools some college coaches don't have...like NBA connections that he would be able to get kids feed back from...so there is that on his side. I am just worried about us landing the type of kids we need to win. If I see that I will feel a whole lot better because I think the coaching/development will happen.

My opinion and assumptions 

Indy will take care of Mike.  With all of the WWW, and other NY "big time" responses to those involved in the community there has to be connections.  

From all reports, Thad has stayed connected - he will get you in the door.

Now, if Hunter stays on - the guy is a recruiter.

Roberts, sounds like he has been on the recruiting trail, but not sure.

Larry Brown, if brought in - he has been able to lure recruits at every stop.  

The other position is real interesting.  Some of my favorite IU assistants in the modern era have been guys like Ben McDonald, Rupp, Meyers, Buckley.

[tdhoosier]

All that i have to say is IF this works after Howard at Michigan (NBA ties with an all-star staff) works then we may be seeing a shift in college basketball hires.

I'm always a fan of innovative/'out of the box' type thinking. I was skeptical about Michigan coming into the season, but they made it work. This doesn't mean their's is a fail safe plan, but it has worked so far....at least for Howard. The fact that we are imitating it and now EXPANDING on it is very interesting to me, not only as an IU fan, but a fan of CBB. I'm sure AD's across the NCAA are paying close attention.  

Sure, we may fall on our face, but it may also pay off big time. 

Imagine this staff......
Woodson - head coach
Matta (seasoned B1G head coach w/ two final 4 trips) in an administrative role overseeing recruiting and operations
Brown (the only coach in HISTORY to win a NBA and NCAA championship) in a non-traveling role assisting with game planning and player development

...and then a team of seasoned assistants. a combination of Kenya, Lewis, Fife, Cheaney, Roberts etc. 

If we fail at least it won't be for a lack of effort or trying to push the envelope. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by tdhoosier

[jv1972iu]

10 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Really...thought I saw a tweet from Woj saying IU wasn't interested and another college was reaching out. Can't find it now....oh well. Still waiting for confirmation on the assistants...that's got me intrigued. Not sure how Woody can talk to former players without having a full staff in place to tell them who will be working with them.

Talk on BTB site of KT Turner as a possible recruiter/assistant.