IUCrazy2

We are all doing that. Every last one of us. And they are "using" our interest to get their education paid for while they are hopefully building a chance for a pro career. And oh yeah, also using our interest to hopefully pull in some 6 figure NIL deals along the way too.

The two thoughts can exist on the same plane. I understand why he is doing what he is doing, I can say good luck. I can also say that this type of thing is kind of a pain from a fan and IU program perspective as well. This whole "selfish" thing, give me a break. None of these guys is part of my family and I really have nothing for them outside of their attachment to the program if we are being honest. Are you following Justin Smith's career path? He put in 3 years as a Hoosier too IIRC and decided it was best for his career to go someplace else too. I can wish them well but I have not personally talked to an IU player since I was on campus in the late 90's and early 2000's. Al Durham put in for the draft, you all sending positive ju-ju his way? Some of you guys act like discussing how this decision timeframe kind of sucks for the program is an affront to a guy who A)is likely not reading here B)has no idea who the majority of us are and C)could give a rat's behind about our opinion anyway. The timeline sucks. That isn't Trayce's fault, he is operating within the rules and is doing what is best for him. Good for him. That doesn't mean that the rule doean't kind of suck and could lead to less enjoyment for all of us next year. Selfish is just nonsense. By that logic Trayce is being selfish by robbing me of potential enjoyment of watching IU games next year. The very minute interaction I have with the players is transactional. I am just willing to admit it.

This is going to sound harsh, so I want to say up front that I hope Trayce is able to obtain his dreams and play professionally in the NBA and blah, blah, blah... That being said, as a fan, I care more about how the decisions impact the team as a whole. I don't follow the NBA...like hardly at all. On the off chance I do sit and watch, it would be the Pacers. I wish the IU players well when they move on to the next level but outside of that, I don't really care because I am not them, a member of their family, or really much of a fan of the team they are professionally going to play for. So I get where Scott is coming from. We have not had too much of this type of thing yet, but you can ask Kentucky fans how great it is when the program's focus (per the coach) is getting guys to the league. I want to watch IU win games so having decisions drag on that could impact the team I actually watch's ability to win next year is kind of annoying. Even if I completely get it from the player's standpoint, it is still kind of a pain in the ass.

Law of unintended consequences.

Lol. It is ok to disagree with me. I won't rip your head off.

The starting lineup was a problem because Stewart and Kopp did not do what they were brought here to do on a regular enough basis. Then for various reasons the guys on the bench could not unseat them. I just know I gave an ugh more often than not when the "second platoon" was on the court. I rarely want to see guys #6-10 on the court together at the same time. We saw that for several minutes every game.

I think people just want to see Geronimo in the rotation more with Trayce and Race and the other starters. It did seem like quite a bit of the run he got last year was with the second unit. Honestly I think quite a bit of the criticism goes to that. I hated it when we had Rob, Galloway, Bates, Geronimo, and Durr in the game at the same time. Even if it was only for 5 minute stretches, those units almost always led to losing leads or falling behind in games that were back and forth.

Because Race was the better player last year. That doesn't negate the point that Geronimo was likely to be more effective as a Robin to TJD's Batman as opposed to Durr where the roles are probably reversed.

Hoosiers For Good is the brainchild of, among others, Cook Group President Pete Yonkman and former IU Athletics Director Fred Glass, now a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Indianapolis. https://www.yahoo.com/news/iu-athletes-net-nearly-half-145802491.html

Yeah, read article after posting and saw President of Cook Foundation mentioned. (Mr Burns' voice) "Excellent...."

Then we need a 3 point shooting wing from the portal. Every guard and forward on the team better be working on the 3 ball all summer. We should be in the BIG discussion preseason.

That would break down to roughly $35k per athlete. I said it before, get the Cook's involved in starting something with their billions of dollars and you would have enough to pay these guys a salary. The Cook's, the Simon's, and maybe Cuban. Get seed money from them, set up a foundation or foundations, and hire the players to do charity work or advertising or whatever.

One area where Woodson has something on most other college coaches, he doesn't have to prove he can develop NBA guys...he has already done that. What he did in Atlanta was basically that.

If TJD comes back, I could see that.

Irrefutable truth in college b-ball, cheaters prosper. We will see how NIL changes things but Kansas and UNC were among the worst of the worst and nothing ever happened to them.

Right? If ever there was a week for trouble, that is the one. I think every student/alum has seen and/or participated in some ish that week.

Oh, and someone better have an eye on these guys from April 17 through the 23. Particularly the guys who are at IU for their first year.

Give him a curfew and assign someone to follow up on it and report to Woodson directly. I would have him on program "house arrest" for the foreseeable future. Getting a couple drinks and partying at the club would be off the table for awhile. You want to prove to me you are all in, then your social life is taking a hit.

This is where context matters. 90 on I69, a bunch of us have done that. Somewhat stupid, somewhat dangerous, but really could not care less if that is what would have happened. 90 on Walnut, cops chasing him, blowing stop signs...that's a teeny tiny (cough a whole bunch cough) different.

Amazing what we were willing to overlook when the second statement was in effect.

I want to get out in front of this and say that I am not Dan Dakich....but that is basically my take. If we have a chance to challenge for the BIG next year if he stays, then you take the risk. If we don't, then you part ways. All business now folks. The star quarterback gets do overs until you cannot let him anymore. The third string lineman gets sent packing. Those are the breaks in the sports business.

Patchouli takes you away to that special place.....

We become deeply invested in players that win, or we think can help us win. Not doing my homework, but it would be interesting to go through the post history of the "give X another chance" crowd and see what their opinions were on keeping underperforming players at the end of the year. I will be honest, I am not 13 years old anymore, none of these guys are going to hold a spot in my heart like a Calbert Cheaney or Damon Bailey did because I am too old to idolize 18-23 year olds. I want guys here who will win games and produce a culture of winning. I like to watch sports to see a good game and to see the team I root for win. So if XJ getting a slap on the wrist means more wins next year, ok. If there is no real appreciable difference in the W/L column expected in keeping him around, then I am also ok with letting him go. This is going to sound really harsh, but I am here for the wins now. Half of teams are transient these days. It is like a pro team, I pull for the jersey more than the players anymore.

Not my call. Not your call. Woodson will decide that. I can honestly make an argument either way. The only reason anyone cares is because the guy was our 2nd or 3rd best player. If this was Logan Duncomb, quite a few people defending X now would probably be on the dump him train. Which is fine, this is about winning games now. I get it. However, people are downplaying what happened. What Johnson did was extremely stupid. Drag racing through town at the end of a Saturday night around one of the bar districts is extremely stupid. Running from police is more stupid. That absolutely could get you fired from your job in the "real world" particularly when every headline is "Your Employer"'s 5fouls was caught speeding through downtown in an attempt to evade police last night. We have reached out to 5fouls's employer for comment. All the perks that come along with the high profile jobs also have downsides. Xavier isn't a burger flipper at McD's.

You are really underplaying what happened. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/college/indiana/.amp/basketball/indiana-basketball-more-details-emerge-on-arrest-of-indiana-basketball-player-xavier-johnson This wasn't just doing 90 mph on I69.