IUCrazy2

Stay in game shape and he is still friends with the guys... He may still stay, but the longer it drags out, the less likely that becomes IMO.

Quiet night tonight....

I think we go back to the Knight thinking. We look to put more years on that Big Ten Champ banner and kind of see where the tournament takes us. Usually if you take care of one, success in the other kind of falls into place.

Who has Tuesday?

Nice. Lots of experience coaching in this league and also recruiting our area. Got one more space to fill, so far, so good though.

I don't disagree with any of what you just said. I never said I wanted any of the guys to do something that was not good for them.

Nope, compared it to her doing it with his knowledge. Nothing secret about what is going on. "I am not sure I can commit to this so I need to explore some other options and see if you are really what I want." I also said nothing wrong with that. Everyone knows the deal. And the flip side of that deal is that the other partner should be free to explore their options and not wait around as well. Crude analogy? Guilty. I stand by the underlying message I was trying to get across though. This is a two way street and everyone should be exploring their options if one party or the other is not ready to commit to the other.

I do want to say something about this though, just a question, how many other Indiana University students do you spend time talking about on a message board? You discussing old Johnny Smith's chemistry class and how he is having a really rough time with deciding whether the science program at Indiana is the best place for him? We are all here because first and foremost, those guys represent a form of entertainment to us. That is not a terrible thing. They get a free education or an audition for the pros and we get to enjoy watching a sport we like. I can at least be honest with myself that my interest in them and all the former IU players is because they played a kids game. That doesn't mean I wish bad things on them if things don't go the way I wish they would or that the struggles they may face as humans are not important, it means that my interest in those things about them only comes up because of their connection to this game. So I can empathize and feel bad for Parker for losing his Dad. Terrible thing for anyone to go through, particularly at that time in life. But the only reason I know his story is because of him being on this team. If Franklin leaves, my interest in him will decline. Not because he is bad or I hate him, but because he is not involved in what I am following anymore. Whether you want to admit it or not, your interest in Franklin relates to what entertains you as well.

Dehumanizes? Just stop. He is free to explore his options and so is the school/Woodson. I am stating my preference, Woodson will do what he wants. Moving on from someone who is not fully on board with the current relationship is not dehumanizing, it is one of the most common human interactions that are out there. This is not attacking him. This is not saying he is bad for wanting to make sure this is a good fit for him. It is saying that for the good of the team, allowing him an open amount of time to make up his mind is a bad idea, in my opinion. He is keeping his options open, so should Woodson.

You know an analogy is not real right? And I have said repeatedly that Franklin can do whatever the f he thinks is best for him. I also think that Woodson should do whatever he feels is best for him and IU. In my OPINION, I would not have an unlimited time for these guys to make up their minds before I start actively recruiting someone to replace them. If talking that way makes me a big old meanie or a bad person (way to follow this board rules by the way) then so be it.

No, I am not saying that. Not going to argue your analogy either. Done arguing about it, the guy will do what he does. If he ends up at Indiana, great. Good player, seems like an ok dude. If he doesn't, whatever. We root for whoever fills his place. This isn't the Leave it to Beaver NCAA anymore.

I know you are sharing and you are apparently close to some of these kids coming up...cool beans. Appreciate your perspective. Knowing them personally probably makes you approach the topic from a different perspective. Also cool. This transfer portal stuff and NIL is about to change the game on some of you guys that are in that world. That's all I am saying.

Sorry it wasn't your cup of tea. Analogy is hard to make perfect, Indiana could well be the guy as well. My daughter has been seeing him for 2 years. I stand behind my point though. This is a business now, these dudes and their families better get ready to be treated like pros all the way around.

In the aggregate, yeah, you would not want to lose the whole team. But each individual piece of that team, on its own, is expendable. You are saying that we need some of these guys to stick around to have a good chance next year. No argument from me. I am saying that the prior coach did not leave a full roster and about half of what he did leave is currently non-committal to being here next year. It is normal and within their rights to want to look around to make sure they are in a good situation. From a fan perspective, some of that is off putting, but we are fanatics. By the same token though, them taking forever to make up their minds while good options get gobbled up leaves the team/coach in a bad position should they choose not to come back. I am saying that every guy with his name in the portal right now is not an Indiana Hoosier. He is a free agent. They are free agents we have the home field advantage with, so keep recruiting. However, also have an eye out to replace them and a drop dead date from them on when we need a decision. We are in just as bad a spot as you presented if we wait a month for these guys and they all leave.

It isn't dragging, stop being so melodramatic. I am fine with them getting answers...now. I am saying that of I were Woodson, I would not let this drag out very long. We have what? 5 guys in that portal? I am down to 10 scholarship players on the team, Franklin, Lander, Race, and Geronimo are all in the portal. So right now I got 5 guys I can count on and 1 maybe going pro. Go have your meetings with Illinois or whoever you want Armaan, but I made my pitch man. I can't wait for half my team to "feel me out". You are a high school recruit again. All these guys went 12-15 last year. I am not a big fan of waiting around while my fiance screws a couple other dudes just to make sure she is not missing out somewhere. You want to take a break? Your life, can't stop you and completely withing her right to make sure she is sure before making that commitment, but know that I am going to be looking to replace your butt from jump. I find someone better? C'est la vie. Every guy on a 12-15 team is expendable. Every. Last. One. We have 5 or 6 people committed right now, I would be out recruiting 7 or 8 positions. Edit to add: I know there is this move that these are kids and blah, blah, blah... but college is a semi-pro league. That is undeniable. They get scholarships and some additional fun money to be here. They are about to get NIL money added on. This transfer portal is basically free agency. So can we stop with all of this "they are just kids" nonsense? Armaan is not here for the glory of old IU, he is here for Armaan. I completely realize that and am fine with it. By the same token, that means Armaan (or insert any player really, but he is the guy we are talking about) provides the same service to me as Myles Turner. He is a guy that I pay (either by going and buying a ticket or from watching a game which generates ad revenue or buying merchandise or whatever...) to entertain me. That will rub some people the wrong way who still view things the way they were. Armaan is Oladipo telling players from Miami that he wants to play with them while being a Pacer. Good player you would like to keep around because of that fact, but if we can get someone better while he is out looking, we should. "Why should a kid be loyal when the coaches aren't?" They don't have to be. So why are fans expected to treat these guys like this is still a D3 or HS environment? The relationships are going to change with the rules.

Yes, do not take my post as gospel. I am not there and am reacting to things I have read elsewhere. There were 2 guys early on that I heard had only had zoom meetings. That was early last week. I saw that photo set and clearly Lander was in those. He was right up front in one. Armaan was the other I had heard and I could not make him out in any of the photos. I was able to locate every other guy. So my thoughts were based off the early rumors and that photo group. But I have zero inside info personally. So everyone should come to their own conclusions, not base their thoughts on what I have.

Yeah I knew Lander was in that group. Sorry if that was not clear. Armaan was one I couldn't find though. I know someone pointed out some hair in one of the pictures they thought was Armaan. The two guys who most appear out the door to me are Franklin and Geronimo FWIW. I would like the team to stick together but I hope we don't wait too long. No hard feelings things changed here, if they want to go...go. Just don't take a bunch of time to do it if you are going to go.

Rumor. I have seen mentioned several times in different areas that some players were only able to meet over Zoom. The 2 names I always heard were Franklin and Lander. There was this group of photos that got released as well. I was able to pick out about every other player except Armaan.... Hiding from the camera? Completely possible. Not there but had a good excuse? Completely possible. He just seems to be one of two guys that is sending signals that they are out.

Edit: I am pulling this back. I posted it as my take on what things look like based on rumors I have heard. I don't want my speculative post to be viewed as fact and end up driving a narrative on the guy.

Also, there are special circumstances with a new coach, that is the only reason I am entertaining this at all. Going forward, I would let the guys know that I fully support them doing what is best for them and likewise I need to do what is best for the team. Anybody that puts their name in the portal is not 100% on board with the team and I cannot have that. So starting next year, you can pack your bags the day you opt into the portal because I will not take back anyone that is not 100% about what we are doing. Do your thinking before you go in the portal, not after.

By recruiting over, I mean, "Armaan, you got a week to be in. If you cannot make up your mind in that time, I am going to act like you are a recruit. Which means if I only have one more space left that I want to fill with a guard and you are not ready to commit, I am taking the kid that wants to be here and I am making the decision for you."

That kind of rubs me the wrong way. I think he is going to be a heck of a player, but if I'm Woodson, you got another week man. And by the way, until you are committed, I am going to be looking to recruit over you. If another guy comes in and we are out of spaces, best of luck young man.

Painter would have had an aneurysm.

Wow...if everyone but those two changed their mind fo stay overnight, then that was quite the recruiting job by Woodson. I think Geronimo would be the toughest of these two to retain based on what we have heard.

Who is going to be harder to deal with? 18-22 year old basketball playing college students or 19-24 year old basketball playing millionaires? I think the latter would be a little more difficult than the former. I am sure that Woodson has developed some good people skills over the years. The NBA guys that talk favorably of him all say he was a good dude without having to blow smoke up their ass. He will be fine. Edit to add: I responded to you but I was just building off what you said. Miller is 20 years younger and couldn't get through to the team. It is not about age, it is personality.