Rutgers Post Game Thread

[13th&Jackson]

11 hours ago, Hoosier987 said:

Last Woodson post game quote I’ll share…you can’t make this up. He may have been coached by Coach Knight but he does and acts almost exactly opposite. 

Congrats Mike. Rutgers averages 68.3 points per game (268th in D1). You held them two below their average. 

[Maedhros]

Didn't watch either, because I'm not paying an extra fee on top of what I'm already paying just to watch one game a month on a channel I wouldn't otherwise buy. 

Sounds like this was a brutal watch. But man, some of the reaction has just as rough. It's exhausting talking the job status of the coach after every bad loss, even in a season with a lot of them. Last year was fun! We've made the tournament twice after not getting there in five years. We swept the best Purdue team in living memory. We put two guys in the NBA draft. I get there are some worrying long term trends, but putting a guy on the hot seat after that plays to all the worst things outside folks say about the IU fan base. 

This has been a bad year. Woodson is an IU guy, so maybe he's just honoring the 10 year anniversary of the '13-14 squad? Not a team I wanted to relive, but every coach has a bad year. I'm not going to worry long term until we see how Woodson response. McNeeley is a fine start. The backcourt still needs a lot of work in the portal. If (when?) recruiting dries up is when we'll know the Woodson era is over. Same as it was for Crean and for Archie.

[IUCrazy2]

24 minutes ago, IUwins0708 said:

Probably the wrong word, yes I was ready for a change but they scored f-ing points.  To me, Woodson is very similar to Archie in the defense and lack of offense he runs from what I’ve watched.  I like Woody as a person but boy oh boy he better right this ship real quick.

This season is already about over.  We have dug a deep hole and, while there are still opportunities to dig out, I don't have faith that we will be able to take advantage of enough of them to matter.  I know metrics and stats are for losers and that the games are won or lost on the floor, however, we are currently only favored to win 2 more games on our schedule.  I don't think we are going to do that poorly but I also think that is indicative of the hill we would have to climb in order to get where we need to be.  NCAA or bust to me. 

I don't think we can turn down an NIT invite but that tournament in today's world is absolutely useless.  In the past you could make an argument that if you had a young team it was extra practice and games to try and develop.  That world doesn't exist for a P5 team like Indiana anymore.  Most of the guys you would be developing are more likely to leave after the year than stay.

On another note, the way this team plays is why I won't give a dime to NIL.  It is just another way that system has f-d up college athletics.

[DC2345]

9 hours ago, Sea Turtle said:

I'm surprised that Mike Woodson hasn't turned Indiana into a powerhouse. 

Indiana is dead like Nebraska football. It will take a Saban like hire to bring them back. 

Woodson is to lazy and stubborn. He’s set in his ways and the game has passed him by. He doesn’t make significant adjustments and hasn’t recruited well enough to fill the entire roster to play successfully in the B1G at a consistent level. 

[DC2345]

Woodson saying that his bench units have given them good minutes this year is a complete joke. That group is something like a -22 on the season when on the floor together and it’s not a small sample size anymore. 

[IUCrazy2]

1 minute ago, Maedhros said:

Didn't watch either, because I'm not paying an extra fee on top of what I'm already paying just to watch one game a month on a channel I wouldn't otherwise buy. 

Sounds like this was a brutal watch. But man, some of the reaction has just as rough. It's exhausting talking the job status of the coach after every bad loss, even in a season with a lot of them. Last year was fun! We've made the tournament twice after not getting there in five years. We swept the best Purdue team in living memory. We put two guys in the NBA draft. I get there are some worrying long term trends, but putting a guy on the hot seat after that plays to all the worst things outside folks say about the IU fan base. 

This has been a bad year. Woodson is an IU guy, so maybe he's just honoring the 10 year anniversary of the '13-14 squad? Not a team I wanted to relive, but every coach has a bad year. I'm not going to worry long term until we see how Woodson response. McNeeley is a fine start. The backcourt still needs a lot of work in the portal. If (when?) recruiting dries up is when we'll know the Woodson era is over. Same as it was for Crean and for Archie.

You can't wait until recruiting dries up.  If Mike misses this year and we see the same garbage next year that we have seen for the previous 3 (the things we are seeing are nothing new, we just don't have a generational player and/or a 1st round draft pick to mask it this year), then I really think an exit strategy discussion needs to be had.

Also, I would push out at least one of the assistants and get an actual coach (not a recruiter) on the staff.  If Woodson wasn't on board with that I would let him go.  The only issue we are going to have is that there is a major backer on the trustees that is likely to keep things locked down.

Something has to change.  I would prefer Woodson figure it out because that divorce would be messy.  

[tdhoosier]

31 minutes ago, jefftheref said:

Not possible! I hated the hire and quite frankly I hope we continue to play like crap so a change will be made.

Unfortunately I don't think there is anyone with enough common sense or brains to make the right hire. 

You have dumb and dumber coaching and leading the athletic department.

I'm still behind Dolson. Nobody can see the future 20/20. Many other sports programs are thriving. Coach Cignetti seems to be a steal....I believe he said no the first time but Dolson was persistent and got his guy. 

The football search was wrapped up in a few days because I'm guessing Dolson got his first choice. Pure speculation, but Woody may have been the 2nd or 3rd choice in that coaching search, simply, because it lasted weeks. That's not necessarily a knock on Woody, but he was 65, and that alone brings a contingency for succession. 

Edited January 10 by tdhoosier

[DC2345]

2 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

You can't wait until recruiting dries up.  If Mike misses this year and we see the same garbage next year that we have seen for the previous 3 (the things we are seeing are nothing new, we just don't have a generational player and/or a 1st round draft pick to mask it this year), then I really think an exit strategy discussion needs to be had.

Also, I would push out at least one of the assistants and get an actual coach (not a recruiter) on the staff.  If Woodson wasn't on board with that I would let him go.  The only issue we are going to have is that there is a major backer on the trustees that is likely to keep things locked down.

Something has to change.  I would prefer Woodson figure it out because that divorce would be messy.  

The exit strategy needs to be discussed. Woodson was always only coaching for the duration of this contract and then he planned on riding off into the sunset. He needs to just retire and let Dolson find a real college basketball coach and not a part timer. 

[DC2345]

3 minutes ago, tdhoosier said:

I'm still behind Dolson. Nobody can see the future 20/20. Many other sports programs are thriving. Coach Cignetti seems to be a steal....I believe he said no the first time but Dolson was persistent and got his guy. 

The football search was wrapped up in a few days because I'm guessing Dolson got his first choice. Pure speculation, but Woody may have been the 2nd or 3rd choice in that coaching search, simply, because it lasted weeks. That's not necessarily a knock on Woody, but he's 65, and that alone brings a contingency for succession. 

Brad was the first choice and that held things up for a few days 

[13th&Jackson]

3 minutes ago, tdhoosier said:

I'm still behind Dolson. Nobody can see the future 20/20. Many other sports programs are thriving. Coach Cignetti seems to be a steal....I believe he said no the first time but Dolson was persistent and got his guy. 

The football search was wrapped up in a few days because I'm guessing Dolson got his first choice. Pure speculation, but Woody may have been the 2nd or 3rd choice in that coaching search, simply, because it lasted weeks. That's not necessarily a knock on Woody, but he's 65, and that alone brings a contingency for succession. 

Wasn't convinced about Dolson. Thought there were better candidates. I honestly believe Dolson could have been kept in his prior role as a fundraiser. Wasn't a fan of the Woodson hire. Maybe Dolson wasn't fully, either, so he brought in Matta and Fife. But it doesn't appear that Woodson was on board with that. 

Cignetti looks like a good hire, but he's also 62. 

[NCHoosier32]

12 hours ago, IU Scott said:

Just sent my email to Dolson. I know the ridicule will come but this is just an unacceptable performance. The problem is we see ing this kind of performance by o much this year 

thanks Scott

[NCHoosier32]

12 hours ago, Parakeet Jones said:

I agree with you about Ware and Mgbako not being NBA ready, but I have a hard time seeing either of them coming back. Maybe I’m wrong. 

my guess would be Ware still goes based on potential and that if Mtaco does not, he transfers.  i could definitely be wrong, but the way kids are these days, i could see him blame the coaches/system for not getting him to 1 and done.  

[Parakeet Jones]

Just now, NCHoosier32 said:

my guess would be Ware still goes based on potential and that if Mtaco does not, he transfers.  i could definitely be wrong, but the way kids are these days, i could see him blame the coaches/system for not getting him to 1 and done.  

This is my assessment as well.  Ware declares no matter what and Mgbako declares or transfers.  

[KoB2011]

40 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

I am pretty sure he was talking about basketball. They won two championships back in the 50's and haven't won another since

I think he was talking about the city in general, and it was a silly comment. 

[ephul]

22 minutes ago, DC2345 said:

The exit strategy needs to be discussed. Woodson was always only coaching for the duration of this contract and then he planned on riding off into the sunset. He needs to just retire and let Dolson find a real college basketball coach and not a part timer. 

Agreed.

Dusty May would be my choice.

[IndyResident16]

32 minutes ago, ephul said:

Agreed.

Dusty May would be my choice.

Dusty May would be an upgrade I guess but that isn't saying much. 

Just hire Pearl or Beard so they can at least say they pretend to care. 

[btownqb]

32 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

This is my assessment as well.  Ware declares no matter what and Mgbako declares or transfers.  

WTF is Mgbako gunna do as a professional? I am not convinced there is a professional league in the world that MM could play in next year. 

There is a route for us to still be pretty good next year-- can't believe I'm actually saying that...

But-- Malik, MM (if he shows any level of improvement that Ware/Malik did), McNeely, TG, and for the love of christ find a PG that can play in the portal..... and yes, that does include Woodson allowing Malik to play the 5, MM at the 4...

I'd offer A LOT of NIL to be the best transfer/best-fit PG we can find. 

Bench-- Cupps, Newton 🙏, transfer big, Gunn, Sparks, maybe another transfer combo guard

[btownqb]

4 minutes ago, IndyResident16 said:

Dusty May would be an upgrade I guess but that isn't saying much. 

Just hire Pearl or Beard so they can at least say they pretend to care. 

Pearl should have been hired years ago 

[iuthruandthru]

1 hour ago, DC2345 said:

The exit strategy needs to be discussed. Woodson was always only coaching for the duration of this contract and then he planned on riding off into the sunset. He needs to just retire and let Dolson find a real college basketball coach and not a part timer. 

I was thinking this morning he needs to retire at the end of the season for health and the grind of being a coach at his age.  It’s the best strategy for everyone yet I feel he won’t be good with that.

[13th&Jackson]

2 minutes ago, IndyResident16 said:

Dusty May would be an upgrade I guess but that isn't saying much. 

Just hire Pearl or Beard so they can at least say they pretend to care. 

Beard is 50, Pearl is 63. Hire Beard, unless we want all of our coaches eligible for Social Security

Dusty May could be a home run or a one-hit wonder. His teams are fun to watch, though. Much more entertaining offense than Beard's teams. 

[IndyResident16]

Just now, btownqb said:

Pearl should have been hired years ago 

I thought he was openly campaigning for the IU job both in his pre and post game pressers after they whooped our butt last month. I haven't seen a coach speak so highly of an average program in quite some time. He knows he can re-build IU, just needs a chance. 

[KoB2011]

3 minutes ago, btownqb said:

WTF is Mgbako gunna do as a professional? I am not convinced there is a professional league in the world that MM could play in next year. 

There is a route for us to still be pretty good next year-- can't believe I'm actually saying that...

But-- Malik, MM (if he shows any level of improvement that Ware/Malik did), McNeely, TG, and for the love of christ find a PG that can play in the portal..... and yes, that does include Woodson allowing Malik to play the 5, MM at the 4...

I'd offer A LOT of NIL to be the best transfer/best-fit PG we can find. 

Bench-- Cupps, Newton 🙏, transfer big, Gunn, Sparks, maybe another transfer combo guard

That’s ideal state but yeah, that path is there. It doesn’t seem most likely to me personally. 

[Hoosier987]

7 minutes ago, IndyResident16 said:

Dusty May would be an upgrade I guess but that isn't saying much. 

Just hire Pearl or Beard so they can at least say they pretend to care. 

I'm not against it, but we've fumbled so many hires...at this point, would they come? We could've practically picked any coach 15-20 years ago...but my worry is that ship has sailed now. Think about it, we had to resort to Woodson...no knock on him, but he wasn't necessarily in high demand when we hired him.

[13th&Jackson]

4 minutes ago, btownqb said:

WTF is Mgbako gunna do as a professional? I am not convinced there is a professional league in the world that MM could play in next year. 

There is a route for us to still be pretty good next year-- can't believe I'm actually saying that...

But-- Malik, MM (if he shows any level of improvement that Ware/Malik did), McNeely, TG, and for the love of christ find a PG that can play in the portal..... and yes, that does include Woodson allowing Malik to play the 5, MM at the 4...

I'd offer A LOT of NIL to be the best transfer/best-fit PG we can find. 

Bench-- Cupps, Newton 🙏, transfer big, Gunn, Sparks, maybe another transfer combo guard

So another year of TG as starting two guard? No thanks. We need at least three transfer guards

[btownqb]

Just now, Hoosier987 said:

I'm not against it, but we've fumbled so many hires...at this point, would they come? We could've practically picked any coach 15-20 years ago...but my worry is that ship has sailed now. Think about it, we had to resort to Woodson...no knock on him, but he wasn't necessarily in high demand when we hired him.

Is that actually true, though?