Pride

[Danomatic]

Ok, so there’s a number of words that could be used to describe this team, but I’m going with pride, or the lack thereof...

 

Simply put, this team has no pride, none. This isn’t quite as aggravating as last year’s squad, at least not yet. Last year, we vastly underachieved. We had talent, NBA level talent, but no true leadership. This season we have neither. Our expectations were somewhat reasonable, considering all things. 

 

Now, in my opinion, I think a lot of this stems from the lack of Indiana kids on this team. Yes, we have Collin and McRoberts who are native Hoosiers. However, the majority of our players aren’t even really from Big Ten country. Maybe this explains their lack of pride? 

 

In order to keep this short, I’ll end by saying that this is the very reason why it’s important to land Indiana kids. We need kids that know what the name on the front of their uniform represents and to take pride in what they’re doing. It seems to me that over the past few years, Crean sold the Indiana prestige to kids from the east coast and the great plains. But they don’t know,  nor do they understand what Indiana basketball is truly about and that’s what’s so frustrating.

[Billingsley99]

I think the factor that we keep forgetting as a program is what Indiana basketball means to the people of this state. For many of the IPFW and ISU players they would give anything to play all their games in Assembly Hall.  Our players that have not grown up I. This area take it for granted.  Those other players play their hearts out this is a big deal to them.  Our players take it for granted and get their butts kicked many times by guys that would give anything to have had the opportunity to play at IU.   

Pride and heart are inherit traits and either you have it or you don't and the past 2 years this program plays with neither. I would rather be bad with home grown talent than have high expectations with players that don't embrace what this prograsm means to the people of this state.

When Purdue is good people in West Lafayette are good when Butler is good a few people are good.  When INDIANA is good college basketball is good. Gotta get back to guys who want to be here to embrace what is special about IU. 

[5fouls]

11 hours ago, Danomatic said:

Now, in my opinion, I think a lot of this stems from the lack of Indiana kids on this team. Yes, we have Collin and McRoberts who are native Hoosiers. However, the majority of our players aren’t even really from Big Ten country. Maybe this explains their lack of pride? 

 

It would be very interesting to see how different this team would be with Bryant McIntosh running the point.  Granted, if Crean would have recruited McIntosh, then Crean may still be the coach.  But, there is no doubt in my mind that a lack of leadership at the guard position is what is dragging this team down.  And, in McIntosh, IU had one of the best in the country right in their backyard, and let him get away.

[Billingsley99]

6 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

It would be very interesting to see how different this team would be with Bryant McIntosh running the point.  Granted, if Crean would have recruited McIntosh, then Crean may still be the coach.  But, there is no doubt in my mind that a lack of leadership at the guard position is what is dragging this team down.  And, in McIntosh, IU had one of the best in the country right in their backyard, and let him get away.

IMO that would have been one of the easiest gets. 

[5fouls]

1 minute ago, Billingsley99 said:

IMO that would have been one of the easiest gets. 

Absolutely.  If we would have just smiled at him, that kid would have came here.

[cybergates]

Good observation. The only players who seem to play hard and smart most of the time are Morgan, Hartman, and McRoberts. Two Indiana kids and Morgan from Missouri which could be considered Midwest or at least very close to it. 

 

[hoosier10]

Pride doesn't come from where you grow up.  It comes from within- see Victor.  I don't care where the players are from, as long as they play like they are proud to wear the candy stripes.

[Billingsley99]

33 minutes ago, hoosier10 said:

Pride doesn't come from where you grow up.  It comes from within- see Victor.  I don't care where the players are from, as long as they play like they are proud to wear the candy stripes.

I will disagree to a certain extent.  My kids played travel ball in multiple sports and I felt that most of the time they played hard and gave their all. When it came to playing for their high school our community and the past players there was a whole new level . They played with more heart and pride and hustle. I feel that all our players want to be here but there is something to be said about guys from this area that embrace it

[Billingsley99]

37 minutes ago, hoosier10 said:

Pride doesn't come from where you grow up.  It comes from within- see Victor.  I don't care where the players are from, as long as they play like they are proud to wear the candy stripes.

For every Vic there are 10 Andre Patterson's and Charlie Miller's and Jason Collier

[Indykev]

1 hour ago, 5fouls said:

It would be very interesting to see how different this team would be with Bryant McIntosh running the point.  Granted, if Crean would have recruited McIntosh, then Crean may still be the coach.  But, there is no doubt in my mind that a lack of leadership at the guard position is what is dragging this team down.  And, in McIntosh, IU had one of the best in the country right in their backyard, and let him get away.

He would be a turnover machine to in Creans style of play to.

[Billingsley99]

9 minutes ago, Indykev said:

He would be a turnover machine to in Creans style of play to.

You might be right but I don't think so. Something special with him.

[Indykev]

1 minute ago, Billingsley99 said:

You might be right but I don't think so. Something special with him.

We will never know.

[Billingsley99]

Just now, Indykev said:

We will never know.

Unfortunately true

[jefftheref]

27 minutes ago, Billingsley99 said:

For every Vic there are 10 Andre Patterson's and Charlie Miller's and Jason Collier

Speaking of Jason Collier what was the reason he left IU and went to Georgia Tech? 

[Danomatic]

7 hours ago, hoosier10 said:

Pride doesn't come from where you grow up.  It comes from within- see Victor.  I don't care where the players are from, as long as they play like they are proud to wear the candy stripes.

If you look back at all of our teams, especially when the program was solid... we had at least 4 or 5 kids from the state of Indiana. There’s something about kids from our state that’s unexplainable. Our local kids have a passion for the game that isn’t matched elsewhere. Hoosier pride is completely different than most. Vic resembles what we stand for here in Indiana. He certainly got it. The kids on our current roster don’t.

[addictedtoIU]

7 hours ago, 5fouls said:

Absolutely.  If we would have just smiled at him, that kid would have came here.

Crean learned his lesson and smiled at Gelon. Too bad Gelon hadn't improved fast enough. 

[hoosier10]

4 hours ago, Danomatic said:

If you look back at all of our teams, especially when the program was solid... we had at least 4 or 5 kids from the state of Indiana. There’s something about kids from our state that’s unexplainable. Our local kids have a passion for the game that isn’t matched elsewhere. Hoosier pride is completely different than most. Vic resembles what we stand for here in Indiana. He certainly got it. The kids on our current roster don’t.

I'm Indiana born and raised and would love a team full of Hoosiers.  I do think guys that play in Indiana their whole lives develop a little something extra when it comes to basketball knowledge and skill.  I just think pride is something everyone has to mine from within themselves no matter where you are from.  

[PoHoosier]

13 hours ago, Billingsley99 said:

I will disagree to a certain extent.  My kids played travel ball in multiple sports and I felt that most of the time they played hard and gave their all. When it came to playing for their high school our community and the past players there was a whole new level . They played with more heart and pride and hustle. I feel that all our players want to be here but there is something to be said about guys from this area that embrace it

Adding to this, travel ball, you play and win, great.  If you lose, it happens.  Playing for school and community, throws down roots.  These roots can last a lifetime and carry over to the next level building on that foundation of local pride.

I am certain a few here remember not wanting to go to school the next day after a bad loss.  After a win....

[Billingsley99]

6 hours ago, PoHoosier said:

Adding to this, travel ball, you play and win, great.  If you lose, it happens.  Playing for school and community, throws down roots.  These roots can last a lifetime and carry over to the next level building on that foundation of local pride.

I am certain a few here remember not wanting to go to school the next day after a bad loss.  After a win....

Very well said.  

[Hoosier82]

22 hours ago, hoosier10 said:

Pride doesn't come from where you grow up.  It comes from within- see Victor.  I don't care where the players are from, as long as they play like they are proud to wear the candy stripes.

I agree with this. As I think about guys who have excelled in our program (Watford, Hulls, Zeller, VO, Yogi, OG, Morgan...to name a few) they were guys who played for successful high school teams, winning programs. Most are heady, smart guys who excelled in the classroom and graduated early. Some of the bigger disappointments were recruited out of the AAU circuit. Didnt play with a ton of effort, low basketball IQ and didnt play for a winning hs program. I’d love to see Archie recruit more winners and leaders on their hs teams and less AAU stat fillers/freak athletes who cant shoot, handle the ball or play defense. We need guys who are winners and embrace the work it takes to win as a team, not those who strive for stars on their recruiting profiles

[Danomatic]

9 hours ago, Hoosier82 said:

I agree with this. As I think about guys who have excelled in our program (Watford, Hulls, Zeller, VO, Yogi, OG, Morgan...to name a few) they were guys who played for successful high school teams, winning programs. Most are heady, smart guys who excelled in the classroom and graduated early. Some of the bigger disappointments were recruited out of the AAU circuit. Didnt play with a ton of effort, low basketball IQ and didnt play for a winning hs program. I’d love to see Archie recruit more winners and leaders on their hs teams and less AAU stat fillers/freak athletes who cant shoot, handle the ball or play defense. We need guys who are winners and embrace the work it takes to win as a team, not those who strive for stars on their recruiting profiles

I agree with this... and while it would be nice to bring in at least 1 top 30 kid every year, I’d really like to see more kids that have the will to win. Especially those who are proven winners that buy into the team concept.