The stages are:
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Stage 1 took me about 1 hour. I think I will be in stage 2 for a while. Considering there are several people around here that have been in stage 2 during Crean's entire tenure at MU, at least I won't be alone!
I'm still at stage 1 but once I hear it from the big guy himself it's off to 2 for a long haul. Also, depending on how we recover from this it's a toss up on whether or not I finish at 5...
http://www.youtube.com/v/YJmWXkhVnRw&hl=en
Stage 1 was so much harder to break through given the date (4/1).
It took till about the fourth person called me and I saw it on TV before I realized that either it was true, or it was the most elaborate April Fools joke ever. >:(
This has ruined my end-of-the-workday routine.
I'm at 5. Let's move on.
Comments: Cords wasn't alone when we hired Crean, and Cottingham won't be alone, either. (BTW: I'm proud Cottingham is on a plane to Colorado with an MU intercollegiate team playing in the semifinals of a national tournament. That's an important part of his job, too, and those kids and their coaches deserve it just as much as the men's bball program does.)
The real test is whether the administration/trustees will sustain the high quality/high caliber benchmark that's been set. Crean took over a program perceived nationally as mid-major, competed well (if not totally successfully) in the biggest and arguably the best conference in the nation, and virtually (if not totally) restored MU to the major status that Al worked so hard to build. A Big East program is a coveted coaching spot. If the administration wills it -- and let's pray that they do -- then we'll be just fine.
To repeat: I'm at 5. Let's move on.
I don't think there can be too many stages of grief. Based on the number of reporters he is friends with that were writing stories about him going to Kentucky last year, I can't say I'm to shocked he's leaving this year. But to go to Indiana? Why?
I'll never be at 5.
I'm at a 5 as a Marquette fan.
I'm at a 2ish as far as my thoughts on Crean. I hate to see kids get shafted, and he shafted his kids like so many other coaches do. Still doesn't make it acceptable in my book.
What about the decision to play Trevor? At that point did TC know he was going to IU. Sounds dumb, but I don't trust TC for his word, so....