Crean Perspective from Indy Star - Getting a bad media rep

[MauraDay]

Sorry - not sure where to post this, and I am not trying to start any Crean war, but just thought that this was interesting. Move it to the Superbar if it should be there. The article is mostly defending Crean, except for this paragraph. I was wondering if Crean had an bad rep with the media previous to this that I had not known about, as he always seemed so PC with his public comments.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100217/SPORTS15/2170363/Kravitz-Road-to-respectability-for-IU-filled-with-potholes

There's only one area where Crean can do a better job, and he can take this advice or dismiss it out of hand: He must stop sniping at the media in news conferences, being antagonistic, giving clipped answers. Like us, hate us, it doesn't matter, but Crean isn't doing himself any favors, especially when those media gatherings are available on streaming video to the masses. Former coach Bob Knight got away with it because he won and most of the local media was scared to death of him. I also think Crean is better than that.

[MauraDay]

Sorry - not sure where to post this, and I am not trying to start any Crean war, but just thought that this was interesting. Move it to the Superbar if it should be there. The article is mostly defending Crean, except for this paragraph. I was wondering if Crean had an bad rep with the media previous to this that I had not known about, as he always seemed so PC is his public comments.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100217/SPORTS15/2170363/Kravitz-Road-to-respectability-for-IU-filled-with-potholes

"There's only one area where Crean can do a better job, and he can take this advice or dismiss it out of hand: He's must stop sniping at the media in news conferences, being antagonistic, giving clipped answers. Like us, hate us, it doesn't matter, but Crean isn't doing himself any favors, especially when those media gatherings are available on streaming video to the masses. Former coach Bob Knight got away with it because he won and most of the local media was scared to death of him. I also think Crean is better than that."  -Bob Kravitz, Indy Star

forgot the quotes

[HoopsMalone]

Well I would be frustrated if I was in the media if you ask a coach a question about the game and he gets into repeating talking points about the tradition at Indiana.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Indiana basketball in an entirely different animal than little Marquette in Milwaukee, WI. He's got the whole state wise to his b.s. I told you all his schtick wouldn't fly anywhere but Milwaukee. Anybody with any judgment whatsover can see what a phony jackass the guy is.

[tower912]

You obsess over someone who has never done you personal harm, you watch the team he coaches very closely two years after he left looking for subliminal signs.     You are approaching the definition of deranged fan or stalker.    Your loathing has absolutely no effect on him.   He left.   The program is in a better place.   Find one for yourself. 

[MauraDay]

Probably shouldn't have brought it up. Sorry. I don't love or hate him for the record. I was just surprised when I read that paragraph.

[texaswarrior74]

After reading through all the comments posted with the article it seems that IU fans are starting to see what MU fans saw; poor in-game coaching and his inability to recruit a decent big. What's more telling is his poor recruiting of instate top ten players which was always a staple of the program. He is going after top out of state recruits and losing them as well which makes the loss of top in state recruits more painful. Hoosier fans aren't going to tolerate the top ten instate players not flocking to IU (like they once did) for too much longer.

I don't think he has lost the dyed in the wool crimson kool aid drinkers yet but his support looks like it is beginning to waiver. If he doesn't get it turned around fast, or at least give the appearance of doing so, his sniping at the media and off court demeanor is going to catch up with him.

Fans are calling for him to fire his assistants....they will be the scapegoats at first....then he'll have no one to hide behind.

He should enjoy Bloomington while he can....but then again, based on the article, he can always get a job on Izzo's staff.

[martyconlonontherun]

There were some reporters who hated Crean and called him out. Unfortunately, these types of boards loved Crean and ripped that media while he was here.

[HoopsMalone]

Crean could still do something big there.  I think what bothers MU fans is that we all know Wade is what put Crean into the conversation as one of the best rising coaches in the country.  He deserves to be coaching one of the top 50 high major teams, but he just is not that good. 

IU thought he was some sort of messiah and MU fans have every right to laugh.  Crean got us the Big East, the Al, the Three Amigos, and most importantly Wade and Buzz.  The next best thing he did was leave.  Barring another Wade, the Sweet 16 was probably MU's ceiling based on Creans decent recruiting, good motivational skills, but lack of ingame adjustments. 

Crean unfortunately has Ohio State, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Louisville getting the top recruits with Butler, Purdue, Xavier, and Dayton also being good.  IU is no longer the obvious choice for players in that geographical region. 

[HoopsMalone]

One more thing...

I kind of remember the "fire Crean" sentiment being strongest in 2005 in the time between Diener's season ending injury and the end of the year.  I remember people thinking we would get pounded in the Big East and that we should have fired Crean and poached Bruce Pearl (who knows if he would have) from UWM.

Then Novak went off against #2 UConn and all that died down.  Crean needs a statement game next year and he will probably have an NIT team with the players returning. 

[77ncaachamps]

Indiana produces a load of BK talent as opposed to WI.

So when the IU base sees that talent go elsewhere (in-state rival Purdue, Big Ten rivals), of course they're going to want his head.

Having watched the game, I do believe a poster had summed it up best:

"I finally watched an IU game & was amazed at how many little dweebs they had on the team...looks like they pulled these little boys off of the Martinsville JV team. Mich St. wasnt even trying last night."

Hulls was a heckuva player in Indiana preps, but he looked like a child among boys.
Ryan Amo...er...Bobby Capobianco hasn't been that productive as Crean had hoped.
Dumes playing 17 min and scoring 6 points? Sounds like someone losing the desire to play and is in the doghouse for it.
Rivers was supposed to be that heady, coach's son guard (see: Diener) but he's been a TO machine and a bust.
Elston, an Indiana Prep All-Star saw only 12 minutes.
If this team didn't have Creek go down AND have Watford (and sometimes Jones) really trying to score, they'd get beat by Butler to the tune of 20 points+!

He needs to recruit BAD. And that means he's going to have to promise time over the guys like Hulls, Elston, and Capobianco.

But as we have seen so far, he's been unsuccessful in recruiting the big name guys.

Sure we lost to a dreadful DePaul. But no way would this IU team sneak up on anybody in the Big East. They're that God-awful.

[ChicosBailBonds]

After reading through all the comments posted with the article it seems that IU fans are starting to see what MU fans saw; poor in-game coaching and his inability to recruit a decent big. What's more telling is his poor recruiting of instate top ten players which was always a staple of the program. He is going after top out of state recruits and losing them as well which makes the loss of top in state recruits more painful. Hoosier fans aren't going to tolerate the top ten instate players not flocking to IU (like they once did) for too much longer.

I don't think he has lost the dyed in the wool crimson kool aid drinkers yet but his support looks like it is beginning to waiver. If he doesn't get it turned around fast, or at least give the appearance of doing so, his sniping at the media and off court demeanor is going to catch up with him.

Fans are calling for him to fire his assistants....they will be the scapegoats at first....then he'll have no one to hide behind.

He should enjoy Bloomington while he can....but then again, based on the article, he can always get a job on Izzo's staff.

Reading  comments on message boards never is a true gauge.  Even one message board to another is totally different.  Go to the Louisville board and watch them during certain times of the year vs other times. Duke, Kentucky, etc. 

Just like the IU boards after they beat Pitt (before Creek went down) are a lot different than after he got hurt.  It's a different team.   They have him for many years to come

[79Warrior]

I think next seson is going to be a crucial one for Crean. If after three seasons the team canot get to the NIT, then he will begin to hear it from the IU faithful. Next year TC needs some decent numbers or the pressure will ramp up.

I think for Izzo to come out so strongly in the post game presser is a signal TC is feeling some pressure.

[pbiflyer]

Just like the IU boards after they beat Pitt (before Creek went down) are a lot different than after he got hurt.  It's a different team.   They have him for many years to come

They are almost bipolar on their board - high, high, high when they play well, low, low, low when they don't.

But it is funny to read some comments from their board that sound oh so familiar:

IU just dribbles around the perimeter until there are 5 secs on the shot clock then play hot potato until VJ3 has to force a shot.
Also this team has no clue how to play for a last shot of the half.
Oh yeah this team should not set screens because 1 in 4 gets called for a moving screen.
"how come the other team is running around and moving so much more than we are when they have the ball"
"Wow, how come we don't have guys that are that big?"

[pbiflyer]

Crean could still do something big there.  I think what bothers MU fans is that we all know Wade is what put Crean into the conversation as one of the best rising coaches in the country.  He deserves to be coaching one of the top 50 high major teams, but he just is not that good. 

IU thought he was some sort of messiah and MU fans have every right to laugh.  Crean got us the Big East, the Al, the Three Amigos, and most importantly Wade and Buzz.  The next best thing he did was leave.  Barring another Wade, the Sweet 16 was probably MU's ceiling based on Creans decent recruiting, good motivational skills, but lack of ingame adjustments. 

Crean unfortunately has Ohio State, Michigan State, Kentucky, and Louisville getting the top recruits with Butler, Purdue, Xavier, and Dayton also being good.  IU is no longer the obvious choice for players in that geographical region. 

That is the amazing part of this. From the admin of II,II's perspective, he was the perfect hire - good marketing, players graduating, players playing hard. The II,II fanbase then extrapolated that into 5* recruits, superior offense, superior coaching, multiple FFs. Things he did not really show here at Marquette on any consistent basis.
Count me in the grateful he was here, happy he left, think its funny that II,II think of him as the next Bobby Knight.

[Niv Berkowitz]

They are almost bipolar on their board - high, high, high when they play well, low, low, low when they don't.

But it is funny to read some comments from their board that sound oh so familiar:

IU just dribbles around the perimeter until there are 5 secs on the shot clock then play hot potato until VJ3 has to force a shot.
Also this team has no clue how to play for a last shot of the half.
Oh yeah this team should not set screens because 1 in 4 gets called for a moving screen.
"how come the other team is running around and moving so much more than we are when they have the ball"
"Wow, how come we don't have guys that are that big?"

Wow. If those are some of the comments, you could pre-date them to 2002-2008 here in Milwaukee.

Crean gave a TON to MU, and MU gave a ton back. That being said, all those points above were criticisms heard around here for years and to see them pop up in only year 2 of Tom in Indiana is a little surprising, not completely though. Like Buzz, he'll have three years to see what he can do and how his class(es) of players is/are holding up. After next year, if they are around or sub .500 in Big Ten play, they'll be calling for his tan...er hide.