Grantland Article-Interesting Read about Crean

[Milwarriorkee]

Good read overall on the Big Ten this year.(I generally like reading this author's submissions).  Interesting take on our former coach:

"Coach on the Hot Seat — Tom Crean (Indiana)

There are two trains of thought among Indiana fans when it comes to college basketball's creepy uncle. The first group suffers from Scott Drew syndrome. They're willing to give Crean a pass on all sorts of bad decisions, including the Syracuse zone debacle and keeping two top-five lottery picks on the bench at the same time during big games, because he took over a proud program and turned it into a preseason no. 1 team in just a handful of years. They're convinced that no other coach could've pulled that off, as if getting Cody Zeller to commit to one of the top five all-time programs that's also close to home was some miracle. These fans are typically either young and therefore don't fully understand the power of Indiana's history, or they're just so starved for success that back-to-back Sweet 16s are enough to make them giddy.

More sensible fans, however, realize that Indiana will almost certainly never return to its former glory as long as Crean is at the helm. Scott Drew is great for Baylor. He has done wonders to turn that program around after the Patrick Dennehy murder and ensuing scandal. Baylor was never really that great to begin with, so Drew taking over that mess AND leading the Bears to heights they haven't seen in 60 years should be enough to buy him job security for life in Waco. But Indiana isn't Baylor. Putting the car in the right direction isn't good enough at IU. You have to lock your eyes on the finish line, put the pedal to the metal, and run over anybody who gets in the way. For a fan base that likes to taunt Purdue fans about "banners" so much, it's bizarre that some Indiana fans have been willing to accept the best Hoosiers team in 20 years coming four wins short of hanging a sixth banner in Assembly Hall. If nothing else, the contentedness of Marquette fans after Crean left should tell you something. Crean becoming a national punch line among college basketball fans should tell you something. That Crean was not with Zeller and Victor Oladipo on draft night should tell you something. And Tom Izzo being the only guy in college basketball who seems to have good things to say about Crean should tell you something."

[Hards Alumni]

Good read overall on the Big Ten this year.(I generally like reading this author's submissions).  Interesting take on our former coach:

"Coach on the Hot Seat — Tom Crean (Indiana)

There are two trains of thought among Indiana fans when it comes to college basketball's creepy uncle. The first group suffers from Scott Drew syndrome. They're willing to give Crean a pass on all sorts of bad decisions, including the Syracuse zone debacle and keeping two top-five lottery picks on the bench at the same time during big games, because he took over a proud program and turned it into a preseason no. 1 team in just a handful of years. They're convinced that no other coach could've pulled that off, as if getting Cody Zeller to commit to one of the top five all-time programs that's also close to home was some miracle. These fans are typically either young and therefore don't fully understand the power of Indiana's history, or they're just so starved for success that back-to-back Sweet 16s are enough to make them giddy.

More sensible fans, however, realize that Indiana will almost certainly never return to its former glory as long as Crean is at the helm. Scott Drew is great for Baylor. He has done wonders to turn that program around after the Patrick Dennehy murder and ensuing scandal. Baylor was never really that great to begin with, so Drew taking over that mess AND leading the Bears to heights they haven't seen in 60 years should be enough to buy him job security for life in Waco. But Indiana isn't Baylor. Putting the car in the right direction isn't good enough at IU. You have to lock your eyes on the finish line, put the pedal to the metal, and run over anybody who gets in the way. For a fan base that likes to taunt Purdue fans about "banners" so much, it's bizarre that some Indiana fans have been willing to accept the best Hoosiers team in 20 years coming four wins short of hanging a sixth banner in Assembly Hall. If nothing else, the contentedness of Marquette fans after Crean left should tell you something. Crean becoming a national punch line among college basketball fans should tell you something. That Crean was not with Zeller and Victor Oladipo on draft night should tell you something. And Tom Izzo being the only guy in college basketball who seems to have good things to say about Crean should tell you something."

I see this thread going places.

[tower912]

Getting some trans-fat drenched microwave popcorn ready.    Hold on........and........go.

[GGGG]

Getting some trans-fat drenched microwave popcorn ready.    Hold on........and........go.

If I'm going to have to endure another Crean thread, I am going to need something that's gonna kill me quicker than trans-fat drenched popcorn.

Can I drench mine with Polonium 210?

[4everwarriors]

Have a pulled pork sandwich.

[ChicosBailBonds]

[Coleman]

Chicos? You awake?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It's taken 5 years, but Indiana fans are starting to question why they defend they guy.

[Skatastrophy]

If nothing else, the contentedness of Marquette fans after Crean left should tell you something. Crean becoming a national punch line among college basketball fans should tell you something. That Crean was not with Zeller and Victor Oladipo on draft night should tell you something. And Tom Izzo being the only guy in college basketball who seems to have good things to say about Crean should tell you something."

[Skatastrophy]

It's taken 5 years, but Indiana fans are starting to question why they defend they guy.

They knew the 5 year rule, obviously.

[Galway Eagle]

Literally was just watching this episode of psych so glad you posted it cause i was looking. 

[Benny B]

They knew the 5 year rule, obviously.

[tower912]

Crean is not on the hot seat.   But he could be soon.   If last year starts to look like the ceiling, the murmurs will become a crescendo.   If his next 4 years in any way resembles the 4 years that followed his final four run at MU, he will get roasted. 

[77ncaachamps]

I agree. No hot seat.

Yet.

It hinges on this season and the next three: if they don't even MEET the Hoosier fan expectations (wins, recruiting, etc.), then invoke the hot seat.

However, by taking the IU position you automatically sit in a hot seat.

[TallTitan34]

However, by taking the IU position you automatically sit in a hot seat.

This. 

You could get to 4 straight final fours and if you don't win a championship be a dissapointment in Indiana. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'll just say some of the responses in this thread are almost verbatim what was said in year 2 of his tenure and year 3 when he was "on his way out the door."   History does repeat itself. 

Some writers \ fans like Crean, some do not.   DeCourcey, Hall of Fame basketball writer does, Mark Titus (who I enjoy reading) doesn't.  Different strokes for different folks.

IU fans can be tough group to please, that isn't anything earth shattering.  Syracuse fans wanted Boeheim gone, Kansas fans wanted (want) Self gone, etc, etc.  It's part of the deal.  There will always be detractors, which many people on this site will pay attention to only those folks, and there will be fans that blindly follow no matter what.  Extremes on both ends.

Crean isn't going anywhere anytime soon <insert JayBee's contract comment>....Glass and the university are completely committed to him at this point and the foreseeable future.  Very young team this year, probably 5th or 6th in the conference, but they could be awfully good next year and the year after.  If they struggle in the coming two years, then sure whispers will start, but not with this year's team.  Expectations are not that high.

[raul]

Howland at UCLA is a good example that even when you are successful it still may not be enough when at one of the elite programs. But its hard to feel sorry for Crean if he ends up on the hot seat.

[keefe]

"college basketball's creepy uncle"

Very nicely stated.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Have a pulled pork sandwich.

Do you get a commission for every person you convince to do the Grain Brain diet?

[Jay Bee]

As Chicos knows and refers to, MUscoopers have the unique knowledge most of America doesn't - that Crean's buyout is enormous.

If* things goes bad this year and more people are frustrated with Crean, traditional media will figure things out and these types of stories will turn into, "I4 is stuck with Crean".

Not that I think that will happen.

Hollowell & Vonleh to the rescue.

[Lennys Tap]

I disagree with the author that Tom Crean in on the hot seat. Everything else (creepy uncle, etc.) is spot on.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I do find the irony that Titus thinks Scott Drew is the cats meow.....if there is a dirtier coach than Drew, you could list them on one hand.  Different strokes for different folks

[jesmu84]

I do find the irony that Titus thinks Scott Drew is the cats meow.....if there is a dirtier coach than Drew, you could list them on one hand.  Different strokes for different folks

Agreed on the dirtiness. I think the "meow" comes from the Indiana connection of the Drews and Titus.

[4everwarriors]

Do you get a commission for every person you convince to do the Grain Brain diet?

Nah, just tryin' to spread the gospel to my fellow Scoop brothers and sisters, ya know? Gotta say F*ckin's the hardest nut to crack. So ingrained to eatin' like a drunken sailor and constantly has a beer IV hooked up to his right arm.

[Knight Commission]

Why wasn't Tom Crean at the draft?