Indiana squeaks one out at home tonight

[brewcity77]

Chicos, I admire your steadfastness, but surely you see this is a losing battle here. Crean could literally walk on water and he would get lambasted for not sharing his hover-shoe technology. A couple thoughts...

1) LIU is a solid team. They are used to winning and have done so regularly over the past few years. Like Southern, not world-beaters, but no shame in playing a close game with them, especially as a game at Assembly Hall is their Super Bowl.
2) Siding with Coach Cal just makes no sense. Could both parties have maybe done more? Sure. But acting like Coach Cal is just the victim of an IU-created circumstance...well, this is the same guy who said his team playing Michigan State early in the season wasn't fair. Uhh, Coach, you realize that you agreed to this game, right?

[leever]

but surely you see this is a losing battle here.

Oh, I really doubt that he sees that!

[GGGG]

It is grossly unfair to blame Indiana for that series not continuing.  Kentucky wanted neutral site games.  Indiana wanted campus games.  They didn't compromise.

I will point out that if it were Crean that wanted the neutral site games, the IU bashers would be having a field day.

[Lennys Tap]

Lots of people can be "friends" with someone despite what they do on the job.  I'm sure you are able to separate the two, I know many who can.  There are people that I can't stand on the job, but away from it they are different people.  How close of friends they are, who knows.  He, Izzo, Crean go back several decades.  Crean is friends with K.O., does that mean he condones K.O. cheating on his wife, and all his actions?  Have you ever had friends that did something that you don't agree with?  I'm sure you have.  Did you cut bait at that point and leave them at the curb?  Maybe you did, not everyone does.

Keep ignoring those articles and the realities of it all, evidence be damned...."Crean canceled the series because I don't like Crean. "  You really should just come out and say it, cut to the chase.

First, I don't give a rat's ass about the Kentucky-Indiana series. The way I see it, both parties made demands, neither side would back down and so it ended. Since then, both sides (though mostly Indiana) have tried to manipulate the media to blame the other guy.

Regarding friendship, a couple of thoughts. Unlike you, I can't be friends with a guy who is a prick at work but turns into a sweetheart outside of the office. To me, that's the definition of a phony and a two faced user. It's why I don't care for guys like TC. No thanks. That said, everyone makes mistakes. I forgive my friends theirs and they kindly forgive me mine.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos, I admire your steadfastness, but surely you see this is a losing battle here. Crean could literally walk on water and he would get lambasted for not sharing his hover-shoe technology. A couple thoughts...

1) LIU is a solid team. They are used to winning and have done so regularly over the past few years. Like Southern, not world-beaters, but no shame in playing a close game with them, especially as a game at Assembly Hall is their Super Bowl.
2) Siding with Coach Cal just makes no sense. Could both parties have maybe done more? Sure. But acting like Coach Cal is just the victim of an IU-created circumstance...well, this is the same guy who said his team playing Michigan State early in the season wasn't fair. Uhh, Coach, you realize that you agreed to this game, right?

Yes, I know. I just like to watch them dig themselves deeper.  I believe Mr. Brennan of ESPN wraps it up on a very nice bow.  UK made demands, IU met those demands, UK changed the demands (moved the goalposts) and IU gets blamed for it because some people here don't like their head coach.

You are correct, can't win for losing with this crew. 

[Jay Bee]

Hardly, and good to see most sportswriters also disagree.   You might want to also check the public documents.  IU agreed to play two games at Lucas Field in 2012 and 2013.  UK wanted this arrangement, and then they bailed out on it.  Here's the document

http://scoop.hoosiershq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012052513473355531.pdf

Most sportswriters don't understand contracts, law or finance much at all. Not debating this particular KY topic - just you again bringing up, "well traditional media says so, so..."

Wonder why hoosiershq and others don't have Crean's contract... wonder why 'most sportswriters' got the facts all wrong.

My point is really this: "well sportswriters in the mainstream media took the side of X, so that means X is right" is an awful argument which you seem to love.

I'd suspect there are some other angles one could find on KY / I4 (I4 KY kind of... rolls off the tongue)

[Lennys Tap]

My point is really this: "well sportswriters in the mainstream media took the side of X, so that means X is right" is an awful argument which you seem to love.

When sportwriters in the mainstream media (or anybody else, for that matter) agree with Chicos they are presented as if they are the Pope delivering an encyclical on faith and morals. When they disagree? Those same folks who once spoke ex cathedra morph into fools, morons and liars. One of his staples.

[jsglow]

If I were representing Indiana I'd refuse Kentucky's 'offer' as well.  In fact, I can't really imagine anyone wanting to play them at all given their world view on college basketball.

[GGGG]

If I were representing Indiana I'd refuse Kentucky's 'offer' as well.  In fact, I can't really imagine anyone wanting to play them at all given their world view on college basketball.

How do you know that Indiana doesn't share that worldview?  Just because they *can't* do it, doesn't mean they *wouldn't* do it.

[ChicosBailBonds]

First, I don't give a rat's ass about the Kentucky-Indiana series. The way I see it, both parties made demands, neither side would back down and so it ended. Since then, both sides (though mostly Indiana) have tried to manipulate the media to blame the other guy.

Regarding friendship, a couple of thoughts. Unlike you, I can't be friends with a guy who is a prick at work but turns into a sweetheart outside of the office. To me, that's the definition of a phony and a two faced user. It's why I don't care for guys like TC. No thanks. That said, everyone makes mistakes. I forgive my friends theirs and they kindly forgive me mine.

Both sides but mostly Indiana.     You are so jaded it is incredible.

Yes, I'm able to understand that sometimes people have to act a certain way, a necessary evil, to get work done, to achieve goals, etc.  If it is done ethically, I understand it.  Many of these people don't like to do it, but they are hired to be the a-hole to get things done.  Has nothing to do with them being two faced, it is the job for which they are hired to do.  I don't know why this is so hard for you to understand.  There are volumes of sports analogies like this where people were one way when they went onto the field and quite a different person when they were off it.  Does that make them two faced?  Or does it make them focused and doing what they had to do to get the job done?  Have you not ever met an athlete that was gentle as a breeze off the field but a mad man on the field?  Same person, different arena.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Most sportswriters don't understand contracts, law or finance much at all. Not debating this particular KY topic - just you again bringing up, "well traditional media says so, so..."

Wonder why hoosiershq and others don't have Crean's contract... wonder why 'most sportswriters' got the facts all wrong.

My point is really this: "well sportswriters in the mainstream media took the side of X, so that means X is right" is an awful argument which you seem to love.

I'd suspect there are some other angles one could find on KY / I4 (I4 KY kind of... rolls off the tongue)

Yup, part of arguing one's point is to show the support you have.  Pretty straight forward.  It's done here all the time.  Crean sucks because Grantland blog poster says so.   Latest example. 

When KY's own athletic director says Coach Cal didn't want to play in Bloomington anymore, that's saying something.  IU met their initial demands, they (UK) moved the goalposts again, no deal. 

[Lennys Tap]

Yes, I'm able to understand that sometimes people have to act a certain way, a necessary evil, to get work done, to achieve goals, etc.  If it is done ethically, I understand it.  Many of these people don't like to do it, but they are hired to be the a-hole to get things done.  Has nothing to do with them being two faced, it is the job for which they are hired to do.  I don't know why this is so hard for you to understand.  There are volumes of sports analogies like this where people were one way when they went onto the field and quite a different person when they were off it.  Does that make them two faced?  Or does it make them focused and doing what they had to do to get the job done?  Have you not ever met an athlete that was gentle as a breeze off the field but a mad man on the field?  Same person, different arena.

I'm not talking about a drill sgt being tough on recruits because it might eventually save their lives or a coach who's tough on his players in an effort to mold a team. And I'm not talking about players who play competitive sports (assuming they don't play dirty). I'm talking about guys who take out their frustrations on the powerless  secretary, clerk or office worker because they are easy and safe targets. Saw a lot of it on the trading floor, heard a lot about in the corporate world. Also heard a lot about it with our previous coach. Treat people well to advance your own self interest? Proves nothing. How you treat those who can't do you any worldly good proves everything. So, sorry, if someone is a jerk or bully at work just because he can be I don't buy the idea that away from the office he can be a sweetheart. A phony sweetheart maybe, but not a sweetheart.

[ChicosBailBonds]

There are some people that can be absolute pricks in doing the job, but truly the nicest people you ever want to meet away from it.  I'm surprised at your age you have not encountered many people like this.

[Lennys Tap]

There are some people that can be absolute pricks in doing the job, but truly the nicest people you ever want to meet away from it.  I'm surprised at your age you have not encountered many people like this.

There are some (very few) jobs that require "acting" like a prick at times (drill sergeant, for example) for the eventual greater good. But the idea that the guy who beats up on his secretary, clerk, sales force, etc., can be the "nicest guy you ever want to meet" away from the office is BS. You don't check humanity and decency at the door when you walk into work every morning. Those who do I have no respect for whatsoever - their "nice guy" persona away from work is phony.