Tom Crean is a lame duck in Bloomington

[tower912]

The Amigo's FRESHMAN YEAR.    Thank you for keeping me on my toes. 

[GGGG]

I don't think Crean is the best coach around by any means, but he did a great job this year.  If Indiana underperforms and doesn't make the S16, yeah I am sure the crazies will be back complaining.  But this program hasn't done much of anything for the past 15 years.  I would be careful what I wish for.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well, Tanned Tommy has the perfect excuse for when his team gets schwacked on the first night...

He's lost on McDonald's All American for the season.  Last night, lost their 6th man.  Those are two pretty big blows.  They are also down another starting guard that should return in a week or two.

They've persevered all year long.

That fan base is the most delusional on the planet.  Part of me hopes he gets them to the Elite 8 or Final Four, they get knocked out and he says....I've had enough of the nonsense and he takes a job where he can do very well, dominate (i.e. Mark Few, Gregg Marshall) and not have to put up with the delusional grief.  We'll see.   

Would be quite ironic if he ends up Big Ten Coach of the Year with all the experts nationally and at Scoop saying again he would be fired.  LOL

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't think Crean is the best coach around by any means, but he did a great job this year.  If Indiana underperforms and doesn't make the S16, yeah I am sure the crazies will be back complaining.  But this program hasn't done much of anything for the past 15 years.  I would be careful what I wish for.

Correct, they have three Sweet 16's in the last 20 years, two of them under Crean.  The other was under Davis, who took them to the Final Four in "one of those years" where a team got hot. 

This is the first time IU has won  outright titles in a 4 year span since the early 90's when Knight was coach.  Their fans are a joke.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Their fans are not a joke. THEY DON'T LIKE HIM! nobody wants a player or coach on their team who they cannot stand. It's the exact same scenario when he was at Marquette. Nobody wants him fronting their program because he's creepy and peculiar.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Their fans are not a joke. THEY DON'T LIKE HIM! nobody wants a player or coach on their team who they cannot stand. It's the exact same scenario when he was at Marquette. Nobody wants him fronting their program because he's creepy and peculiar.

Yeah, I remember hearing too from you and other how much the players hated him.  Except for Wade, Travis, Novak, etc, etc. LOL.  Some IU fans have said the same thing, and then you see this.


   <a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/u6dzmHZM0Nw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/u6dzmHZM0Nw</a>


Some fans hate, some players hate, but your view on it PRN doesn't equate to everyone.   It has more to do with their expectations and their deformed reality that they are still an elite program.  They aren't.  They are making progress to get back there, but they have a ways to go. 

One thing is for sure, Crean haters having to take another year to predict firing and tucking their tail between their legs.  As much I don't care for the guy personally having worked for him, my joy of watching the haters piss their pants easily makes up for it. 

Don't worry, when they get bounced out you can get excited again and all that.  If they can't get healthy quickly, they're going to have a tough climb. 

As an alum, GO HOOSIERS

[rocket surgeon]

He's lost on McDonald's All American for the season.  Last night, lost their 6th man.  Those are two pretty big blows.  They are also down another starting guard that should return in a week or two.

They've persevered all year long.

That fan base is the most delusional on the planet.  Part of me hopes he gets them to the Elite 8 or Final Four, they get knocked out and he says....I've had enough of the nonsense and he takes a job where he can do very well, dominate (i.e. Mark Few, Gregg Marshall) and not have to put up with the delusional grief.  We'll see.   

Would be quite ironic if he ends up Big Ten Coach of the Year with all the experts nationally and at Scoop saying again he would be fired.  LOL

i agree-BUT, i will admit that i was a huge fan of TC until the last couple of years.  good friend of mine's kid played for him and there were stories.  this wasn't the type of kid who would make a big deal out of things as he was forever grateful for the chances he got.  ok, that aside, TC could be really really good.  great recruiter, but his motivational skills need some honing...and maybe some image stuff, but what the hey, everyone has their quirks-heyn'a

  one thing-you have to admit-he knew when he took the indiana job, he knew he was walking into a potential buzz(whoops-no pun intended) saw.  maybe he thought, this is a once in a life time chance and buddy tom Iz would give him a few pointers.  and besides, the coin ain't bad

  i would love to see him nestle into a just below the radar program and make them real good-that would be the true vindication, show some growth and go out with a good legacy

[Lennys Tap]

He's lost on McDonald's All American for the season. 

Biggest break the Hoosiers got all season was Blackmon's injury. Indiana has a bunch of guys who can shoot/score, Blackmon's just one more. But the guy was horrid on defense. He and the IU defense was killing the team (20 point loss to Duke, neutral court losses to Wake Forest and UNLV, narrow win against Rutgers). Once his minutes went to guys who gave some effort on D the Hoosiers took off.

[keefe]

I would put a call in to Archie's older brother just to see if he would listen.

Tucson?

Indiana?

Not much to think about!

[wadesworld]

Crean sucks, hey?

[Babybluejeans]

i would love to see him nestle into a just below the radar program and make them real good-that would be the true vindication, show some growth and go out with a good legacy

If only there were a program that fit that description...

No one denies that Indiana fans are delusional. But they were delusional before Crean got there and will be delusional after he leaves. TC and his slurpers can't pretend like he's a victim of the fan-base if he walked in knowing exactly what he was getting (which he did). He just thought he could meet those loony demands because of his unmatched talent, but he hasn't, and probably never will. Call it hubris. 

If he wanted to take an underrated program, make it great, and leave a lasting legacy, well, he left that opportunity behind in 2008.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

No one denies that Indiana fans are delusional. But they were delusional before Crean got there and will be delusional after he leaves. TC and his slurpers can't pretend like he's a victim of the fan-base if he walked in knowing exactly what he was getting (which he did). He just thought he could meet those loony demands because of his unmatched talent, but he hasn't, and probably never will. Call it hubris. 

If he wanted to take an underrated program, make it great, and leave a lasting legacy, well, he left that opportunity behind in 2008.

This - It's Indiana, It's Indiana

[GGGG]

If only there were a program that fit that description...

No one denies that Indiana fans are delusional. But they were delusional before Crean got there and will be delusional after he leaves. TC and his slurpers can't pretend like he's a victim of the fan-base if he walked in knowing exactly what he was getting (which he did). He just thought he could meet those loony demands because of his unmatched talent, but he hasn't, and probably never will. Call it hubris. 

If he wanted to take an underrated program, make it great, and leave a lasting legacy, well, he left that opportunity behind in 2008.

There are dozens of coaches that would have gone from Marquette to Indiana.  I am not a "slurper" by any means, but it is no more hubris than any other coach taking a "next level job." 

[Babybluejeans]

There are dozens of coaches that would have gone from Marquette to Indiana.  I am not a "slurper" by any means, but it is no more hubris than any other coach taking a "next level job."

Sure. Lots of coaches would take a next level job and believe it would work out. But that coach/his supporters can't complaint that he isn't getting a fair shake when outsize expectations are precisely what the next level job entailed.

[GGGG]

Sure. Lots of coaches would take a next level job and believe it would work out. But that coach/his supporters can't complaint that he isn't getting a fair shake when outsize expectations are precisely what the next level job entailed.

I don't disagree that he knew what he was getting into.  I am hardly turning him into a victim here.

I just don't think he had any more "hubris" than other coaches do when they take those jobs.  Bill Self going to Kansas.  John Calipari going to Kentucky.  Shaka Smart going to Texas.  All of them have to be confident in their abilities or else they will fail.

[ChicosBailBonds]

If only there were a program that fit that description...

No one denies that Indiana fans are delusional. But they were delusional before Crean got there and will be delusional after he leaves. TC and his slurpers can't pretend like he's a victim of the fan-base if he walked in knowing exactly what he was getting (which he did). He just thought he could meet those loony demands because of his unmatched talent, but he hasn't, and probably never will. Call it hubris. 

If he wanted to take an underrated program, make it great, and leave a lasting legacy, well, he left that opportunity behind in 2008.

I worked at IU under Knight.  Yes, they are delusional.  The thing is, IU was IU because of Knight, in my opinion.  Sure they won two titles with Branch McCracken, but that was a different era entirely.  I've spoken to Fred Glass many times....he has strong connections to Marquette...his dad went to MU, his son went to IU.  Glass knows how many quality coaches wanted no part of IU because of the stupidity of the fan base.  He put it in much more eloquent and political words than I did, but the point is that their fans are ridiculous and seem to have forgotten the wandering abyss they have been in for decades.  The last 6 years under Knight were nothing special, then all the controversy, etc.

He's (Crean) done an amazing job to rebuild the program, perfect APR scores, two Big Ten titles, etc.  I think (and predicted a few years ago) that he leaves on his own.  I don't think Joanie likes the craziness.  We'll see what happens, but there is a reason why a bunch of very good coaches don't take some of these jobs anymore, because the money difference isn't that great and the pressure not nearly as stupid.

At any rate, happy for another Big Ten title.  Hope they get healthy, they are a fun fun team to watch.  Happier to watch the MU haters have to choke on another prediction...an annual rite of passage.

[keefe]

Their fans are not a joke. THEY DON'T LIKE HIM! nobody wants a player or coach on their team who they cannot stand. It's the exact same scenario when he was at Marquette. Nobody wants him fronting their program because he's creepy and peculiar.

The Puerto Rican nailed it: Win or lose Tanned Tommy is a strange f#ck.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Crean's best coaching job since the Amigo's.    IMO, the first time his team's have overachieved their talent since that year.    He has cooled his seat.   

I said better, as he had some major, lingering off court issues that affected the early season on court performance.  Included in this was losing players for misconduct late and injuries.

I think the public wake up call with the team breaking the rules caused him to tighten the grip and focus.  Hopefully his ego stays in check as it made him a better coach.  We'll see.

[ChicosBailBonds]

i agree-BUT, i will admit that i was a huge fan of TC until the last couple of years.  good friend of mine's kid played for him and there were stories.  this wasn't the type of kid who would make a big deal out of things as he was forever grateful for the chances he got.  ok, that aside, TC could be really really good.  great recruiter, but his motivational skills need some honing...and maybe some image stuff, but what the hey, everyone has their quirks-heyn'a

  one thing-you have to admit-he knew when he took the indiana job, he knew he was walking into a potential buzz(whoops-no pun intended) saw.  maybe he thought, this is a once in a life time chance and buddy tom Iz would give him a few pointers.  and besides, the coin ain't bad

  i would love to see him nestle into a just below the radar program and make them real good-that would be the true vindication, show some growth and go out with a good legacy

I used to work with a guy that was a manager at San Diego State and played with Ryan Amoroso at SDSU.  Lots of fun stories, no doubt.  Of course there are some great ones about KO, MD, many I saw in person....same for Majerus, etc.

[ChicosBailBonds]

The Puerto Rican nailed it: Win or lose Tanned Tommy is a strange f#ck.

He is absolutely strange, no denying it.  Many head coaches are.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Interesting company - Big Ten champs

2012 Jon B, Tom Izzo, Thad Matta
2013 Tom Crean
2014 Jon B.
2015 Bo Ryan
2016 Tom Crean


Who would have thought Ryan or Izzo only shows up there one time the last five years and that TC and Jon B show up their twice?

[keefe]

He is absolutely strange, no denying it.  Many head coaches are.

The Bronze Beast is not just strange but weird in a nasty, someone got picked on as a kid way.

His antics - pushing a woman who didn't make copies precisely as he specified, kissing his son on the lips, carting out that guy in a wheelchair as a stage prop - defy understanding.

Bert is a weird f#ck but not in the same demented way as Tanned Tommy. Crean is a nasty sonuvabitch without the stones to back it up.   

[4everwarriors]

T-Cubed is kinda like a dude Maurice Lucas would hold out da 8th floor window of McCormick by his ankles, ai na?

[Sir Lawrence]

I worked at IU under Knight.  Yes, they are delusional.  The thing is, IU was IU because of Knight, in my opinion.  Sure they won two titles with Branch McCracken, but that was a different era entirely.  I've spoken to Fred Glass many times....he has strong connections to Marquette...his dad went to MU, his son went to IU.  Glass knows how many quality coaches wanted no part of IU because of the stupidity of the fan base.  He put it in much more eloquent and political words than I did, but the point is that their fans are ridiculous and seem to have forgotten the wandering abyss they have been in for decades.  The last 6 years under Knight were nothing special, then all the controversy, etc.

He's (Crean) done an amazing job to rebuild the program, perfect APR scores, two Big Ten titles, etc.  I think (and predicted a few years ago) that he leaves on his own.  I don't think Joanie likes the craziness.  We'll see what happens, but there is a reason why a bunch of very good coaches don't take some of these jobs anymore, because the money difference isn't that great and the pressure not nearly as stupid.

At any rate, happy for another Big Ten title.  Hope they get healthy, they are a fun fun team to watch.  Happier to watch the MU haters have to choke on another prediction...an annual rite of passage.

I agree, to an extent. Don't  think money doesn't outweigh risk at some point. Pitino to Louisville? Shaka to Texas? Pressure comes with any D1 coaching job. Whether IU or Wichita State. Any coach using the money vs. pressure claim isn't fit for a D1 job and I certainly don't want them at MU.

[keefe]

T-Cubed is kinda like a dude Maurice Lucas would hold out da 8th floor window of McCormick by his ankles, ai na?

A Marquette legend worth repeating!