Rick Bozich...Louisville-Courier Journa...Crean and Miller top choices for IU

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Does anyone else listen to sportsnight on AM 720 in Chicago with David Kaplan. It's a great show with great guests. Kaplan is good friends with a lot of people in the industry and a lot of college coaches including Izzo and Bruce Webber to name a couple. He speaks very highly of Crean and is a supporter of the program. A few weeks ago on the show, he said that Crean really wanted the Illinois job when it opened up a few years ago and was very disappointed when he didn't get it. He felt it was the right fit for him. Kaplan also said, he would be shocked if Crean isn't on IU's short list, but he would also be shocked if he left Marquette. Frankly, I would be too.

Not sure what my point is. Just wanted to share. 

People have denied that on this (and the other) board since then. But I know for a fact that Crean was very interested and it was discussed very seriously, but his personality was not a fit with their AD (who is a piece of work).

[Pardner]

At the IU Scout site, TC not even on the list of spec'ed potentials.  IU job very different than the Illini job of a couple of years ago.  Self left the cupboard full.  White, Gordon will be gone.  Bassett not too happy.  Montgomery is an interesting choice.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=170#s=170&f=2353&t=2115022

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Crean is an absolutely perfect fit for that Indiana job and I'm not saying that because I'm not a big fan. He's young, he's got a Big Ten pedigree, he's had success and, most importantly, he's clean as a whistle.

[IlikecreansoIcantposthere]

Crean is an absolutely perfect fit for that Indiana job and I'm not saying that because I'm not a big fan. He's young, he's got a Big Ten pedigree, he's had success and, most importantly, he's clean as a whistle.

Sounds like a coach any program would love.  I wish we had a guy like that...oh, wait.

[Marquette84]

When does Indiana lose the glow of living of increasingly distant history?

--Have won just one Big Ten title in the last 15 years (compared to eight in the 15 years previously).
--Just one final four in the last 15 years (Compared to three championships between 76 and 87).
--Have fired three coaches since 2000 (four, if you count Dakich). 
--Two of those fired coaches brought Indiana to the final four. 
--Upgraded competition in the Big Ten with Beilien at Michigan, Smith at Minnesota, plus Purdue, UW, MSU.
--Significantly more competition for in-state recruits from ND, Purdue & Butler.
--Over-inflated expectations of fans, alums & boosters, bordering on UK-like fervor.
--Indiana HS has lost the advantage of having better players after the advent of AAU and club programs.
--3 NIT's in the last four years
--You have to live in Bloomington Indiana

If you're an top-level coach in a comfortable situation (ie. Barnes, Crean), why would you even consider Indiana?   What can you gain that you don't already have?   What do you gain that offsets all those negatives?

[muwarrior87]

When does Indiana lose the glow of living of increasingly distant history?

--Have won just one Big Ten title in the last 15 years (compared to eight in the 15 years previously).
--Just one final four in the last 15 years (Compared to three championships between 76 and 87).
--Have fired three coaches since 2000 (four, if you count Dakich). 
--Two of those fired coaches brought Indiana to the final four. 
--Upgraded competition in the Big Ten with Beilien at Michigan, Smith at Minnesota, plus Purdue, UW, MSU.
--Significantly more competition for in-state recruits from ND, Purdue & Butler.
--Over-inflated expectations of fans, alums & boosters, bordering on UK-like fervor.
--Indiana HS has lost the advantage of having better players after the advent of AAU and club programs.
--3 NIT's in the last four years
--You have to live in Bloomington Indiana

If you're an top-level coach in a comfortable situation (ie. Barnes, Crean), why would you even consider Indiana?   What can you gain that you don't already have?   What do you gain that offsets all those negatives?

probably about the same time ND football does 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Crean is good friends with Sampson.  That being said, I don't know how/why IU would hire him.

Why....just because you're friends with someone doesn't mean you're guilty of what the guy did?  That's like saying a candidate is a whack job because his spiritual advisor is a whack job.  Should be mutually exclusive.

[Marquette84]

Crean is good friends with Sampson.  That being said, I don't know how/why IU would hire him.

Why....just because you're friends with someone doesn't mean you're guilty of what the guy did?  That's like saying a candidate is a whack job because his spiritual advisor is a whack job.  Should be mutually exclusive.

I think the implication is that Crean wouldn't take the job since IU fired his friend, then rendered the point moot by questioning why IU would want Crean.

[tower912]

My wife was raised on Indiana basketball, of the age to be a huge Steve Alford fan.   Her affection for basketball is one of the things that attracted me to her.   So, today, when I mention that it is rumored that TC is on the short list for the IU job, she says "Why?  Marquette is a better job right now.   Indiana isn't that great a job anymore."     I love this woman.

[Knight Commission]

Does anyone else listen to sportsnight on AM 720 in Chicago with David Kaplan. It's a great show with great guests. Kaplan is good friends with a lot of people in the industry and a lot of college coaches including Izzo and Bruce Webber to name a couple. He speaks very highly of Crean and is a supporter of the program. A few weeks ago on the show, he said that Crean really wanted the Illinois job when it opened up a few years ago and was very disappointed when he didn't get it. He felt it was the right fit for him. Kaplan also said, he would be shocked if Crean isn't on IU's short list, but he would also be shocked if he left Marquette. Frankly, I would be too.

Not sure what my point is. Just wanted to share.

 

My recollection was Crean turned it down. It would've been a pay cut.