Indiana and Uk are both trash but IU is far worse.
-Both have top 5 NIL and funding.
(Maybe rumors are true and you guys actually suck at NiL, however IU players get paid)
-Both have huge fanbases that buy tickets and watch commercials.
-both have success in multiple decades which means fans from multiple generations (u conn sorry)
How and is IU relative to its resources and fan base? Think about that.
UK has about 4 years of true superiority over Indiana, as the 2016 B1G champs were IUs last whiff of national relevance in a decade of being very good and mediocre year over year. UK has been better since Sampson, no doubt, but IU did field competitive teams that had a chance even if they choked when it mattered. Let’s not debate the details of who’s better by how much. We all know generally speaking where things fall.
IU decided when Crean flopped with a great class in 2017 to move on to greener pastures and get someone more consistently good. Creans highs were high but his lows were low. We were NIT floor and sweet 16 ceiling with some B1G championships. Let’s take another step up right?
You have to understand that IU, UK, Michigan football, Alabama, has a lot of money and a lot of interest. They’re basically social clubs for rich people.
When Crean started struggling in 2017 the former players and boosters and admin all wanted to get their own guy. The NBA old guard wanted Woodson, they were friends with the big boosters. The former players who weren’t NBA wanted their guy, Alford. The admin wanted a different guy. Somebody was going to win.
They all were playing politics. The admin decided to cut support for crean and screwed him mid season so a firing would go over well with the fans. He’s been saying this recently, the admin was totally toxic the last year and tried to fail. The NBA old guard thought they were getting Woodson in. The former players thought Alford. Keep in mind the boosters are buddies with the celeb NBA guys. The admin didn’t even interview Woodson and he took it personally. He complained to the old guard and the boosters and everyone agreed their buddy Mike was a genius and a Knight guy that would save the program if only he hasn’t been screwed and disrespected.
The AD went with Archie pretty much from the second he had funding. No search, that would mean he’d have to consider Woody and Alford. This came with, I believe, certain requirements about system and recruiting Archie had to obey that more or less limited him to Indiana kids and squeaky clean recruiting tactics. The AD thought he knew why Crean hadn’t been consistently good and imposed his solutions on the new coach.
Archie failed and the boosters who were buddies with Isiah Thomas and Buckner and the nba old guard agreed to fund the buyout with a stipulation. They could try for the head coach of the Boston Celtics in the middle of a playoff push or Mike Woodson. You see what was offered was really just a ruse to make Mike Woodson coach. Our billionaires and NBA guys all pat themselves on the back. The horrible wrong of not interviewing Mike Woodson was corrected and now Iu basketball is saved. And the AD is bragging about the DEI as his great achievement since taking on the role. I don’t want to debate DEI, but we all agree DEI alone isn’t winning anything. I’m pointing out that our AD only has DEI to brag about right now, since we’ve accomplished nothing in any sport during his tenure, let alone basketball.
Woodson is a former player and legend. He’s DEI. He’s best buddies with the main group of people that fund buyouts. He’s best buddies with the board who would have to agree to let the funds move to hire and fire a coach. He is unfirable from every single angle.
Mike underperformed three years with all American talent and this last season he dropped the third worst performance in program history. And he had a roster full of seniors and 5 star talent. That includes being worse than 1 of 3 Tom crean death penalty years with walk ons. Let that sink in. We’re keeping him. The players actually told the fans to ‘chill’ because ‘we’re running it back’.
We’re actually doing it too. We’re actually keeping the same coach and Same staff and the same seniors that shot 62% from the line and ran the 101st best efficiency metrics in the county and running it back. We were 350th out of 361 teams in D1 basketball at 3pt shooting. We’re running it back. Everyone got a raise. Mike Woodson is the tenth highest paid coach in CBB and this team is a top five paid team in CBB.
Archie got four years and the boosters agree with the board which is chaired by an NBA great and Woodson buddy: Archie got four, so does Mike Woodson. Right now we have ZERO recruits for next year. This is quite literally the lowest point in IU basketball history. Yet everyone involved is making more money and having more fun than ever.
No, I do not think firing Calipari is a smart move. He may only be failing bc of all the 5/6 year covid guys are better than freshmen. That stops in 25.
He always gets guys. UK beat IU on Fland bc Calipari has a track record of NBA success. That’s the sole reason. He’s also making the tournament.
Bad luck happens. Some 26 year old shoots 60% from three on the best night of his life and it ends the UK season early, sucks but it’s part of basketball. UKs got a foundation with Cal that works and gives a chance every season. IU hasn’t had a chance 5 of the last 7 years. Losing cal means starting over with nothing.
It remains to be seen if Cals one and done system is over or just not working with Covid seniors. I’d wait and see how 2025 goes.
If you fire Calipari you have 33 million dollars of outside influence to deal with when choosing the next hire. The AD is just a pawn getting pushed around by boosters the board and former players. The best situation is Cal moving to the brand ambassador or whatever role his contract has for him. You realize this role is basically booster schmoozer. If you fire him and offend his boosters you’ll be far worse off. Youll have no recruiting, NIl may drop, you might get a nostalgia hire or a flash in the pan hire or a guy who has absurd rules about how to play and recruit imposed on him by the admin.
You’re not Indiana yet but you are one bad hire away from it, or maybe you’ll be worse. We’re the same style of program with the same basic features.
If you keep cal you’re at least a tournament team every year. I’d give you guys a 20% of hiring the right guy next time. And 80% you hire a boosters favorite guy to have a drink with. There’s plenty of room here in the dumpster, come join us and UCLA in the Assembly Hall Dusty Banner Mike Woodson Whiskey Pole Barn and celebrate losing to Kansas at home with Woody’s rich friends over some cigars and wine. I’m not even kidding you, it’s actually real. It’s a real place and they really do have cigars and wine after getting murdered by UConn and Auburn and Kansas. We’re back baby.
IU has never been worse. You’re one bad hire from us. Let the AD do his thing. If he ain’t moving it’s because he sees all the politics of moving 33 million for a buyout and 10 million for the next guys buyout and that he might not be in a position to make an improvement after spending the money. Right now IU is a dumpster fire and the coach and staff and former players and boosters are having a great time and getting paid more than ever. It’s a big party and nobody cares about the actual results.
They get hang out and drink and play golf and everyone is getting big bucks. Nobody has been fired for the third worst season in program history. Nobody has been fired for the fact we ZERO recruits and surrendered the state to Purdue who’s dominated the series for a decade and is on its way to a final four.
In fact rumors are out there we’re going to bring in Kenny Payne to round out the staff. Even more fun in the whiskey barn next year for the staff and boosters.
Fire Cal? You think he’s a problem? You think you have it bad? Wait till the boosters turn it into a millionaire NBA nostalgia social club and see how bad it can get. Wait til your 2ppg super senior tells you to chill out or you’re not a true fan and not worry because they’re gonna run back the worst season in history.
-Coach and staff: paid top ten in country
-boosters: wined dined and socialized
-tickets: sold
-commercials: watched
-NBA guys: drafted
-bench guys: paid top ten in the country
-revenue: top 30 in the country
-profits: best in college athletics
That’s IU. Everyone is happy why not run it back?
It will be you too soon enough. I bet the IU/UK series will make more money than ever before. Battle of the Dusty banners. Can’t wait for my post game cigar.
