Hi folks, welcome back to Crimson cast.
We're trying to keep your day going.
Trying to keep it going during this quiet period.
You know, who knows? I'm assuming this is going to be
fairly Evergreen, but maybe there's an announcement that we
have to change this up, but I'm very excited to have our old
friend, Chris on at IU artifacts, One of the best,
Twitter followers out there, you can't see it, but his background
is just like an ayush morges Board of of stuff and he's got a
row of like all the helmets up, there it goes from the old
block, I to the like bright red block, I to the Mallory block.
I to the Cameron oval. I'll let you talk on a second.
Chris. And then you have the, the to
Pitchfork eyes, the updated, I the Chrome, striped one, which I
love and then the script Indiana one.
Just one assortment of helmets. Chris man.
How you doing? I'm good.
It's got a good to see you. I will thanks for hopping on.
Let me talk about your helmets and we'll catch y'all next time
on currency cash. That's it.
That's all he get. That's it.
Yeah, yeah so no man it's a weird time.
You know what? We'll start with this.
We're recording this on a Tuesday afternoon.
We can kind of start here and then work our way backwards.
It's funny. We were just talking about how
right now that shatter is Calbert cheaney.
I mean, who knows? It's like we've been burned by
this chat. Chatters.
Crazy. But as you were saying, like
it's crazy it you know change just got mention a couple
minutes ago is already Eight Pages of content.
Like this shows it's a reignited fanbase it's funny that we're
all these people were the last couple couple of months which I
get it like everyone kind of checked out but this shows how
fired up the fan base is right now for this.
Yeah, I you know the the idea of from the national media that the
IU job is irrelevant in our fan base is crazy.
Well, yeah, we're crazy. And we're nuts and insane.
But we also have passion and there's No disregarding that but
you know, it's one of those things where we want the right
hire. You know, I'm in a position
where I just want the guy who's going to come in and restore the
Legacy. Who's going to bring us back to
where we want to be, where the fanbase wants to be.
And you know, I don't think it's asking a lot to go to the NCAA
tournament after the last four years.
So yeah, it's just exhausting. It is been an exhausting week.
We've been kind of pulled all over the place and I think from
an emotional standpoint, we don't understand all the ins
Now, sit go in this circumstance, we don't
understand what's going through Scott.
Dolson said, and we're just impatient and I think is a fan
base. That's our biggest flaws were
impatient when it comes to this kind of situation but we also
want to make sure it's the right higher.
So that's that's to me is the most important part.
Yeah, you mentioned the national guys and we'll work our way back
to let you get your thoughts on Archie out there too.
But this is one thing that does really bother me and I'm
assuming I speak for a lot of IU fans, like I get tired of the
national guys. On one hand, they talk about
tradition with other programs. Like you know North Carolina and
Kansas The Rock Chalk Jayhawk and you know, the the UCLA and
like it's like all these. It's great to be steeped in
Tradition. That's awesome.
And then it feels like. And again we're very myopic
very, you know, tunnel vision for Indiana, but then, it feels
like whatever we talk about our history.
It's like man, you're living in 87 years.
Want bob Knight back like, it's like, we're not allowed to have
tradition, but yet every other program is I wonder what that
is. I think part of it is that a lot
of other schools have updated more to the times like Duke has
a bunch of alternative uniforms you know, same old, same with
North Carolina but it does seem like a little bit of a double
standard that they love spouting off about the tradition of the
Blue Bloods. And then whenever we try and
have some tradition, it's like all we want to do is live in the
80s. Yeah.
And it's interesting because every year when we have a team
in the tournament like Gonzaga, who's undefeated lo and behold,
what are we talking about the 76 Hoosiers?
So it's like you know, the media can pick and choose when they
want to do. Discuss the tradition of Indiana
University basketball but it's going to come up inevitably
every year because 76 Hoosiers are always in the discussion and
whether people want to overemphasize the greatest March
Madness team or not, it's been discussed.
So you can't Overlook that. But I think I think to The
Branding is a big thing, you know, you look at the
traditionalist that have enjoyed the similar uniforms and the
similar Styles and and the, you know, she's not changing it up
with a few notable exceptions. Options in the Big Ten
tournament in the in the NCAA tournament.
I think we're at one of those Crossroads situations where the
new hire needs to jolt the program and gives it get up to
speed. It could be names on the back of
the jerseys, it could be the script alternates that we see
with Ohio State and Wisconsin and a lot of the teams are with
Nike, but not to say you can't do that with Adidas.
Something's got to give because I think the biggest criticism
that we receive is that we do fall back on 87 and 81 and so
forth but But you know, you look at what the last 20 Seasons,
we've been to the tournament half of that, you know, the
other blue, the other Blue Bloods have traditionally been
contending and have won titles and I think that's the one thing
that the national media likes to point out.
But on the flip side, you know, they can't Overlook the fact
that the passion is there with the fan base, it always has been
and always will be no matter what and whether you like
dockage or not dockage alludes to that.
And whether you like to listen to Titus or not, he alludes to
As well. A lot of these guys are
discussing the fact that the tradition is always going to be
there and it is and I think, Mark, Titus said it really well.
It is different in Indiana, it is different.
There is something different about Indiana, the whole state,
the whole makeup in terms of the the ihsa tournament the state
tournament. Indiana basketball is just
different whether it's at the high school level in the
Collegiate level. So The Branding situation needs
an upgrade, I think to some extent and I hope that that's
something that is considered with the the new coach but the
you meant that we're not relevant is total bullshit and I
refuse to buy into that because again these again the
conversation always comes back every year, it came back with
UNLV, it came back with Gonzaga, it's come back with all these
teams that have been in the tournament undefeated and lo and
behold here we are again and you can't say that it's not relevant
when the last tournament. Last undefeated team was
nineteen. Seventy six and a half inch to
be Indiana. Yeah.
Well you mentioned the traditions and this we're going
to jump into this. Because you mentioned it.
I this is what I really wanted to have you on about is that and
by the way if you're not following on Twitter it's a
great follow at IU artifacts but it was actually a tweet.
You had on March 17th. That got me thinking about this
that you tweeted a uniform from the 67 to 70.
Look and it's a it's script. Indiana doubt block, Indiana
down the side. The shorts are just this bizarre
like triangle and you kind of you know the history of like the
I you looking all of this I do think it's interesting.
Thing, that a lot of people, you know, our age, we understand
this, but what I'll lay out, I'm not sure everyone fully gets
that when you think of Indiana like the idea of like, well we
run the motion offense and Candy, striped pants.
And, you know, the, you know, the the warm-up with the collar,
like all that stuff, you know, a lot of it is, is kind of of the
era of bob Knight that like, I remember my Grandma had a bunch
of like hurrying Hoosier stuff like the the Hoosiers, the 40s
and the 50s and 60s, that my grandmother remembers like they
Were running gun team like they were the Warriors before the
Warriors. Not a lot of Defense, a ton of
push the ball up and then, you know, this jersey kind of got me
thinking that, you know, before before night was a total crazy
different branding. And so I think a lot of people
think that, you know, the way it's been is just way it's
always been and I'm not saying it's like, you know, we're stuck
in the night. Are what I'm saying is, I don't
think people fully understand there's a lot of history before
night. There's two titles before night
and so the idea of like name's not Games like candy stripe, not
candy, stripe. Like some of this stuff we had
won titles without Candy Stripes, without all the stuff,
we're thinking of running a totally different system, so
there's not really a question there.
There's not something you could talk to that.
I think a lot of people get wrapped up and like this is the
way Indiana basketball is, and it's like, well, it's the way it
kind of crystallized and I don't want to give the national guys
credit, but it did kind of crystallized in the 70s and 80s.
And then we got kind of stuck in it, but the history of IU
basketball from, you know, the Turn of the sent you a 1900 s to
1970 was kind of a lot of different Innovations, different
offenses, and different looks. Yeah.
The hurry. The interesting thing I always
find is when we talk about the 70 16 and we, you know, I have a
couple of these trophy balls that are that are like
presentation, trophy, balls, and they're painted up and they have
like, you know, 1976 national champions and they say her and
Hoosiers on and I always find that ironic because the hurry
and Hoosiers was this McCracken run again style.
Where you Write your centers already down at the end of the
floor, they never take the ball inbounds, and you're running an
offense to score as many points and run your opponent out of the
gym. And with night, it was much more
defensive oriented like you said, motion offense for passes,
set and go. So, but I think, you know, if
you look back, you know, just in terms of the evolution of
McCracken kept things, very specific to his way and then
when Lou Watson came in to replace him, the only thing he
really did was change the uniform style like you alluded
to the one I posted. It has like the Chicago Bulls
look of the 70s on it. But I think to me, you know, I
think too many people and myself included to get bogged down
with, we are Indiana. We shouldn't have to change.
And I've really, if you had asked me six months ago, I would
have said, hell no, we need to keep things the same.
Let's bring the piping back on the uniforms, but to me, we need
a facelift. We need a facelift.
And, you know, we hear this term reimage.
We need to re-energize the fan base.
Well, When I came in, he re-energize the fan base, he
changed everything, he changed the colour, you know, the last
year, the new Watson was here. We wore dark blood Crimson
uniforms and with white and they were like any color we've ever
had and not use them the first season because of financial
situations, they weren't going to buy new uniforms and then
boom, 72-73 they go to the final four and where are they wearing
red and white and think about how far away we were from the
cream and Crimson until, you know, we had that nut job from
San Diego Oh, that came in and hijacked the logo, and the
colors and all that Michael McNeely.
Yeah. Paying what, $250,000 to stretch
the logo. That was a great waste of money.
But anyways, my point is not that became the norm and it
became the norm because we were successful.
You think about the Big Ten titles, you think about the
national titles. And then for someone like me who
grew up in the late 80s, early 90s following IU basketball,
that was the tradition, the candy stripes.
With the long, lapels, the script Indiana on the back, that
was the norm and this in the uniform Style.
Never changed. And I think for me, the one
thing that I appreciated is that even even Tom crean, they
dabbled in a little bit of some of some style changes.
They wore that one uniform in the Big Ten Tournament, I think
in 2014 where it said Hoosiers on the front was the only time
we've ever worn a uniform with Hoosiers on it.
And then we had some alternate Styles and then you know, in 16
we go to we go to play it in Hawaii at the the I think of as
the power armor game against Kansas, Us and we're in the
wearing those God awful, ugly camo jerseys, but at least it
was something different. And I think I think to me
whoever has to come in Fast and people have to understand that
change is going to happen. You know, when Lou Watson came
in his second season, he introduced that much different
design of had black trim on it and then when night came in he
hijacked that the style and no one, really questioned it and lo
and behold it worked because he won and nobody cared.
I think to me when the coach comes in Going to be, I would
think that they're going to have some input and I think Dolson
would be receptive receptive. Even Dolson who's an old-school
IU basketball, guys manager on the 87 team, he's going to be
receptive to listening to a Rebrand because what it's going
to do is it may re-energize a fan base that's been kind of in
a law for a really long time. And honestly, if we went, I
could care less. I really could care less.
As long as we win, I could care less what the uniforms look
like. That's the reason I wanted.
To talk to you specifically for a lot of reasons is but it does.
This is one area where I do think National, you know we have
gotten stuck that you know before night our program was
kind of a program of you know new coach comes in new
Innovations like you said, you Branch McCracken.
We're going to go through the whole history of things but you
know McCracken ran the hurry and Hoosier style is totally
different style than Watson came in.
He changed things up and then like it is night.
Basically changed everything like you know, Candy Stripes,
the, the warm-ups that Colors. The logo, the under 8 timeout,
if that matters, you know, matters to me.
But like that that was from that like all the Traditions came
from night and then we did kind of just like our or locked in
like now we can't change anymore.
When really up to that point our history was you bring a new
coach and they bring in all their ideas.
And I agree with you, I think we're at an inflection point
where I love the Traditions more than anybody else.
Like, I remember being on podcast with gaalan talking
about stripe outs and how it should work, you know, the Big
Heads Drive. Me drove me nuts.
But I am at the point where it's like, all right, winning Jared
mentioned as I want Jared Morris.
Somebody called mentions that one of our other podcasts I love
it. Like winning is the only sacred
cow right now and everything else is kind of immaterial.
And if it means we have different jerseys, means you get
rid of the Candy Stripes, it means we have names and back, I
don't care. I want to have a better program
and what's also kind of fun. As if you have a new coach come
in, let's say this get rid of candy stripes and put names on
The Backs. I know that that's like, you
know, Nails on a chalkboard for everybody but then you know,
five or six years from then you. Retro make hate, we're bringing
back the candy stripes and then it's like you can get a, we're
gonna go back to the old, they try things, but II do think that
is something that I hope we see with a new coach that they come
in. And kind of have a stamp that
says, this is my program, like, I'm going to take control and
you got to, you got to be comfortable me grabbing the
wheel for a while and I don't think this is why Archie had
issues. But you did feel with Archie, he
kind of felt it again. This is me psychoanalyzing you
but it did feel like he was kind of just boxed in and didn't feel
like he could be himself and maybe that bled too.
Like I can't really run the offense.
I rotten the defense, I want that.
It's like I'm kind of I'm stuck in this very small box and I
can't change the songs, I can't change the pants, I can't change
anything and like I'm just I'm playing a part as an actor
versus me being able to do my own role well and to his credit.
I did hear Whispers that for a glass was it was more of a
traditionalist and didn't like the alternates and wanting
things very one-dimensional. No matter how many options
mock-ups. That have that were created by
Adidas. The one thing I think about with
with night also that I think was a struggle to carry over is
that? Because he brought in so many
players from Indiana. They didn't need the flashiness,
you know, the locker room had plywood lockers and they were
about as Plain Jane's. You could possibly imagine
nowadays. You walk into the locker room
and you see what's there and you see.
Now every time you update your facilities within two years,
they're outdated again and It's just the norm of the society is
you're not going to be able to find the types of players
everywhere every year inside Indiana, especially that are
going to come to Indiana, tradition only for the
tradition. I think those days are gone.
I don't think we are going to be able to get those guys like Mike
Lewis or a Luke wrecker and you know, some people may not want
me to mention record but my point is that guys who came to
Indiana specifically because they knew what they were coming
for, they knew about the tradition, we here, you know.
When we hear from recruits they you know they say well you know
I've heard about the tradition but they really don't they don't
want to play here because of the Candy Stripes they want to play
here because they want to win national titles.
They're aware that we've won five but they want to be a part
of something. And I think the rebranding thing
is something that is going to be inevitable and I think in the
long run the traditionalists are just going to have to get on
board with it and and if not then they're just going to be a
part of the honestly the problem because you have to embrace
change. And I'm one that does not like
change from a historical standpoint and tradition
standpoint. But for me like, you know,
alluding to what Jared said, we need to win.
You need to win now. And if the coach wants to come
in and do his thing, I'm all for it.
Well, again, I think that we're almost going against what
Indiana is like, Indiana was a university of change like the
basketball program changed over and over again.
And then we did this kind of get caught in the night thing, I
would say this to, this is a very small point, but back when
you could play like the end, Belay football video games, the
NCAA basketball video games. I'm an IU fan.
I'd always play with IU. But then it's like, all right,
like that. Got boring because Without You
footballs, like you had two jerseys, and then it's like, I'm
gonna go play the organ. It's like, it's fun as hell,
because they have, like, 80 different jerseys, and, I mean,
12 helmet. Yeah.
Yeah, there's yeah. And I mean, I know, it's silly
and my dad would be like, I, what you're talking makes no
sense to me, but it's like, it matters.
Like you literally just have LeBron joking about how like
nobody plays with a jazz on NBA 2K and it's like this.
It sounds silly and you kind of scoff but it's like this kind of
this shit matters. And I remember the buzz and the
interest when football came out with their uniforms and the the
Chrome striped helmet that I'm looking at behind you, like
that. Put IU football in a different
spot people feel like. Wow.
That's cool. Like that's it's something
different it's Unique and you know football is able to kind of
do that because it's like a blank slate and there's almost
like a negative amount of tradition football so it's like
you can do whatever you want. But yeah I really hope that no
matter who comes out of this coaching search, it's somebody
who's willing to say look there's no sacred, there's
nothing sacred on the table here.
And in fact, we need to change stuff up because it is, you
know, the other story that I've heard too is that you mentioned
the locker rooms? Like I've heard this multiple
places, I'm not getting in the way, like my understanding is
that Romeo Langford was the one who was like, yo, man, like I'm
getting recruited by other schools and your facilities
aren't up to Snuff and like, that's that's kind of what drove
that? Zeller ola.
Depot kind of Players Lounge and to me it's like it's it's good
that that happen that way it's good that we did it.
But why do you have an 18 year old recruit telling you?
Your stuff is not up to snuff? Like why are you not as a
university being proactive to be like, we've got to get ahead of
the Joneses here. And you need you need somebody
kind of driving that force and it really, it should be the
basketball coach, because they're the one tied into that.
Yeah. And I think that's the one thing
about the tradition talk is that, you know, we want to hear
about tradition, but, you know, The kids these days unless
they've heard from about Bob knife from their parents, or
they've watched the video of him throwing the chair, the years,
keep passing, and passing in the connection between the current
generation and night. It continues to become more and
more distant. And so I think when we thought
when we think about what is traditionally IU basketball
under bob Knight, no one's going to know what that means today.
Unless you grew up on Indiana basketball, no one's going to
know. And nowadays it is about what is
going. To be flashy, what is going to
be new, what is going to be different.
And I think for football, you know, you talk about the
rebranding, that was one of the best things, Kevin Wilson and we
did is change things up from the monotony of the block II or the
Trident or whatever. I love the block.
I love the traditional look. But the, you know, on a night
where it was raining and you saw the water dripping down the side
of those chrome helmets that was a damn good look.
And so I think you know, and that's one of the things that
we, you know, and I'm not putting this on Archie because
everybody blames him from having no personality and not being You
know, someone that wants to come in and shake hands and kiss
babies. You just wanted to coach
basketball but we need something and as crazy as cream could be,
he tried to do that. He tried to be someone that was
going to energize the fan base and it did work.
He just alienated. So many people in athletics,
let's just face it. So I think come in with a new
Fresh idea in get the energized program, going change things up
so that you are getting people to buy into the fact that That
changes. Good changes going to happen,
but winds are going to come are going to happen with it.
When and I think that is that is kind of the the Panacea that
solves everything is that, you know, winning is what matters
because it is. We talk about football and I'm
looking at the helmets there, it's like, you know, Kim
Cameron, tried the oval. That was a massive Rebrand, but
we didn't win, like, we might look back.
By the way, I have a, there's always a soft spot that was the
time. I went to IU.
That's what that was my four years in college.
Like, I have a soft spot for that in my heart.
Yeah. Had we one of two Big Ten titles
with the oval. Like we've looked back on that
way differently than we do now. I think part of the reason we
look at the Kevin Wilson and Tom Allen rebrands like it's working
and so in the end like you just need some wins and obviously you
know I'd rather have a coach come in and win then you know,
change our, change our warm-ups and then also lose.
But it does feel like the two are somewhat tied together
because you know kids are different.
These days interests are different, you know.
What's important is a little bit different and I always like, I
keep on equating to my dad, but having my Dad, I'm trying to
talk to him like to meet Christian Christian.
Landers like a perfect example of what is kind of wrong with
the IU fan base at times is I'll use my dad again as an example.
He's like well Landers not good like why should you play more
and like well Daddy's a five-star who reclassified the
he needs to play more. My dad's like but he's not good.
It's like I get it, but five stars who reclassify don't come
to play four minutes and if you play them for minutes like they
have Watch a you friends who then aren't going to now.
Come like he wants to come and play in the NBA and then and my
dad's point is valid like well he's not good enough.
It's like I get it but you got to figure it out and these kids
are here to win but they're also here to become, professional
athletes, and go ahead. Not come in here, they're not
coming here to sit on the bench. Not coming here to burn a year
as a redshirt. You know, that, you know, the
days about and some programs can do that.
But yeah, if you got a guy that's coming in and he's Going
in as a five-star. You want him to see him on the
floor because you want that to be the standard to get more
players and get better talent. And I, you know, I and part of
it, you know, what, if a Coach comes in and wins and he keeps
things the same more power to them if we can win without
putting names on the back of jerseys.
Great. But if we need to do something,
I'll just leave it at this if we need to do something different
to re-energize the fan base. Fine.
And if the haters want to hate then let them hate.
But they're going to eventually going to have to get on board
and support the Game or just going.
That's why I see ya. So before we talk a little bit
about the coaching search and where we're at, you know?
Do you? Do you have any kind of like
final thoughts or just, you know, overall idea feelings from
the Archie error that you want to get out or just kind of, you
know, saying goodbye to to the last four years?
You know, I kept waiting for the hump, you know, I kept waiting
and I keep hearing all these topic talks about, you know, the
first season he had was his Is probably his best team overall
and and where it is Romeo fit. And I was little listening to a
little bit of you and Gail and talking about this morning.
You know, that that Romeo Season is still a mystery to me about,
you know, that hold that hold kind of fit together.
I just the thing that got me. So frustrated is where I was
hearing the same rhetoric from Archie in your 401, you know, it
was the same, you know, we're not playing tough, we're not.
Taking shots, we're not doing this and it just comes down to a
point where you take initiative. You take control of your team in
a way. And, and again, I'm, I'm the
classic, you know, you know, I'm the, I'm the Lazy Boy, coach
sitting there and screaming at the TV and I never played
basketball competitively after middle school.
So what the hell? I know, but from a fan
standpoint, it just never seemed like things were improving.
Like we would have a great game and then things would fall off
the rails and then, you know, it was like I can't really imagine
can't remember a team shooting worse in my lifetime and I you
history. So I just felt that that that
was always this Dark Cloud over Archie and I could care less if
he just wanted to be a basketball coach and didn't want
it all the other Fanfare. But when when you're not
changing your tune, when the rhetorics not changing and
things just don't feel, right? And you have that gut feeling
inside of just something's got to give here and it's not
giving. Then I I applaud Dolson for
making the change because I think Going into this season,
the animosity would have been at an all-time high ticket sales
would have been low especially after this year when the
Athletic Department lost, however, many tens of millions
of dollars in Lost Revenue. I just think that, you know,
this was the opportunity and you could say, well, you know, bad
bad publicity during a pandemic are, well, Auburn, did it say,
you know, Temple did it schools did it?
So, I just think the change was the right time I was high on
Hachi when he came in, but it just didn't click in the The
end? Yeah, well, I've said this a
couple different places. I think, you know, we're some of
the national guys are doing the, you know, the super easy like,
oh, are you fans are overreacting, like why do they
expect more? I think what was good about this
move in? A lot of ways, is that it saved
us from kind of that last year that we had with crean wherever,
you know, people had already dug in their heels.
They didn't, you know, you can't fire crane after a Big Ten
title. So you have to give him that.
Let that next year, I think they shouldn't probably should happen
to earlier but like people Dug in.
And then it got just kind of ugly and funky at the end.
Everyone we've talked to and everyone I've heard on podcast
is all kind of had the same feel, which is like, hey, I
think this is a good, a good breakup.
And like I have no ill will toward Archie.
I think had we done it. Another year, had we waited
another year? Yeah, the buyout would have been
less, but I think it would have been a pretty unhappy divorce.
Like, I don't think people would be saying like, oh, well, you
know, I wish Archie well and it's like, it would have been
like, man, this guy screwed us up and like now we got to
rebuild again, that there would have been Mysterious Venom
probably on both sides. And so I think it was very, very
smart of Dolson to see that and react because you're even seeing
it now, just the amount of Interest that's like, back in
basketball, I knew it. I was mentioning it.
I was feeling how lack how lackluster the interest was.
I don't think I fully understood even till now.
When you see just stuff lighting up and people just getting so
fired up a basketball game. It's great but I just didn't
even realize how Much of the fan base is kind of just gone into
hibernation mode. Yeah.
And you know I heard it was listening to Archie's comments
after the Rutgers game you could just kind of tell that he knew
what was coming. You know he kind of said you
know that's above my pay grade and the athletic department is
going to make the decision but he sounded like a guy that was
almost relieved. Like it was going to be over.
I don't know if I want to look at it that way specifically
because I don't see him as someone who's giving up.
But I just I didn't see an emotion.
On him of I'm going to fight, like, hell to keep my job.
I'm going to do whatever I can to keep my job.
It's almost like he expected it and I was a little surprised
when I heard the announcement, but then in the end, I was like,
you know, like you said the timings right next year.
If we had sucked again, the Mutiny would have been there.
And, you know, it's, I saw someone posts something on
Twitter where, you know, there was a couple of major donors who
got sick of of cream and then he got fired.
But it was almost like the entire And bass was coming at
Archie with the pitchforks. Yeah, yeah.
So where we're at now is you know we had where we sit now.
It's Tuesday, it is March 23rd, I guess Calbert cheaney is our
hot coaching Prospect? Like we what are your thoughts
of where we're at? We have the the week-long Brad
Stevens fever dream. I'd love to get your thoughts on
that. We had the weekend of like Mike
Woodson is interviewing and then people freaking out like that's
good. That's bad word.
Does that sit on the state of the program?
You know? Now, it seems like we're talking
Calbert cheaney, you know, the something funky happened
yesterday, where it almost feels like there was a vendetta to get
that Thad Matta thing out there. Like I don't know why that's
somebody comes out and like we're talking about his health
which I know he's got health issues but it should as it
could. That was just that was all
nothing was good about that. But that was almost like we want
to have a hatchet job for both fat and I you it it I use been
so tight-lipped about this. I think it's great.
And by the way I think fans should just like, take a breath.
It's going to take some time and even today I knew it was gonna
happen. Like Armand, Franklin said he's
going in the transfer portal which doesn't mean he's
transferring it, to me. He's keeping his options open,
which he should, we don't have a coach but everyone's now like,
oh my God, I see on Twitter. Like, you know, some people are
saying. Well look, we gotta get it, we
gotta get a coach. We got higher.
It's like, nope, we calm down. But I'm I'm what are your
thoughts? As we've gone through this
process? Well, I'm exhausted.
First and foremost because you need well, I'm one of those
Those idiots that is glued to pigs and I know I shouldn't be
on the click bait, you know, junkie when it comes to this
kind of stuff and and but I think no one truly knows.
I give I give props to Dolson. He and his inner circle are not
leaking a damn thing and I think it's a great thing.
Yeah. But I think part of it also is
that we are patience level is through the roof, but I think I
can't remember if it who posted it.
That, you know, we're in that were in that buffer in that zone
right now where the previous hires.
You've had the last three have been, you know, late March.
So we should expect something soon.
The Stevens thing, you know, it's interesting.
I kept hearing different things about, you know, it's definitely
going to happen to know. There's no chance in how I never
felt good about it because, you know, you know who leaves collar
lose the MBA for college these days, which I think is an
interesting point. And does he really want to come
back and relive a Boyhood dream about, you know, coaching the
team that he grew up on? But it did seem more real than
the, you know, No erroneous garbage that we were fed about
Billy Donovan which you know, my brother-in-law was on Donovan
staff as a grad assistant in Florida when I called him and
said, hey there's some crazy rumor that dominance here with
his wife looking at horse farm. She's like, are you that stupid
to believe that? You know, I Caillou gobel is not
going to happen and so yeah. But you know, I knew it was a
long shot, but it was clear that I you made an effort for.
There may have been an offer may not have been, who knows but
it's not going to happen but Concern.
Before I go into some specifics is I'm just worried that we were
so emotionally invested in Stevens and everybody got caught
in with Steven fever. Whether it was through social
media, or pigs or b-town, banners, whatever you follow
that. Whoever we choose is going to be
underwhelming to so many people, I think, initially, I think the
shock and all about, oh my gosh, this is not up to the speed of
where we want and I think over time whoever it is, is going to
be the right? Hire an expert.
I trust Dolson, a hundred percent on this because he knows
I just think he's going to make the ride higher but I just think
for me it was so emotionally exhausting, you know, I was
driving back from Jasper, Indiana going home and my phone
was blowing up and I'm there on Highway 231 pulling over going.
What the hell is going on? Hey, you know, they said, it's
official my buddy said my fishing but I'm like, oh my
gosh, is this got crazy and so I'm at the point now where I
really don't care to know a day or five minutes or an hour
before. I'll know when I No, because I
just can't handle any more speculation.
I can't handle any more about. You know.
Thad Matta is physical which what is this?
Like an NBA Prospect situations? Like an NBA draft workout thing.
I mean it sounds terrible. But I really I just can't handle
the emotional stress of speculation about anymore.
I have my theories about who could be, you know, whether Mike
Woodson interviewed on Saturday, which is the word now from what
I'm hearing from people or whether that's really Going to
be the situation. I just think the Stevens thing
was a pipe was just such. It was just so unrealistic for
so many reasons and I think I commend Olson for going after it
and going after the white whale, I just think in the end, I'm
worried about our emotional well-being with whoever we hire
because it's not Brad Stevens. I completely agree.
And I'm I'm as guilty of that as anybody else as well.
So I can't say like, I'm immune from that to be like I got
pretty caught up in it just mentally thinking about it.
Last week, I never thought it was a full possibility but
things started to line up and kind of A Beautiful Mind way or
I'm connecting dots. And it's like, all right, like
this, this kind of makes sense. I can see this happened.
The thing that I could never figure out was the timing.
Like there was never a way to make the timing click in.
And then yeah. Now that I'm like, back on the
list of the other people. It's like alright well
everyone's got some warts and now it's like all right you know
we're at a point now where it's at Chris beard is going to be a
disappointment which we should be at that or if that's him just
learning a name out like we should Don't be at that place.
I agree with you. Like, if I had based on no
knowledge, it does feel Dolson did in my mind, what he had to
do. It feels like that.
He put it off for out there or at least reached out and said,
look, we have an opening and we want you to be our coach and
we'd like to give, you know, we're ready to come with a real
offer. And it feels like Stephen said,
no and how much you know whether they discuss numbers are close
to God, I have no idea but I definitely feel that that Dolson
through through a line out there, which she had to do.
And you know I've said this and I think everyone needs to keep
it in their mind like we did that and now it's like all right
we kind of could put Brad Stevens to bed forever and
that's fine. Like and at some point he might
get fired from the Celtics great and at some point he might go
back to college. And I mean coach others would.
Like I don't think any of that needs to be a referendum on
where Indiana is or isn't as a program.
It could just be that Brad. Stevens doesn't want to coach
here or he wants to coach a different school.
He likes other opportunities or he likes the Ba or there's a
million other reasons, may be why, or why?
He doesn't want to coach in college or not this college, you
know, maybe it's just ships passing in the night.
It was never, it was never meant to be, it doesn't have to be a
referendum on. Can we get the biggest and best
higher that we want? So, I'm with you, I'm at a point
now, kind of in a Zen spot where I'm enjoying watching all these
coaches in the tournament like that, be a fun style like that
would be fun. Kind of, you know, hoping all
the night can talk myself into Almost anybody.
And like I said to Gail in this morning, I'm kind of past the
point of, you know, I don't want to win the press conference like
who cares like Mike I want to win three years from now and I
know it's a it's such a simple thing to say but it's like I
could talk myself into or out of anybody.
So it's like you could say, all right?
Chris speier, that's great. That shows we can get, we can
pull somebody at Texas Tech great.
Like is it gonna win like Mike Woodson like okay great, we
brought back like maybe we, you know.
Yeah, that's our fifth choice. Is he gonna win?
Like, you know, I I mentioned earlier again like Juwan Howard
was kind of everyone kind of around the Big Ten was like, all
right, what the fuck is Michigan doing?
Like her, they are they even legitimately caring about
basketball anymore and like, it looks pretty good right about
now. So it's not the best dancers.
Like we'll know the answer in three years.
That said it is fun to kind of look at all the coaches and play
the horse trading game it is and it's a nervous excitement about,
you know, and we were at this point, you know, with Korean and
we were at this point with Archie about this Just
excitement about where the direction of the program is
going to go and we're rabid fans and other, I mean, look what
we're doing, we're talking about basketball on a podcast, on a
Tuesday afternoon so I'm with you my 15 podcasts always.
Yeah, absolutely. It's been fun to listen to
everything but I think I'm with you.
I can see the positives on a lot of these.
Whether it's, you know, whether it's Chris beard or whether it's
Musselman or whether it's Mike Woodson or even a beeline
situation. I think it's just exciting to
know. No, that that there could
potentially be he'll have those candidates.
May have already said. No thanks.
And we're just purely speculating because I think
that's what everybody's doing right now.
We're all just, again, we're guilty of the click baiting but
are, you know, buying into that. But, you know, I just, you know,
I in the Juwan, Howard thing makes me think a lot about what
about Calbert cheaney now. Does does yeah, Cheney have the
pedigree of being in the NBA after playing as much as Howard
did, maybe not but You know, Howard was the face of the
program in the early 90s and, you know, I just, you know, I
think, I don't know. I just to me, I'm with you, I
want to see our program, not finishing 8th, or 9th, or 10th
in the Big Ten and your three. I want us to be in the upper
third, you know, contending for a net for a Big Ten Championship
going to the tournament and not getting beat by a 13 seed in the
first round or something like that.
And so that to me is success and that to me, is Righting the
ship. Yeah, of the candidates that are
out there who are you kind of looking at?
Who do you? Who do you like, and who do you
have interest in or who do you think could be a good fit?
Well, I'm going to kind of go with who I think is a great
novelty suggestion but I don't see it happening.
And that's Mike Woodson I think you know, he has that you know
the Legacy top five all-time scoring, probably one of the
best players ever to not win a National Title at IU and you
know where those guys that You know that you wish had wanted an
80 if they hadn't been heard everybody on the team was hurt.
But I think, I think you know, and I think Jared assembly
called made some really good Arguments for him, but I don't
see a 10 million dollar buyout to bring in a guy that is in his
60s that again, most of the younger fanbase doesn't even
know who he is, you know? And I'm not, and again, there
may be plenty of people in the fan base, you don't do Calbert
cheaney is, but I think with Calbert, I think he brings
Brings more of a, of a positivity to the the bring it
back. And I you guys situation,
honestly, I kind of sent around to people.
I sent around a Chris beard situation.
Who again, if you want to go to the six degrees of, okay, he
coached at Texas Tech with Mike Lewis and he was you know kind
of under the tutelage of coaching tree of bob Knight.
Sure but I think for me I watching his style play,
watching his defense watching, his enthusiasm, his personality
I think all those would fit in now whether he leaves taxes, you
know, he's a Texas guys wise Texas guy, he's been there.
That's a good question. And the other thing that
intrigues me is the B-Line situation, with some kind of IU
connection as The Heir Apparent successor.
My only concern with that is is how do you draw up a contract
with the guy you're hiring to say?
Oh by the way, you have to hand the keys, over to this assassin,
this assistant in three years and not Your guide necessarily,
you know, whether that is a Mike Lewis or whether you know, five
would come here with an assist for an assistant job, it doesn't
make any sense for him to do that unless he's going to get
the head coaching job. I don't know.
I think that to me are the two that I'm kind of looking at I
was going into this situation, you know?
And I've seen this argument put out there, you don't go after a
coach just because of the Run, they're making in the NCAA
tournament. Otherwise, if you don't, look if
you're not looking at that coach, before the NCAA
tournament, Then you shouldn't consider them, you know, and I'm
kind of buying into that. So I would be I would be fine
with either one of those. I really like the B-Line
intrigued about. Yeah, he has the age but my
gosh, look at his track record and if you pair him up with
somebody, that could be someone connected with IU and that could
work out logistically to where you hand the keys over to him
under his system, then I would be all for it.
Yeah, I'll say this kind of going backwards, you know, the B
line thing. I mean, AI think if he was a
real we're all speculating here. Obviously, I feel like if he was
a real candidate, he would have been hired by.
Now, like, I feel like if he was the number two Choice, like, I
when Steven says no, it's like, all right, let's just lock us up
and get moving. So I wonder about that.
I also, you know, it's like you're looking at five or six
years. And when you look at what it,
took him to get going at West Virginia, Took him to get going
at Michigan. It takes him two or three years
to get going and maybe he'll get things going a little better
here. But I do Wonder as like if he
comes in and like struggles has a tough first year or two then
suddenly it's like alright well shit, we only have three years.
Like we're already kind of like the clock is already the clock's
ticking and as Galen is pointed out a lot of coaches don't want
to just say, all right, well you have to hire three assistants
that were making, you hire who are going to be your Heir
apparents. So I don't know, there's a part
of me that thinks and again for everything we talked about as
well kind of needing a Rebrand kind of needing someone to take
the whole of the program and say we're taking this direction.
Like I'm not sure a guy who's 68 who's looking at the end of his
career. Is really the one who's going to
have the energy to do that. You know, there's a lot of
things about crispier that you really like, you look at his
look at his team's, the adjusted offense has been in the top 50
for every year since 2000 16, there are just a defense has
been, you know, in the top 20. And sometimes they'll three
years in a row in the top 10 He has, he's had, you know, an
elite a to run a final run, you know, final four run.
So he's had some some continued success at Texas Tech a place.
It's not easy to win. The only thing that I would say
that we're kind of echoing things I've heard in other
places is, it's not my money, so spend it and go nuts Tolson, but
it's a, you know, he's making a lot of money.
There's a big buyout there, your it's a huge investment.
If you're going to get him, I do.
Now he's going to take less money so you're probably going
to have now the second or first highest paid coach in college
basketball which is awesome but again it's like this is a it's a
huge investment. Hold on.
We're going to be interrupted by my eight-year-old.
Yeah, buddy. Yes, you can have a snack close
the door, please. Gotta have a snack guarantee.
He's going, we have the little Nutella sticks, so I'm keeping
that in James, he has to be, that's James.
He's on, I've said, before his favorite players Alderaan.
So he's in a tough spot. So I'll give me a break.
Same with my nine-year-old. So I Kudos, yeah.
It's because he wore number one in basketball.
An hour's number one, but sorry, we're at was with Crispy.
Here was it's, it's a huge financial investment, it's not
my money, but there is a perception where it's like, wow,
you are All in, and I wonder if that just adds more pressure to
beard. It's like now you have a fan
base who's freaking out and it's like, this is a huge.
It's like you're all in. All the chips are in, you've
cashed everything. And if you're Dolson like this,
this now has to work, that's my only concern with it.
Yeah. And to me, part of me wonders
with his personality if he Embraces that challenge, you
know, I think, you know, we've seen how, you know, Indiana is
not the destination for a lot of these big name coach.
Has because whether it's the they like their current
situation like a Tony Bennett or a j, right?
Or the fan base is so freaking nuts and insane that it's not
worth my time. Even with the success that could
happen. Do I want to deal with the fan
base that's going to be, you know, judging me by every game,
judging me by my first season, you know.
It's so I don't know. I, the beard thing to me and I
agree with you on the, on the B-Line, situation retrospect
that if he's not coaching. Why are you waiting?
If your Racism, if you're not hauling a minute, you know, that
and that's that makes me wonder if, you know, now that we see
beard, you know, they're knocked out, you know, if we start to
see that that that kind of situation began to kind of stir
up, or, you know, maybe now they finally have had the
conversation now that the game's over and beards representatives
of have reached out and said, no, we're not going there.
So I think that to me, makes me wonder if we don't have a
decision sometime this week regardless of the direction, if
it's a current coach, or if it's a Calbert cheaney, Cheney or if
it's a you know add Mada, you know, or a beeline II.
Just think that I think where we stand right now, we I would
assume my feeling is that we're going to have decision this week
but who knows? It could be you know, Dolson
maybe really methodical and he wants to make sure that this is
going to be the right decision because that's the one thing
about his position is that you know, he got it right with
football, you know, hiring Allen to, you know, 4.9 million a year
and that all that and get Massacre which you needed to do.
But this decision In is really to me, going to be the one that
defines as his legacy and this could be the one that keeps him
around or if in the end if it crashes and burns may be his
demise. Yeah, the one name that I kind
of come back to. So again I think the beard thing
is interesting but it is just it's a it's a it's a big
investment and I just don't know if you want to pry.
Again this is up to him. It's like this.
He wanted to see want to leave Texas.
See want to come here, you know the Scott drew thing.
NG as everyone has said before there's there's something that
is your your kind of worried you're going to go back to the
dark side. Is a bit of a Kelvin Samson
thing. There is like he there's a bit
of a dirty past. We don't need to get into that.
The name that kind of keeps on surfacing to me.
Again, this is a he seems to be a can't.
I'm assuming he's a candidate but as Eric Musselman and the
only thing that the only negative you here is like, well,
he's a little bit wacky like Creed.
Okay? Like I think I'm not a fan of
But it's also like, you know, if you're winning didn't bother me
as much like the crazy pants stuff in the Diet Cokes like
that was fine. We were ranked number one in the
country. Like I was more bothered by the
fact that we couldn't seem to beat a 2-3 Zone like I didn't
care that he was nuts. I care that we couldn't be the
2-3 Zone against Syracuse in the sweet 16.
We got house by them. We were the one seed in the
tournament. The thing with muscle when you
look at his team's the adjusted offense, adjusted defense, like
it's similar to beards. I mean, but their offense is
Stellar, I mean, Man in Nevada, he's the 36 pets offense on
adjusted offense in can Palm in 2017. 2018, the seventh, 2019,
the 26 and then Arkansas 55:37. You also have sticky Brothers.
Today to me, he took a kid from Indiana Justin Smith to we're
all like man there's something there to unlock he unlocked it.
I mean you know I'm kind of laughing but he could come here
and bring Justin back it's like all right I mean Justin has no
here eligibility you can be like all right man we we know and
love them like weird. Justin Smith back with me.
That's it's very unlikely but not out of the realm of complete
possibility, given the transfer polar this year, their muscle,
many wouldn't cost as much as beard doesn't come with as much
baggage. The only thing is like, he's a
little bit crazy and nuts, but as we've talked about, maybe we
need somebody to just say, look if you can win.
Well, I'm okay with some eccentricities.
I'm okay with somebody who wants to kind of re band Rebrand the
program. The only thing that I would say
is it goes to how do you view Arkansas Cuz this is something
Galen I have text about the number of coaches who've gone
from like a top power 5 school to another tap power. 5 school
is very minimal. Like you have Roy Williams went
from Kansas North Carolina but there's some massive extenuating
circumstances there, you know, I guess Bill cell phone from
Illinois to Kansas, that's all kind of that same Loop.
You know, to me, it's like, where do you fit Arkansas?
At Arkansas is kind of in a weird spot.
I think they're always wondering.
Are we a powerful school or not? You know, if you, if you
consider Or them kind of a pseudo blue blood or a major top
power five conference. It would be out of the norm for
him to go to another power 5 school.
If you consider them to kind of be a lower tier than maybe, it
makes sense but I'm those are my thoughts on muscleman.
Yeah. The the coaching pedigree with
his dad is an interesting connection and his dad is
obviously related as a offensive Guru.
Which, you know, I, you know, you watch their offense sets.
It's pretty impressive and like you said what they did with In
Smith and kind of, you know, unleash that true potential with
him is pretty interesting. You know, the categorization of
Arkansas is interesting because this is not the Nolan Richardson
teams of the early 90s and that unique title run with, you know,
they had their, you know, little pig sooie.
Yeah. There you go Muscle Man's an
intriguing thing. You know, his personality maybe
there that could be quirky. It can't be any quirkier than
creams. I mean, my goodness.
But as long as they were wearing the big heads back, I'm good.
No, I'm just kidding with you. A hundred percent on that.
I just I want again you know, to me I think that's going to be a
step up. I don't call this a parallel
jump. I don't call this.
Like you said the Kansas to North Carolina situation, to me,
this would be a big step up because I don't consider the
Arkansas program to be an elite program.
I don't think of them as a blue blood.
They're obviously playing tremendous this year.
Obviously, but I don't know to me, you know, there's a lot of
interesting, you know, quirks about him and you know at the
end of the day, I honestly don't care if he can coach if he can
win if he can recruit, if you can do it the right way.
If he can unite the fanbase higher.
If it's one, if it's the guy that Dolson wants and it works
well with Dolson and Olson's happy with it.
You know, go for I think the buyouts would five million
dollars. I mean it's reasonable and the
only the only thing that worries me Is he's probably going to get
a pretty big bump after this season.
He's probably going to get a pretty significant raise.
And so now you have to compete with what is what is
realistically going to be the Rays that you're going to have
to offer him to come to Indiana? And again you know I think it
was you making two and a half million dollars right now.
That's I mean that's nothing. So I think that that's the one
thing that worries me. But again it comes down to Is
this the guy that you see making the change changing the culture,
changing uniting the fan base? And does he want to come here
with the added pressure of a nut fan base and nutty fan base?
That's to me, is the big question mark.
I would also say to, and I do this is maybe a better Galen
question, although he has a better memory, the stuff, maybe,
you know, like I also think if Musselman is your candidate and
that's the guy you want for the IU job, it feels like we have to
start rooting against him in this tournament because I think
there's not a lot of press. And of guys going to a final
four and or winning a national title, not saying Arkansas, they
who knows with this tournament. But I think Roy Williams was in
the title game and then went to North Carolina, I forget that.
But like guys who coach a team and then go to the final four
and then immediately, leave that team, I can't think of very many
times that has happened. And if they go to the, the title
game, I can't again II, Roy Williams, the only one and I
don't know what where he was the year before.
In North Carolina. But it's that there's not a lot
of precedent of having kind of success.
Like that it means you're like when Bill Simmons get them
talking about you know it's the Warriors when the title Kevin
Durant is isn't going to leave because there's no precedent of
a guy being the MVP of a team that wins the title.
And I think you have something similar here is like if we want
Musselman we probably need him to lose in the sweet 16 because
if they make a run to the final four, it's probably going to be
even harder for him to say oh yeah I'm now going to also
leave. Yeah I don't I agree with you
and it was interesting last night when We were looking.
I can't remember. They play last night or two
nights ago, when there was Texas, Tech, I think was two
nights ago, right tonight, Kansas.
So it's sorry. I'm Roy Williams with Kansas
left after. They went to the final game,
they lost a Syracuse in 2003 and then he went to North Carolina,
the next year. But again, the that's a
different situation that that's a very unique situation that
we're just not in. Yeah, I think I agree with you a
hundred percent and I think, you know when when Texas Tech in
And, and Arkansas play the other night.
It was interesting to see, you know, who who were people
rooting for to lose. And if that was going to get the
ball rolling with the coaching situation and I think people
were hoping and may have been happy that beard had lost
because like, okay, we can finally get the ball rolling
because we're impatient. But I think you make a great
Point. How does he turn his back on a
program that he takes to the final four?
If that happens? And is it really to him worth it
to leave Arkansas for the Indiana job and that's where we
come back. You the perception of the the
aura around the Indiana job. Is it going to be that job?
That is still considered to be a top ten job?
Of course from the perspective of an IU fan.
And I, you Alum and former players, of course it is.
But you know, outside of that, it may not be.
So for Musselman, he's really gonna have to think about it.
Okay, I'm probably going to get a pay raise here at Arkansas.
If I go to the final four, am I really going to leave to a
school that I have? No.
Shinto. Am I going to abandon this
school that I could turn into a Powerhouse in some regards?
Realistically, that's a great question and I just don't see it
happening. And so that makes me wonder, you
know, if they continue on this role I think the chances of must
won't come in Musselman coming. Here are just going to fall flat
and maybe it. Maybe we may already have a
coach in mind in Dolson already has this guy and maybe things
are behind the scenes already happening and Musselman may not
even be in consideration, but that's something we have to
About in hindsight. Yeah all right.
Well I think that's I mean those are the main.
I mean is there any other candidates you want to hit on
before we before we wrap up like any other thoughts?
And anybody else out there like it's got Drew's been mentioned,
we mentioned Cheney, you know. Yeah, life was talked about at
some point. It seems like the five thing is
just, I just, you know, I know, I think, you know, everybody
says that he would crawl here on his elbows.
I think that was the conversation that somebody used.
The fight thing is just again, I could see him being a great
coach here, but you leave your situation in Michigan and again,
he's not you alone, but he's a Michigan guy.
You know, he played in Michigan in high school.
You know, he's been there for 11 years now or 10 years or with is
oh is he really going to be The Heir Apparent, you know, the is
he going to be the guy to take over for is oh I don't know.
I think there's just too many question marks not on his
ability but just whether or not Fife would realistically.
Leave to come here. But who knows?
I mean that could be a call and I don't know.
I'm not really ready to go down the Fife train because I just
haven't heard enough concrete that he's even realistically in
the conversation. Yeah.
I this is where I will say. You know, again it's all press
conference, it's all kind of talk for talk but you know,
Dolson came out. So strong with you know we're
going to get a CEO someone to lead the program.
We're going to get a significant upgrade.
And those are his words. Words, and I do think he did
kind of, I don't say, box himself in, but put him in a
spot where you're going to have to.
Now, if Fife is your choice and again, I'm I'm fine as a fan.
I can figure out any of these and if they win, I don't really
care. But you're going to have to do
some kind of, you know, verbal acrobatics, if you're Dolson to
now, kind of say, how Fife was, that was your choice all along
and not to be like yeah, well we had a lot of other guys in mind.
This is our 12 choice because if you you come Out you get a ten
million dollar buyout over the weekend, you fire Archie
immediately, which I'm fine with all of that.
But then you come out and say we're going to get a significant
upgrade, it can't be five. Like I mean five can be the
answer if I could be the best coach type of your best
candidate. You could just wow.
You and all the interviews but you have to somehow justify.
Like how is that a significant upgrade to get a guy who's a
career assistant whose career record at IUPUI or IPFW?
The head coach is sub 500 like death.
It's not all on paper. It's not an upgrade over Archie
but if it works it works, but I I do think that's weird.
Olsen is in a unique spot where he kind of set.
The bar is like, all right, we're all going off of your
words. If you're the one who said that,
I don't think he threw all his chips and was Stevens.
Because I think he knew that was a long shot.
If it have ya been great but like you said, you don't you
don't ask a donor to pay a ten million dollar buyout unless
you're damn sure that you're going to get a guy, who's going
to come in and content. And there may be a good portion
of And base. I would be fine with that with
Fife. If he can come in and get the
culture back where it needs to be, changed things to make it
more modern but I don't think you're going to.
Wow. Anybody with a higher.
I think that's the one thing is that it could be a very
underwhelming situation. And the last thing you want to
do going into a new year, with presumably fans in Assembly
Hall. To some capacity is you don't
want people going okay, here we go.
Again another round of it round to go.
The only difference. Here is the only difference here
is that you do have an IU guy, you do have In a guy who
understands Indiana basketball and that will appease a good
portion the fan base but I think I think five six huge wild card.
I'm with you if it gets so Dane 5 then your top six guys have
all said no? Yeah.
All right, so you you're on the record kind of says, couple
times. You think it'll be sometime this
week? I just have a feeling that, you
know, based on, I can't remember if it was Osterman or Dustin, a
periodic, who posted something about that?
The last three hires have all been And this I think it was
March 23rd and March, 29th range.
I think we're going to hear something.
And, you know, I think again, I'm fine.
I'm going to try my best to stay
off pigs and not get sucked into the well, I heard this text,
this says this, I'm going to try not to do that, but I like
everybody else. I'm eager to see what the next
chapter of Indiana basketball brings because, you know, we're
talking about water, sixth coach and 20 years, are we?
Now they're if we include dockage, six coach or fifth
gear, Seventh. I don't know.
That's too many and we got to get.
Yeah, because we have to get it right.
We have to do something, to get ourselves back in the position
where we're not wondering, you know.
And we're not trying to figure out all the scenarios of what we
have to do to get into the tournament.
Is that just that that's that takes too many years off your
life and it stresses the hell out of people, myself included
where we have to be in that conversation of.
Well, I wonder how many games and do we have a shot against
Rutgers tonight? Or are we going to find Snap the
eighth game losing streak to Purdue those kind of
conversations have to go the hell away.
I mean, I'm sick of that. I'm done with it.
Well we just we need more shots at the at the tournament and I
just it's pretty obvious because you just need more shots at it
and you're seeing it even you know this year sometimes a
tournament is breaks for. I mean that's you know that's
the thing with Mike Davis his run it was a great run you had
to be the number one seed Duke but you know, I think it was
like you you got us like you see Wilkesboro or like the second
round game. Like I think it's supposed to Be
supposed to. Yes, we USC.
It wasn't that they, I mean, they had to be Duke, the
defending champ, but then the next, you know, next rounds Kent
State like that's a lot. Like was like a 12 state or an
11 seed in the Elite 8. You know, and it's like these
paths can break for you. Were Suddenly It's like, oh
yeah. Like you you were in Illinois is
division this year. It's like our with the once he's
gone. And, you know, or you're going
to play Ohio, say the to see, they're gone and so that you can
make these runs and like we're just not even getting a shot of
the plate and even just coming in as a six or a seven or an
eight seed, you know, You have those opportunities where things
can happen for you and I agree. If you, we just we need more
shots at that table. The last question, I'll ask you,
is this? We talked Traditions, you are
the preeminent in my view, the historian of all these
Traditions, what would be the one that you would say?
We have two key again, winning is our only sacred cow.
We both agree. But what's the one?
It's like, God, I wish we could keep this.
And then what's the one that you would just get rid of right
away? Or you think that that a new
coach should look to get rid of? Of all my smoke alarms are going
off my house. The baby.
This is gonna be a hot take, but you're gonna be.
All right, Ru Ru is it testing or is it is it a fire?
I think it might be because this is not good.
This is okay, we're good. This is my hot take so I love
it. My son interrupted, you get
that. You got the alarm, this is
great. We got to keep the Candy
Stripes. I know.
Okay, what people think? But to me, you can't touch the
Candy Stripes that to me. I don't care if people make fun
of them, and I know these National Riders, think it's
stupid, and they can all go to hell.
But I think it's Timeless. I don't care if you, if you want
to change the tops, I don't care if you want to, you know, do
something with, you know, anything else.
Gee, I would love to see a script Indiana uniform.
I think it would look amazing. I literally drool over and I
hate Ohio State. I drool over Is Buckeyes
uniforms, they are so good looking, but keep the Candy
Stripes. Don't touch me, what about you?
Okay, yeah, I gotta hate to completely just bad radios to
completely agree, but I agree. I think the candy stripes are
and, and the athletic department has so branded the candy stripes
across so many different areas, you know, like I have a hockey
jersey for my you that has candy stripes on the side piping.
It's fantastic. And like, so I even remember.
Yeah, it's on the football that even when they have, like, That
the old scoreboard like the two pipes were that candy stripe.
It's just, it works in so many different areas.
I would be okay. Though, with updating the Candy
Stripes. Like, maybe you do like the
silver like like the football helmets, maybe you change the
colors, maybe you change the angle of it.
Like you could have some different looks of the Candy
Stripes. So I think would be interesting
to me the thing that you to me that the first thing that we on
the chopping block, as I say names on jerseys.
Like let's just do it. Let's get there.
I know it's an atypical but it is, it's something.
That matters today, I would also say to your point.
We got to get some different variety of jerseys.
Let's get some Throwbacks. Like, let's get some new ones.
Let's let's let's play around with the jerseys play around,
with have fun with it really. Spring the piping back.
My God, it looks terrible without the pipe.
Yeah, yeah, I mean bring that back but I think it you got to
keep something with the Candy Stripes there but even, you
know, I do love the idea of a script Indiana, you know,
Indiana Jersey. So yeah, I think we're all in
agreement. Comment on that, I think, you
know. We'll see, man.
So hopefully you're right, hopefully, it's sooner rather
than later because we're going to, we're like a snake eating
its tail but I will Echo what we said earlier.
You know, go take the dog for a walk, go eat your pork chops,
you'll go have a nice, everyone should just take a deep breath.
Don't get too into, you know, what you hear from other people
because we'll all get there. And I will say, for all the
national people out there and kind of with you, like piss off,
but I also, like it does feel like a lot of fans are in the
same boat. We are, where we're passionate,
I want to know, I'm excited, but I feel like a lot of fans were,
like, I'm ready to get behind whoever the coaches, and I'm
ready to kind of read. The press release and be sold,
like, I'm I'm on the car lot. I'm ready to buy and I'm ready
for the salesman to talk me into the undercoating.
I'm kind of with that point. I think a lot of fans are like
that. It's like, all right.
Like is it? Is it beard?
Is it muscleman? Is it?
You know? Fife is it changing?
Like I could You could talk me into any of these like you just
got to give me the sales pitch, Tolson.
And I think I'm ready to be sold when I feel like a lot of IU
fans or they're like, we're fired up and but I think a lot
of IU fans in that spot like I'm ready, I'm ready for a new
coach. I'm ready to be sold on
something. Yeah, and again, it shows that
the fact that nobody can say that our fan base is not
passionate. We may be crazy, but the fact
that we are literally hanging on the edge of our seats.
Every second of every day. Since the firing tells you that,
this fan base is ready to go. And Trust, Dolson hundred
percent. I feel he's going to make the
right choice and I'm ready to go with and back.
Whoever we hire and just get started.
Well awesome. Oh, hey Chris, thank you so much
for joining again. Follow him on Twitter.
At IU artifacts. It is just a tremendous follow
on Twitter and we'll have to have you back when we get a new
coach and hopefully they start changing things up.
And we can talk and then we can talk on the in the realistic and
like, God damn it. I can't believe they're changing
that. I can't believe they're doing
this. We can, we can actually become
is normal. I, you fans being pissed about
what's being changed. Absolutely.
Appreciate you having me. All right, Chris, thank you so
much. We'll keep up the content and
hopefully we hear something soon.
But if not people go out, enjoy yourselves.
Take a breath. It'll all happen.
We will get through this together with more podcasts.
So, until next time for Crimson cast, this is Scott signing off.