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AC to subscribe. And now great chat with just
settles here on Crimson cast. Hi folks.
Welcome back to Crimson casts got here with you and it is an
honor a privilege to have somebody who I've watched in the
Big Ten Network. I watched play in Assembly Hall
when I was growing up and going to college but we have just
settles at just settle hoop on Twitter.
Just man. How you doing.
I'm doing great fun time of year.
Right. And it's March Madness.
It's a great to be on and going to have a little fun here.
Yeah, dude, March 1st, like it is now officially March.
You can start looking at brackets like this is I've often
joked for a kid in Indiana. This was always like the best
time of year because you get the Super Bowl and then it's just
like you go straight into conference tournaments and you
have March Madness and you have like the Masters and then it's
like next thing. You know, we got Indy car.
We got the Indy 500. Like now till the end of May is
like the best stretch of time plus plus, it's spring.
So it's like you get the start of spring.
It's good times. It's like Indiana's.
One of the most underrated places in the world.
Right? I mean, you just people don't
realize this what you said, what's going on this time of
year and we grew up going to the Indianapolis 500, my Uncle Larry
Hanson and and my cousins, Rick and Matt, and Kate lived in
Indy, and we went to the race ever, sat on, turn number two,
and it's just if you haven't been to the race, right?
You're missing one of the greatest spectacles and in the
world and then obviously, See, with the bob Knight era and
season on the brake and Hoosiers and all of that.
There's a there's so much going on at the Colts and the Pacers.
It's, yeah, you're you're fortunate.
You got, you got 60 days here. Some exciting stuff.
I do. Although used to be better, like
you're mentioning the time to the 80s, right?
To be a little bit better. Like now now we're looking at
Dusty banners and, you know, Indy car is not quite what it
was, but yes, we'll get to some historical stuff but Yeah, do
those and you are preaching to the choir.
Like I tell anybody who will listen like you've got to go to
the 500. I've been, my dad started taking
me in like, 85 86. I've been going ever since I've
been living back here since 2009 and it is just like you don't,
you don't, you can't explain it unless you've been there.
It like, makes you love your country even more than you do,
doesn't it? I mean, it's just the
patriotism. The competition, the people, the
family, the it's, there's just the speed.
There's this, nothing like that. The gets in your blood.
No doubt. Oh, yeah, the the minute when
they play Taps and you have two hundred thousand plus people
getting quite like that's one of my favorite parts of the year.
But anyway, the back to didn't have love to talk.
I guess I can be car for you for an hour.
How many? How many 500 you go to?
I'm just throwing I'm gonna guess from the time.
I was in elementary school, through high school.
I'm gonna guess 10 and it was just, you know, we'd go out.
But back if I remember, right? Back when they weren't as fast,
right? So the race took longer, and we
would come out on a Friday night.
And then we would go that Saturday afternoon, go to the
grocery store, and get all the coolers filled up with chicken
and his candy bars and pop. And if this the ritual, the
whole thing was incredible and then I've gone to a few since
I've been older. I think the last time I think
it's been about three or four years, but I just went by
myself. We went to visit my aunt uncle
just roll over there and it was, it was awesome.
I just love it. Yeah, I love just settles just
bumping around the 500. 600 people take it.
Love it. Yeah, giggle ticket.
Bought it on the street. I love it.
Yeah. Well, let's let's talk a little
basketball. I'll start with this.
Obviously. We're in IU podcast.
There's no like way to make this a fun question.
But, you know, tomorrow night I you Rutgers.
Is it pretty simply like just the winner of that game for the
part has an inside track at the NCAA tournament.
I think that's fair to say. I'm just doing a little research
on Indiana. The Notre Dame game.
The wind that would that was big the way that they have surged
Rutgers with some remarkable run two weeks ago where they 145
gets ranked teams in the league. I think both of those teams.
And both the fan bases are saying is this is a monster,
monster game, and especially with having to play at Purdue
following. At the time I talked to you
earlier in the year at the game, the other night and you know
that loss in Wisconsin. Right?
Remember that Moss of Wisconsin. Yeah.
Said that thing's gonna come back and bite these guys so
hard. Unfortunately, the as well as
they played in the first half and then to just blow that thing
and second half. And here we are, right?
That would be, that would be the Difference Maker right now, but
like coach said, it's in their hands and that that's where you
want to be this time of year, where it's at.
It's in your own hands and they still have some work to do but
some golden opportunities as well.
You know, it's actually both a game against Wisconsin.
You have that, you know, the road game earlier in the area up
by 20 and then just a game a couple weeks ago and home where
you pretty much have it down the stretch.
You just can't close it out. And it's like, you could have
two wins against one of the top teams in the conference.
Forgot about that one. Yeah, you're exactly right.
You're exactly right. I mean, it's just, they can't
get over that Badger hump. Now, a lot of teams can but it
sucks and it's miserable when you play well, and You should
win the game and you you don't. Well, it's funny.
We look at the we joke here. It's like Wisconsin kind of Soul
stole, the soul of IU because for you know 70's 80's 90's for
me growing up. It's like Wisconsin was just a w
it's like, all right, they got nothing going on.
Like we're and Indiana was the program that kind of had a
system had an identity and it all flipped.
It's like now, Wisconsin is just there every year, you know,
they're going to be tough that we can't wait up in the Kohl
Center. It's like it's a bizarre just
take they took our Soul, it's a weird.
It's a weird feeling, right? It's just torment, tormenting to
Hoosier fans because it's like all of those coaches like Bo
Ryan and they grew up studying, Bob nitrite, and you come up
with these systems. And all these coaches who come
into the league, they have their own system and it's the old we
joke around. We say it's the old, Mike Tyson.
The philosopher said, everybody has a plan until they get
punched in the mouth. Right?
So, you know, John beelines playing 131 at West.
Virginia to comes to the Big Ten.
Obviously can't play that here. So he has to switch.
Brad Underwood's, jumping passing Lanes, trying to League
lead, the country and steals. You get in the Big Ten.
Have your team fouls out. Give up dunks and you can't win
Bo Ryan. At Platteville.
I believe is pressing the whole game.
We, I don't think people realize that he used to come over to our
practices. Yeah, with dr.
Tom and study. Dr. Tom's press and substitution
patterns. Well, I guess the wasc
Wisconsin, you know, he'll beat teams, just scoring 50 points.
And everybody's like, well, what's going on?
This is boring basket. Well, it's the system's.
It's the old bob Knight where you shoot more free.
Throw attempt more free throws than your opponents.
Make you don't Fugard without fouling.
You don't turn the ball over and the deal is most of the time, if
you do those things, your opponent will beat themselves.
And so yeah, that's that's what Wisconsin has done over the
years and Indiana just hasn't played with enough discipline to
compete with teams like that and hopefully they'll get a
turnaround. But your yeah, it's got to be,
it's got to be Have to be you guys.
Yes. So, that's these meet you
mentioned, free throw shooting. And the last couple years leads
me into a question. You, you were 78, 80% free-throw
shooter for your career at Iowa. Your teams had pretty good free,
throw shooting. Like I'm just curious as
somebody who played at a high level in the Big Ten, you know,
it's interesting for Indiana that, you know, under Creed, we
had pretty good free throw shooting and then it started to
tail off under Archie. We just crater like, where are
you? No, 300 in the country for free,
throw shooting and then it's odd.
Like, you know, Mike Woodson is now our coach different coaching
staff, you know, six years, different players.
We've just stayed as one of the worst free throw shooting teams
in the country. You know, I always joke on this
pod. My dad is 91.
I love them. He's always like, I just don't
know why they do practice free. Throw shooting like Dad.
I like, you can think what? You want.
My coaches, aren't stupid. Like, I'm sure they're not, not
practicing, but I just, I'm curious if you have like how
does a team like, Indiana with an area?
You know, we have kids. Can shoot Indiana's, a good
shooting area. It boggles my mind.
I don't know the answer. Like, how among different
coaching staffs different players, like how you just
become a bad free-throw, shooting team, and we can't seem
to get out of it. Yeah, it's nuts.
Right. I mean, for the Indiana
basketball to not be able to be a great free-throw shooting
program, right? It just doesn't make any sense.
I and I have not looked at his numbers recently, but I've
talked to Fish, maybe two years ago and and he was telling me
that tjd didn't even have a free-throw routine when he went
to. To live.
Like like it was different every other time.
He went to the line. I said, you got to be kidding
me. Like no really, you know, you
got to put in the Steve Alford All-American workout tape and
get yourself a retain, right? And the other shoes, socks
short, you know, shoes shorts like the whole thing.
Yeah. That's what we used to chant,
right during the games when he was going up the free, throw it.
So yeah, all that stuff, you know, you would think in the
state of Indiana all the shooters around there and just I
don't know is it you probably know more than I do.
I'm just Speculating and running running my mouth here, but it's
like, isn't the state of Indiana is loaded with Shooters and, you
know, from three-point Shooters free-throw shooter.
So they just, I don't know whether it's a recruiting
strategy. I don't know whether it's
teaching it. I do.
I do know it's hard. It is hard to teach it.
If you don't come in as a solid free throw shooter.
I know it's hard and you got to live in the gym and put your
time in. And I think a lot of that's on
the players. But yeah, just it's been a
frustrating. It's been a frustrating.
Time for a fan base that expects basketball to be played in a
certain way, you know there. And there are certain fan bases
that expect basketball to be played at a certain way whether
it's running and gunning or controlling Tempo or free-throw
shooter. I mean and and that's definitely
one's got drive you nuts. It does.
I mean and that leads me to the question.
I want to ask just you know, as somebody who watches basketball,
watches all the Big 10. I'm curious your thoughts and
how you see the Woodson are going as far as already
mentioned the Indiana fan. It's like I would say, you know,
we definitely have you know, man, to man defense in a motion
offense or kind of in our blood. But I would say that for, you
know, I don't want to speak for the fan base, but I will say
that, you know, for a lot of us. It's like we've seen different
styles. Like, you know, Cream came in
with with kind of a very prophetic offensive style than
Archie comes in with a much different defensive style.
And I think at this point it's kind of sad but I think most IU
fans, like, look, I don't, I mean I don't we don't want to
run like a bay Hime 2-3 Zone, but it's like, we're we don't
need to Have, you know, a style. We just want to win, but I'm
just I'm curious what you seen with the Woodson era thus far
because as I you fans, I think we there's some red flags that
are making us nervous, but we definitely see the defense
picking up, but I'm just curious as an outsider if you see things
going in the right direction at a high level.
I-i'm a, I think nothing first instinct would be time will
tell. I've had I've had good
conversation with a coach a couple times this year.
Really enjoy talking to him learning a lot from him.
He's coached. He's coaching so many NBA games
and has a tremendous amount of experience and has seen a lot of
things coach five love talking to him.
He's obviously, was just rarely smart.
Hired to bring him back. Yeah, and It's almost like in
and I could be wrong on this and your listeners would know more
about this than I do and you would as well.
It's almost like this this early entry this the guys leaving
early all the time. It seems like Indiana's suffered
as much as any school and not been able to manage that as well
as some of the other top schools in the country of Managed IT.
And you get, you get some of your top players, only there for
a year or two. The newspaper clippings are
great. The Should your high but those
guys are young and, you know, I'm from Iowa or you look at a
team like Iowa, right there. They're not recruiting at near
the level. Indiana is over the last five
years, ten years, but they get old Jordan.
Bohannon's been there. Six years.
Connor McAfee has been there. Five years.
They're men and Keegan Murray's that went to prep school.
He's a, he's a legit jr. He's filled Luka Garza.
Therefore for 25 years. They They just you know, Thomas
Brian and then what does Romeo Langford and those guys I mean,
they're highly recruited great players, but give me a fifth or
sixth year. 3 star guy over a one or two-year five-star guy.
Most years. You know, what are your thoughts
on that? But that's what I think.
No, I agree. I mean, I think it's I think
it's a mixture. I think this is where Indiana
has struggled in a guy. What?
I think it's a great example like in Camrys a little bit
older for this example, but you know, like Iowa, you had just a
base. You have a base of guys who know
what they're doing and they be sorry, Wisconsin's five better
example, you have a base where they have a program.
They know what's going on. And then you know, you get a guy
like Johnny Davis who's just you know, in other otherworldly
athlete like now, okay. Now we can plug this into our
system and now like now we can be off for the races and I think
that's been the problem as we get a guy like Romeo Langford,
who's really good. But if there's not kind of a
base around him, the team just kind of turns into let's just
pass it a Romeo and see what happens and yeah, Doesn't
doesn't work. Yeah.
No, it doesn't work. And yeah, just to answer your
question. I didn't probably answer very
well, but I just think time will tell on recruiting for Coach.
What's in? It was reading.
I was reading some statistics this morning.
It is this right? That Miller cop had his first
double-figure game, since the Syracuse game.
Is that, right? And I read that, right?
That's 100%, right? Yeah.
So, I mean, how could that be? Right?
You're going. He's a, he's a shooter.
I mean, he Multiple, it's different.
You playing at northwestern's, got all these plays run for it,
but just from a recruiting standpoint, finding shooters
that can score get got to get older.
I mean the portal is going to be big for them like it is for
everybody. The other thing that the when
name image and likeness came out there were just a handful of
schools that kind of pop into your mind.
And you say this is a school that can really make that work
or the business community and and It's Indiana's got to be one
of the, you know, that was one of the first rules of popped
into my mind. So as just as it all changes can
coach, what's in coach five can a program athletic.
Can they capitalize on that? Get older still mix in the star
players from the state of Indiana?
It's definitely doable. I mean, it's it's still I always
tell people, you know, I'm and I will guy but my dream job.
If somebody's going to say you want to coach any team, it would
be Indiana. I just I still think it's the
the top. Job.
Now, people might say Carolina Duke and all that, but for me, I
just think the opportunities are Limitless, sir.
No, I mean, you're preaching the choir?
It definitely feels that way. It feels kind of like we're in
sleeping Giants. I guy, I look at us as almost
like Clemson football before the Dabo Swinney got there.
It's like everything. Is there.
The historical precedent is there just need someone to get
it together. I'm curious, you know, you
obviously played at Iowa and there's been, you know, a couple
couple coaching changes before Fran mccaffery.
Out there, you know one of the things with the self or Woodson
was yeah. This is an IU guy.
He played at IU. He's going to connect with the
older players. I'm just curious as a former Big
Ten player. How important is that kind of
bringing bringing the the old guys, but I know every coach
says it's like Archie was telling guys to f off like but
they're definitely seemed to be a bit of a disconnect at the end
of the Korean are a dirty Archie era between a lot of the former
IU players. I'm just curious as a former
player. Is that is that it?
Deal for a program or is that just more peripheral and just
like you got to learn how to shoot?
Yeah, you know what? Indiana is a different monster
than the rest of the teams in the league.
I was recruited by Fran mccaffery.
When he was an assistant coach to John McLeod at Notre Dame.
He's always been very good to me.
He's done a very good job of connecting with the former
players. It's very important.
It means a lot to 75% of us. Some guys play and they, and
they're probably better for it. They just they can
compartmentalize it. They play, they move on.
They go raise their families. They go contribute to Xiety
start and they, and they can kind of release it.
I think most of us, it's in our blood and it's a part of the
family forever and it means something to us.
So that's that's always nice to have access to the program and
it's hard when there's no continuity and what a program
turns over coaches. It's very hard to do that.
Now, Indiana, you're talking about one of the legendary
programs in the history of college basketball.
You're talking about the The bob Knight, the conflict there and
it's Archie Miller. Just didn't your own.
You're the, you're the governor of the state.
If you're the head coach in Indiana, Archie, just didn't
ever seem comfortable with that. And Archie was a good coach and
had a lot of success at Dayton, and he'll coach well, again, but
it's more than coaching. Obviously.
The when you're at Indiana and just from a distance and I could
be wrong on this. It's just I don't think there's
a program. Maybe UCLA, maybe Carolina.
Outside of Indiana where the former players just start a bold
emboldened to just be negative or positive.
And there are so many guys who just have such strong opinions
on the program and there's fractures between certain areas
and decades and it's a little toxic sometimes.
And obviously with the struggles, the last few coaching
staffs. I don't know I'm rambling here,
but it's just, it's, it's so different in Indiana, compared
to anywhere else and Hopefully it won't ever change.
You know, you definitely hit on something that my my co host.
Galen always mentions that like was an issue with Archie is like
if you're the coach in Indiana, it's almost like a religious
figure like you're kind of like the Archbishop of the state of
Indiana. And if you get Indiana
basketball humming, you're one of the most important people in
the state, you know, Creed held that for an 18 24 month period
obviously, bob Knight had that, you know, Mike Davis had it for
a stretch if you get it hummin your huge and there's there's
only Many people that can say that and you know, it's
obviously we're I you fans here and like, you know, I'm not
going to Matt Painter has done just an absolutely phenomenal
job at Purdue. He has built probably what I
would want. I you to be but you still don't
see like, you know, if those results that Matt Painter had
happened in Indiana, I just that coach, you know, Matt Painter
did that at IU like he would just be a bigger deal in the
state than he is at Purdue. It's just it just is so it's
crazy. No.
Oh, that's crazy. I played in the Indiana, they
called it, the Indiana All-Star game back in the early 90s Tim
night. Bob son, ran it.
And I came out and played in that.
It was I'm going to say it was Wilkerson and Steve Hart.
That era granted a few other guys.
We went around and played a few Exhibition scrimmages at high
schools. I'm going to say, I'm gonna
guess within an hour of Bloomington and they were
packed. I'm talking packed to watch us
just play scrimmages. You don't, you don't get that at
other places and you're right. I mean, you look at Purdue and
the incredible. All of us in the Big Ten country
know about how Elite Purdue is, but they've never been able to
get it done in March and in the big dance and you know, you look
at the conference championships coach.
Katie had a matte painter. It's spectacular, but Indiana
cuts down. That's, you know, on the, on the
what the first Monday Night April, And so it's just a
totally different fan base, and a totally different level of
success on the on that big stage.
So, I hope coach once you gets done there again, I've had
wonderful talks with, you had a fantastic talk with him.
The other day about the, the best high school teams, ever in
the state of Indiana and the best players that he had played
against and things like that, and the single, you know, class
state championships, and all that.
So it its glorious right. But Duke and Hockey, and UCLA
and Pitino Louisville, they've been able to manage this one and
done and this early era thing and Indiana.
Unfortunately, it's not been able to manage it, and can they
manage? I think they can.
I think it's just, you know, it's a matter of time but I know
your your listeners have been saying that probably for 15
years now, so who knows? 1520.
I got one more question about this year's team than a couple
more kind of larger questions. This is Send out to Twitter as
our friends Jared over to somebody call at assembly call
curious to get your take suggests on Race Thompson,
because race reminds I'm speaking using his words here,
race reminds me of Jess and many ways.
He does all the little things hugely impactful on both ends.
Great basketball IQ. Probably doesn't get enough
credit. He deserves outside his own fan
base. So I'm curious your thoughts on
race and maybe even acquitting him to your game.
It's an interesting comp there. You know, I never really thought
about that, but I appreciate that.
He's the type of guy, you know, you always think if college
basketball and it feels like we do have free agency in a day.
Feels like it's almost a prototype, but if you could
trade during the middle of the year, if you can play ten games,
like every team to trade a couple guys, like every other
team in the league would be pounding on the door to get rice
right room just just fits in perfectly.
He's the enforcer, he makes this unselfish play.
He's physical on the I talked to him.
I'm going to guess a couple months ago and I know he was
serious about returning home to Minnesota.
I know that was part of his makeup.
You're not sure what the new coaching staff is going to be
like and whether they well, they want you, whether they're part
of your plans, but I know he's really good really close with TJ
D and he just wanted to finish the job.
So I know that I know his loyalty is paid off and I hope I
hope over the next couple games. He's a major factor in getting
some wins and getting any in in. The tournament.
It's the term is not the tournament without Indiana.
I always tell people, the Big Ten to me does.
Never feels right. And less, Indiana and Illinois
are playing. Well, Illinois's turned it
around. Hopefully Indiana can do the
same, you know, and I agree with you on Race.
I think races, you know, obviously Jackson Davis is
talented, but to me, it's like the, the real unsung heroes this
team or race Thompson, Xavier Johnson, like they, they make
everything happen and obviously some of that.
His traces pulling, you know, double-teams, every time he
touches the ball, but race is just like the ultimate clean
kind to your point earlier, but he's a guy who registered like
he came in and register an entire season before all the
government stuff. Like he did a true register like
your point. He's a man.
Now, he's 21 22, like he, we just need more, guys like that,
to build a base so that when we get the, the super five stars
were ready to rock and roll. Yeah.
It's gonna be like, yeah, I
totally agree and it's a guards game.
It's a guards game. I mean, you know, this is it
just fills his role and does the dirty work, but he's not.
He's not he's not going to carry that team.
Its X has got to get it done. Now, you know TJ D is got to
play like an All-American. I know I for sure but was it was
Franklin, that transferred last year to Virginia?
Yes. Yeah.
That, you know, see again that just that really hurt that
really hurt. It's a guards game and and you
got to get older and you got to keep your players and but no
race, I don't know if race and I got it.
A scuffle like I used to get scuffles Brian Evans.
I don't, I'm not sure who I look.
I was pretty confident. Gets Brian, it's Brian.
You know, I think that have been about 55th, maybe 6040 me.
I don't know what he would say. But if it was race, I think I'm
probably walking the other direction.
You got to be smart about those things.
Well, Brian had his he was at had an arm in a sling like
hafez. Hafez.
Career is going one shoulder, half a time.
Look, I got ya. Exactly.
Brian had he was all taped up. You had the shoulder things and
he probably didn't want to miss. Bracken probably was, would have
been humiliated, a miss a practice.
We always played her, but there are so many Legends at that
plated, Indiana, right? So you can't even if your, if
your first team All-American or you're a player the year, you
know, over the last 50 years at Indiana.
You're not even considered most of the guys top 10 in program
history. Let me think about that.
I'll be a guy like Ryan Evans Player of the Year in the Big
Ten. If he was at Iowa.
We probably have a statue of him.
I think Brian was so overrated, and I played College and and you
know, he was player of the year. I'm scuse me under it.
I'm sorry on. Okay.
All right. All right.
Geez, yeah underrated he was so good.
And then I played against him at the pre-draft camp and he just
tore me up up at the Chicago. I remember that chasing him
around so I loved him. He was physical.
We went out a few times. So yeah and Indiana underrated
if you find anywhere else, he just be considered a legend.
Yeah, no, I'm pulled out the heat.
That's that's definitely the air.
I was I'm a little bit younger. You like three or four years.
I started college in 96 that was that was definitely when I was
deep in, you know, deep deep into IU basketball.
Yeah. I know it's his numbers are out
of control, and it's funny because you kind of think of
that in people think of that era is like the, you know, that's
kind of the end of the night air, but it's like you're right.
Evans was awesome. I'm just curious.
I'll track of the guys, you played in Indiana like, you feel
comfortable taking Evans. Who would you?
Not have wanted to fight on an Indiana team in those years.
Well, she's not fight. Okay, so I'm trying to finish a
couple like I'm yeah, I mean just a basketball fight, you are
close. I'll just start, you know,
rambling through that are and maybe somebody will come to
mind, but that was, I played against Damon Bailey which you
know, that incredible story is legendary and then Alan
Henderson was by far the best player that I played against
their, but the Alan Alan wasn't a fighter, you know, Al I'm
like, put his arm around his shoulder and compliments you.
If you had 20 points, you know, it wasn't who was the fighter
back, then. I don't know, maybe Brian.
I mean, Brian Eye-Fi vaguely. Remember going face-to-face with
Brian and our noses and our mouths hitting each other.
I don't it's not a good memory. But I Begley remember that
because we were just yapping at each other.
He was a tough kid. Who else?
Throw a couple names out of there.
Do you remember? Who else?
Yeah, I'm Do some of those rosters like I miss Steve Hart
was only there a year. I mean, Neil read.
I don't feel. I felt like Neil read didn't
take shit from anybody. Like he look like he was tough.
I mean, yeah, it was those are we played against the kid?
It was antwaan. Randle.
Alright, it was doing double duty.
Yep. And put I remember, I mean he
was a tough guy. They they they went to was that
the I think my freshman year. We had a good battle with them
in, Indiana. They want, of course.
And then we, I think we had a good battle with that.
I was sitting at they beat us as well.
But what was it that the year? Then they went to the final
four. But Alan Twitter had the bad
knee or they would have wanted again.
Yeah, they yeah. Alan tore his knee at the end of
like a practice. I think, two games before the
season ended and they lost to Kansas in the elite.
Eight, Kansas Kansas TV. I'm doing this on memoriae
Kansas team. I'm pretty sure they beat
earlier that year, and that was the, that was Calvert. 80,
senior year. Being that was, there's an
alternate reality where Henderson doesn't hurt his knee.
I think night wins another championship in that team, was
that team was loaded yet Cheney. And Greg, Graham and Alan
Henderson and the Damon Bailey. I mean, that was, that was just
mean. It's all degree.
I totally agree. They, I mean, they had a 75%
chance of winning and caliber was I try to explain him to
people. I call him the best Baseline.
Fine player probably in the modern era of Big Ten
basketball. And just what I mean by that he
he can work that Baseline like a like a like a pro.
I really like a. Yeah.
I don't know how to describe he. He had those Jordan up and
unders. He had, he could shoot that
little 15 footer on the Baseline.
He hit the corner, three on the Fastbreak kind of back.
When you still attack the rim, he could feel the lane and come
crashing in on the side. I yeah, the Alan Henderson
Henderson injury was was brutal, but I No, I don't think they had
many hockey enforcers but maybe some of your listeners can can
remember some guys but no, I'm looking through the roster and
you play them is it was Evans then, you know, you get like the
owner, LeAndre Patterson, Patterson was really like that.
So anyway, we're way off track here.
I want to bring it back to to today a couple games ago.
You mentioned about, you know, Keegan Murray, maybe being the
best player in Iowa for the last 40 years, which and if somebody
sent you an article with like they rank that out.
I don't want to dig into that. But I do think it's an
interesting idea that, you know, I was Looking at, you know,
players this year in the Big Ten who are going to be drafted.
It's just it's a deep list. Sadly, nobody for my you, but
I'm just curious. You know, I pick 3, okey Camry,
Jaden IV, Johnny Davis, all jump out of the gym guards.
I'm curious. Which of those three.
Do you think could have the biggest impact going into March
Madness or taking their team on a run in March Madness?
I think the first one who comes to mind would be Johnny, Davis.
He his numbers and I don't have them in front of me.
His numbers against top, 25 upon us.
This year are spectacular. I think those are going to carry
him to the player of the year in the conference.
I'm Keegan is closing fast. I think, two weeks ago, Johnny
had it at almost, run away with it.
But in Iowa schedule made it so that, you know, they had to
play, Ohio. State.
They have play on the road a few times and by Michigan State,
Keegan's has been dominant those games.
So, he's closing the Gap, there Johnny Davis there again, their
team has proven that, I almost think there should be a number
one seed at this point and the metrics don't love them that
much but if you look at where they want, they beat Houston
back. When Houston was the real deal.
His performance at Purdue is kind of high, you know, just
Heisman Trophy moment. I think he's the front-runner
for the But with you, I think that Wisconsin with the style
that they play, has the best chance.
That being said, Keegan, could go Danny Manning on us right
here and, you know, carry a team.
You deep that it depending on the matchups and then Purdue
probably has the most upside. Would you agree, just their
size, their talent regarding regardless of what happens in
their game against West. I'm talking neutral Court in the
tournament against teams that don't have, you scouted don't
know you. You can imagine.
Ian warming up against Purdue and looking down and seeing
seeing the Ed in the and treyvion and how they're
massive. And there's a psychological
advantage in those with that size.
Especially the first couple games.
The Big Ten is struggle with ball screens as they advance to
the tournament over the last couple of years.
So, maybe this is the year where the wing players like, I be like
Johnny, Dave, like he maybe it's a different year.
Maybe they can carry a team rather than just going through
your bigs. So, Before I get to that, I just
want a real quick. Do I have a thought?
A do I have a question about that?
I want to hit on but you I'm so happy.
You mentioned that. Kike Murray thing on the
broadcast and people are talking about it, like his even for me.
It's like, I know he's good. And then you go and look at the
numbers. It is just unworldly.
Like, I agree with you. Johnny Davis is having a great
year. But damn, you.
Look at Keegan Murray's numbers on Ken Palm like, hip-hop has
offensive rating is 130. He's 15 the country.
I mean, he's using 28% of the possessions, but he's insanely a
Efficient, he's shooting numbers are great to me.
He's top hundred in the country and almost every important
offensive metric. It is it's an unreal year that
he's having so I just wanted to get that out.
But yeah, you mentioned you mentioned the Big Ten having
troubles in the in the tournament.
It brings up to questions from Twitter poke.
Patrick at IU 2714. His question is as the big Ten's
insistence to play tackle basketball, cost them a shot at
the national title, or is it something else?
Big Ten, rest. Call games.
One way all season. Come tournament time.
These rat these teams have to adjust.
It knocks out teams of guys, like, Ed and Coburn every season
also, Crimson casts, 260 or friend.
James said, I want to hear jessa's thoughts, and why the
Big Ten hasn't won a national title and so long.
So, I want to leave those two questions to you.
I mean, I to answer your thing on Purdue.
I think it comes down to this exact question that I think
Purdue is going to be a really tough out to me.
My biggest fear, if I was a Purdue fan is, I feel like Edie
is just Credibly hard to referee.
He's like an early Shaq. You can call a travel every play
almost you can call a foul. No question every play.
And, you know, I worry that in Gate, you know, the history is
that the NCAA arrests are just different in the Big Ten rest
and they might just you'll get him two quick fouls early in a,
you know, sweet 16 game and then it's like, you know, Jane Ivy's
got to do everything. So I'm just, I'm curious, your
thoughts on those two. Questions about the big Ten's
reffing, which we love to rail on this podcast.
That also Is that the reason why the Big Ten hasn't won a title
in so long. And those are, those are
phenomenal tweets and you got my head spinning on those.
I'm trying to dig deep and think I, you know, I think there's
something to it. I'm a 90s guy.
So it's hard for me to shift. I'ma grab and hold I'm a you
know, shove you I am a, you know, John plan to get show on
Howard and Alan Henderson and Glenn Robinson and I can Anti,
I'm not as good as them. So I have to find a way to grab
their Jersey and block them out into all those things that
aren't allowed today, that all of us used to Plateau, Brad,
Miller, and Brian Cardinal and bright it.
That's how we used to play. I didn't we, if I had to run the
analytics, I would say we scored more points back then.
Even playing that way. I'm love the style of play and
we had world-class coaches in the league.
Maybe the, you know, the Golden Era of the late 80s, early 90s.
Um, we also were older. We had, you know, Calbert was in
school for four years Cal, bit would stay one year now, if that
was the case, so I'm always like, what is it, the is it the
officiating as the physicality or sisters?
Guys are not staying long enough.
I think there's something to the officiating at this time of year
gets rougher. There's more physicality.
The advantage of The Bigs in the tournament has not paid
dividends for the Big Ten. I officiating is probably a part
of it. What was the second part of the
question? What was the other tweet?
We're talking? No.
Yeah, like, yeah, why haven't they want it in so long?
Yeah, I would the my the first thing that comes to mind is
that, you know, you look at the Wisconsin teams with Frank
Kaminsky and Sam. Dekker went to the final four
twice, Brandon to an elite Kentucky Squad.
Once lost him, one of your bead on the second year the the the
officiating in the Duke. In ship game that night if you
remember was suspect at best. Yep.
Coming back to that. I think Wisconsin would have won
that game. Had there not been a couple
crazy calls goat against them and those last six or seven
minutes. I mean, we will those guys will
debate that to the End of Time, Carson Edwards and that the
horrific luck against Virginia on the foul.
No three, right? So, I, there's there's a piece
of me that just thinks the Denzel Valentine, Michigan
State. Team, a lot of those teams ran
into Super teams. You remember Michigan with
Wagner and Company ran into Villanova, who one of the best
teams we've had. In 20 years.
I think a lot of judgment bad luck with the matchups in the
final four, but I'm going to have to really think about the
officiating. I the other piece of that is you
look at Lucca, Garza. You look at Kofi Coburn, you
look, it's a key to you. Look at these huge guys who are
in the Big Ten, they have struggled mightily.
In the tournament guarding, ball screen actions.
You've seen this yourself. We talked about this before if I
remember, right? Last year.
I will gave up 13, legit slam, dunks, torgan in the second
round and got run 13 dumps. They these teams are spreading
these big guys out there. They've got three or four
Shooters on the court. The three-point line is the
great neutralizer. There are a lot of teams like
Oral Roberts, last year. We took down Ohio State, I
believe you got EJ. Liddell out there on those ball
screen action, pick and pops, and he's fighting to the death
on each. All those actions and doing a
good job, but not doing a great job.
And you get pick and pop and you get driven and, and that, you
know, now in the term, you can't put your hands on guy.
You get in foul trouble, all of those things.
I mean, are you following me? Here are all of these things,
kind of what you think is. Well, there's it's more than one
thing. No, I totally agree me.
I get caught in this Rabbit Hole to where I'm, like, damn the Big
Ten hasn't. By the way, the Maryland title
isn't count like That's an ACC title like right, but you know,
it hasn't won since Michigan State and you start trying to
figure it out. But then you know, you are
right? You look at it and I have not
run the numbers but I would think that if you look at the
number of teams to make the final four in the last 20 years,
I would have to assume the Big Ten is up there.
And we just have had a lot of bites at the Apple and to your
point. Some is just bad luck.
Some are just bad matchup sums is just, I mean, you know, in
the end it's just the only one. Only one conference wins at
every year. And this isn't like the The SEC
in football where they are just dominating the final for every
year, the BCS for. It's like the big Ten's had a
lot of shots at that Apple. They just haven't got it done.
So I think part of it is it's just, I don't say bad luck, but
part of it is that but I agree with you.
I think the reffing. It's just it's been suspect that
I think it's tough on the big guys.
And you the guys in the Big Ten, you get guys like like you said,
dbed and Coburn. And I look at like Tres Jackson,
Davis, just, you know, we played Purdue the game we wanted.
Home, it's like he just gets two quick fouls like, boom.
Boom. It's like damn like I guess I'm
very, I'm very, I'm very biased. But I mean Jack's, you know,
Trish action Davis up to that point.
I think had knocked, you know, was averaging like 1.8 fouls,
the game for his career. Like he just doesn't get foul
trouble and then you get to Quick touch fouls.
And again, I'm biased. But I'm thinking like, you know,
part of this is entertainment, like dammit Big Ten like this is
these, this is a key matchup between two two powerful
schools. And like you're just going to
put your big guy in foul trouble right away.
Like what the hell are you? Doing but I know, yes.
So inconsistent in the post, but you're right.
I mean the NCAA tournament they call a lot tighter games and
puts the big guys in foul trouble.
And then yeah, these other teams run, these kind of pick and Pops
that guys like Coburn and, you know, Ed or just are not able to
cover effectively and they get torched.
And so, I think it, I think, is combination of both those
things, but I do think it's probably a bit of a scarecrow
argument and that just, you know, if Michigan wins that that
title against Whatever Louisville in 2013.
It's like we're not talking about this.
Yeah, that's right. That's right.
I mean it's it is what it is, but they don't the analytics of
the game playing against the Big.
Ten is like okay, you know Kofi if you give Kofi 20 points,
you're going to be Illinois, like he can't he can't bulrush
and if he turns and puts his elbow up, he's probably going to
pick up two offensive fouls and if Trace comes crashing in, on
the boards, I'm going to call an over the back.
A lot of times he's going to sit, so they can't.
It's almost like the with a huge guy.
You can't take advantage of his skill set.
Now, you know, do you go to six fouls?
There's a piece of me that wants to do that.
And everybody goes crazy and says well then it's just going
to get even worse. But you know, it's like our big
guys can't do what they're called to do on the court.
I had an incredible conversation with the coach Ballantine of a
Loyola, few months ago and they took down, Illinois.
Easily in the tournament last year.
You remember this? Yeah.
I'm like how in the world did you guys pull this off?
You know, with Porter Moser? And and how did you do that?
Like of all the games last year, that you probably circled said,
this is a mismatch sighs. You know, I owed assume.
Ooh, you corbello, and he and he just said, look, we are we had a
really high basketball IQ team. We were able to in less than 48
hours because it was a second-round, we were able to
turn around and it was all about our ball screen defense forcing
I/O. To the right, you know, taking
keeping Kofi off the line relying on, you know,
officiating than the to pick up a few cheap ones.
Just all, it's just fascinating talking to him.
So maybe maybe this is your, you know, Tracy accident.
Hopefully, Indiana can get in. But maybe with his versatility,
you can stay out of foul trouble.
He can have a 30-point game a couple times.
They can get to a sweet 16. Maybe the Keegan and Johnny and
and ivy can 0 because they're Elite Wing players which we
have. Had.
And we also have it had a ton of lottery picks during that run.
If I remember, right? And and the numbers probably say
that the lottery picks get to the final four and when it more
than the non lottery tickets, that's probably would be my
guess. No, I think you're right.
But again, it's bad luck. Because I've been joking, like,
I don't even know why we're gonna have a tournament because
it's coach K's last tournament. So, I mean, I'm assuming every
game starts every game starts with, you know, the other team,
having three fouls and like, you know, the other thing, it's
like, Duke already gets all the calls again, in my mind.
And it's like they're going to get all of the calls now.
It's like, they would love to see Coach K win the title.
You don't want to be in that bracket.
You don't want to be a member. No.
Now they're at least getting to the final four.
I got a couple questions. I get you a tea.
I just I have to ask because I don't get a lot of Big.
Ten Network media. Guys, on here.
I have a conspiracy theory. I will even if you say no, I'm
just going to go to my dying grave with this.
I'm sure that. When Kofi Coburn came in the
league, They sent a memo around like look, I know it says cock
bird, but you gotta call him Coburn because we can't have
guys in college, you know, Network talk saying the word
cock 30 times a game. So I just I'm I'd love to see
that memo if you can share it with me offline.
I want to see that no idea what you're talking about.
I'll leave it that no idea what you're talking about.
I'm just joking. What other Twitter question?
I want to get you just funny. Our friend James at Hoosier.
Doshas. He wants to ask you, how many
degrees did you earn? Earn in your 13 years playing
for Iowa and it's funny because you are in that era of guys who
you know like Joe Hillman had a career at IU.
Will he played a while Like Pat G again partially because of
injuries and I'm not making light of injuries, but the guys
are like my God, he played forever and you're in that
moment and oddly enough for me. It was Evan eschmeyer who I felt
like played forever, but I went back and looked and they played
for years. So maybe my memories just wrong
and we're kind of getting back in that era.
Now where you have the covid ear and like everyone can It seems
to have extra eligibility. But yeah, you were in that are
in the mid 90s where it seemed like there's a couple guys in
the Big Ten. It's like in a good way.
It's like damn I'm tired of seeing Jeff settles because he's
like torturing us as an IU fan. So yeah, you were around for a
while. Obviously, as well.
Who's that was James? You said on Twitter?
Yeah. You couldn't talk all this shit
to James. You want.
Yes. Yeah.
James man. Come on buddy, you know, I mean,
I just I just love playing Indiana.
I just wanted to keep coming back and just experience.
The banners. And hey, no, look this is this
is interesting because about three days ago.
I got this. I got a text from how true it be
10.com. Who's the internet side of the
Big Ten Network and we're doing something we're working on right
now. I don't know if we'll be able to
pull it off or not. But we're working on my all
sixth year team. This year is great right now.
We're working on that. So it's a Larry's timing here.
So we're he's like texting me guys.
I'm texting back. I'm safe.
Are you sure that's 60 or guy's not a fifth year.
So we're just kind of scrambling here.
I and I'd always joking. So why would why would they pick
me to go to be at the pick this team?
So it's the sarcasm so I was evident schmeyer.
Yes. Did play six years in
Northwestern and Danny Earl also got a six year.
He was a guard at Penn State. You guys might remember and then
I'm going to say 45 years ago, Tracy Abrams.
Yes, I do. Annoy played six years.
Now. We when I was on the set for the
studio. So that was four of us that I
know of. So, we kind of had this running
joke that I coach this team and that it's called a six-year team
and we actually pulled out this fake contract.
We signed Robbie Hummel to the team because we needed scoring
and guess what? Right?
So, but Robbie only played at Purdue five years, but everybody
thought he was there six or seven.
So we just Have this this fun thing.
Well now, you know, there are 30 guys who came back.
So we were talking about Jordan Bohannon.
We were to are are Curry. I guess it.
Minnesota has the option of coming back for a seventh year,
believe it or not are Curry. And I don't, he may take that,
he may take that I think Willis. Maybe was there six years.
There's a couple other. Guyot, Kyle young.
I believe, it'll heiio, state is on his sixth year.
There's one other guy and I can't think of him.
My opinion on the whole thing is if you know, to be serious about
it, I would let guys come for four years and that's it.
Regardless. You could probably talk me in to
a redshirt fifth year, but the 6th Ave a 25 year old playing
against an 18 or 19 year old to me defeats the whole purpose of
college sports II, don't I don't like it.
Now we when we came back for our six years in the night is
obviously We were seriously injured but they it was a
serious hardship. Now.
It's like hey, I don't want to play overseas.
I want to get a PhD. Yeah.
Anyway, so yeah, that's where I'm at.
I was there six years now, everybody's there six years.
The whole thing's a mess, but we live with it and you know, some
teams have definitely benefited from it.
You were a trendsetter you were earlier that.
You're either crazy. Yeah, you're like an early
adopter, the truth story. After my final game in Indiana.
I think it was senior day maybe or I think it was their senior
day coach. Nick comes up to me after the
game and you know, and Coach Knight people.
If you've never stood coach, Knight is huge.
You do realize all the intimidation factor is his size
as much as anything else. I mean, he is, he came up to me
and just, you know, got up in me, and said he says, he said,
sarcastically settles, don't you even think about coming back for
a seventh year? So extra sir.
Now you're dead on. I, when I went to, I you I went
96 to 2000 and I grew up in Bloomington.
So I was, I was going to games from like, 85 86 on, but a bob,
Knight taught, a class called coaching basketball.
And I took the class my junior year and it was awesome.
Like you had, you know, one class for night.
Just talked about kind of in an hour where we talk about
whatever you want, whatever he wanted, which was whatever he
wanted. And then we went on to the court
with the time Norm Ellenberger and they would run through
plays. I ended up coaching like, you
know, middle school, high school basketball in Texas.
I like that. Playbook is like my Bible, but
you are right. I would always tell people like
you. Bob Knight was a was a huge
dude. I'm he played played on won.
A title has Ohio State, but he was like a legit 68. 250.
I mean he was so he was a big guy and it's like it was part of
what made him kind of scare him. I was in there and class and
it's like nobody want. I always joke, I remember night
walked out then like, you know, I'm sitting in the back he walks
back in and just puts his hand on.
Shoulder and you just, you know, talking about something kind of
using me as an armrest and I'm just look over and there's like
the 76 undefeated, you know, championship ring.
I'm just thinking to myself, like, don't burp, don't fart,
like, just don't do anything to get his attention because yeah,
you know, you're right. He was a people didn't realize
what a big guy. He was.
Yeah. No, that's that's incredibly
intimidating. Obviously.
I mean everybody knows that but if you've never stood next to
him or had he put his hand on your shoulder something it's
like, yeah, he's a powerful dude, but I, I remember I was I
had I talk in the bar. Fox Mark, Fox is one of our
producers. Big Ten Network was Dawkins
producer. He is peeing for a long time.
And, and we've talked about those bob Knight coaching
classes before when coach used to address the student body.
Those are just some legendary, my Aunt Barb kreger.
My mom sister was one of the and might have been I get it
confused, but she might have been the first full ride
scholarship, female basketball player and and, Indiana.
She was one of the first couple and she used to talk about the
class as well. Like the clap the coaching
class, right? I mean there, there's some
incredible story. But if I remember, right?
It will was like, you could miss one class for the semester or
there's no, you showing up for the next one.
Right? Like, you admitted more in
class. Miss one class.
You get to see Miss to clashes. You get an F.
No sandwich. No earrings.
No hats. No, no, there.
I remember it. And yeah, and he but he I mean,
but again, with night, you hear that.
Like, oh, he's just a hard-ass like no like there was and he he
was great and he was obviously I grew up in that era I worship at
his altar so to speak. But me he would say like how you
raise your hands, how many you guys skip you know your English
class. We all raise our hands.
You how many skip your science class?
Raise your hands. How many?
Skip my class? Nobody raised their hands and
he'd be like what the fuck's wrong with you.
So you're paying to go to college.
If you're wasting, I'm a basketball coach.
Like, why are you coming to my class?
Like, why are you skipping your other classes?
He's like, if you skip another clay, he would just any Trail in
to us about skipping class, but it's like you get it.
It's like it. Point is valid.
It's like we're going here to learn.
I mean, obviously he's teaching us something but in the end like
he's a basketball coach. We're there to get her degree in
history science, you know English, whatever.
It's like, why are we skipping other classes?
But not skipping this class. It was on.
And then, I know, I don't take too much more of your time.
But I always cracked me up on me.
I did not play high school. I was a, you know, I play
Pick-up basketball. I'm okay for a pickup basketball
player, but like we would go on the court and we would run the
play. It would run a practice with
Norm Ellenberger and run the plays.
And I don't know, this guy's name, like one of the kids in
the class. It was great.
They normally like, all right. I need you guys to line up.
He's so all right, coach that lineup.
Ego lineup. He smack, you on the ass and
like on the layoffs. He's hit the backboard.
I'm thinking like do you think we're gonna cut AJ Guyton and
just put you on the team? Like it's like you can tell two
of the guys in the class thought.
Like this was their shot to make the IU basketball team.
Oh, yeah. Hey, you know, that's, that's
on, right. I always thought every everybody
in. State of Indiana can play
basketball. So you probably are selling
yourself short, but I do I do, right?
It's love-hate. I would coach night.
I mean, yeah, that's that's the way he kind of Drew The Sword in
the in the sand and you're the one side or another and it's
complicated and it's and the history.
And I know if you went to school during that era, you witnessed
me, you're going to school in the 80s, early 90s.
It's it right. It's Vehicle.
And then the book comes out in the movie comes out, the
Championships, and the banners. And I, I just, you know, I love
the history of it. And you mentioned, Joe Hillman,
the, when I talked to Coach fish or not coach, Fred, when I talk
to Don, fish before games, and I want to pick his brain a little
bit with, at least within the first two minutes.
I always take, tell me, tell me about the 1989 team and, and
it's like, you know, I know what he's going to say because he's
already told me that the story three or four times now, but I
just love to hear it because it's there.
He was there and most people would say that's not the best
team to ever play in the Big Ten, but it might be the very
definition of the greatest team to ever play because they had no
business winning the league that year.
And you look at that lineup. They had no business.
With all the superstars in the League and they want it.
And that may be that that team may be the most impactful as far
as my childhood. How in the world did they win?
The Big Ten title with what Joe Hellman was playing Center and
forward after year. Yeah.
I mean that's it's a you had Eric Eric Anderson, but he
hadn't liked J. Edwards is a guy who's just
ahead of his time. You can equipment.
Yeah, he comes out today and it's it goes differently.
I will I'll get you out of here on this, you know, you mentioned
earlier about the the era of the guys, you play.
Coaches that were there like coaching temperaments.
If you had bob Knight Eugene, Katie, you have Lou Henson
quietly. My favorite stat is the
winningest, Big, 10 coach in the 80s is Lou Henson that you can
work and get anybody wrong with that and then you got it early.
Tom is owner the end of your career.
I'm just curious. You already gave us one.
Goodnight story. Do you have any other good
stories of those guy? I mean that to me is I feel like
we're slowly getting back there with coaches in the Big Ten, but
that's always going to be like the Golden Era of India.
Dr. Tom. Have you obviously played for
it. No, I'm just curious.
You have any good stories from those got that, that group of
coaches who were fun? Flamboyant boisterous, like just
a great group of coaches for from a entertainment standpoint
and he'll coaches all across the board to.
Yeah, Jud heathcote was the first letter that I received.
That was probably an eighth grade.
He had such an incredible sense of humor.
And this was back when you had the phones with a cord on the
wall, right? And you didn't get to talk to
people very often because your mom and dad would only give Five
minutes a night on the phone because your plot could be your
B busy and they're doing business and stuff like that.
So you have you remember the old tape recording machines?
And so Judd would leave these hilarious messages on the
answering machine. I think I'm 50/50 whether my mom
still has them in a box, you know, the cassettes up in the
attic but he would leave the he would call it each say Jess.
You know, where are you? I'm trying to recruit you.
Don't? You want to talk to me?
Just just hilarious? And then literally five minutes
later he would call back again if you like.
I'm still waiting to hear from you.
Are you home yet? I mean just crack up.
Just having fun. I mean it was it was all in
jest. So I just I loved I loved him.
Gene Keady, you know had some War Gene Keady.
Always really is respected you if you're a warrior, so he
always he always liked the way. I played kind of blue collared
stuff and I will talk to him and some final fours.
I haven't talked to him in a few years, but we That, that the
Indiana Purdue rivalry was and you remember, the, the
basketball show, the coaches shows.
Yep, and the donkey, and all that crap, just hilarious.
But when you talk to night and Katie, it's still, without
putting words in their mouth. It's still personal to them that
Indiana, Purdue rivalry and and Coach, Katie would say something
like, you'd be like, you know, at least at least when we played
in Iowa, we wouldn't get screwed by the officials like we did.
Every time we played in Indiana, you know, like still to this
day. Like he feels like he got jobbed
time, which is just awesome. Right?
Just it wasn't. We had three channels.
And, you know, do you have other social media and all the cables?
So you just you locked in with your team and the coaching shows
and the writers and, and, and Coach hints at an Illinois had
some good battles with him, Lauren Tate.
Who's the legendary writer reporter at?
Boy, you still going strong as a radio show at age. 90, he died.
Two years ago when I was in town.
He took me over to coach hence his house and we got to spend a
couple hours with Coach hence and his family and he's recently
passed away. But that was just Priceless to
me and he was sharp as a wit and to talk about the Indiana
rivalry and Purdue and Michigan State.
It was, you know, those are the times and you just as a kid, you
don't think those times are ever going to end you just it's it's
just glorious. You happen to catch the elite
players. You happen to catch Indiana
during the Glory Days. Purdue Glory Days, Illinois.
Final fours. Dr. Tom it had Iowa.
I was very fortunate to be recruited or at least to talk to
during the recruiting process. A lot of those guys and I'm
better for it was a real blessing.
No question. Yeah, you mentioned obviously an
Indiana fan. I went to I you and you
mentioned like I you winning that 89 Big Ten title, one of my
All-time non IU, Big Ten teams is also that 89 Illinois team
that went to the final four with Anderson and battle and Gil and
Liberty. And it's like I also like top
one to two uniforms in the Big Ten, just the fighting Illini
that uniform just like and so even to your point again, giving
IU Credit. It's like it's not like I you
won the Big Ten in a down year. Like you had maybe one of the
best teams to not win a title in that 89, Illinois, team.
We'll look again. I don't know.
Pamela.
Did anybody ever write a book on that season?
Like it's insane, you know, Michigan won the national title
with Glen Rice from Neil. Robertson Lloyd Bashan.
Hit ya Minnesota. I think was top five.
I think I would be J. Roy said was number one in the
country that year. It's insane like that.
It was it was a it was the minor leagues of the NBA.
And yeah, you got, you know, Jay Edwards hitting the over the
backboard shots, but there's they had no business even
finish. Top five that year, no business.
And I've had this conversation with Stephen Bardo, and he had
just shake his head and how I don't know, like, I would love
to, that's why I always ask fish about it because he just starts
reeling off stories about it that, that, just blow your mind.
That's anybody out there. Listening.
You're right. That's a great book.
I mean, that year is wild because, yeah, that that
Illinois team is almost legendary and you're right.
I honestly felt. I didn't forget.
B. Again, Michigan, won the title
that Year, it's just that's it. That was a stacked.
Got that was a stacked run because if you go kind of you go
right into that great iut with Calbert cheaney.
You have the Fab Five at Michigan.
Like just a big tennis humming for like six years there.
Yeah, and and, and so many NBA players who became All-Stars and
and, you know, going back when I'm set on the other night about
Keegan Murray at Iowa, jump a back.
Is he the most talented player in Iowa history?
I'm, you know, I'm what I'm talking about, a lot of these
guys in teams and Legacy. I'm not Talking about the most
successful or the greatest winners.
I'm just talking about guys. Who, if you're a lottery pick
chances are, you're pretty. You're pretty tough.
You're pretty good and there were tons of them.
The leak was so spectacular in 89 that Roy marble, who up until
Garza broke, his scoring all-time scoring record.
Last year, Roy marble did not even make First Team, all League
that year in the Big Ten. It's wild.
You can't you can't get your mind right up its mate.
Yeah, I wish somebody would write that book in about nine
and maybe somebody has. If you know somebody hit me on
Twitter if you ever come across that because it's some it's NBA
All-Stars. It's I think L annoy beat
Michigan in Ann Arbor, Maybe by 15 that year and then that was
also the year that fisher took over when freeter was the lame
duck. And then, Michigan.
We'll all be in the final four because what Nick Anderson did
block out Sean Higgins on the last second tip in and then
they've been Michigan. Beat Seton Hall, Andhra meals
shots, but you know, no one would ever remember that.
Not no one but outside of the league no one would ever
remember that Indiana won the conference that year and you'd
be like, this is some sort of typos and we got Joe Hellman
trying to guard NBA All-Stars and by golly, the guy got it
done. That's that's the best team of
my lifetime. At the greatest team but the
best team is a kind of mix words here.
Ya know, and you're right about that that the the amount of
talent. Got a look at the all Big.
Ten team from 89. It's wild.
Like and it Horton from Iowa, made it be a of J Edwards, Nick
Anderson Glen Rice, but I mean God.
Yeah, it's there's so much talent like, to me, I'll end on
this. Like, I did, it doesn't really
fit in, but like you mentioned like those teams like to me, the
guy you mentioned to do Jud heathcote the player that always
Boggled my mind did some of the most impressive things I ever
saw an assembly hall with Sean respiratory.
Like I know we're jumping ahead like four or five years, but to
me like that was that was a guy to it's like, I don't know how
he didn't. I don't think they have a better
NBA career because he had a great professional career and
it's not all about the NBA but that was a guy who I remember
seeing him being like Jesus is like a different level of
player. And it's it's kind of lost to
the Sands of I coming. Sadly Calbert chains and kind of
the same boat like Big Ten fans know who he is, but greater
basketball probably, you know, vaguely know, Calbert cheaney
and probably don't even know who Sean respite is which to me is
is sad. Yeah, you know tell me about it.
I we used to run a 2-3 Zone with kind of a unique scheme and I
had to guard the box as a power forward, but I also had to get
out to the corner which was almost impossible.
Let's be real right. And so I'm like thank God I
didn't have to wasn't there having a guard Calbert cheaney
route of been in the been ugly, but I'm telling coached him to
some like Can't get out and guard Sean respirator.
He's going to be in the corner and he's just going to torch me.
Like I can't do it. Well, well, then we'll find
somebody else who could do it, you know, what to do.
You know how it used to be back then right?
Right, right. I'm like, okay.
Okay. Okay.
I'll well, I think the first time I played against me, hyung
3032 on me. It's felt like half of them were
from the corner. It's a pretty good and that's
what, that's what he averaged me.
But you held a pretty good honestly, right?
He, he tweeted something at me a few months ago.
And I think I put something out there like, man, this, this Guys
guys, I totally agree. What, I totally agree with you,
like don't forget that. Sean.
Ruster now, I believe that he had an illness.
Maybe he got, he was not healthy going into the NBA and and
that's why he didn't have a spectacular cry.
He had a serious illness and I'm not sure what it was.
Okay. Yeah, I don't I don't remember
that and I yeah, it's anyway just but you know, he was, he
was phenomenal, that we should need to.
Have you on just do like a 1989 retrospective.
Like there's a podcast series. We just go through every game in
the Big Ten and 89 and just just dig deep and live in the past.
That would be fun. I know right.
You guys I mean come on you got to get your squad to create a
new future. So we don't have to live in the
past, right? Me some get Indiana on a final
four. Run here.
We got to change the subject looking forward.
Write it from your lips to God's ears, man.
Yes, I want it more than that. You know, hopefully, we're on
the right path. But let's let's let's get to the
tournament this year. And then yeah, I'd love to have
you back beginning of next year and talk about kind of where
we're at, who's here? And what you're looking for.
Indiana? Hello.
Yeah, I appreciate being on and you know, it's fun to talk about
it. Yeah, and if Indiana went to if
Indiana, won three national titles in a row over the next
three years, we still couldn't get enough of the 80s of Indiana
basketball. You just can't, you can't get
enough of it. No, I mean it's just it's the
coaches, the players everything you said so I don't take any
more of your time Jess. It's been a, it's been awesome.
We'll definitely have you back on.
Follow him on the Big Ten Network or it's just settles
hoop on Twitter and for everybody for listening.
Thank you guys and we'll be back.
Hopefully after a Rutgers wind later on this week, but this is
Scott for Crimson cast signing off.