Hoosier Hysteria update
The IU Athletics Department announced today that this year's Hoosier Hysteria will include not only the men's and women's basketball teams, but the IU volleyball program.
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The IU Athletics Department announced today that this year's Hoosier Hysteria will include not only the men's and women's basketball teams, but the IU volleyball program.
The Indiana Memorial Union announced today that IU coach Tom Crean will give his first public speech to the IU Student Body on Oct. 6 at IU Auditorium.
The Indiana Daily Student's Big Ten Preview came out on newstands today. Our centerpiece story examines the recent performance of IU Athletics (all sports, not just basketball) in the Big Ten.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tom Crean likes to characterize IU’s tradition with a simple phrase: “It’s Indiana.”Why did the new men’s basketball coach take a turmoil-ridden job with IU? Because it’s Indiana. How are you going to sell recruits on becoming Hoosiers? Well, it’s Indiana.But does ‘Indiana’ mean what it used to?The school’s performance in the Big Ten since 2001 would indicate it does not. Of the 11 schools in the Big Ten, IU has won the ninth-fewest team conference championships since 2001. The Hoosiers’ 10 titles rank ahead only of Iowa (nine) and Purdue (eight). The first-place school, Michigan, has 41.The last three years have been particularly tough competitively for the IU Athletics Department, winning only three Big Ten championships in that span. The men’s basketball team – the program the athletic department hangs its hat on – hasn’t won a Big Ten championship since 2002, when it won the regular season title in a three-way tie. In contrast, during the peak of IU basketball from 1973 to 1983, the Hoosiers won seven Big Ten titles.In football, by far college athletics’ largest revenue earner and most popular sport, IU hasn’t been tops in the conference since 1967.So why have the Hoosiers struggled so mightily in competition during the last couple of years? We’ll take a look at some of the challenges the athletic department’s faced.Dollars and ‘Sense’Without a top-notch football program, the athletic department has always struggled to compensate financially. Even if the Hoosiers were to sell out Memorial Stadium (capacity: 49,225) on Saturdays, which is rarely done, they would still be short of the average attendance at a Big Ten football game by 20,000 fans. In total, the Hoosiers have 24 sports and 640 student athletes, about the average size for a Big Ten school. But IU has the distinction of spending the least per sport per year ($2,130,188 per year) of any school in the conference. Ohio State, which has 34 sports, spends $3,394,118 per sport.After presenting what could be called the athletic department’s “state of the union” address to the school’s board of trustees Thursday, IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan said operating under a small budget can be tricky.“It makes decisions in some cases more challenging, because we’re not going to solve all of our problems with money,” Greenspan said in an interview with the Indiana Daily Student. “Money, in itself, is not the answer. But does it enable you to retain and attract coaches who have done a good job? Does it enable you to deal with a half-million dollar increase in travel because of fuel surcharges and other things?”Greenspan said balancing IU’s budget is a challenge in realizing the necessities of the program.“We have to be wise in our decisions and have people who recognize that we can do everything we can to support (our athletes’ and coaches’) needs even though we might not be able to support their wants,” he said.Greenspan has been praised by many people, including IU President Michael McRobbie, for his work in bringing the athletic department out of the red.During the 2001-2002 academic year, IU generated just less than $31 million dollars in total revenue and had a net loss of $2,577,272. After Greenspan’s first year in office, the program turned a profit of $74,337. In 2007-2008, the athletic department generated almost $53 million dollars in revenue and enjoyed a profit of $6,234,507.But even with the financial improvement, IU is likely to still operate at a disadvantage in the future. During his address to the board of trustees, Greenspan said while the athletic department has improved budget-wise, the school is likely to always be near the bottom of total revenue in the Big Ten. Galen Clavio – an IU graduate and a faculty member at the University of Miami who specializes in sports administration – said IU’s athletic department faces unique hardships.“From a revenue perspective, they have some disadvantages,” Clavio said. “They are not a natural football school, and they haven’t been able to get the kind of guaranteed revenue Ohio State or Michigan can get. The basketball program has always been a cash cow, but now they are struggling with that because of some of the major problems they’ve had.”Not being a natural football school seems to be apparent on game days. Big Ten Network analyst Chris Martin, who also played cornerback for Northwestern in the mid-90s, said a former Wildcats athletic director once explained to him the importance of the school’s football program.“He said you have to fill those seats more than anything,” Martin explained. “It spills over to everything else, and everything else feeds off of (football).”Dated FacilitiesAnother reason the athletic department has struggled competitively in the Big Ten is its sub-par facilities.The Hoosiers don’t have state-of-the-art arenas like other Big Ten schools. They don’t have the practice facilities for their athletes nor do they have the jaw-dropping architecture to lure recruits.But IU has made an effort in the last couple of years to change some of that. The $38 million dollar North Endzone Facility gives the football stadium an upgrade it desperately needs without replacing it entirely. The stadium was built in 1960 and is significantly under size by Big Ten standards.Assembly Hall, despite its rich history and tradition, is, in reality, a 37-year-old basketball arena with poor sight lines and no luxury boxes. And basketball and football aren’t exceptions. Before re-locating to a brand-new outdoor field last year, the IU field hockey team was the only Division I school in the nation that played indoors (John Mellencamp Pavilion). The wrestling and volleyball teams play their home matches inside the University Gymnasium, a gym originally built in 1963 for the School of Education and used in the mid-80s as a middle school gymnasium. In addition to the North Endzone Facility, which the athletic department projects to be completed in July 2009, the athletic department is attempting to improve its facilities by building a $17 million dollar basketball development center, set to open in August 2009. The school also has new baseball and softball complexes and a student-athlete academic center in the planning stages. Who IU has hiredDuring the last several years, it has sometimes seemed like IU says goodbye to athletic directors and school presidents as frequently as it says goodbye to graduating athletes.Before Greenspan there was Terry Clapacs. Before him, Michael McNeely, who was preceded by Clarence Doninger. Before IU President Michael McRobbie there were presidents Adam Herbert and Myles Brand.“I think we’ve seen a bigger emphasis in the NCAA on presidents taking control of the athletic department,” Clavio said. “And if you have presidents changing every three years, what does that mean of the direction of the athletic department? Does it change every three years as well?”But the changes don’t stop at the top. Since 2004, Greenspan has worked diligently to raise money and improve IU’s facilities and financial standing. But he’s also worked extensively to overhaul IU’s head coaching personnel. During his time as IU athletics director, Greenspan has hired 11 head coaches in eight different sports. Of the 11 coaches, nine have come from outside of IU. Some would argue hiring from within a program is evidence of its success. Take men’s soccer for example. The team has won the conference’s last two Big Ten titles and four since 2001. They have also won the last five NCAA Team Championships the Hoosiers have won. In 2003, after winning his sixth NCAA Championship with the Hoosiers, legendary soccer coach Jerry Yeagley announced his retirement. Instead of conducting a national search, Clapacs promoted longtime assistant coach Mike Freitag to the head coaching position. At the announcement, Clapacs said, “Any time you can hire from within, it is evidence of a program’s strong tradition of success.” But the success of the men’s soccer program is a bit unique. In 2004, Clapacs stepped down and it was announced Greenspan would take over the athletic department. Since then, there has been a pattern of national coaching searches conducted by the athletic department, looking to turn struggling programs around with big hires.Greenspan said almost every coaching search he conducts is national and he looks for people with “high character and people with great work ethic.”“I want people who are turnaround specialists,” Greenspan said. “Who, at some point in time, have taken a program or been in a program that didn’t have the resources of the competitive success ... and have demonstrated through their efforts that they’ve been able to do that.”Greenspan did point out that there is one “notable exception” to the 11 head coaches he’s hired – not so subtly singling out former IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.While Sampson is long gone, the University is still sorting out his ramifications with the NCAA. Greenspan said it makes him sad to see the successes IU has accomplished be washed away “because a couple people were very selfish and made decisions that were improper.”“I’m angry, frustrated and disappointed,” he said.Greenspan said the Sampson fiasco has been “extremely visible” but hasn’t impacted any other sports financially. As for recruiting in other sports, Greenspan said he doesn’t think the dark cloud cast over IU basketball has affected the players the school can obtain. More than anything, Greenspan thinks Sampson has hurt IU’s pride.“It’s been costly first and foremost to all of those who have, for a very long time, prided themselves on ethics, the morals, the fair play and the good sportsmanship of this institution,” he said. “This is not an institution that takes infractions lightly ... this is our first in a half-century.”Greenspan said the reaction to the basketball program’s struggles have been harsh because “this doesn’t look like or feel like us.”“Its hurt a lot of people that are alums, fans and friends, let alone the employees of this department,” he said.The national media attention to IU’s struggles haven’t helped the Hoosiers recover, ESPN.com Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg said.“They say any PR is good PR, but that was clearly bad PR,” Rittenberg said. “I think you have a fan base that obviously wants to win, but what separates them from some teams in the South is there is an integrity factor. They want to win with integrity ... There was a risk, and that risk came back to bite them.”Clavio said the Sampson debacle has hurt IU’s image.“Indiana has always had the ability to do things by the rules, and do things accordingly,” Clavio said. “Some of their rivals haven’t done so. But the hiring of Sampson, and the two years following, have taken away from Indiana’s ability to market themselves. They are really going to have to do a lot to reestablish their landscape.”Re-establishing the school’s image might have come with the hiring of Crean, who Greenspan said is obviously not afraid of a challenge.“In some cases, (his situation) is virtually unprecedented,” he said. “We haven’t played a game, yet it’s evident to most people what a splendid job he has done with accessibility, his outreach and to even recruit with limitations. I love those types of people. They overcome adversity. That’s what I look for.”The FutureIn 10 years, will Crean still characterize IU’s tradition with “It’s Indiana”?No one knows.In fact, no one knows who will be leading the Hoosiers next year, let alone in 10 years. Greenspan is stepping down as IU athletics director at the end of the year, and the school is currently in full-search mode for a new leader. So, will the Hoosiers return to the athletic powerhouse they once were?Rittenberg thinks the program is headed in the right direction.“I don’t know the key to building back every sport, but I don’t think the job for the next athletic director is going to be as severe as it used to be,” he said.Martin thinks future success will make people quickly forget about past failures.“I’ve always said, success breeds success,” he said. “Winning can be a wonderful deodorant.” Clavio thinks the department needs to look at itself in the mirror.“The focus needs to be on learning how to adapt to the athletic department realities of the 21st century, and that’s a complicated issue,” he said.IU needs to hire people passionate about IU – not just their jobs, but also the University as a whole, he explained.“People who are passionate about who they work for are competent at doing their jobs, not just people who are there to collect a paycheck,” Clavio said. “I’m not saying people who work there now are doing that, but IU needs people who believe in the mission of Indiana University, who believe in the values and are willing to go to work every day and make it a reality.”As for Greenspan, he won’t be around to see if the Hoosiers can recapture their glory days. But he has hope.“The image that has been created is an image which I’m very resentful of personally, and it’s an image that I’m disappointed in as it distracts people from the years and years and years of great work,” Greenspan said. “This institution will overcome it, and quicker than most people think.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tom Crean likes to characterize IU’s tradition with a simple phrase: “It’s Indiana.”Why did the new men’s basketball coach take a turmoil-ridden job with IU? Because it’s Indiana. How are you going to sell recruits on becoming Hoosiers? Well, it’s Indiana.But does ‘Indiana’ mean what it used to?The school’s performance in the Big Ten since 2001 would indicate it does not. Of the 11 schools in the Big Ten, IU has won the ninth-fewest team conference championships since 2001. The Hoosiers’ 10 titles rank ahead only of Iowa (nine) and Purdue (eight). The first-place school, Michigan, has 41.The last three years have been particularly tough competitively for the IU Athletics Department, winning only three Big Ten championships in that span. The men’s basketball team – the program the athletic department hangs its hat on – hasn’t won a Big Ten championship since 2002, when it won the regular season title in a three-way tie. In contrast, during the peak of IU basketball from 1973 to 1983, the Hoosiers won seven Big Ten titles.In football, by far college athletics’ largest revenue earner and most popular sport, IU hasn’t been tops in the conference since 1967.So why have the Hoosiers struggled so mightily in competition during the last couple of years? We’ll take a look at some of the challenges the athletic department’s faced.Dollars and ‘Sense’Without a top-notch football program, the athletic department has always struggled to compensate financially. Even if the Hoosiers were to sell out Memorial Stadium (capacity: 49,225) on Saturdays, which is rarely done, they would still be short of the average attendance at a Big Ten football game by 20,000 fans. In total, the Hoosiers have 24 sports and 640 student athletes, about the average size for a Big Ten school. But IU has the distinction of spending the least per sport per year ($2,130,188 per year) of any school in the conference. Ohio State, which has 34 sports, spends $3,394,118 per sport.After presenting what could be called the athletic department’s “state of the union” address to the school’s board of trustees Thursday, IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan said operating under a small budget can be tricky.“It makes decisions in some cases more challenging, because we’re not going to solve all of our problems with money,” Greenspan said in an interview with the Indiana Daily Student. “Money, in itself, is not the answer. But does it enable you to retain and attract coaches who have done a good job? Does it enable you to deal with a half-million dollar increase in travel because of fuel surcharges and other things?”Greenspan said balancing IU’s budget is a challenge in realizing the necessities of the program.“We have to be wise in our decisions and have people who recognize that we can do everything we can to support (our athletes’ and coaches’) needs even though we might not be able to support their wants,” he said.Greenspan has been praised by many people, including IU President Michael McRobbie, for his work in bringing the athletic department out of the red.During the 2001-2002 academic year, IU generated just less than $31 million dollars in total revenue and had a net loss of $2,577,272. After Greenspan’s first year in office, the program turned a profit of $74,337. In 2007-2008, the athletic department generated almost $53 million dollars in revenue and enjoyed a profit of $6,234,507.But even with the financial improvement, IU is likely to still operate at a disadvantage in the future. During his address to the board of trustees, Greenspan said while the athletic department has improved budget-wise, the school is likely to always be near the bottom of total revenue in the Big Ten. Galen Clavio – an IU graduate and a faculty member at the University of Miami who specializes in sports administration – said IU’s athletic department faces unique hardships.“From a revenue perspective, they have some disadvantages,” Clavio said. “They are not a natural football school, and they haven’t been able to get the kind of guaranteed revenue Ohio State or Michigan can get. The basketball program has always been a cash cow, but now they are struggling with that because of some of the major problems they’ve had.”Not being a natural football school seems to be apparent on game days. Big Ten Network analyst Chris Martin, who also played cornerback for Northwestern in the mid-90s, said a former Wildcats athletic director once explained to him the importance of the school’s football program.“He said you have to fill those seats more than anything,” Martin explained. “It spills over to everything else, and everything else feeds off of (football).”Dated FacilitiesAnother reason the athletic department has struggled competitively in the Big Ten is its sub-par facilities.The Hoosiers don’t have state-of-the-art arenas like other Big Ten schools. They don’t have the practice facilities for their athletes nor do they have the jaw-dropping architecture to lure recruits.But IU has made an effort in the last couple of years to change some of that. The $38 million dollar North Endzone Facility gives the football stadium an upgrade it desperately needs without replacing it entirely. The stadium was built in 1960 and is significantly under size by Big Ten standards.Assembly Hall, despite its rich history and tradition, is, in reality, a 37-year-old basketball arena with poor sight lines and no luxury boxes. And basketball and football aren’t exceptions. Before re-locating to a brand-new outdoor field last year, the IU field hockey team was the only Division I school in the nation that played indoors (John Mellencamp Pavilion). The wrestling and volleyball teams play their home matches inside the University Gymnasium, a gym originally built in 1963 for the School of Education and used in the mid-80s as a middle school gymnasium. In addition to the North Endzone Facility, which the athletic department projects to be completed in July 2009, the athletic department is attempting to improve its facilities by building a $17 million dollar basketball development center, set to open in August 2009. The school also has new baseball and softball complexes and a student-athlete academic center in the planning stages. Who IU has hiredDuring the last several years, it has sometimes seemed like IU says goodbye to athletic directors and school presidents as frequently as it says goodbye to graduating athletes.Before Greenspan there was Terry Clapacs. Before him, Michael McNeely, who was preceded by Clarence Doninger. Before IU President Michael McRobbie there were presidents Adam Herbert and Myles Brand.“I think we’ve seen a bigger emphasis in the NCAA on presidents taking control of the athletic department,” Clavio said. “And if you have presidents changing every three years, what does that mean of the direction of the athletic department? Does it change every three years as well?”But the changes don’t stop at the top. Since 2004, Greenspan has worked diligently to raise money and improve IU’s facilities and financial standing. But he’s also worked extensively to overhaul IU’s head coaching personnel. During his time as IU athletics director, Greenspan has hired 11 head coaches in eight different sports. Of the 11 coaches, nine have come from outside of IU. Some would argue hiring from within a program is evidence of its success. Take men’s soccer for example. The team has won the conference’s last two Big Ten titles and four since 2001. They have also won the last five NCAA Team Championships the Hoosiers have won. In 2003, after winning his sixth NCAA Championship with the Hoosiers, legendary soccer coach Jerry Yeagley announced his retirement. Instead of conducting a national search, Clapacs promoted longtime assistant coach Mike Freitag to the head coaching position. At the announcement, Clapacs said, “Any time you can hire from within, it is evidence of a program’s strong tradition of success.” But the success of the men’s soccer program is a bit unique. In 2004, Clapacs stepped down and it was announced Greenspan would take over the athletic department. Since then, there has been a pattern of national coaching searches conducted by the athletic department, looking to turn struggling programs around with big hires.Greenspan said almost every coaching search he conducts is national and he looks for people with “high character and people with great work ethic.”“I want people who are turnaround specialists,” Greenspan said. “Who, at some point in time, have taken a program or been in a program that didn’t have the resources of the competitive success ... and have demonstrated through their efforts that they’ve been able to do that.”Greenspan did point out that there is one “notable exception” to the 11 head coaches he’s hired – not so subtly singling out former IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.While Sampson is long gone, the University is still sorting out his ramifications with the NCAA. Greenspan said it makes him sad to see the successes IU has accomplished be washed away “because a couple people were very selfish and made decisions that were improper.”“I’m angry, frustrated and disappointed,” he said.Greenspan said the Sampson fiasco has been “extremely visible” but hasn’t impacted any other sports financially. As for recruiting in other sports, Greenspan said he doesn’t think the dark cloud cast over IU basketball has affected the players the school can obtain. More than anything, Greenspan thinks Sampson has hurt IU’s pride.“It’s been costly first and foremost to all of those who have, for a very long time, prided themselves on ethics, the morals, the fair play and the good sportsmanship of this institution,” he said. “This is not an institution that takes infractions lightly ... this is our first in a half-century.”Greenspan said the reaction to the basketball program’s struggles have been harsh because “this doesn’t look like or feel like us.”“Its hurt a lot of people that are alums, fans and friends, let alone the employees of this department,” he said.The national media attention to IU’s struggles haven’t helped the Hoosiers recover, ESPN.com Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg said.“They say any PR is good PR, but that was clearly bad PR,” Rittenberg said. “I think you have a fan base that obviously wants to win, but what separates them from some teams in the South is there is an integrity factor. They want to win with integrity ... There was a risk, and that risk came back to bite them.”Clavio said the Sampson debacle has hurt IU’s image.“Indiana has always had the ability to do things by the rules, and do things accordingly,” Clavio said. “Some of their rivals haven’t done so. But the hiring of Sampson, and the two years following, have taken away from Indiana’s ability to market themselves. They are really going to have to do a lot to reestablish their landscape.”Re-establishing the school’s image might have come with the hiring of Crean, who Greenspan said is obviously not afraid of a challenge.“In some cases, (his situation) is virtually unprecedented,” he said. “We haven’t played a game, yet it’s evident to most people what a splendid job he has done with accessibility, his outreach and to even recruit with limitations. I love those types of people. They overcome adversity. That’s what I look for.”The FutureIn 10 years, will Crean still characterize IU’s tradition with “It’s Indiana”?No one knows.In fact, no one knows who will be leading the Hoosiers next year, let alone in 10 years. Greenspan is stepping down as IU athletics director at the end of the year, and the school is currently in full-search mode for a new leader. So, will the Hoosiers return to the athletic powerhouse they once were?Rittenberg thinks the program is headed in the right direction.“I don’t know the key to building back every sport, but I don’t think the job for the next athletic director is going to be as severe as it used to be,” he said.Martin thinks future success will make people quickly forget about past failures.“I’ve always said, success breeds success,” he said. “Winning can be a wonderful deodorant.” Clavio thinks the department needs to look at itself in the mirror.“The focus needs to be on learning how to adapt to the athletic department realities of the 21st century, and that’s a complicated issue,” he said.IU needs to hire people passionate about IU – not just their jobs, but also the University as a whole, he explained.“People who are passionate about who they work for are competent at doing their jobs, not just people who are there to collect a paycheck,” Clavio said. “I’m not saying people who work there now are doing that, but IU needs people who believe in the mission of Indiana University, who believe in the values and are willing to go to work every day and make it a reality.”As for Greenspan, he won’t be around to see if the Hoosiers can recapture their glory days. But he has hope.“The image that has been created is an image which I’m very resentful of personally, and it’s an image that I’m disappointed in as it distracts people from the years and years and years of great work,” Greenspan said. “This institution will overcome it, and quicker than most people think.”
Okay, that's a reach.
It has been eight years since Myles Brand and the powers-that-be fired Bob Knight from Indiana University.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Five months into his maiden voyage as IU’s men’s basketball coach, Captain Tom Crean is starting to feel a little seasick.“We’re in as unchartered water as there has been,” Crean said during a press conference Wednesday.A new recruiting period began Tuesday, and Crean has been busy trying to balance being out on the road and working with the team’s 11 new players in Bloomington. With self-imposed sanctions still handcuffing what he can do, a result of the short tenure of former coach Kelvin Sampson, Crean said he’s been making sure not to put too much pressure on the players and coaches right now.“When I sit and watch a lot of film, and I start to really look at (the Big Ten), it’s not a good feeling,” he said, “It’s a good league. It’s a really good league.”The Big Ten season wasn’t the only concern on Crean’s mind during Wednesday’s press conference. A day after landing a verbal commitment from Christian Watford – a blue-chip recruit in the class of 2009 – Crean held court with about a dozen reporters discussing the state of the program.The biggest concern still hovering over the program is the “failure to monitor” allegation handed down by the NCAA Committee on Infractions this summer. Crean said the University has composed a letter of response to the charges and described it as “oustanding.” Crean argued Wednesday that the penalties the University self-imposed on the Hoosiers have been more than enough and hopes the NCAA agrees.“The biggest thing to me is the penalties were handed out,” Crean said. “They were very strong; they were intended to be very strong, and they held us back. And that’s exactly what they were intended to do.”“I would really hope we’ve paid our price,” he said. “I know I’ve only been here five months, but I was here for that price paying, and that’s where we’re at.”Crean said he has no idea when the NCAA will give it’s final response but said past precedent would lead him to believe the Hoosiers have already been punished enough.Wary of committing any recruiting violations, Crean said the coaching staff has been operating under “a state of paranoia” since he took the job. The program has been particularly careful with new IU assistant coach Roshown McLeod, making sure the coach is aware of what he can and can’t do recruiting-wise.In addition to improving their compliance practices, Crean said the Hoosiers have made significant strides in the classroom this summer. The Hoosiers netted a 3.34 GPA during the summer sessions.“I don’t want to speak as much on the past, I just know obviously when I got here that it left a lot to be desired,” he said. “And I go back and say this all the time, Dan Dakich tried to put those guys in the position to do the right things, I don’t think there is any question about that. And just like him, with me, some of that fell on deaf ears. I was in a position where I could make the changes that had to be made.”His position is likely as difficult as any a Division I coach could face. Nevertheless, Crean remains upbeat.“His enthusiasm gives you energy,” said freshman guard Verdell Jones. “You’ll be dead tired, and he’ll give you a little motivational quote, and it will give you energy and you’ll be ready to practice.”But the enthusiastic persona disappears when he talks about the damage that has been done at IU. Crean said it will be a long time before things are “business as usual” for the Hoosiers due to the restrictions placed on the program. “Make no mistake, this was a very scarring process for most people,” Crean said. “Once again, I wasn’t here, but I got to see the tail end of it – a lot of wounded people at this University, and rightfully so for what they’ve had to go through.”
Tom Crean took some time out of his frantic schedule to meet with reporters this afternoon. We'll have full stories in Thursday's paper (re: sanctions, AD search, recruiting and this year's team), but here are some things that didn't make it to print:
In today's IDS we ran a story about the "unknown Hoosiers," the 10 new players (11 if you count Jeremiah Rivers) on IU's basketball team. If you can't wait until Hoosier Hysteria on Oct. 17, and want to learn about some of the new Hoosiers, check out our summer "Getting to know" series linked below.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Basketball players tend to stand out on campus. They’re much taller than the average student, and they’re typically decked from head-to-toe in brand-new IU apparel.This time last year, you could overhear students bragging to one another about player sightings.“Guess what? I saw E.J. coming out of Woodburn the other day!”“Oh yeah? My friend’s best friend is lab partners with D.J. White!”But what are students to do when they have no idea what their basketball team looks like? BLOG: For biographies of the new players, see the Basketblog.With 11 incoming players on the men’s basketball team, the “Whoosiers” have for the most part roamed campus anonymously since classes began. The only two players IU fans have seen in cream and crimson before are senior Kyle Taber and sophomore walk-on Brett Finkelmeier.As for the rest of the players, it’s been a little bizarre.“It has been odd thus far,” junior Devan Dumes said Thursday. “People see us, but they kind of know who we are because of the height advantage (we) have on them. It has been weird.”Dumes, a 6-foot-2 combo guard from Decatur Central in Indianapolis, played his freshman year at Eastern Michigan before transferring to Vincennes (Ind.) junior college his sophomore season. After averaging 8.1 points per game his first year, Dumes scored 16.9 points per game at Vincennes and hit a school-record 109 3-pointers.Dumes said some people recognize him and the rest of the players because they are wearing basketball gear, but that hasn’t convinced everyone. Dumes said he overheard a comment the other day, “and they asked if IU had a JV team.”While Dumes can walk to class back and forth without being interrupted, there are a few Hoosiers that students haven’t had much trouble spotting.“They know who Tijan (Jobe) and Tom Pritchard are,” Dumes said of the 7-foot junior college transfer and 6-foot-8 freshman. “Can’t miss those two.”With so many new players on this year’s team, the Hoosiers have been scrambling this summer to get to know one another on the fly. “We go out to eat, we go to the movies, we bowl, just fun stuff, like what teenagers would do,” Dumes said. “Not to say we’re all teenagers, but stuff like that.”When asked who were the best bowlers on the team, Dumes listed “Nick (Williams), myself, Matt Roth (and) Daniel Moore.”As for who talks the best game, “Nick and Verdell (Jones) do all the talking when we bowl,” Dumes said. “But they’re not that good.”As the fall season gets closer, IU players will spend less time on hardwood bowling alleys and more time on the hardwood of Branch McCracken Court. IU fans will get their first chance to see the 11 new players during Hoosier Hysteria on Oct. 17. The Hoosiers will also play in their first exhibition game against Anderson on Nov. 7 at Assembly Hall and in their home season-opener on Nov. 15 against Northwestern State.IU coach Tom Crean held the team’s first official practice last Wednesday, working the new players through basic drills, junior Jeremiah Rivers said. Rivers, who transferred from Georgetown this summer and will sit out this season per NCAA rules, thinks Crean’s intense coaching style will help the Hoosiers gel quickly.“Going through all of this hard work and what Coach Crean will be putting us through will ultimately pay off,” he said.Some have questioned whether a team with 11 new players can win right away, but Dumes thinks the Hoosiers have a chance.“We’re taught to let people think what they think, but I wouldn’t be a basketball player if I didn’t think we could win now,” he said.
This is the ninth installment of our summer "Getting to know" series on IU's 10 new players. Today, we focus on Daniel Moore, a 5-foot-10 165 pound guard from Carmel, Ind.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Doc Rivers had just finished restoring Boston’s rich basketball tradition when it hit him.Hot Pockets.Hours removed from guiding the Boston Celtics to victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, Rivers sat with his oldest son, Jeremiah, in their hotel room. It was 4 a.m.; they had just finished watching the highlights on SportsCenter and they were hungry.Unable to sleep, the two embarked on a late-night adventure across the street seeking sustenance. “When we were in the grocery store, the store shut down, and people were clapping and everything,” Jeremiah said. “I just stood back and let my Dad enjoy it.“To win a championship, that feeling, I only felt part of it because I wasn’t on the team, but to see it in the players’ eyes, it meant everything to them.”Now Jeremiah Rivers hopes to bring that feeling to Bloomington, eventually. Rivers, one of 11 new players on IU’s roster this season, will sit out this year per NCAA rules after transferring from Georgetown this summer. A 6-foot-4 defensive specialist, Rivers played 18.6 minutes per game for the Hoyas last season. But after spending the first half of the summer at his dad’s side throughout the NBA Playoffs, Rivers decided he wanted to transfer. He quickly narrowed his decision between IU and Memphis.“The funny thing about that is, (Celtics guard) Sam Cassell was just begging me to go to Memphis. I don’t know why, I guess him and (Memphis coach John) Calipari are cool, he was like ‘you gotta go to Memphis, you gotta go to Memphis.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know, I just don’t know much about Memphis.’” He liked the school’s up-beat offense, but Jeremiah’s relationship with IU coach Tom Crean ultimately was the deciding factor. Rivers said he’s known Crean since the seventh grade, and as a youngster had the opportunity to play in open gyms at Marquette with Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener.His comfort level with Crean led Rivers to commit to the Hoosiers in the dark.“Honestly, I didn’t really know too much about Indiana,” Rivers said. The former Georgetown guard was aware of IU’s winning tradition but didn’t know too many of the specifics.Now he finds himself leading a program he doesn’t know a whole lot about. Rivers is by far IU’s most experienced player, having played in the Final Four and logged serious minutes for a Division I school. But like everyone else in Bloomington, Rivers must now try and get to know new teammates and help the team gel together.“We are trying to feel each other out and get ready, trying to understand how we’re going to play together, what’s going to work and what’s not going to work,” he said. “It’s been a good experience getting to know these guys; it’s been fun.”Now comes the hard part.Rivers said the players are probably further along than everybody thinks, but added it will be awhile before IU’s basketball tradition is restored. The Rivers family has some experience restoring pride in a basketball community.“Just like here, basketball has a heavy tradition there. And it hadn’t been restored in Boston in awhile,” Rivers said before pausing and looking up at IU’s five championship banners. “And a while here as well.”No matter how long it takes. If Rivers is around for IU’s return to glory, you can guess how he’ll celebrate. Hot Pockets.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Doc Rivers had just finished restoring Boston’s rich basketball tradition when it hit him.Hot Pockets.Hours removed from guiding the Boston Celtics to victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, Rivers sat with his oldest son, Jeremiah, in their hotel room. It was 4 a.m.; they had just finished watching the highlights on SportsCenter and they were hungry.Unable to sleep, the two embarked on a late-night adventure across the street seeking sustenance. “When we were in the grocery store, the store shut down, and people were clapping and everything,” Jeremiah said. “I just stood back and let my Dad enjoy it.“To win a championship, that feeling, I only felt part of it because I wasn’t on the team, but to see it in the players’ eyes, it meant everything to them.”Now Jeremiah Rivers hopes to bring that feeling to Bloomington, eventually.Rivers, one of 11 new players on IU’s roster this season, will sit out this year per NCAA rules after transferring from Georgetown this summer. A 6-foot-4 defensive specialist, Rivers played 18.6 minutes per game for the Hoyas last season. But after spending the first half of the summer at his dad’s side throughout the NBA Playoffs, Rivers decided he wanted to transfer. He quickly narrowed his decision between IU and Memphis.“The funny thing about that is, (Celtics guard) Sam Cassell was just begging me to go to Memphis. I don’t know why, I guess him and (Memphis coach John) Calipari are cool, he was like ‘you gotta go to Memphis, you gotta go to Memphis.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t know, I just don’t know much about Memphis.’” He liked the school’s up-beat offense, but Jeremiah’s relationship with IU coach Tom Crean ultimately was the deciding factor. Rivers said he’s known Crean since the seventh grade, and as a youngster had the opportunity to play in open gyms at Marquette with Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener.His comfort level with Crean led Rivers to commit to the Hoosiers in the dark.“Honestly, I didn’t really know too much about Indiana,” Rivers said. The former Georgetown guard was aware of IU’s winning tradition but didn’t know too many of the specifics.Now he finds himself leading a program he doesn’t know a whole lot about. Rivers is by far IU’s most experienced player, having played in the Final Four and logged serious minutes for a Division I school. But like everyone else in Bloomington, Rivers must now try and get to know new teammates and help the team gel together.“We are trying to feel each other out and get ready, trying to understand how we’re going to play together, what’s going to work and what’s not going to work,” he said. “It’s been a good experience getting to know these guys; it’s been fun.”Now comes the hard part.Rivers said the players are probably further along than everybody thinks, but added it will be awhile before IU’s basketball tradition is restored. The Rivers family has some experience restoring pride in a basketball community.“Just like here, basketball has a heavy tradition there. And it hadn’t been restored in Boston in awhile,” Rivers said before pausing and looking up at IU’s five championship banners. “And a while here as well.”No matter how long it takes. If Rivers is around for IU’s return to glory, you can guess how he’ll celebrate. Hot Pockets.
This morning the local media got it's first chance to talk to two of IU's newest players, Devan Dumes and Jeremiah Rivers. The team had it's first official practice under Tom Crean yesterday and the two players were excited to talk some hoops. We'll have stories in tomorrow's paper, but here are some quotes that won't make tomorrow's paper from today's meet-and-greet.
This is the eighth installment of our summer "Getting to know" series on IU's 10 new players. Today, we focus on Kory Barnett, a 6-foot-5 200 pound forward from Rochester, Ind.
This is the seventh installment of our summer "Getting to know" series on IU's 10 new players. Today, we focus on Tijan Jobe, a 7-foot 255-pound center from Banjul, The Gambia.
This is the sixth installment of our summer "Getting to know" series on IU's 10 new players. Today, we focus on Nick Williams, a 6-foot-3 185-pound guard from Mobile, Alabama.
The IU men's basketball team rounded out its coaching staff Thursday when Tom Crean announced the hiring of former NBA player Roshown McLeod.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team rounded out its coaching staff Thursday when Tom Crean announced the hiring of former NBA player Roshown McLeod.McLeod played two seasons at St. Johns before transferring to Duke. After his senior season, McLeod was selected in the NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks with the 20th overall pick. Forced into retirement by a ruptured Achilles tendon, McLeod turned to coaching in 2002 when he took a job as an assistant coach at Fairfield University. Before taking the job at IU, McLeod was working as the director of basketball operations and head varsity coach at Woodward Academy in Atlanta.“Not only was Roshown an outstanding player but he is a very good coach who has been a student of the game for a long time,” Crean said in a press release. “His ability to teach the game, adjust quickly on his feet to different circumstances, and to make players better were very apparent in the process of getting to know him. He will be a tremendous mentor to our team, but especially to our inside players.”McLeod will also be a major boost to the Hoosiers in recruiting. In addition to being a former NBA player and playing under some of the best basketball coaches around (Mike Krzyzewski, Larry Brown, Lenny Wilkens and Bob Hurley Sr.), McLeod also previously coached the Atlanta Celtics, an AAU squad with a rich tradition in producing Division I players. Former Hoosier forward Jeff Newton played for the team.In the release, Crean said he thought McLeod would still be in the NBA if it weren’t for injuries.“When that wasn’t an option anymore, he followed his heart and got involved in many different aspects of coaching basketball, whether at the collegiate level, the high school level or inside of the summers,” Crean said. “His personality is very engaging and outgoing and he has built up many outstanding relationships already in the basketball world, with many more to come.”While working for the Celtics and his own company, Next Level Players Development, McLeod dealt with college recruiting on a daily basis. In an interview with Blue Devil Nation in July 2007, McLeod explained his involvement with his AAU players and their future destinations:“I leave (the decision) to the parents. I make them aware of the pro’s and con’s,” McLeod said. “Some of the parents, especially Mothers don’t understand the business, so I lay it out for them and tell them in a way they understand the process. I let them make the best decision for their kid. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that have to live with it. If they know everything around them, it makes for a more comfortable decision.”In the same interview, McLeod expressed his interest in assistant coaching if the “right opportunity comes along.”“I coached at Fairfield under former Duke assistant Tim O’Toole for one year. That’s when I realized I wasn’t ready yet," he said. "I was thinking like a player and not like a coach. So, I spent time with my family but eventually came back to the game realizing how much I missed it. Now, I’m prepared mentally. It’s tougher being a coach than it is being a player, so you have to prepare.”Crean said he thinks McLeod’s energy will make him a good coach and valuable piece to IU’s program.“Most importantly, I think our fans will respect how hard he works and the energy that he has,” Crean said.