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I thought I'd try to split this off from the main NCAA thread, since it's so huge and early in the season. I'll just abandon my IU thread, and maybe we can get some smack talk going. Semi-polite smack talk of course.

On that note, I think IU is going to have another "first year." Last year was pretty much, "oh [expletive], we need players." This year is the first of what I'd say are Crean's players. Anyway 3 losses already, and in the pre-season. Lost to Boston U and George Mason. I haven't seen the games so I'm not sure how much is Crean still experimenting, but he seemed pretty unhappy with the performance in the BU game.

Very deep conference. I am looking for a Sweet 16 run from Illinois. I thought Northwestern might have a shot at the NCAA until Kevin Coble broke his foot and Jeff Ryan tore his ACL.

Wisconsin needs better shooting but they have defense. Their freshman big forward, Bruesewitz, looked athletic last night against Arizona. Sporting News has them 8th in the BigTen, I say 11-7 and an NCAA bid again.

Are the Hoosiers still dealing with sanctions left over from Kelvin Sampson?

I like Crean and I feel like NCAA basketball is a better world when IU is a power. Aside from 'Sconnie, IU is a Big Ten hoops team I can get behind.

The Illini will have all you Hoosiers, Hawkeyes, Badgers and Wildcats crying in your soup. The recruiting slump is over.

Edit: you too Boilermakers.

Purdue will stomp IU this year, I'm afraid.

I don't think there are restrictions this year. Crean got a very good class (and will next year) from what I understand, but they're again mostly new.


Oooh - one other thing. I hate this big-head thing IU's students do now. They hold up big cardboard heads of random celebrities, and apparently Crean brought this over from Marquette. It's really stupid. I'd be pissed if one of those things was in front of me.

lukethedrifter wrote:The Illini will have all you Hoosiers, Hawkeyes, Badgers and Wildcats crying in your soup. The recruiting slump is over.

Edit: you too Boilermakers.

AAhhh... it must be hoops season--time for the flightiest fanbase ever to totally over-estimate the Illini's potential, then slink back into dormancy when those lofty projections don't pan out

Seriously--the Illini are not unlike the Big Ten in general--long on potential, but short on demonstrable results. The conference as a whole is looking good so far, but the real test to see if this is indeed the monster league we all know it should be will come in the Big 10-ACC Challenge

Good thing you all have a Purdue man at the helm over there in Champaign--you will always be competitve

JL21 wrote:Are the Hoosiers still dealing with sanctions left over from Kelvin Sampson?

I like Crean and I feel like NCAA basketball is a better world when IU is a power. Aside from 'Sconnie, IU is a Big Ten hoops team I can get behind.

Ugh...I've never understood this "logic"

The sport you like "is better" when YOUR team is a power.

PurdueSTL wrote:

JL21 wrote:Are the Hoosiers still dealing with sanctions left over from Kelvin Sampson?

I like Crean and I feel like NCAA basketball is a better world when IU is a power. Aside from 'Sconnie, IU is a Big Ten hoops team I can get behind.

Ugh...I've never understood this "logic"

The sport you like "is better" when YOUR team is a power.

You can cut out the smarmy quotes around the word logic. They aren't really MY team or anything. It's not like I follow them religiously. I barely follow them at all. I always liked Knight because he ran a clean program (other than his own shenanigans), and they won. NCAA is a better place when clean programs win. Granted, it might be different with Crean now but AFAIK he hasn't had any run-ins with the NCAA and I'd assume after the troubles they had with Sampson that they wanted a character hire.

JL21 wrote:

PurdueSTL wrote:

JL21 wrote:Are the Hoosiers still dealing with sanctions left over from Kelvin Sampson?

I like Crean and I feel like NCAA basketball is a better world when IU is a power. Aside from 'Sconnie, IU is a Big Ten hoops team I can get behind.

Ugh...I've never understood this "logic"

The sport you like "is better" when YOUR team is a power.

You can cut out the smarmy quotes around the word logic. They aren't really MY team or anything. It's not like I follow them religiously. I barely follow them at all. I always liked Knight because he ran a clean program (other than his own shenanigans), and they won. NCAA is a better place when clean programs win. Granted, it might be different with Crean now but AFAIK he hasn't had any run-ins with the NCAA.

Who micturated in your Frosted Flakes this morning?
Crean's idea of good coaching is having the fans hold up large beheaded celebrities and Bobby Knight was a real [expletive] from everything I've ever read about him. Also further indicting Knight is that Kevin Slaten likes him.