🏀 Alabama Announces Change in Leadership of Men's Basketball Program

[psychojoe]

Analogies are slippery things, but Marshall's status at Wichita State is comparable to Gene Bartow's status at UAB when he got UAB's program cranked up to a nationally recognized status in the mid eighties. That was sort of a golden age for college hoops in this state, with Wimp in T'town and Sonny Smith at Auburn.

Another similarity is that Kansas refuses to play Wichita State, much as we have refused to play UAB.

Also, UAB, even when they played football, was not a football school, while the two biggest shools are. Wichita State is not a football school. Kansas Stae definitely is, but here my comparison breaks down. No one in their right mind could call Kansas a football school.

Bartow had opportunities to leave UAB, but ended his career there, basking in the warm glow of being the HC of the most important sports program on campus, one that he built. Marshall has rebuilt the Shockers program, and also faces no competition from football for the fan base's affections. It would probably take considerable long green to get him out of a situation he is so comfortable in, and so successful.

 

[bama alum]

Analogies are slippery things, but Marshall's status at Wichita State is comparable to Gene Bartow's status at UAB when he got UAB's program cranked up to a nationally recognized status in the mid eighties. That was sort of a golden age for college hoops in this state, with Wimp in T'town and Sonny Smith at Auburn.

Another similarity is that Kansas refuses to play Wichita State, much as we have refused to play UAB.

Also, UAB, even when they played football, was not a football school, while the two biggest shools are. Wichita State is not a football school. Kansas Stae definitely is, but here my comparison breaks down. No one in their right mind could call Kansas a football school.

Bartow had opportunities to leave UAB, but ended his career there, basking in the warm glow of being the HC of the most important sports program on campus, one that he built. Marshall has rebuilt the Shockers program, and also faces no competition from football for the fan base's affections. It would probably take considerable long green to get him out of a situation he is so comfortable in, and so successful.

Isn't that why Belmont's coach won't leave where he is?

 

[psychojoe]

Isn't that why Belmont's coach won't leave where he is?

That as my understanding. He basically told UT that when they approached him last year when they were looking.

 

[planomateo]

Hope it's not Tom Crean.

 

[riz]

You've got an excuse...just a dumbass. :bird:

That hurts, man.

 

[planomateo]

Saw this tweet and thought of @psychojoe post about Kansas vs Wichita State

 

[TerryP]

Hope it's not Tom Crean.

I'm not sure I've ever ran across this site until today...since you brought up Crean...

_______

Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers should be getting set for their NCAA tournament matchup with Wichita State on Friday, but there might be other topics of conversation.

On his radio show on Tuesday Crean was asked about the IU fan base and working at IU. He was quoted:

“The support all of you have shown over the years and especially the last week — I can’t tell you what that meant to me to walk in here and see so many people being that way,” Crean said. “That gave me a huge jolt for the rest of the week. And again, it’s little things like that that make you really appreciate what people are all about. And the way this place was and the way you have been all year long and the support that you show — it’s beautiful outside today but we’ve also come in here when it was zero degrees out. And the loyalty that all of you have to Indiana basketball and what you’ve shown to the Creans and what you’ve shown to us, that never ever goes unappreciated. I promise you.”

Crean also thanked DonFischer for the past seven years the Hoosiers coach has been at Indiana, reflecting on what an honor it has been, he said, to work alongside the broadcasting legend.

“There is a lot of great honors you can get in any walk of life, especially in coaching basketball, but being able to partner up with you (Don Fischer) for the last seven years and being able to be in here with you this year and being here at this podium with you, I’ll put that right at the top, and I’m dead serious,” Crean said. “So thank you, for everything.”

Now comes the speculation and rumors, and well let’s just say ‘sources’ are talking.

The rumor is, Tom Crean will leave Indiana for the newly vacant Alabama coaching job. Yogi Ferrell will come with him. Ferrell is a junior, has graduated, and if he transfers he can play right away. There is also talk that Troy Williams will make the move south with Coach Crean.

Why would Crean give up $3 million a year? There is a few reasons…

Tom Izzo

We all know Alabama is a football school. Nick Saban is a god, and basketball is #2 or 3. Saban is involved in the hiring of the basketball coach, and Saban has a great relationship with Tom Izzo.

Izzo, the Michigan State basketball coach, was a mentor to Crean, and Crean was an assistant under him.

It isn’t just a conspiracy theory, well kind of, but their relationship as close friends is there….

Crean’s Wife & Family

As Coach Crean said above, his wife isn’t happy. If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Last week Crean’s son, Riley, was booed at his high school game in Bloomington with chants of “Tom Crean Sucks,” and more.

Classy move Indiana. Boo the son of your coach.

Indiana fans have been upset since the 2013 team was knocked out in the sweet 16 when the fans thought they should have won a title. Syracuse and Jim Boeheim beat those Hoosiers which featured a stacked roster including Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo.

That same IU team won the Big Ten outright for the first time in 20 years, was ranked #1 in the country, and had a great season.

Once again, classy move Indiana.

Booing Crean at Home

Crean has been booed a lot this year including in the last home game of the year.

This has to be hard for recruits, for the Crean family, and more.

Now will Crean leave for the SEC and Alabama? It seems at this point that this is what Hoosier Nation needs. These classless fans need to realize that Indiana isn’t a top destination for recruits. Crean was trying his best to rebuild this program, but these ans want it right now. Look at Kentucky, two years ago they were in the NIT.

There is so many examples I could point at, but I won’t. If Crean leaves it will put the program back even more. If he leaves for a football school like Alabama, it will demoralize the program and state for a long, long time.

If Crean doesn’t leave, it should be at least some sort of a wake up call to Hoosier nation that Indiana just isn’t what it use to be, and a lot of that is due to classless fans…

And I am an Indiana fan so I might be saying that we are all in this together. Indiana was team that had a FireMikeDavis.com back in the day, and yes, Davis needed to go, but where is the support? Bobby Knight isn’t walking through that door….

More details pending...

http://www.wickedjumpshot.com/rumor-tom-crean-yogi-ferrell-troy-williams-to-leave-iu-for-alabama/

 

[planomateo]

Crean was booed at his high school kids basketball game too by the opposing team. Izzo has said nothing but great things about Crean based on what I've read him say. Hell, he said that Michigan State wouldn't be the team they were today if it weren't for Crean.

Indiana fans are probably just bitter that Cal can go into Kentucky and have immediate success. I'm sure the expect the same thing at Indiana.

 

[TerryP]

Indiana fans are probably just bitter that Cal can go into Kentucky and have immediate success. I'm sure the expect the same thing at Indiana.

Their basketball expectations are likely a lot like ours in football. They suspect (know?) the right coach means success.

Look at what happened with Mike Davis. Since his days in Bloomington he's recorded five or six seasons where his teams have had 22 or more wins. But, not good enough for the Hoosiers.

 

[psychojoe]

Indiana is a lot like UCLA, in that they are waiting for the next Knight/Wooden to walk through the door and lead them back to the days when they were dominant. I just don't see either of these schools returning t 'the way they were'.