I think you missed my point.  High ranked recruites like we will have next year don’t mean that we are going to the promised land like a lot of people on here state.  It just means that we will be good enough to get there assuming no injuries, no bad luck, or improper phone calls……

Nevermind, didn’t notice that it was a mock draft for 2013.  That I can understand.

On a personal note, I am taking offers to keep my son and I away from road games. Living in the KC area, we attended road games at Nebraska and Iowa this past year.  Makes for a couple of LONG drives home. 

Love our Hoosiers and we will continue to travel to see the Hoosiers as time and resources allow!  Thanks for a terrific season men!  Looking for more in the coming years!

I think you are completely right.  After Bailey in 1990, IU only had seven Mr. Basketball winners commit, and one was Recker, so really only six in the span of two decades.  We had six Mr. Basketball commits from Alford in ’83 to Bailey in ’90.

Not only that, as you mentioned, losing some of the caliber of players we lost over the past decade killed us on top of what we went through over the past 4 seasons.

Now, it seems we have the right leader for the program at exactly the time when our Indiana HS talent is ridiculously deep.  It’s a good time to be a Hoosier!

Watford is NOT first round material.  Don’t know why anyone on here thinks he is?  Stats don’t back it up.  Heck if you just looked at the stats, Jordy has a better positive impact on winning then C-Wat.  Last year Johnson from Purdue was a late pick in the first round and no way do I think C-Wat is as good as he was.  Add the fact that this years draft crop is deeper, C-Wat stays.

If we have to worry about anyone this year it is Cody.  He is the only one on the team (this year) that a NBA exec would spend first round money on.  Still, C-Wat should put his name in and test the waters for the experience.  At least he will come back knowing what he has to work on.

And yes, I think our defense should get better next year with the returning experience and the infusion of athletic talent coming in, but Crean needs to make it a priority to get better in that area. 

Zeller—a year stronger, a year smarter; how many steals will he get next year?
Oladipo–the stopper (as a sophomore) returning
Sheehey–on of the most versatile defenders I can remember
Watford (if he returns)–ended the year as determined a rebounder as I can remember  at IU (I don’t get all the way back to Steve Downing, but almost) and a 6’9″ forward who matched up with point guards
Abell—as a freshman, the strongest player on the team and became the go-to defender when Oladipo wasn’t available

Add in five new guys, at least three of whom (Patterson, Perea, and Jurkin,) who are probably better defenders than offensive players and another (Ferrell) who will become the fastest guy on the floor whenever he steps on it

I think that defense is looking up

The state has never declined.  The problem was that we lost so many of those guys to other programs, whether is was a desire to not play for Coach Knight, a lack of trust in Mike Davis, etc, a lot of talent left for other places (Zach Randolph, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jason Gardner, Josh McRoberts, etc…)

While the talent never declined, finding the right leader to spearhead this return to the top has coincided with one of the greatest collections of talent the state of Indiana has ever seen to form an almost harmonic convergence for one of the most passionate, knowledgeable groups of fans anywhere; a group of fans who, following the past 20 years in general and specifically the last three, are more appreciative of the efforts than anyone not involved could ever imagine.  

The state has never declined.  The problem was that we lost so many of those guys to other programs, whether is was a desire to not play for Coach Knight, a lack of trust in Mike Davis, etc, a lot of talent left for other places (Zach Randolph, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Jason Gardner, Josh McRoberts, etc…)

While the talent never declined, finding the right leader to spearhead this return to the top has coincided with one of the greatest collections of talent the state of Indiana has ever seen to form an almost harmonic convergence for one of the most passionate, knowledgeable groups of fans anywhere; a group of fans who, following the past 20 years in general and specifically the last three, are more appreciative of the efforts than anyone not involved could ever imagine.  

I’d rather see Siva do it so I don’t have to sweat the thought of Kentucky winning it all again for one more day than I have to.

(Especially about Victor, with whom she got her picture taken at Hoosier Hysteria and Will, who’s picture on the team poster she slaps every night when she lays down to go to bed.)

I think saying they should have won because of those player’s recruiting ranking is a little short sighted. By that measure, Oladipo and Sheehey are not very good players.

Still, if we don’t get our defensive (AdjD) rating under 19 per Pomeroy stats, we will not win it either.  All four in this years final four are under 19 in the AdjD rating.  The last 10 National Champions all had AdjO of 19 and lower, and AdjD of 18 and lower.  We don’t have a problem with the AdjO, but defense needs to improve BIG time. 

I hope they stay put, too. They deserve to go to a Final Four as well as the players.

SC, I hope CTC isn’t an Elmer Gantry of his times considering Gantry was an unethical con man who was a notorious and cynical alcoholic who contributed to the downfall, physical injury, and even death of the people closest to him. But, perhaps your comparison was intended to only apply to the charm and charisma the man possessed that allowed him to be such a good salesman.

After such an uphill battle, that’s an appropriate metaphor.