ok, a bit of an exaggeration.

Dream or sleep deprived imagining ? It would take a pretty severe case of either one to see that, but then again some have picked us to finish last or next to last in our conference, both pretty ridiculous at this point. IMHO

If you are being serious, I seriously think you might want to rethink and research that a little bit.

Yes, good point on chemistry, how do we know? Yet the very limited glimpse from Canada was encouraging, and what the hell we are fans so making up reasons to be good is what we do. I don’t think “creaning” is an issue. It hasn’t seemed to hurt recruiting, and it is a fact of life with almost all major programs now. You give people a chance, if it isn’t going to work out you help them go somewhere else that will work better for them.

didn’t consider it an example…so I held my “mule”

Most people who honestly assess our team know that we only have two players who qualify as “major college basketball talent.” Then we have a few good players, and the rest are not good. That is why you are forced to say things like:

“If he improves”
“ready to explode”
“highly talented” … based on what? HMP has been awful.
“HS stats are impressive”
“sounds like he will challenge”
“HS stats were great”
“great shot making potential”
“totally unique”

All code for “I hope, I hope, I hope… .”
I am not saying we wont be improved in some areas (shooting) or worse in other areas (post play). I am saying that overall I don’t see a material talent increase from last year. We traded one five star for another, lost Will, gained RJ, and everything else seems to be a wash.

Crazy, you just don’t know much about major college basketball talent: 1) we have four very highly talented guards; Yogi, James, Robert, and Stan, plus a 5th that is good, Nick; 2) Hanner played few minutes last season, 224, and so produced little in actual rebounds and points. But he shot .575% on FG and .723% on FT. So if you take last year’s stats for 20 minutes/game that would be 5.5 rebounds and 7 points/game. If he “improves” (and most of us believe that he can not play as poorly as he did last season this season), he could be a 10/10 Big this season for IU, and that would win the most improved player award! 3) Troy is not “decent” he is “gifted” and ready to explode this season; 4) Hanner is unproven as a Big but highly talented, Jeremiah is totally unknown for the college game but his HS stats are impressive, but he is 7’0: 5) Devin was not given the minutes that he deserved last season and he was forced by the Coach to guard much bigger and stronger players. But, like Hanner, he shot well, .529% FG, .677 FT, and at 20 minutes/game would have had 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 points/game last season, We all saw how much better he is playing this season over last in the Canadian trip; 6) Emmitt is a freshman, but he sounds like he will challenge Devin right now for minutes as a PF. His HS stats were great; 7) Max is an athlete with great shot making potential; 8) Tim is totally unique with great height, 6’9, and great 3-point shooting. Count them: 5 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12!

Ok, it looks like you are making a Christmas wish list, not a realistic prediction. HMP most improved player? What on earth do you base that on? He averages like 2.5 points a game.
The reality is we have two really good guards, three decent wings, and two below average post players. That is a decent seven man rotation at best, and one injury away from things getting very bad, very quickly. I don’t know where you are getting “12 deep” from, the rest of our line up is not serviceable outside of garbage minutes, or a quick substitution to get one of those seven a breather.

CTC had very little to do with Zeller getting 1157 points. He recruited him and the rest was expected out of a Zeller. He didn’t shape him into being more aggressive and didn’t do much for remedying any of his flaws.

You can’t sign a top 10 recruit and then chalk it up to good coaching when the player succeeds. I don’t think CTC is a bad big man coach, but he’s certainty better with the back-court.

Absolutely! Indiana should have 3 All-B1G first or second team players in Yogi, Troy and James; the Freshman of the Year in the B1G in James; the Most Improved player in the B1G in Hanner; plus Stan, Devin and Robert will be established as B1G players this season. In addition, Indiana should be strong to 12 players deep (and 13 if Collin gets better). Coach them up and just win Baby!

I don’t miss a game and I am a huge IU fan and Alum! But I am a realist the IU Admin did nothing when the program went down to tubes! We are just now getting our respect back but we are not where we should be. Calling me not a Fan is silly. I have read many of your posts. Any program that goes through what we did is going to take longer than 5 years to recover! Is it frustrating yes but we were a mess and it has been only three years to where we are starting to compete again. The first two years of CTC tenure was getting us out of the hole. We do have tradition and we are coming back.

I agree the “chemistry” issue is the biggest variable this year. I think the assumption that we’ll be a better team is founded on the fact that we have better-than-competent guards this year who really seem to like one another. More importantly, the little we saw from the Canada trip bodes well; they appeared to be moving the ball much better. I’ll say it again: unlike last year, I think this year’s team will be at least as good as the sum of its parts.

The best will play and the best will stay!

Do you honestly believe IU has a snowball’s chance is heck to make the Sweet 16 this year? On paper we don’t look any better than last year, and we didn’t even make the NIT. The national media is picking us to come in 10th… in our own conference. You really think we are going to be one of the last 16 teams standing in the whole country? Honest question, not trying to flame you.

I think a lot of people (besides the ones who have already responded) will take this in a way that I don’t believe you intended it. I think you are spot on, for what it’s worth.

This. And why is everyone just assuming that our chemistry will be better? People state that on here like it is a fact. The truth is we have no idea what our chemistry will be like, especially with all of our new personnel. Frankly, I am concerned that chemistry and continuity is impossible on a team where half the roster is worried about the prospect of being Creaned after the season. Imagine going to work every day knowing that after the year was over, there is a good chance you could be told to find a new job…. what an awful workplace that would be.

ya, I think he averaged 1.6 PPG in division III?

Crawley, what school do you root for? “the mighty HOOSIERS”. “should compete with UK and Duke”.
You’re obviously not an IU fan.
We should compete.
And your sarcasm about the Hoosiers is certainly not appreciated.