Exile on Waveland

I think it's becoming more possible every game that he's one-and-done. Obviously, he has yet to play upper echelon talent, but he looks very much the part of a big-time pro prospect. While he is a step below the upper tier prospects, he very well could find himself at the top of the second tier. If so, it's hard to expect him to return. I sure hope he does though.

I agree that IU's biggest issue last night was their abysmal defense of dribble penetration. But extrapolating Blackwell's performance causes me concern for players like Hammons. I'd say fourteen points and ten rebounds comprises "trouble"--especially considering Blackwell is nobody's idea of a star. Further, while Vonleh still had an excellent game, if he goes to the bench in foul trouble early at Purdue (and he did pick up two first half fouls last night) . . . well, Hammons may have a repeat of last year's game.

Probably better than IU fans wanted him to be (though Purdue fans may be happy about that). Kid is a rebounding machine. He's a short-timer in college. I'd say there is a good chance Purdue beats IU this year regardless of what defense is played, considering the only matchup is at Mackey. But Painter would be well-advised to play zone against IU. As should pretty much every team at this point (and likely all points, this team is not going to be a great outside shooting team). Painter won't play zone and we're not a great rebounding team despite having a big front line. The game will be a blood bath in the paint as that's how we're scoring most of our points as well. It will turn into a free throw shooting contest and Purdue is awful at that again. I don't like our chances. Maybe we'll get lucky with some home cooking. I think "blood bath" will be an accurate description. Not sure that's a game IU wins, especially at Mackey. Last night, Perris Blackwell (6-foot-9, 275 pounds) gave IU and Vonleh trouble. He had fourteen points and ten rebounds, and Vonleh picked up four fouls in the process. A.J. Hammons is obviously bigger and better than Blackwell, and I'm not sure IU will have much of an answer for him (they certainly didn't last year at Mackey!). And while IU has shot well from the foul line so far (seventy-three percent), I'm not entirely sure that will continue in closer games against better opponents--especially on the road, and especially once they've been beat up during the game.

Probably better than IU fans wanted him to be (though Purdue fans may be happy about that). Kid is a rebounding machine. He's a short-timer in college. I'd say there is a good chance Purdue beats IU this year regardless of what defense is played, considering the only matchup is at Mackey. But Painter would be well-advised to play zone against IU. As should pretty much every team at this point (and likely all points, this team is not going to be a great outside shooting team).

It's been a couple years, but when you call Alabama's general athletic department number, a woman answers with just "Alabama football," in a thick southern accent. And she is then inevitably shocked when you ask something about basketball/another sport.

I think PSU, ND and Michigan all can rebound and become National powers again. PSU and Mich have a lot of alumni, fill up their 100,000 seat stadiums religiously, strong national brands and closer to good recruits. Honestly who really are the blue blood programs anymore? Alabama obviously.....then LSU.....then ???. It wouldn't surprise me if in 3 yrs Michigan or ND were knocking on the NT door anymore then the current top 10 programs. Being known as a "Blue Blood" university in college football isn't something you earn over a decade - it's something you earn over a century+. Blue Bloods are schools that have 700+ wins and a .700+ winning percentage. There are exactly 8: Michigan Ohio State Notre Dame Oklahoma Alabama Texas USC Nebraska Other schools like LSU, Tennessee, Penn State, etc. are close but no cigar. The Huskers are also one of 8 schools that have 800 or more wins (replace USC with Tennessee on the previous list.) Again, people can bash the Huskers all they like, but the tradition and history don't lie. you sound sorta crazy with all your posts about this. A little bit, yeah. But the comparison to Iowa and Wisconsin is deeply silly.

Cliff said he is also going to KU. Does Self even want JaQuan? I have no idea. But I'd have to think Self, like any coach, would be interested in a player as talented as Lyle.

Hey snood-- With Cliff Alexander committing to Kansas--in about the most classless way possible, I might add--JaQuan Lyle is expected to visit soon. I'd say Kansas is likely to be in good shape with him when/if that happens. Again, Lyle is an outstanding talent but with maturity issues (one would think Kansas and Self would be well-positioned to handle him).

Yeah . . . not good. I thought Richardson would be much better in a better offense with a better quarterback. He's been worse. And he's been trending downward recently for the Colts too. That said, even though the Colts are not very good, they're winning games and at least the draft pick won't be all that high.

This was one of your poorer attempts at trolling. This is a pretty simple equation: officiating games to alleviate some of the physicality will impact different teams differently. Amazing! Specifically, it is likely to hamper the bigger/more physical team more. Sometimes that will hurt IU, sometimes it will help them. In two (home) games, IU has already been on both sides of that equation: taking twenty-eight more foul shots than Chicago State but ten less than LIU-Brooklyn. So it goes. The new emphasis is a desirable goal; and, to whatever extent IU defends by grabbing jerseys (Crean's teams defend?), that is, and hopefully will be, a foul. The game does not benefit from jersey-grabbing.

I agree (I did, you know, say "if"). My guess is that this will not consistently last across the nation, especially in the Big Ten. But that will make for an even worse situation because officiating will be even less uniform.

Horribly officiated game. They got a last possession when a guy travelled into a tie up and got a timeout called from the sideline. One-sided on the handchecking and charge/block calls. Indiana fans whining about foul calling crack me up. So even you're going to troll IU fans now too? Great. Well then, on that note, Illinois fans whining about someone else's whining cracks me up. The officiating hurt IU more last night. Not because it was biased in favor of LIU-Brooklyn, but because, at least for now, an equal application of the new rule-enforcement emphasis will often hurt the more aggressive/physical team. That was especially so considering LIU-Brooklyn played zone (smartly). Big Ten games are going to be very interesting (read: long) if the game continues to be called in this fashion. It very well may end with a more open game and be worth it, but the adjustment period could be ugly. As to the game, I feel bad for LIU-Brooklyn. They outplayed IU and deserved to win. They had a great gameplan but IU just managed to hit enough shots at the end.

Um, you left out the IU-LIU game. :P Haha, didn't Crean say it would be a 'good test'? Oh, I have no doubt he did. Strange to have free tickets to an IU game and wish it was on another night. Oh well, should be able to catch some/most of the better games after IU's "good test." Crean knows all?

Um, you left out the IU-LIU game. :P Haha, didn't Crean say it would be a 'good test'? Oh, I have no doubt he did. Strange to have free tickets to an IU game and wish it was on another night. Oh well, should be able to catch some/most of the better games after IU's "good test."

It's like such people have never followed college football before.

I was just about to post that. Hilarity.

Us IU fans will just talk amongst ourselves . . .: --Heard a lot of complaints about Davis after his ranking dropped. Such complaints were wrong. He was, and remained, a player that Crean (or Izzo, if you like) would have always recruited. He's long, athletic, and absolutely relentless. He does a good job pushing the ball up the court after a defensive rebound; but, overall, he is not very skilled at this point. He is likely to struggle in halfcourt offense (read: how most Big Ten games are played) at least for now. Never a star, but the type of player every program wants for four years. (Now, the other recruit Crean took early that dropped in the rankings . . . we'll see how he fits. I wonder if he should have gone to Notre Dame fit-wise.) --This team is really long and athletic. They have a ways to go before they become a good team, however. I would bite your hand off to be the twenty-fourth best team by the end of the season. Really skeptical that is the case right now. --As constructed, I agree, next year IU can certainly be Elite Eight/Final Four good.

Yup. I don't think he'll ever be starter quality, but he's going to be one of the better role players in the league. You're still posting about basketball?

I get what you're saying. But my allegiance to the Illini was cemented long before I ever set foot on a campus as a student. There was no way I could just switch (of course that is pretty much due to the fact that my father and many relatives were/are UI alums, and conditioned me to be that way). The Cubs and Illini are in my blood, there's no undoing that for me. And what about people who get an undergraduate degree from one school and a graduate degree from another? Does that confuse allegiances at all? I don't have a grad degree but from what I've heard from friends, your undergrad is your first love, unless it doesn't really have a legitimate athletic program. That is how everyone I know thinks. Grad school friends have adopted IU as a secondary team to root for; while one good friend that went to a small school without a legitimate athletic program has adopted IU fully. I just made it easy on myself and always attended IU.

Yeah, I didn't go to school at IU. My parents are from Indiana, my father (also aunt and a couple of cousins) went to IU, and had me watching IU basketball from a young age. I certainly don't have the same type of claim that you, raw, and other alums have but have been a fan for over 30 years. I am an AU alum. I've compartmentalized my head such that I can enjoy college football and basketball most seasons. Oh, I certainly did not mean to imply anything like that. I don't worry about "claims" to rooting for schools. Even if I did, your parents and thirty-plus years of fandom surely would stake a claim. I just, for whatever reason, relate you with Auburn. Perhaps you posted more, at least initially, in the football thread, I don't know.

Right, IU really needed guards. It had to be the first priority. I also agree that every class should, preferably, include a big man. And while IU should return all their interior players, they are all unproven (and it would be nice to have some Big Ten "toughness" inside). This remains a concern. Shooters were also needed and I think that's been answered. I wouldn't really consider Lyle to specifically be an answer to that though. He is a creator first and foremost, one with an ability to shoot. Streaky would be apt. I see Rivals labels his shooting as "outstanding" but that over sells things. Blackmon, Jr., is the shooter; Lyle the creator. Lyle is the more talented player, but also the one with more question marks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZkr0A9633Q Yeah, this disastrous class of a 5-star (Rivals No. 23), a 4-star (No. 42), and an unranked player (trust in Crean??). And very possibly leading for another 5-star (No. 22). Yes, very much implosion-like. It was an Indiana fan that posed the question. I love how sensitive you guys get. Nah, just enjoy pointing out how reactionary you guys get. Also forget fiver is an IU fan, thought he liked Auburn too?

I would have preferred a big man in this class too--though guards were actually the biggest need. Blackmon, Jr., and Lyle are close--when Blackmon, Jr., tore his ACL, Lyle dyed the front of this hair grey to honor Blackmon, Jr.--and the rumor mill is that this will influence Lyle. They are much different players and a good duo. We will see . . . Lyle isn't one that makes prediction easy . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZkr0A9633Q Yeah, this disastrous class of a 5-star (Rivals No. 23), a 4-star (No. 42), and an unranked player (trust in Crean??). And very possibly leading for another 5-star (No. 22). Yes, very much implosion-like.

The Sixers really had a great draft. I really like Carter-Williams and think he went too low. He was a top-five pick for me.