which is probably a good thing, but from what I’ve forced myself to read it sounds like we lack effort and heart. If there is one thing I can’t stand it’s lack of effort. Even if you get your ass handed to you, you play as hard as you can no matter what. Seems to me like this team is playing Ole defense and not producing offensively. The talent next year better raise the level of play because I now for myself and some of Hoosier nation we are starting to get restless.

this team is very young and inexperienced, but that is only part of the problem. while the jury is still out on Crean, I feel he could do a better job than he is. I can handle losses, it’s these losses where they show no heart or pride that I can’t stand. the occassional game like this and I’d say “ok, sometimes as an athlete you just don’t have it” but this is 10 games in a row on top of a few earlier in the year and that tells me there is something Crean is failing miserably at. not to mention is subbing “pattern” (is that what he calls it?), I mean Elston shows intensity and his reward is getting to sit the bench. there’s also no accountability being held, case in point Jones: he thinks he’s in the NBA apparently so he refuses to play anything more than token defense, and he’s a turnover waiting to happen (as is Rivers, and Dumes but we have limited depth and lately Jones is the worst). his punishment for this is major minutes, don’t give me his scoring because he shoots enough to make up for a less than impressive FG%. it makes absolutely no sense.

don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying “fire Crean”. I think he needs more time, but he does need to improve. I’m not going to hold Crean to the “Bob Knight standard” as most coaches will fail this, but being Indiana the standard bearer is Knight and as a result we as fans know how a team should be coached. right now Crean is failing the eye ball test, and part of this team’s recent struggles falls on his shoulders. he doesn’t have the athletes for this dribble-drive crap, but he continues to run it. I know it looks good to recruits, but so does a good record and a simple motion offense is far better suited for our talent. I like Crean and I’m glad he’s our coach, and to do it the right way it will take longer than the UK/Calipari way.

interesting to note that while Iowa is equally young, Iowa’s main talent has more experience than our main talent. also to note that Watford (who is really a 3 not a 4) is having a better freshman year than Evan Turner did, and Creek was having a better freshman year than Diebler from OSU.