Indiana-Purdue miscellany, and other thoughts on the season.
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Feb 7, 2012 11:15 AM EST
in Indiana Hoosiers Basketball
Email
PrintIU has a few days to rest before hosting Illinois on Thursday night. In light of that, a few random thoughts:
- As hoosierdaddynow pointed out in the comments, I can't believe I was remiss in failing to mention Will Sheehey's block of a Lewis Jackson layup attempt. What can I say, I was writing my recap surrounded by screaming kids. It was, without a doubt, the crucial play of the game. Purdue had pulled to within four with about 2 minutes to play, but Sheehey's out-of-nowhere block prevented the game from getting very dicey. From that point forward, IU scored the final 13 points of the game.
- What do we make of the Tom Crean/Matt Painter issues at the end? I got the sense, based on nothing more than watching the game, that Crean wasn't happy that Purdue kept fouling so late, and that Painter wasn't happy about the late timeout that Crean called, with 13 seconds remaining, to get a couple of walk-ons onto the court. Were they yelling at each other on the sideline? I really couldn't tell, but it looked possible. Crean gave Painter the blow-by handshake when Painter seemed to be trying to say something to him. On the other hand, they seem to have resolved the issue pretty well. I don't believe Painter commented on it after the game, and Crean said he had talked about it with Painter in the hallway. Frankly, particularly given recruiting issues, it's unlikely that the coaches at Indiana and Purdue can be good friends. Crean's lively demeanor does tend to rub people the wrong way, which is fine with me, and Painter hasn't done himself any favors over the years with complaining about the on-court demeanor of opposing players publicly (Michigan State's Branden Dawson most recently; Earl Calloway of IU a few years ago). Of course, it was noted in ESPN's hit piece on IU and the A-HOPE organization that Crean suspected Purdue of shoveling dirt, and I imagine we've all heard the rumors of Painter berating kids who have spurned him for other schools. Perhaps it's a step forward for Painter that if he was unhappy, he kept it to himself rather than ranting in the press conference. He is a protege of both Gene Keady and Bruce Weber, so it's really a miracle that he doesn't suck on a pacifier on the sideline.
27 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I wonder if we will be inundated with Illini trolls the way we were with Boilers.
A sassy, brassy, classy lassy.
by LoneStarHoosier on Feb 7, 2012 11:21 AM EST reply actions
I doubt it. For whatever reason, despite a large and dedicated fanbase that fancies its school an important part of college basketball (aren’t they adorable!), Illinois has never had a huge blogosphere presence. Some of the masters of the form (John Gasaway, Will Leitch) are themselves Illini, but I don’t know any any super-active blogs that are about Illinois. Joe over at HTTO does a nice job, and I don’t want to be viewed as taking H&R-style shots—this stuff is hard, and the CQ is nowhere near the top of the SB Nation heap—but I’m not aware of any Illini blog with A huge number of commenters.
The Crimson Quarry, SB Nation's Indiana Hoosiers blog
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Feb 7, 2012 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
Summarizes a lot of things
This issue defines “Purdue-ish”
by bobbybeingmanny on Feb 7, 2012 11:52 AM EST reply actions
in most cases, it's not a good thing for head coaches to loath another publicly
but with IU – PU and IU – UK, I’m willing to make a huge exception. I think it’s GOOD for those coaches to have some animosity between them. It gets me as a fan even more jacked-up to play a rival than it normally would.
Whenever you get stressed, always remember: RDWHAHB
apparently Crean and Calipari have a pretty good relationship
if not a outright friendship. Painter and Crean? Nahhh.
-Contributing Writer at The Crimson Quarry.
Really? I can’t imagine anyone liking Calipari that much, but maybe that’s just me.
All things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia
by Veni Vidi Vici on Feb 7, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
On top of that, I can't imagine Crean publicly bearing a grudge or expressing it publicly or in the press.
I’m sure there are people he doesn’t like, but I get the sense that he doesn’t talk about it. He’s kind of a goody-goody in that regard, especially when you consider that half his Twitter feed is full of Christian platitudes and postive-thinking aphorisms.
He kind of reminds me of a more-Christian version of Rob Lowe’s character on Parks and Rec.
A sassy, brassy, classy lassy.
by LoneStarHoosier on Feb 7, 2012 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
I think perhaps "outright friendship" is too positive.
“Healthy mutual respect,” certainly. “No particular reasons for animosity, jealousy, or rancor.”
You can’t really say that for Painter and Weber, sad to say. Weber is particularly sad. His reasons for hating Indiana (Sampson, maybe also EG) are gone, and yet he has carried over his loathing onto Crean, despite the fact that I can’t remember any specific instance of anything that Crean himself might have done to earn that disrespect. IU, Purdue, and Illinois fans may feel free to correct me. I honestly can’t remember what might have caused the bad blood.
A sassy, brassy, classy lassy.
by LoneStarHoosier on Feb 7, 2012 2:41 PM EST up reply actions
“I honestly can’t remember what might have caused the bad blood.”
Well, Weber was Gene Keady’s righthand man at Purdue for close to 20 years. I don’t think he has to dig very deep to despise IU simply for being IU. Or maybe it’s the fact that he got the Illinois job only after Crean turned it down. (interestingly enough, Kelvin Sampson turned it down in 2000).
The Crimson Quarry, SB Nation's Indiana Hoosiers blog
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Feb 7, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
I was always under the impression that Keady and Knight had a pretty good relationship and was unaware of any special enmity on his part towards IU other than what would be expected given IU being the arch-rival.
by GeorgiaBoiler on Feb 8, 2012 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
Just a quick comment
Painter was asked about what happened between him and Dawson, he didn’t bring it up himself.
I like Painter, believe it or not, but he acted like a complete baby in just about every way imaginable at that MSU game.
The Crimson Quarry, SB Nation's Indiana Hoosiers blog
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Feb 7, 2012 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
I would like to see a rule put in place, and I doubt this will ever happen, but if a team is down by ten or more points with less than a minute ago yet continues to foul, then it should be called a flagrant foul or perhaps even a bench technical as a way of punishing the coach. If a team is down by more than three possessions with less than a minute to go, really they’re only delaying the inevitable and in my opinion is a sign of bad sportsmanship or being a sore loser or whatever you want to call it. When I was in high school our team was winning a regional final game by FORTY points and yet the other team kept fouling in the last few minutes. Towards the end of the game even old ladies were shouting obscenities at the other team’s coach.
All things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia
This! Times a million.
I can’t tell you how many times I was in the pep band on a weekday night, waiting for the last minutes of a game tick down so I could go home and get some sleep or study, and wishing like hell that the refs would just swallow their whistles. For all the bloggers I see complain about there being too many timeouts in college basketball, the fouling is what irritates me most.
A sassy, brassy, classy lassy.
by LoneStarHoosier on Feb 7, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t know, stranger things have happened than a 10 point comeback in the final minute. One thing I do wish would happen would be continued enforcement of the flagrant rules, i.e., you can’t bearhug a player just because you are losing and trying to stop the clock. I think it’s tough to draw the line, although fouling when down 15 with 30 seconds to go is pretty pathetic.
The Crimson Quarry, SB Nation's Indiana Hoosiers blog
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Feb 7, 2012 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
One more thing re: Purdue
After the game, I was jacked up, so I watched the Big Ten Icons piece on Gene Keady. And they spent half of the time talking about IU and Bob Knight. That’s just sad. To a certain extent, I get it why Purdue fans complain about the mainstream media coverage being tilted toward IU. On the other hand, though, much of the noise about IU in the piece was coming not from MSM sources, but the Purdue guys themselves (the editor of their fan mag and their SID). Anyway, it’s sad, in a very amusing kind of way.
Also amusing: watching their blogosphere devour itself this week. I’m so glad we’re out of the pit now.
you think it is sad
Try managing that tire fire.
ugh.
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog
I read the comments
Keep being optimistic. They don’t hand out awards for being the first one off the bandwagon. At least they didn’t around here the last few years.
This may seem like heresy, but I actually do hope that Purdue makes the tourney this year, and for one reason alone: Robbie Hummel (or, since “Robbie” seems like a third grader, let’s call him “R Hummel”). Great kid and great player, and I’d hate for his swan song to end in the NIT. Please understand, however, that I don’t want the game in Bloomington to be anything that boosts the Riveters’ resume.
by hoosierdaddynow on Feb 7, 2012 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
Being a fan is taking the bad with the good
I remember going into a funk after the 93 season, when Alan Henderson broke his leg and the chance at a championship slipped slowly away, and the following seasons the Hoosiers began a slow descent into mediocrity. Sometimes, the b’ar eats you. But sticking through it all made the unexpected run to the 2002 Final Four a pretty fun blast. Purdue’s been good, and will probably stay good under Painter, and with the Hoosiers getting good again, Big Ten championships should start running through the state of Indiana again.
Watching that dumpster fire has indeed been fun.
I’d also like to say that I’m proud that no one from CQ went over there after the game to gloat (not that they didn’t troll themselves sufficiently without our help). We all know that the members of H and R wouldn’t have been able to show the same restraint had the situation been reversed. Hell, GeorgiaBoiler was here immediately after the game calling us hillbillies and white trash. I can’t even imagine how insulting he would’ve been had Purdue won. But I digress. All I’m saying is let’s take some pride in knowing, once again, that we’re better than Purdue in many more ways than just basketball..
"It's an easy game, man. Easy game."
~Edgerrin James
by 87 Rides A Surfboard on Feb 7, 2012 4:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
For the record, I think you guys out-Purdue'd us
You played the style we’re used to playing and took it right to us.
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog
Purdue might want to think about hanging their opponents' colors in Mackey when you play at home,
because Purdue seems to play much better on the road.
A sassy, brassy, classy lassy.
by LoneStarHoosier on Feb 7, 2012 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
Why do Purdue fans call IU fans hillbillies and white trash?
I understand every team has their fair share of idiots that are going to cause trouble regardless of the outcome of the game, but I’ve never quite understood for that one.
I guess my perception is that Purdue is the country school and IU is the city school. Purdue has agricultural frats, IU is more liberal. I’m not even knocking that because I’m more of a country boy myself, but white trash and hillbillies are certainly more likely to be found in W. Lafayette. Once again, I’m perfectly fine with hillbillies, half of my family are farmers and hilljacks, but bless their souls every last one of them is a Purdue fan.
On a side note, it is tough watching Hummel on this Purdue team. I can’t help but to feel sorry for him. He’s the only Purdue player I’ve ever liked, but maybe that’s because I’ve watched him play up here in NW IN since he was in middle school. Special kid, I will miss watching him play.
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
My comments were directed at the bandwagon IU fans who have no connection to the university. I have never referred to IU students and their families or IU alumni as hillbillies or trailer trash. Nine times out of ten if you see someone wearing Purdue stuff and you ask they will have a connection to the university whereas with Indiana the situation seems to be reversed.
by GeorgiaBoiler on Feb 8, 2012 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
***
“but I’ve never quite understood that one”
I have no idea why I added for in that.
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
