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Tom Crean was fired by Indiana today just as the NCAA tournament tipped off. Twitter then exploded with plethora of reactions.
Media and social media personalities:
If Indiana truly wants "more consistent, high levels of success," wouldn't that include a new Director of Athletics?
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) March 16, 2017
Still can’t believe Indiana AD Fred Glass put out statement about Crean being out right before NCAA tourney began.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) March 16, 2017
So what's new
— NCAA Insider Grimace (@trillballins) March 16, 2017
"Tom will land on his feet and be better than ever." - Rick Pitino on Crean
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 16, 2017
Indiana just fired a great coach. Clueless. Tom Crean will be more successful down the road than IU hoops.
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) March 16, 2017
Indiana needs to hire an Indiana coach and only have players from Indiana who shoot on goals attached to barns and know how to bounce pass
— Derek Schultz (@Schultz975) March 16, 2017
Indiana has fired Tom Crean. Absolute stunner.
— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) March 16, 2017
"The Ball Is Tipped and Crean is Fired."
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 16, 2017
Tom Crean lost a lottery pick, another starter to injury for the year + others during the season. Tough business.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) March 16, 2017
9th highest paid coach, #1 recruiting budget, top 10 facilities, 40-38 vs. B1G last 4 years. But, yeah, tough business. https://t.co/ipH1wZRfzG
— Chronic Hoosier (@ChronicHoosier) March 16, 2017
Thank you for your service to Indiana, @TomCrean. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
— Chronic Hoosier (@ChronicHoosier) March 16, 2017
Sometimes change is healthy for both. @TomCrean gave his heart to Hoosier hoops (via https://t.co/Q473iEw0rJ ) https://t.co/Gw5VLHpPYh
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 16, 2017
Tom Crean... yikes
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 16, 2017
Former player, Christian Watford, took it a bit harder than some others.
Wow smh !!! I can't believe it #iubb ... I'm lost for words !
— Christian Watford (@Cwat205) March 16, 2017
This one hurt ..
— Christian Watford (@Cwat205) March 16, 2017
High profile coaches also reacted to Crean’s firing.
John Beilein on Tom Crean pic.twitter.com/l6HNdsOzL8
— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) March 16, 2017
Rick Pitino: "What bothers me about this profession is a guy who works as hard as Tom gets fired. ... Workaholic, will land on his feet."
— David Mayo (@David_Mayo) March 16, 2017
Kentucky coach John Calipari on Tom Crean: #iubb pic.twitter.com/dwZpAYE1Pd
— Mike Miller (@MikeMillerHT) March 16, 2017
Even an IU football player weighed in:
Despite what anybody says winning is the only thing that matters.But anyone who knew Coach Crean hates to see a man like that leave #iubb
— Joseph Gedeon (@ChoccoBoomStick) March 16, 2017
More media personnel:
Re Crean: I think all these things are true: Tom Crean is a really good coach, he had a successful tenure at IU and he probably needed to go
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) March 16, 2017
IU has not been recruited to properly since 93'..in state! Great relationships w AAU Coaches combined w hard work.
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) March 16, 2017
Most Important #iubb must get back to Indiana HS Coaches dying to send kids there!!!
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) March 16, 2017
Indiana should make a full scale push to land Virginia's Tony Bennett. Not sure if he would go but they should try.
— Andy Katz (@ESPNAndyKatz) March 16, 2017
Louisville's Rick Pitino said when Tom Crean took over IU it was rock bottom. He praised his tenure but said both were ready for a change.
— Andy Katz (@ESPNAndyKatz) March 16, 2017
I'll say this about Tom Crean: For the program he inherited, he did a fantastic job. Indiana fans should be grateful for that. #iubb
— Jordan Littman (@JordanLittman) March 16, 2017
People talk about fans' unrealistic expectations. Indiana fans are not unrealistic. They have every reason to believe program shd be elite.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 16, 2017
Before Indiana even lands a coach?
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) March 16, 2017
That take's so hot i'm going to go grab a fire extinguisher https://t.co/huVdG2eB0l
Let me be early on this and say Indiana will come to regret firing Tom Crean.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) March 16, 2017
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" pic.twitter.com/hX7pj2iFTj
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) March 16, 2017
For all the good he did at IU -- plenty -- fans never forgave Tom Crean for the Sweet 16 loss to Syracuse in 2013. That's when it changed.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) March 16, 2017
Harrison Niego chimed in as well.
Coach Crean is an amazing person and coach. I have a lot of respect for him & hurts to see him go. No doubt a top 10 coach in the country!
— Harrison Niego (@Harrison_Niego) March 16, 2017
And of course the meme plastered face of Tom Crean being interviewed.
tom crean has resting i just got fired face pic.twitter.com/gUSIC2TmpF
— PFTCommenter (@PFTCommenter) March 16, 2017
Yogi Ferrell was interviewed on the subject as well and this is what he had to say about Crean being fired and his development of players:
“Me personally, I was a little shocked by it. I’ve had a great relationship with Coach Crean and I felt like he developed me as a player, developed so many other guys as players, as human beings.”
You can read the rest of the interview here.
Many different people had a lot of different feelings towards Tom Crean, but he brought Indiana’s basketball program up from the roots of hell.
So perhaps it was Troy Williams with the best reaction of the day: a simple “thank you.”
Thank You ✊ https://t.co/T2SFkZ5HMV
— Troy Williams (@troywilliams_) March 16, 2017