I don't know that the players are necessarily to blame though I am most certain that Dan Dakich cannot be blamed for what's happened to this team. I think a number of factors has led to this slide, not the first of which is that it seems the entire team has gone on a shooting slump and just can't hit anything, they continue to commit needless turnovers game after game and the entire team seems to lack focus (a trend that was starting to take shape before Sampson stepped team). As far as the seeding goes, I have the Hoosiers as a 5 seed but the 6 is something this team has earned with their play over the latter part of the season after phoning in games against Penn State and Michigan State and the Big Ten tourney game in Minnesota. I think a pairing against a team like St. Joe's or Arizona could be the recipe for an early exit for our Hoosiers.

patrickdonohue.freedomblogging.com

as an example of how this season has taken a complete nosedive...

question: when was the last time IU a 6 seed?
answer: the 2005-06 season, when mike davis resigned.

sad thing is that the 05-06 team actually won a Tournament game (SDSU), something this team will likely not do.

This season has been the most dramatic of any season at IU by far. I think if we are going to do a little blame placing I would start with whoever hired Kelvin Sampson. I honestly think Rick Greenspan was almost forced into hiring KS, and that is why he hasn't been kicked to the curb as well. I'm not saying that he shouldn't be kicked to the curb....I'm just stating why I think he hasn't. We are a university that prides itself on following the rules. Do you think UCLA or Kentucky can look at their banners with as much pride as us Hoosiers.....I doubt it. We should of never of brought in a guy like Sampson in the first place. I happened to like him myself, but had we never had him to begin with....we never would of had to endure this painful series of events. I think the university did the right thing by firing him and moving on.
It wasn't Dan Dakich's fault.............but now it is. I understand that this is a messed up situation for him to be in, but I want a head coach that can make positive things happen out of negative situations. As head coach, he is running the show.....and he is running it right into the ground. I think he hurt himself more than he helped himself accepting the position of head coach right now. The team looks unmotivated, unstable, inconsistant, and sloppy....there is no excuse for that at IU. We have 2 first round draft picks on the team this year, and this is the best that Dakich can do? Thanks but no thanks Dan.....maybe try Indiana State.
Greenspan's decision to make Dakich the interim is next on the list. Dan Dakich played and coached for Bob Knight. He didn't have anything to do with recruiting these players, and if he did....they wouldn't of been here to begin with. On the other hand there is Ray. Ray coached at Ball State and Houston. He has coached decent NBA talent....Bonzi Wells. He was a big part of getting these players to come to IU....I think he was the right choice. These players don't even know who Kieth Smart is....they don't give a damn about Dakich. I think this was a move to make IU fans happy......and what makes IU fans happy is winning.
I think we will get a 5 seed. We will play Kent state or something and get beat. I don't see us making a run anymore....not without a coach. I'm ready for a head coach to be named and Hoosier basketball to restart.....again.
Go Hoosiers!
Thanks for all the work you guys do on this board...I check it 8 times a day. I'm glad there are people as passionate about IU basketball as me. We all appriciate your efforts and thanks again!

BOLD PREDICTION....IU gets the 17 seed in the FAR EAST...we run into Danny Almonte's AAU national team from Puerto Rico and we play in front of 1.3 million fans in Beijing as they prepare for the Olympics. After the Hoosiers SQUEAK by the 35 year old AAU squad, we run into a team led by Yao...that's right, he's not hurt, he just wanted to go back to China before the Olympics. DJ dominates Yao, however, EJ goes 1-56 from the 3-point line and we lose by 1. Season Over...Greenspan gets promoted to University President, and hires John Wooden as the AD. Wooden hires a "WOODEN" guy in Bill Walton and he smokes a bowl of two with the recruits in an attempt to lock them into their LOI's. After 3 bags of Doritos and two boxes of Ho-Hos, Ebanks and Holloway realize that Bloomington isn't that bad of a place after all...CRAZY you say??? Wouldn't that be the fitting end to a F*CKED UP SEASON!?!?!?

oops...forgot to proofread...should say "bowl OR two"

6 seed somewhere in the west. Will win 1 and lose 1. Dakich is to blame as much as the players, but I agree that the players came because of Sanctions boy and don't know much about Dakich and IU tradition. This season basically ended with the firing of Sanctions. So, what ever we do from here on out as far as winning is gravy. Our program is in a world of hurt and will be until the next coach gets his players in here and playing for IU. Next season I don't expect much and just want to know we are on the way to rebuilding our reputation. Right now, Jamie Dixon is in my top 2 to come in. Just get a coach that respects IU and one we fans can respect. I support IU fully and want the team to do well. Who knows, if Gordon gets out of his slump along w/ Bassett and Crawford, we may make a run. I won't hold my breath, but I'll keep hoping they want to play to win.

Sampson is number 1 for the blame. Greenspan is partly to blame also because of not putting Mac as coach. He went out of his way to say how much character he had and the NCAA stuff had nothing to do with Mac not getting the HC job and how honest he was etc. If that was teh case he should of just put him as HC if the players wanted. DD was put in a hard situation but should of at least been able to coach them into wins the past 2 games. Players also get some blame for not being able to put KS behind them and and act like men and come together as a team.I 'm shocked to say I agreed almost 100% with Kravtiz's article. It's sad though they haven't had anyone able to make them realize they need to come together as a team.

Oh yeah I say 6th seed and they go 1-1. I remember someone laughed at me not to long ago when I said IU was going to be getting a 6th seed. I think they will go 1-1 in tourney. I hope for more but we've been burned so much lately .

Here's some pretty interesting reading....I have some issues with their 4,5,&6 seeds....

http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp...

Goes like this and we will be facing some of our possible coaches lol.

my head says that this team will be a 6 or 7 seed, will pull out a win in a game that should not be as close as it ends, will get our hopes up thinking they might make a run, then not even show up for the second round game.

my heart says that no matter how much this team has struggled since ks left, they have SO much talent that you have to think there is a good chance they make a run deep into the tournament. i mean seriously, who CAN'T get psyched up for the tournament? they have to get fired up for this, right? if this team gets pumped, they'll get hot, and we all KNOW that this team can do a lot of damage when they want to.

i'm gonna take a slightly different take on dd. i'm want to say a big thanks to dd. other than dj, it was the players who decided that they didn't want to play the rest of the season. don't get me wrong, dd could have done a much better job of motivating and that's what i'm thanking him for. i was so afraid that we were going to have another bill lynch situation where someone gets promoted and maintains someone else's work, system, and team and wrongly convinces the administration that the success the team had after he took over was his doing. i was so afraid that this team was going to play "us against the world" basketball and make dd a serious contender for the head job. thankfully that's not going to happen.

Ok I have found my motivation to get excited about the selection sunday....

"It's about DJ"
This isn't senior night, this isn't the Big Ten tourney.....ONE and DONE. I think they MAY surprise us and play inspired not for you know who...but for DJ. You may see the old EJ come back....you may see the Lance Stemler who is also a senior and doesn't want this story book ending to end anytime soon....

OK that is all I could get going........

6 seed, upset by St. Joe's or Villanova, or some team like that, which at this point isn't really an upset anymore. We are one and done. I will root like hell for them, I will try to use all my positive energy to urge them to do it, but they're done. I'm sad.

I think the conference tournaments showed what Knight said was true about teams that have a lock in the tournament not playing that hard in the conf tourney's

One thing I am looking forward too is ESPN's bracket coverage.....Will for the first time since his firing...Bob "don't say hey knight" Knight say ANYTHING about Indiana......will he even say the word......I watch and wait

No he won't say Indiana. He will say, "When I was in the Big Ten......"

8 seed....thats fucking bullshit

An 8 seed????????? Give me a break!!! That sucks!

If the team has any confidence left, it is probably gone.

wow

If IU is lucky enough to beat Arkansas, they are done in round 2 vs. UNC.

Are you kidding me?

I'm worried about the Coppin St vs Indiana matchup.

Wow 8 seed damn against arkansas ouch

even if the hoosiers get a win they get NC in their homestate in round 2...are these ncaa sanctions come early?

Greenspan, Sampson, Gordon thinking he is a 3 point specialist, players who think they are bigger than the program, and on and on. Dozens of reasons for the demise for this program. The 8 seed they got was well seserved and they will likely get beat 1st round, certainly will get thrashed in the 2nd round. Lets hope we can get a quality coach without dragging our feet too long, and I hope Greenspan is the AD at some high scholl this time next year.

Washinton St gets 4 seed? and we get 8 seed? thats crazy

Selection committee hates the Big Ten IU 8 Wisconsin 3 give me a break. I'm actually more suprised at wisconsins seed...

Anybody who thinks we got robbed with a 8 seed obviously hasn't watched the Big 10 this year or IU the last 3 weeks. They are limping into the tourney, the committee knoes it. Might as well out them out of their misery early. Good Luck DJ in the pros, it was a pleasure watching you this season. EG enjoy some bench time in the NBA.

Yeah but the SEC is worse

Wisconsin was a top ten ranked team. This is ridiculous

Clemson and Gonzaga get higher seeds than us?

Those two aren't in SHAMBLES and actually won games in their conference tournaments...they both were runner-ups if my memory serves me correctly. Remember this fellas...IU has played up or down to it's competition ALL year. I think the 8 seed is a blessing in disquise! Now maybe they will grow some fuckin testicles and play with some heart because the WHOLE nation is laughing at them. AFTER they beat Arkansas...I believe you'll see the best game the Hoosiers have played ALL year vs. UNC...not saying they'll win for sure, but they're going down swinging! MARK MY WORD!