Did I miss something here:

"The shooting guard led the Big Ten in scoring as a freshman despite playing most of the second half of the season with what Gordon Sr. said was a broken bone in his non-shooting wrist."

Is this the first time the real problem with his wrist was disclosed, or did I just miss it?

1st time I heard of it

First time I have heard it......

I heard that a while ago, but was never sure if it was true. I work pretty closely to the program though. I heard it secondhand so I wasn't sure.

Personally I have a hard time believing anyone would jepoardize EJ's career by playing him w a broken wrist .

I therefore think this is either hyperbole or spin to explain away a protracted series of poor performances . If they can explain it away then it equates to millions of $.

There is no doubt we have to put some pressure on ITH to do something for midnight madness.....i.e. tailgating the night or day of. (hint hing Big A)

Yes we may not roll out the best team ever but maybe this feeling of IU basketball is back it for real this time. Hell if the Pukies can camp out the night before a duke game....we can show up somewhere to tailgate or do something......Imagine the coverage of IU's midnight madness with Crean as the coach.

No love for the Indiana Daily Student? You've sold out, ITH.

I like the IDS too, but I have been an ITH guy longer and they let me use my Uwe Blab logo...

Their site wasn't loading this AM when I put the link dump together. I'll try to add their stories in when I get a free moment. Trust me, we love the IDS.

What does everyone think about Bassett and Ellis? I've read a lot today that Dakich had the backing of Greenspan and that it was more because of a year filled with problems from those two.

Even with all of that, I would have no problem if Crean came in and said, "Look, last year sounds like a nightmare for everybody. I'm giving you a clean slate, but you have this one chance, any problems and you're gone. Now let's play some basketball!".

It could be construed as making a deal with the devil (and we've had enough of that with Sampson), but I also think it's important for Crean to at least have a decent year. I think he'll have a longer leash that coaches past, but we have some momentum now and a decent first year could be huge for Crean and the program.

Personally I think Crean will extend a "provisional" reinstatement in order to establish a series of actions and goals each player needs to meet before full reinstatement. So this will taketime maybe even the summer.....donot hold your breath.

If not then maybe he does not think the transgressions were serious.

Crean will make the call under the banner of " the program is more important than any one person"

I just kind of think that unless their transgressions involve legal issues, then everyone kind of deserves a bit of a mulligan for this past season.

Let them prove themselves in Crean's system under his rules, on a VERY short leash.

Terry Hutchins just wrote some thing interesting in his blog and his guy tell him Bassett and Ellis won't be back. He also said this is not a one time thing with these two but has been building even before Dak took over which helps me get a better understanding of the situtation and I give my open apologies to Dak......If Crean did this, I would be ok with it and if other players decided to leave I would be ok with it also, because it shows there tolerance for the crap that went on this season, instead of doing things the right way....

I am eagerly awaiting to hear from Brandon McGhee.....

His blog is a must read today....good stuff

His being Hutch?

Or, does McGhee have a blog, too? ;-)

Hutch

I figured. I just felt the need to poke at you.

On your recommendation, I headed straight over to read it, though that does disturb my usual afternoon plans for avoiding work.

I'm hearing the same thing on Bassett and Ellis.

I said this above, but I really think unless there are legal problems, why not give them one chance and once chance only to prove themselves under this coach.

I guess the big drawback to that would be if they screw up again next season and you have to kick them off, then you're disrupting another season when the program is trying to heal and move on.

I guess I see both sides of it.

Rumor has it that McGee is planning on transferring because everyone refuses to spell his name correctly.

nice

Just playing...heh. I'm somewhat of a spelling/grammar policeman.

Plus, the Cubs are 0-2. I'm getting restless.

Can't blame bartman anymore, poor innocent guy.....

I really like Crawford's and Holman's quotes in the "IU Players Ready to Turn the Page" link.

In these situations I am always interested to see what the team he left says. I've enjoyed reading Milwaukee's reactions. I feel so bad for them, what a terrible feeling that must be. Working with a basketball program and having that happen to the program I have worked with...I know what the players' emotions are.

I just want to say the Marquette players have truly handled it with grace and class thus far. Their quotes are very telling of their character, and hopefully of the character of Crean and what he worked to instill in them. You can tell they really did care about him. I liked Marquette before (mostly because I liked Crean), but I now have even more respect for their players and program. I hope they get a very good coach to continue their success. Maybe they will land Bennett! But I hope that the success that Crean re-established there will continue on under a new leader.

I really do feel bad for them, too. I couldn't imagine being at a school and having the coach jump ship so suddenly.

I have read most of the links to those stories, and I really do wish that program the best.

The danger and risk for Crean to keep Armon and Ellis again is getting burned by them at some point....yes their transgressions were ongoing all year apparently and under KS watch but is there something they can tell a coach they don't know that they have changed when they behaved and did things under a coach they LOVED.......it is a tough sell armon and JE. If you treat people you LOVE like this why should Crean deal with it or open himself up to it......

Fellas if you REALLY want to stay.....Armon give your scholly to Finky for a year as a start, then show us you REALLY want to be here.

Again, I am confident that Crean will be able to craft a program to "rehab" each player and return him to the team if the player adheres successfully to the program. If they donot follow the program established they need to be gone.

Other thoughts:

1. Even if the acts were illegal it is better for the kids if IU to at least tries to rehab them
2. Final outcome will not come quick
2. IU lost at home to UCONN a team with a burglar at point guard and a drug arrest of their top scorer ............both rehabbed by coach and still on the team
3. Holman was not allowed to play in Ca for about a yr but now seems like a good kid

Anyway it works out it becomes a chance to begin building the Crean legacy

does anyone know where i can buy authentic candy striped pants? my future girlfriend(s) will probably hate them, but hell they look awesome.

Try Bassett or Ellis

haha

Kelin, whats the link for Hutchens blog?

http://blogs.indystar.com/hoosiersinsider/

It's also on our blog roll on the right side of the page.

try universitees
http://www.universitees.com/
Fort Wayne, IN. (Glenbrook mall).
This is where I got mine, and I rock them all the time.

You can also try T.I.S.

http://www.tisbookiu.com/item-detail.cfm?sku=20...

Thanks RoberSchell and Btown40. I will wear them proud in the streets of chapel hill.

I saw Gordon the other day at the SRSC with DJ, and both were working out with a physical trainer, and had NBA basketballs with them rather than the normal Adidas ones IU plays with that I've seen them with before....

Gordon's gone. If he was even remotely entertaining the idea of returning, why would he have announced that he was going to make his decision public this Friday even before they named Crean coach?

Crean was on The Jim Rome show this afternoon...Mostly talked about the same stuff he has been, however he did meet with EJ last night. He said that he told EJ that he would get as little involved or as much involved as he wants. Said he hasnt earned the right to ask him what his decision will be but regardless he is the Coach of Indiana and EJ will be forever, a part of IU basketball.

He also said that he was only involved with 3rd party conversations 2 years ago about the IU job....never seriously talked with by IU. He could tell early on this time around that he was a serious candidate by the talks IU was having with him and how different they were than the last time in '06

Ebanks update.... http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/weiss/2008/04/...

Yeaaa got my Crean and Crimson t-shirt at TIS!

Crean is going to be on Mike&Mike on ESPN soon.

Crean was on the Dan Patrick show this morning

Here is the link

http://i.cnn.net/si/danpatrick/interviews/2008/...

Wow, really disappointed in that IDS article. I thought Crawford was almost positive on his return and that article didn't sound very good. EJ didn't even go to the team meeting? Ouch, he's gone (although we figured he would be anyways). And Holman...that's the worst. I really thought he was leaning toward returning. But he says he's gonna go home and talk it out. Man, by the time he gets to Cali, if any west coast team has an interest, I'm guessing that's where he'll stay. He also said "Crean will be a good fit for some of the guys." This isn't looking as good as I had hoped.

It might work in our favor in the long run. You might see Roth and Pritchard get all the playing and seasoning they need, and it could payoff when they are sophs and juniors. We are going to struggle next year if Ellis, Crawford, Bassett, and Holman aren't back. We can't as fans expect much. I just want to see player development, plus the 4 star Crean had going to Marquette wants out of his letter of intent, maybe we could snag him, and there are a couple of undecide McDonald all americans that you could sell the program too and look at all the playing time they woul get.

My guess is that Crawford and Holman will stay. Other than the fact that you're taking control of your situation, I don't see why these guys would transfer, or guys in general when they get a new coach.

Either way you're going to have a new coach, but by staying you don't have to sit out a year and leave friends you might have made at school. So unless you completely don't like the new coach, why leave, unless you just really want control of the decision, because none of these chose Crean.

I saw something where if you include Eli's high school suspension, if he chooses to leave he would end up sitting out of basketball for 3 YEARS....I am sure that is something he doesn't want to do. Eli seems like a good and smart kid and I think he will seize the opportunity here to be the "BMOC".

I thought it was cool how Crean said that he understood what the candy striped pants were all about (i'm paraphrasing). It is a little thing, but some stuff like that is important to a lot of hoosier fans.

Also, when we think about all of the players that we could lose, just remember how terrible Purdue was the last couple of years. They tore it down, started over, and it turned out pretty good.

Yup all you need is one good in-state recruiting class, and then the rest will follow.

Didn't Holman get shot in a drive by before coming to IU ? Cali might not sound so good .

All these guys are looking at serious PT at a school certain to be on tv alot and if they hang togehter may actually be pretty good. I really donot think they leave unless they have to for grades or other reasons