What are the odds Mo Creek is allowed to wear that headband? Have there been any headband hoosiers? I will try not to get everyone riled up on IU's need to update the uniforms with a new look…no names still…but at least a new look and keep the candy stripes…..

good article on Marquis Teague

http://w3.nbebasketball.com/index.php/class-of-…

Glad to see Hulls get some respect from Scout after dropping on the final Rivals rankings.

I think there was a very brief period under Davis where a couple of headbands showed up on the Assembly Hall court. And I'm fairly sure they'll never be on display again.

If you look at the ratings by position Creek in 10 at SG and Hulls is 8 at PG whoa!

I think Big Ben Allen rocked a headband at one point………

Don't remember Ben Allen, but I'm pretty sure Patrick Ewing Jr. and D.J. wore them, albeit briefly.

What's good about this group is that they're all really good players that will likely stick around for awhile and not jump to the NBA like Top 25 guys often do. It's called sustained success. I couldn't ask anything more from Crean with this first class! It is truly a foundation to build this program upon!

We really have to take these rankings with a grain of salt. I look them over frequently and if you look back over the years there are top 40 recruits that didn't do squat.

I think IU's class is underrated by Rivals and Scout. Indiana has lost a lot of glamour over the last two years and the analysts just aren't ready to give them props. Nor is McDonalds in their All-Amerian rankings (see Duke Commits).

Obviously it doesn't take into account the system, the other players and how they fit in etc. I guess what I am saying is I am more excited about this class than the websites seem to be.

Can't wait until they are juniors…..

Personally, I'm glad we got guys like this that aren't top recruits that are likely to jump to the NBA after one year. Thank God for Tom Crean.

Does Christian Watford ever smile?

I'm getting so excited for next season, but it feels so far away!

Sure would be nice if the writer could get their facts straight…

Marquis is NOT the brother of chest-thumping David Teague from Purdue

Pike is a member of Conference Indiana, not the Metro Conference

no new uniforms! i am so proud of my hoosiers for staying strong and classic in the midst of the era of the muscle jersey and the elephant pants. i would rather us maintain our classy and traditional identity as a basketball program (note- this includes style of play as well, not just aesthetic concerns) and lose a few blue chip, one and done recruits than wear shorts that look rediculous, run an isolation offense, and go to a final four. i had a hard time rooting for davis' teams even when they were good because of the style of basketball they played. obviously, i dont think there has to be a dichotomy between wearing normal looking basketball uniforms and getting good recruits. hey, were doing that right now, in fact. IU's older style jerseys will attract some players i think, now you see teams pulling out retro jerseys for a game or two- we dont have to do that, ours hasnt changed significantly (cf. damon baileys SI cover, you won't be seeing that much upper thigh on any hoosier in the past 10 years, haha).

I'm probably going to get blasted for this, but here goes.

I continue to be dumbfounded by the constant comments on this blog and other Indiana basketball sites from IU fans railing against the most talented players. People constantly make comments like, “I'd rather have lesser talented players than guys that are going to go to the NBA”.

I agree that at this stage in Crean's rebuilding process that the '09 class is exactly what we need, but going forward, why wouldn't you want the most talented players? Assuming they have good grades and are good kids.

UNC, Duke, Kansas and UCLA almost always have the top recruiting classes in the country and their players, by all accounts, are good students. Some leave early like Marvin Williams, some stay 3-4 years like Hanbrough, Lawson, Felton and May. But, why wouldn't you want the best players?

I'd love for Crean to sign Teague, Ferguson and all the other top recruits he's in on. So what if some leave early. IU needs to get to the point where we reload not rebuild. Again, this '09 class is exactly what IU needed, but going forward Crean should be, and seems to be, in on all the top recruits.

Look at our best teams historically. '76 had the #1 pick in the NBA draft, '81 had Isiah Thomas, a hall of famer, '87 had Alford who was a first round pick. The teams of the early '90s had Chaneay and Greg Graham, both first round picks, and '02 had Jared Jeffries who left early and was a lottery pick. You need these players if you want to be a top program. There is nothing wrong with a program that brings in the most talented players, you just have to be smart about which ones you pick.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

A very good point, BGleas

The other good thing about having NBA talent on your team is that they eventually go out and make a ton of cash that finds its way back to supporting the program. It's also a lot easier to attract the Teagues and Fergusons when you have NBA alumni that prove the program prepares you for the next level. Good post, BGleas.

I hear you BGleas but I think there are a few reasons. First of all, I think we all feel the frustration of not getting these guys regularly and it's human nature to say we aren't that interested.

Secondly, our program has been so down that when we finally do get an Eric Gordon or Bracey Wright we end up getting bounced early in the tourney anyway.

I think with the balance of the incoming class and a few others on the current roster, we now have the foundation to grab a top 10 recruit on an annual basis without dropping off significantly if/when they bolt for the NBA.

However, keep in mind we are all on the same team and have the right to our own opinions. I personally see both sides but with the balance on the current 2009 roster, I think we're ready for the top notch guys regardless of their long-terms goals in an IU jersey!

Thanks Plane, you bring up another good point. There's more benefit than just the 1-3 years that the player is on the team. It helps sustain that level of talent when top recruits see your guys all over the NBA. It helps when you have these guys come to campus for camps and the recruits see them involved and engaged, and it helps with fundraising.

Good points.

Agree MillaRed, I didn't mean to sound like others can't have the opposite opinion, thanks for bringing that up because I didn't want to come off like that

With that said, it seems to be the over-riding opinion on Indiana sites, that people don't want top talent. I agree you need a balance, so that you're not falling off the face of the earth when one guy leaves. You need to have a foundation.

Another aspect is picking the right top guys. I think UNC, UCLA and Kansas are perfect examples. They have top rated recruiting classes all the time, but they seem to pick the top rated guys that stay around for 2-3 years.

Whereas someone like Calipari has the constant one and dones. Calipari's model is not what I'm suggesting. We can have top rated recruiting classes with multiple players going on to succeed in the NBA without being a 1-year revolving door.

I feel that should be the ultimate goal in recruiting.

Kelin, I like your posts but got to say: no changes to the uniforms. I realize that you are not calling for anything drastic, but the IU uniform is a classic. Don't fix what ain't broke.

I like the points raised by BGleas and MillaRed and largely agree with them. We must have some serious NBA prospects in order to compete for the NCAA crown but I think there is something to be said for that + balance of guys who are solid college players but are not likely to be NBA picks.

Well said BGleas. Funny thing is it really does seem like Crean is on this path already. The 2009 Hoosiers are a solid foundation. He's taking his time with 2010 and 2011 looking for the high profile transfers and the gold nuggets in the Top 10.

Problem is, the waiting game is killing me!

Good point Cutter. Thing is with Kansas, Memphis, UNC etc. Some of these teams are turned over so quickly they barely got to know each other. It's a small price to pay when you are competing for a national title year in and year out. However I do enjoy watching the Coverdale's and DJ Whites over a 4-year period.

I think my point is that what UNC, Kansas and UCLA do is different than Calipari at Memphis. Most of Cal's big time recruits left after one year.

At UNC, Kansas, UCLA and Duke it's not like that. Yes every now and then they have a Marvin Williams or Kevin Love, but for the most part, their guys have been staying 2-3 years. I'll take guys leaving after 2-3 years if it means were consistently competing for Final Fours, consistently reloading and consistently putting guys in the NBA to represent the program.

Look at UNC's past two title teams. They had big-time 5 star recruits, but they had the right ones. May, Felton and McCants and then Hansbrough, Lawson and Ellington. All big-time recruits that all became upperclassmen.

Same with Kansas on their title team. Rush, Arthur, Chalmers and some of there other guys were 5 star recruits, but they were the right ones. As opposed to the DeJuan Wagners and Tyreke Evans of the world.

thanks for the info.

Well said. Good point, well supported, concise.

ben allen left indiana after sampsons first year as iu coach