I think having officials at practice including drills is a real good idea. Hopefully it equates to

1. fewer ball carries by Jones
2. less prone to travel when pivoting by Watford and Elston
3. fewer fouls by 4/5 players especially TP when defending his own man, during help sometimes he has no choice

Not sure what to make of GMM comments except we need to see him in real action

There is always a choice when regarding when to foul whether you are responsible for help-side defense or guarding a man straight-up. First, it’s too bad TP isn’t quick enough to move into a stable defensive posture and location when he is needed to help and that he isn’t smart enough to put himself in a position to provide a stable defensive posture and location from the help-side. Second, one shouldn’t foul if one is pone to foul trouble anyway and if you play a position that is relatively thin on the roster. One also shouldn’t foul particular opponents if the opponent it a good free-throw shooter or if one isn’t able to foul the opponent in a manner that ensures the opponent can’t convert the basket and go to the line for a three-point-play. There’s a third, fourth, etc., but you get the drift. There really shouldn’t be too many excuses for poor help-side defense at this stage in a player’s career.

I hope he shows us something tomorrow in the scrimmage.

I agree. Not seeing a lot of glow in his face when Guy is brought up in discussion. He continues to bring up the “want to” and that’s great. But I think we are all looking toward more of a “I can” out of him this season.

That is very, very GOOD news for our team D.

Why should he be “game time ready” on October 28, or at the scrimmage on the 29th? People who bring up TJ when talking about Bawa are ignorant! People who bring up Bawa when talking about Guy Michel are ignorant! People who bring up “TJ and Bawa” as some sort of Siamese Twin Monster when talking about Guy are just stupid! The first game is 11/12. The first tough game is 11/16 against Wright State. Let’s see what Guy looks like in actual games on 12/1 against Boston College and against Ky on 12/11. Then let’s see what he looks like in actual games on 12/22-23 in Las Vegas. Let’s hold off on the uninformed, instant analysis until 12/24 when he has had 13 games to become adjusted to IU and to Coach Crean and this team. At that point you at least will not be ignorant. I remember on 11/30/2008 if you had “analyzed” Verdell Jones you would have said that he was timid, dazed, confused, and unsure of himself after the concussion against Cornell. By 3/12/2008 he was one of the best freshmen in the Big 10, and he has gotten steadily better ever since then. No one needs to rush to judgment, we are all in it for the full season!

ha ha – deep breath dude………..and try to hold off on the negative “ignorant” and “stupid” comments (in which the two words mean two different things)………i am sure you know everything which gives you entitlement to call other people names, but for the most part ITH isn’t a message board that encourages a lot of that. Just because I used the 3 people in the same sentence didn’t mean I was saying that everything about all 3 of them are exactly the same. I was saying that the way Crean talked about him made me think he was still a work in progress, just like I thought about Tijan and Bawa were “work in progress”. And geez – its not like I am completely ripping on the Guy. ha ha. I am sure he will be fine and I am sure he is more advanced then the other two kids. Sorry to offend ya.