Around the Hall is recommended reading (and in this case, listening) from the Inside the Hall crew.

+ The Big Ten Network has video interviews with most of the coaches in the conference (Tom Crean not included). {Big Ten Network}

+ The media selected Michigan State as the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten and also announced its all-league team, headlined by Kalin Lucas. {Big Ten Conference}

+ Fred Glass confirmed that he talked to Bob Knight and the former coach will not attend his Hall of Fame induction. His reason? He didn’t want to detract from the other inductees. {IU Athletics}

+ Michigan State coach Tom Izzo says the Big Ten is the best its been in a decade. And Bruce Weber chimes in on Indiana. {The Hoosier Scoop}

Big Ten Media Day Tom Crean Audio (Thanks to The Hoosier Scoop)

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Or if you prefer video

Word broke late last night that Indiana will announce plans Saturday to induct Bob Knight into its Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in November.

Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz spoke with Fred Glass and revealed that the AD is already making a concentrated effort to bring back Knight on November 6:

Already, Glass has sent Knight a hand-written letter asking him to come to the ceremonies.

He also has commissioned one Hall of Fame committee member — former Bloomington journalist Bob Hammel– to personally reach out to The General and convince him it’s time to come home.

Time heals wounds. But something tells me that the letter from Glass could be lost on Knight’s desk. It’s encouraging that Hammel, a long-time friend of Knight and former Herald-Times sports editor, has agreed to assist in this process. But Hammel’s involvement doesn’t guarantee Knight will return.

Kudos to Glass for realizing that it’s a sham to have a Hall of Fame at IU for athletics that doesn’t include Knight. Regardless of the way things ended nine years ago, it’s time to do the right thing and recognize Knight’s accomplishments and contributions to Indiana.

The only question that’s left to be answered: Will Knight accept Indiana’s invitation?

The NCAA released its Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores this afternoon and the result was a public notice for IU baskeball in response to a score that, well, isn’t pretty. To put it into perspective how low the figure is, the other 23 athletic programs at IU all had scores well above the NCAA benchmark of 925. The men’s basketball program checked in at 866.

Here’s the reaction from athletic director Fred Glass:

“We take this public notice very seriously. The poor academic performance for which we’re being cited all occurred under two coaches who are no longer at IU.  We are confident that under Coach Tom Crean’s leadership and commitment to academics, responsibility, and character, we will soon be able to put our previous academic issues fully in the past. Coach Crean’s outstanding academic record at Marquette, including the graduating of all of his senior players, speaks for itself.”

I think Mr. Glass is pointing at you, Kelvin. For the record, Crean’s APR score from Marquette was also released this afternoon and it was 970. Because IU voluntarily forfeited two scholarships this past season in anticipation of a low APR, they’ll be able to utilize all 13 scholarships moving forward.

IU fans in the Chicagoland area will have a unique opportunity next Tuesday at Joe’s Bar on Weed Street. In an event sponsored by the IU Varsity Club, both Tom Crean and Fred Glass will address Hoosier fans at Joe’s, a popular spot for Indiana fans in Chicago and a sponsor of Inside the Hall.

The event runs from 7pm to 9pm with Crean and Glass scheduled to speak at 8pm. Appetizers will be provided.

Click here for more details or visit Joe’s on Weed Street.

In an effort to boost sagging attendance, Indiana Athletic Director Fred Glass announced that balcony seats will be just $5 for the remainder of the home schedule:

Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass is hoping to attract more fans to come to Assembly Hall for the remainder of the 2009 men’s basketball season. Effective immediately, balcony tickets (subject to availability) will be on sale for the remainder of the season for $5 per game.

“Attendance at Assembly Hall, as it has been around the conference is a little down,” said Glass. “Because some of this is likely attributable to the challenging national economic situation, we want to make the games more affordable and otherwise more family friendly.”

“I love how hard our team plays and how hard Coach Crean coaches,” added Glass. “They never quit and I want to encourage Hoosier Nation not to quit on them. Fan support in Assembly Hall has been tremendous. We just want to encourage more people to be there.”

Among ideas that Glass hopes will catch on with the Hoosier faithful is an honorary game captain; allowing youngsters to shoot layups on Assembly hall’s hallowed hardwood following weekend home games; encouraging the crowd to be more engaged in and around the game; and resurrecting spirit signs for dorms, greek houses, and local businesses to hang up prior to home games.

While I admire Glass’s attempt to place warm bodies inside the droves of empty seats at Assembly Hall, I must whole heartedly disagree with his comment about the economy. Over the weekend, I attended the Louisville-Pittsburgh game and there was not an empty seat to be found and the concession lines were longer than ever. The same can be said at nearly ever other big-time program across the country. The fact is that the casual fan is not coming to IU games this season because the product is not what they have grown to expect.

Around the Hall is recommended reading from the Inside the Hall crew.

• IU hires new athletic director, literally {The Dagger at Yahoo!}
• Matt Dollinger of the IDS sits down with Glass for a Q & A {Basketblog}
• IDS columnist Chris Engel calls Glass “the right hire” {Indiana Daily Student}
• Glass hopes to move past NCAA problems {Indiana Daily Student}
• Glass will earn $410,000 annually, work with no contract {The Hoosier Scoop}
• Terry Hutchens talks to Glass about Crean, NCAA probe and more {Indy Star}
• IU gets its man from familiar sources {Indy Star}
• It’s a dream job for new AD Glass {Associated Press}

Those of you that missed the press conference today of Indiana’s announcement of Fred Glass as the new Athletic Director can check out audio and video from CBS Sports All-Access:

• Video of Fred Glass press conference
• Audio of Fred Glass press conference

And IU issued the longest press release in history to prove it:

Fred Glass Chosen to Head Department of Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie today (Oct. 28) named Fred Glass, ‘81, an Indianapolis attorney and civic leader, to be IU’s next director of intercollegiate athletics.

Glass is well known in Indianapolis for his central role in several major sports-related initiatives, including negotiating a 30-year deal to keep the Colts in the city, financing and building the new Lucas Oil Stadium, organizing a Super Bowl bid and bringing major NCAA basketball events to the city.

A partner in the law firm of Baker & Daniels, Glass served as president of the city’s Capital Improvement Board from 2000 to 2007, a position that gave him extensive first-hand experience in both the financial and managerial challenges of sports at the highest levels.

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