Truth & Rumors > NCAAB

Promo_BaseballChallenge_638x30

Hoosiers land top in-state recruit

Views
532
Comments
0

New Indiana coach Tom Crean wasted little time trying to salvage what's left of the Hoosiers' incoming recruiting class, securing the signing of Champaign Central's 6-foot-4-inch Verdell Jones. Jones, who averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists, was considered the state's top unsigned prospect.

Chicago Tribune

Tom Crean , Streeter Lecka/Getty Images Tom Crean , Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
May 9, 2008  08:55 AM ET

The headline is misleading. Verdell Jones is from Illinois, meaning he is "in-state" for the Chicago Tribune.

Comment has been removed
May 9, 2008  09:47 AM ET

He'll transfer after Indiana gets smacked by sanctions due to recruiting violations and ARP scores.

May 9, 2008  01:11 PM ET

We'll have to wait and see how things play out. So far so good. I'm just glad at this point that I don't have to be embarressed to be an IU fan. Sampson was trash and we shot ourselves in the foot when we hired somone with a shaddy reputation. In our quest to get back to the glory days of Bob Knight, we lost sight of what college sports are all about. Now atleast it looks like we are on the right path.

May 9, 2008  01:45 PM ET

The writer who said the entire coaching staff were scum was off base. Dan Dakich is to be commended for his short tenure as head coach. He stuck to his principles even though he knew it would probably cost him a chance at keeping the job.

May 9, 2008  03:17 PM ET

Dackich was neither considered or seriously considered for the new coaching vacancy They needed someone, who in know way, was connected in any way with sampson or his possible accomplices. Unfortunately for Dan this was a no win situation. His resume and slightly better than 500 record in the MAC while not showing he was the coach for the job. In reality McCallum did show a better resume for the job as interim. He helped recruitted most of the players on the team at that time.
He was Sampsons right hand man on the bench in game situations for the last 2 yrs. Even now his name has not been connected with any of the wrong doing. As much as I deplored what Sampson did he was a very good coach. All you can do is ask yourself ; WHY ?

May 9, 2008  05:31 PM ET

IN state? nice work sports illustrated

May 9, 2008  06:09 PM ET

Michigan fan, we are 13-1 in our last 14 games against you. I would be bitter to.

May 9, 2008  07:18 PM ET

Hey what she said,

You'd have to have an extra chromosome to interpret what I wrote as being bitter. I never stated Indiana sucked. All I said is your program is in a WORLD of hurt. You must not follow the program closely enough to understand that. And the fact is that UM's bball program is right behind Indiana by that UM will have a ARP problem too. Heck do you even know what the APR is? Probably not with that extra chromosome you have.

May 9, 2008  07:31 PM ET

How come no one has mentioned that I won Indiana?

May 9, 2008  08:31 PM ET

He'll transfer after Indiana gets smacked by sanctions due to recruiting violations and ARP scores.
The Warden | 05/09/08, 09:47 AM

As an IU alum, I'd like to think that IU's proactive response to the allegations by firing Sampson would work to their advantage and merit a lesser penalty. They won't get off scott free, nor should they, because of Sampson's prior infractions. But the NCAA should cut them some slack. As for the ARP, Knight had an exemplary graduation record while he was coach. Davis and Dakich were both his disciples, so I'm sure they leaned on the players to take their studies seriously as well. Sampson, however, was another matter, given his flaunting the rules and the resultant transfers after he was fired. But again, hopefully IU will get the benefit of the doubt.

Apparently, Creen had an unblemished record at Marquette, a tough private school. So hiring him should also demonstrate IU's commitment to solving the problem, What I don't understand is how IU's AD survived this. His a** should have been canned before Sampson's. Hiring Sampson was stupid at best and incompetent at worst.

Comment has been removed
May 9, 2008  11:43 PM ET

How in the heck did Bruce Weber lose this recruit out of his own town?? No way that happens if Self is still in Champaign

May 10, 2008  12:02 AM ET

Weber has had a hard time landing the difference makers. He needs to nail a guy or two who are warriors, guys who show up to play every night. He gets some good players, but not the one's he needs to put them over the top.

May 10, 2008  12:37 AM ET

Why would you want to play for a team that will be under sanctions unless you plan on making a foolish jump to the NBA right away. Should have signed with Minnesota or some other team.

May 10, 2008  12:48 AM ET

I am with you timewalker, dont know what the kid was thinking. The only reason he picked IU is because of PT and there will plenty. Also, his dad is a handful. If sanctions hit IU especially not playing in the post-season and in schollies, then he will playing 4 years for a losing mediocre team.

May 10, 2008  01:40 AM ET

As good a coach, and as nice a guy, that Bruce Weber is, this will absolutely be his last year at Illinois. You cannot consistently lose your own Illinois talent and expect to keep your job. Weber is done at IL.

May 10, 2008  04:31 AM ET

As good a coach, and as nice a guy, that Bruce Weber is, this will absolutely be his last year at Illinois. You cannot consistently lose your own Illinois talent and expect to keep your job. Weber is done at IL.
LSH99 | 05/10/08, 01:40 AM

That was Davis' undoing at IU. The "last straw" was when Sean May went to North Carolina, The faithful NEVER forgave Davis for that. May was from Bloomington, Indiana and his father, Scott May, was an All-American and Player of the Year on Knight's first National Championship team "back in the day". His son was considered an absolute "lock" for Indiana. When he went to North Carolina and led them to a Championship, the show was over for Davis.

May 10, 2008  07:56 AM ET

That was Davis' undoing at IU. The "last straw" was when Sean May went to North Carolina, The faithful NEVER forgave Davis for that. May was from Bloomington, Indiana and his father, Scott May, was an All-American and Player of the Year on Knight's first National Championship team "back in the day". His son was considered an absolute "lock" for Indiana. When he went to North Carolina and led them to a Championship, the show was over for Davis.
pwings | 05/10/08, 04:31 AM
Report Offensive Comment

The last straw was when Gordon, Oden, and Conley committed to other places. There is no excuse for them to not get every great player in Indianapolis. Thing is, they still aren't getting them. IU is a dead program.

 
May 10, 2008  04:01 PM ET

That was Davis' undoing at IU. The "last straw" was when Sean May went to North Carolina, The faithful NEVER forgave Davis for that. May was from Bloomington, Indiana and his father, Scott May, was an All-American and Player of the Year on Knight's first National Championship team "back in the day". His son was considered an absolute "lock" for Indiana. When he went to North Carolina and led them to a Championship, the show was over for Davis.
pwings | 05/10/08, 04:31 AM

The last straw was when Gordon, Oden, and Conley committed to other places. There is no excuse for them to not get every great player in Indianapolis. Thing is, they still aren't getting them. IU is a dead program.
IrishR#1 | 05/10/08, 07:56 AM

IrishR#1,
I forgot about Oden and that was a huge loss. But I'm not aware that there was any connection between Oden, Gordon or Conley and IU other than proximity.
Sean May, on the other hand, is the son of an All-America alum and the fans and media both assumed that he was a lock for IU.

I'm sure there was shock when Luke Walton went to Arizona and not UCLA or Patrick Ewing's son went to IU and not Georgetown. Family is considered a stronger bond than geography. Look on any major college roster and you'll see plenty of players from out of state. Family over geography is the point I was making and I stand by that.

As for IU being a dead program, no way!! For the kid who wants to play basketball and stay in Indiana, IU is still the place to be. It's primarily a basketball school unlike Purdue and Notre Dame which are still football schools. It's very attractive because it has a good coach, great tradition and, because its roster is thin, offers the chance to play immediately in a highly visible program. It will take a year or two, but IU will recover.

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Stub Hub

The 2009 schedule has been released. Search for tickets!

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Meeting with fans backfires on Browns owner
    Views
    29097
    Comments
    852
  2. 2
    Ex-Eagle: Cowboys everything wrong about NFL
    Views
    33300
    Comments
    592
  3. 3
    Canseco wants to fight A-Rod
    Views
    40421
    Comments
    207
  4. 4
    Mangini scaring off GM candidates?
    Views
    15283
    Comments
    150
  5. 5
    Gator Bowl eyeing Notre Dame
    Views
    3205
    Comments
    107

Most Active Users

Comments + Blog Posts + Throwdowns

  1. 1
    Porkins: F U to Hell, BCS
  2. 2
    RobertMenn: You stole my rake
  3. 3
    Perfectpats
  4. 4
    sign here
  5. 5
    Oso: Yankees win again?

Message Boards

  1. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    CFB Game Day 11/7/2009
    Views
    408
    Replies
    120
  2. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Sports Illustrated says Pac 10…
    Views
    302
    Replies
    71
  3. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Iowa's loss was good for the…
    Views
    286
    Replies
    59

Blogs