Reclamation projects -- which is bigger: IU basketball or ISU football?

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TJames

The JSW Level
I keep reading about how Tom Crean has turned around the IU basketball program and culture in such a short time. I hear about Crean's "remarkable" reclamation project in Bloomington.

Now don't get me wrong. He has done an outstanding job and I am not in any way knocking what he has accomplished at Indiana.

But my question is merely this: What has been the more remarkable and outstanding reclamation project -- what Crean has done or what Trent Miles has done with the football program at Indiana State?

Which program was lower when each respective coach took over? Who had the tougher job?

As low as the IU program got under Kelvin Sampson, IU still had one thing in its hip pocket -- the longtime winning tradition of the basketball program. It could build off that.

Trent, on the other hand, had the nation's longest losing streak to contend with, a lot more apathy and a program that has not been one of the nation's elite over the years.

I realize too that with back to back 6-5 seasons, the reclamation project with Indiana State football is still ongoing. But the changes that have occurred in Terre Haute and ISU with the football program since Trent took over is nothing short of remarkable.

Is the football program where everybody wants it to be? No. But it's certainly light years ahead of where it was just a few short years ago.

Again, just my opnion.
 
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Short time? I thought the complaint was about how long it was taking him. Given IU's tradition and name, I don't think it's that difficult, just a matter of time and persistence.
 
They were both pretty remarkable in my opinion. Crean had it a little easier because of the support of IU and the alumni. IU has always had great support something that ISU football hasn't had lately. Miles will get ISU football to where it needs to be but it will take time. I give both coaches great credit as they have both done remarkable jobs and they will continue to do that.
 
jlandrus23 said:
They were both pretty remarkable in my opinion. Crean had it a little easier because of the support of IU and the alumni. IU has always had great support something that ISU football hasn't had lately. Miles will get ISU football to where it needs to be but it will take time. I give both coaches great credit as they have both done remarkable jobs and they will continue to do that.
Click to expand...

Remarkable? IU Is a Cody zeller going pro away from being right back where they were
 

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Dgreenwell3 said:
Remarkable? IU Is a Cody zeller going pro away from being right back where they were
Click to expand...
Nah, if Zeller went pro, they'd be okay. They've got an amazing class coming in.

The Sycamore football program is the more impressive turnaround because they didn't have the resources available to them like the Hoosiers basketball staff did. Look at the recruiting and staff budgets of the two and it makes it pretty easy to determine the difference.
 
Those who follow college sports in Indiana would likely acknowledge that the most critical of problems faced by Crean would not have made the top 10 list of problems faced by Miles. Then throw in the tradition factor....
 
Yep I'd have to agree that the job Trent has done is pretty impressive.

That doesn't take anything away from the job Crean has done. He has also had some things to over come. Drug issues. NCAA violations, bad attitudes and team chemistry. I hate the Loosiers more than I hate any other school in college sports, but Crean has turned the program around. Good for him, I don't care what he has done for IU.

Who cares which is more impressive honestly? Nothing against your thread Tom because it creates interesting conversation. But I am glad Trent came to Indiana State to do what he has in such a short period of time. I don't think it compares to anyone or anything - he took a program that was one more no win season away from being cut. Crean turned around a program in the B10 with the history and tradition of maybe any program in college hoops. Doesn't hurt that the state of Indiana is a hot bed for college hoops talent.

The point being, they are both great turnarounds - why compare the 2?
 

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bent20 said:
Short time? I thought the complaint was about how long it was taking him. Given IU's tradition and name, I don't think it's that difficult, just a matter of time and persistence.
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Sounds more like it. In Univeritess they have a an IU shirt saying WE'RE BACK! I have to ask back from what?
 
Sycamore....you are right....I did create the thread to get some talk going....

But the whole idea came to me when I was talking to some friends in the last few days who work at IU and others who are IU fans. We had a fun and lively debate over which reclamation project was the toughest.
 
TJames said:
But the whole idea came to me when I was talking to some friends in the last few days who work at IU and others who are IU fans. We had a fun and lively debate over which reclamation project was the toughest.
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Yeah I figured so and like I said it's an interesting debate that doesn't really interest me much. I am just happy for Trent and the job he has done. Made it fun to go to football games in Terre Haute again. Before we didn't really have a reason to go. Indiana University has nothing to do with our rise to relevance and let me be clear, what Trent had to overcome is far greater than what any other program in college sports has had to overcome. I also wouldn't suggest that he is out of the weeds yet (if you will) still some work to be done.
 
Trent has done an amazing job and I'd love to see us go down to gloomington this fall and kick there ass.
 

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I love to show my love for the Hoosiers. Some on here may not like it but I have a right to root for who I want. I've always been an IU basketball fan and an ISU basketball fan. I cheer for them both when they play head to head I have to go with the Sycamores. My older brother graduated from ISU in 2002. He always took me with him to campus and showed me around.:sycamores:
 
I dont see any problem with supporting two teams, I support both isu and iu. I am 32 and grew up a huge IU fan and bobby knight fan, I cant help it that ISU was constantly terrible in just about every sport. I had to find other teams to cheer for. In basketball it was IU, football was the Irish, and i didnt really care about baseball but ISU was good.
 
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