Interesting article:

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/02/21/tom-crean-teaching-year-harbaugh-belichick-tim-grgurich-lebron-james-dwyane-wade

With every passing day I am of the hopeful belief that despite his successes at IU, The environment was not one that meshed with his person, and his coaching suffered because of it ultimately.

I believe he is at total ease and comfort at UGA, and UGA is currently at total ease with the kind of personality and coach he is. It may turn out that both needed the other at the precise point in time. And maybe it will spur both to incredible heights.

I also hope that whatever whispered issues exist with his prior assistants will be remedied by a coach at total ease in his gig and own skin.

Go get some players coach. I'm all in.

Nostradawgus said:

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Go get some players coach. I'm all in.

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I'm excited too - even more than when we hired Jim Harrick.

I think HCTC is a good fit for us also. He is definitely all in with the G.

No one will outwork the guy - he has hardly seen his family since he was hire. It's effective work too - plenty of pictures with D Wade, V Oladipo, OG Anunoby - he's flying all over the country to appear with those guys. It's got to be an effective recruiting tool to pose with NBA legends and rising stars at least some of whom were relatively unheralded coming out of high school.

I am really happy to see his latest coaching hire. It makes me think that during his year off, he reviewed some of his own weaknesses and has addressed them - this new coach can supply a half-court offense for use when we have to pull back from the break, and the guy is also a recognized defensive mind, supposedly another area where Coach Crean might need help. Very promising to me - I've mentioned before my respect for Billy Donovan's hire of a defensive specialist at Fla., recognizing his own weakness in that area.

And, last but absolutely not least, I am thrilled to see the about-face from our own administration, being willing to open the checkbook and go after a first-class coach (two, actually, if you include Thad Matta). I'm proud of them for that.

I was at the Tennessee game in the Steg in Feb., my first game in Athens for a while. I was impressed. the place was packed and LOUD. I think we are ripe for the next level.

That'll rev you up!!

Expectation levels at UGA/IU for hoops are much different. IU they not only expect you to make the tourney, but win it or come close to winning it most every year. His goal right now at UGA is simply to make it, because Fox was unable to reach that level. I think he realizes the great potential to recruit around the area and be able to get us to the next step-and then once you get there, maybe you go a little further. He knows that UGA faithful will support a winning team, he knows if he can get students and administration to buy in, that helps a lot too. His worth ethic is much like Kirby Smart and considering the family he married into, I am sure that mentality is around him constantly when he is not at work. I am excited to see what he can do and where he can take the program.

UGA is a unique spot for Crean. He didn't have football at Marquette and barely had it at IU. To say that Indiana is a basketball school is an understatement.
As far as Crean's work ethic, I can't speak to it. I have no idea. I just make conclusions from looking at his record and how it ebbed and flowed. He seemed to build, then grow to very strong at both MU and IU. There did seem to be "fall offs" after big success.
Does that clearly say that Crean slacks off after success? Hard to say, but maybe.
I do think his firing at IU humbled him. I think to have to do what he has to do at Georgia will keep his trajectory and his drive on fire for some time.
He will first have to make Georgia basketball legitimate. He then will have to sustain it in the shadows of a football program that looks to be on course for its greatest period of success in the history of the program.
I'm excited that we have Crean and look forward to seeing him achieve big success and then sustain it.

I'll make a prediction here that is heresy, blasphemy I tell ya - though not truly apples to apples - Crean will have hoops in NCAA before Kirby gets us back to the CFP.

I would not call it blasphemy. Crean should have us in next year if you ask me. Not sure if Kirby will hsve us in the CFP next year, but it would not shock me.
Year after next in football should be huge.