Trey is making his decision on October 30th
- Thread starter KentuckyBoiler
- Start date
This is a little much. Rabjohns never once said IU was the clear leader for Kaufman. The only thing he ever said even remotely close to that is that In his opinion IU wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone else. He consistently said not to count Purdue out when so many were.
He did not just start the “fishbowl” stuff or IU being too big of a stage for him after the commitment. He and Brian Snow both were saying that prior to his commitment.
The information Rabjohns gets is right far more often then it is wrong.
Speaking of getting recruiting information wrong, don’t forget the Jaren Jackson Jr, Zeke Nnaji, and Armaan Franklin recruitments. Those were not good looks for GBI. These guys have a tough job and can only report based on what they are being told. Most of the time the information is accurate. Sometimes it isn’t.
He did not just start the “fishbowl” stuff or IU being too big of a stage for him after the commitment. He and Brian Snow both were saying that prior to his commitment.
The information Rabjohns gets is right far more often then it is wrong.
Speaking of getting recruiting information wrong, don’t forget the Jaren Jackson Jr, Zeke Nnaji, and Armaan Franklin recruitments. Those were not good looks for GBI. These guys have a tough job and can only report based on what they are being told. Most of the time the information is accurate. Sometimes it isn’t.
You are probably right in your more rational approach. However, it seems Rabjohn and company have been pushing this no-big-stage mantra for some time, even before he committed. I don't see that lining up with his decision to go to Purdue, nor do I see it being the cause of him spurning IU. In some respects, it belittles Kaufman, so it sounds like sour grapes. I think that perspective has caused the comments made here about Rabjohn.
I'm not sure I would refer to all that as "rational".
Rabjohns is one of those who has earn a fair amount of scorn, IMHO.
Isn't this a done deal for IU? Why would Rabjohns continue to talk about a recruit going another direction. That to me sounds like bitterness and rage against a program trending upward. Kaufman is a BOILER and that's it.....it's over.
I don’t see how that belittles Kaufman. IU was too big of a stage for Larry Bird, and he went on to become one of the best basketball players of all time.
There is a clear difference with how players are covered by media in the state of Indiana. As you guys like to often point out, the Indiana media is biased towards IU. With that comes increased pressure. That just doesn’t fit some players/coaches’ personalities.
As for sour grapes, these comments are no different than Brian’s “Purdue backed off last minute comments”. The difference is that Rabby and Snow were making these comments prior to Trey committing.
He got asked a question on a radio show. Was he supposed to say “I’m not going to answer that”?
His answer came off as sour grapes tbh. He could’ve said something along the lines of, he felt Purdue’s system was better suited for him (which Trey has been on record saying multiple times) or that he liked how Painter sold him on playing the 3, etc... with his “broadway” comment, he made it seem like the biggest reason he picked Purdue over IU was because he couldn’t handle the big stage which is laughably false.
Rabjohns talked about him because JMV billed him as a big ten/national recruiting expert to come on and talk signing day for all the area schools. It was definitely sour grapes. If he wanted to be truthful, he could have quoted Trey, but that would have shown poorly on the IU coaching staff. He then described IU’s only recruit as a top 60 guy and IU’s top priority. He is actually above 60 on 247 and above 100 composite. He then described Furst as also a top 60ish guy (42/34) who only has a back to the basket game that Painter plans on playing out of position at the 4. Again, this is just me paraphrasing what I can remember from a couple days ago. If your coming onto the top sports station in Indiana as an IU spokesperson , then fine, but if you are billed as a big ten recruiting expert, try to actually be a journalist and tell the right story.
Your writer felt very good about Purdue’s chances until it was leaked he was going to Arizona. Same with JJJ and Armaan Franklin. They are in a tough business and can only report on what they are being told.
Hit the nail on the head here. Calling Furst top 60 was clearly on purpose. He’s top 50 on literally every site.
By “big stage”, Rabjohns obviously was referring to the NIT. Duh.
I can’t quite figure out how staying home in March is a bigger stage than battling UVA for a final four spot?!?
I can answer that one. They have dusty banners, ASShall, and a coach that went to the elite 8. Clearly that’s big time.
Most of them can see it, some can admit it, just not on a public message board.
You got a lot of stories wrong. Larry Bird was bullied by the other players at IU and disliked Booby
knight. His leaving had nothing to do with this oddly mispercieved “big stage” that IU seems to in exclusive possession of.
Media coverage means nothing to most players and is most certainly not the reason for Kaufman’s decision. Let’s face it, Rabjohns was talking out his rear end. The national media cover Purdue, the local boys try to play to the local folks with IU stuff. The big stage is being in the NCAAs and contending for a final four, not hoping to make the NIT. While Kaufman has been playing high school ball, check IU’s record and then look to Purdue’s. Kaufman is going to the big stage, and Rabjohns has no clue.
Yeah Bird wasn't afraid of the big stage. His NBA career proved that. He just couldn't play for a bullying prick.
Rabjohns and Snow (a national analyst) had been reporting the “fishbowl” that is IU basketball had been a concern of Kaufman and his family well before he committed to Purdue.
Recruits don’t really care about past results when choosing a school. Evidence of that is that IU still lands elite recruits almost every year even with the slide they have been on recently.
Neither IU or Purdue were very good last year.
I’d say past results are the ONLY reason players are choosing IU. Between having no success lately and the way Miller wasted Langford that’s the only reason a 4-5 star would go there
Yet they continue to get 5* players. I should have said recruits don’t care about recent success.
I was very surprised when Lander committed to IU. I suspect it was IU's past success and a strong family tradition of cheering for IU that brought him in. He will need help, not only from his teammates, but also from his coach to succeed.
When you can only measure your success by the stars of one your recruits, and not by any other real measure, that's when you know the program has issues. One five star every few years does not a champion make, and I think you would agree with that. IU needs to make some noise this year if they intend to stay relevant. One and done's do not a strong program make.
Langford was pretty much wasted on the past IU teams. He was either (1) highly over rated and really could not carry his team, or (2) very poorly used in Miller's schemes. I suspect the latter, but I have not enough interest or evidence to argue it. Believe it or not, I am a past IU fan, but as you might begin to recognize, I am not a fan of Archie. He is a significant step above the ego maniac/pervert, but I think he have reached his level of incompetency at a BIG level school. Now, I do recognize that coaches grow and learn and improve. I am not sure Archie has a high enough ceiling to grow enough to win consistently in the BIG.
Archie’s teams have improved every year (statistically). He finally has a team full of his players. They are a very experienced team now and don’t need to rely on freshman to succeed.
Talent is the most important thing to winning in college basketball imo. Tom Crean won 2 Big Ten Championships and went to 3 Sweet 16s and we all know he wasn’t a great coach. He had an incredible amount of talent though.
IU now has a team full of top 150 players to go along with 3 top 50 players. There are no excuses this year. IU must have a successful year, or Archie’s seat will be scorching hot.
Quote: “Rabjohns and Snow (a national analyst) had been reporting the “fishbowl” that is IU basketball had been a concern of Kaufman and his family well before he committed to Purdue”
just because Rabjohns made up an excuse just in case and kept it up doesn’t make it true. He could have used Trey’s own words when answering the question. If he was any kind of journalist he would have. I’m guessing he knew nothing about the recruitment at all until Trey committed. But what can you really expect from journalists these days??
just because Rabjohns made up an excuse just in case and kept it up doesn’t make it true. He could have used Trey’s own words when answering the question. If he was any kind of journalist he would have. I’m guessing he knew nothing about the recruitment at all until Trey committed. But what can you really expect from journalists these days??
Rabjohns was wrong about everything in this recruitment...why would we assume he’s right with this “reporting”??
If you think he’s wrong, why do you and others here even care what he says?
I guess the same can be said why are you here? Rabjohns loves IU and it proves his love for IU. He was wrong and that's the reason.
Normally I wouldn’t and don’t care, but when I here him on a prominent radio program talking BS about a young fellow Boilermaker just to make his grown ass feel better, I’m inclined to call him out.
I don’t care. What I care about is BS statements about a Purdue recruit tossed out by a doofus like Rabjohns.
Rabjohns is an IU journalist. Of course he is going to have IU bias. Just as Brian has Purdue bias and makes excuses when Purdue loses a recruit to IU or anyone else. Their job is to keep their subscribers happy.
Brian Snow is not an IU reporter, and he was reporting the same thing prior to Kaufman committing. I choose to believe them. You choose not to. Who cares? We will see in time if Kaufman made the right choice.
You have a right to your opinion. I can assure you he isn’t losing sleep at night with you “calling him out”.
Lol, I’m sure he’s not, but it had the desired effect or else you wouldn’t be over here defending him.
Completely agree. What is Rabjohns supposed to say, “Trey chose Purdue over IU because they have a far superior coach and a better program”?
Why get upset that he was blowing smoke when you know that there’s zero chance that he can tell the truth?
"... an IU journalist..."
I'm so old I recall the days when there were no qualifiers that came before the word, "journalist". They were simply that: "journalists".
Nowadays, not so much.
Dad, I can't see too good.....is that a journalist over there?
RIP, Phil Hartman and Chris Farley....
I wonder if the general population would understand what you said...which is quite a problem...
Rabjohns is a fanboy, pure and simple. With Kaufman, he kept saying IU wouldn't trade places with anyone, even up to when Brian was all but saying he's Purdue bound a week before he announced. Brian had the recruitment right from the get-go, whille all the other national guys had no clue. The "too big of a stage" comment is just sour grapes from a fanboy. IU hasn't made the tourney since 2016. What a stage that is.
