51 comments

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  kylehornsblyrules

  1 year ago

  I think hes probably finished...to bad too.
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  My roommate just got back from intramurals and said that Ratliff was there playing with crawford, mcgee, bassett, and some random guy. (Not in intramurals obviously, just a random game.) I hate when I see these guys playin in the Hyper around here. I always just think about them getting hurt...that would be stupid.
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  Jay

  1 year ago

  Anyone remember Glen Grunwald? He was a 6' 9" top-10 recruit out of Chicago in the 1970's. As an IU freshman, he damaged his knee in a HPER pick up game. Was never a factor again. Question, Btown: were they playing in the HPER building, and do those horrible sticky artificial courts still exist? They should have been removed decades ago. By the way, I believe Glen is now a General Manager in the NBA.
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• 

  T

  1 year ago

  C'mon Ryan-BTown you can't get too pissed off at them for that...I mean it would suck if someone got hurt but its not like you can lock the team in their rooms when they don't have games to prevent them from getting hurt or in trouble.
  
  If anything I think thats kind of cool that these guys have enough passion for basketball that they play outside of practice/games while in season. Good for them.
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  I just see it as similar to asking them not to drink during the season or to put the motorcycle up until the season is over. Obviously they could get hurt in practice just as easy but there would be a lot more fan fare if they got hurt there.
  
  But as far as the Ratliff question goes, that doesn't really tell us anything other than he is obviously still on campus and it's apparently nothing too serious.
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  Matt

  1 year ago

  I am kinda torn myself i did believe he would help this team as well, but it looks like when he is there he is cancerous... They seem to play better without him there. Do I thibnk he could potentially give us some minutes off the bench for this stretch run yes. But who knows i am not happy one of the BIGGEST disappointments
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  Timmy

  1 year ago

  He has off the court issues that stem from who he associates with. I know it seems from past posts that I'm rough on the kid but my ties to legal circles in b'town give me fuller context of who he is beyond the player on the court. He does not deserve to be on this team.
  
  From a purely basketball perspective, I'd rather have Crawford take Ratliff's minutes...he's a better ball handler and scorer who needs the court time to develop for the future. Much higher ceiling than ratliff.
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  Sherron Wilkerson

  1 year ago

  Who cares, I don't miss seeing him go 0-5 from the arc and being lazy on defense. Let him go hang out with thugs if that lifestyle is more important to him than playing basketball at IU.
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  GoHoosiers

  1 year ago

  Ratliff's status was asked by members of the media after the OSU game -- here are three articles that mention his status (including one titled 'What's up with Ratliff'):
  
  http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...
  http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=48883...
  http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2008/0...
  
  You might want to correct this post.
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• 

  Alex

  1 year ago

  Thanks for the linkage and I made a correction, but my point still remains: There's not a single quote in those stories about Ratliff (all they say is that Sampson will talk with Ratliff this week) and to my knowledge, nobody has pushed for more information. The whole thing is a bit odd because if it was something simple, you have to figure more information would be made available to avoid speculation.
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  ronb

  1 year ago

  I too liked Ratliff and thought he was primed to have a good season but it seems he does
  not have his head screwed on right. We can hope he would return and give us some
  good minutes. His long reach could help up top on that zone. I am more concerned
  about Ratliff the person. He needs to get his degree and look beyond the basketball
  court. I hope he is getting good advice but you have to wonder?
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• 

  Alan

  1 year ago

  ronb,
  
  You are so absolutely correct that Ratliff needs to stay in school and get his degree. Based on the past four years, I do not see him playing professionally. He needs his degree as a union card for a career.
  
  Also, and this is selfish on my part, if he quits school and does not get his degree, doesn't this affect the number of scholarships IU can give out in the future? Isn't there some formula that is based on players graduating, transferring, quitting and not getting their degree?
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  JamesHardy

  1 year ago

  I just think that Ratliff is a victim of his own immaturity and the new coaching staff. His immaturity caused him to blow off class (something that wouldn't have happened under the General) and get in the dog house of KS. With the guards on the roster AJ is easily the 5th or 6th best and there's no playing time for him anyway...so I guess it's best he's getting his practice in on the intramural courts.
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  Phil

  1 year ago

  Point of order....what does the general have to do with anything?
  
  Plenty of kids over 30 years blew off class under him, including Martin Zeno last year at Texas Tech. Now, like Zeno, they were punished, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
  
  I happen to think the lazy habits AJ developed under a previous administration have run smack into the discipline of the current coach.
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  JamesHardy

  1 year ago

  The point I was trying to make is that AJ is a product of two seperate regimes that have done nothing to instill discipline in it's players. Granted, he's a SR in college at the age of 22 or 23 he should be able to make better decisions. But as the head coach or one of the assistants should have been up his ass making sure he was going to class and working to make himself better in all facets of life, not just basketball. There are alot of coaches in this country that would not have allowed AJ to hamstring himself the way he has, and Coach Knight being a big part of Indiana basketball history was one of them I used as a reference. I'm not sure that AJ's situation would have happened under someone like Coach K (who I personally can't stand, but he holds his players to very high standards...or Dean Smith who I admire greatly) Being the coach is NOT the only job for Sampson...he needs to be their mentor as well and I'm not sure he's doing that great of a job with AJ. Now, I'm not saying its ALL Sampson's fault, cuz AJ needs much of the blame as well, BUT, Sampson is supposed to be the adult in the situation and he's acting more like the "wicked step-mother" from Cindarella. I'm not calling for Coach Knight to return, I just prefer the way his program was set up as far as protecting his players instead of leaving them hanging out to dry.
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  Phil

  1 year ago

  I have no inside knowledge of how AJ was treated by Sampson or any other coach.
  
  But.....I'm seeing this as more of a Jay Edwards situation....doesn't matter who the coach is, the guy just has issues that are getting in the way of his own success. It's possible that some of this could be laid at Sampson's feet, but until someone tells me specifically how, I just don't see it.
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  TomCoverdale's Eyebrows

  1 year ago

  Yeah I have to agree with consensus here, this whole situation stinks of 'personal agenda' on Ratliff's side. And weather of not you like him, you would be kidding yourself if you didnt think he could help this team. As well, is anyone else sick and tired of hearing about what would have happened if Bob Knight was in charge. Wake up guys, its time to move past him... he's gone... he isnt coming back. So stop telling me how he would have handled this situation.. casue frankly, I dont give a rat's ass.
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  E.

  1 year ago

  Like him or not, if Ratliff could stay on the team and start play better, his long arms and experience could be key at some point this year. For his sake, I really hope that he is doing all right and that he will earn his IU degree.
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  Patrick

  1 year ago

  According to the H-T. Ratliff is done.
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  JamesHardy

  1 year ago

  Here's what the Heraold Times is reporting....
  
  http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2008/0...
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  Alex

  1 year ago

  Hate to say I called it, but I called it.
  
  Unbelievable.
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  Timmy

  1 year ago

  I called it after uconn and i could have called it this fall after I heard what he got into in bloomington. Give me my props!
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  JohnM

  1 year ago

  Sad to see it happen. AJ was always an up and down player, but he did shoot over 40 percent from behind the arc as a freshman and as a junior. Also his career highs came in big games--21 against UK in 2005-06, 21 against Wisconsin last year. I was hoping he could recapture some of that form, but it wasn't to be.
  
  As I said on the HR, I hope it's nothing terrible, but I also hope he's walking away for a good reason. Unlike Donald Perry, who had his "one shining moment" against Oklahoma in 2002, AJ best chance for team success was in the weeks ahead. Pretty inauspicious end for a good player and Indiana Mr. Basketball.
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  Hoosier_Hound

  1 year ago

  This is a sad thing. You have to look at Ratliff's career here as a big disappointment. An Indiana Mr. Basketball with sick athleticism, but he never really put it together at IU. Last season there were times when you saw just how good AJ could be, but there were other games he would totally disappear. Then for his career to end like it has this season is truly sad.
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  JamesHardy

  1 year ago

  Sad...hopefully the kid grows up and finds his way in life.
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  Quincy

  1 year ago

  Move on Hoosier Fans... He wasnt a big part of this years team, We have bigger fish to fry... 1st up badger on the grill....We owe em.... This game is going to be a war on the boards, Lets get em one game at a time...!
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  tacojohn

  1 year ago

  Completely star crossed. Ratliff simply lacked a mental toughness to fight through adversity. He went through a ton during his time at IU. Coaching changes, myriad injuries, getting too involved in the nightlife.
  
  In hindsight, the writing should have been on the wall with that quote Sampson gave last year about how he had to coddle Ratliff while Wilmont was the whipping boy. We should have known that when AJ was going to be asked to jump back into a team that had formed and bonded after his academic problems, it was going to be extremely difficult for him.
  
  In my opinion, he was the centerpiece of the "Help is on the way" class once Josh Smith entered the draft. Here was Davis' line in the sand. He had kept Mr. Basketball in state after losing the last two (plus Chris Thomas to ND). AJ was the fan favorite with the exciting game and puppy dog good looks. In the end, that whole class amounted to DJ and nothing more. AJ was kind of a microcosm of that class. Flashes of brilliance (DJ/21 points against Kentucky) highlighting overwhelming mediocrity and disappointment.
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  MLOVE

  1 year ago

  Too bad ti really is, but at the end of the day i think his off the court problems and his nightlife got the better of him... And i truly believe this was well known amongst teammates and i think it began to take its toll on the Young guys. Especially bc they probaly felt that they needed to hide things from one another and even from KS. So, i am sad and i hope he can get his life back together and graduate. But this could help the team bond well.. AJ looked on the bench half the time like he was coming off a bender. I am not saying he did this or did that I am just saying the way he looked and this is all speculation
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  T

  1 year ago

  Weird. That's really all I can think to say.
  
  But also, what exactly happened? In the herald times it said he didn't get kicked off the team, so does that mean he quit? The HT said it was 'mutual' isn't that what couples who stay friends tell people to avoid one of them being embarassed?
  
  What were these 'personal issues?' Is he going through them? Is someone in his family? More answers need to come out of this I feel like.
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  Nathaniel

  1 year ago

  It really sucks to see him go but the hoosiers dont really have a need for him. I wish he could be there for his stellar defense but eric gordon and armon play defense well enough to win.
  
  It is sad to see him go
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  HoosierSmitty

  1 year ago

  I liked AJ. I remember seeing him at Kings Island one time at one of the basketball shooting games (I won a prize by the way, and he didn't win squat...he just couldn't handle pressure). He seemed like a really nice kid and I'll miss the moments when he was a happy member of this team.
  
  For the 2007-2008 team, however, it makes no difference. He was a non-factor and we didn't need AJ in the lineup to win games. Had he not had academic problems, maybe it would have been different. I was encouraged when he made grades for the second semester, but he just never clicked with this unit. It's sad, but AJ was a major disappointment for the Hoosiers.
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  Chuck

  1 year ago

  Question, does anyone know how Ratliff's attitude was? Could he have been bringing the team down? I hate to see a kid with so much potential end his B-ball carreer like this. I was just thinking that in the 2 games without him with the team, they seem a little different... just a thought I am throwing out there.
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  Sherron Wilkerson

  1 year ago

  Good! Maybe we will see him on the And1 tour with the other thugs who were too stupid to realize that playing organized basketball is a lot better that partying and playing street basketball (Apparently AJ would rather be like Hot Sizzle than Rafer Alston, good choice bro). Weird, I never took him for the typical dumb thug basketball player. I guess you cant read a book by its cover. Oh, and finally ITH can stop writing about this bum, stop your man crush, he is officially gone.
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  PB

  1 year ago

  A.J. didn't play "thug ball," he just didn't play good ball. ITH doesn't have a man crush on the kid, they just feel disappointed that he couldn't get his priorities in order.
  
  I don't know anything about his personal life, and personally I don't give a sh*t. He's gone and I agree we should all move on without A.J. and his big ass diamond earrings.
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  JamesHardy

  1 year ago

  in relation to his BIG ass ears...those earrings weren't that big...just an observation :-P
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  There's no good place to put this right now, so I'm just throwing it here. I've never had such mixed emotions when watching our enemies...on one hand, damn purdue once again managed to piss off the next good team we have to play by beating michigan state tonight. On the other, Vandy beat UK by 41...Almost outweighs the purdue win, but not quite!
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  hysteric

  1 year ago

  check out the story on espn's front page about iu...what a disaster...sampson has got to go...worst mistake in iu sports history hiring him...i tried to support him but he has got to go
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  ricky

  1 year ago

  IU IS SO FUCKED and not cause ratliff is gone. fucking sampson and his phone calls is gonna fuck over this program for a long time
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  Annnnddddd....That's all she wrote for Sampson...ideas on the next coach? I say we let Dakich finish out the rest of the season and hire Fife from IPFW...He knows the program, he's young and can really connect with the young recruits, and some call him up and coming...I think we have a hard time bringing in a big name right now after the firing of Knight, the Davis debacle, and now this...Not to mention, if we have to miss a postseason or two, what the hell does someone like Fife care, he's just happy to be here!
  
  Hahaha, I know (at least hope) that there's no way we would hire him, just sayin for fun and to throw out some crazy scenarios. As much as I love Dakich, he has to share some blame with this bullshit too. He was the President of Basketball Operations. Isn't is part of his job to keep tabs on this crap? I was never a fan of hiring him either.
  
  In fact, this whole post is for fun. Who knows what this might mean. Hopefully nothing, but I heard rumors of this when I was in Arizona for the bowl game from some alums. I dismissed it at the time. Anyone else think Greenspans gone if Sampsons gone?
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  *"I was never a fan of hiring him either." I meant when his name was occasionally mentioned with the head coaching job. I thought it was great when he came this year as Pres. of BBall Ops.
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  DANE FIFE LULZ

  1 year ago

  hahahah dane fife.. thats by far the worst person for this job. i saw him on "THE DANE FIFE SHOW" in fort wayne and he was sweating/shaking the whole time. hahah what a joke.
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  TimEOBrien

  1 year ago

  We're fucked, aren't we?
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  Ryan_Btown

  1 year ago

  Tim...the article says we'll address the allegations tomorrow. I'm not sure what they'll do to the team and to the rest of the season...but I have a feeling that we might want to go ahead and bend over...even if we don't impose sanctions on ourselves not allowing us to go to the tournament, this will be a major distraction, even if Sampson isn't canned right away.
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  PostmanR

  1 year ago

  Hey all,
  
  I just posted on the latest violations debacle, if we want to all cry there together. Ugh.
  
  http://www.insidethehall.com/2008/02/13/katz-an...
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  IUPete

  1 year ago

  AJ is as Tiger Woods would say "Ranger Rick." He always looked phenominal in practices and seeing him in pick up games. He obviously has the skills and talent to play at a high level. For years he has been arguably the most athletic player on the team. Unfortunately non of his talents ever came to fruition on the court. His vaunted defense skills turned to sluggish hand checking which usually turned into 3 fouls in 10 minutes and he was out. And for such quickness and a great vertical leap he always would settle for jump shots and would never attack the rim. Lets be honest here, Mike Davis was not a "bad" recruiter...he just couldn't develop talent whatsoever. Being a loyal IU fan its hard for me to admit it but for years I have been calling IU the Bermuda Triangle of Talent....it comes in...doesnt come out. I would be very impressed with anyone that could name more than two players that left IU better basketball players than when they came in the last 5-7 years.....and AJ is just another player than falls into that group.....sad.
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  CoveyDale

  1 year ago

  what a waste.
  
  the 2004 recruiting class:
  vaden - transfer
  ratliff - washout
  hardy - football
  steijn - transfer
  DJ - all-big ten, big ten POY, possible all-american
  
  i guess one out of five ain't bad...
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  ray

  1 year ago

  i have yet to read any of the linked articles and i am pretty clueless about the whole situation (there's a reason for that...no one is giving any details). but i would like to say that the slamming of ratliff may be a little early. for all we know (family issues) could mean something very devastating is happening in his life...and i would hate to be the one to eat my words under such circumstances. i will not play judge...at least not at this time.
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  iuAlum458

  1 year ago

  Biggest Mr. Basketball Indiana flop ever. At least Tommy Coverdale played with some heart and intensity.
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  xxZPxx

  1 year ago

  Speaking of the General...anyone see him on Jay Leno last night...hilarious
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  Hoosier_Hound

  1 year ago

  Hilarious? I thought it was almost as sad as this Ratliff situation. Coach Knight by his own actions has reduced himself to a stupid sideshow.
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  Sherron Wilkerson

  1 year ago

  Actually that was funny, get a sense of humor bro
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