Tom Crean - Jeff Meyer confrontation follow-up stories

Submitted by bdsisme on

I know there was a thread created about the initial confrontation last night, but late last night one of the reasons for the incident was caught on camera, and there have been a fair number of stories today that touch on it.

After the game, Tom Crean was caught on camera shouting "You wrecked our program!" to Jeff Meyer, who was one of Kelvin Sampson's assistants at Indiana.  Sampson resigned over recruiting violations and Indiana was given 3 years probation, although two of Sampson's assistants -- Meyer and Dan Dakich -- were found to be innocent of major wrongdoing.  Video (volume is really low, may need to adjust your speakers):

A bonus little dramatic acting job for the cameras at the end there, eh?  You can tell that Oladipo is thinking "Coach, you're freaking me out right now!"

Dan Wetzel's article is pretty good, although it puts Crean in a more positive light than we'd like: link

TheWolverine re-published an article from last year on Jeff Meyer, which is a good read: link

If you didn't read all of last night's thread, interesting comment from a maize rage member: link

EDIT: ESPN front page story with higher-quality video and Seth Greenberg's disapproval: link

Mabel Pines

March 11th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ^

it takes to look like that.  Between the tanning and the hair color, you know he's a regular. 

He is the worst.  Never thought someone could unseat Izzo in my mind.  Well played, Crean, well played.

Shorty the Bea…

March 11th, 2013 at 9:16 AM ^

Just a thought..

Perhaps Crean has been taking etiquette classes from brother in-law Jim Harbaugh.  Harbs probably instructed Crean that this is how one must behave when they address the University of Michigan in any manner.  

Methinks Crean should try hanging around John a bit more.. (the better brother)

BoFan

March 11th, 2013 at 9:19 AM ^

This is a recruiting issue. Meyer has deep connections in Indiana and is stealing too many of Crean's top guys (McGarry, GRIII). Crean knows Meyer is innocent but wanted to brand him as a cheater on national TV. That's why Crean smiled when he turned his back.

piston honda

March 11th, 2013 at 9:38 AM ^

At least not with the three guys mentioned.

 

IU never recruited Robinson excpet in a cursory way(they should have).

 

Iu recruited McGary, but there were red flags, and the only way they were going to take him was as an early enrollee in the 2011 class (his real HS class before prep).

 

And Irvin was recruited by IU and Purdue when he was a sophomore. IU and Purdue all offered Devin Davis, Collin Hartman, Basil Smotherman, and Irvin at the same time, and it was first come first serve. IU got the first 2 guys, Purdue got Smotherman, and Michigan made off like bandits with the best of the lot who waited it out. Irvin is a stud. As a HS coach in Indy, I can say Michigan is getting the best wing player in Indiana's 2013 class.

piston honda

March 11th, 2013 at 10:10 AM ^

about recruiting, negative that is.

 

I like Meyer and he's a good coach. Had quite a bit of interaction with him. But it's no secret around Indy that he continued to recruit Yogi and James Blackmon Jr. to Michigan after they both committed to IU, and that he told plenty of recruits IU was dead and never coming back, when he was one who had a role in bringing it down in the first place. 

umumum

March 11th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^

"real coaches" wouldn't be trolling another schools sports blog---yea, I know you claim to be a Michigan football fan, but one who has never posted about football.  You only come out when IU basketball is involved.  Then when challenged on your sourcing, the best you can do is parrot an IU twitter comment.  Seriously, go away, you aren't adding to the story--nor would anyone here believe a word you say.

piston honda

March 11th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^

I don't care if you believe if I'm a michigan football fan or not. I'm certainly not trolling. You just don't like my opinion. I think highly of Beilein and Meyer and LaVall. I think yesterday's post game was bad by Crean. I trust the guys i talked to who were at the game, including those with Bluiett, and therefore I also believe Meyer acted out of character.

 

 I don't post on football because I don't know as much know about it. Couldn't tell you a cover 2 from a cover 3 if i had to. I'm just a fan. But I know basketball. I played and coach it. So I can only comment on it.

 

I love MGoBlog. Love the writing and the community. Love what TVH brought on the recruiting front and that Ace is bringing it now. Sorry this perspective is bothering so many. I'll stop posting on it now.

StephenRKass

March 11th, 2013 at 9:23 AM ^

Looking at the Big 10 Tournament, the way things line up, we would begin against Penn State, play Wisconsin if we win, and (probably) play Indiana if we beat Wisconsin. It's payback time. The team can prove themselves against Indiana on the Court. It will be fun to see what Crean does when IU loses in Chicago against Michigan next Saturday. Beilein is no idiot, he will know what to do.

Lupe Fiasco

March 11th, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^

Why did he choose to do this after this game? I'm not sure but I believe Michigan has indeed played Indiana before why must he feel compelled to act like this now? This was him just being douche and anyone who says otherwise is under  his douche-spell.

Douche.

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

March 11th, 2013 at 9:40 AM ^

him hunting down Meyer who was in a private chat with an IU staffer. He won the title and uses the precious time in the celebration to attack an innocent, classy coach?

Total embarrassment to IU.

not TOM BRADY

March 11th, 2013 at 9:50 AM ^

Who would want to play for a guy like that. Go celebrate with your team, dont put yourself in the spotlight after your team just won. ABSOLUTE DOUCHE-DICK MOVE ON CREANS PART.  

Elmer

March 11th, 2013 at 9:58 AM ^

I have a good friend who has been a big Indiana basketball fan for over 30 years. After watching Crean this weekend, coupled with his previous actions, he has basically quit rooting for Indiana until Crean leaves. 

Absolute embarrassment.  I wouldn't be surprised to see the guy have a Woody Hayes/Clemson moment in the future. 

 

aSconnieWolverine

March 11th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

Why is he mad about someone "wrecking" the Indiana basketball program? Whether Meyer was involved or not, Crean only got the job because of the trouble Indiana was in. If anything he should be thanking him!

ixcuincle

March 11th, 2013 at 10:08 AM ^

Also http://twitter.com/YahooForde/statuses/311115589353607170

"Crean on B1G teleconference says he apologized to Jeff Meyer on way to plane after game and wishes he'd never said anything to him."

Was probably a bad idea for him to mouth off like that. Nothing but trouble. Sure, Meyer may have been someone from the previous regime, but act like an adult after the game instead of throwing a petulant fit. 

 

YOU'RE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SANCTIONS

 

So what, complain about it in private with your staff, but don't flat out confront him during the handshakes. That's just a jerk thing to do

 

 

OldBlue78and81

March 11th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^

The announcer in this video says that Crean is releasing a lot of "frustration". WTF is he frustrated? He would not be at IU without the problems they had. Even if he were, he would not have had the long honeymoon he had for a couple years since people understood it would take a while to get over the troubles.

Weird how some people think. I mean, would Beilein get in Steve Fisher's face? I think not.

Zoltanrules

March 11th, 2013 at 10:31 AM ^

This is the same guy who cut down the nets last week when Motta TOTALLY outcoached Creen on Senior Night after IU got their butts kicked. Creen was really creepy during Senior night too. I believe last year he also got sweet 16 rings. Really? you are Indiana, grow up!

All coaches have egos and are emotional towards their players but this guy is fruit loops. Same with Jim Harbaugh, except Harbaugh is actually a good X's and O's guy - still not a high class competitor, even though he was one of UM's best QBs ever.

hvsiii

March 11th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^

I agree with you on the shooting free throws part.  However, as your first post....oh wait, you are probably the guy who has already been caved in this thread and started a new account to continue to bore us with your pointless tough internet talk. 

If you have something to add that isn't douchtastic please enlighten us, if not peace out.

jlvanals

March 11th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^

1.  I am an Indiana grad, so I can't claim to be totally unbiased.  That being said, my brother played football for UM during the Carr era and I have nothing but love for the university. I will still probably get neg banged for this, but someone needs to tell the other side of the Meyer story just to prevent epistemic closure for those who care enough to avoid it.

2.  What Crean did was inexcusable.  Whatever beef he had with Meyer should have been dealt with off the court and not made public.  It was stupid and embarassing.  

3. Many people on here don't know the details of the Kelvin Sampson saga. Meyer WAS found to have committed a series of NCAA violations, however, he was not found to have committed any MAJOR infractions.  The difference being that his violations were found to be unintentional.  Even if you believe Meyer had no knowledge that he was violating NCAA rules, it was his job to know.  And our program paid the price for it.  

4.  The reason we know his calls were of an impermissible length (majority of his alleged infractions) is because of phone records.  If you really want to say Meyer didn't violate NCAA rules, your beef is with Verizon and/or the NCAA rules themselves.  

5. Now there is a good argument that the call limits were stupid and shouldn't have been in place since they were recently neutered or repealed (can't remember which), but that doesn't change that Meyer was breaking the exact NCAA rules which we were already on probation for.   These are the same rule violations that got Sampson's staff into trouble at Oklahoma. Do you really think it is a coincidence that these practices carried over to IU?  My guess is if this were Ohio State or an SEC team people would be much more willing to make logical inferences about Meyer's conduct.  

Regardless of anyone's willingness to infer, at the very least Meyer committed gross negligence in not following the letter of every rule when our coach was already in hot water with the NCAA.  And so, to many IU fans, they really don't care whether he intended to violate NCAA rules or not, the effect was that his actions, combined with those of Sampson and Senderoff, nuked our program.  Still, as I said earlier, Crean's behavior was embarassing and inexcusable.  But Jeff Meyer is no saint and was lucky to leave Indiana with his career intact.  He was even luckier that someone the caliber of John Beilein gave him a second chance.

See for a good recap of what Meyer did (mostly impermissible calls): http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?storyId=3243793&src=desktop 

 

Also for what Meyer himself admitted to doing in front of the NCAA: 
 

umumum

March 11th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^

No one here has defended Meyer's tenure at IU--in fact, it has been treated as irrelevant, because for purposes of this discussion, it is.  Forget that Meyer has moved on--to assist a coach with the highest ethical reputation.  Forget that Crean isn't an IU grad or associated with the program when this occurred.   Forget that this should be a stale issue--where was the complaint 4 years ago? Forget that it should have been addressed privately, if at all.

The fact is Crean was being an immature, attention-grabbing child.  And if this were the first time, it might not generate much attention.  But it isn't.

jlvanals

March 11th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^

No disagreement with anything you said on Crean.  But there have been a number of people (including the OP) who have referred to Meyer as being exonerated in some form or another by the NCAA.  Which is untrue.  Just trying to keep facts straight.  Lambast the inappropriateness of Crean's actions all you want, just not their factual content.  Jeff Meyer absolutely helped destroy IU's program and saying otherwise ignores what Meyer himself argued in the infractions case.

bdsisme

March 11th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^

I am the OP, and I wrote "... found to be innocent of major wrongdoing" because that is the truth.  You said yourself that he wasn't found guilty of any major violations (only secondary/minor).  That's why when I wrote the OP I included the word major.  Saying that Meyer helped destroy IU's program is like saying that Eso Akunne helped restore Michigan basketball to its current level.  It's a factually true statement, but Kelvin Sampson, Ray McCallum and Rob Senderoff were the true "culprits".  Every single school commits secondary violations and self-reports them to the NCAA.  Doesn't make the actions right, but talk to me about Meyer destroying the program when you find that he had a major violation.  Nonetheless, I thank you for your detailed post above, which is informative and well cited.