Both IU and Cal have similarities. Both are the best public universities in their respective state. Both have attractive campuses and both are larger than average. They are also in top conferences (although the Pac 12 has been down a bit). Neither school has a sports over academics attitude and neither is a big spender. Both recruit good smart kids and shun thugs Zeller picked IU after visits to IU, North Carolina and Notre Dame, where he spend an inordinate ( too many) amount of time at the business school.

This perspective gives me an idea when one or the other school is doing something that isn’t effective. This is why I criticize Cals basketball recruiting. Check out the site “Inside the Hall” IU fans go into a frenzy over each desired recruit. Videos are posted and scores and point totals are published from every serious target’s game. By the time a recruit is signed many of the fans know everything about him.

So when I say “Why isn’t Cal as intense?” I’m really wondering “Why?” Are Cal fans different kinds of fans? Wouldn’t we like to see video highlights of our future recruits? MORE IMPORTANTLY wouldn’t our future recruits like this kind of attention? A young recruit seeing all the attention online and in person is going to gravitate towards IU. WHen an IU recruit attends an IU game – all the fans seem to know him and start spontaneous cheers. A few days ago a ranked recruit for 2013 Luke Fischer who had been courted by Wisconsin (his home state) attended that IU Ohio State game and got carried away by the fans and committed as soon as it was after.

Both schools also have good coaches. I’m not as familiar with Monty’s recruiting methods but Crean perhaps because of his love of kids and basketball, eats and breathes recruiting. He follows kids at young ages and goes everywhere to see the games. Monty may be too old for this-its taxing. An IU game ends and Crean is on a plane somewhere to look at someone.

Our University of California has all the tangible attractions that Indiana University has – we just have to work on the intangibles.

i wish we had that enthusiasm at our venue. i’m thinking a road sweep here might do the trick.

We have some mature players and to make any type of noise – we have to be able to win most of our road games against especially weak competition this year.