No, Mike Woodson is not a Quitter
Lots of work to do after disappointing season, but don't accuse the head coach of giving up
By Jim Miller
“Mike Woodson quit on Hoosiers,” a newspaper headline said after Nebraska pummeled the IU men’s basketball team in the Big Ten tournament.
Wait … what?
It was another ugly loss that ended a season with far too many lopsided defeats. But did Coach Woodson “quit” on his team?
True, the head coach was ejected after picking up his second technical foul for protesting some questionable officiating.
Being ejected means you have to leave the court. We all understand that. How does that qualify as quitting on your team?
What about Bob Knight?
Did anyone accuse Bob Knight of quitting on his team when he was tossed from a game? Absolutely not. It was quite the opposite.
“The General” was praised for standing up for his players, for his fiery demeanor, and for not getting pushed around or intimidated by opposing coaches (or anyone else, for that matter).
Those of us of a certain vintage fondly remember those Bob Knight - Gene Keady matchups when the Hoosiers faced our rivals from West Lafayette. We knew we’d see plenty of high-energy activity on the sidelines and the playing surface.
Do fans say a baseball manager quit on his team because he kicked dirt on an umpire’s shoes and got tossed out of the game? In a word — no.
The Woodson double standard
So why do we see a double standard with Mike Woodson?
We can label this season a disappointment. Hoosier fans aren’t doing cartwheels over a 19-14 record and no invitation to the Big Dance — especially when Purdue is a #1 seed.
Fans are also understandably upset by the news that our only committed recruit for 2024, Liam McNeeley, has decided not to come to Bloomington after all.
Work begins for 2024-25
Now it’s up to Woodson and his assistants to overcome their recruiting misses by bringing in quality players through the transfer portal to replace team members who graduate or decide to leave.
It’s fair that Woodson assembled and led a team that produced a lackluster season. But it’s not fair in any way, shape, or form to accuse him of quitting on his team.