Tom Crean Gets Vote of Confidence from Boss

Write what you will about Tom Crean (and I've written a lot), but you almost have to respect a man who has embraced a cartoon villain personality. 

The last man I can remember being so universally despised within the conference was then-Wisconsin coach Bert Bielema. He, of course, fled to be the wildling king of the Ozarks, and the Big Ten got more boring when he did.

So, even though I'd chip in $5 to strap Tom Crean to a rocket and send it into the Sun, I don't mind that he's been condemned to a worse fate: Living in Indiana. But Tom Crean's team (19-11, 9-8) has been decidedly bad this year, and the natives are getting restless in Bloomington.

But lo! There might be hope for us Indiana basketball naysayers yet.

From Andy Katz of ESPN.com:

Tom Crean's job at Indiana is not in jeopardy, and athletic director Fred Glass told ESPN on Thursday that he fully supports the Hoosiers' coach.

Glass said he had to respond after a 77-63 home loss to Iowa on Tuesday dropped the Hoosiers to 9-8 in the Big Ten, 19-11 overall heading into Saturday's regular-season finale against Michigan State at Assembly Hall.

"I'm bullish on Tom," Glass told ESPN. "He's done a really good job with these guys. It's ridiculous to say that someone is coaching for his job for one game and that it would be up or down in one game."

Indiana basketball: Where a .538 winning percentage is "a really good job."