Dylan Sinn is a College Sportswriter, covering mainly Indiana, Purdue and Notre Dame, as well local colleges in northeast Indiana and Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball. January 27, 2023. Woodson, left, has worked with some top NBA coaches including his time as an assistant for Doc Rivers with the Clippers. But then plans changed when Woodson got a call from the late Cotton Fitzsimmons. I think when you're recruiting players you've got to put them in the best positions to be successful. "I had a helluva group to follow in the Mays, the (Quinn) Buckners, the (Kent) Bensons, the (Bobby) Wilkersons, the (Tom) Abernethys. His team also ended nine-game losing streaks to Purdue and Michigan and his staff landed the fifth-best recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports. Woodson wanted to attend Bob Knights basketball camp, but given he grew up in a family with 12 siblings in inner-city Indianapolis he didnt have enough money to pay for it. She began tutoring Woodson in 1976 as he became the first person in his family to earn a college degree. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. But for all of his success in his first season at the helm of the Hoosiers, there were still plenty of learning curves -- whether in the public eye or not. Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson named former Hoosier All-American and Indianapolis native Mike Woodson as the 30th head coach in the mens basketball programs history on March 28, 2021. Dateline BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Somehow, they did it. How do you plan to do that? WOODSON:"Again, I didn't come back just to come back and be the coach at Indiana. "So you can't forget those guys in terms of what they've done. Hey Woody, Ill see you later, Fitzsimmons. Got a lot of work that needs to be done to get this team back on top. 12-seed Wyoming in the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers' first March Madness win in six years. The only way I can do my homework is to watch these guys play on tape and assess them that way. Chester Woodson was. House first began her association with IU Athletics in 1974 as a tutor under Buzz Kurpius who was hired as an Assistant Football Coach for Academics in 1974-75. Early in the second half, when No. Knight, is surrounded by former players and staff during a ceremony with the Indiana players of the 1980 Big Ten championship team the halftime of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in Bloomington, Ind. I'm an average nobody. While the crowd roared to life after his name was introduced, Woodson remained focused in the huddle with his players. When you were away, what did you think about what was going on, why it was that way and how it could be fixed? I don't. IU Athletic Director Scott Dolson flew to New York, where Woodson laid out his vision for the program and how he was going to bridge generations of a program. "I'm really back now, and that means a great deal to me," Woodson said. He also averaged 12.2 points in 13 career Playoff games over five post-seasons. WOODSON:"The thought process when I traveled all those years in the NBA, you always were looking for bragging rights amongst your peers in the NBA. That's how it's always been. It's a secretary role, but one that is critical in keeping the men's basketball office functioning. Homes - Celebrity - Sports - Basketball Links: en.wikipedia.org By: neotrix Advertisement Celebrity Homes Mailing List Policies Your Name Comment Advertisement Nearby: Sign up with TheHoosier.com here. He played for a demanding coach in high school in Broad Ripples Bill Smith, but Indianas Bob Knight wrote the book on high expectations. In the days leading up to his IU coaching debut, Mike Woodson didnt let his excitement show. After Archie Miller was fired, Woodson made it clear he was interested. And there's there's this little Southern Indiana place, population 84,000 if all the students weren't denied admission to campus because of COVID. 15 Indiana 90-68 on Tuesday night. But I've had my ups and downs, too. (Photo: Peegs.com) Woodson's built-in. Now back at his alma mater for the past year, Woodson has seeminglyembraced all the challenges. Aside from quick trips home for doctor's appointments, they don't return until. We just have to come in tomorrow and work.. When cracks appeared to be forming throughout the season and shades of Indiana's old ways began rearing its ugly head, Woodson was often the mediator and reconciler. And when you say you brought your money back to Bloomington, do you own property or restaurants? "So I had to do some damage control I had to start setting up meetings with the parents and the players. "I went to that court, and it was a battle, man. From 2011 to 2017, he was the head coach for the University of . CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. After securing a sweep of in-state rival Purdue for the first time in a decade, No. I relate to those guys. That soft, soothing voice "will make millions,'' some slick NYC record producer said. "It's just, I've been coaching so long it's just what I do, so I feel comfortable being back here. Once I got up there and got with Tom (Thibodeau), I was back in my comfort zone. Against crazy odds, they have all but assuredly secured themselves a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.. In 1991, after playing a decade in the NBA, Woodson was content with stepping away from the game. My thing was, 'Golly, I just wish they would have given me an opportunity to coach them.'. ), Woodson also wondered why there was no statue of his coach, Bob Knight, who won three titles in the building. Houses area of focus at that time was language education, and her job at the time among other things was to help the hyper-focused Woodson blossom into a communicator. Mike Dean Woodson was born on 24 March 1958 in Indianapolis. I put some film together based on his play here at Indiana University. He gave me his blessings to do that. But I just didn't like the fact that when I got that call, they wanted to do an interview over the phone. "But it didn't work out that way and I wish them nothing but the best as they move forward and move on with their careers. "Coach Woodson is doing great," the statement read. Above is the full Q&A. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. All my ties had always been here at Indiana University, always. He is a graduate of Indiana University and an AP Top 25 football voter. But from there he lived in New York, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Houston, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Cleveland again, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, New York again, Los Angeles again, and New York a third time. They set something that you all strive to be, man, as a player, as a student athlete. Born in Indianapolis, Woodson was a star scoring guard under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight from 1976-80, helping the school average 20 wins per season in his time there before the . Mike Woodson isn't a stranger to Indiana or Bloomington, that much was clear when he took the Hoosiers head coaching gig last spring. His teacher, though, covered the cost and Woodson proceeded to win a three-on-three tournament. How Mike Woodson met Anitra House Two things you have to know about Mike Woodson: his humble upbringing, and his rich loyalty. "I didn't get them all. "Mentally, I'm pushed to coach basketball. I feel good about my staff that I've assembled. (Brad Penner / USA Today file) He has a story to tell, and while he's 63. So I pretty much got a late start. After its regular week-long, non-televised celebrations, the annual awards ceremony concluded with its main ceremony on Saturday night. We've got to make the playoffs. Boys & Girls Club T-Shirt (Medium) $ 12.00. Yes, I had to do my homework and due diligence on the player. I've had my battles physically over the years, from the back surgery I had many years ago. With all that, the silky smooth Woodson decided to use those dulcet tones to record audio versions of bedtime stories instead of coaching basketball, hence the announcement today on April 1. Who is Mike Woodson? You have permission to edit this article. It was already set when I came to Indiana University. And if you're wondering what all these (AF) symbols are after every headline and paragraph, it stands for APRIL FOOLS!!!! Whether it was leading the Hoosiers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016, or learning the recruiting ropesso seamlessly thathis first freshmen class includes a pair of five-star signees, Woodson hasn't backed down from the transition to college. I had (another back surgery) a couple years ago that really got me back. "But my loyalty and my feelings toward the basketball program have always been stronger than ever. "That," IU coach Mike Woodson said postgame, mincing zero words, "was a bullshit performance And we're going to try to make this thing happen together. "I wasn't able to come back and actually catch games because of the conflict of me playing my schedule in the NBA just never allowed me to come and catch a game. DOYEL: Assembly Hall has been redone, so you're not in Bob Knight's former office literally, but you're in there metaphorically. About a week later, Dolson offered the job. I get that. I was wishing every coach that was here that they would have success. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images) - 2NHDRKD from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. But a lot of these guys are local, a lot of guys live up in Indy, they're close. Woodson was the 1980 Big Ten Player of the Year and NABC All-American as a senior in leading the Hoosiers to a conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournaments Sweet Sixteen. "When I got the call from Scott (Dolson, the IU athletic director) about the possibility of interviewing, I told him the same thing: 'Either you come see me or I come see you.'. "I've never been a hater when it come to coaching. Indiana coach Mike Woodson gestures during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Iowa, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. (AF), "I kept thinking every morning and every night that I was moving from New York City to Bloomington, and that just started to blow my mind,'' Woodson said. I just think Indiana basketball is still as big as ever. Woodson captained the USAs Pan American Games team to a gold medal during the summer prior to his senior year and was all set to have a perfect season with the Hoosiers who were ranked No. "Unfortunately we've had our ups and downs over the years but I'm still there rooting. "You've got all these players that went to different universities. (AF), Big cities, big fun. This article first appeared on FanNation Hoosiers Now and was syndicated with permission. ''His voice is so cool,'' the Bluebird guys said, ''that we could probably sell out the place even if he was just reading the phone book.'' I just didnt like how the process was going when they wanted to talk with me, Woodson said. (Radford, a member of IU's 1976 title team, was 64 when he died Jan. 10, 2020.). In 1996, he got his first assistant coaching job with the Milwaukee Bucks, which eventually led him to become an assistant coach under Larry Brown for the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons. I've had a lot of good times and I've had some bad times. "I have those Cook books. IU also led the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense at 39.6% and finished second in blocked shots at 4.83 a game. ET) The feel-good Coming2Bloomington story of Mike Woodson returning to his alma mater at Indiana as its new basketball coach came to an abrupt ending on Thursday morning when the legendary former Hoosiers star told Sports Illustrated Indiana that he was quitting. Here was a once-thriving basketball program that has slipped further and further away from national relevancy. "And I think once he realized that, and it wasn't a knock against the young man. But hed need another coach to help him learn how to navigate life as a college student. Woodson then earned the head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks, followed by New York Knicks. - Indiana suffered a 90-68 blowout loss on its home court on Tuesday night against Iowa. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File), Former Indiana basketball head coach Bobby Knight, center, makes his first appearance at Indiana University since his dismissal in September of 2000. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. At the age of 63, what compelled you to take on this job? Registered Address 403 EAST SIXTH ST, BLOOMINGTON, IN 47408 United States Agent Name MIKE WOODSON Agent Address 403 EAST SIXTH ST, BLOOMINGTON, IN, 47408 Directors / Officers MIKE WOODSON, agent, 4 Aug 1980 - MIKE WOODSON, president, 21 Apr 2016 - TERRY WOODSON, secretary, 21 Apr 2016 - Registry Page https://bsd.sos.in.gov/PublicBusiness. I just kind of walked away from it.. I know there were a lot of names surfacing about the job. "When I first got my coaching gig in Atlanta, I had just won an NBA title (as an assistant) with Larry Brown in Detroit. And that House was telling the story of Woodson finding his voice on a radio show named after him wasnt lost on her. The game ball, he said, hes going to keep. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson speaks with the media after the Hoosiers' midweek matchup with Iowa. I had nine sisters and there were three boys. WOODSON:"First of all, to think about all the accomplishments that coach Knight has had in his career as a coach and even as a player at Ohio State it's hard to imagine for me, the guy who played for him, the guy who was given a scholarship to come from Indianapolis to play for him at Indiana, for me, it's like a dream come true. "You guys never saw me come back, but every summer I was back here, visiting friends and family. "They liked that and they were able to commit to us. Wayne was 6-2 and 400 pounds. He said the same about his own team after the 15th-ranked Hoosiers lost to the Hawkeyes 90-68 at Assembly Hall on Tuesday night, a defeat that ended IUs hopes of sharing the Big Ten championship with Purdue. Iowa forward Kris Murray (24) makes contact with Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23), who was bringing the ball up court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. Boys & Girls Club T-Shirt (Large) $ 12.00. I could never not root for the Indiana Hoosiers.". Its just unacceptable the way we played tonight, Woodson said. "You don't want to lose any player. Whether lingering in the shadows of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for the past four decades, or front and center for 17,000 fans to cheer,the initial questions surrounding Woodson's abrupt jump to college basketball are becoming clearer by the day. I don't care what level you coach at or what sport you coach. He was working himself to death, with no time for eloquence. (The Hawkeyes) had their way, doing everything they wanted to do. I was playing but I never played competitively until the eighth grade. "The Knicks called. "But I blossomed as a player. She created and maintained an athletics database to facilitate eligibility, financial aid, and NCAA/Big Ten federal reporting including graduation rates. That Mike Woodson had his head down, focused on the task at hand. Products. Everyones upset. DOYEL: Have you found a place yet in Bloomington or have you owned a place all this this time? Woodson discussed why, at age 63, he wanted the challenge of the IU job, how he intends to reshape the program's culture, growing up with 11 sisters and brothers and his early success recruiting. Detroit Pistons(Assistant) 2004 NBA CHAMPIONS. Hed come home to Bloomington, he figured, and work alongside his friend Scott May at a real estate company. For the past three Januarys, the couple have left Chicago and set up house in a Bloomington extended-stay hotel. "Yes, I've got a lot of big shoes to fill and I'm up for the challenge. But this is challenging for me, and I'm a competitive man.". I've been here my whole life.". I'm going to try to do the best job that I can possibly do to get us back on top.". "They should never be closed out because this program was built around a lot of great players who have played here. What did you do to convince him to stay and how can you fix his weaknesses? Most kids start very young. (AF) *(Footnote, quotes courtesy of Henry Hill, "Goodfellas''), Woodson is 63 years old. "If I was going to stay, that would be the first thing I'd fix,'' Woodson said. 5 Purdue in what Jackson-Davis called probably the best victory weve had.. Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. That's what I'm about. Now, Woodson says, it's his turn to repay the fanbase for sticking by his side over 40 years later, even when they didn't have to. Instead, they're askinghow far can he take them? (AF) (Yea, youngsters, a music record is oh, never mind. Just talked basketball. With his ninth rebound in Indiana men's basketball's game against Iowa on Tuesday night, senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis broke the program record, passing Alan Henderson. This has been my life. It's being able to get people are these young men, your dreams and goals of how you want to play and how they fit into the realm of what you're doing or are trying to do here at Indiana University. There has been struggles and a bit of a malaise. Despite undergoing back surgery in December and missing seven weeks, he was honored as the Chicago Tribunes Silver Basketball Award Winner following the season. "We are following CDC COVID guidelines, and our . But it lives on forever now thanks to the efforts of his family . So Woodson went out to Phoenix, Arizona, for his first coaching job. "He finally said, 'Well, damn coach, we've been sitting here watching tape and you haven't put anything on there that I've done well.'. Photo by Missy Minear/Indiana Athletics. The board, the 1,092nd of his career . He received a technical for the display. 3 University of Kansas on Dec. 17. IU still has a chance to get one of the four double-byes into the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament but must beat Michigan in the regular-season finale Sunday and get some help from some of the other six teams Iowa among them that entered Tuesday within a game of second place. Do you mind telling me what any of them are? Woodson joined the Knicks staff following six seasons as head coach of the Hawks, where he guided the Hawks to the NBA Playoffs in each of his last three seasons (including 2007-08, ending Atlantas eight-year Playoff drought), and into the Eastern Conference Semifinals in his last two seasons. I've got to make this a family atmosphere. "You guys, you write about it, but until you sit in that seat and have to experience it on a day-to-day basis, it's tough. I was the head coach in (Atlanta). "I feel like I've been around the world, and I've come back (to IU after) 40 years. Finally, sitting in the press room after the game, Woodson let himself crack a smile. Ryan Joseph "Archie" Miller (born October 30, 1978) is an American men's college basketball coach for the Rhode Island Rams.. Miller played point guard for North Carolina State from 1998 to 2002 and ended his career among the school's leaders in free-throw percentage, three-point field goal percentage, and total three-pointers. Michael Dean Woodson is a head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's team. I really needed a laugh early this morning, and I hope you got one, too. I'm new at this. You've got an old Branch McCracken book. Thirty minutes into the first day of practice, Fitzsimmons had to leave the gym. Pin. (April 1, 2021, 8 a.m. He is an Indiana player coming back to Indiana to coach Indiana Basketball fans are living in a dream world where everything is just the way it should be, and none of us wants to wake up. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Pulled out of retirement to assume the role of Assistant to the Head Coach for the mens basketball program, House regularly sees a strong, confident Woodson take charge of a room, with all eyes on him. Anitra House, I know if youre listening, boy, you were very instrumental in me getting through school. CLASS 4A: Munster: Munster: 61: Merrillville: 55: Lake Central: 70: East Chicago Central: 55: Crown Point: Hobart: 55: Kankakee Valley: 44: Valparaiso: 62: Lowell: 26 . "Scott was on the plane the next day. The athletic department said Friday in a news release that Woodson . Obviously everybody is upset after the game (against Purdue) and coming back and doing this; its not what we stand for, Jackson-Davis said. That's how I felt. Alexis also played one season at IU. The Knicks selected Woodson with the 12th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft and he enjoyed an 11-year NBA playing career, averaging 14.0 points over 786 games for the Knicks (1980-81), New Jersey (1981-82), Kansas City/Sacramento (1981-82 through 1985-86), the LA Clippers (1986-87 through 1987-88), Houston (1988-89 through 1990-91) and Cleveland (1990-91). House went from helping Woodson find his voice more than 40 years ago, to now often being his voice. "People don't give that enough credit. WOODSON: "I don't know if IU has ever lost its brand. "At that time I was in the eighth grade. Andrew Jackson Smith's remarkable story of valor was almost lost to history. Now we've got to go after the rest of the guys.' Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Indiana University's campus in Bloomington, Ind. I'm trying to win the Big Ten. 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