COVERITLIVE.COM

7:22

Alex - Welcome to our bi-weekly chat. As you may (or may not) know, ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde will join us shortly. In an effort to get as many of your questions answered as possible, the comment moderation of this chat will be a bit different. We'll push through as many of your questions as possible, but many comments will not be published. Thanks for joining us. Feel free to start submitting questions and we'll get started shortly.

7:26	Alex - I believe Mr. Forde is with us. How's it going on this Monday evening?

7:27	Chris Korman - Thanks for being here, Pat.

7:27	Alex - We've got Chris Korman and Hugh Kellenberger of the Herald Times with us as well as Zach Osterman of the Indiana Daily student.

7:27	Pat Forde - I'm here! Thanks for the invite. Ready to go, hope I can handle the technology.

7:28	Zachary Osterman - I have arrived, not too late I hope. Cover It Live was giving me trouble, but no longer. Thanks so much for joining our discussion tonight Pat.

7:29

[Comment From ChronicHoosier]
Another fine evening, gentlemen, & greetings to Mr. 4D! Pat, you've been one of the few voices from the Bluegrass State to question the wisdom and hypocrisy of UK bringing Calipari & all his baggage to Lexington. Are you at all surprised there hasn't been any more skepticism raised by the Bluebloods about Barnhart's big gamble?

7:32	Alex - Pat, impressions from Tom Crean's first year at Indiana. About what you expected? And what can Indiana fans expect next season?

7:32

Pat Forde -

A little surprised, I suppose. Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader also wrote a column questioning the hire and the motivation for the hire. I thought the revelation some two months into Calipari's tenure that he left an ongoing investigation at Memphis only reinforced questions about what Kentucky was doing and why, and I believe some others see it that was as well. Rick Bozich wrote something last week that took a pretty hard look at Mitch Barnhart's decision-making regarding Calipari. But Kentucky fans see a coach who has immediately signed a blockbuster class and has been a big winner, and I don't think they want to be bothered with concerns about other issues right now.

7:33	[Comment From CraiginOR] is this thing on? THUMP! THUMP!

7:33

Pat Forde - Alex: Yes, about what I expected. I told Crean before the season that he'd be Big Ten Coach of the Year if he won 10 games. But Indiana at least established that it was going to play its guts out every night, and that's a good place to start. As for next season: IU will get its 10 wins -- probably more -- and be around .500. Only problem is that the Big Ten looks really good next season, I think.

7:33	Alex - We're here Craig.

7:34	[Comment From Paul Newbill] Where do you think IU will finish next year in a competitive Big 10?

7:35	[Comment From Baskerville Holmes] Who would you rank as the top three coaches in the Big Ten (in order)?

7:36

Pat Forde - Paul: I haven't thought long enough on it to create a hierarchy of who will finish where, but off the top of my head I'd say in the lower third again. I see Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois all being pretty darned good. After that it might get a little more muddled.

7:36	[Comment From Jeff] Mr. Forde What do you think of Jordan Hulls. Is he a legitimate big ten player? Even as a freshman.

7:36	Pat Forde - Baskerville: 1. Tom Izzo; 2. Tom Crean; 3. Bruce Weber/Tubby Smith/John Beilein. I know that's cheating, but that's what I got.

7:37	[Comment From Patrick] I know its early but who do you think is crowned 2010 National Champs next year in basketball

7:37	Pat Forde - Jeff: I saw Hulls play last summer and loved him. I think he's absolutely a legit Big Ten player. I know there will be questions defensively about whether he can stay in front of Kalin Lucas, Talor Battle and E'Twaun Moore, but I give him a good shot at it. I really like him.

7:38	[Comment From Whitehead] Pat, what's your take on IU's incoming class? How much PT they will take from the returning guys?

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