Tom Crean was seated in the back of the cafeteria with classic rock playing from the speakers as he huddled with his notes and film on his laptop to prepare for Tuesday night's game between Oklahoma and Kansas.
Crean, the former Marquette and Indiana head coach, is out of coaching for the first time since he entered the profession. But he's as attached to the game as ever and he said he's learning a fresh perspective as an ESPN analyst and is credited with offering keen insight into the play-by-play of games for the network.
Crean was fired after his ninth season at Indiana in March 2017 at the conclusion of an 18-16 season. His Hoosiers teams made three Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament but couldn't advance further to the frustration of Indiana fans.
Now, Crean spends his time at his home in Florida, where his son Riley _ who was a 35th round draft pick of the White Sox _ is playing at IMG Academy and will be eligible for the baseball draft again in June. He had time to help his oldest daughter move to California and rarely misses his youngest daughter's volleyball games. He runs into fellow Florida resident Dick Vitale, who "pumps me up."
And of course, Crean is still on the road, soaking in college basketball from the media side.
His former Hoosiers team, now coached by Archie Miller, plays at Illinois on Wednesday.
Here's what Crean told the Tribune in a phone interview about a year of transitions and when he would like to get back to coaching:
