Dan Dakich '08 = Steve Fisher '89

I am fully aware Kelvin Sampson has yet to be fired, with "yet" being the operative word. Despite huge wins for his team over conference rivals Michigan State and Purdue in the last week, the Indiana University administration is days away from suspending Sampson (allegedly), with most believing that is simply the intermediate step to firing Sampson (without getting sued like the Ohio State/Jim O'Brien situation). The likely successor for Sampson - current assistant and former Hoosier Dan Dakich. Which got me to thinking...when was the last time a big time program with national title aspirations switched coaches this late in the season?
[And for those reading this and saying, "What an asshat. Sampson isn't getting fired. Go back to posting YouTubes" all I can say is "Can I interest you in some prime ocean front property in Las Cruces?"]

As the title indicates, I immediately thought of one fantastic, if not 100% perfect, parallel:
Steve Fisher taking over the Michigan Wolverines as they entered the 1989 NCAA Tournament.

Chew on these similarities:

• Dakich would have 4 or 5 games to finish the regular season (and maybe 2 more in Big Ten tourney), and after getting his feet wet he can go 6-0 to win the title (Fisher of course just decided to start his career going 6-0 and winning a title...no warm ups needed for Steve-O)
• The '89 Wolverines were an offensive juggernaut, with five players averaging at least 11ppg. They also led the nation in field-goal percentage, hitting 56.6 percent of their attempts. The '08 Hoosiers have basically four guys averaging 10ppg (Jordan Crawford is at 9.9) and they aren't too shabby in the shooting department, making 47.5% of their field goals on the season.
• Fisher's team had Glen Rice, a second-team All-American, and Rumeal Robinson to lead the club. Dakich has D.J. White and super frosh Eric Gordon leading the club.
• Current IU record: 22-4, 11-2 in conference. According to bracket nerd Joe Lunardi, they are projected to be a #5 seed entering the dance but that seed could easily bump up a line or two in the coming weeks. The '89 Michigan club? 30-7, 12-6 in conference...and a #3 seed entering the tourney.

Just remember a month from now when you're filling out your brackets who told you the Dan Dakich-led Indiana Hoosiers were winning the 2008 title. In return, I simply ask for a small percentage of your profits for this prescient prediction.