Behind closed doors

nocsious3

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
882
768
93
Many knowledgeable fans believed ISU could challenge for a conference championship this year but the preseason Big12 coaches poll picked ISU 5th. Why the disconnect? The top 25 coaches poll has us quite a bit lower today in the rankings compared with the AP poll, and that's not common this far into the season.

Deep down coaches are envious at the success Fred has achieved so quickly utilizing innovative recruiting strategies. We all hear the loud drumbeat of TransferU and to a lesser extent doing things the "right way" and there are some honest feelings driving that sentiment. Fred is new to the country club of college coaching and he didn't wait his turn. He just walked right in and upset the apple cart.

On a personal level it's pretty hard to dislike Fred Hoiberg, but when your job is to beat him at basketball it gets a little easier. The trouble is that it's hard to beat Fred Hoiberg at anything.
 
Hopefully Big 12 standings and the Coach's preseason picks are up on the pin board today. We are huge underdogs!
 
I make fun of Drew but he gets it done, and has a great defense. Can't argue with results. I think the OP is probably on to something, but who cares. Rankings don't mean a damn thing. It's all decided on the court.
 
I don't like to show respect for the media, but they put more effort into it than whoever the coaches have voting for them.

The national media is a Cyclone basketball hype train. The local media is the likes of John Sears on WHO. Gotta get out of the state to feel the love. Couldn't believe the local paper when I was back in Sioux City over the holidays. ISU might as well be 3000 miles away instead of the closest state university.
 
I think it's more down to the fact that media members pay more attention to the landscape of CBB than the assistant coaches and managers who actually fill out the ballots. Not sure I agree that coaches are spiting Fred, and I'm not sure Fred cares.
 
I think its also very much about the other coaches in the league. Other coaches are going to have more respect for guys like Huggins, Barnes, Kruger etc simply because that's how coaches are. I think easily half the coaches in our league are HOF guys, the ones who aren't yet have been to final 4's, won conference champs, etc I feel like guys like Tubby, Huggy, Barnes etc are going to vote for the other HOF guys over Fred most of the time, whether its right or wrong.
 
Last edited:
Good point. Scott Drew's turning into a pretty decent coach.

His teams are getting better while the talent is level or even decreasing.

The thing about Baylor is their runs, even last year's, are all so fortunately orchestrated. A crazy % of their NCAA games have been in Texas and they've had so many opportunities to advance without playing good seeds.

This could be one of their better teams this year but not show it if they don't get the typical breaks and because they don't have the 'wow' talent that gets media coverage other than Chery and maybe Gathers.
 
CFH upsets them with Dreamy looks, sharp clothing, and teams that beat their teams.

He went a step further dressing in velour and a headband and working his moves on the dance floor.

Jealousy is a beast not easily tamed
 
Many knowledgeable fans believed ISU could challenge for a conference championship this year but the preseason Big12 coaches poll picked ISU 5th. Why the disconnect? The top 25 coaches poll has us quite a bit lower today in the rankings compared with the AP poll, and that's not common this far into the season.

Deep down coaches are envious at the success Fred has achieved so quickly utilizing innovative recruiting strategies. We all hear the loud drumbeat of TransferU and to a lesser extent doing things the "right way" and there are some honest feelings driving that sentiment. Fred is new to the country club of college coaching and he didn't wait his turn. He just walked right in and upset the apple cart.

On a personal level it's pretty hard to dislike Fred Hoiberg, but when your job is to beat him at basketball it gets a little easier. The trouble is that it's hard to beat Fred Hoiberg at anything.

The way the B12 is this year, the 5th place team will be a contender, and the 1st place team will be a couple bad breaks from being the 5th place team. In hindsight, it wasn't really much of a bash to be rated 5th.
 
Last edited:
We lost Ejim and Kane. Even with Fred it made sense to think it might be a down year. Heck. I'm still not totally convinced we aren't down compared to last year.
 
It's likely subtle and in some ways a backhanded compliment. The bias doesn't hurt anything except on Selection Sunday for the tournament.
 
The way the B12 is this year, the 5th place team will be a contender, and the 1st place team will be a couple bad breaks from being the 5th place team. In hindsight, it wasn't really much of a bash to be rated 5th.

I agree, especially after our first 4 big 12 games. This league is brutal, someone had to be 5th.
 
Inversely, Big12 coaches are always singing psalms and beautiful praises for our football coaches. I laugh out loud when I see a Stoops or a Mack Brown giving some reporter an endorsement of McCarney or CPR. They always wanted to keep their effective bye week.
 
Last edited:
We lost Ejim and Kane. Even with Fred it made sense to think it might be a down year. Heck. I'm still not totally convinced we aren't down compared to last year.

Thats the thing.. i think it was incredibly hard to know where to put that whole top 5 and im guess many went 'theyre losing ejim and kane, and their transfers are unknowns until they start playing'
 

Help Support Us

Become a patron