Losing to Mizzu was simple...

I don't think it was our search that was faulty. It was no one really wanted the job so we had to give it to Wayne. Plus, we were looking at a mass exodus then, as one of the stipulations any new coach had was to keep Wayne - in order to keep the recruits we had.

If you said letting our kids hold us hostage to an extent when looking for a new coach was the wrong thing to do - I can agree with that for the most part.

As it turns out, the mass exodus just got postponed by three years. It did seem that no one wanted the job back in '03, or perhaps it appeared that way because ISU was chasing a bunch of "big" names. I'm glad ADJP decided not to be held hostage...
 
Personally, I would have taken Dana Altman in a heartbeat. I will never understand why it seemed that a fair amount of Cyclone fans regarded him as a horrible coach and possible choice.

I don't really recall that - ISU fans dissing Altman. I thought he'd be an excellent choice as well. Not sure he was my number one, but still and excellent hire. But as I recall, it wasn't ISU down on him, it was he down on ISU. He couldn't take his name out of the running fast enough, if I recall.

He did take an interview, didn't he? But that came off to me as less than genuine and an attempt to get his name out there and maybe see if we'd pay him and obscene amount of money.

IMO, the '03 fiasco is laid square at the feet of BVD. LE was responsible for what happened to him, and maybe he deserved what he got - I don't know. But the way BVD went about the firing and his ineptness in the hiring, well I'll just say that I'm glad he's gone.
 
As it turns out, the mass exodus just got postponed by three years. It did seem that no one wanted the job back in '03, or perhaps it appeared that way because ISU was chasing a bunch of "big" names. I'm glad ADJP decided not to be held hostage...

IMO, the '03 fiasco is laid square at the feet of BVD. LE was responsible for what happened to him, and maybe he deserved what he got - I don't know. But the way BVD went about the firing and his ineptness in the hiring, well I'll just say that I'm glad he's gone.

I agree with both of you 100%.

While the current state of Cyclone basketball isn't great - I'm very excited for the future.
 
In regards to Altman, it may have been just a minority of Cyclone fans who were against hiring him, but it seemed at the time to be a VERY vocal and zealous minority who absolutely hated the guy.

You may be right that we never had a chance at Altman. I would be surprised if he does go to a BCS school, honestly. He has a pretty sweet setup for himself over there in Omaha.
 
I think some of the guys scolding people need to remember what McD said when he took the job over. He said we'd play tough defense and play with discipline. I can handle losing, that isn't what really pisses me off. The things I didn't like about the Wayne era were the lack of effort, the lack of discipline, etc. Frankly sometimes this year it looks as bad as it ever did last season.

Bryce, I don't disagree with that one bit. But one question we need to ask ourselves before we pass judgement on GMac (which some people are doing).

Is this a team that HE would put together??

I don't think it remotely is. He was handed half the players, then came by the other half due to situation. Conversely WM had his players in Stinson, Blaylock, Taggart, etc. Issues of how they played can be put squarely on him.

What ISU needs most is a solid PG and and inside presence. I'm not trying to compare Taylor and Mike Nurse as players, but their situation is very similar Jr year to Sr year. Get that PG out there to run the show and keep Taylor on the wings - TO's go down 5 a game right there. Get an inside presence that moves Hubalek back to a power forward, another 3 or 4 TO's down. Get Wesley out on the shooting forward slot (primarily) and his ball handling skills and outside shot explode his potential. I seriously think our shooting slumps decrease dramatically with he and Taylor playing in position. And get that beef inside to clog up the middle some more and matchup to other Big 12 centers and the defense as a whole benefits.

I honestly think this team is those two players away, and some experience, from being a very solid team. Not a great one - but Sweet 16 potential.

And although I don't pay attention to recruiting, from what a gather those players may be on the way.
 
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While the current state of Cyclone basketball isn't great - I'm very excited for the future.

I couldn't agree with that more.

It's frustrating to watch games like last night, and out at CU. Games that we pin some hopes on.

But when I see what went wrong last night, and compare it to what went wrong last season. I'm thrilled to see the direction we're headed.

This isn't Wayne Morgan or Johnny Orr style ball. It's slower, more deliberate, sometimes flat out boring basketball. And you don't flip that switch easily. But I'm convinced that it's the right style of basketball, it's a style that our fans will embrace and appreciate because it does call on players to play hard and for 40 minutes.

And above all, it's a style of ball that wins basketball games even with less talent and in hostile road venues.
 
GMac is a good coach. But, can he get enough D1 talent? I'll give him a pass this year because he was hired late and did not get to recruit what he needed. I'll be concerned if we start stacking together classes with players that are marginal D1 material. With that said, Wes Johnson may end up as a 2 or 3 time all Big 12 player. He just needs some support. The Big 12 is a beast of a conference with all the good coaches we have, but I think GMac will get it done.
 
GMac had to throw this class together in a hurry and did a hell of a job. The class coming in next year will be far better. There is no doubt he can get the talent.

What I found frustrating wasn't the lack of talent on the floor. It was the terrible decision making and unforced turnovers. That is not disciplined basketball.
 
I never really post in the BBall section. Mainly because I see very few games living in Illinois and my only information I usually get on message boards. Here is my opinion on GMac. The problem is, he got put so high on a pedestal before the season started that what was really expected of this team ends up looking like he has somehow failed. That is not the case. He took over a very young team with a lot of work that needed to go into it. We all knew it would take some time to be successful. Let's give him time before we start questioning weather or not he should be here.

Just watch, this same thing will happen to Chizik also. No one is expecting miracles off the bat, but, all it will take is one great performance by the team and a lot of us will be questioning weather or not JP made the right decision when we are brought back down to reality the following week.

This isn't just rebuilding, it's more like starting fresh. Let's give them time to let their coaching style, attitude and commitment sink in before we start calling for the life boats.
 
Good post.

I was about to add the same to mine above. If people are going to really question GMacs ability already, then we better have suicide prevention on speed dial that the Jack this fall. Newsflash folks, we're going to get rolled like asphalt on I-80, all too often. Some people better get that straight and give up these ideas of a 7 or 8 win season otherwise we'll see people jumping from the upper deck.

Personally, I'm expecting a 4-8 campaign and will be absolutely thrilled if we hit .500. But I really expect to see the team play better and more aggressively (that's coaching more than players). But that I don't think that'll translate to wins in '07.
 
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I was about to add the same to mine above. If people are going to really question GMacs ability already, then we better have suicide prevention on speed dial that the Jack this fall. Newsflash folks, we're going to get rolled like asphalt on I-80, all too often. Some people better get that straight and give up these ideas of a 7 or 8 win season otherwise we'll see people jumping from the upper deck.

Let them jump...I think they call it natural selection, or weeding out the weak/idiots and improving the breed...or something like that...
 
Let them jump...I think they call it natural selection, or weeding out the weak/idiots and improving the breed...or something like that...



... HHHAAAAA HHHAAAAAA HHHHAAAAAAAA !!!... I was thinking same thing...

:rofl8yi: :rofl8yi: :rofl8yi: :rofl8yi: :rofl8yi: :rofl8yi:

Cliff Claven's Buffalo Theory:

"Well you see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as
the slowest buffalo and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones
at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a
whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by
the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain
can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive
drinking of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and
weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates
the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. And
that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

This is credited to an episode of Cheers in which Cliff explains to Norm the 'Buffalo Theory'
 
GMac had to throw this class together in a hurry and did a hell of a job. The class coming in next year will be far better. There is no doubt he can get the talent.

What I found frustrating wasn't the lack of talent on the floor. It was the terrible decision making and unforced turnovers. That is not disciplined basketball.
I agree with this post... In defense of Mac's quotes, I believe the Disciplined Basketball has gotten away from him a little bit, in order to try and win a game now and then. Right now he has no choice but to try and compete with several players out of position, Mike Taylor is a #2 gaurd, not a point (#1), he is undersized down low with C. Johnson, and W.Johnson....
Give Mac 3 Years and his own recruits,
(Not a group put together at last minute), he was hired in April.

Between the years 3-5 I predict that ISU B-Ball will be a force not only in the Big 12, but once again Nationally.
 
GMac had to throw this class together in a hurry and did a hell of a job. The class coming in next year will be far better. There is no doubt he can get the talent.

What I found frustrating wasn't the lack of talent on the floor. It was the terrible decision making and unforced turnovers. That is not disciplined basketball.


Jean Priloueu helped recruit Wesley Johnson. Thank God.
 
Wesley has a chance at Freshman of the Year in the Big 12....

What a steal of a new recruit....:yes4lo:

Wesley has no chance of being Freshman on the Year. Unless you're talking about freshman of the year in the big 12 north, but I don't think that is a real award.
 

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