Best Cyclone "Glue Guys"

I took my daughter to an exhibition game in Webster City - the seniors were playing an extended road trip against any and all competition. It was kind of like a Globetrotters game, but fun nonetheless.

Afterward they signed autographs, so our middle daughter Alana (she's still a Cyclone BB freak) went through the line. Kantrail was her favorite player, and she told him so as he was signing. Horton stood up, said "Awwww....." and proceeded to give Alana a big hug. Stevie Johnson at the next table said, "Watch out, girl. That boy needs some tough actin' Tinactin!"

Brought the house down. Alana will never forget it.
 
I took my daughter to an exhibition game in Webster City - the seniors were playing an extended road trip against any and all competition. It was kind of like a Globetrotters game, but fun nonetheless.

Afterward they signed autographs, so our middle daughter Alana (she's still a Cyclone BB freak) went through the line. Kantrail was her favorite player, and she told him so as he was signing. Horton stood up, said "Awwww....." and proceeded to give Alana a big hug. Stevie Johnson at the next table said, "Watch out, girl. That boy needs some tough actin' Tinactin!"

Brought the house down. Alana will never forget it.

I used to love these senior tours! Great story.

I enjoyed hearing Kantrail talk about his relationship with Stevie Johnson in this podcast. As a fan it brought a tear to my eye.
 
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It was Kantrail in 1999-2000 that was bombing threes from 30 feet at the Phog, right? Him and... Nurse, was it? I loved Kantrail, he was amazing.
Kantrail is one of my favorites. He was also a very good PG in his own right. A different style than Tinsley, for sure, but when Jamaal needed breather there was little drop-off in production when KH moved over to the point. At least, not in my fading memory.
 
I don't feel like someone who quit the team should get "glue guy" consideration.

Elmer didn't quit. He was a dumb ass in the class room and they could not keep him eligible. However, the year before he killed it on the court. Might have either been the 2nd or 3rd leading scorer on the team.
 
My first thought was Hogue. Maybe Ejim, but like others say he was almost more than a glue guy.

Naz is a good suggestion too. Though, again, he might be more than that.
 
Damion Staple was a solid presence on the 04-05 team. Tyray Pearson was a good bench scorer on the 00-01 team. Paul Shirley was really solid in 99-00. Jackson Vroman in 02-03 was great, maybe too good to be considered a "glue guy". Marcus Jefferson had his moments on that team as well. That's all I got.
 
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Great podcast with Horton!

Fun to hear him speak with gratitude about his 2 years as a cyclone and his love for Stevie Johnson.

As for the “what counts as a glue guy” debate- it’s a combination of likability, hustle, and kind of sucking.

So Chris Babb is too good, Naz is probably too annoying, and Dustin hogue is perfect.
 
Does Chris Babb count? He was never the best player on the team but was an unbelievable defender and knockdown shooter. Always seemed like a great communicator on the floor and all around good dude.

Yeah, that's a good one. He was probably a better scorer than he showed at ISU, but those teams had no shortage of guys who could pile up the points. Instead he became a lockdown perimeter defender. Consummate team guy.
 
I went down a rabbit hole this morning after listening to a podcast with Kantrail Horton (still THE MAN by the way) and it got me thinking about the best "glue guys" in ISU history. In my opinion those teams in '99-00 and '00-'01 without selfless guys like Horton and Stevie Johnson to hold things together. That locker room was about to implode at times with Eustachy, Tinsley, and Fizer. Horton actually talks about that in the interview which I enjoyed.

Some other favorites of mine:

- Jacy Holloway
- Shawn Bankhead
- Kantrail Horton
- Stevie Johnson
- Tyus McGee
- Melvin Ejim
- Mike Born

Horton podcast:




All the more reason to hang Ejim's jersey. All American. Academic Athlete of the Year. Big 12 Player of the Year. Now......All time Glue Guy.

Has it been five years? What is Pollard waiting for?
 
It was Kantrail in 1999-2000 that was bombing threes from 30 feet at the Phog, right? Him and... Nurse, was it? I loved Kantrail, he was amazing.

00-01.

Nurse was on the 99-00 team.

Those were two very different teams actually.
 
I went down a rabbit hole this morning after listening to a podcast with Kantrail Horton (still THE MAN by the way) and it got me thinking about the best "glue guys" in ISU history. In my opinion those teams in '99-00 and '00-'01 without selfless guys like Horton and Stevie Johnson to hold things together. That locker room was about to implode at times with Eustachy, Tinsley, and Fizer. Horton actually talks about that in the interview which I enjoyed.

Some other favorites of mine:

- Jacy Holloway
- Shawn Bankhead
- Kantrail Horton
- Stevie Johnson
- Tyus McGee
- Melvin Ejim
- Mike Born

Horton podcast:



Great interview. Perhaps I missed it but I didn't get the idea that the locker room with Tinsley and Fizer was going to implode...definitely tension though.

The 00-01 team had some straight dysfunction though.

Interesting perspective on his worst loss.
 

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