Jamie Pollard's Status at ISU
- Thread starter cyclonepower02
- Start date
Like it or not anymore, college athletics is about money. JP has done an amazing job of bringing money into ISU. I believe he hasn't had the best situations with Chizik jumping ship, and all of Wayne Morgan's players leaving with him. The wins will come, it may take an additional year or two for football, but I think Coach Rhoads will get us there. Coach Mac is slowly changing things. I've been pretty upset with some of the games this year, but then I remember that our best players are sophomores. Give CB, DG, Lucca and Big Ham another year, and they should be a pretty darn good team. JP is here for a while, and I'm glad to have him.
And high schoolers, I'm glad you're excited about ISU athletics, and its good you have pride in your high schools. But lets not have all these repeat threads.
And high schoolers, I'm glad you're excited about ISU athletics, and its good you have pride in your high schools. But lets not have all these repeat threads.
Get a life.
Jamie Pollard is a brilliant manager. As a rival AD said early-on, "He's the first director I know who could read a balance sheet." He's jacked up the athletic budget from $20 million to $42 million.
Iowa State's facilities are great and getting better all the time. Fan support is great. Athletic programs are appealing to higher-level recruits. And he successfully pisses off the know-nothing Iowa fans. The fun is only beginning.
Jamie Pollard is a brilliant manager. As a rival AD said early-on, "He's the first director I know who could read a balance sheet." He's jacked up the athletic budget from $20 million to $42 million.
Iowa State's facilities are great and getting better all the time. Fan support is great. Athletic programs are appealing to higher-level recruits. And he successfully pisses off the know-nothing Iowa fans. The fun is only beginning.
I don't know why people keep saying this. Football season ticket sales went up in 2007, then down in 2008. A temporary one-year increase in sales without a solid base is nothing great. We will see about 2009; they likely would have gone down significantly had Chizzlestick returned to build on his 10 game losing streak. The hope a new coach sells might temper some of that. Basketball season ticket sales have fallen off the charts compared to where they were pre-Pollard.
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JP has plenty of fine traits. However, he should not get a free pass on the Chizik debacle. It's his job to evaluate the candidate's interest in the job, fit for the position, character, etc. He blew it with Chizik and set the program back several years. Don't give me the "how could he know that Chiz was going to leave" bs. It's his job to evaluate this during the interview process.
Did you see his presser after chizik left??? This guy BLEEDS cardinal and gold more than you ever will. He may ultimately fail (I don't think he will) but it won't be from lack of vision, passion, and trying. All you can ask of some one is to pour their heart and soul into an effort and if anyone thinks Pollard has done anything short of that they are crazy. Pollard will get plenty of time and a LONG leash from both the university and the majority of the fans.
Naysayers need to really sit and let this point sink in. Do you realize how difficult that is to do with programs that aren't winning as much as fans would like. Now, imagine what happens when those programs do win. Like JP says, there is goinig to be an explosion of revenue and fan support when the wins start happening.
I seriously thing people get so bored that they fire off random crap to stir the pot. Pollard has done an amazing job overall. We have had bad luck in Football, but that is not his fault. In addition, we probably could be further along in basketball right now if we would have hired a win at all costs type of coach. BUT, we would have done so at the risk of feeling slimy and/or bringing in questionable character guys. McD is doing this the right way - it may take longer this way, but we won't ever question the morality/legality of the way things are being done.
Finally, I think it is funny how people point to 1 or 2 things to support a ridiculous argument like 'Fire Pollard'. Look at all the progress that has been made - with facilities, donations (heck, my donations are up 1000% since he took over), WBB, Wrestling, Gymnastics, etc. This program was near death when Pollard got here. It may not have appeard so because we were occassionally good in the major sports, but it was only a matter of time before all that crumbled as we fell farther and farther behind in facilities, budget, etc.
Just let the man do his job without ******** about every little thing that is not perfect.
Finally, I think it is funny how people point to 1 or 2 things to support a ridiculous argument like 'Fire Pollard'. Look at all the progress that has been made - with facilities, donations (heck, my donations are up 1000% since he took over), WBB, Wrestling, Gymnastics, etc. This program was near death when Pollard got here. It may not have appeard so because we were occassionally good in the major sports, but it was only a matter of time before all that crumbled as we fell farther and farther behind in facilities, budget, etc.
Just let the man do his job without ******** about every little thing that is not perfect.
Yeah, people need to realize the difference between being a coach and being an AD. Winning is not the big picture of an AD. Obviously, you want to find a coach that will win you games, but as long as the house is selling out and you're making more money than your predecessor, you're fine. If you lose every football game but make 30 million more in revenue your first year, that's pretty good, because you know the money will go back into the product to improve it in the future.
You can't really judge an AD by their first three or four years like coaches are judged. I think an AD should get a MINIMUM of 8-10 years before judgement starts, unless they're just completely destroying the athletic department financially.
You can't really judge an AD by their first three or four years like coaches are judged. I think an AD should get a MINIMUM of 8-10 years before judgement starts, unless they're just completely destroying the athletic department financially.
You are talking about an AD that everyone knows his name and Hawk fans hate. That's amazing. Let the man stay as long as he wants.
I think this statement is a little bit excessive. SMU in the late '80s was a program that was near death. We're nowhere near that bad. We're more like a program that was a bum on the street that desperately needed a warm meal, warm clothes, and a roof over our head. We've gotten that and much more with JP.
I think in my overall opinion, Pollard has a good future at ISU if he sticks around. He's making good decisions - they just aren't working out.
I mean c'mon - Chizick seemed like the best potential head coach in the country back when we got him.
And our basketball team does have great potential for the next couple years.
I mean c'mon - Chizick seemed like the best potential head coach in the country back when we got him.
And our basketball team does have great potential for the next couple years.
Have you contributed some money to help our cause? I believe he has done a good job in many ways:
-returned finanancial stability to the program
-hired a basketball coach who is now improving the program
-hired a football coach who got Iowa State into the Nike Elite status and was a coach everyone agreed was a rising star
-has a womens' hoops program in the top 20
-women's volleyball top 20
-wrestling program top five
-stadium improvements
-mens basketball practice facility
-relatively CLEAN program compared to others
-I could go on...is he perfect. No one is, but whether you like JP or not, you have to recognize the many good things he has done.
So you think he's failed enough to get fired, yet he has a good future at ISU? Do you even know what you're saying?
A significant part of the fan base was no longer buying what McCarney was selling. On the business side of the equation, you simply can't afford for your customers not to want your product. Chizik came in and rejuvinated the fan base.
You can't compare DM going to bowl games with past coaches going to bowl games. It's highly doubtful ISU would have been to ANY bowl games if the only bowl games were games that existed in the late 70s/early 80s.
So you're going to ding Rhoads for what Price did too, I would assume.
There is no conceivable way you can figure out if someone is going to stick around during a few hour interview process. It's asinine to expect that.
I also don't think Chizik leaving set the program back that much. Not much has gone with him (yet), and, while recruiting will probably suffer a bit, we have a great core of guys back who can win right now.
Do you mean people, or do you simply mean how much do you care about these sports? :yes:To be consistently ranked in the top 5 in the country and have a legimate shot at a national championship as in wrestling, or to achieve things never before thought possible, like back-to-back sweet 16 appearances, as in volleyball, or to have a very highly respected, self-supporting women's b-ball program that outdraws most men's programs and has one of the best coaches in the country, all are things that I, and I'm pretty sure most other Cyclone fans care deeply about.
:chatterbox:It's not all just about football and basketball to a lot of fans, but it has to be to the Athletic Dept., because they create the most revenue. To rule out other these other successes as part of JP's legacy is unfair and would lead to an inacurate assessment of his total contribution to Iowa State athletics.
:notworthy:I feel fairly confident in saying that there is not another person in the country who could have generated the increased fan support, planned and proceeded with renovations, and done so with so much profesionalism while saddled with all the baggage that has been heaped upon him since he got here. I don't believe he's afraid to take the blame for his actions. To be fair, we shouldn't hesitate to give credit where credit is due.
:wink:I've said before that I think JP feels a true attachment and sense of loyalty to Iowa State and it's supporters, and that he has a vision for where he wants to take us. He won't settle for mediocrity and neither should we. I for one, am satisfied to sit back, watch, and enjoy the ride!
:yes:To be consistently ranked in the top 5 in the country and have a legimate shot at a national championship as in wrestling, or to achieve things never before thought possible, like back-to-back sweet 16 appearances, as in volleyball, or to have a very highly respected, self-supporting women's b-ball program that outdraws most men's programs and has one of the best coaches in the country, all are things that I, and I'm pretty sure most other Cyclone fans care deeply about.
:chatterbox:It's not all just about football and basketball to a lot of fans, but it has to be to the Athletic Dept., because they create the most revenue. To rule out other these other successes as part of JP's legacy is unfair and would lead to an inacurate assessment of his total contribution to Iowa State athletics.
:notworthy:I feel fairly confident in saying that there is not another person in the country who could have generated the increased fan support, planned and proceeded with renovations, and done so with so much profesionalism while saddled with all the baggage that has been heaped upon him since he got here. I don't believe he's afraid to take the blame for his actions. To be fair, we shouldn't hesitate to give credit where credit is due.
:wink:I've said before that I think JP feels a true attachment and sense of loyalty to Iowa State and it's supporters, and that he has a vision for where he wants to take us. He won't settle for mediocrity and neither should we. I for one, am satisfied to sit back, watch, and enjoy the ride!
Great Great post. Thank You!:notworthy:
I think JP is in good status. I like him JP to me is all about Iowa State and that is what we need right now. Unfortunatley unlike some programs who have some down seasons pop right back up, ISU is not in that posistion right now but could be. I do not think it will take another four to five years to be bowl bound again. Coach Mac is recruiting well and the basketball team is improving from that terrible SDSU game. Iowa State is not a BCS power house, can it be someday? Sure anything is possible, but it starts with the right coaches and the right players and I think we are heading in the right direction. JP getting the axe is just the wrong decision, look at the facilities upgrades since he has been here which will help us be more competitive in the big twelve to get those players who can make a difference. Without it Iowa State would be in worse shape than it is in right now and right now we are not in all that bad of shape.