By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com PublisherFollow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams
Greetings Cyclone Nation. It’s officially mail time here at CycloneFanatic.com.
Let’s get today’s column started with a broad question from cystheman.
Cystheman writes: What kind of plans do you have for the website during the summer months since other than recruiting, there isnt much to talk about until summer football workouts begin? Also, hypothetical situation, you and Brock Lesner are in a steel cage in a fight to the death. You get your choice of one weapon. What do you select to take down the beast?
CW: Funny you should go there. I can’t get into specific details yet but we’re currently working on some big things for CycloneFanatic.com for the 2012/13 Iowa State athletic seasons. If you’ve noticed fewer new articles on our front page per day over the last couple of weeks, that’s why. It will all be worth it though when August rolls around. That’s a promise. I’ll just stay that we’re going to freshen things up a bit and leave it at that for now.
As far as my weapon of choice in a steel cage death fight vs. Brock Lesner (help me Lord), I would pay homage to my favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo and go with the numchuck. And after winning the fight, I’d order a pizza, with no anchovies. And hopefully that creepy human-size elderly rat doesn’t make an appearance.
Megamanxzero35 writes: The Corn Belt isn’t happening for the ISU-Iowa game. Think the ISU-KSU rivalry game could use a Farm Belt?
CW: Iowa State – Kansas State isn’t worthy of a belt in my opinion. I don’t know…It’d be cool but I still don’t think of the Cyclones vs. the Wildcats as a big rivalry for some reason. You can’t fabricate a rivalry. It’s got to be natural. Maybe it will evolve over the next few years with the new look Big 12?
Iowa State and Iowa (and the folks at Iowa Corn) really missed the boat by not jumping on this the "Corn Belt" idea in my opinion. I’m not one to get too worked up over a trophy. In fact, you didn’t hear a peep out of me during last year’s state fair when everybody got all worked up about the Pewter Family. But that belt is a really unique idea that would have made this rivalry (or the trophy at least) stand out on a national scale. If something better gets used, I’m all for it. But I’d love to hear somebody with some decision making power explain to me why the belt didn’t deserve to at the very least be on the ballot.
Drose1 writes: When can we expect to start hearing where some of these potential transfers plan on going?
CW: I think that as far as Trent Lockett goes, sooner rather than later. Last weekend, I wouldn’t have been shocked to see him back a decision by the end of this week. Since we haven’t heard a peep out of him since he left Ames last Friday, I’d say late next week or early the next. Who knows though? Lockett told me that he wants to get the process over with though so I’ll take him at his word.
For Jarrod Uthoff, I bet it goes on at least another couple of weeks. He talks like he wants to take at least a couple more visits, specifically to Florida and Marquette before making his decision.
Kfitzy87 writes: Any new updates on the 2013 basketball recruiting trail?
CW: Honestly, no. Sit tight until July. That’s when the next evaluation period begins and normally when things start to get nutty for hoops recruiting. I still like Iowa State’s chances with Matt Thomas…
Cycarob writes: How soon will we start hearing more about football recruiting for this year?
CW: Boy you’d think before too long wouldn’t you? Iowa State’s first summer camp is scheduled for June 3. That’s for juniors and seniors in high school, when a lot of offers are handed out. Don’t be shocked if the Cyclones pick up a commit or two around that time. The 7-on-7/big man camps are scheduled for June 10.
CRcyclone6 writes: Can you "cat daddy" Chris? Ok, seriously, are you attending any Tailgate Tour events? Which ones and what kind of features would you be doing if you do?
CW: Wait…What? Never mind on the first part of this question…
Not sure on the Tailgate Tour. No. I don’t get invited to these things by Iowa State as I’m not an employee of the athletic department. CycloneFanatic.com is 100 percent independent of that. The only thing that I do that is directly connected with Iowa State at all is host the postgame football show on the Cyclone Radio Network, which is run through Learfield Sports.
BUT, Tron Smith (Wilson Toyota of Ames – Give the man a call and buy a car please) and I are talking about heading up to Humbolt on May 24. Our good friend Larry who we met through some Cyclone Gridiron Club functions has invited us up there to hang out and I think we might take him up on it….ROLL CALL. Who’s going to be in Humbolt that afternoon?
Should Tron and I make the trip?
CLONECONES writes: Think KO will show everyone in the AFC east what "being raised by women" has done to him?
CW: I’d like somebody to do a follow up interview with the bonehead who said that. Unbelievable. As far as Kelechi Osemele goes, the guy is a monster. He’ll have a successful NFL career. How could he not?
Bigman38 writes: How surprised were you that Leonard Johnson went undrafted?
CW: Very surprised. I guess I never thought that Leonard would be a guy who was drafted on either of the first two days but I thought he was a lock for day three. It’s amazing what a few bad numbers at a combine can do for a guy isn’t it? Even so, I really think that he’ll have a decent career in the NFL. It’s all about fitting in with the right team and I think that the Bucs will give him a decent opportunity to do so. He’s got NFL talent. Just needs to hang on tight cause the next few months will be very hard.
Clones21 writes: Your opinion on the Vikings 2012 draft?
CW: I was a fan. How could you not be? Any time that you can trade down, stockpile more picks and still get the guy you wanted in the first place is a very good thing. I really appreciated the fact that the Vikes were aggressive and traded up to get their guy again late in the first round. I liked the draft. Unfortunately, something tells me that they’ll have a top five pick again next season.
