By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher
SOME GOOD NEWS: Hey hoops fanatics. Turn that frown upside down. I actually have some good news for you today. According to Fred Hoiberg, the Iowa State men’s basketball team broke a record in the classroom last season. The Cyclones averaged a GPA of 3.05 in 2010-11, which is the highest mark in program history.
Smile. We might be on the brink of 2012 (some people REALLY believe that the human race is doomed), but the world has not come to an end just yet!
For more on this story, CLICK HERE to visit Cyclones.com.
TEMPERED EXPECTATIONS? If you haven’t checked it out by now, the Des Moines Register’s Sean Keeler wrote a thought provoking column in today’s paper regarding the recent troubles surrounding the Iowa State men’s basketball program. Predictably, many of you fanatics were instantly irritated by Keeler’s thoughts. I thought that the piece was very fair though. Heck, even if the Calvin Godfrey news hadn’t gone down two days ago, I would have agreed with Keeler.
Will the talent level be up in Ames next year? Of course it will. But these guys still haven’t proven a thing in the Big 12.
Don’t panic though.
Even without Godfrey, I still think that this could be an NCAA Tournament team next season. I don’t believe that Godfrey alone makes or breaks that. The Big 12 is going to be WAY down next season. Like, as down as it has ever been.
Kansas will be Kansas, but they’ve got a lot to prove. Texas will be good, but not as good. Texas A&M is in the middle of a coaching search in mid-May. Missouri lost its identity when Mike Anderson bolted for Arkansas. Jacob Pullen is gone from Manhattan. Yeah Frank Martin can recruit, but Pullen has been the catalyst throughout that program’s turnaround. Baylor has talent but Scott Drew isn’t a modern day John Wooden. Texas Tech and Oklahoma are both in transition mode. Oklahoma State should be a solid NCAA Tournament team.
That’s the league. The new Big 12 will be a lock to get four teams into the tournament and five or six if the year allows it.
Expect an NCAA Tournament? If you’re on this website, you’re a fan. I say shoot for the stars.
Hope for the best. Expect the worst. That’s how I live my life. Pessimist? Nah…As my friend Tron Smith (shameless WILSON TOYOTA plug) would say, "we just keep it real."
ESPN ON ISU’S SCHEDULE: Enough warm fuzzies for you today. ESPN.com Big 12 blogger David Ubben posted his "schedule analysis" column featuring Iowa State earlier today. Ubben used the word "brutal" not once, but twice to describe Iowa State’s road slate. (Gulp)
LINKS GALORE
– The following link will probably crash our server, due to pure excitement from sports fans around the region. Gus Johnson, yes, THE Gus Johnson, will be calling some Big 12 football games this fall.
– I missed this in yesterday’s roundup. New Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith recently picked up a couple of commitments from the Kansas City area.
– Details on Lon Kruger’s contract from the Daily Oklahoman.
– Here’s a strong feature on former Cyclone hoopster Jamie Vanderbeken (who recently graduated) from Cyclones.com.
– Iowa State’s annual "Tailgate Tour" kicks off today in Cedar Rapids. For details on this year’s schedule, CLICK HERE.
