How patient will you be?

ISUFan22 · 06-13-2008, 09:36 AM

Sources is tossed around here about as much as the word "Cyclones".

Everyone has "sources". Whatever.

I can be patient, but we better see marketable improvements later this season and especially next year. If not, I'll still be there - but I don't know how many others will.

Bader · 06-13-2008, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Sources is tossed around here about as much as the word "Cyclones".

Everyone has "sources". Whatever.

I can be patient, but we better see marketable improvements later this season and especially next year. If not, I'll still be there - but I don't know how many others will.

Hmmm my sources tell me there is some guy djkhawk who is really Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, or perhaps this Kevin Bacon person... I'll have to get back to you

throwittoblythe · 06-13-2008, 09:55 AM

I'll take a comment from Tony LaRussa after the Cards game last night. A reporter asked him how he felt about their road trip and their 19-15 record on the road.

He basically said "As long as we go out there and compete, that's all I care about. If you go out and are competitive in every single game, the numbers will take care of themselves."

That's how I will approach this ISU football season. As long as we're competitive, I will be fine. No choke-jobs (see Toledo) no huge blowouts (see Texas). No matter the opponent, as long as we are competitive we will win the games we're supposed to and maybe even steal a win or two this year.

ISUFan22 · 06-13-2008, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by throwittoblythe

I'll take a comment from Tony LaRussa after the Cards game last night. A reporter asked him how he felt about their road trip and their 19-15 record on the road.

He basically said "As long as we go out there and compete, that's all I care about. If you go out and are competitive in every single game, the numbers will take care of themselves."

That's how I will approach this ISU football season. As long as we're competitive, I will be fine. No choke-jobs (see Toledo) no huge blowouts (see Texas). No matter the opponent, as long as we are competitive we will win the games we're supposed to and maybe even steal a win or two this year.

Chizik said something very similar before last season - but it was in regards to being physical and beating up the other team.

Stormin · 06-13-2008, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Sources is tossed around here about as much as the word "Cyclones".

Everyone has "sources". Whatever.

I can be patient, but we better see marketable improvements later this season and especially next year. If not, I'll still be there - but I don't know how many others will.

You are right when you infer that Chizik must deliver. But in Mac's 12th season, we were struggling on the field and our recruiting was drying up. We weren't looking at expanding the stadium, laying down a new field or creating new luxury suites and club section. In fact, there wasn't a lot of enthusiasm at all. The crowds were dwindling and we were getting blown out really bad by our Big XII opponents. At least with Chizik, we were 2-8 and had like 50,000 people for the Colorado game. And came back after trailing at halftime in the greatest comeback in Cyclone history for the win. We are an extremely young team. I think that we have some great opportunity for success. I get the feeling that we are building something at ISU and that we are a program on the rise. I think a lot of naysayers out there are Mac Loyalists who don't think Mac should have had to resign. Mac did some great things. But it was just time for him to go. Kind of like Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses didn't get to lead them into the Promised Land.

Bader · 06-13-2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Chizik said something very similar before last season - but it was in regards to being physical and beating up the other team.

That's exactly what I love to see in a football team. McFarland is obviously a big proponent of a "spread" type offense but has done well in the past having 1000 rushers as well as a strong passing attack. Our backs are gonna hit you in the mouth and then our passing attack will pick you apart.

ISUFan22 · 06-13-2008, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Stormin

You are right when you infer that Chizik must deliver. But in Mac's 12th season, we were struggling on the field and our recruiting was drying up. We weren't looking at expanding the stadium, laying down a new field or creating new luxury suites and club section. In fact, there wasn't a lot of enthusiasm at all. The crowds were dwindling and we were getting blown out really bad by our Big XII opponents. At least with Chizik, we were 2-8 and had like 50,000 people for the Colorado game. And came back after trailing at halftime in the greatest comeback in Cyclone history for the win. We are an extremely young team. I think that we have some great opportunity for success. I get the feeling that we are building something at ISU and that we are a program on the rise. I think a lot of naysayers out there are Mac Loyalists who don't think Mac should have had to resign. Mac did some great things. But it was just time for him to go. Kind of like Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses didn't get to lead them into the Promised Land.

I'm quite aware of all items noted above - I've been at each and every one of those games. This isn't about D-Mac and lets try not to make it such. This is Gene Chizik's football team now.

The fact remains - if Chizik isn't winning soon and the costs stay the same (or continue to rise), people will fall off.

For us, we're getting tickets indefinitely - I can't see a reason why we won't have them. But for some, that certainly won't be the case.

I have little doubt Chizik and Co. can get the job done. But nothing is certain, especially at Iowa State.

chrishull14 · 06-13-2008, 10:27 AM

I think we need to clearly define what the goal is. From the day Pollard was hired, he has tried to break away from the "same old-same old". We all want success. In the past, the problem was the way we tried to achieve it. We have always been a mediocre program that has tried a series of "get rich quick schemes" to reach the next level. Some of these band-aids and quick fixes worked for a year of two, but then, we were back to mediocre and trying to clean up a mess. We have to do things the right way and build a foundation that will provide constant success. I think Pollard has gotten ISU to stop buying lottery tickets, and instead is building a program that can become a renewable resource. Personally, I don't care how long it takes. As long as we continue to move forward. There will always be down years. You can't win them all, right? As long as the general inertia is toward better things.

Cyclonestate78 · 06-13-2008, 10:39 AM

How patient am I for Iowa State to rebuild the program and become competitive with all of the BIG XII schools and to have success on a yearly basis?

The only answer I can come up with is to say that I will wait as long as it takes. As a Clone fan I will not abandon the hope that we in fact will build a program that will compete for conference titles and bowl bids on a regular basis and not just every once in awhile when we catch lightning in a bottle. It will happen it is only a matter of when. I think it will be well worth the wait no matter how long that takes.

Rogue52 · 06-13-2008, 10:41 AM

Pollard has effectively bet the bank on Gene Chizik. Two and three win seasons the next 2 years aren't going to fly. He needs to be more around 5-6 wins a year to feel comfortable the next 2 seasons IMO. After that, expect Pollard to start to look for a breakout season somewhere.

Nothing I have seen from Gene Chizik has made me think he can't and won't do it.

Palmer · 06-13-2008, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

Nothing I have seen from Gene Chizik has made me think he can't and won't do it.

any doubts I had regarding Gene were eased when we went toe to toe with Oklahoma following the Texas debacle.

there are no moral victories...but I felt the program was pointed in the right direction after that game.

Rogue52 · 06-13-2008, 10:47 AM

Another thing, Jamie Pollard may be the most impatient of anyone here. Let's remember what he's done in his short time here. He knows that things take time, but I don't think Jamie feels the football program is a complete rebuilding effort. This is why I think he pulled the trigger on Mac when he did. He didn't want to fall into a complete rebuilding process.

Pollard's rating of Chizik might not be in just wins and losses, but Jamie is not going to like too many Texas games like last year. Games like that, where your whole fan base leaves, are not good for image.

Transient · 06-13-2008, 11:47 AM

As patient as it takes.

isuno1fan · 06-13-2008, 12:14 PM

I'll say again I'm looking for improvement and that's all this next year. 4-5 wins should be the expectation.

Cyclonestate78 · 06-13-2008, 12:37 PM

I think Chizik will be the most impatient person in Cyclone Nation if we aren't competitive. This is a guy who has been a part of some great college football teams at great institutions like Auburn & Texas. Losing football games is I'm sure not something he has done a whole lot of in the recent past and it definitely is not something that he is going to want to do much of in the future. This guy isn't like McCarney... he has been around some of the best head coaches and seen how big time programs are run. IF he can't succeed in building the ISU program up then I am afraid that nobody can.