Spikers continue to impress

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 01:28 PM

Cyclones Fall In Hard-Fought Contest To No. 3 Texas - Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - Iowa State Cyclones Sports

Falling in 3 in Austin is nothing to hang your head over. They have a top flight program.

And I would've loved to take a set off them, or take it to 5. But I'm flat out giddy over the fact it went extra points in the final two sets with 25-27, 25-27 scores.

Not that long ago, we wouldn't have scored 25 in the 3 sets combined.

**RyCy04** · 09-25-2008, 01:56 PM

There are many people here in Nebraska that are jealous that ISU has Christy Johnson. They want her involved in their program.

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 02:17 PM

NU is one of the few programs I worry about luring CJ away. Them and Wisconsin.

But I can't see it until their head coaching job opens - which will be a while.

**joefrog** · 09-25-2008, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

NU is one of the few programs I worry about luring CJ away. Them and Wisconsin.

But I can't see it until their head coaching job opens - which will be a while.

That is why ISU needs as much of our support as they can get. Football and basketball both help cover expenses for these other sports. Thankfully our women's bball really helps out. I hate it when we get such good coaches in sports and they leave, ala the gymnastics one.

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by joefrog

That is why ISU needs as much of our support as they can get. Football and basketball both help cover expenses for these other sports. Thankfully our women's bball really helps out. I hate it when we get such good coaches in sports and they leave, ala the gymnastics one.

Agreed - and that's what made the KJ deal tough to swallow. She's an ISU alum.

But with CJ - I don't know that ISU would be able to do much regardless. She's from Omaha, she was a player at NU. So it's going home for her. I'm not sure how big of a deal that is for her, but I can certainly understand it. And I'm pretty sure her husband is from Wisconsin and she has a coaching history there. So the same deal.

I do think she's the type of person who relishes the idea of taking a nothing program and making it a contender - more than going to an established program and maintaining. Just spit-balling

**EggMcClone** · 09-25-2008, 02:51 PM

Didn't the team drop out of the rankings earlier in the year after losing to some smaller schools? Are they playing better now?

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by EggMcClone

Didn't the team drop out of the rankings earlier in the year after losing to some smaller schools? Are they playing better now?

Yeah - those losses to UNI and KU are disappointing, but not exactly unexpected.

I'm not really up to speed on UNI this year - but they have long been one of the better teams in the state. KU was a hard fought game on the road. I believe UW-Milwaukee is/was ranked. Or maybe that was Middle Tenn. St.

Even so, that type of game in Texas speaks for itself. To bad they have to follow it up with a game against NU - another top program.

**theshadow** · 09-25-2008, 02:58 PM

They are still hovering in the "receiving votes" category.

UW-Milwaukee may be the only "bad loss" so far.
Middle Tennessee is a top-25 team.
UNI was better than I thought they'd be.
Kansas made a huge comeback against ISU, and then took a game off NU in Lincoln last night.
Texas is #3, and ISU had multiple set points on two different occasions.

I fully expect ISU to take at least one game off NU in Ames on Saturday night. No competition with football. $1 tickets. Hilton should be rocking.

**cstrunk** · 09-25-2008, 03:00 PM

If I remember correctly, the volleyball team took Texas to a 5th set last year. There was a thread following the progress of the match. We almost beat them but choked away a lead in the 5th set.

**garn91** · 09-25-2008, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

NU is one of the few programs I worry about luring CJ away. Them and Wisconsin.

But I can't see it until their head coaching job opens - which will be a while.

I don't think you have to worry about Nebraska opening up anytime soon as Cook is a God like figure. Kudos on the turnaround that your volleyball program has had the last couple of years.

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

I don't think you have to worry about Nebraska opening up anytime soon as Cook is a God like figure. Kudos on the turnaround that your volleyball program has had the last couple of years.

So was Pettit, maybe even more so.

But I was speaking more to Cook(e) retiriing or moving on. Not dillusions about his being fired.

**theshadow** · 09-25-2008, 03:39 PM

There's no chance CJ goes to Nebraska, even when Cook leaves. It's pretty obvious, given the recruiting areas, that CJ has a heavy desire to beat Nebraska both on the court and off.

As long as CJ keeps winning (and increasing the yearly win total), she'll keep getting what she wants.

**garn91** · 09-25-2008, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

So was Pettit, maybe even more so.

But I was speaking more to Cook(e) retiriing or moving on. Not dillusions about his being fired.

I could see Cook retiring, espcially when his daugther goes out to I think UCLA to play volleyball.

**DaddyMac** · 09-25-2008, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by theshadow

There's no chance CJ goes to Nebraska, even when Cook leaves. It's pretty obvious, given the recruiting areas, that CJ has a heavy desire to beat Nebraska both on the court and off.

As long as CJ keeps winning (and increasing the yearly win total), she'll keep getting what she wants.

I hope you're right, but I don't think you are. I don't think she has anything but good feelings about NU. She had a fantastic career and is highly regarded there. It's her home school and state. And Cook is the coach who gave her her first coaching gig at Wisconsin.

Recruiting is recruiting. She's not going to avoid Omaha just because it's NU's home turf. She went to Millard North - which gives her a natural connection. 3 of our frosh are from Neb, 1 from WI and one from IL - the later two having connections to our assistants.

She knows full well that you don't have to travel the country to bring in top volleyball talent. Supposedly Terry Pettit (her coach at NU) didn't recruit west of Colorado or east of Indiana. And he was a yearly conference winner and fixture in the NCAA's.

If CJ can keep the best talent in Iowa at ISU, that alone will put together a winning program.

Aside from that little essay - I think you're dead on. If she keeps advancing the program, she better keep getting what she wants. If I'm not mistaken, after last season's NCAA run, she got hooked up with another 3 years at 100K per. I don't know alot about coaches salaries, but I don't think that's too shabby.