Who is the greatest Cyclone of all-time?

[ca4cy]

Isn't Grayer a Michigan fan today? Shouldn't he be kicked off the mountain for that?

I posted it in the "round of 32" thread but I don't think I got any response. I'm almost positive I saw Jeff Grayer wearing Sparty green in the Michigan State section against KU the other day. They panned to the crowd as they were going out to a tv timeout and I saw him. I can't say 100% it was him, but I'm probably about 98% sure.

If anybody has watched the 30 for 30 about the Phi Slamma Jamma teams, he also had a brief appearance when they were looking for Bennie Anders, who was also from Flint.

 

[MakeItNazty]

Tinsley, Fizer, or Niang.

 

[clonefreek]

Lucca Staiger obviously

 

[CYcoFan]

I posted it in the "round of 32" thread but I don't think I got any response. I'm almost positive I saw Jeff Grayer wearing Sparty green in the Michigan State section against KU the other day. They panned to the crowd as they were going out to a tv timeout and I saw him. I can't say 100% it was him, but I'm probably about 98% sure.

If anybody has watched the 30 for 30 about the Phi Slamma Jamma teams, he also had a brief appearance when they were looking for Bennie Anders, who was also from Flint.

Bridges is from Flint. Grayer is a mentor to him. Just another reason Fred leaving was awesful. Bridges and Monk were 4-5 months from making their decisions and he jets

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

I know you thought it was Fred hands down, but to me it's Johnny Orr hands down. Johnny Orr created ISU basketball. He created Hilton Magic which is the brand of our entire university. If not for him there's not the same yearning of the fan base to maintain an excellent basketball program. Because of that, Jamie didn't take a safer coach than Fred (who wouldn't have come here if not for Johnny in the first place).

Sure Fred brought it all back and extended it, but the fan base was already there and ready because it was created by Johnny. Also Fred's success didn't even reach the levels of Larry.

Fred was great and massively important but not first place.

Love perspective like this. Why I started the thread. Good stuff.

 

[Dryburn]

For program impact, if coaching contribution counts......it has to be Fred. If only playing time....I think it is Niang. Fizer would be close, but he did not stay for his senior year. His impact on the program would have been so much greater if he, Tinsley and crew had one more year together. That 2000-01 team may have been a Final Four team had he stayed.

 

[WalkingCY]

As a player for Iowa State:

1. Grayer
2. Fizer
3. Tinsley
4. Niang
5. Morris
6. Hornacek
7. Hoiberg
8. Stevens
9. Willoughby
10. Gary Thompson

Honorable Mention:
Abdul-Aziz, Cato, Ejim, Alexander, Meyer, Thigpen, White, Horton, Long, Shirley, Stinson, Nurse Pratt, Babb, Nader, McKay, Matt Thomas, Homan, Vroman, Holloway, Kane, Stevie Johnson, Bankhead, Lafester Rhodes, Wegner, Michalik.

 

[cycloner29]

Gotta go with Johnny on this. He brought the magic to Hilton. Loved to hear him from the sidelines and jawing with the Refs. Great coach off the floor also!! Greatest one line coach ever!! Johnny started the foundation for the magic, with Gary Thompson as the bedrock. Hilton has grown from there to what it is today. Still to this day, I love the ESPN interview with Dickie V.!! I never get tired of seeing that!!

 

[ca4cy]

As a player for Iowa State:

1. Grayer
2. Fizer
3. Tinsley
4. Niang
5. Morris
6. Hornacek
7. Hoiberg
8. Stevens
9. Willoughby
10. Gary Thompson

Honorable Mention:
Abdul-Aziz, Cato, Alexander, Meyer, Thigpen, White, Horton, Long, Shirley, Stinson, Nurse Pratt, Babb, Nader, McKay, Matt Thomas, Homan, Vroman, Holloway, Bankhead, Stevie Johnson, Wegner

Great list. Based on numbers alone (way before my time) Abdul-Aziz has to be in the top 10, although it's tough to bump any of them.

I'd add Bill Cain, Julo, and Gary Thompkins to your HM list as well.

 

[CtownCyclone]

The one ESPN listed was this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Roth

He's OK, I guess...

 

[CyHans]

I'm going with Hornacek just based on his success in the NBA. And Fizer, Hoiberg, Tinsley, Grayer, Niang, Stevens all close behind.

 

[EnkAMania]

Great list. Based on numbers alone (way before my time) Abdul-Aziz has to be in the top 10, although it's tough to bump any of them.

I'd add Bill Cain, Julo, and Gary Thompkins to your HM list as well.

Add Hercle Ivy

 

[hoopitup]

Gotta go with Johnny on this. He brought the magic to Hilton. Loved to hear him from the sidelines and jawing with the Refs. Great coach off the floor also!! Greatest one line coach ever!! Johnny started the foundation for the magic, with Gary Thompson as the bedrock. Hilton has grown from there to what it is today. Still to this day, I love the ESPN interview with Dickie V.!! I never get tired of seeing that!!

Ha! That interview was classic! Valvano and Vitale were dying.

 

[VeloClone]

Ha! That interview was classic! Valvano and Vitale were dying.

I like how quick Johnny is on his feet in that interview. He wants to take a shot at Vitale but he accidentally says Valvano's name. He still manages to work it around to a couple of shots at **** anyway.

 

[amishclone]

I posted it in the "round of 32" thread but I don't think I got any response. I'm almost positive I saw Jeff Grayer wearing Sparty green in the Michigan State section against KU the other day. They panned to the crowd as they were going out to a tv timeout and I saw him. I can't say 100% it was him, but I'm probably about 98% sure.

If anybody has watched the 30 for 30 about the Phi Slamma Jamma teams, he also had a brief appearance when they were looking for Bennie Anders, who was also from Flint.

OK that's what I was thinking about. I knew I'd seen a picture like that.

 

[JaCyn]

Sweetwater Baines..... Tinsley gets my vote.

 

[CySmurf]

Georgios Tsalmpouris

Did you have to look up his name to spell it correctly GTO?

 

[madguy30]

Lucca Staiger obviously

Need to see how the rest of his season goes.

 

[GTO]

Did you have to look up his name to spell it correctly GTO?

No need. I have the same first name and my last name also starts with Ts...!

 

[CySmurf]

Greatest Cyclone...to me, this is a no-brainer...Johnny Orr. Without Orr building Hilton Magic, the future would have been entirely different. Also...he STAYED! He didn't leave for a better gig...He LEFT a better gig to come HERE! And then he stayed. Loyal to the Cyclones to the end.
Fred...he is great...but he left for the Bulls.
Fizer...probably our best ever player...but he left when we would have been a favorite to win a national title in his would be Senior year.
Tim Floyd...he left...see Fred.
I was in school to watch Grayer live...He was an incredible athlete...but he was in Johnny's shadow...as was Hornacek . And Johnny gave him a chance as a walk-on...and started.
Niang would be my 2nd choice...He was a great basketball player in our greatest era...to date anyway. He, like Johnny, didn't leave. He gave everything he had for Cyclone basketball. Including the skin above his eye and his broken foot! But the best reason I separate Johnny and Georges from everyone else...they HATED the Hawkeyes! And the Hawkeyes hated them.