Our BB schedule is a disgrace

**bballisu11** · 12-22-2010, 12:31 AM

All the basketball powerhouse schools are afraid of us

.

Almost all big conference schools schedule cupcakes in basketball bar a few games here and there.

**cyclones500** · 12-22-2010, 01:21 AM

I don't mind a few pushovers on the schedule, intermixed with the in-state series and things like the Big 12/Pac-10. Most schools do plenty of that, other than powerhouse teams that know they can beef up the RPI and not risk going 5-10 in the non-conference.

I would like to see a balance — too many Chicago States and teams can get a false sense of progress. It becomes night-and-day — play cupcakes for a couple of weeks, then comes the conference schedule, where even the worst teams are twice as much challenge.

I will say this — at least this team is dousing such teams, for the most part. If we're losing to weak competition at home while trying to pad the gate receipts, then you might as well beg Duke or Kentucky to let you come play at their gym once a year.

As one person posted, a couple seasons of consistent success could add a legit early-season tournament invitation.

I'll follow this with my mythical "average" non-conference schedule that would be a happy medium during most years (provided the program actually isn't totally inept)

**erikbj** · 12-22-2010, 07:00 AM

you would rather be 12-2 with a weak schedule

or

you would rather be 6-8 with a tough schedule?

**creightonclone** · 12-22-2010, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by JR Cyclones

Only 3 schools from BCS conferences have a worse schedule.

So I ask...what is the point?

Playing a cupcake schedule certainly isn't good for season ticket holders. And it sure as heck isn't going to fool the polls or the computers either. Nor will it prepare us for a Big 12 Conference schedule. So is it just supposed to make us feel better about ourselves because it makes our record look better?

Thoughts?

It's been like this for 20 years.

**BryceC** · 12-22-2010, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by JR Cyclones

Only 3 schools from BCS conferences have a worse schedule.

So I ask...what is the point?

Playing a cupcake schedule certainly isn't good for season ticket holders. And it sure as heck isn't going to fool the polls or the computers either. Nor will it prepare us for a Big 12 Conference schedule. So is it just supposed to make us feel better about ourselves because it makes our record look better?

Thoughts?

You assuming that the "computers" will matter this season. You're assuming that walking out of Hilton with our butt hurting 50% of the time in the noncon is good for season ticket holders and will prepare us for Big 12 play. I disagree.

Iowa played a tougher schedule than we did, lost some more games, and likely will lose just as many in the Big 10. What is the point of that kind of schedule?

Our fans are happy and pumped. That's why you have a schedule like this.

**CRAZYGREG** · 12-22-2010, 08:22 AM

I have been a season ticket holder since '94. Our non-conference scheduler is ALWAYS like this. I have always hated the way that we schedule. Can anyone name the best non-conference opponent that we have played in Hilton in the past 10 years?

**weR138** · 12-22-2010, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by JR Cyclones

Only 3 schools from BCS conferences have a worse schedule.

So I ask...what is the point?

Playing a cupcake schedule certainly isn't good for season ticket holders. And it sure as heck isn't going to fool the polls or the computers either. Nor will it prepare us for a Big 12 Conference schedule. So is it just supposed to make us feel better about ourselves because it makes our record look better?

Thoughts?

You're a whiner.

**52ynnel** · 12-22-2010, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by JR Cyclones

Relax, son. Familiar with the Ankeny Hawks? Right down the road from Ames.

Well played JR. I love how some posters feel the need to crush those who are not blindly optomisitic. Our Non-con schedule tells us very little about this team in my opinion.

**dbqhawk** · 12-22-2010, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by CloneState1028

Troll?

The reason the schedule is what it is, is because this team needs all the confidence it can possibly build up. It's a young team and a lot of these guys just need to learn to play together. 11-2 against this schedule is still a helluva lot more exciting to look at as fans than 6-6 or 7-5 against a schedule a little bit more difficult.

SOS is important, but this team's chances of making the tourney were slim to none and therefore scheduling a difficult non-conference schedule is useless, essentially.

What is the purpose of the pre-conference schedule? Is to play a bunch of cupcakes(with a couple tougher ones thrown in) to get wins and build confidence or is it to prepare you for the conference by playing some tougher teams with fewer cupcakes thrown in and find out where the strengths and weaknesses are? I would say a coach can build confidence in his players the latter way also. My feeling is neither is always right and coaches do both at different times in their careers.

**creightonclone** · 12-22-2010, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by CRAZYGREG

I have been a season ticket holder since '94. Our non-conference scheduler is ALWAYS like this. I have always hated the way that we schedule. Can anyone name the best non-conference opponent that we have played in Hilton in the past 10 years?

UNI

**longtimeclone** · 12-22-2010, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by CRAZYGREG

I have been a season ticket holder since '94. Our non-conference scheduler is ALWAYS like this. I have always hated the way that we schedule. Can anyone name the best non-conference opponent that we have played in Hilton in the past 10 years?

I remember us playing Virgina about 5 years ago and they were ranked at the time.

I don't see why people are complaing about the schedule. Would you rather have played a more difficult schedule and have 3-4 more losses or be sitting 11-2 right now? I think this was a good boast for the team and the fans. Also, the way I see it we only need 8-9 more wins to get into the post-season.

**Rogue52** · 12-22-2010, 09:02 AM

Why are we talking about BCS conferences in basketball?

**JUKEBOX** · 12-22-2010, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by bballisu11

All the basketball powerhouse schools are afraid of us

.

Almost all big conference schools schedule cupcakes in basketball bar a few games here and there.

at the Boise joke.

**Gnomeborg** · 12-22-2010, 09:08 AM

we also had a home-home with Boston College.

Based on how they'd been playing in past years, Cal should have been up there, too.

The problem is that no one wants a home-on-home with ISU. I'm not one of those people who claims that the Dukes and North Carolinas of the world are frightened of Hilton, but we're a big-conference school. No one wants to get locked into a bunch of home-on-home contracts and deny themselves a couple more home games a year. Teams want to play at home until they have to not.

**CRAZYGREG** · 12-22-2010, 09:09 AM

I am fine with scheduling cupcakes but can we at least try to get 1 or 2 good games a year, outside of Iowa and UNI? Really just bringing in a ranked team each year would do wonders for the fanbase. Don't get me wrong, I have had season tickets for 16 years now but it is hard to get up and excited to go see the Clones vs. Chicago State.