Good news....but far from great!

[Clones85']

I am very happy that we were able to sign a big man that can help us next year but I am far from wanting to jump with joy. I trust the coaches and their eye for talent, but signing 7 guys in a year is never a good thing. Signing 7 means that we can only sign 1 next year and I don't see the benefit in that. It's not like the spring guys we signed are home run recruits either.

JVB- Exactly what we needed. A big guy who can eat up minutes with Brackins, AT, and a freshman in the post. It is hard for me to get overly excited about his potential to be anything more than another AT though. There is a reason that he did not have any other BCS offers, even when it is a down year for big men. Hopefully coach can turn him into a Jiri like player.

Pomlee- Do you think coach offers him if he knows for sure that JVB is committing? Coach must think that Pomlee can come in and play right away next season, otherwise it may be a waste of a scholarship. Remember, Pomlee didn't have any other BCS offers either. Do coaches think Pomlee is better than any 09 post players that they are in on? These are the questions I have. I personally would have loved to have eaten the scholarship and used in on an 09 recruit.

Christopherson- This one is really a head scratcher for me. He is not somebody who can step on campus and help us right away. He has to sit out a year, and we already have Lucca, Ike, and Boozer at the 2 position. Diante can also play the 2 if needed. If the coaches would have gotten a JUCO point guard or an athletic wing player (a la Rahshon) I would have understood using another scholly but I don't get why they would give it to a guy who's position already has some depth. I talked to a buddy who watched him play when he was in town this past weekend, and he said he looked solid, but didn't light the world on fire. The coaches must think he is going to be really good to offer him IMO.

Really, I wish we would have only signed 1 guy this spring (JVB) and not 3. That way we could bank the other scholly's for next year. It would give the coaches time to see where our weaknesses/strengths are once the freshman get on campus, and go after recruits based on that. For us to be successful in the future, we need to sign 3 guys a year (not 7) and usually zero in the spring time. Let's face it, most spring time commits are ones that most schools didn't want the first time around. Hopefully these players make me eat my words and come into ISU and tear it up and help us get back to the NCAA tourney.

[StLouisClone]

I was also thinking we might bank a scholly. I guess Christopherson is too good to pass up. Plus, these days scholarships seem to open up unexpectedly at every school because a player decides to transfer. That's not such a bad thing as long as they leave in good standing.

[NebrClone]

I agree, 7 is a problem we will have to work through. I disagree with you in I do not trust Mac yet. He has not proven he can deliver yet.

[IcSyU]

Originally Posted by Clones85'

I am very happy that we were able to sign a big man that can help us next year but I am far from wanting to jump with joy. I trust the coaches and their eye for talent, but signing 7 guys in a year is never a good thing. Signing 7 means that we can only sign 1 next year and I don't see the benefit in that. It's not like the spring guys we signed are home run recruits either.

JVB- Exactly what we needed. A big guy who can eat up minutes with Brackins, AT, and a freshman in the post. It is hard for me to get overly excited about his potential to be anything more than another AT though. There is a reason that he did not have any other BCS offers, even when it is a down year for big men. Hopefully coach can turn him into a Jiri like player.

Pomlee- Do you think coach offers him if he knows for sure that JVB is committing? Coach must think that Pomlee can come in and play right away next season, otherwise it may be a waste of a scholarship. Remember, Pomlee didn't have any other BCS offers either. Do coaches think Pomlee is better than any 09 post players that they are in on? These are the questions I have. I personally would have loved to have eaten the scholarship and used in on an 09 recruit.

Christopherson- This one is really a head scratcher for me. He is not somebody who can step on campus and help us right away. He has to sit out a year, and we already have Lucca, Ike, and Boozer at the 2 position. Diante can also play the 2 if needed. If the coaches would have gotten a JUCO point guard or an athletic wing player (a la Rahshon) I would have understood using another scholly but I don't get why they would give it to a guy who's position already has some depth. I talked to a buddy who watched him play when he was in town this past weekend, and he said he looked solid, but didn't light the world on fire. The coaches must think he is going to be really good to offer him IMO.

Really, I wish we would have only signed 1 guy this spring (JVB) and not 3. That way we could bank the other scholly's for next year. It would give the coaches time to see where our weaknesses/strengths are once the freshman get on campus, and go after recruits based on that. For us to be successful in the future, we need to sign 3 guys a year (not 7) and usually zero in the spring time. Let's face it, most spring time commits are ones that most schools didn't want the first time around. Hopefully these players make me eat my words and come into ISU and tear it up and help us get back to the NCAA tourney.

I agree with pretty much everything there except for the bold. Diante is not a shooting threat at all. He is purely a 1.

[tyler24]

With the talent we are after for the 09 recruiting class...maybe the staff doesnt think theyll be able to bring in some of the top guys they want so they decided to bring in more role players this year and wait for the 2010 recruiting class to get some top players. AKA Harrison Barnes

[CyinCo]

Originally Posted by StLouisClone

I was also thinking we might bank a scholly. I guess Christopherson is too good to pass up. Plus, these days scholarships seem to open up unexpectedly at every school because a player decides to transfer. That's not such a bad thing as long as they leave in good standing.

I was thinking the same thing. I won't be surprised if we end up having two open for 2009 for whatever reason.

Cyfan13 said JVB was "very good" during the workout at his visit. I think he'll be better than AT at the 5. I'm excited about getting him to this team.

Pomlee was someone I thought we shouldn't get BUT I trust the staff as well and they wanted him. I thought he was an APR risk. I think he has the ability to be a good player. I was only thinking from an academic standpoint that ISU should pass.

I don't know anything about Christopherson. I guess I too am surprised we didn't save this scholarship fro 2009 but, hey, maybe he is really good and will be even better after sitting out a year and practicing with the team.

[cgwarrior33]

I maybe mistaken, but I thought Pomlee had an offer from WVU. It also sounded like JVB was being heavily pursued by UConn. I could be wrong, but that is what I believe to have read.

[Clones85']

Originally Posted by IcSyU

I agree with pretty much everything there except for the bold. Diante is not a shooting threat at all. He is purely a 1.

I agree with you that Diante is not a shooting threat at this point of his career, and I would prefer him to play the 1. But, he can also play the 2 if needed. There are plenty of people who play the 2 who are not 3 point specialists.

[Clones85']

The only other school that may have offered Pomlee was Bradley from what I have been told.

[kg-cyclone]

DG is not a one...he was filling a hole last year. Combo guard would be a better way to describe him.

[CyinCo]

Originally Posted by NebrClone

I agree, 7 is a problem we will have to work through. I disagree with you in I do not trust Mac yet. He has not proven he can deliver yet.

I don't understand this. What do you want from Mac. As it has been said many times, you can't judge him from his first class. It was a spring class after only a few weeks on the job. I don't think any coach could have done much in that position. Then, look at last years class: Two freshmen that played significant minutes with 1 being a top 50 player. Also, it could be argued that Lucca would have played significant minutes had the NCAA not screwed him. So that could have been 3 freshmen either starting or playing significant minutes in the Big XII. And how is that a failure from a recruiting standpoint? I really don't know what some of you fans expect from McD. We aren't going to have 2 or 3 McDonalds AAs every class. Only time will tell with the current class but think there are several players coming in that will impress.

[Clones85']

Originally Posted by CyinCo

I don't understand this. What do you want from Mac. As it has been said many times, you can't judge him from his first class. It was a spring class after only a few weeks on the job. I don't think any coach could have done much in that position. Then, look at last years class: Two freshmen that played significant minutes with 1 being a top 50 player. Also, it could be argued that Lucca would have played significant minutes had the NCAA not screwed him. So that could have been 3 freshmen either starting or playing significant minutes in the Big XII. And how is that a failure from a recruiting standpoint? I really don't know what some of you fans expect from McD. We aren't going to have 2 or 3 McDonalds AAs every class. Only time will tell with the current class but think there are several players coming in that will impress.

I don't get Nebr saying he doesn't trust McD either but I do see why some people are worried about recruiting.

Last years class was great IMO. Brackins, Staiger, and Diante were very good gets. But then he signs Boozer, Brister, and Vette late. Why? I get Vette b/c we needed a post presence. Now this year we are signing 7 players. I don't really get it

[clonerules]

i really dont get the problem with signing 7 players this year...have we forgotten that any number of things can happen at any given time to deplete our roster?


im pretty sure we could have used more depth last year..maybe im wrong....

[tim_redd]

You bring in 7 guys because scholarships have this funny way of always opening up.

For example, every year for the past 15 or so...

[Clones85']

Well if we want to build a consistent program than we never want to bring in more than 5 ever again. Bringing in 7 guys in a year is a very bad thing.

You don't bring in 7 thinking players are going to transfer the following year