Disappointing

**cyclonenum1** · 11-15-2009, 06:41 AM

Obviously, there have been disappointments for us as Cyclone fans over the years...both on and off the field/court.

However, the reactions of some Cyclone faithful over the past couple of years on this site have really been eye opening and disappointing to me.

The way many of you treat these 15-22 year old kids that are either being recruited by ISU or are playing for ISU is nearly unbelievable. While they are either considering playing for ISU or playing for ISU they are pumped up beyond reality...they are smart, classy, ultra-talented. As soon as they either choose elsewhere or leave ISU they are castigated by many on this site as total losers. This has happened a lot...Bates, Wesley Johnson, Staten, HB just to name the primary examples. One day they are classy...the next they are a total slimeball loser.

Then there is the constant ridicule we get of any coach/program that beats us on or off the court/field. They are immediately accused of being slimy, cheating, and not doing things the right way...all with no evidence whatsoever with respect to any of the allegations.

I understand frustration and anger...and believe me, I get frustrated and angry...but to place this on 15-22 year old kids or on our opponents is misguided in my opinion. I would really like to see this fanbase start holding the adults more accountable for the results in our programs. Ultimately, these coaches are in total control of the program they run and getting paid quite handsomely by ISU to run it.

I think we need to start looking in the mirror rather than out the window when trying to understand why a particular Cyclone program is struggling.

**CyCloned** · 11-15-2009, 07:11 AM

This is, of course, about, HB, and I think most ISU fans understand that he had a lot of choices, good choices, and he took UNC over ISU even though his connections to ISU were much stronger. It all comes down to you win some and you loose some. Because HB lived in Ames and was so close to the current player and coaching staff this one hurt pretty bad, but in the end , it is his life and his decision. ISU MBB will move on.

**woodie** · 11-15-2009, 07:18 AM

what programs are struggling???? seems like cpr is righting the ship for football. wrestling seems to be in good hands. coach mac seems to be putting together a very good basketball team.
basketball was left in bad shape by wayne morgan. gmac has had some struggles in the men's basketball due to the loss of some primadonnas.when the primadonnas have left ,the boys that want to play basketball are shoring up the ship and are loooking pretty good in the games which we have played. our ladies basketball and ladies volleyball plus gymnastics seem to be doing very well.

as the old lady that used to advertise for wendys used to say""""""where's the beef????""""

**Tre4ISU** · 11-15-2009, 07:26 AM

Bates and Wesley Johnson quit on us. That's not the same as HB. I think that had HB removed us from the running weeks ago, when he knew he wasn't coming here, there would be a lot less negative feelings. Instead he dragged us a long and invited the Ames public to his signing to let us down like that. I think that's what the negative feelings are about.

**CyAggie** · 11-15-2009, 07:29 AM

Fans of every team tend to claim the aer the classy fans and the other team fans are not. It is human nature down to a basic level. So evertying needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

And if this is about HB, in my opinion, no one should be criticising him on where he decided to go. He has to make that decision for himself.

However, how he did it, announced, and the ramifications and effects are fair game. He orchestrated this from a public relations and marketing perspective. I posted early last week from a PR perspective this would create the potential for risk and it did.

There seems to be be almost a professional branding campaign underway and frankly, they are not doing very well for how it impacts the image.

**Gizmo** · 11-15-2009, 07:56 AM

I think an argument can be made that HB made the safe choice in picking NC. He will be one of many highly recruited players on a team with a history of final fours and national titles. If they don't win a title or make the final four it is not all on him. Like many of you, I wanted him at ISU. I respect his choice but I really disliked the big show he put on in Ames on Friday.

**joefrog** · 11-15-2009, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Gizmo

I think an argument can be made that HB made the safe choice in picking NC. He will be one of many highly recruited players on a team with a history of final fours and national titles. If they don't win a title or make the final four it is not all on him. Like many of you, I wanted him at ISU. I respect his choice but I really disliked the big show he put on in Ames on Friday.

This right here. I, like many, was not all that upset with hb's choice. The problem is with the manner in which he made it. If one is honest and looks back at the whole hb thing, it is easy to see how he really used the whole ISU community, and I mean bad. He had every right to go wherever he wanted, for sure. I just think he should have cut ISU loose earlier, instead of playing up ISU's chances in order to get more attendance at the production in the gym for ESPN.

That being said, hb is gone. No problems here. I want team players, and Cyclones on the field and on the court. I am not going to be told that I have to wish him well or cheer for him however. I am a Cyclone fan. Let his Ames groupies take care of continuing to puff up his ego. Don't worry, they will show up here in a hurry.

Me? I cannot wait to see Melvin Ejim hit the court.

**CycloneErik** · 11-15-2009, 08:12 AM

Melvin Ejim is going to be something!

**CloneBack** · 11-15-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by yaman3

Bates and Wesley Johnson quit on us. That's not the same as HB. I think that had HB removed us from the running weeks ago, when he knew he wasn't coming here, there would be a lot less negative feelings. Instead he dragged us a long and invited the Ames public to his signing to let us down like that. I think that's what the negative feelings are about.

- this

**cyclonestate** · 11-15-2009, 08:50 AM

Like many folks, I don't fault HB's choice, I just fault the way he manipulated the whole Ames/ISU community for his own benefit. I'm sure it made for great TV and it made the family feel great, but it the Cyclone faithful feel like they were used. But I've already moved on. I have absolutely no interest in HB anymore.

I know I'm stretching for a silver lining in this, but at least we won't have to deal with all the distractions that his presence on the team would have undoubtedly brought. Next year, we will have a roster of guys who are all on the same level, not a roster with one superstar and the rest members of the supporting cast. Next year, it will all be about the TEAM'S success.

**twistedredbird** · 11-15-2009, 08:56 AM

I think it is only natural for those of us who are disappointed, to vent our frustrations to others who understand our pain. Its called coping.

And there is nothing wrong with these youth realizing that their decisions do impact other people. They shouldn't make their decisions for other people, but they should learn to be respectful of others. HB's show this week, was not. It was painful. It was going to be painful no matter what, but the ostentation display was like rubbing salt into a wound. Perhaps he might learn from this experience not to play with people's emotions like that. I don't think it was intentional, but it came across as selfish marketing that even top media people have said has set a new "over the top" standard for how to announce commitments. WJ may have had legitimate concerns to go elsewhere, but how he handled it was not in a very upstanding manner. All stars must deal learn how to handle themselves cautiously. Its not fair, but in the end fan appeal makes them money, if they are not liked, they make less money. If we didn't buy tickets and watch sports on TV, this would not occur, but we are all fanatics in the end.

**CyinCo** · 11-15-2009, 08:57 AM

The past is the past. Move on.

**cycoticfan** · 11-15-2009, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by yaman3

Bates and Wesley Johnson quit on us. That's not the same as HB. I think that had HB removed us from the running weeks ago, when he knew he wasn't coming here, there would be a lot less negative feelings. Instead he dragged us a long and invited the Ames public to his signing to let us down like that. I think that's what the negative feelings are about.

Don't forget all the petty little boys who left when Morgan got booted (Taggart, especially) Rashon was the real only man from that team. At least the football players got it right by sticking around.

All you negative little whiners should be glad you have a team on the rise instead of one like EIU headed for mediocity. A lot of you weren't around when we had Nance coaching. Talk about laughin stock.....

**CTAClone** · 11-15-2009, 09:14 AM

For all the years I've been coming to the site...the way some of the cyclone faithful carry hate on their sleeves is really eye opening to me. It seems no matter what happens they are always unhappy and always try to take out their hate on coaches/ads. No matter what happens or what the state of the program is they always seem to be very vocal on their feelings of a coach or AD.

It gets really really old always hearing the same old thing from them. We get it, you don't like the coach. I don't think there is one single coach that we have ever had that could have gotten HB to come play for us next season. If we were continually in the post season and considered a top-tier program I think we may have had a shot. I look in the mirror and I see a program that is finally having some stability and the future looks very bright. When I look in the mirror I'm very happy with where the program is right now and have no reason to get upset or angry. I finally feel that we are establishing ourselves as a program to be trifled with for years to come.

**SeattleClone** · 11-15-2009, 09:21 AM

1. Thank you for telling ME how to feel about it. I was very confused and didn't know what to do or what to think. You have shown me the way.

2. Thank you for starting your own thread, because obviously your take on the situation is very unique and wise, and it is important that everyone sees it. If your opinion had gotten lost in one of the other hundreds of threads since the decision had been made, it would have been a great tragedy.

3.