McDermott and keeping players on the team

[CycloneYoda]

Does everybody forget about Blalock and Stinson? They left the year that McDermott came. They were both staying until they got a taste of how McDermott runs the team. These guys were two of the biggest players to ever play at Iowa State, granted they always had their eye on the pros, when two of the biggest name people on a team are planning on staying and then leave after they see the coach....not a good way to score points with the program. Not to mention the multiple other players that have left.

As for this season, Pomlee - gone (not much of a loss), Staiger - gone (huge loss), CB is most likely gone after this season, Gilstrap most likely will not get another year, Buck has had talk of transfering, wouldnt be surprised if Colvin transfered out, and Dendy's situation is questionable at best. Of these 7, 2 are gone already, and i wouldnt be surprised to see at least 2 or 3 more be gone after this season. This is the most talented team McDermott has ever had and he is chasing them off.....FAST! Just because he has an amazing recruiter (which he does), doesnt mean he is a great coach. This team is having huge problems with chemistry already and is why they are not performing to their potential. This deffinatly showed in the Duke game. Players leaving doesnt help chemistry.

Conclustion: Give McDermott the benefit of the doubt until the season is over. If there is no bid for the tournament, pack your bags Greg.

This isn't true. Blalock & Stinson both declared for the NBA about 12 hours before Morgan was officially fired. McDermott wasn't our coach yet.

Taggert was the one who left after meeting the coach.

Nice try, though.

[CycloneErik]

Does everybody forget about Blalock and Stinson? They left the year that McDermott came. They were both staying until they got a taste of how McDermott runs the team. These guys were two of the biggest players to ever play at Iowa State, granted they always had their eye on the pros, when two of the biggest name people on a team are planning on staying and then leave after they see the coach....not a good way to score points with the program. Not to mention the multiple other players that have left.

As for this season, Pomlee - gone (not much of a loss), Staiger - gone (huge loss), CB is most likely gone after this season, Gilstrap most likely will not get another year, Buck has had talk of transfering, wouldnt be surprised if Colvin transfered out, and Dendy's situation is questionable at best. Of these 7, 2 are gone already, and i wouldnt be surprised to see at least 2 or 3 more be gone after this season. This is the most talented team McDermott has ever had and he is chasing them off.....FAST! Just because he has an amazing recruiter (which he does), doesnt mean he is a great coach. This team is having huge problems with chemistry already and is why they are not performing to their potential. This deffinatly showed in the Duke game. Players leaving doesnt help chemistry.

Conclustion: Give McDermott the benefit of the doubt until the season is over. If there is no bid for the tournament, pack your bags Greg.

They'd already announced they were leaving before he was hired.

[Cyclonestate78]

I believed it a year ago (and people didn't like it) and still firmly believe this now. Craig should have left and done what was best for him.

Yesterday's departure has no bearing on that, although it could just prove a slight bit more leaving for the NBA may have been the wiser choice.

I agree. I have no idea why or what possible explanations there are but his performance this year is just off. It could be the addition of Gilstrap to share the load with him but who really knows at this point. I really like Brackins and I think he is a good guy and a great choice to be the face of our program. I just hope that he didn't make what turns out to be a terrible financial decision by staying at ISU. He may indeed need to stay and play next season to restore the elite draft status that he previously had.

[cyclonenum1]

I agree with this. I honestly am starting to believe that Brackins will be back next year because his level of play so far this year has most definitely killed his draft stock. In hindsight the kid should have bolted to the NBA after last season.

Yeah, I'm sure he loves that he hung around to have all the McDermott fans bang on him for his play this year.

[ISUFan22]

Does everybody forget about Blalock and Stinson? They left the year that McDermott came. They were both staying until they got a taste of how McDermott runs the team. These guys were two of the biggest players to ever play at Iowa State, granted they always had their eye on the pros, when two of the biggest name people on a team are planning on staying and then leave after they see the coach....not a good way to score points with the program. Not to mention the multiple other players that have left.

Hold up.

- They left before (or at least very shortly after) Greg was hired, they never got a firsthand taste of his coaching
- Many speculated one if not both were going to leave early regardless of coaching

[jakecovo21]

coach, CB, and gilstrap.. all gone by start of next season.

[ISUFan22]

Yeah, I'm sure he loves that he hung around to have all the McDermott fans bang on him for his play this year.

Oh good grief. Some of your points are great, but they are hidden within that short-sighted simple-minded view you trot out there all the time.

Craig has underperformed this year and it most certainly is partially his fault. The only changes from last year to this year is the talent around him got a bit better. Some of the diminished output must absolutely fall on Craig.

[Wesley]

We had stability before? Floyd left after 4 years, that included numerous team issues. Eustachy's situation speaks for itself and Morgan's tenure as coach was a mess! We haven't had stability in the basketball program for years. GMac is a quality person and is trying to do things the right way. He WILL turn the program around.

If 2010 slides, expect two years of rebuilding. Maybe 2013 will be McDs year.

[cyclonenum1]

This isn't true. Blalock & Stinson both declared for the NBA about 12 hours before Morgan was officially fired. McDermott wasn't our coach yet.

Taggert was the one who left after meeting the coach.

Nice try, though.

I don't know the specifics of how all this went down from a timing standpoint.

However, is it not true that a kid can declare and as long as he doesn't sign with an agent that he can pull his name out? I believe that is the case. Did these kids sign with agents before McDermott arrived?

Regardless of how this went down it seems very evident that McDermott did not put much, if any, effort into re-recruiting and trying to retain a lot of the existing players.

[CycloneErik]

I don't know the specifics of how all this went down from a timing standpoint.

However, is it not true that a kid can declare and as long as he doesn't sign with an agent that he can pull his name out? I believe that is the case. Did these kids sign with agents before McDermott arrived?

Regardless of how this went down it seems very evident that McDermott did not put much, if any, effort into re-recruiting and trying to retain a lot of the existing players.

Or that kids that declared had made up their mind already, and nobody was talking them out of it. That can be spun either way.

[ISUFan22]

Regardless of how this went down it seems very evident that McDermott did not put much, if any, effort into re-recruiting and trying to retain a lot of the existing players.

In what way is it evident?

[cyclonenum1]

Oh good grief. Some of your points are great, but they are hidden within that short-sighted simple-minded view you trot out there all the time.

Craig has underperformed this year and it most certainly is partially his fault. The only changes from last year to this year is the talent around him got a bit better. Some of the diminished output must absolutely fall on Craig.

I agree that most believe he has performed under expectations. However, I think most also had expectations similar to what we saw with Blake Griffin last year.

The fact remains that we have some on this site that are more loyal to McDermott than they are to ISU MBB and they have an affinity for giving GM a total pass on everything while continually banging on the players like CB.

[CycloneYoda]

I don't know the specifics of how all this went down from a timing standpoint.

However, is it not true that a kid can declare and as long as he doesn't sign with an agent that he can pull his name out? I believe that is the case. Did these kids sign with agents before McDermott arrived?

Stinson yes, Blalock no



Regardless of how this went down it seems very evident that McDermott did not put much, if any, effort into re-recruiting and trying to retain a lot of the existing players.

Hubalek and Clark stayed around, didn't they? Taggert left because he didn't get to swear in practice. Carr had aready left the team. Evanovich? Who cares. Degand? No big loss, either.

[MaxPower57]

Here is my attempt to list 'Greg's Kids', Blalock and Stinson are referenced in the post above. Many of them were not D1 players to start with, but many were brought in and given schollys. Others were walk ons so you can't really judge, others ended up being solid players elsewhere...Degand, Dunson, C Johnson, etc. The combination of recruiting players who can play in the Big 12 and having solid to good players leave is just a killer.

Stinson: declared just before GMAC, don't know if he could've still returned, if he had hired an agent, etc.
Blalock: same as Stinson
Jacobson: Walk-on
Carr: Solid player
Taggart: Solid player
Degand: Solid player
Marsden: Started a couple years, quit B-Ball
Evanovich: No idea where he ended up, prolly not a Big 12 guy
Taylor: Own actions got him booted, very good player
Wes Johnson: All American
Dunson: Solid player
McIntosh: Started but wasn't a Big 12 guy
Cory Johnson: I think he could have been solid to good
Vette: Not a B12 player
Lee: Walk-on
Brister: Knocked some girl up, quit
Mann: Not a B12 player
Pomlee: Kicked off
Staiger: Enough said

[ISUFan22]

I agree that most believe he has performed under expectations. However, I think most also had expectations similar to what we saw with Blake Griffin last year.

The fact remains that we have some on this site that are more loyal to McDermott than they are to ISU MBB and they have an affinity for giving GM a total pass on everything while continually banging on the players like CB.

So if you agree, stop with all this "GMac lovers blaming Craig" crap. It's nothing more than pot stirring and you're well aware of it.

This continued labeling of "Greg hater" and "Greg lover" is quite old.