McDermott and keeping players on the team

[Cyclonestate78]

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

Yeah. It certainly is an unfortunate place for him to be right now. I know he is doing the best that he can but I wonder if it is just less touches with some better players around him or if it is a total lack of motivation that is being driven home by GMAC. It's hard to say but when kids are jumping ship left and right you have to wonder if the bad vibes these other players are feeling is affecting Brackins in a negative way.

[CloneIce]

I don't know why GM can't keep players and at this point I don't care.

At this point it is painfully obvious that Mcdermott cannot recruit/retain Big 12 players at the level needed to be successful. Too many recruits that left because they weren't good at this level, and too many decent to great players that left for other reasons.

Its pretty obvious this isn't all coincidence.

Alot of people try to rationalize this as bad luck. Hey, maybe GM really is the unluckiest coach in America? Well, if that is the case, do we really want the unluckiest coach in the country coaching ISU?

[oldman]

I like Scott but he has not been able to hit shots when we need them.

I think he hit two big threes and had an assist to CB during crunch time at Nebraska.

[cyclonenum1]

In what way is it evident?

The evidence is the fact so many left.

I have no first hand information but have heard from multiple sources that GM did not do any of the customary things that incoming coaches typically do to retain players...namely visiting with them and their families in a sort of re-recruiting process.

[mac4cy]

Given everything that has gone on with the BB team this year I think we need to come up with a new award. The winner of The Tool of the Year Award goes to.......
LUCA STAIGER!!! All we need now is a trophy to send to him on the bench over in Germany.

[chuckd4735]

Unfortunately, Iowa State was Lucca's tool.

[MNCyGuy]

Unfortunately, Iowa State was Lucca's tool.

Nice!


Do we almost have enough players for an all-time "I screwed ISU" team?

[ISU4ME]

Diante---Milwaukee
Craig---L.A.
Colvin---Chicago
Buckley---Detroit

aka the best athletes on the team...

You may want to check what suburb they all came from.

[Cyclonestate78]

I think he hit two big threes and had an assist to CB during crunch time at Nebraska.

Scott is ten times the player that Lucca is. He is quicker, plays defense, can shoot on the move, and to this point didn't quit on his team. While I say that I will not say that Lucca quit on his coach because we don't know for sure just what is going on behind closed doors. I have some serious reservations about ripping Lucca too much as this move could be directly related to GMAC based on the mass defections of previous players.

[cyclonenum1]

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.

I agree that the expectations were set high...unrealistically high by most...just like we do with nearly every recruit to ISU.

I have been called a "hater" but I have never called anyone a "lover" of McDermott. I have used the word apologist. But it is now dawning on me that we have a subset of posters on here that are truly "fans" of McDermott more than they are fans of ISU. It is not my fault that those fans of McDermott are typically the first to bang on the players for any problems while at the same time absolving GM of any responsibility.

[CycloneYoda]

The evidence is the fact so many left.

I have no first hand information but have heard from multiple sources that GM did not do any of the customary things that incoming coaches typically do to retain players...namely visiting with them and their families in a sort of re-recruiting process.

Translation: I read message boards.

[CloneIce]

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

This list should also include Laurence Westrbrook. He was signed and sealed to ISU when GM took over. GM cut ties with him because he didn't want to deal with his ego or dad (at least that was the stated reason on message boards etc). Well, Tubby Smith has had no problem dealing with Westbrook as he lead Minnesota in scoring and to the 2nd round of the NCAAs last year.

Dealing with egos is a very important part of being a head coach at this level also. That is one key difference between GM so far and other (successful) coaches at this level.

[jpete24]

all-time "I screwed ISU" team

PG - Carr
SG - Staiger
SF - Johnson
PF - Taggart
C - ??

Bench - Haluska

[ISUFan22]

The evidence is the fact so many left.

I have no first hand information but have heard from multiple sources that GM did not do any of the customary things that incoming coaches typically do to retain players...namely visiting with them and their families in a sort of re-recruiting process.

I've heard the opposite.

Busting Greg for the players he recruited is completely fair, going back and reaching to rip on him for the players that left when he was hired is not.

[oldman]

People need to start coming around to the idea that the word team is becoming a thing of the past. It is really a different mindset in athletics in the current world. From the Iversons that many of these guys grow up adoring - who quit on the "team" yearly - to kids like Wes Johnson that feel slighted or perhaps sold himself short at an ISU. What about the kid from Marquette on our team currently? Bo Williams? And on and on.

Staiger's situation is certainly unique. But it's not surprising is it? Is any transfer or pouty (Colvin) shocking anymore? We're (ISU) not unique given the landscape. A Duke kid left in the last week. The pro mentality of taking care of "me" first has trickled down to, or overrun, college athletics as a whole. I don't know if McDermott is a good or great coach. He certainly has proved himself as a recruiter in my eyes. I think he goes about his job with eyes wide open. I'm not defending or condemning him but I stand by him.

We have guys hurt. We've lost a few. We have some talent left. Let's see what happens.

Valid point about the character of some players. I do remember other players leaving previous coaches, like Eustachy. I think most of the players that have left McD's program are ones that saw they were going to ride pine most of the time.