What are your realistic expectations for Iowa State MBB?

**cycloneworld** · 01-28-2010, 03:10 PM

I have seen a lot of people say that Iowa State fans have unrealistic expectations for the men's basketball program. I completely disagree with that.

There aren't many fans that expect us to compete for Big 12 Championships year in and year out. Most I talk don't even expect us to make the NCAA tournament year in and year out.

Personally, I'd like to see us consistently be in the top 6 or 7 of the Big 12 (that doesn't mean we have to be every single year) and at least be in contention for an NCAA tournament berth. I expect there will be down years and I expect there will be up years. There will be years when we may contend for a Big 12 title but there will also be years when we contend for the 12th spot. But in the past 25 years, we have gone to 12 NCAA tournaments...about 1 every 2 years. I think that is a realistic expectation for this fan base.

What are your expectations for this program?

**bawbie** · 01-28-2010, 03:12 PM

It's not about expectations. Having expectation is a good thing. The debate, to me, is how you react if your expectations are not met.

Do you react constructively or destructively?

Many here react destructively, tearing down the coach, the team, the fans, other posts. Myself included.

I think we should all try to be more constructive when our expectations are not met.

Sorry if that is off topic. To answer your question, I enter every season expecting to go to the NCAA tournament.

**cyclonepower** · 01-28-2010, 03:13 PM

-go to an NCAA tournament every once in a while (one in every 3 or 4 years at least)

maybe compete for a conference championships every ten years...

-one final four in my lifetime..

**Final42b** · 01-28-2010, 03:13 PM

I want an NCAA turney bid atleast every 3 years and NIT the others and signs of hope when we arent having the best of year. I also expect us to be able to get a top 100 talent atleast every other year.

**cyclonepower** · 01-28-2010, 03:16 PM

i changed mind, finish 10th-12th every year in the Big XII but as long as our coach is doing it the "right way" i will be happy...

**chuckd4735** · 01-28-2010, 03:18 PM

I don't care if ISU loses games, but right now its the way they lose games that pisses me off. I don't think expecting at least an 8-8 conference record year in and year out is too much to ask for...

**aeroclone** · 01-28-2010, 03:20 PM

I think the numbers we have seen for the last 25 years are pretty reasonable. NCAA 40-50% of the time, 20-25% NIT, and 25% rebuilding years. I also want a team that is always tough at home. I work with a lot of MU and KU fans that fear Hilton to this day, I don't want to give them any reason to change their minds on that.

**Drive4cy** · 01-28-2010, 03:23 PM

My expectations aren't to finish below .500 overall and win 4-5 conference games a year. Sorry.

There should NEVER be four years that go by that Iowa State doesn't qualify for the NCAA tournament. Nobody here has too high of expectations. That's the funny part of some of the posts on here claiming the fans are unrealistic.

**CRcyclone6** · 01-28-2010, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

I don't care if ISU loses games, but right now its the way they lose games that pisses me off. I don't think expecting at least an 8-8 conference record year in and year out is too much to ask for...

i agree with this except I do care if we lose. with a good record in out of conference games, finishing 8-8 or 9-7 would put us on the bubble every year. every couple years finish 10-6 and we would be guaranteed some sort of post-season all the time. AND I want Hilton to be a feared place to play. we used to not only play with better teams at home, but would beat them regularly.

**clone96cr** · 01-28-2010, 03:28 PM

Bubble team most years. Ocassional year without postseason play or with multiple tournament wins.

**cycloneworld** · 01-28-2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by aeroclone

I think the numbers we have seen for the last 25 years are pretty reasonable. NCAA 40-50% of the time, 20-25% NIT, and 25% rebuilding years. I also want a team that is always tough at home. I work with a lot of MU and KU fans that fear Hilton to this day, I don't want to give them any reason to change their minds on that.

Historically, this is exactly what ISU fans SHOULD expect. If it can be done over a 25 year period...I can be done under this coach.

I don't understand why we can't expect our coach to have a better line than:

0% NCAA tournament
0% NIT
100% "Rebuilding years"

At at home we are 12-13 during the conference season I believe.

**chuckd4735** · 01-28-2010, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Historically, this is exactly what ISU fans SHOULD expect. If it can be done over a 25 year period...I can be done under this coach.

I don't understand why we can't expect our coach to have a better line than:

0% NCAA tournament
0% NIT
100% "Rebuilding years"

At at home we are 12-13 during the conference season I believe.

I guess it make sense knowing he has only won 15 conference games here, but that stat is downright wrong and embarrassing. It is also pretty bad that it took me all of 2 seconds to realize his only road wins have been twice at Nebraska and once at Mizzou.

**bawbie** · 01-28-2010, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I don't understand why we can't expect our coach to have a better line than:

0% NCAA tournament
0% NIT
100% "Rebuilding years"

At at home we are 12-13 during the conference season I believe.

I really don't see anyone saying not to expect better than that.

As I said upthread, the real question is what are you going to do when your expectations aren't met?

Because your expectations aren't met in a given year, does that mean you rag on the players and the coaches? If they aren't met in 4 years, does that mean that the coach needs to be run out of town? Or can we have a constructive dialog about how best to met the expectations in the future?

**cycloneworld** · 01-28-2010, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by bawbie

Because your expectations aren't met in a given year, does that mean you rag on the players and the coaches? If they aren't met in 4 years, does that mean that the coach needs to be run out of town? Or can we have a constructive dialog about how best to met the expectations in the future?

There has been a lot of constructive dialog today in a few threads. I've posted several times that we don't need "we suck", "Mac sucks" type threads...we need actual discussions about what is going on and what can be done to fix it.

**BryceC** · 01-28-2010, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by bawbie

Because your expectations aren't met in a given year, does that mean you rag on the players and the coaches? If they aren't met in 4 years, does that mean that the coach needs to be run out of town? Or can we have a constructive dialog about how best to met the expectations in the future?

I don't like the ragging on players or coaches and I've been guilty of it. If the expectations aren't met in 4 years I think it means there has been enough time to have a legit dialogue about if he is the the right guy or if a change needs to be made.

My expectations are to make the tourney 2 out of every 5 years, be okay (winning record, maybe NIT or CBI) the other two and have a rebuilding year once in that 5.